Yesterdays trivia answers

Yesterdays trivia answers

Whats a two four?
This refers to a case of beer having 24 cans, or two four



Whats a hoser?
Like the very similar term hosehead, the term may have referred to farmers of the Canadian prairies, who would siphon gas from farming vehicles with a hose during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The expression has since been converted to the verb 'to hose' as in to trick, deceive, or steal - for example:

Hosed has an additional meaning of becoming drunk - for example: "Let's go out and get hosed."

On The lighter side now

OK, all you Hosers out there

A little Trivia now that the Christmas songs are on the radio.

In Bob & Doug McKenzie's 12 Days of Christmas that does the term two, four refer to?
I bet some you hosers know.

Then again, What's a hoser?


Answers tomorrow.

To play the song Click the link
below.

http://bobanddoug.com/old/GreatWhiteNorth/Bob_and_Doug_McKenzie_-_15_-_Twelve_Days_of_Christmas.mp3

Video of May 25 fire at 43238 Meadowood Court

Don't know if you have seen this video or not, good video of deteriorating fire. You have to down load it, takes a while if you do not have broadband cable, 187 Megs. I'd like some comments as to what you think happened and went wrong. The report link is also there, and no I haven't read it yet.

Click here to download the Meadowood Court video
Loudoun County Department of Fire, Rescue & Emergency Management has been swamped with requests for the video that accompanies the report looking at the May 25 fire at 43238 Meadowood Court. That fire critically burned Lt. John Earley and injured six others.
Since the department doesn't have the mechanism for duplicating the large number of videos they have set up a way for you to download it from the Loudoun County Public Library website.
Click here to read the report.

More on Black Friday

In case you haden't seen this news article

From the AP:

A worker was killed in the crush Friday after a throng of shoppers eager for post-Thanksgiving bargains burst through the doors at a suburban Wal-Mart, authorities said.

At least four other people were injured, and the store in Valley Stream on Long Island was closed.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in Bentonville, Ark., called the incident a "tragic situation" and said the employee came from a temporary agency and was doing maintenance work at the store.

"He was bum-rushed by 200 people," co-worker Jimmy Overby, 43, told the Daily News. "They took the doors off the hinges. He was trampled and killed in front of me. They took me down too. ... I literally had to fight people off my back."

A police statement said shortly after the store's 5 a.m. opening time, shoppers "physically broke down the doors, knocking (the worker) to the ground."

A metal portion of the door was crumpled like an accordion.

Witnesses told the Daily News that before the store was closed, eager shoppers streamed past emergency crews as they worked furiously to save the worker's life.

A 28-year-old pregnant woman was taken to a hospital for observation, and she and the unborn baby were both reported to be OK, said Sgt. Anthony Repalone, a Nassau County police spokesman. Four or five other people suffered minor injuries, he said.

New use for an Old Tool!

BY NOW, EVERYBODY’S SEEN OR HEARD OF THE POTATO GUN, RIGHT?

You know, those home-made bazooka’s that shoot potatoes
(usually at firefighters from other departments at Monroe Fire Schools) now propelled by compressed air in a cylinder.

Well, the potato gun has been kicked up another notch. A couple of fellows named Ted Goessling and Zach Gens have figured out how to use a potato gun to make french fries, all in one shot. This is also a new take, at least to me on the construction and operations of this item.
Click on the video player for a demonstration:



Uber Tuber on MAKE: television from make magazine on Vimeo.

This covers just about everthing for now

I just want to thank all of you for your educational emails over the past year.

Thanks to you, I no longer open a public bathroom door without using a paper towel.

I can't use the remote in a hotel room because I don't know what the last person was doing while flipping through the channels.

I can't sit down on the hotel bedspread because I can only imagine what has happened on it since it was last washed.

I can't enjoy lemon slices in my tea or on my seafood anymore because lemon peels have been found to contain all kinds of nasty germs including feces.

I have trouble shaking hands with someone who has been driving because the number one pastime while driving alone is picking your nose.

Eating a chocolate sends me on a guilt trip because I can only imagine how many gallons of trans fats I have consumed over the years.

I can't touch any woman's purse for fear she has placed it on the floor of a public toilet.

I must send my special thanks to whoever sent me the one about poop in the glue on envelopes because I now have to use a wet sponge with every envelope that needs sealing. Also, now I have to scrub the top of every can I open for the same reason.

I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick girl (Penny Brown) who is about to die in the hospital for the 1,387,258th time.

I no longer have any money at all, but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Bill Gates/Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special e-mail program .

I no longer worry about my soul because I have 363,214 angels looking out for me, and St.Theresa's novena has granted my every wish.

I no longer eat KFC because their chickens are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers.

I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.

Thanks to you, I have learned that my prayers only get answered if I forward an e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes.

Because of your concern I no longer drink Coca Cola because it can remove toilet stains.

I no longer can buy petrol without taking someone along to watch the car so a serial killer won't crawl in my back seat when I'm filling the tank.

I no longer drink Pepsi or Dr Pepper since the people who make these products are atheists who refuse to put 'Under God' on their cans.

I no longer use Gladwrap in the microwave because it causes cancer.

And thanks for letting me know I can't boil a cup of water in the microwave anymore because it will blow up in my face, disfiguring me for life.

I no longer check the coin return on public phones because I could be pricked with a needle infected with AIDS.

I no longer go to shopping centers because someone will drug me with a perfume sample and rob me.

I no longer receive packages from Australia Post or FedEx since they are actually Al Qaeda in disguise.

I no longer shop at Target since they are French and don't support our Australian troops or the Salvation Army.

I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask me to dial a number for or which I will get a phone bill with calls to Jamaica ,Uganda , Singapore and Uzbekistan .

Thanks to you, I can't use anyone's toilet but mine because a big brown African spider is lurking under the seat to cause me instant death when it bites my butt.

And thanks to your great advice, I can't ever pick up $5.00 dropped in the parking lot because it probably was placed there by a rapist waiting underneath my car to grab my leg.

If you don't send this e-mail to at least 144,000 people in the next 70 minutes, a large dove with diarrhea will land on your head at 5:00 PM this afternoon and the fleas from 12 camels will infest your back, causing you to grow a hairy hump. I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbor's ex-mother-in-law's second husband's cousin's hairdresser...

Ahbama (I like his new name) Something to think about?

Got a few snippets from the opinion blogs and feedback sites thought there were interesting and decided to pass them along. Whats your oponion?


Finally, I understand why the "Birth Certificate" that Obama has produced is not sufficient to prove he is a natural born citizen. The original certificate of life birth is necessary to prove he was born in Hawaii (hence, a natural born citizen), rather than that his birth was merely REGISTERED in Hawaii.

The video with his Kenyan Grandmother claiming he was born in Kenya is a pretty compelling reason to demand that Obama fork over the definitive proof or we will be making a mockery of our constitution and are election certification processes.

It's also been reported by NBC, BET, and Drudge. This latest suit by Alan Keyes and Libertarian candidates for the Presidency is the best one yet. All of the other suits have been dismissed on the grounds that the person requesting the information did not have "standing" before the court. Although I think any citizen has standing to want expect that the constitutional requirements for the presidency be enforced and that candidates be thoroughly, particularly when there is a controversy about eligibility, there is no question that another presidential candidate has perhaps the best standing one could ever hope for before the court.

