JetPhoto

WOW!!!!! That is some scary stuff!

Harrowing Rescue of Trapped Houston Captain Updated: 03-30-2007 02:51:19 PM http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/a...84&sectionId=46 ROSANNA RUIZ The Houston Chronicle The first sign of real trouble from within the burning east Houston office building came at 6:09 p.m. Wednesday, nearly an hour after the first alarm sounded. A firefighter issued a breathless distress call. He was trapped inside a fifth-floor stairwell. And he was out of oxygen. A moment later it became clear that the trapped firefighter was a Houston Fire Department captain. His deep, labored gasps for air could be heard on the radio. At 6:13 p.m., word came that two other firefighters had been rescued from the building. But there was no word from the trapped captain for 10 more minutes as his colleagues frantically searched for him. His gasping became less frequent. Other firefighters were dispatched to the fifth floor to reach him. Another crew was sent to the building's roof to access a stairwell hatch. "He's near a window," an unidentified official was heard to say on an emergency radio. "He's trying to talk to you now. He can't get any air." Then a voice, thought to be that of the trapped captain, said: "I'm on the opposite side from where that guy is looking. I'm right across the building from where they are." That exchange was followed by several minutes in which the command center tried at least four times to get a response. There was only silence. And then, about 6:30 p.m., came the transmission: "He's out of the building. He's on the ladder. We got the captain on the ladder." Television images showed the captain - identified as Joel "Eric" Abbt - being pulled from the building. He was taken to Memorial Hermann-The Texas Medical Center and treated for smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion. The radio transmissions, sometimes inaudible, sometimes incomplete, provided a glimpse of what was happening inside the building during the two hours before the blaze was extinguished. Commanders, talking to the firefighters in the building, remained calm and dispassionate throughout. But from time to time, those inside sounded urgent, frantic, clearly in the throes of a life-and-death situation. At 6:41 p.m., apparently believing the search for victims was complete, a fire commander said: "I want all (fire) companies to exit the building at this time." But a minute later, a firefighter requested help with the search on the fifth floor. "I've got a report of a civilian supposedly on the fifth floor," a supervisor said. Minutes later came radio transmissions that a victim had been found. There was no indication whether the person was conscious. A firefighter reported that the fourth floor had been searched and that the crew was moving to the fifth floor. At 6:52 p.m., a firefighter reported: "We have two victims on the fifth floor." At 6:54, a voice said: "No way we can get them on the ladder." Then came the chilling words from a fire command supervisor: "No rescue." At 7:02 p.m., a firefighter reported that the structure seemed unstable. Another voice then reported that the building's roof appeared to be sinking above the location of the fire. One minute later, a firefighter said: "The roof is starting to come in, especially where the fire is coming from." Minutes later, at 7:11 p.m., commanders declared the fire extinguished and announced that two "1050s," or fatalities, were known. As the evening progressed, that number would climb to three. And the search for other victims continued.

Someone get him one of those big clown horns to mount on there, gotta make noise!

I bet it didn't help the fact that Central Hudson took over an hour to get there... Thank god it wasn't serious.

A few years ago my department was on stand by in the Village of Wappingers while they were at a 5 alarm fire during the day. We got an AFA at the Home Depot and we responded with an engine along with an engine and ladder from Arlington. We had 1 Wappingers member at the scene and 2 departments that because of distance just don't work together. We went in with the knowledge that we may have shopped there but to determine exit doors, hydrant locations, stand pipe locations, annunciator panels etc... in a few minutes can be a challenge. We did have smoke in the bathrooms, fortunately it was only an air handler. This is an example why you should train with departments other than your immediate neighbors because you don't know when you will work with them and more importantly why the home district should have pre plans drawn up that anyone could follow when faced with a situation like this. (the HD staff did a very good job of evacuating the building too)

Date: March 24, 2007 Time: 03:23 Location: 286 Grand St Frequency: 166.250 Units Operating: City of Newburgh fire & Air Guard fast team o/s. multiple m/a on stand by Description Of Incident: Basement fire in a O/M/D Writer: JETPHOTO 03:23 Dispatched to a possible fire, smoke in the building 03:25 Car 4 o/s with a basement fire; Dispatch advises possible victims trapped 1st floor. 03:26 Command request a 2nd alarm and Central Hudson for a power cut. 03:30 Dispatch advises call backs are being made, mutual aid will relocate to the public safety building. 03:43 Crews report bulk of the fire knocked down, beginning overhaul. 03:50 call at 43 City Terr. for a CO alarm sounding. 03:55 Crews reporting searches are negative. People thought to be trapped were not home at time of incident. 04:03 Central Hudson unable to provide an ETA. 04:04 Cause and Origin to the scene. Engine 10 to the scene for relief. 04:16 Dispatch advises the Assistant Chief in the city for coverage.

