Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Swine Flu - From Fire Engineering

New cases of swine flu are continuing to come to light across the world. Fire Engineering EMS Technical Editor Mike McEvoy has a blog post on what fire service members need to know about responding to this quickly evolving threat. Visit the Fire Engineering Board Blog for Mike's take, and keep up with the latest news at www.fireengineering.com.

Swine Flu: What You Must Do Now
By Mike McEvoy
The swine flu buzz is causing information overload. There are three things pertinent to the fire service that must be implemented immediately to protect your members, provide excellent patient care, and be a good public health partner.

Swine Flu Spreads to Middle East, Asia-Pacific
Associated Press
With the swine flu having already spread to at least six other countries besides Mexico, authorities around the globe are like firefighters battling a fire without knowing how far it extends.

Video: Swine Flu Precautions
San Diego (CA) Fire Rescue Department officials have ordered crews to take extra precautions when treating anyone who may have the swine flu.

Specter's party change

I hope Arlen Specter's party change outrages you. It should for two reasons:
First-- Specter claimed it was philosophical--and pointed his finger of blame at Republicans all over America for his defection to the Democrats. He told us all to go jump in the lake today.
I'm sorry, but I don't believe a word he said.
Arlen Specter committed a purely political and self-serving act today. He simply believes he has a better chance of saving his political hide and his job as a Democrat. He loves the title of Senator more than he loves the party--and the principles--that elected him and nurtured him.
Second --and more importantly--Arlen Specter handed Barack Obama and his band of radical leftists nearly absolute power in the United States Senate. In leaving the Republican Party--and joining the Democrats--he absolutely undercut Republicans' efforts to slow down Obama's radical agenda through the threat of filibuster.
Facing defeat in Pennsylvania's 2010 Republican primary due to his left-wing voting record, and an end to his 30 year career in the U.S. Senate, he has peddled his services--and his vote--to the leftist Obama Democrats who aim to remake America with their leftist plan. 
 As recently as April 9th, Senator Specter said he would run in the Pennsylvania primary next year as a Republican. Why the sudden change of heart? Clearly, this was an act based on political expediency by a craven politician desperate to keep his Washington power base--not the act of a statesman.
His defection to the Democrat Party puts the Democrats in an almost unstoppable position to pass Obama's destructive agenda of income redistribution , health care nationalization , and a massive expansion of entitlements.
Arlen Specter has put his loyalty to his own political career above his duty to his state and nation .
You and I have a choice. Some will use Specter's defection as an excuse to fold the tent and give up. I believe that you are not one of those people. When Benedict Arnold defected to the British, George Washington didn't fold the tent and give up either.
He grit his teeth more determined than ever to succeed. That's what I'm asking you to do today. 
 
Stand with me.
Sincerely,
  Michael Steele
  Chairman, Republican National Committee

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

This from Firefighter Close calls – Falling down a well

Just goes to show you don’t always know what you will find at the scene of a fire. Watch your footing when you’re out there.

Georgia Firefighter Falls in Well - Close Call

A Bowersville, GA Firefighter is in stable condition after being trapped in a well for 20 minutes April 19.
Michael Certain, who fights fires for the Bowersville Station, was hospitalized with injuries not con-sidered life-threatening after he fell into a well while fighting a fire.
An abandoned house on Redwine Church Road was fully involved when firefighters arrived on the scene around 2 a.m.
Certain fell into the 12-foot open well as he was fighting the fire on the back side of the house.
Smoke filled the top of the well, leaving Certain's breathing apparatus as his only source of clean air.
Certain said he worked to stay calm and set off an alarm system to let other firefighters know he was in trouble.
"I knew I had to keep my presence of mind," he said.
As he waited to be rescued, he made two failed attempts to get out of the well.
"I tried to climb out, but the walls were too far apart and I couldn't get a good grip," he said.
Certain said he started "filter breathing," after his breathing apparatus alerted him he had only 5-10 minutes worth of air left.
He breathed through a makeshift filter as much as possible to conserve the air in his breathing apparatus.
"I did that until I felt the signs and symptoms of getting close to passing out and then I'd use my pack again until I got my wits about me," he said. "I did that three times before I felt some debris fall down. I heard some of the other firefighters hollering and knew they had found me."
As two firemen attempted to lift him out of the well using a fire hose, Certain said he lost his strength and fell back down.
They tried a second time and he mustered the strength to keep his grip on the hose.
"I knew I had to hold on," he said. "That was my only lifeline."
Both County Fire Chief Jerry Byrum and Certain credit his firefighter training for saving his life.
"Michael is a very good fireman with a lot of training," Byrum said. "I think the training played into helping him get out of that situation."
Certain was transported by ambulance to Cobb Memorial Hospital in Royston and later transferred to Athens Regional Medical Center in Athens.
Certain was in stable condition, awaiting further medical evaluation as of press time.
"I just want to thank all the firefighters that were on the scene and EMS workers for everything they did," Certain said.
The fire department, Hart County Sheriff's Office and state fire marshall are investigating the fire.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Three Killed in Firefighting Plane Crash in Utah

News results for Three Killed in Firefighting Plane Crash in Utah

Firefighting Plane Crashes In Utah, 3 Killed‎ - 23 hours ago

Alamogordo, NM (AHN) - A tanker plane dispatched to help fight a wildfire in southeastern New Mexico crashed in Utah's Oquirrh Mountains Saturday killing ...

Three Killed in Firefighting Plane Crash in Utah

A converted military plane crashed Saturday in heavy fog in the mountains that frame the Salt Lake valley, killing three members of a private firefighting company, authorities said.

Tooele County Sheriff Frank Park said the plane was en route from Missoula, Mont., to Alamogordo, N.M., when it failed to clear a pass in the Oquirrh Mountains.

» Read More

What's up with the Swine Flu – What you must do

The swine flu media avalanche is causing an information overload. There are three things pertinent to the fire service that must be implemented immediately to protect your members, provide excellent patient care, and be a good public health partner. Here's the list:
Fire Service Leaders

  1. Immediately notify all members and staff of the emerging problem.
    Review your plans using the CDC EMS Pandemic Preparedness checklist.
  2. Set up an email list and web site to provide continual updates and info for your members.
  3. Monitor news reports and government resources. Communicate with your local public health officials. Use the CDC minute-to-minute swine flu update site.

