This is a video of a house fire in Ocean City, New Jersey. The house is well off when firefighters arrive. One firefighter was injured (heat related injury). The fire occurred on Morningside Road. Photos of the fire and more information here
Archives for videos
This fire was in Jacksonville, Florida on May 14, 2012 on Cinancy Street. The fire was captured on film by a helmet camera and shared by FDCam.com.
You just can’t win them all can you?
Check out more vids on FDCam.com and their Youtube page. I just wonder when they are going to send me one to try out!
Video info:
Jacksonville, FL
Crews were called for a mid-day structure fire. Fire crews found a large home (approx. 4000sqft) with heavy fire showing from the attic space of the second floor. Initial crews made a search to confirm no one was in the home and secondary units contained first floor fires. After little progress was made units were called out of the building and the fire was darkend down with master streams. Crews were sent back up to contain the fire but were eventually pulled from the home & the fire was contained with defensive tactics.
Two Updates – Accused Killer of Perdomo Indicted; Woman and Daughters Reunited with Rescuers
No commentsTwo stories I covered in the past have had noteworthy updates this week in the news.
Mom, daughters reunite with rescuers who saved them from dangling car
You might remember the story titled “Firefighters, US Navy Seabees, and luck save a woman and two daughters in daring California rescue”. The link includes a photo and video from the daring rescue. Kelli Groves and her two daughters were dangling off the side of a bridge. Firefighters were assisted by US Navy Seabees who just happened to be traversing the same road and saw the accident. There is another video below.
The 36-year-old elementary school teacher was reunited with Santa Barbara County firefighter Greg Nuckols and Sgt. Tom Mullen of the California Highway Patrol, when the heroes who talked her through the horrific ordeal made a surprise appearance on TODAY.
Another story updated today includes the case of Seminole County Firefighter Jerry Perdomo
Jerry Perdomo
Prior coverage on Fire Critic here, here, and here. Perdomo was missing for days before his body was found. Even after that, details were slow to emerge.
FirefighterNation.com has the story today about Perdomo’s accused killer being indicted in his murder.
ABIGAIL CURTIS, Bangor Daily NewsPublished Friday, May 18, 2012
BELFAST, Maine – A local man accused of killing a Florida firefighter in February and dumping his body in the woods of Newburgh was indicted this week by the Waldo County Grand Jury.
Daniel Porter, 24, of Jackson, was charged with one count of intentional or knowing murder for the slaying of Jerry Perdomo.
Police have said that Porter shot Perdomo in the side of the head on Feb. 16 at a rented home in Jackson with a semi-automatic rifle and that it was a drug-related crime. Perdomo, a firefighter and emergency medical technician for the Seminole County Fire Department, allegedly had been coming to Bangor once a month for nearly a year in order to illicitly transport and sell prescription drugs from Florida.
FirefighterNation.com has the story of 3 college students who had to be rescued from a 20 foot high roof on their campus at Hampshire College. The Amherst, Massachusetts Fire Chief plans to bill the students for the rescue and called them “idiots”.
Here are my questions for you…
- How many calls have you run that had similar “idiots”?
- Do you think the “idiots” in this case or other cases should be billed?
- Do you think that by billing for services might dissuade people (or idiots) from calling for our help in the future?
I have no problem with the Fire Chief speaking out publicly and referring to these students as idiots. I think it is a teaching moment for other future idiots. It is a public service.
However, I do have a problem with billing for our services. If you are going to do it, do it for everyone (I also do not agree with that).
What do you think?
I work in a department where we utilize a traditional (some might say aggressive) interior attack on fires at every chance we get. Sure, there are some empty lots in our City…including some parking lots downtown. We haven’t saved every building…but our track record is pretty good. Chalk that up to our quick responses and ability of our firefighters. I wish I could say that we get decent fire training made available by our department numerous times each year, but that is not true. I wish I could say that our staffing levels and lack of closing down companies are the reason why our responses are so quick, but our story is very different.
We are just like every other department, we get the job done with what we have to work with.
Transitional attack is something you might see in our department, but you probably wouldn’t hear anyone using the terminology “Transitional Attack”. It would merely be a case of cooling the fire prior to heading inside if needed.