Saturday, March 24, 2007 Fire investigators retrace paths of blazes Flame patterns, appliances can reveal causes By Nik Bonopartis Poughkeepsie Journal http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pb...EWS05/703240324 Follow the path of a fire's destruction from the area of the least amount of damage to the greatest. That's one of the general rules for fire investigators when they start the process of elimination that leads to the cause of a fire. So when they arrived at the scene of a house fire on Deckert Boulevard in LaGrange earlier this month, county fire investigators followed the fire signs to the playroom of the split-level house, where heat and smoke damage was heaviest around an old freezer. Meat inside the freezer was rotten, "so we knew there was a problem with the freezer right off the bat," said Dave Schultz, a deputy coordinator with the county's Fire Investigation Division. Then they looked for indicators to lead them to the point of ignition: "V patterns" - heat and smoke damage rising in the rough shape of the letter V - from the back of the freezer itself. On closer inspection, the old freezer's wiring turned out to be the culprit that set off the fire, leaving a family at least temporarily homeless. Although they work almost exclusively behind the scenes, Dutchess County's fire investigators perform an essential service for the public and the fire chiefs they work for. The 12-member, all-volunteer team is called in by fire chiefs any time there's unusual destruction, unexplained ignitions, big monetary losses or deaths, and it works long after the first responders go home, scouring fire scenes for clues to scientifically prove how a fire was started. Some fires, such as the freezer-sparked house fire in LaGrange, can be solved in a matter of hours if destruction is minimal or firefighters are able to knock down a fire, leaving a standing structure, heat marks and clues intact for investigators to pore over. In other cases - such as the December 2006 fire that destroyed the former Brass Anchor restaurant in Hyde Park - an investigation could take months, and involve laboratory tests, lengthy recreations of original scene conditions, photographs, sketches, floor plans, witness statements, consultation with outside experts and healthy debate among team members. "If you have a small or medium amount of damage, our job is a lot easier," said Victor Zamaloff, another deputy coordinator. With the Brass Anchor, the amount of destruction and the workload led to a longer investigation, something he said fewer people are accustomed to because of the "CSI effect" where definitive conclusions can be reached quickly with high-tech equipment. Each member has an area of expertise. Schultz is an electrical and plumbing expert. Zamaloff is a career firefighter and forensic photographer. Richard Prentice Jr., a senior investigator, is an explosives expert. Others are detectives, police officers and firefighters. Typically, team members walk through a fire scene together to "read the fire." They survey the damage together and do an entire sweep as a team - from the outside of a structure to the inside, room by room, looking for clues. Guidelines followed Their conclusions must be based on the scientific method in accordance with guidelines set by the National Fire Protection Association, and if one or more team members can come up with a hypothesis at a fire scene, he has to convince the other members he's right until a consensus is reached. Only when all members agree can an official report be written. "That's why you don't want to be sitting in the back of the van when we're arguing, er, discussing," Schultz said, prompting laughter from Prentice and Zamaloff in a recent interview. In line with the National Fire Protection Assocation's standards, there are four official causes of fire: - Accidental. - Incendiary. - Natural causes, including auto-ignition, lightning and spontaneous combustion. - Undetermined, the classification used when the source can't be narrowed down and all other explanations have been ruled out. Often, the undetermined classification applies when investigators have pinpointed the area a fire started, and the general source, but can't say with certainty if a particular item or electrical appliance was the exact point of origin. "Sometimes a TV is next to a printer, which is next to a computer, and you can't find the exact point of origin," Zamaloff said. Investigators also use witness statements to corroborate the evidence they collect from fire scenes. Most people are honest, and they say the biggest obstacles they encounter from witnesses - or victims - is embarrassment from inadvertently causing a fire. As fire investigators become more experienced, even they sometimes find themselves surprised at the myriad ways a fire can start in a home or building. Prentice said he's found himself double-checking things in his own home after investigating fires after discovering a new danger. In cases such as the Brass Anchor fire, where there were no witnesses, evidence from the scene has to stand on its own, making the investigation process even more important - and painstaking. In the highly publicized case of the Morey family slayings in Fishkill in January, fire investigators were in a somewhat similar situation, in that the widespread destruction from fire made their job more difficult. But with five murder victims - and a concurrent criminal investigation - the investigators worked every step of the way in coordination with their counterparts in the state Office of Fire Prevention and Control and the state police, who handled the forensic side. In that case, fire investigators spent four days at the destroyed Morey family home, collecting evidence before they finally went home. Because it's a pending criminal case, they can't speak in detail about their investigation. Although the members of the Fire Investigation Division are volunteers, the demands of their job can be great - in times of frequent fire activity equal or greater than the demands of a full-time job. It's also a discipline that requires intellectual curiosity and a high level of training. "You have to love what you're doing," Schultz said. Reach Nik Bonopartis at newsroom@poughkeepsiejournal.com