Communications Center/Dispatch Leaders

  1. Implement severe respiratory infection (SRI) screening for all callers with chest pain, difficulty breathing, headache, or general illness (sick person). If using the Medical Priority Dispatch System (MPDS), activate the SRI drop down on ProQA or add the following questions to paper card numbers 6, 10, 18, and 26 for further interrogation: (a) has the patient recently been in Mexico (or other outbreak location) or exposed to anyone who has (paying particular attention to those who stayed for 7 days or longer)? (b) are they febrile or have a fever and, if so, is it higher than 101 F (38 C) and (c) do they have a cough or other respiratory illness symptoms?
  2. Relay responses to these questions to EMS units before they arrive on scene.

Firefighters and EMS Providers

  1. Request additional information from dispatch when sent to respiratory, sick person and fever related calls if limited initial dispatch information is provided.
  2. Perform initial interview of all patients from at least 2 meters (6.5 feet) away to determine if personal protective equipment precautions are necessary.
  3. Place a mask on all patients with suspected influenza symptoms before approach. Use a surgical mask or non-rebreather mask (when oxygen is required).
  4. Avoid droplet producing procedures whenever possible including nebulizers, bag-valve-mask, suctioning or intubation. If bag-valve-masks are needed, use BVMs with HEPA filters whenever possible.
  5. Recommended PPE for taking care of ill/potentially infected patients includes: gloves and N95 or better respirators. PPE should be donned and doffed according to published guidelines to prevent cross contamination, including faceshield/eye and gown protection when splash or airborne contamination is possible.
  6. Alert receiving hospital personnel of the possibility of an infectious patient as soon as possible and hold suspected infectious patients in the ambulance until their destination in the hospital is known, rather than immediately moving them into the emergency department.
  7. Perform a thorough cleaning of the stretcher and all equipment that has come in contact with or been within 2 meters (6.5 feet) with an approved disinfectant, upon completion of the call following CDC interim guidelines for cleaning EMS transport vehicles.

Remember that this is a continually evolving situation. The most severe flu cases so far have been mostly adults from ages 25 to 45, but patients of all ages have been infected, so the same precautions should be used for all patients. We need to stay on heightened alert until this threat has been controlled. As with all infectious diseases, always remember that hand washing is the number one way to decrease transmission! More at the CDC web site here.

Auto body garage in Clarksburg, West Virginia

Here is some video of an autobody business in Clarksburg, VA. Should have used the big line? Large fire large water, maybe should have gone with a 2 1/2. This video from the dash cam in the engine.

 

This is from Wednesday evening in Clarksburg, West Virginia. The video is from a dashcam on Engine 71 of the Nutter Fort VFD. Here is the account from the department's website:

At 19:42, Company 15 (West Milford VFD), Engine 71 (Nutter Fort VFD), and Engine 51 (Mt. Clare VFD) were alerted for a Structure Fire on Country Club Road near Sandhill in Clarksburg. Engine 71 (w/6-AC Richards) and Chief 7 (Rohrbough) hit the street seconds later with Tanker 7 (w/2-FF Gross) not far behind. Chief 7 arrived on scene shortly after advising HC911 of an 2-stall auto body garage fully involved with possible exposures to vehicles and a nearby residence. Engine 71 arrived on scene and crews stretched an 1 ¾ cross lay and began fire attack. Crews began knocking down the bulk of the fire while making their way into the garage while other Co. 7 firefighters stretched a 2nd 1 ¾ cross lay while incoming units were ordered to supply E71 with water and to stretch our 1 ½ trash line to assist in fire suppression. Crews made fast work of the fire knocking most of it down within 25 minutes. After performing salvage and overhaul all units went ready by 22:30. EXCELLENT JOB BY ALL COMPANIES!Dashcam footage courtesy of Engine 71.
UNITS ON SCENE:
NFFD: E71, T7, Ch7 (9 personal)
WMVFD: E151, E152
MCVFD: E51, U55

Uncles Jay Explains April 27, 2009

DON'T PANIC! The fundamentals are sound!! We're handling it! They said that about the economy, now it's about the flu. Uncle Jay explains why we'll soon see a rollout of 3.4 trillion thermometers, to fight the pig virus. That's all, folks!

Sunday, April 26, 2009

More on the Swine Flu

Swine Flu Cases Plotted on Google Maps

from Firefighter Blog by mikeswebmail@gmail.com (Mike)

Swine Flu Cases Mapped

View H1N1 Swine Flu in a larger map

    Swine Flu Twitterers Of Note

    Bird Flu Gov One-stop access to U.S. Government bird and pandemic flu information.
    CDC Emergency CDC Emergency Preparedness and Response: increasing the nation's ability to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies.
    CDC Flu Get notified whenever any new or updated documents are posted anywhere on the CDC Flu Website. www.cdc.gov/flu
    CDC eHealth CDC eHealth Marketing: CDC.gov and interactive media projects. Delivering science-based health & safety info when where and how you need it.
    Standing Firm CM Catherine Mitchell
    WHO News World Health Organization - the directing and coordinating authority within the UN system for public health
    Flu Trackers A nonprofit that is composed of a diverse group of citizens from many countries who follow and document emerging and re-emerging disease.
    Health Map Public website bringing together disparate data sources to achieve a unified view of the current global state of infectious diseases

    They have been talking about this happening for years and now maybe its here?

    Will we be ready, sounds like the new President is getting prepared for it. Guess that’s a good thing.

    (CNN) -- The United States government declared a public health emergency Sunday as the number of identified cases of swine flu in the nation rose to 20.

    Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano

    Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano briefs reporters at the White House Sunday. CNN's Full Story Here

    The declaration is part of a "standard operating procedure" that will make available additional government resources to combat the virus, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said at the White House.

    The U.S. military issued a worldwide caution, telling its medical personnel to be on the lookout for troops with signs of swine flu and reiterated the need for public health precautions.

    Additional cases of swine flu are expected to be reported in the coming days, added Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    No one has died in the United States from swine flu, officials said Sunday.

    In New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said eight students at St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens, New York, tested positive for swine flu. More than 100 students at the school were absent with flu-like symptoms last week, he said.

    State public health officials in Ohio confirmed one case of swine flu on Sunday. There have been seven confirmed cases in California, two in Kansas, and two in Texas, Besser said.

    The World Health Organization advised all countries to be on the lookout for "unusual" outbreaks of flu, after an emergency meeting Saturday as the seriousness of the outbreak became clear.

    This from Last week, Maryland Engine involved in accident

    This rig was responding to a medical call, pretty expensive use of a fire apparatus. Glad the outcome was not so serious. It does say that seat belt were being used at least.