One thing I will note is the old teaching of pushing the fire through the house…I have never seen this happen. I am not saying it can happen. I will just say that the way we used to teach that you HAD to fight fire from the unburned side to keep from pushing the fire will not always occur if you get in their and put plenty of water on the fire.
Kill The Flashover
Their motto is “We test, we demonstrate, you decide”
Watch the video below…
What do you think?
Kill the Flashover is an experiment. Unfortunately for me, I couldn’t find a definitive web site for the project. Joe Starnes’ web site has information on the project(2011 here and 2012 here) and then points to BShifter.com. I couldn’t find any information other than “Blue Card Certification” on BShifter.com though…nothing on Kill the Flashover. Maybe I just couldn’t find it.
There is a Facebook Fan Page for Kill the Flashover here.
There is a Youtube channel for Kill the Flashover here.
The Average Jake Firefighter recently wrote about the video I shared above. The post “So Traditional Attack is Wack Huh?”, delves into what you watched above and discusses its use in his departments.
Mark Vonappen also speaks on the topic in a post titled “Pride and Anecdotes”.
What do you guys think?
Here are some other videos from Kill the Flashover
Kill The Flashover (Burn Down Training Moment) Albemarle, NC
Watch this video closely and comment what you think the training moment is. There is a very important lesson in this short video that we all need to learn from.
Kill The Flashover Using Air Intake
This video clearly demonstrates the effects on temperature that something as simple as closing a do can do. This footage was taken during the first Kill the Flashover burn held in Shelby, NC in 2011. For more information on Kill the Flashover see us at www.facebook.com/killtheflashover
This is a video of a house fire in South Union. I am guessing PA or NJ…but I am not sure.
I had a couple of thoughts after watching this video.
- Suit up and get ready before you get to the roof.
- Make your cut and get off the roof.
Video info: A house located at 338 Derrick Avenue in South Union Township was heavily damaged by fire Wednesday night. The flames were reported about 9 p.m. with South Union, Hopwood and Uniontown firefighters responding to battle the fire.
Best of the Rest – Learning to Crawl, Fingerprints, Chicago Fire, All My Rowdy Friends…and More
No commentsThe other week, I had a Brother contact me about visiting Roanoke. When Brothers visit Roanoke, Willie and I try our best to roll out the red carpet and put our best foot forward. Unfortunately for Willie, he has two left feet! Chief Scott Morrison from Knotts Island Volunteer Fire Department was in town working and I ensured him we would have a good time. Willie and I both would have taken him around, but Willie was working. Therefore it was my job to show him as much of Roanoke as I could. I think we stopped in or drove by firehouses 1, old 1, 2, 3, old 3, 5, 7, 8, old 9, and 13…not bad for a half day of touring. We broke bread with Captain Wines at 13 and were delighted when Willie Sr. showed up with a friend for lunch as well. It actually gave me a chance to step into some of the houses I don’t get to all that often. I even met two firefighters who I hadn’t met before from the last recruit school.
Captain Wines, Chief Scott Morrison, Lt. Rhett Fleitz
We got a new guy at #3 A-shift about a month ago. Aaron (prounounced A-run) Parker is from the last recruit school and is fitting in just great. I will be introducing my entire crew this week hopefully. I have been meaning to do it, I just haven’t gotten around to it yet. It will be worth it, trust me!
Other than that, everything is busy as hell. Lacrosse season ends this weekend with a league tournament. I coach my son’s U9 and U11 teams and the U11 will be playing in the tournament. It should be a blast.
Dave Statter and I are gearing up for our presentation on Social Media in two weeks. Join us at the Ohio Fire & Emergency Services Foundation’s 2012 Leadership Conference in Newark, Ohio for May 23 & 24. Click here to sign up.
a little humor for your day. Shared by Benjamin Kimball
Shoutout – AESTFire
About - In March of 2009 we incorporated to meet an ever-increasing need to provide quality training to area emergency service and industrial organizations. AEST Inc is comprised of many highly qualified, trained, and professional instructors.We all began as firefighters. AEST Inc expanded our services to include testing pumps, ladders, and fire hose all on site at your department. We are able to provide an excellent service at an affordable price.
Training
For EMS Training, check out CentreLearn. Our good friend Greg Friese is on the team there. They have a blog set up here as well…and on Facebook!