I can't figure out why liberals are not leaning on Obama to provide this evidence. It makes him look VERY bad, in the sense that it appears he doesn't give a rip about the constitution. If he was born in Hawaii, a smarter tactic would be to provide the long form birth certificate. OTOH, if he was born in Kenya...



Ahbama is nothing more than the House Boy for the Clinton Machine and the proof is starting to show.

Think Obama voters are educated on the issues?
Think the media had no bias in this election?
(Worth watching though to the end)



And on a Final Note I found this interesting, it's from earlier in November?

Man who pleaded guilty on drug charge gets to vote
The Associated Press ST. PAUL, Minn. — A man facing prison time on a drug charge has gotten a break from a judge — so that he can vote.
Twenty-four-year-old Javontez Lavel Ross pleaded guilty Thursday to possessing several bags of suspected heroin with intent to sell. But he asked Ramsey County District Judge Margaret Marrinan to postpone his sentencing so he could vote in the Nov. 4 election. Ross, who said he recently moved to the Twin Cities from Chicago, would have been barred from voting if he had been sentenced before Election Day. The judge granted his request, calling the contest a "historic election." She set his sentencing for Nov. 12. Asked which candidate would get his vote for president, Ross said he hadn't decided.

People convicted of felonies are banned from voting until they finish their jail or prison time and probation.———

This borders on the ridiculous and criminal. Every election "could be'" historic. This judge needs to be removed promptly.

Aurora Fire Museum

Aurora Regional Fire Museum

Aurora Fire Museum
For anyone that doesn't know about this local Gem In Aurora, Illinois, I am sending out this notice that I got from them. I used to take my high school classes up here once a year about this time or year, but they hadn't done this before.

Aurora Regional Fire Museum's holiday exhibit opening Sat. Nov. 29th 1-4pm
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thru' the old firehouse, Not a creature was stirring, ‘cept “Cinders” the firefighting mouse. His boots were placed by the firefighter’s bunks with care, In hopes that Santa the Fire Chief, soon would be there…

A family of festive holiday mice have invaded the Aurora Regional Fire Museum. The museum’s north bunkroom -- home to Aurora’s real “north pole” (the brass fire pole that served the north-side of the old Central Fire Station) -- has been transformed with the holiday exhibit, “All I want for Christmas… is a Fire Engine under the Tree”. This temporary holiday exhibit includes more than five hundred (all different) firefighting Christmas ornaments, from the collection of John and Barbara Nolan, displayed on three nine-foot tall Christmas trees. Some ornaments are whimsical -- featuring cartoon characters -- while others are more realistic and boast working sirens and flashing lights. There are more than one hundred versions of Santa dressed in firefighting gear, at least fifty firefighting snowmen, and another one hundred fire engines of every size and shape. Placed beneath the trees are firefighting toys -- including a cast-iron ladder truck from the nineteenth century, a popular Tonka fire pumper from the 1960s, a contemporary Fisher-Price fire engine, and even a firefighting Barbie doll.
After Cinders and his firehouse friends put the finishing touches on the tree decorations upstairs, the firefighting mice took up residence in the museum’s ground-floor interactive exhibit "Getting There, Getting Water, Getting Rescued."
Holiday visitors to the museum are encouraged to find Cinders as he sleeps in the steam fire engine’s boiler, his friend Sparks as he tries to ring the fire bell, and their best friend Ashes as he decorates a 1948 fire engine.
Please join us from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday November 29th for the FREE holiday exhibit opening and celebration. There will be a visit from Santa the Fire Chief, storytelling, a holiday mouse hunt, and more. This holiday exhibit will run though the end of January, visit the museum website for details. The Aurora Regional Fire Museum features five pieces of fire apparatus and an award winning interactive exhibit in a fully restored vintage firehouse.
The museum is located at the corner of New York (Rt 25) and Broadway in downtown Aurora, IL.
Free parking in the lot behind the museum.

Holiday Hours
The museum will be open our regular hours
(Thursday, Friday,and Saturday, from 1 to 4pm) though the holidays.

Join us on Saturday November 29th for a special FREE day. Bring your entire family to see the Santa the Fire Chief, the holiday mice, story tellers, and more, as well as our special holiday exhibition " All I Want for Christmas.... is a Fire Engine Under the Tree"
We will be CLOSED on the weekend of December 25-27th so our staff might enjoy the holidays with our family

For more information, hours, and directions, visit the website: http://www.auroraregionalfiremuseum.org/

Best wishes,
Debby Deborah Davis
Executive Director

Black Friday

Black Friday

Having a Blog and having something to write about are two different things, today I though of something. Today I found out why they call it Black Friday, The day after Thanksgiving; The beginning of the Christmas sales. Supposedly the busiest sale day of the year and when all businesses make a profit or back in the black, indicating a profit. (Not the day to go shopping). What a zoo, I don’t know if you attempted to go out today but it was really a mad house. In Wal Mart, for example as we went about 7:30 and found that a lot of the stuff advertized was gone already. Too bad I wasn’t in the market for the 50 inch Plasma; they still had 4 of those puppies left. Go figure, but that’s probably to be expected. Wouldn’t it make more sense for the stores to have plenty of all the items advertized available to all, not just the ones that freeze their butts off all night? To go with that there was the typical Christmas rush of shoppers. We had then sleeping outside the stores as I see was the case all over. Of course here they were in Ice fishing shelters, typical Minnesotans. What got me was the way the people were behaving inside of the stores. You couldn’t’ walk down hardly any aisles. People would just stop in the middle of the aisle and be talking to on another blocking the whole aisle. They then get out their cell phones and then cant’ walk and talk at the same time. Wonder what would happen of they tried to chew gum too? Also we did see full carts left in isles with no one around. Guess they were collecting the stuff for Santa and leaving it there for him to pick up later? Went to a store in the mall and you know the type, a small store, popular gift items, and where is the check out? All the way in the back of the store. Guess where the line was? Yep all the way out of the front of the store. Can’t see where the economy is hurting up here? But then again looking out their store and down the mall there is a closed Steve and Berry’s store with all the shelves empty and all they were selling were the furnishings.

More on Our Lady of Angels Fire

Lady of Angels Fire Web Sites
http://www.olafire.com/

http://www.withthecommand.com/09-Sept/MD-Ourlady-0904.html

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1303922,CST-NWS-olafire28.article

Couple of Videos

Couple of Things

FBI: Terrorist Warning on NYC Subway An internal memo obtained by The Associated Press says the FBI has received a "plausible but unsubstantiated" report that al-Qaida terrorists in late September may have discussed attacking the subway system. The internal bulletin says al-Qaida terrorists "in late September may have discussed targeting transit systems in and around New York City. These discussions reportedly involved the use of suicide bombers or explosives placed on subway/passenger rail systems," according to the document."If you get scared that means they win," commuter Omid Sima said on the platform of the subway below Rockefeller Center. "There's always been terror warnings. I can't change my life because of that."Read on for more information.