    This crash involving an engine from the Riviera Beach fire station in Anne Arundel County, Maryland occurred last night, Tuesday April 21, 2009 around 11:00 PM at Fort Smallwood Road and Somerset Road. Five firefighters were injured when the driver lost control on a turn and collided with a utility pole. The officer was pinned in the cab for about 20-minutes.
    The driver and officer were taken to Maryland's Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. They were both treated and released. The three other firefighters on the rig were also treated and released from Baltimore Washington Medical Center.

    Google Maps Street View of intersection where crash occurred. Click image for more.

    Anne Arundel Fire Department officials say it was drizzling at the time of the crash. The crew was responding to a medical call.
    Division Chief Michael Cox, a department spokesman, told Firehouse.com's Susan Nicol Kyle, "I believe the use of seat belts played a major role in the outcome".

    Anne Arundel County Fire Department photo

    Saturday, April 25, 2009

    Pun anyone, odd story

    Couldn't pass one up for posting. You Cub fans will get a little Chuckle out of it. Glad it turned out OK for this Girl, a bear was chasing her and she was hit by a car.

     

    Fire & Explosion at Burger King

    Fire crews were called to a Burger King restaurant in Cedar Rapids for a fire and explosion Friday morning. Watch the fire video,. It broke out just after 5:30 a.m. at 3030 Mount Vernon Road SE. The Cedar Rapids Fire Department says crews were just outside the building when an explosion occurred inside the restaurant. One firefighter was knocked backward, but wasn't hurt. The explosion knocked down part of the back wall, shattered the dining room windows and damaging the front entrance. Portions of the ceiling and light fixtures collapsed in the northeast corner of the building, near the office, storage area and bathroom, and there is smoke damage throughout. It took crews about 40 minutes to get the fire under control. No one was hurt. Three employees were in the restaurant at the time, they escaped the fire uninjured. Fire investigators are working to figure out what the cause of the fire.

    Friday, April 24, 2009

    Kansas firefighter collapsed and died April 21 while returning from a brush fire

    Dennis M. Simmons, 63, was a member of Stafford County Fire Department in St. John, Kansas.

    He was returning to the station in a fire truck after a grass fire when he suffered an apparent heart attack, according to the USFA.

    Simmons was transported to the Central Kansas Medical Center where he died.

    Memorial contributions may be made to the County Fireman's Relief Fund in care of the Bryant Funeral Home, 1425 Patton RD, Great Bend, Kansas, 67530.

    Funeral Information

    Service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend. Military Honors conducted by Kansas National Guard, Topeka, and Fire Department Honors will be conducted.

    Visitation will be 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

    Please visit www.bryantfh.net to leave personal condolences.


    Thursday, April 23, 2009

    Fire engine rolls in Allegheny County, PA. Four hurt on Rainbow VFC rig. Pictures and video

     

    Pictures of Rescue 300 of the Rainbow VFC taken Tuesday morning

    Watch report from KDKA-TV

    From KDKA-TV:

    Several firefighters are being treated at an area hospital after their fire truck overturned on the way to a call in White Oak on Monday morning. According to Allegheny County 911, fire crews from the Rainbow Volunteer Fire Company were responding to a call when their truck flipped over along Will Court.
    The truck was trying to navigate a private narrow roadway when the road apparently shifted -- causing the truck to roll over.
    Four firefighters were on the truck at the time.
    Three of the firefighters were taken to McKeesport Hospital for treatment; but none of the injuries are believed to be critical.

    A little Close for Comfort?

    Having been inside this simulators a lot while instructing I can tell you this shouldn’t ever happen but from this video you see that it can. Was it the door being open, poor design of the simulator? You be the judge? Looks maybe that they used an unmodified container for this simulator.

    More info on that manifold that failed in Lambertville NJ

    Read report from Snap-tite Hose, Inc.

    You might remember the story about the exploding manifold pictured above. It failed at a fire in Lambertville, NJ on March 28 slightly injuring two firefighters.

    The IAFC Safety, Health and Survival Section has been looking into the incident and talking with the manufacturer Snap-tite Hose, Inc. The company reports it has looked closely at the damaged manifold and tested it. It has issued the report above, passed on by FirefighterCloseCalls.com. The report comes to the following conclusion:

    It is apparent from the evidence provided that the cause of this failure was a severe over-pressure condition, such as water hammer. Fire Department personnel state that they were careful not to create any conditions that might result in water hammer. The actions of the water authority should be closely examined as they did admit that they had caused an overpressure in the system. Improper operation of a valve in their system could have set up a water hammer condition which travelled through the hydrant and to the manifold.
    For more information on water hammer there are many articles on the web. Two comprehensive articles can be found at http://www.pump-zone.com/pumps/pumps/the-causes-of-water-hammer-part-one.html and http://www.pump-zone.com/valves/valves/water-hammer-part-two-causes-and-variables.html.

    This is someone that Walter would call a dumb ass

    clip_image002[4] 

    Remember when you were a kid and your parents told you not play with fire?
    Apparently, this guy never got the message.
    This genius uses gasoline to spit fire to impress his friends.
    As you can expect, it don’t go as planned.

    At least someone remembered “Stop Drop and Roll”

    Wednesday, April 22, 2009

    Shell fired at camp lands in Pillager yard

    We hear these go off occasionally from our house when the wind is in the right direction, but that's usually when the military is practicing. I didn’t know that they let civil contractor test at the range.

    The Brainerd Dispatch reported today that it was more than two weeks ago when a 102-pound artillery shell landed in Rich and Kathy Nelson's 80-acre property - located four miles south of Pillager on Cass County Road 1 - just missing their home.


    Kathy Nelson said for as close as the shell was to her home the outcome could have been a different story.
    The story is about how an inert, wax-filled 155-millimeter artillery shell, fired out at Camp Ripley, flew over Nelson's home and damaged several trees on their property before landing on the ground.
    Capt. Ross Nyberg, Camp Ripley, said Tuesday that the incident occurred April 7. He said a global defense company called BAE Systems was testing weapons that day, as it has done for the past two years at Camp Ripley. Nyberg said the company fired eight inert rounds and one of the rounds flew about 800 meters off Camp Ripley property, over the Nelson's home and landed about 400 meters from their home.

    Sgt. 1st Class Danny Perseke removed a 102-pound artillery shell from Rich and Kathy Nelson's home just south of Pillager after it errantly landed April 7 on their property.