Tac-Med LLC is running some online training via their Facebook page. Check it out here.
FireGround Flowthrough – The Order of Operations. Check out this article by Chris Brennan of Fire Service Warrior.
Green Maltese offers Fireground Considerations. Check it out!
Video: Jason Jefferies teaches us how to crawl…check it out! Thanks to Chief Mike France for posting this in the Fire Service Training/Safety FB Group!
Tweet of the Week
Seems reasonable!
News and Opinion
Mark Vonappen offers us “Fingerprints” in his latest installment at Fully Involved…sink your teeth into this one. Mark’s musings are becoming very popular due in part to the topic, in part to the writing style, and in part because it is unforgiving, candid, and no nonsense. I love it!
I took this pic from the bumper of their fire engine a week into the recovery efforts after one of the worst tornadoes Indiana has seen in a long time! -Bill- Nineveh FD
Chicago Fire Preview: Clips From NBC’s Drama Show Fire And Heated Conversation. Have you heard of the new series on Firefighters based on Chicago’s Bravest? Get the sneak preview here!
Retired Norfolk Firefighter Sara Jones needs your help in her 4th battle with Cancer. Read more about it here.
FirstDueTackle.com put together a pretty decent list of Training web sites, blogs, and magazines in this post here.
All My Rowdy Friends…The Hose Jockey talks about “The Network” that is being created and he is a part of. If you don’t know what “The Network” is, read the post and then start reading some of the other great blogs out there!
5 Terrifying Secrets About Riding in an Ambulance…just as it implies, from Cracked.com
Backstep Firefighter - OHIO Close Calls. Blaming Radios and Remembering Past Tragedy Calls show hindsight and misguided blame. Are we sure we’re headed in the right direction when looking for “lessons learned”?
IronFiremen.com – America’s Fire Captain Willie Wines Jr. talks about “Old School Captains” and gets a little validation for his abilities.
Jury awards more than $800,000 to family of fallen firefighter. The civil trial for Kilgore firefighter Kyle Perkins’ death is finally over. After rehashing the 2009 tragedy in a two-week trial, Monday’s verdict is a small victory for an East Texas family, and a brotherhood of East Texas firefighters.
This video was shared on Facebook:
Retired Norfolk (VA) firefighter Sara Jones “Jonesy” needs your help in her battle with cancer. Actually, she needs financial help…for her fourth battle with cancer. Click here to donate now. Be sure to check out the video below.
Sara Jones, October 2007 of the America's Female Firefighters Calendar
Here is an excerpt from Sara as written on the WePay donation page:
Surrender to whatever it takes, even twice. Life is about survival. What does that mean? Here I am, 28 years old, with aggressive breast cancer and given less than 50% chance of survival. Best shape of my life; a firefighter; a gym owner. Breast cancer – not a death sentence! My second chance at life, OK lets fight. “WHATEVER IT TAKES” … COURAGE! Bi-lateral mastectomy, 6 months of chemo, 9 reconstructive surgeries. 4 years cancer free. Almost to 5…the magic number. Recurrence, 33 years old! My worst fear becomes reality. Fight again. Surgery, more reconstruction. Move to Houston, TX, radiation, burnt, scarred. Death sentence…NO WAY. 3rd chance at life. And then more news- stage 4 breast cancer that had now metastasized to the bones. GIVE UP? Oh No – My purpose…fight the battle for everyone, pay it forward…”WHATEVER IT TAKES!” COURAGE!” – SLJ continue reading
Sara Jones was featured in the America’s Female Firefighters Calendar in both 2004 and 2007.
Links:
Best of the Rest – Training, News, Golfing, Pride, Rescues, Social Media, Detroit debacle, and much more!
No commentsThis week has been another busy one. Tomorrow will mark my first full shift in four. I have been off traveling and busier than ever. I am still playing catch up from over a month ago. I am getting there though.
Don’t forget to check out Daily911Deals.com for some great deals. Especially if you are interested in getting a Fire Critic/IronFiremen challenge coin from NM Coin! The deal won’t last forever.