Syracuse FF’s Rescued From Roof
TWO SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, FIREFIGHTERS BECAME TRAPPED early this morning on a roof of a fire building.
The older, 2-story dwelling had been split into two living units and a woman who lived in the second-floor looked our her window shortly before midnight and saw flames coming from a 1st-floor window.
She called in the alarm and got out safely. When the FD arrived the fire had extended into the upper floor and the attic of the house. Two FF’s were operating on the roof opening a ventilation hole when suddenly they were surrounded by the fire and isolated. They put in a mayday call and the other FF’s on the scene raised another ladder and got to them.
One of the trapped firefighters made it back down on his own, but the other had to be taken down by his fellow-FF’s. Both of them were taken to a hospital where they are being treated for smoke inhalation.



December 1 marks 50th anniversary of Our Lady of Angels School Fire
Shortly before the end of classes on December 1, 1958, a fire broke out at the Our Lady of Angels Elementary School in Chicago, Illinois. The fire left 95 dead and many others seriously injured. This fire, which occurred 50 years ago, is still one of the deadliest school fires in the history of the United States.
"Poor fire protection design was a major contributing factor to the significant number of deaths and injuries," said Chris Jelenewicz, engineering program manager with the Bethesda, Maryland-based Society of Fire Protection Engineers. "Additionally, many lives were lost because the fire burned out of control for a considerable amount of time before the children were notified that an emergency existed in the building."
At the time of the fire about 1,600 children--grades kindergarten through 8th occupied the two-story brick and wood joist building.
The fire started in the basement at the bottom of one of the building's interior stairways. The open stairway did not have fire-rated doors at the top of the stair. As a result, the fire spread quickly up the stair into the second floor corridors.
"Once the fire started, the stairway effectively became a chimney--allowing the hot smoke and deadly gases to spread quickly up this stair and throughout the second floor corridors," said Jelenewicz. "This prevented the occupants from exiting through the corridors which was the only safe escape route."
The fire department rescued many children with ground ladders or by catching those who jumped out the windows. Despite these efforts, many of the children died in their classrooms and others were forced to jump out windows to their deaths.
Moreover, the building was not equipped with a sprinkler system or an automatic fire alarm/detection system.
"Because of the delay in notification, the lack of adequate fire protection systems and the unprotected stairs, the occupants just didn't have enough time to get out alive," explained Jelenewicz.
Additional contributing factors to the number of deaths and injuries included a delay in calling the fire department.
As a result of this fire, many building requirements were enhanced to make schools safer from fire. Some of these requirements include the installation of fire alarm and automatic fire suppression systems and increasing the frequency of exit drills.
"The Our Lady of Angels Fire reminds us of the threat that is posed by fire and the importance of designing buildings that that keep people safe from fire," said Jelenewicz. "The fact of the matter, however, is that today schools are much better protected. This is in large part due to the fire-safety strategies and systems designed by fire protection engineers that make our world safer from fire."
More Society of Fire Protection Engineers: www.sfpe.org

NIOSH Supports Seat Belt Use by Firefighters

Emmitsburg, MD - The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) is pleased to announce that the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has added its logo to the National Fire Service Seat Belt Pledge 100% Participation Certificate. This endorsement of the seat belt campaign, by NIOSH Acting Director Dr. Christine Branche, reinforces the importance of wearing these safety devices to the American Fire Service.

U.S. Fire Administrator Greg Cade said, “We are grateful to NIOSH for adding their logo to the Seat Belt Pledge 100% Certificate. We welcome their participation to further support our efforts to encourage and remind firefighters to buckle up.”
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health joins the U.S. Fire Administration, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the National Volunteer Fire Council, the National Fire Protection Association, and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation as leading supporters of the Fire Service Seat Belt Pledge Campaign. To date, over 70,000 firefighters have taken the pledge and approximately 300 fire departments have received a 100% Certificate for their accomplishment in getting all personnel to sign the pledge. The goal of this program is 1,000,000 firefighter signatures and 30,000 fire departments with 100% participation.
“Wearing seat belts is an essential component of efforts to ensure the safety of firefighters in fire apparatus and vehicles.”
- Dr. Christine Branche, Acting Director,National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Dr. Christine Branche of NIOSH said, “Motor vehicle-related crashes are the second leading cause of death for firefighters, and reducing this toll on our nation’s firefighters is a priority for NIOSH. Wearing seat belts is an essential component of efforts to ensure the safety of firefighters in fire apparatus and vehicles.”
For further information regarding this effort and to see which fire departments in your State have achieved 100% participation in the Fire Service Seat Belt Pledge Campaign, visit http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/goodbye.jsp?url=http://www.trainingdivision.com/seatbeltpledge.asp. There you can access and download the pledge signature form, learn how to receive a 100% Certificate for your organization, read success stories, identify supporters, and receive additional campaign material.

Bill Clinton's Foreign Affairs Could Cost Hillary Cabinet Post

Bill Clinton's Foreign Affairs Could Cost Hillary Cabinet Post
The former president's current foreign and financial affairs could be problematic for Sen. Hillary Clinton as President-elect Obama considers her for the secretary of state job.

Could former President Bill Clinton's charitable affairs cost Hillary Clinton the secretary of state job in Barack Obama's administration?
That's what insiders are wondering after reports that the former president's financial and foreign entanglements could hurt the New York senator in her bid for a Cabinet post.
Politico.com reported Monday that Democrats "are becoming exasperated" by Bill Clinton's response to requests for information about his finances.
"The sense among the no-drama Obama world is: This is well on its way to winning best Oscar for drama," an unnamed Democrat told Politico.com.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/11/17/clintons-foreign-affairs-cost-hillary-secretary-post/

If yo haven't seen this infomercial, here is a clip. Do they really thing that people are this dumb? The Internet is MAGIC! These two are a real piece of work, good actresses, they probably did this in several takes because I don't know how they kept from laughing?
http://technology.todaysbigthing.com/2008/11/20

See more funny videos and Technology Videos at Today's Big Thing.

LM

Fire Truck Hit by 18-wheeler in Georgia

CORDELE -- A fiery crash involving a Crisp County Fire and Rescue truck took the life of an Ohio man and left a county firefighter in critical condition Saturday.
Tommy Hauesler of Cordele suffered multiple injuries including burns, two collapsed lungs, two broken shoulders and other wounds when the fire truck he was driving was struck by an 18-wheeler driven by Shane Alan Waters, age 33, of New Madison, Ohio. The collision occurred at approximately 8:45 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of U.S. Hwy 41 and Rockhouse Road.
According to Crisp County Fire Chief Ray Lunsford, Hauesler was driving north on U.S. 41 from the Arabi fire station on his way to a training session for county firefighters at CCFR Station 1 in Cordele when the wreck happened. Lunsford said he could tell from the skid marks left at the scene that Hauesler, who he described as "an excellent driver," was caught by surprise.
Troopers with Georgia State Patrol Post 30 that were on the scene said it appeared the driver of the 18-wheeler, who was heading west on Rockhouse Road, failed to yield the right of way at the intersection, which is marked not only with signage but also a flashing traffic light.

Lightweight Construction

Seems like there is getting to be more and more again about lightweight construction. What is has to do woth todays fire fighting. Good time to review this construction pricipale adn how it's going to affect you in the fire service.

Firehouse.com has a good atricle currently up on it's web site on this matter.