March 23, 2007 By Alexa James ajames@th-record.com Times Herald-Record http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/.../NEWS/703230331 Walden — Right before she collapsed in his arms, in the foyer of Village Hall, on a busy Election Day morning, Carl Ekblom's wife said she felt dizzy. Carl knows CPR. He had used it before, at car crash scenes, on strangers. But he couldn't think with her on the floor, in his arms. He just couldn't think. "I was just yelling her name," he said. "Joan! Joan! Joan!" Village Hall shares a building with the police department. As dispatch called for an ambulance, several officers rushed from the station. "She's not breathing!" Carl croaked. Officer Robert "Bobby" Montanaro knelt beside them and felt for a pulse. Nothing. Bobby, 28, knows CPR. A Marine veteran and three-year member of the force, he's used it before. Once, in '97, a Walden guy had an allergic reaction to some fish. Bobby got a "Lifesaver Award." As the cop worked and a crowd of voters gathered around, Carl watched as a woman squeezed a rosary into Joan's hands. A minute passed. Carl's head was swimming. This was his Joan. His "sunbird." The couple spent summers in Florida, scuba diving and fishing. They spent winters up north. Just got back from a ski trip in Montana. "We were skiing at 8,000 feet," he said. "She was fine." Another 30 seconds passed. Maybe more, maybe less. The woman with the rosary began reciting the last rites. Carl just celebrated his "big 6-0." Joan is 62. They bought their house in '75. Five grandkids. She'd put up with him for 30 years. Not like this. And then there it was. Weak and irregular. A pulse. A heartbeat. Carl watched as Bobby hooked Joan up to an air machine. The ambulance swept her off. Carl followed in the car. Wednesday, Bobby brought flowers to Joan's room at St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital in Newburgh. Yesterday, Carl dropped by the police station to give Bobby the latest. "The prognosis is excellent," he says. She has bypass surgery scheduled today at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla. He says Joan can't remember Bobby's face, but she said she heard his voice as she came to. "And she didn't see a white light," Carl jokes, "so she thinks she's going to hell, not heaven." Bobby laughs. "I had nothing to do with that." "You brought her back," Carl says. "You brought me back."

Great job! All those boring building construction classes definitely paid off for him. Does anyone know if that guy is a member on here? This man is a true firefighter, alert and ever ready!

Date: Thursday March 15, 2007 Time: 17:56 Location: 28 Manchester Rd Frequency: Trunk 01-021 & 01-027 Units Operating: Town of Poughkeepsie PD, City of Poughkeepsie PD, Dutchess County Sheriff, NY State Police Description Of Incident: Armed robbery of a gas station. Writer: JETPHOTO 17:56 Town PD responding to a reported armed robbery at a gas station. 17:58 PD advise armed robbery by 2 subjects possibly white males both with hand guns. Undetermined amount of US currency 18:00 BOLO for a black Acura Integra with NY tags 18:02 PD advises vehicle fled west bound on Rt 55 toward the city. 18:45 PD has a vehicle stopped at Main St & Raymond Av 18:52 PD have one in custody (later determined not involved) at Main St & Raymond Av. 2nd fled on foot. 18:55 PD reports streets in the area of Main & Raymond closed 19:10 PD reports subject fled into a apartment above 3 Raymond Av (Pizza Restaurant) also advising perp. does have a hand gun and may have a hostage. 19:20 PD confirms at least 2 subjects in the apartment. Swat team requested 19:22 Cmd request a negotiator to the scene. 19:35 PD has 2 subjects in custody from the apartment in custody, reports 2 more subjects remain in the apartment and are refusing to come out. 20:10 Town SWAT team en route to the scene from headquarters. 20:21 Sniper in place on nearby roof. 21:20 Cmd reports both subjects in custody.

Wanna be hero!

Question - Volie crew 1 is only driver / emt alone they respond to a call and emt from paid services rides to the out of county hospital leaving the medic as a "fly car". now a 2nd call comes in that requires ALS and a driver / emt from the vollie company shows up on the scene, can that emt / driver, drive the paid service truck?

This is not good in general. In general I think it's morally wrong. The article states no municipal funds (taxes) were used.