    "It skipped a couple of times and made some holes to their property," said Nyberg. "There was a construction crew there at the time, but no one was hurt. If the round would have went into the home it would have caused some damage, but it wouldn't have exploded. The rounds all were to land in an impact area but there was some frozen ground that caused the one round to skip.
    "He (Rich Nelson) was definitely concerned (about the incident) and we were, too." Nyberg said Camp Ripley shut down its artillery firing after the incident "to make sure this type of incident doesn't happen again." Nyberg said Camp Ripley added a larger buffer to companies testing weapons and is changing the way weapons are shot. Nyberg said normally weapons are shot north to south and now they'll be shot east to west.
    "We've always worked closely with (the company), but now we'll work even closer," said Nyberg.
    Nyberg said this is the first time this type of incident has happened.
    Kathy Nelson said the construction workers were on the back deck when the shell flew over the garage and they thought "they were done for."
    "The projectiles missed them, it was just a matter of feet," said Nelson. "I'm glad they were here otherwise we wouldn't have known what had happened. We're glad no one got hurt. It's scary to think that could have hit our home.

    5 Firefighters injured in crash

    Yet another incident where seatbelt most likely helped says fire fighter further injury or even a fatality!

    » Take the Seat Belt Pledge: Click Here
    » Download: A Seat Belt Poster
    » Denver FD Video:
    Seat Belts & SCBAs | Download

    Anne Arundel County Fire Department

    The engine out of the Rivera Beach station was headed to a medical emergency call as a first responder unit when the driver lost control following a left turn and struck a utility pole.

    RIVIERA BEACH, Md. -- Seat belt use is credited with lessening the injuries sustained by five Anne Arundel County, Md. firefighters Tuesday night when their engine crashed.

    The engine out of the Rivera Beach station was headed to a medical emergency call as a first responder unit when the driver lost control following a left turn. The rig then struck a utility pole, said Division Chief Michael Cox, spokesman for the Anne Arundel County Fire Department.

    The officer was pinned for about 20 minutes before being extricated by rescue personnel. He and the driver were taken by ambulance to R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. They were released after treatment.

    The other three occupants of the rig were taken to Baltimore-Washington Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries.

    "I believe the use of seat belts played a major role in the outcome," Cox said.


    New Haven FF dies

    New Haven firefighter died Tuesday of injuries sustained in a fall earlier this month.

    Patrick Reardon, a 14-year veteran of the department, suffered a severe head injury in a fall at the Dixwell fire station, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

    Reardon, 42, was taken to the Hospital of Saint Raphael where he died Tuesday afternoon.

    Funeral Information:

    Calling hours are scheduled for 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Monahan Co, Smith & Crimmins Funeral Home, 11 Wooster Place, New Haven.

    A Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Lawrence Church, 207 Main St., West Haven. Burial will be at All Saints Cemetery.

    Notice of Firefighter Fatality: New Haven, CT

    from USFA Firefighter Fatalities

    Patrick Reardon of the New Haven Fire Department in New Haven, CT has died as the result of an on-duty incident that occurred on 2009-04-11 00:00:00.0.

    Peterson hit with wrongful death lawsuit

    It’s been almost two years sense we moved north and I still follow this Illinois continuing story. This is another twist in the story. We will have to see how this plays out. Another O.J. story in the making?

    JOLIET — It's about justice, a lawyer for the family of Drew Peterson's slain third wife said of the wrongful death lawsuit filed against the former cop and serial marrier.

    "We want to make sure justice is done, one way or the other," Joliet attorney Lawrence Varsek said filing the suit before criminal charges have been brought in the investigation of Kathleen Savio's March 2004 homicide.

    » Click to enlarge image

    Drew Peterson (left) and Kathleen Savio

    RELATED STORIES

    Special Section: Peterson case
    Photos: Peterson investigation

    Varsek, who filed the lawsuit Tuesday afternoon, conceded it was unusual to bring a such a civil action before the criminal case is resolved, but added, "Everything in this case is unusual." Read the full story here

    Interesting, Good or Bad ?

    Friends in High Places

    from Mutual Aid by Janet Wilmoth

    Do public employees have the right to speak out about station closings or staffing changes without the fear of retribution or even demotion?
    Like many communities, Franklin Park, Ill., is facing budget cuts. One area that was affected was the fire department pension program. When a captain brought the issue to local officials — and subsequently the press — he was demoted.
    The fire department decided to push back at election time. A fire department ally ran for office and — with the efforts by local firefighters — defeated the mayor last week in a three-candidate race.
    “We in the fire service are just now starting to realize the power we have when it comes to politics,” one officer from the department e-mailed me. “We all know that we will still have to endure the threats, passed over promotions and unfair treatment — but as they say, ‘the times they are a changing.’”
    Franklin Park firefighters are just part of an overall move to get fire departments more involved in local politics. Congressional Fire Services Institute’s annual seminars features a legislative panel, “New Beginnings … New Opportunities,” that encouraged fire departments and emergency service organizations to work together to address a broad range of issues that benefit emergency response personnel. This move is a continuation of the “one voice” called for by former USFA Administrator Dave Paulison in 2001.
    “You should call the office and identify the person best suited in the fire service area, so ask for the staff member who deals with Homeland Security and get his e-mail address,” said panelist Allison Moore, the government relations associate for the National Volunteer Fire Council.
    Moore offered several other suggestions on how to communicate with government leaders:

    • Send both e-mails and hard copy. “We send an email, then follow with a hard copy, often by fax to save time.” Postal security in Washington, D.C., can delay mail.
    • Make an appointment. Don’t just stop in to an office.
    • Stay in touch once you have made a connection, stay in touch.
    • Send a thank-you note. “Legislators are human,” said Moore.
    • Take advantage of photo ops. “If you invite your legislators to the fire department or an event, take photos with firefighters,” she said. “They love these photos for their Web sites.”
    • Maintain credibility. “Don’t lie,” Moore said. “If you don’t know something about a particular issue, don’t make it up, but get back to them. It’s better to admit you don’t know.”

    To help the fire service present concerns with a unified voice the IAFC, NVFC and International Association of Fire Fighters each offer a hot sheet of national efforts. “Make sure your talking points are in line with national efforts,” said Ken LaSala, director of government relations for the International Association of Fire Chiefs. “And offer anecdotes for your talking points.”
    LaSala said that chiefs and officers should not be disappointed if they have to meet with congressional staffers instead of congressional leaders. “The staff is who put together the funding request, call the federal agencies and call on national fire organizations for details,” he said.
    The first session of the 111th Congress includes many new senators and representatives who need to be brought up to speed on the needs of the nation’s fire and emergency services. If you don’t have a contact in your congressional leader’s local or Washington office, make that call. Visit www.senate.gov and www.house.gov to find your representatives.