The concern about the poor performance of the engineered lightweight wood construction under fire conditions is nothing new. We have known about it for more than a couple of decades. Obviously, the very first name that comes to mind when talking about this subject is the legendary Francis Brannigan, and his famous Building Construction for the Fire Service book.
There are many great reports, but just a few are mentioned here.

Back in 1992, United States Fire Administration (USFA) did a report, titled "Wood Truss Roof Collapse Claims Two Firefighters (December 26, 1992)"; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) did a report on April 2005 titled "Preventing Injuries and Deaths of Firefighters due to Truss System Failures"; National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) did a report in January 2007 titled "A Study of Metal Truss Plate Connectors When Exposed to Fire".

MORE AT: http://cms.firehouse.com/web/online/In-the-Community/Entering-Through-the-Door--Falling-Through-the-Floor/9$61628

The News -- NYFD truck collided & Staten Island Lt. Dies

A dozen firefighters were injured last night, five seriously - including the first woman in the department's history to join an elite rescue squad - when a pair of fire trucks collided in Manhattan, officials said.
Ladder 12 was shooting down Seventh Avenue at 6:30 p.m. when it smashed into the Squad 18 truck, which was headed east on West 10th Street in Greenwich Village.
Both units were rushing to a call that later proved to be a false alarm, sources said.
"The [Squad 18] truck that hit the pole caught on fire and they pulled out one firefighter who looked pretty banged up," said a witness who declined to give his name.

http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/article.jsp?id=61733&sectionId=46

FDNY Firefighter Dies In Staten House Island Fire
Last updated: 2:35 pmNovember 23, 2008 Posted: 1:38 pmNovember 23, 2008
A veteran Fire Department lieutenant was killed battling a Staten Island blaze early this morning after the ceiling of a burning home collapsed on his head, the FDNY said.
Lt. Robert Ryan, 46, was rushed from the scene of the fire at 39 Van Buren Street in the New Brighton section, to Richmond University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/11232008/news/regionalnews/fdny_lt__dies_fighting_staten_island_bla_140399.htm

Hillary and the SOS

I she setting herself up to run in 2012? Is Hillary's acceptance of the Secretary of State job to set herself up to run for President again in 4 years if Obama falters as president. Being in this position will get her a lot of chances to make even more influential Friends. Yes, they say she will do a good job and maybe she will, but is there an underling reason for Obama's appointment of her to this spotlighted position?

Here is a link to a article and video on the appointment.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2008/11/21/report-hillary-clinton-accepts-secretary-state-nod/

California Fire Totals

Here is the total so far of the most recent California fires.

• November 18, 2008
  
  Socal Firestorm Losses Tallied
  Firestorm numbers:
  934 Homes Destroyed
  42,000 Acres Burned,
  21 Firefighters Injured
  $25 Mil. Suppression Costs
• The Freeway Complex
• Location: Orange County communities of Loma Linda, Anaheim Hills, Anaheim and Corona in Riverside County.
• Start Date November 15, 2008 at 9:00 am.
• 29,000 Acres155 homes destroyed104 homes damaged
• 9 firefighters injured
• 11 Million dollars in fire suppression costs (to date)
• 3,700 Firefighters assigned (at peak)
• Sayre Fire
• Location: Sylmar, Los Angeles County
• Start Date November 14, 2008 at 10:30 pm
• 11,200 Acres
• 579 Homes destroyed
• 138 Homes damaged
• 124 Outbuildings (other) buildings destroyed
• 2 Firefighters injured
• 8 Million dollars in fire suppression cost (to date)
• 1,400 Firefighters assigned (at peak)
• Tea Fire
• Location Montecito, Santa Barbara County
• Start Date November 13, 2008 5:30 pm
• 1,900 Acres210 Homes destroyed
• 9 Homes damaged
• 10 Firefighters injured
• 5.7 Million dollars in fire suppression costs
• 1,900 Firefighter assigned (at peak)

Donations?

Is there something wrong with this or am I the only one to see it? Too much of a land slide support for an relatively unknown Senator from Illinois. I could be wrong and time will Tell. Boy I am hoping that I am wrong. Especially for the countries sake, have we all those voters been duped. Not to say that McCain would have been better. Obama won fair and square I guess, Just seems that you Can fool all of the people all time?

Truckie

Obama raised half-billion online

WASHINGTON (UPI) -- President-elect Barack Obama raised more than $500 million online in his 21-month campaign for the White House, aides said in an interview.

Members of Triple O, Obama's online operation, told The Washington Post in an exclusive breakdown that 3 million donors, in a total of 6.5 million donations, pledged more than $500 million as they ushered in a new digital era in presidential fundraising. The average online donation was $80.
Aides said Obama also raised millions from traditional campaign bundlers but the bulk came through the Internet.
His single biggest month of fundraising came in September when Obama amassed more than 65 percent of his record-shattering haul, $100 million of the $150 million total, from online donations, aides said.
Obama's e-mail list contains nearly 13 million addresses, aides told the Post. Over the course of the campaign, more than 7,000 messages were sent, many targeted to specific donation levels, and topping 1 billion e-mails in all.
One million people signed up for Obama's text-messaging program.

Civic Literacy Quiz

Take the The Civic Literacy Quiz

I got 26 out of 33 correctly — 78.79 %

How well do you do let me know on the comments section of the blog!


http://americancivicliteracy.org/

Vest Rule

This just in
It has been debated for several years and most I talked to could not figure out what firefighters needed to do to comply. It was down to the final deadline and here is another modification!

Common Sense Rules! FHWA Modifies Federal Rule for Firefighters- Vest Rule goes into effect November 24, 2008

On November 21, 2008, the FHWA issued an interim final rule revising the Worker Visibility rule (23CFR 634) to create an exemption for the firefighting community. This interim Final rule allows firefighters or other emergency responders working within the right-of-way of a Federal-aid highway and engaged in emergency operations that directly expose them to flame, fire, heat, and/or hazardous materials to wear retroreflective turn-out gear that is specified and regulated by other organizations, such as the National Fire Protection Association. Firefighters or other emergency responders working within the right-of-way of a Federal-aid highway and engaged in any other types of operations shall wear high-visibility safety apparel as defined in this rule. The FHWA decided to issue this interim final rule to address safety concerns raised by fire fighting community. The interim final rule was published in the Federal Register today and goes in effect on November 24, 2008. This rule can be accessed at the following link:

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-27671.pdf

Please share this information with others that may be interested in this matter.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or Ken Wood at 708-283 -4340 or Ken.Wood@dot.gov.

Hari Kalla, P.E.
MUTCD Team Leader
FHWA, Office of Operations (HOTO-1)
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, E84-316
Washington, DC 20590
Tel.: (202) 366-5915
Fax: (202) 366-3225
Web: http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/

Fire destroys Riverside Downs barn

HENDERSON, Ky. — Flames, wind and chaos enveloped a horse barn at the old Riverside Downs racetrack when Baskett Volunteer Fire Chief Bill Shaw arrived there about 4:40 a.m. Thursday.

He was among the first on the scene of the raging fire, but it was what he didn't hear that disturbed him the most.