We were in a reserve engine yesterday. That meant when running calls it seemed like we were in a parade. Yesterday was busy running around and running calls. We got a lot accomplished though. We even caught some work (dumpster fire). I don’t mind pulling the levers like this instead of being reintroduced after time off with a huge fire. Our firefighter extraordinaire Dave Lucas made quick work of it. Willie has wrote about Dave in the past. He is the one with the boomerang bugles. He got promoted to Lt. and then they rescinded the promotion because they simply didn’t count the available positions correctly. There are 4 boomerang bugle (Sergeants as we call them because we don’t have that position) in all. None of them have been promoted since. Dave is the kind of guy everyone wants working for them.
One other picture I would like to share was seen at Captain Wines firehouse #13…The message was apparently sent from downtown. What in the heck does it mean exactly? Kind of a mixed message I think.
I just signed up at the Chief level in the Officers Club of the National Firefighters Endowment. This is one of the ways that FireCritic.com gives back. The Officers club is a funding mechanism for the NFE and the funds will help support Fire Departments through the NFE. Join the Officers club here. Annually, you will receive a numbered collectors challenge coin. There are three levels of the Officers club.
Shoutout – Situational Awareness Matters
Web site - samaters.com
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/SAMatters
Twitter - @RichGasaway
Training
VentEnterSearch.com has a unique tool for getting into some closed vehicle gates. Check out Induction Loop Trick
Tweet of the Week
News and Opinion
Better Late Than Never Captain Willie Wines Jr. does some catching up since his computer died…and shows his love for Dave Statter.
“There can be no more us versus them. Training budgets are gone and turnover is occurring at a meteoric rate. We have to share our job knowledge at every opportunity, in every possible way. It seems that things get better – like morale – when we train, sweat, and push our limits as a group.”
Firehouse.com – Are you a pink Flamingo? Ryan Pennington Do you do work? Or are you just there to have fun and look pretty?
Firefighters in hot water for building a golf course behind station Firefighters make use of some of their free time…the biggest issue is the land they groomed for golfing isn’t theirs!
Former mansion of the late Isaac Hayes goes up in flames Big McMansion fire!!!
What is a firefighter worth? This article has gone viral. Written by the wife a firefighter
“So before making our minds up that firefighters are the financial problem, sit down with a local firefighter and ask him about his job. Ask him about his wife and his sons or daughters, what kind of house he lives in, and what type of car he drives. And then ask yourself, if you were to take on such a career, what would you expect in return?
Tina Clarke
Proud wife of a Cumberland firefighter”
I will be my brothers keeper Another great article by Chris Sterricker.
Proud to be a firefighter A short article detailing pride for being considered one of America’s Bravest
What if we are Community Paramedics Already?
“And I couldn’t agree more. The goal of a community paramedic program seems to be providing care to fill a gap in a particular community. While many of the existing and proposed programs are focused on the rural environment, why can’t we do the same in urban systems? In fact, what if we’re already doing this in an urban system?”
Hampton Workers Take “Like Button” Firings To Court
“Roberts said some of the workers were let go because he wanted to replace them with sworn deputies while others were fired because of poor performance or his belief that their actions “hindered the harmony and efficiency of the office.”
One of those workers, Daniel Ray Carter, had “liked” the Facebook page of Roberts’ opponent, Jim Adams.”
Five San Francisco Firefighters Injured in Four-Alarm Apartment Blaze
Firefighters rescue man from burning Danville home
3 Steps to Improved Cardiac HealthCrucial lifestyle changes can prevent heart attack & improve health
“According to the U.S. Fire Administration, 87 firefighters died while on duty in 2010. Of those, 50 of the 87 firefighter deaths were related to heart attacks. Although there are certain variables associated with heart attacks that we can’t change (i.e., age, gender or family history), we can maximize those variables that are controllable.”
Disasters and Social Media a look at how social media plays a role in sharing information during disasters.
A Dose Of Mortality an excellent post about learning from shared information on a LODD with his son and aspiring career firefighter.
What Happened to the Big Green Truck Donated to Detroit Fire? Charlie LeDuff is still at it in Detroit. This time uncovering a donated truck that should have been in service but instead just sitting idle in a lot.
Another False Alarm: A Tale of Complacency
“Recently on one of my trips I was startled awake at 2:53am by a fire alarm activation. The alarm only rang about 10 seconds. Knowing what I know about night clerks at hotels, I suspected the alarm had been prematurely silenced. My suspicion was confirmed when I went to the lobby and heard the clerk on the telephone telling someone the alarm panel is indicating the fire pump is running. I was the only patron of the hotel who came to the lobby.”