    Tuesday, April 21, 2009

    You Got to love those Helmet Cams

    This from FF close calls - 2 story house fire with the first floor fully involved. During the helmet camera video a mayday was called. Firefighters remove the downed firefighter through a backyard fence, away from the fire.


    Find more videos like this on firevideo.net

    from Captain That Was Pulled Out

    This fire took place on Oct 7, 2008 in the City of Sacramento.

    I arrived on the first due engine, which took us over 6 minutes to arrive on scene, to find a newer 2 story wood frame single family dwelling (stucco extrior, tile roof, 2500 sq feet, 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, very common house on the west coast) with heavy dark smoke showing from the second floor on the B, A and D sides. We pulled a 150' 1 3/4" pre-connect and forced entry through the front door to find the first floor clear of any smoke from the front of the house to the rear of the house. We advanced the hose line upstairs and in zero visibility started our search for any victims and the seat of the fire in the rear master bedroom, very thick smoke, but no heat. After sometime (approx 4-5 min) my nozzle man stated the "line just went flat", I was searching off the houseline and slowly made my way back to the hose just thinking it was a momentary loss of pressure from the engineer going from tank water to hydrant water or charging the back up line. I felt the hose and it was flat so I made my way to the hallway to check conditions and that is where I met the extreme change in conditions of intense heat and turbulent smoke. I made the order to evacuate and got the 3 f/f's in front of me as we crawled down a long hallway to the top of the stairs. This is where we bottlenecked and the first 2 f/f's tumbled down the stairs and safely made it outside with minor burns, the third f/f made it half way down and couldn't stand the heat so he came back up the stairs and bailed out of a window at the top of the stairway. I felt like the skin was melting off my body so I turned back down the hallway and retreated back to the master bedroom and was going to also bail out of a window. I did 2 searches for a window that I previously opened during the original search and couldn't find it. Low on air, I turtled up in a corner of the room and thought "this is it, I'm not going to make it out alive and was in disbelief that I was going to die in a house fire!" I thought of my family and the death process I would go through and decided I had to make another attempt down the stairs knowing I would get burned, but I felt like it was my only option. I made it halfway down the stairs and saw fire all around me and jumped over the banister handrail landing in a small living room at this point I was very disoriented and at a speed crawl in the direction I landed which was towards the rear of the house and out of my left peripheral vision I saw some obscure outside light which was a sliding glass door that led to the outside. Disoriented and in a panic I ran through the backyard fence in immense pain and not having any idea if any of the f/f's with me were out and safe.

    Naked Woman Assaults Firefighter

    Cops- Naked woman hit firefighter 

    Pennsylvania - A city woman faces aggravated and simple assault charges for fighting with a firefighter who tried to get her to leave an apartment building where a fire had been reported, police said. Firefighter John Judge was attempting to clear people out of a smoky, second-floor apartment at 1540 Wyoming Ave. on Saturday about 10:30 p.m. when he was confronted by a naked Amanda Masker, 27, police said.

    When Mr. Judge told her to get clothes and get out, Ms. Masker cursed at him, pushed him and then struck him in the chest with her fists, police said. Mr. Judge escorted the struggling woman downstairs, where she was arrested by officers who were called to assist.

    According to police, the smoke was traced to the kitchen stove, where Ms. Masker had tried to heat up chicken wings but turned on the wrong burner.

    Written by The Times-Tribune

    I kid you not! Where has it been all my life

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  • Monday, April 20, 2009

    Uncle Jay Explains the news April 20, 2009

    Good Uncle Jay video this time around, lots of good points on the news this week. Sing along with Susan Boyle as Uncle Jay explains pirated ships, pirated movie files and the dug-up treasures from 21st-century Tea Parties! The News's Got Talent!

    Saturday, April 18, 2009

    Plant fire forces evacuation of entire Minn. town

    (AP) — Authorities evacuated this southeastern Minnesota town of about 3600 Friday as a large fire at a meat processing plant threatened the anhydrous ...

    ST. CHARLES EVACUATED: Fire increased risk of chemical release ... Winona Daily News

    The St. Charles evacuation Minnesota Public Radio

    Massive fire forces evacuation of St. Charles Post-Bulletin

    MN city evacuated due to poultry plant fire

    ST. CHARLES, Minn. -- Authorities evacuated this southeastern Minnesota town of about 3,600 Friday afternoon as a large fire at a meat processing plant threatened the anhydrous ammonia tanks inside.
    Civil defense sirens blared to warn residents to get out and officials went door-to-door ordering residents to head toward Lewiston, about 10 miles to the east, because of the fire at North Star Foods.
    Sheriff's deputies began door-to-door evacuations of people and pets about 3:30 p.m., and evacuation centers were set up for displaced residents at a church on the edge of town and schools in nearby communities.
    City Administrator Nick Koverman said there were about 30,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia in five tanks in the plant. The refrigerant can cause severe burns, particularly to the eyes, throat and lungs. The cause wasn't immediately known, he said, and it wasn't clear when residents would be allowed to return.
    "I can't give you a time frame on when you're going to be allowed to go home," Winona County Deputy Rod Hansen told over 100 residents who gathered Friday night at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.
    A hazardous materials team from Rochester was summoned as smoke poured from the sprawling building. Firefighters from surrounding cities converged to help fight the blaze. Police Chief William Eckles said a few firefighters suffered some smoke inhalation, but there were no immediate reports of serious injuries.
    By early evening crews were venting the ammonia tanks to reduce the hazard, said Kristine Hernandez, a spokeswoman at the makeshift emergency operations center.
    Winona County Sheriff Dave Brand said there would be no public access to St. Charles. Both major highways through the city were closed.
    Smoke from the fire could be seen 10 miles away by late morning, and by late afternoon three tornado-like clouds of gray smoke were visible from five miles away. Hansen said that by nightfall the flames were no longer visible outside the plant.
    North Star Foods plant manager Mark Eads said the fire started late Friday morning above one of the ovens where chickens are cooked.
    "Within two to three minutes, there was smoke coming out of the room pretty heavy," Eads said.
    Carolyn Nicklay, who works in human resources for the company, said she called 911 and firefighters quickly arrived.
    "Everybody's out. Everybody's OK. That's all that matters," she said.
    The Rev. Bill Cronin of St. Charles Borromeo drove through the center of town about 12:30 p.m. after celebrating Mass at a nursing home, before the evacuation order. He said the smoke was "really black and acrid-looking. ... You could almost smell the toxins in the air."
    The nursing home residents were taken to Rochester, while some people from an assisted-living home were brought to the church, where Red Cross workers were rounding up cots for anyone who decided to stay the night there. Cronin said he was amazed at the well-organized response by emergency officials.
    "If something can go very well, this went very well," the priest said.
    North Star Foods is the second-largest employer in St. Charles with about 150 workers. Their futures were on the minds of some residents even as the fire burned.
    Locally owned North Star Foods Inc. has been in business since 1971, serving industrial, retail and foodservice customers, according to its Web site. Its products include chicken, turkey, beef, pork and other food products.