Full Story Here at the Courier Press
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2008/nov/21/fire-destroys-riverside-downs-barn/

Winter

Winter Weather is Coming

Winter Weather PreparednessExtreme cold weather in some parts of the United States in recent days again reminds Emergency Services Sector (ESS) leaders that the ordinary events of nature (e.g., cold and hot weather) can potentially diminish response capabilities and threaten critical infrastructures, including emergency personnel. From an operational effectiveness perspective, extreme cold weather occurrences can be disruptive to the performance of duties and mission accomplishment. Freezing conditions make response operating conditions more hazardous and adversely affect the available water supply. These consequences can potentially degrade an organization’s critical infrastructures by endangering personnel, damaging equipment, and disrupting “response-ability.” It is not too late to prepare personnel, apparatus, and equipment, and review cold-weather operating procedures.

The EMR-ISAC offers cold weather preparedness gleaned from numerous sources, including FireChief.com and FireRescue1.com:

· Establish procedures with jurisdictional stakeholders to assist fire and emergency operations by setting priorities for snow removal at stations, on primary response routes, and at essential areas such as hospitals, nursing homes, and other designated critical sites.
· Plan to work in concert with other emergency agencies to ensure that abandoned vehicles are removed, traffic is controlled during operations, and streets are closed for emergency responses.
· Stock sand or salt at station locations and carry smaller quantities on apparatus along with shovels.
· Carry extra hose and hydrant and water supply appliances on apparatus to increase operational options in case of delays by other apparatus.
· Test hydrants before use to ensure they are not frozen and drain and replace hose as soon as possible.
· Place water extinguishers inside apparatus to prevent freezing.· Use layers of warm clothing, and carry extra gloves (structural firefighting and work gloves) and socks whenever operating outdoors.
· Ensure that bunker boots and station boots are water repellent, provide traction, and are repaired or reconditioned, if necessary.
· Review rehabilitation procedures for cold weather and ensure that personnel can be monitored for hypothermia, hypoglycemia, and frostbite.
· Monitor the condition of breathing apparatus components for adverse effects from the cold.· Carry large amounts of cat litter or sand in each emergency vehicle.
· Carry a snow or flat shovel, flares, and lock de-icers in each vehicle.
· Carry extra window cleaning materials such as ice scrapers and window-washer fluid.
· Review procedures for "dry pump" versus "wet pump" operations.
· Ensure availability and operating condition of tire traction devices.
· Inspect functionality of seatbelts and require their use.
· Encourage safe speeds and driving habits consistent with road conditions.
· Check antifreeze levels in vehicles, switch to cold-weather-appropriate blends of oil and fuel, and verify whether hydraulic systems need special cold weather fluids.
· Use engine block heaters for vehicles stored in unheated stations. Keep the water level above the level of the plates in batteries equipped with removable fill caps. Never attempt to jump start a frozen battery because it could explode. Instead, remove the battery from the vehicle, bring it into a warm room, and let it thaw before recharging.
· Consult pump operation and maintenance manual for specific recommendations regarding the storage and operation of pumps under very cold conditions.
· Follow manufacturers’ recommendations for the installation of apparatus “winter fronts” when appropriate.

To see the full text of the articles cited above, go to
http://www.firerescue1.com/Columnists/Michael-Lee/articles/438586-Winter-Impacts-to-Personnel-Part-1/ and http://firechief.com/apparatus/out_in_the_cold_1119/.

After Action Reports

USFA Releases After-Action Critiques Technical Report

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) released today, as part of their technical report series, a new report titled The After Action Critique: Training Through Lessons Learned. This report is designed to assist all fire service members to be able to gather critical preparedness, response, and recovery information from all emergencies; document the lessons learned; and assist with the continuous evolution of firefighter training.

To download a copy of this report, go here: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/tr_159.pdf

Another LODD

November 18, 2008
Members of the Stone Park Fire Department and the Morris Fire Protection and Ambulance District are mourning the death of firefighter/paramedic 37-year-old Steve Kline.
Kline, known as "Tiny," died Tuesday morning. He was on duty at the Stone Park, Ill. fire house when he became ill. He was transported by ambulance to Gottlieb Hospital in Melrose Park where he was pronounced dead as short time later.
Kline was well known throughout the area as well as the state for his work in the fire service.
Funeral services are still pending.
The Cook County medical examiner's office will conduct an autopsy today.

Note to readers: I knew this Guy, and taught him in a couple of classes. He was a very good guy and will be missed.

Two LODD Reported Today

Firehouse.com Home > News Headlines
Veteran Maine Firefighter Collapses, Dies

SHARON KILEY MACKCourtesy of The Bangor Daily News
Hartland Fire Department
Firefighter Michael Snowman
DETROIT, Maine -- Central Maine firefighters lost one of their own Monday when Hartland firefighter Michael Snowman, 49, collapsed at the scene of a house fire on Route 69 in Detroit and later died.


Carol "Irene" Taylor
http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/applications/ffmem/ffmem_detail.jsp?p_id=3650
A Goldsboro City, N.C. firefighter and EMS team member died on Friday, Nov. 14 at her home following a shift after suffering an apparent heart attack, according to the USFA.
Carol "Irene" Taylor, 41, responded to an electrical fire call early the morning and returned to the fire station at approximately 8 a.m. Following her shift she returned home and was found deceased later that night.

NASA - NASA TV

Did you know you can view live feed from the shuttle?
See it here:

NASA - NASA TV

NASA Images of California Fires

NASA Satellites Capture Images of Southern California Wildfires

WASHINGTON, Nov 17, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/
Images from NASA satellites give a wider perspective of the full extent and devastation of the wildfires raging in Southern California.
A pair of images from NASA's Aqua satellite show the Los Angeles metropolitan area on Nov. 16, 2008. The top image posted on NASA's Web site shows the Southern California area as a vast plume of smoke billows out over the Pacific Ocean.
The bottom image provides a closer view of the area around Los Angeles and two large fires burning there: the Freeway Complex Fire and the Sayre Fire. The Freeway Complex Fire has burned nearly 24,000 acres in Orange, Los Angeles and Riverside counties.
Fanned by high winds, blazes stretching from Santa Barbara to Anaheim, Calif., have scorched an estimated 35,000 acres, according to news reports.

To view and download the images and for additional information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/fires/main/usa/cal_fires_2008_1117.html
SOURCE NASA http://www.nasa.gov

Calif. FF Making Headway

DIAMOND BAR, Calif. --
With the ferocious Santa Ana winds dying down, firefighters on Monday made gains on three raging wildfires that have destroyed hundreds of homes and forced thousands of residents to flee.

Full Story Here
http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/article.jsp?id=61648&sectionId=4

This Just in

Just read this from UPI and had to pass this along !

Jackson seeks 'substance' from Obama
BALTIMORE (UPI) -- U.S. civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson says the election of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama is cause for celebration but that "substance" must follow.

Speaking Sunday in Baltimore at the Bethel AME Church, Jackson said the historical significance of a black man being elected U.S. president should be acknowledged but added, "now comes the substance, that becomes the real challenge,"
The Sun newspaper in Baltimore reported. Jackson told churchgoers his relationship with Obama was a good one, despite a highly publicized remark caught by microphones in which he said he wanted to castrate him for "talking down to black people" when calling for black fathers to take more responsibility for their families.
He said Obama's presidency "represents a chance to start over," The Sun reported, and expressed concerns that outgoing Bush administration may cause economic harm by backing ill-conceived taxpayer bailouts for the financial industry. Instead, Jackson called for help for the ailing U.S. auto industry and for urban and rural restructuring to end racial injustice, the newspaper said.

