NEW YORK FIREFIGHTER HAS HEART ATTACK AT SCENE-LODD
It is with deep regret that we advise you of the Line of Duty Death of East Pembroke (Genesee County NY) Firefighter Norm Koch. Norm was the Past Chief of the Corfu Fire District and currently a Commissioner of the East Pembroke Fire District and their Fire Police Captain. Norm passed away yesterday afternoon while assisting at the scene of crash. Captain Koch suffered an apparent heart attack and was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced. Firefighter Koch had over 50 years in the Fire Service with Corfu and East Pembroke FD’s.
WHEN THERE ARE NO RUNS…IT IS "WASTED" TIME….SO EMPTY THE FIREHOUSE:
Now…back to Minnesota, where there is at least 1 city administrator who isn’t listening to their Governor. As of January 1, the Austin FD will have nobody in quarters overnight. The decision was made last week in a closed door meeting between the City and the local fire union. The contract between the city and the Local 598 FF union expired last year. The city has tried to figure out a new contract since then, but according to City Administrator Jim Hurm, the city and union couldn’t work out an agreement on the 24-hour coverage schedule, so now the 10-person fire department will work from 0700-2230 hours. In other words, starting January first, the FF’s will be "on call" overnight, but not actually in the fire station-creating a significant and measurable response delay. Local citizens have rightfully questioned the safety of not staffing firefighters overnight, and although Mr Hurm could not (would not?) disclose exactly why the city decided to empty the firehouse, he did say the city wants to get the most "productivity" out of its FD. He stated that there are a lot of wasted man hours on many overnight shifts…as long as no one reports a fire. And when someone does, after 2230 at night, they will clearly be able to measure the slow response time, lost productivity, increased risk and the potentially tragic fire and life loss of their FD. After all, all those FF’s did at night was sleep. Sleep well, that is, unless someone called for help which is then how a FD’s "productivity" really gets measured. Un-staff the firehouse: WTF?!
DELAWARE UPDATES:
1-Harrington (DE) Assistant Chief Robbie Brode is home and in good spirits. His shoulder was dislocated and he has 2nd degree burns on his wrists and hip. He was hurt when he fell from the first floor into the basement yesterday while operating at a working fire.
2-Georgetown FF Will Breasure is holding on and fighting hard. There are small improvements but the pneumonia is really working on him. Will was ejected from his car while responding to a fire last weekend and was not wearing his seatbelt.
3-Here is a link with an update related to the new murder charges again career criminal Joseph Taye in the LODD against FF Michelle Smith, of Delaware City. The original manslaughter charges against Taye were reviewed by the state Attorney General, who upgraded them today to murder, because FF Smith was killed “performing her official duty.” Detectives are still searching for the Honda and the skells in it.
Take Care-BE CAREFUL.
BillyG
The Secret List 12-31-08 / 0901 hours