Exclusive: Grieving FDNY Father Seeks Recognition for “Black Sunday” Son Retired deputy chief Joseph DiBernardo wants recognition for his son Joey DiBernardo.
Video: Wildfire Crew Bosses can’t speak Spanish and are laid off
LAFD’s Eric Johnson of Ladder 63 rescued a seagull from a tree on the beach. The bird got caught in some fishing line and ended up suspended from a palm tree. The first video (from tonyvera.com) shows the bird get rescued and towards the end is an impromptu interview of the firefighter who made the rescue. Apparently this is not the first bird rescue for firefighter Johnson.
If you notice at one part in the video, when the firefighter makes it back to the ground, you can see how many people are recording the event by cell phone camera. Also noted in the video at that part is how many people want to offer their opinion of what to do with the bird.
The bird ended up taking flight. While that part wasn’t caught on film, the firefighters stated the bird flew off just fine and they did it incognito because if the bird couldn’t fly it might not have the best being caught on film.
The second video offers a differing view and starts a little bit earlier in the rescue.
Be sure to stay up to date on LAFD News and Information on their blog!
This house fire occurred today around 1pm in the Stoney Creek area of Ontario, Canada. The home was under construction when workers noticed a small fire. In looking at the video it appears as though the “small fire” was much bigger when firefighters arrived!
The fire went to three alarms. The Hamilton Fire Department responded to the fire.
Links:
Here is another helmet camera video. This one states it is fresh from yesterday morning at 4:30am in Jacksonville, Florida. This footage was taken using the FDCam.com camera.
These FDNY guys have all the fun! This is from Woman v. Workout Ep. 3 and titled “Can a Model Handle FDNY Training?”.
I think she did a pretty decent job. What is interesting for me is seeing a bunch of the stuff at “The Rock” being used. There weren’t any recruits there when I have been there.
From the video info:
Watch as Lauren trains with the firefighters of FDNY at their training facility. There’s no special treatment for this model – she’s taking the test like any other firefighter-to-be. Find out how she handles the heat in this episode of Woman v. Workout!
More Episodes of Woman v. Workout: http://goo.gl/8L6Ko
Check Out More Shows from 3V: http://www.youtube.com/3vOn each new episode of Woman v. Workout, our fearless host will take on a crazy new fitness challenge. Whether she’s learning capoeira, or boxing with the pros, Lauren manages to stay on her feet while wearing a smile (well, most of the time). Subscribe to 3VFitness to see a new episode of Woman v. Workout every Wednesday!
Facebook: http://goo.gl/MeutS
I have posted several firefighter commercials in the past. Most of them have been pretty good. Here are three more that I think are worth watching. A Margarita recipe, a Dirty Firefighter, and one that might hit home with current pension reform practices.
Sauza Tequila – Make it with a Fireman
Dirty Fireman – Funny Commercial [Morning Fresh]
Vital – Fireman commercial
I am getting back into the swing of things after FDIC. The feedback from our trip has been outstanding. It was great meeting so many Brothers in Indianapolis. We cannot wait until next year.
Daily911Deals.com currently has 3 deals going on. Check them all out here. One of those deals includes the Fire Critic/IronFiremen challenge coin. You won’t be able to get it this cheap for long! Be sure to “like” Daily911Deals.com on Facebook too!
Shoutout – Fully Involved
Fully Involved – Thoughts on Coaching, Leadership, and the Fire Service
Written by Mark VonAppen
The keys to success in this venture are strong station leadership and core chemistry. Strong core leadership ensures that the role players fall in step and comply with the program. Without strong leadership in the station the new faces – recruits – can easily slide into bad and potentially lethal habits. You don’t have to have a title to be a leader, you can lead up, down or sideways. Show your fellow firefighters how to be a positive influence from anywhere in the department even if the positional leaders are unwilling or incapable of supporting your efforts.
Training – This is MY Ladder
This is my Ladder. Written by Brian Brush and found on Fire Service Warrior. I can’t quite do this post justice in a short synopsis…read the post and I guarantee you will learn something new. Unless of course you have already read it, or you are Brian Brush who wrote it.