New Fire Department Based EMS Web Site

New Fire-Based EMS Web Site

I you haven't seen it here is some infomation on a new Fire Service-Based EMS Web site (www.fireserviceems.com.) to educate decision-makers about the important role of fire service-based EMS. The advocacy group was formed in 2006 by five national fire service organizations to clarify the role of fire service-based EMS in the continuum of the prehospital 911 emergency medical care system. As Congress and the administration continue to make important policy decisions on emergency medical services in this country, EMS Advocates will use the site to provide objective information from respected fire and emergency services leaders to ensure that policy makers have accurate data to help them make informed decisions.

Last year the National Volunteer Fire Council worked with the EMS Advocates steering committee to develop a white paper and video detailing the benefits and importance of fire service-based EMS. The white paper, “Prehospital 911 Emergency Medical Response: The Role of the United States Fire Service in Delivery and Coordination,” was written by four nationally recognized EMS physicians. The video, “Fire Service-Based EMS: The Right Response,” features commentary from Chief Dennis Compton, co-chair of the Fire Service-Based EMS Advocates, and several other leading public safety officials. It also includes information on how organizations and individuals can become Advocates and join in the effort to educate elected officials and other decisions makers on the critical role of fire service-based EMS in protecting our nation’s citizens. Both of these resources can now be found on the new Web site.
“Next year, a new administration will appoint a cadre of officials who oversee a number of federal programs that impact our emergency response systems,” Compton says. “In addition, there will be a number of new members in Congress. The goal of our group is to make sure that the voices of our nation’s one million first responders are heard on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue and to participate in the discourse when important decisions are being made about prehospital 911 emergency medical services.”

The steering committee of the Fire Service-Based EMS Advocates is made up of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the International Association of Fire Fighters and the National Fire Protection Association, in addition to the NVFC.

The Cabinet

I was sitting here today at the computer browsing the internet news feeds and wondering about Barack’s cabinet choices. Biggest thing that struck me today was reading about him contemplating Hillary as Secretary of State. She was his biggest opponent that he cut down so much during the primaries and he is actually considering appointing her to that post. They were also looking into Bill’s background to see if there was anything there that would prevent her from being in that position.

The Times: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article5175364.ece
Give me a break, all the past dealings that have been investigated about those two and they still think that there is nothing wrong with either of them. This is the thinking of the man that the nation elected to the highest office? Now there may not everything right with Johns thinking and his past dealings but, hey wait a second, it was in the news today that Barak has asked John to come to Chicago and talk about what he can do to help his administration and transition team to the White House. They were looking for what help John could be with the administration.

Chicago Tribune (The two former rivals met in Obama's transition headquarters in Chicago. Obama said before the meeting that he and McCain planned "a good conversation about how we can do some work together to fix up the country, and also to offer thanks to Sen. McCain for the outstanding service he's already rendered.")
http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/la-na-obamamccain18-2008nov18,0,7761979.story

Now this is good that he is using the most experience and knowledgeable people to help him. It is always said that as a good leader you should surround yourselves with good people, and here he is aligning himself with the very people that he was putting down. Do you see where I am getting at? Looks like the thought that he is not ready and experienced to lead the nation is becoming apparent? Didn’t he cut John down during the election campaign that he and not John would be best to lead the country?

LM

California Fires

UPI Reporting That Are Firefighters a catch break as winds subside
DIAMOND BAR, Calif.
Southern California firefighters caught a break when Santa Ana winds subsided but officials warned that still-windy conditions could set off splinter fires. The biggest threat Sunday night was along the border of Orange, San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties, where the fire snaked toward canyons and hillsides of Diamond Bar, Chino Hills and Brea, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday.
Weather forecasters predicted hot, dry weather Monday, minus the wind gusts that fueled the fire during the weekend. Air quality in the region was poor and classes were canceled at some schools near Orange County fire zones. "The overall big picture is we're encouraged by the weather," Ray Chaney, an incident commander from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection who was working on the Freeway Complex fire, told the Times. "We're not going to let our guard down. We've got several days of hard, hard work." The Freeway Complex fire caused authorities to order more than 26,000 residents to evacuate and destroyed at least 179 homes, most of them in Yorba Linda and Anaheim Hills, the Times reported.
The Sayre fire near Sylmar was 40 percent contained Sunday. Officials reported it destroyed more than 510 homes and burned through 10,000 acres as of late Sunday. The Times said fire officials in Santa Barbara County lifted evacuation orders Sunday for all but 260 homes involved in the Tea fire, which began in Montecito Thursday, destroying 210 residences and burning 1,940 acres. Containment was at 80 percent as of late Sunday, officials said.

FW: [MFSN] Minnesota Fire Service News IAFF clashes with IAFC over 'two-hatter' issue

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Another source

IAFF clashes with IAFC over 'two-hatter' issue http://www.firerescue1.com/labor-issues/articles/437621-IAFF-clashes-with-IAFC-over-two-hatter-issue/ Editor's note: Commentators at FireRescue1' s new blog, The Kitchen Table are weighing in on the 'two-hatter' debate. Read blogger Art Goodrich's take, 'Why Legislate Against Volunteerism?' and voice your opinion at The Kitchen Table. http://thekitchentable.firerescue1.com/2008/11/why-legislate-against-volunteerism.html By Jamie Thompson FireRescue1 Editor WASHINGTON, DC — The IAFF has clashed with the IAFC over its decision to back the rights of firefighters to become "two-hatters. " On Friday, the IAFC released a position statement on the rights of volunteer, career, and paid-on-call firefighters to serve multiple organizations or communities. In an open letter to the IAFC, Harold A. Schaitberger, General President of the IAFF, responded Tuesday by saying "this is not an issue that welcomes or warrants an opinion from the IAFC." He went on to call the statement an attempt to "meddle" in the IAFF's internal affairs. According to Schaitberger, the IAFF's clear position remains that secondary employment of IAFF members – including part-time, paid-on-call or volunteer -- as a firefighter or other public safety worker is wrong, unsafe and against the IAFF's constitution. In the IAFC's original statement, the group said it recommends that no membership organization should restrict the right to serve in multiple organizations or communities. "Each man and woman who chooses to live a life of volunteer service does so out of a selfless and personal commitment," it said. "It should not be incumbent upon any organization to dictate or influence the extent of this deeply personal act." Writing on FireRescue1' s new blog, The Kitchen Table, Art Goodrich has offered his perspective on the debate. "I don’t believe that it is wise to volunteer in the rural portion of the municipal department that a firefighter works full time for, but I see nothing wrong with that same firefighter volunteering outside of the community where he works. It should be his/her individual right to volunteer or not." Full TKT Post: Why Legislate Against Volunteerism?

Deer Camp

I couldn’t let this second weekend of MN Deer Season Go by with out letting you in on this oldie but a goodie!

Click the link below to play

http://www.quicksall.net/images/Second%20Week%20Of%20Deer%20Camp.mp3

Time For Some Fun

God I love YOU Tube!

