Firefighter Close Calls

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Submit Your Close Call / Near Miss Navigation Home Secret List Gallery EMS CloseCalls Drills Firefighter Staffing Personal Survival Safety and survival SOGs Links Modern Fire Behavior About Us Never Forget Fire Communications Pass it On LODD STATS Yearly Totals Year Totals 2014 62 2013 101 2012 83 2011 81 2010 87 2009 93 2008 118 2007 118 2006 107 2005 115 "In Memory Of" Click this patch   Custom Search Contact Info Email BillyG info@ firefighterclosecalls.com Email Weekly Drill Suggestions to Drills@firefighter closecalls.com Click Here for The 9/11 Widows' and Victims' Families Association Click Here: Skyscraper Safety Campaign       Also check the most current issue of THE SECRET LIST for related News and Updates-(Click Here) Tweets by @alertpage INMATE FF INJURED AT KING FIRE Thursday, September 25, 2014  A firefighter was injured in the south zone of the King Fire Wednesday afternoon. Cal Fire said the firefighter had to be lifted out of the area in a helicopter and was taken to Sutter Roseville Medical Center to get treatment. California Department of Corrections spokesperson Bill Sessa said the firefighter was an inmate firefighter. He was hit by a tree limb while working on the fire line and suffered moderate injuries. Sessa said his condition has been stabilized and is expected to spend the night at the hospital. Cal Fire Strike Team leader John Romero said the firefighter was assigned to his crew. The team was cutting line in the Stumpy Meadows area near Georgetown when the inmate firefighter was hurt. "I was not on site when it happened. But I was there when he was hoisted into the helicopter out of the incident," said Romero. "He was alert and talking when he left." Sessa said 955 inmates were working at the... [ more ]     Tweet   3 RETIRED FDNY FFs DIE WITHIN HOURS OF 9-11 RELATED CANCER Thursday, September 25, 2014  In a heartbreaking reminder that the Sept. 11 attacks are still claiming lives, three retired FDNY firefighters died on the same day from cancer contracted at Ground Zero. Retired Lt. Howard (Howie) Bischoff and retired firefighters Robert Leaver and Daniel Heglund all died on Monday after suffering the ravages of 9/11-related illnesses. Making the news even more poignant is the fact that Leaver and Bischoff grew up together in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and were lifelong best friends. “I felt at least Robert and Howie went off to heaven together,” Leaver’s widow, Rosaria, told the Daily News. FDNY Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro called the triple loss “a painful reminder that, 13 years later, we continue to pay a terrible price for the Department’s heroic efforts on September 11th.” The deaths raise the tragic toll to 92 firefighters who have succumbed to illnesses stemming from sifting through the ... [ more ]     Tweet   GUY STEALS FL SHIFT COMMANDER TRUCK - WRECKS IN CHASE Thursday, September 25, 2014  Tampa Police say 29-year-John Edgerton of Tampa is the man who stole a Hillsborough County Fire Rescue vehicle and led Hillsborough County Sheriff deputies and TPD officers on a chase down Interstate 275 on Wednesday afternoon. At 5 p.m. today, deputies responded to Nebraska Avenue and 139th in reference to a single vehicle crash where they say a vehicle driven by Edgerton struck a pole. HCFR also responded to the scene. A Battalion Chief with the fire department arrived at the scene and Edgerton, jumped out of his vehicle and jumped into the fire dept. pickup truck  and fled the scene. Police revealed the vehicle Edgerton was driving in the crash was stolen. Deputies pursued the fire department vehicle driven by Edgerton at that point onto Southbound Interstate 275 and ended the pursuit in the area of Sligh Avenue where it was then picked up by TPD. The vehicle continued on and crashed into another vehicle in t... [ more ]     Tweet   QUADRUPLE LODD FOLLOWUP:City Council members hear the mayday call of doomed firefighters KHOU Video Wednesday, September 24, 2014  They are the words no firefighter ever wants to hear - through heavy breathing inside an air mask, it is clear something is very wrong, "Mayday! The roof is down and Station 51 is inside!" Not just fire fighters from one station, but two. "That is the radio communications that began what was the worst day in the Houston Fire Department," said Assistant Chief Richard Mann to Houston City Councilors. It was not the fire that was unusual, it was the outcome. "15 minutes and 29 seconds. We look back at that and we say how could this happen in 15 minutes and 29 seconds. That is the time from when we received the 9-11 call and we lost four firefighters," said Chief Mann as he began his presentation. In the months since that deadly day, the Houston Fire Department has produced its own report into the fire at the Southwest Inn. Council member Brenda Starling heard about that for the first time in this hearing, "I ... [ more ]     Tweet   MEMPHIS FF INJURED IN CEILING COLLAPSE AT APT. FIRE FOX13 News, WHBQ FOX 13 WHBQ Video Wednesday, September 24, 2014  A fire was reported at the Hickory Point Apartments around 11:30 a.m. Memphis Fire Department says one unit caused the fire and smoke damage in at least three other units. A Memphis firefighter was injured when a ceiling collapsed on him. He was transported in non-critical condition to an area hospital for possible neck and back injuries. No word on how the fire was started.     