    Friday, April 17, 2009

    Responding Maryland Fire Chief Killed in Crash

    SUDLERSVILLE, Md. -- The call came in a little after 7 p.m.: a small appliance fire in a home on Main Street in the Eastern Shore town of Sudlersville.

    Charles "Buck" Clough Jr., chief of the volunteer fire company, jumped into his pickup truck and headed toward town in a driving rain.

    Moments later, dispatchers called Clough to say that the fire had been extinguished. But the chief didn't answer. And when a caller reported that a pickup had slid off the road and slammed into a grove of trees on Sudlersville Cemetery Road, the staff at the volunteer fire company feared the worst, officials said.

    The 41-year-old chief, who had been a member of the fire department for 26 years, died instantly in the crash Wednesday night, said Kevin Aftung, a spokesman for the Queen Anne's County emergency management office.

    All through the small town -- with its one traffic light -- phones rang as residents spread the news that the chief, a lifelong resident and member of a large extended family, had died.

    "Everyone just thought the world of him," said Judy Leonard, who owns the Parkside Deli with her husband. "He was a great father and really involved in the community. We're a small town, and everybody knows everybody. We're just all pretty tore up about it."

    The chief lived with his wife, Sandy, and sons, Shane and Chase, on his family's farm. His parents and his sister and her husband live a few doors away. Clough worked in the traffic engineering department in the State Highway Administration for more than 20 years, but his heart belonged to the Fire Department, residents said.

    The fire station is the heart of the small town, residents say, and almost everyone has a relative who volunteers there. On Thursday, a crowd of paramedics and firefighters stood around smoking cigarettes or sitting on ambulance bumpers talking quietly. A steady stream of women brought food and potted plants.

    Two ambulances bearing the station's insignia, "Sudlersville 6" were draped with garlands of black cloth. The sign in front read: "You are in our thoughts and prayers. We miss you brother."

    Members of the volunteer fire company said they were too emotional to speak with reporters Thursday. Late in the morning, several firetrucks and ambulances drove in a caravan to the state medical examiner's office in Baltimore to claim the chief's body.

    Funeral plans have not been completed.

    At the convenience store at Phillip's Garage, at the tiny library and homes perched on the edge of wide green fields, residents of Sudlersville spoke of the chief in hushed tones throughout the day.

    Rose Hutson, the postal worker who delivers mail to the 400 homes in the rural areas just outside town, said many residents waited by their mailboxes for her, wanting to hear news of Clough.

    "There have been a lot of tears in here today," said Leonard at the Parkside Deli. "It's going to take everybody a long time to get back on their feet."

    McClatchy-Tribune News Service

    Clough, Jr., Charles Fletcher

    Age: 41

    Cause of Death:Vehicle Collision 

    Classification:Volunteer

    Emergency Duty:Yes  

    Incident Date: 04/15/2009

    Duty Type:Responding

    Fire Dept. Info: Sudlersville Volunteer Fire Company
    PO Box 61, 203 N Church ST
    USNG: 18S VJ 2575 3816
    Sudlersville , Maryland  21668

    Initial Summary:  
    Chief Clough was responding as the sole occupant in a department SUV to a reported appliance fire when he was involved in a single motor vehicle accident. Clough was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are continuing the investigation. Incident Location: 541 Sudlersville Cemetery Road near Duhamel Corner Road (USNG: 18S VJ 2700 3978)  

    Memorial Fund Info: In memory of Fire Chief Charles Fletcher Clough, Jr., c/o Sudlersville Volunteer Fire Company, PO Box 61, Sudlersville, MD 21668

    Wednesday, April 15, 2009

    2009 Fire Safety, Health and Survival Week

    The IAFF and IAFC are asking firefighters to join them from June 14-20 in focusing on firefighter safety, health and survival. Among the items each fire department, and firefighter, should pay close attention to are the following:

    Survival: Structural Size-Up and Situational Awareness

    1. Keep apprised of different types of building materials and construction used in your community.
    2. Develop a comprehensive size-up checklist.
    3. Always complete a 360° walk of the structure to collect valuable, operational decision-making information.
    4. Learn the practice of reading smoke.
    5. Be familiar with the accepted rules of engagement.
    6. Learn your accountability system and use it.
    7. Master your tools and equipment.
    8. Remain calm and concentrate.

    Chiefs: Be the Leader in Safety

    1. Become personally engaged in safety and make it part of your strategic vision for the department.
    2. Be willing to make the tough decisions regarding safety policies and practices and their implementation.
    3. Hold members of the organization accountable for their safety and the safety of those with whom they work.
    4. Ensure that resources are available to accomplish activities safely and effectively.
    The International Association of Fire Chiefs: Safety Week - Home

    2009 Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week: June 14-20 ... shift and duty crew can spend one day focusing on fire fighter safety, health and survival. ...

    Tuesday, April 14, 2009

    FEMA Announces Release Of Final Comprehensive Preparedness Guide 101

     

    Release Date: April 14, 2009
    Release Number: HQ-09-039

    WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today the release of the final Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 101: "Developing and Maintaining State, Territorial, Tribal, and Local Government Emergency Plans."

    CPG 101 completes the requirements of HSPD-8, Annex I to develop a "national integrated planning system."  Combined with the Integrated Planning System (IPS) guidance provided by the Department, the vision of a vertically integrated planning system providing for a consistent planning process across all levels of government is realized.

    While IPS focuses on Federal planning, CPG 101 was developed by a team of state, tribal and local officials from across the United States working together to develop guidance that can aid State, tribal, local, and territorial officials in protecting their citizens.