Viking Kitties

Wake Up

Read this commentary from Wake Up America web site. Startling to say the least if you believe it. But well worth the read.
http://usawakeup.org/index.htm
Excerpt :
As Mark Steyn [author of the New York Times bestseller “America Alone”] puts it, "The future belongs to the fecund and the confident. And the Islamists are both, while the West -- wedded to a multiculturalism that undercuts its own confidence, a welfare state that nudges it toward sloth and self-indulgence, and a childlessness that consigns it to oblivion -- is looking ever more like the ruins of a civilization."


Eye Opening video from Wake Up
http://objllc.com/USSA.htm

From Billy Goldfeder

CHIEF BILLY GOLDFEDER
www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com
With the operating conditions in Detroit, so many wondered what would eventually happen related to DFD, as far as their Firefighters being injured, or worse, killed in the line of duty. And when I heard about the comments so emotionally SCREAMED by a Detroit Fire Sgt today. "What a complete waste," ...he died.. "For what? For what? Some dump of a house?" The words hit hard...as they should.

I mean, really, in so many respects, few really care about trying to really save Detroit. Read the news. Look at the politics. Look at that City. The only ones who really seem to consistently and genuinely give a damn are the Detroit Firefighters. Why would I say that? Show me where anyone else really cares-and can prove it. It ain't there. It's like the DFD Firefighters are the "last ones standing" in that City.

Sometimes when I see them operating I think that their actions are far more than Firefighters hitting a fire. I mean, for those who have lived there most or all of their lives, it's like they are trying to do whatever they can to stop "any more" of their city from being destroyed. Just trying to save...as it continues to go away. And then today happened.

There is now one less Detroit Firefighter standing. And he is the 100th LODD in the United States of America in 2008.

This mornings horrible loss was put into a very poignant and sobering perspective by a DFD Firefighter in the below article. "What a complete waste," screamed Sgt. Jimmy Montgomery, who served with Harris at the Squad 3/Engine 23 Firehouse located near the crumbing carcass of the old Packard automobile plant. "For what? For what? Some dump of a house?"

As you now know that FF Walter Harris was horribly lost this morning while operating in that vacant "dump of a house". By all accounts, FF Walter Harris Sr was the kind of FF whose warm, fun and stabilizing personality would be a welcome addition to any firehouse...anywhere. While few people outside of Detroit really understand or have seen (or even care) what terrible conditions exist in Detroit, the only thing really left, in a City whose government has failed miserably, is the Detroit Firefighters.

When the role call of the Detroit Fire Department is called tonight, one less GOOD MAN will so very sadly fail to answer the call.

For the rest of us and eventually the now grieving Firefighters of the DFD, maybe we can think about FF Walter Harris....for example, when we size up, we can THINK about FF Harris (we posted several pictures of his big smiling face on our home page)...and operate at our next vacant structural fire in a manner as if FF Harris might have been given a second chance. Of course he won't get one but fortunately we can, we do and can genuinely honor his life, his heroic life and his memory, in how we operate at future fires. Think of Firefighter Walter Harris Sr.

Don't know Walter Harris? I didn't but I wish I did. But from today's and past accounts, just think of the nicest, most fun, smiling-ist and most stabilizing Firefighter in your firehouse. You know the type. The one you can always count on. One of the real good ones. You know'm.

Rest in Peace Firefighter Walter Harris Sr...and our condolences to all affected, but especially the DFD and the family of FF Harris.

Here is the article: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081115/METRO/81...

Detroit Firefighter Dies

Detroit firefighter Walt Harris Dies In The Line of Duty
Firefighter Walt Harris of the Detroit Fire Department perished after falling through the roof of a vacant home on the east side of Detroit. Harris, a 17 veteran firefighter, responded to the blaze with his brothers from Engine 23.
Firefighters and EMS attempted to revive him on the scene but were unable to do so. He will be missed by family and friends.

Posted at 09:17 AM in Line of Duty Death
Technorati Tags: detroit, detroit firefighter,

Tea Fire Update

Tea Fire Update

THE FAST AND STUBBORN TEA FIRE in Santa Barbara County is now being aggressively attacked and the 2,235 firefighters on the job have it 40% contained at midday.

The weather largely cooperated last night with reduced winds allowing the crews to set up a fire line. So far, 111 homes have been lost with 9 more damaged. But that is only an estimate until they can get in the area for a more detailed review of the damaged area. Approximately 5,400 homes in Montecito have been evacuated.

“We’re cautiously optimistic that wind conditions will remain cooperative today,” said Andrew Burmond, a spokesman with the city of Santa Barbara. This is an urban fire, and containment is a tricky thing,” Burmond said, noting that fire lines are more difficult to build in an urban environment than in a wildland blaze.

According to the Lompoc Record, mandatory evacuations remain in effect for much of Montecito and parts of the city of Santa Barbara, and CalFire officials, who are now in charge of fighting the blaze, say some 1,500 residences remain potentially in harm’s way.

At least 13 people were injured in Montecito. A 98-year-old man with multiple medical problems died after being evacuated, but it was unclear if his death was directly related to the blaze, Santa Barbara County Sheriff-Coroner Bill Brown said. At least three people were treated for burn injuries.

This is not the first time that Montecito has suffered from wildfire. They had a major fire in 1977, when more than 200 homes burned. A fire in 1964 burned about 67,000 acres and damaged 150 houses and buildings.

Old Story, New Version

Remember the old firefighting joke about pulling up to a reported house fire and seeing flames in the front window? The firemen then force the front door and brake the front window only to find out that it was the house across the street? Read the story below and you see a police version of it.

Pittsburgh Detective Fires At Mirror Reflection
November 13, 2008


PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh police said a detective shot at his own reflection in a mirror while chasing a drug suspect in a dimly lit house in Pittsburgh's North Side.
Detectives were investigating a drug complaint in the woods in the 300 block of Elsdon Street shortly before 4 p.m.
Police detectives on foot found two men near a fence. As the officers approached, one of the men pulled out a handgun from his waistband, police said. The detectives identified themselves as Pittsburgh police and both men began running through the rear yard of the Elsdon Street home, toward the front of the house.
One of the men ran inside a home and locked the door. The detective forced the door open and followed the suspect inside.
According to a news release from the police department, as the detective entered the kitchen, he saw what he thought was a male pointing a semi-automatic pistol at him from the living room area. The detective fired two shots, breaking a mirror. Police said they later determined it was the detective's own reflection.
The man dropped his weapon and escaped through the front door. He is described as a black male, age 17 to 19 years old, 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 9 inches tall and 170 to 190 ounds. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with colored writing on the back, dark pants and a dark knit cap.
A teenage boy in the house was not hurt and police say they don't know if the suspect lived there.
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/cnn-news/17972464/detail.html

Wood Joist

Wood I Joist
Stopped by Firehouse.Com and thought the following article might be of interest to you:Common Building Material Can Pose Threat To FirefightersA common manufactured wood I-joist holding up floors in newer and remodeled homes can pose a deadly risk. To view the entire article go to http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/article.jsp?sectionId=46&id=61600

http://www.wisn.com/video/17971947/

As firefighters put their lives on the line to save others, a common manufactured wood I-joist holding up floors in newer and remodeled homes can pose a deadly risk. The beams are lightweight, strong and inexpensive to use but they have one very serious flaw.