Speaking of ladders, have you checked out the Ladder Pride available through Firehouse Pride?
Random Tweet of the Week
Some of us have more than one. Don't worry, we have poor grammar too! #nojoke
News and Opinion
NFFF 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb Events. Two events have already been held. Be sure to take part in your first, or another climb this year!
Ride Out Comic is plugging away with fresh new content. Check out their latest to the right. Be sure to check out their web site and follow them on Facebook as well!
Firefighter Dan. For all of you fire safety and education specialists out there, Firefighter Dan is up and running and moving right along. He has added video/lesson #5 to his site via Youtube. Check it out and learn more about Firefighter Dan (web site/Facebook)
20 Questions with Christopher Brennan of Fire Service Warrior. In case you missed this brand new column here on The Fire Critic, be sure to check it out!
IronsandLadders.com is revisiting the past. They are gearing up for a bunch of new material, but want to share some of their favorites and most popular stories from the past. Read it here!
Dave Statter and I to speak in Ohio May 23rd. Ohio Fire & Emergency Services Foundation’s 2012 Leadership Conference. We cover various aspects of social media and the fire service. Join us in Newark, Ohio for May 23 & 24. Click here to sign up.
Captain Willie Wines Jr. and I will be touring South Dakota and ending up at the South Dakota Firefighters Benefit on September 15th. We will get some mic time at the event, but mostly want to meet South Dakota’s Bravest. Anyone and Everyone is invited. This will be the place to be if you are a firefighter in South Dakota, North Dakota, West Dakota, East Dakota, or Mexico…err whatever is south of South Dakota. We will be traveling from Rapid City to Sioux Falls in a Spartan ERV apparatus and stopping by firehouses along the way. More info: SDFirefighters.com
National Firefighters Endowment
The National Firefighters Endowment is accepting video submissions for a grant process currently underway. Simply create a video, upload it to Youtube, and your department could be the recipient of a $5,000-$6,000 grant from the Endowment. More information here including some tips on creating a decent video submission. Also catch up with the Endowment on Facebook!
Here are some other must read articles:
- ELAFFHQ – Reflection
- Working the Job – “Awakening”
- Engine Co. 22 – “Culture of Self-Improvement”
- IronFiremen.com – The Simplicity of Brotherhood
Unfortunately, I was unable to make it to Hero Rush (web site/Facebook) this past weekend. I had every intention of participating alongside of my wife, but there were too many obstacles in our own lives that we couldn’t make it. She is nursing a sprained ankle above all the other things going on, so she couldn’t have done it even if we made it there. It appears as though Hero Rush was a huge success. I haven’t heard from anyone who completed it, but I am sure there were many there who had a blast. For those of you who didn’t make it, check out the video below.
Finally, I will leave you with a pretty decent prank…
You might recall the “Owning the Job” series I began a while back. I haven’t forgotten about it. Here is another installment.
This is also part V of my FDIC wrapup. Read Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV.
Attitude and Being a Good Officer
Chief Steve Kraft spoke in a keynote at FDIC (video below). I didn’t get to see it in person, but Jonah Smith shared it on The Hose Jockey. In it, Chief talks about looking at yourself, not others. It is a motivational speech and hits the mark. I think everyone will be able to get something out of it.
Chief Kraft’s 5 points are (from my notes and what I got out of it):
- To be a good officer, you have to be a good coach (correct mistakes).
- Show your people you care.
- learn from your mistakes. Be willing to make mistakes.
- Lead by example.
- Have a positive attitude.
Similarly, Jason Hoevelmann created an entire class about a funk he was dealing with in his career. The class “A Firefighters Own Worst Enemy” spurred the blog by a similar name FirefightersEnemy.com.
I got into a similar funk somewhere along the 13 years I have been with Roanoke. I have my excuses why I got into the funk, but I am trying to slowly dig myself out. Rick Lasky’s Pride and Ownership was a step in the right direction. I am getting there and created the ”Owning the Job” series as a way for me to write, reflect, learn, and potentially even help inspire.
Here is Chief Kraft’s Keynote address from FDIC 2012
You must watch this video…about the 343+. Video description is below. Watch it… Great job Brother. Actually, this is Jake Suslowitz. I just met him at FDIC the other day. Small world isn’t it!