Tuesday, February 27, 2007 Fire fighter injured responding to fire at farm STANFORDVILLE — A fire that started in a wood stove in the garage area of Rocky Reef Farm was brought under control within 20 minutes of fire fighters arriving on the scene. Though the damage was minimal, one fire fighter was taken to Vassar Brothers Medical Center. The extent of his injuries is unknown. Fire fighters from Standford responded to the fire at 6906 Route 82 in Stanfordville with assistance from Pine Plains and East Clinton fire departments. http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pb...NEWS01/70227031 6906 Rt 82 Rocky Reef Farm Stanford Fire Dept. Dutchess County Apx. 11:25 M/A East Clinton, Pine Plains Garage fire

This is an awsome video! Best viewed full screen. In loving memory of Albany Firefighter Theodore Abriel. A tribute movie in his honor with thanks to Eli Gill.

Jeff, I'm in Southern Dutchess and the departments I'm with both use Min V and 98% of them have no problems. A couple people have some reception/recording problems but that is going to happen anywhere. The pager is very reliable and the battery does last a few days, and my pager goes off several times a day. I recommend them. On a similar note, we will have to replace our building alerting system that we currently have to UHF from our current low band system. Does anyone have any recommendations on a unit that will activate with tones and reset after a few minutes? BTW - Dutchess dispatch on low band is 46.36 not 36.46

Here is a link to LifeNet's web site. They are the company that runse the NY program. http://www.lifenetny.com/ There a couple of small pics of the ships too.

Another good reason all police cars should have dash cams too.

Next best thing to peeing on the fire....

Chelsea Fire Company St Patrick's Day Dinner Chelsea Fire Station #2 16 Brockway Rd (Just off Rt 9D, behind the Stadium Plaza) March 17, 2007 3PM - 8PM All You can Eat $10 Corned Beef Cabbage Potatoes Irish Soda Bread Coffee and Soda Corned Beef Sandwiches (Served on rye bread with cole slaw and a pickle) $6 Orders Available To Go

News Release Office of the Dutchess County Executive 22 Market Street • Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Date: February 16, 2007 For Further Information Contact: William R. Steinhaus, County Executive 845/486-2000 Steinhaus Appoints New Emergency Response Coordinator Poughkeepsie . . . Dutchess County Executive William R. Steinhaus is pleased to announce his selection of John Murphy as Dutchess County Emergency Response Coordinator. Mr. Murphy’s appointment is effective Tuesday, February 20, 2007. County Executive Steinhaus stated, “Mr. Murphy has a wealth of experience in Emergency Response and has proven his commitment to the county community. His extensive background is exactly what Dutchess County needs as we advance our emergency preparedness, particularly with the construction of the new Emergency Operations Center at the site of the 911 Center and continued development of our Medical Reserve Corps. I have every trust and confidence that John will continue the high standards of the County’s Emergency Response system. As I spoke with dozens of volunteers and professionals in the emergency response community, I heard repeated compliments about John Murphy.” Mr. Murphy attended Dutchess Community College and is a graduate of Arlington High School. He has been in public service with Dutchess County Department of the Emergency Response and Dutchess County Bureau of Fire since 1977, serving the last 8 years as the Assistant Emergency Response Coordinator, the number two position in the department. Mr. Murphy has served as the Regional State Director of the New York State 911 Coordinator’s Association, as an elected Fire Commissioner of the Pleasant Valley Fire District, as Vice President of the Dutchess County Fire Chief’s Council and as the Chief of the Pleasant Valley Fire Department. He continues today as a life member of the Pleasant Valley Volunteer Fire Company #1. Mr. Murphy said, “I am honored County Executive Steinhaus has selected me to be Emergency Response Coordinator. My entire professional career has been dedicated to serving the community with emergency response and public safety improvements. I appreciate Mr. Steinhaus’ support, and I look forward to working with our dedicated Emergency Response Team, other County departments and all of the first responder organizations throughout Dutchess County in this new capacity.” The Emergency Response Coordinator manages a department of the administration and reports directly to the County Executive. He is responsible for planning and supervising the Emergency Response Department and its various training and preparedness programs, supervises the daily operation of the fire communications system and works with fire departments county-wide to develop prevention and response programs and to coordinate training. In addition, the Emergency Response Coordinator oversees emergency response and natural disaster and civil defense programs planning and review and manages the County E911 system. Mr. Murphy has served as Interim Coordinator since October, 2006, following the retirement of former Emergency Response Coordinator, DeWitt Sagendorph. Mr. Murphy, 52, resides in Pleasant Valley with his wife Jayne and family. A resolution confirming the appointment of Mr. Murphy as Emergency Response Coordinator is being forwarded to the Dutchess County Legislature for consideration at its March meeting.

I agree!!! And New York will not sentence anyone to death for what reason??????

Such an A$$hole!

Where and when is the convention this year?

How do we know that it wasn't consensual sex and then she decided that she made a mistake or got pissed off at him for whatever reason and thought this could be used to get back at him. Now if the guy is Innocent, he will be scared for the rest of his life. Now if he is guilty as charged, let him deal with the punishment. We can't make our judgments of a situation that we are not involved in.