    CPG 101 is the first in a series of publications developed through the FEMA National Preparedness Directorate's CPG Initiative. Future CPGs will discuss planning considerations for a variety of emergency functions, hazards and special preparedness programs including; special needs planning, household pets and service animals, fusion center / emergency operations center interface, and hazard-specific guidance.

    CPG 101 serves as the emergency plan foundation for both public and private sector planning in the United States. Planners in all disciplines and organizations may find portions of the guide useful in the development of their emergency response plans.

    The CPG 101 document can be found online at www.fema.gov/about/divisions/cpg.shtm.  For more information on other FEMA initiatives, visit www.fema.gov.

    FEMA leads and supports the nation in a risk-based, comprehensive emergency management system of preparedness, protection, response, recovery and mitigation, to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the nation from all hazards including natural disasters, acts of terrorism and other man-made disasters.

    Reminder, Buckle Up

    When you get ready to respond out into the streets, make sure everyone is buckled up and secured in their seats. That means everyone. If you don't have an SOP that ensures all personnel on every company are required to be buckled in before the apparatus leaves the station floor, then you're only gambling with the lives of your firefighters.
    Take a look at the Near Miss Reporting System web site. There's a tremendous amount of useful information, especially in the way of operating experience and near misses. Learn from them, so that a near miss doesn't turn into something more serious, like the recent events we've talked about here. Take a look at the National Seat Belt Pledge and also check out the Near Miss Report of the week-ROTW. Slow down in your response, drive defensively, wear your seat belts and remember; "it really is OK to be second or third due,-or last; than not to make it to the scene at all..."
    Buckle-up and stay safe.....
    It does happen everyday, HERE, HERE , HERE and HERE..

    Monday, April 13, 2009

    9 FF’s Injured In Tanker Rollover

    That had to have been one wild ride with no seats belt on?

    A TANKER-PUMPER IN AUSTRIA ROLLED OVER WHILE RESPONDING to assist in a forest fire Sunday night, injuring all nine firefighters on board, four of them critically.

    austria-b

    The tanker from the Trofaiach fire brigade was traveling a winding, mountain road when the edge of the roadway gave way as can be seen in this photo below:

    austria-c

    austria-a

    The truck rolled over several times down the sloping meadow coming to rest when it came to the tree line. Eight of the firefighters were tossed out of the truck and the ninth was entrapped in the wreckage and had to be extricated by a rescue company.

    austria-e-redcross1

    The large forest fire that they were responding to was first reported around 5 pm Sunday night and was attended by 235 firefighters with 35 firetrucks from 22 fire companies. It was contained about seven hours later.

    Landesfeuerwehrband Steiermark has the full story of both the fire and the accident along with many more photos HERE.

    austria-d

    This large backhoe was used to pull the 16-ton pumper
    back up to the roadway where it was put on a low-boy trailer.

    Cameras out in at NJ house fire. Pre-arrival photos, video & fire ground audio from New Milford.

    You know I love prearrival pictures and video here is an instance on a prearrival shot of a house fire in New Milford NJ. These type of photos and video give you the chance to do your own arrival size up.

    Click here for an extensive series of early still photos from the fire and a run down of the units dispatched (Taken by Brett Dzadik who makes a cameo in the video above)

    This is one of those well documented fires. At least two cameras were in operation well before the first engine arrived on Monday afternoon. A man and his dog had already escaped.

    The top video, apparently shot by a member of the New Milford Fire Department, starts recording 2:30 before the engine pulls up (Brett Dzadik is also shooting his still pictures at the same time). This camera stops rolling shortly after the first line is pulled to the front door.

    Photographer Glenn Schneider shows up next (his video is below) and provides about ten minutes of video that lets you listen in on the fireground radio transmissions. Read more about the fire here.

    Uncle Jay Explains April 13, 2009

    Here is Last weeks Uncle Jay Explains along with this weeks.

     

    Kim Jong Il launches back into the headlines, reminding us that the dangerous nuts out there aren't just pistachios. And the world's economic powers gather to solve the crisis of Michelle Obama's ...

    SOCIALISM! Uncle Jay explains what socialism is, why it's been in the news lately, and what to do if you get any on you.

    Sunday, April 12, 2009

    Two Killed in Plane crash

    Updates , Video from NBC

    Sandwich, IL. - Two people were killed in a Saturday afternoon plane crash just north of northwest Sandwich, authorities said.

    A single-engine, 1946-era plane crashed in a field about one mile north of Sandwich at 1:49 p.m., Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory said in a recorded statement.

    Randall Hougham, 53, and Lauren Hamilton, 22, both of Sandwich, were pronounced dead on the scene at 2:30 p.m., according to a release from the DeKalb County Coroner’s office.

    Hougham was flying the plane when it crashed into a cornfield just north of the Sandwich Airport, according to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s office. The plane caught fire upon impact.

    Further details were not immediately available.

    The cause of the crash was under investigation by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s office, the DeKalb County Coroner’s office, the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA. Full Coverage

    Sandwich Airport owner George Pearce said to his knowledge the plane was neither coming nor going from the small rural airport.

    "People have been calling (and asking questions) just like you," he said when asked about the crash.

    Nearby residents were also oblivious to the downed plane.

    The National Transportation Safety Board will be the lead investigative team, but will receive assistance from the FAA, the DeKalb coroner's office and sheriff's office, Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Elizaeth Isham Cory said.

    Two Killed in Plane crash

    Sun-Times News Group Wire

    Sandwich, IL. - Two people were killed in a Saturday afternoon plane crash just north of northwest Sandwich, authorities said.

    A single-engine, 1946-era plane crashed in a field about one mile north of Sandwich at 1:49 p.m., Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory said in a recorded statement.

    Randall Hougham, 53, and Lauren Hamilton, 22, both of Sandwich, were pronounced dead on the scene at 2:30 p.m., according to a release from the DeKalb County Coroner’s office.

    Hougham was flying the plane when it crashed into a cornfield just north of the Sandwich Airport, according to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s office. The plane caught fire upon impact.

    Further details were not immediately available.