Milwaukee fire Capt. Ted Stribling lay unconscious and badly injured inside a burning home one evening in May. The last thing he remembers was walking into the blaze in a home on Second and Meineke alongside fellow firefighter Tony Rueda. He has no memory of what happened next. "Tony and I fell through the floor. Tony did not lose consciousness and he rescued me," Stribling said. The floor beneath their feet gave way, sending the two firefighters crashing to the concrete basement below. When pulled from the blaze, at first glance, firefighters thought Stribling was dead. But thanks to his colleague, both men escaped, injured, but alive.

When Stribling returned to the scene days later, he noticed something alarming. "And what I could see was these wafer thin I-beams made of composites of wood and glue," Stribling said. The older home had been remodeled with newer manufactured wood I-joists, supporting the floor. Following the blaze, 12 News went inside that home with a Milwaukee firefighter, and saw why those floor beams failed when the firefighters stepped on them. "They're perfectly good contrstruction materials. They can make a fine home. The problem with them is, they burn really quickly," Stribling said. They burn so quickly, in fact, that they have proven deadly for many firefighters. A veteran firefighter was killed when the floor collapsed below him in a Green Bay home in 2006, trapping him inside the blaze.

The Department of Homeland Security report describes what happened last year when a Tennessee firefighter crashed through a hole in the floor of a burning home as follows: "A firefighter who had been behind firefighter Shawn Daughetee reached down into the hole, but was unable to reach his hand. Firefighters made contact with him, but were unable to retrieve him. Firefighter Daughetee's remains were recovered after the fire was controlled." The floor that failed was constructed with engineered lumber

Palin For President in 2012?

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who is clearly looking ahead to her political prospects in 2012, said Wednesday that a woman would be good for the Republican presidential ticket in four years.
This former GOP vice presidential nominee has been on a series of post election television interviews. She was slated for two on CNN on Wednesday and she traveled to Florida for the three day Republican Governors Association meeting and is scheduled to participate in a panel discussion Thursday titled, ‘‘Looking Towards the Future: The GOP in Transition.’’
She was asked Wednesday about speculation that she is the party’s future.
‘‘I don’t think it’s me personally, I think it’s what I represent,’’ Palin told reporters. ‘‘Everyday hardworking American families — a woman on the ticket perhaps represents that. It would be good for the ticket. It would be good for the party. I would be happy to get to do whatever is asked of me to help progress this nation.’’
Question on whether that was her priority, Palin said: ‘‘A priority for me is serving the constituents of the state of Alaska ... They hired me and I have an obligation, or a responsibility to serve Alaska as their governor.’’
Now that she has been thrust into the national spot light I don't think we will see the last of her.

LODD New York

FDNY Firefighter Collapses, Dies During Training
Posted: 11-12-2008

Courtesy of FDNY
FDNY Probationary Firefighter Jamel M. Sears, 33.
A New York City firefighter that collapsed during a training exercise on Monday has died.
Jamel M. Sears, 33, collapsed at the department's training academy during an evolution at 11:30 a.m., according to an FDNY statement. Firefighters on the scene attempted to revive Sears, and he was transported to the Mt. Sinai Medical Center, where he died Tuesday.
The statement said Sears collapsed after "successfully completing an 18-minute training exercise where he donned full firefighting gear and performed a series of tasks and functional skills."
Sears was appointed to the department on July 1 and was going through the 23-week probationary firefighter training program.
A lifelong resident of The Bronx, he served with the U.S. Navy from 1995 through 1999 and he was assigned to the USS Alaska.
Sears leaves behind a wife, who is a New York City police officer and two children, ages eight and 12.

ICC Appeal on Residential Sprinklers

The National Association of Housing Builders (NAHB) has filed an official appeal to the ICC to set aside the over whelming vote to require residential sprinklers in new construction.

As a potential interested party in the appeal filed with ICC on RB64 & RB66-07/08, attached is the Notice of Appeal, a copy of the appeal and a copy of RB64 & RB66-07/08 as considered at the 2008 Final Action Hearings.

See document links below;
The pdf files are the NAHB appeal to ICC for your information.
http://minnesotafireservice.com/pubs_open/2008-ICC-Notice of appeal_RB64_RB66.pdf

http://minnesotafireservice.com/pubs_open/2008-ICC-NAHB appeal_RB64_RB66.pdf

http://minnesotafireservice.com/pubs_open/2008-ICC-FAA_RB64_RB66.pdf

If you have any questions, please contact me at 888 – ICC- SAFE X 4338.

One Hard Climb

HOLLY SPRINGS: Firefighter goes higher than any ladder on Earth

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
November 09, 2008

Steve Pigott has taken his passion for firefighting to new heights.
Chief of the all-volunteer Holly Springs Fire Department in Cherokee County, Pigott climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, last month in 45 pounds of firefighting gear.
He had an objective. He wanted to make the climb as a tribute to fallen firefighters and as a reminder to his colleagues everywhere of the need for cardiovascular health and physical fitness.
“It was something I always wanted to do, and I knew I’d do it someday,” said Pigott, 37, who has been chief of the 25-member Holly Springs Fire Department for the last three years. “I’ve always loved the outdoors and always have done a lot of hiking.”
He started planning the trip in January and trained by hiking in the mountains of North Georgia and North Carolina. He also would go to Kennesaw Mountain after work at Lockheed Martin, where he is a manager involved with the C-130 cargo plane.
Pigott’s climb up Kilimanjaro started Oct. 8. He and four other hikers and their guides reached the summit Oct. 14 and then spent two and a half days making the descent.
Each day they’d climb 3,000 to 4,000 feet. Pigott was in full firefighter gear —- pants, coat, boots, helmet and a self-contained breathing apparatus.
In addition, he was weighed down by another 15 pounds of climbing gear and supplies.
“I’m absolutely certain it was tougher on Steve,” said Kevin Armstrong, a hiker from California who was making the climb with his father. “But he did a fantastic job with it.”
Pigott’s gear was always a conversation starter, especially when the group would meet up with other climbers at a campsite, Armstrong said. “That’s when you’d get the looks and stares,” he said.
The scenery on the climb amazed Pigott as it changed from lush tropical forest to desert and then finally snow caps. “It was just beautiful,” he said.
It wasn’t until Pigott was leaving Kilimanjaro and Tanzania that park officials told him he may have been the first climber to reach the mountain’s top in full firefighting gear.
It hadn’t seemed that novel a feat to Pigott. Firefighters, he said, are always encouraged to train in their gear.
In metro Atlanta, they participate in the annual Fit to Fight run, a 75-mile relay from the Georgia Fire Academy to the state Capitol, that’s done in full firefighter gear.
“In Cherokee County, firefighters are put through what’s known as a personal limitation drill,” Pigott said.
In those drills, the firemen climb stairs, drag rescue dummies, crawl and even do push-ups in their full gear until they can’t go on, he said.
“The idea is for each person to find their limit, and climbing Kilimanjaro was sort of my own personal limitation drill,” he said.
“I would encourage other firefighters to push themselves up to and beyond their limits so when that emergency call goes out, they’ll be ready to respond.”