Video description:
I had to do a final presentation for a class I was taking and this is what I came up with. I wanted to do something that would count for my class, but also make people more aware of this very important issue.
343 firefighters died on September 11, 2001. To this day, 56 more firefighters have passed away due to illnesses contracted from the debris and dust of Ground Zero.
Check out www.facebook.com/brotherhoodfoundation to find more information and to find out how you can help support making this issue more widespread. Also, if you feel this is as important as I do, share the video.
FDIC was a blast. I will probably write some more about our week there in the next couple of days. Someone mentioned to me that the fire blogs were quiet with so many of us at FDIC…I think I am making up for that now.
Willie and I can’t stress enough how much fun we had (even though he is sick as hell still). We always enjoy meeting up with our friends and meeting others for the first time.
As always, there is more posted on The Fire Critic Facebook page as well as on Twitter @FireCritic. Be sure to check it out!
My friend Andrew Catron snagged this picture at the beginning of the FOOLS Brotherhood Bash at FDIC. That is my helmet with a special run MN8 FoxFire band. It was given to all who climbed at Greenbelt, MD 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb. Great Pic
Shoutouts
Here are some recent posts about FDIC:
- IronFiremen.com part I
- IronFiremen.com part II
- Backwards and Stupid – The things he learned at firefighter camp (FDIC)
- The Hose Jockey writes about FDIC here and includes two keynotes you won’t want to miss
- Average Jake Firefighter writes about FDIC in his part 1 review
- Paul Hasenmeier gave a brief writeup and included some words on his father
- Fire Critic FDIC Wrapup part I – the Renegade Pipes & Drums
- Fire Critic FDIC Wrapup part II – climbing 110 stories
- Fire Critic FDIC Wrapup part III – the people we met
- Fire Service Warrior – I’m proud to be a firefighter
- Rescuing Myself – Day 1 of FDIC
- Rescuing Myself – We Climbed
Add any other links to the comments and I will update
Some other blog authors we ran into:
- Working the Job
- Pink, Warm, and Dry
- Backstep Firefighter
- Green Maltese
- Boron Extrication
- Firefighters Own Worst Enemy
- FireGeezer
- Fire Daily
- STATter911.com
- County Fire Tactics
- View’s From the Jumpseat
- Midwest Firefighter
- EngineCo22.net
- Hybrid Medic
- Command Safety
Sorry if I left any out
Random Tweet of the Week
News and Opinion
Dave Statter and I will be speaking in Newark, Ohio on May 23-24. Be there! The gloves are coming off…just kidding, we are speaking not fighting. Ohio Fire & Emergency Services Foundation’s 2012 Leadership Conference. We cover various aspects of social media and the fire service. Join us in Newark, Ohio for May 23 & 24. Click here to sign up.
Captain Wines and I will be in South Dakota in September for a brand new event that promises to be a great one. Check out more on SDFirefighters.com. Wines and I will be speaking and having a great time with everyone else. That isn’t all though. We are actually going to tour South Dakota from Rapid City to Sioux Falls in a Spartan ERV fire engine. Yeah, that is how we roll! SDFirefighters.com
STATter911.com – Death Race 2010 and 2012…I think my chevy could hang!
FireRescue1.com – Practical PPE by Mike McKenna. Firefighter turnouts: Does color impact safety? The visibility of department members the fireground and on the roadways is critical to reduce the risk of injuries
FireGeezer.com – The Fashion Police err FireGeezer has a story about a cutie who headbutted his mom and burned her house down. Read more
Firefighter Nation.com - Massachusetts Firefighters Battle Six-Alarm Fire. Six neighboring departments responded to the Marlborough condo fire.
FireEngineering.com - Grant Awarded to Detroit Fire After Premiere of Documentary Film. Read more
Last I will leave you with this video of a house fire in a small single family dwelling. There is certainly some work being done, it just seems they are having trouble finding the seat of the fire.
Get on the roof, make the cut, get off the roof. It looked like the first hole did the job.
What do you think?
- Was three holes necessary?
- Would you have used a roof ladder?
- Would you have hung out on the roof that long? longer?
The 2012 FDIC trip for myself and Captain Wines was excellent. We traveled with Andrew Catron (Kingsport FD) and Mike Elston (Salem FD). Big Mike Elston is a good friend of ours and plays the bass drum for the Virginia Highlands Pipes & Drums as well as Warpipe. Both bands are local in our neck of the woods in Roanoke and neither are fire related bands. We see them play at various events through the year though.