    The cause of the crash was under investigation by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s office, the DeKalb County Coroner’s office, the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA. Full Coverage

    Two Houston Bravest Lost Battling Easter Morning House Fire

     

    FirefighterNation.com News
    Two Houston, Texas firefighters died early Easter morning battling a house fire, numerous local media stations reported.
    During an aggressive interior attack of the one-story structure during which at least one person was rescued, command determined fire conditions were too intense and backed all crews out. During the post evacuation accountability check, the two firefighters were determined to be missing.
    An e-mail from FirefighterCloseCalls.com early Sunday indicated that early information was that the victims were a veteran Captain and a rookie firefighter, but the names and ranks of the vicitms had not been released by the Houston Fire Department as yet.
    A mayday was called, KHOU reported, but intense flames kept crews from going back in for search and rescue for up to 10 minutes. The exact timeline of the incident was not immediately available.
    KTRK reported that at 4:26am, Houston firefighters formed two lines outside of the home as the bodies of the fallen firefighters were removed from the scene by stretcher. Reports indicate CPR was started when the firefighters were brought out of the home, but they were pronounced dead at the scene.
    The cause of the fire remains under investigation as firefighters are providing their accounts of the incident to investigatiors.
    There have seven line of duty deaths in Houston in the last nine years, according to the Houston Fire Memorial site.

    Saturday, April 11, 2009

    Our Lady of the Angels firefighter dies

    aaaaaaaaaaaa 

    April 7, 2009 11:31 AM

    Retired Chicago firefighter Richard Scheidt, a subject of one of the grimmest and most iconic newspaper photographs in Chicago history, has died. He was 81.

    On Dec. 1, 1958, a helmeted Scheidt, his face drawn in sorrow, carried the wet, lifeless body of 10-year-old John Jajkowski Jr. from Our Lady of the Angels grade school on the West Side. The fire, one of the worst tragedies in Chicago annals, killed 92 children and three nuns.

    Scheidt died Monday at his home in southwest suburban Oak Lawn, a day after he was brought home from the hospital following a minor stroke a month ago, according to relatives.

    Scheidt, a member of Rescue Squad 1, carried the bodies of 20 children from the school. Jajkowski was the first.

    Scheidt was forever haunted by the memory. In an interview with the Tribune in 1995, in the wake of the bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building in which another image of a firefighter cradling a dying child went around the world, Scheidt described the horror of the Our Lady of the Angels School conflagration.

    "It just broke my heart all over again for those poor people, having to pick up those babies," Scheidt said at the time. "There's nothing that prepares you for that. Thirty-some years later, I'm not over it yet."

    Scheidt had been a Chicago firefighter for eight years when all 13 of the city's rescue squads were dispatched to the school.  The fire, he recalled, "was just roaring through the building."

    Firefighters eventually broke a hole through a second-floor wall to find a smoky classroom full of unconscious pupils. Scheidt said he and his colleagues immediately tried to rescue as many as they could. He grabbed a boy and rushed out of the building.

    But Scheidt said, with tears in his eyes, "He was dead. He didn't make it, like so many of the rest of them."

    He then went back and brought out 19 more children, all dead.

    Meanwhile, Chicago American photographer Steve Lasker, arrived at the scene and saw one firefighter -- Scheidt -- heading down an interior staircase with a child. Lasker aimed his camera and waited for the rescuer to emerge.

    Scheidt said he never noticed the cameraman.

    "It was just an accident that they took that photograph," Jack Gallapo, 82, an old friend of Scheidt's and fellow firefighter, said this morning. "He just came out and they took it."

    The photograph not only appeared on the front page of the Chicago American, but in newspapers around the world. But in his home, the fire and the picture were rarely spoken of.

    "He and all the men that he worked with -- that was their job, and they were brothers in that," his daughter, Nancy Coughlin of Tinley Park, recalled this morning. "He never thought he was any more of a hero than any of the men he worked with."

    Scheidt, three of whose older brothers also were firefighters, said he almost quit the fire department after the school fire. "But I went on," he said.

    "You just live with it," Scheidt said in the 1995 interview. "It happened. You were part of it. You might not have liked it, but you did your job. You might have liked to have done more, but you did as good as you could."

    Frances, his wife of 32 years, said her husband was always gracious when people broached the subject of the fire with him, but it was not something he spoke freely about.

    "He really didn't want to talk about it," she said. "It always broke his heart. It was a terrible thing."

    Friends and relatives said that though the Our Lady of Angels fire was the one that made Scheidt well known, it was just one of many instances that showed the sort of "first in, last out" firefighter Scheidt was.

    "He never asked anyone to do something he wouldn't do himself," said son Andy Scheidt. "His biggest thing was making sure all his guys got home to their families."

    As a young firefighter working with Scheidt 35 years ago, Fire Department First Deputy Commissioner Bob Hoff remembered him as a "tough, tough man. I mean physically tough."

    On one call in the early 1970s to a grocery store with a fire in the basement, Scheidt ordered his men not to go in because it was too treacherous. But he didn't listen to his own advice. He and one other firefighter went in with a hose and struck out the fire themselves.

    "There was heavy smoke and this was before the use of masks [with breathing apparatus]," Hoff said. "He didn't want to get anyone hurt, but he had to put that fire out."

    In his own quiet, hard-working way, he was a mentor, Hoff said.

    "He affected a lot of lives. You'd get a thousand stories about him, all good. I'm only one," Hoff said. "It was an honor and a privilege to work for a guy like that."

    Scheidt retired from the fire department in 1986 as a captain. He is survived by his wife, nine children, 28 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Funeral services are pending.

    From www.olafire.com

    "A Great and Indescribable Tragedy"

    Fireman Richard Scheidt carries the lifeless body of 10-year-old John Jajkowski out of the fire-ravaged school soon after the fire is brought under control. The heart-breaking job of removing the young victims has begun.

    This photograph became the defining image of the Our Lady of the Angels fire, seen around the world, and made into a moving fire prevention poster.

    John was an accomplished musician - he played the accordion and sang in the boy's choir. He planned to be a priest.

    Photo ©1958, Life Magazine

    sssssssssss

    Thursday, April 9, 2009

    “NEW AND IMPROVED” VIRTUAL TRADING POST

    NFA

    If you find the Virtual TRADEing Post useful, please send an email to Nashid Hasan mhasan1@lsu.edu. Nash is the mastermind behind the structure of the Virtual TRADEing Post. So, please let Nash know how much you appreciate the availability of this material and how useful you find it.

    The VIRTUAL TRADING POST SYSTEM now allows you to search for material by key word(s). Check it out! Go to Louisiana State University Fire and Emergency Training Institute's NFA TRADE page: http://feti.lsu.edu/trade/

    and access it there.

    NOTICE*************NOTICE****************NOTICE****************NOTICE

    This is a new web address for the Virtual Trading Post. If you had it bookmarked, delete your old bookmark, go to this new page and bookmark the new page.