Mike is also a part of the Renegade Pipes & Drums as I am told. The Renegade’s are basically the collective group of pipers and drummers you see at various events throughout the year including FDIC, Firehouse Expo, FRI, NFFF Memorial weekend, and other events. Whoever shows up to play can play and they have formal events like the opening of FDIC as well as informal events such as playing at the various bars in town.
Big Mike playing at the Wild Beaver
Let me tell you, when you stick a pipe and drum band in a bar the size of say the Wild Beaver, it is awesome! Hell, my ears are still ringing.
In short, the pipes and drums are what make events like FDIC so special.
While my education on the Renegade’s is short, I have seen them play at many events throughout the years.
One thing that I really found puzzling was this…
These guys take time off work, pay for travel, buy hotel rooms, play their hearts out off and on all day long…yet aren’t even offered a convention pass for FDIC.
I don’t know about you, but the Pipes and Drums at events like FDIC are a huge draw for crowds. Without the Pipes and Drums, the event would be missing something. Something huge.
I imagine that the problem is several things…The Renegades might not be organized completely to ask for funds for their trips, they don’t actually bring in any direct money for the events, and even if they aren’t taken care of…they would come anyways because it is what they do. Maybe they are simply too modest to ask for anything in return for their effort and dedication.
I just can’t wrap my head around the fact that we aren’t taking care of these guys. Obviously, I could be totally out of line and maybe some of them are being taken care of. Possibly, some of them simply didn’t realize they could get a pass, or hotel room, or help with travel and they missed out. If that is the case, I would like to be part of the solution and let them know how to get a helping hand.
Maybe we should just pass the hat at the bars they play at to collect for a fund for travel.
What do you guys think?
Video: 17 FDNY Firefighters Injured in Fast Moving 4 Alarm Fire in the Bronx. 200 FF’s on Scene
1 commentSeventeen Firefighters were injured in a fast moving fire in the Bronx today. The fire swept through 4 buildings and went to 4 alarms bringing 200 firefighters to the scene. Two of the firefighters were injured when the ceiling collapsed on them.
The fire occurred at 726 Van Nest Ave. in the Bronx.
News links: 17 firefighters hurt in Bronx blaze that causes partial building collapse
DAVID HANDSCHUH FOR THE NEWS Two firefighters were injured fighting a blaze on Van Nest Ave. in the Morris Park area of the Bronx.
Close Call? You be the Judge…Video: Firefighters Feel the Heat Venting the Roof in Uxbridge, MA
13 commentsTwo firefighters venting the roof at a house fire felt the heat tonight in Uxbridge, MA. They were venting the roof via aerial ladder when fire met them and their task was accomplished! The video states it was a close call…I don’t necessarily agree. After all, when you are venting the roof you are above the fire. The aerial operator backed them away from the fire as they began backing down the ladder.
It looked like solid work.
The video states: The 4 alarm fire was in Uxbridge, MA on Kasey Court shortly before 7:30pm on April 10, 2012. The original call came in as a grill on fire but when firefighters arrived, the fire had extended to the house.
This is a unique video. The video is very clear, videoed by a frantic neighbor, and shows pre-arrival fire spread. What is also pretty neat is how the single engine gets some serious work done before others show up…and on tank water!
The house is apparently vacant…yet it WAS potentially occupied by the arsonist when the fire was set. Remember, vacant does not mean unoccupied!
The suspect in setting the fire was seen by neighbors as he tried to leave the scene. Neighbors told a Sheriff’s Deputy who showed up and he went after him. The suspect is being treated for burns…hmmm.
As for where it happened…I did a little searching, but couldn’t quite figure it out. The fire engine says “D2FR” on it. The fire occurred in Bexar County. I believe this is near San Antonio, Texas.
Video below of FDNY firefighters battling a high-rise fire in lower Manhattan. The videos offer two angles of the fire which started on the 16th floor and extended to the 18th. According to reports, it is a 21 story building. Firefighter Nation beat me to this story…they have a little more on it here. The fire occurred at 69 Columbia Street yesterday, March 28th around 11:18am.
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