Tweet   FIREFIGHTERS KNIFE SEVERES RESCUE ROPE DURING TRAINING-OTHER FIREFIGHTER CRITICALLY INJURED-GERMANY Wednesday, September 24, 2014  There was a serious and highly unusual mis-hap involving firefighters in Germany on Tuesday. In the training incident, a 52-year-old firefighter was seriously injured during a high rise rescue exercise, as the members rappelled from their hose tower. The issue is that two safety ropes were actually cut and the firefighter fell from the second floor. He was taken to hospital with serious injuries. After an emergency surgery he is expected to survive. A knife, being carried or attached to one of the firefighters may have inadvertently severed the safety ropes. The investigation has shown that the rope/cables have been cut with a "clean cut". The fire fighters involved in the training are currently on leave from service and receiving PTSD counseling. The evidence indicates that four men were involved in the high-altitude rescue exercise. One of the men, who later became injured, hung on climbing ropes attached to the outer wall of the on-s... [ more ]     Tweet   2 FFS INJURED IN NY PAPER FACTORY FIRE Buffalo News Video Tuesday, September 23, 2014  Firefighters from as far away as Akron helped battle a blaze fueled by high winds at the Greenpac/Norampac facility in the city Saturday afternoon. The fire broke out at about 2:30 p.m. at the adjoining plants on Packard Road and Royal Avenue, which make corrugated board and lightweight liner board. Flames shot from at least one building, as well as from stacked bundles of paper material located outdoors. As many as 50 bundles were burning near the time the fire started, according to a fire dispatcher. Some areas were still burning into the evening, and the fire had yet to be declared under control. When the fire broke out, Niagara Falls firefighters called in all personnel and then asked for assistance from neighboring departments. Some companies, including Wolcottsville, brought in tanker trucks to carry more water to the scene. Assisting departments came from neighboring municipalities, including Wheatfield, Lewiston, ... [ more ]     Tweet   SAW BLADE FAILURE IN SC Tuesday, September 23, 2014  While cutting some metal pipe at the grounds today, an experienced truck company crew had a "blow-out." They had no previous signs of any issue with the blade. Luckily, majority of the truck companies do not run these blades as a first option.       Tweet   HOTSHOT STRUCK, SERIOUSLY INJURED BY FALLING TREE IN OREGON Tuesday, September 23, 2014  A veteran "hotshot" firefighter was struck and seriously injured by a falling snag  Sunday evening while helping battle a 2-week-old wildfire on the Idaho side of the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, officials said Monday evening. Richard (Wally) Ochoa Jr., 51, a member of the Winema Interagency Hotshot Crew, suffered a fractured skull, two broken arms, a broken jaw, a broken thumb and numerous cuts when he was struck by a snag while brushing fire line on the Freezeout Ridge Fire. Fortunately, "no significant spine injury occurred," the Monday evening announcement stated. Winema IHC crew members and other nearby fire personnel began immediate first aid while others worked to clear an area for a helicopter to take Ochoa to a hospital in Boise. Officials said he was in stable condition in the intensive care unit late Monday, with family and several crew members on hand. John Kidd, incident commander for the... [ more ]     Tweet   5 FFs HURT IN OVERNIGHT BUFFALO FIRE Monday, September 22, 2014  Buffalo Firefighters are working to figure out what sparked a late-night fire that injured five of their own. It started around 11 p.m. Saturday at a home on Lovering Avenue in North Buffalo. Fire crews on the scene say they believe it started on the porch but quickly spread to the rest of the home due to the wind. Everyone living inside made it out safely. Four of the injured firefighters were taken to ECMC. Another was treated at the scene. Their conditions are unknown at this time.     Tweet   CLAIM: CHANGES IN CHICAGO FD EMS PUTS LIVES OF EMS PERSONNEL AND THE PUBLIC AT RISK Monday, September 22, 2014  On the eve of a dramatic upgrade in CFD ambulance service, the Chicago Fire Department is making changes that, union leaders warn, could put the lives of paramedics and the public in danger. Self-contained breathing apparatus are being removed from all 75 Chicago ambulances. In addition, roughly 70 paramedics graduating from the fire academy on Sunday will not be issued fire helmets, boots and protective clothing, known as bunker gear, that are standard issue for firefighters. Without breathing masks and oxygen tanks, veteran paramedic Pat Fitzmaurice said paramedics will no longer be able to go into a burning high-rise--or subway after a derailment, collision or explosion--to rescue victims or firefighters in distress. It also means that, instead of being right in front of a fire scene or in close proximity to a chemical spill, they may be staged a block away, Fitzmaurice said. That could add seconds and even minutes to the time it takes to rescue an... [ more ]     Tweet   BRAZIL FIREFIGHTER DIES IN THE LINE OF DUTY-TRAINING Monday, September 22, 2014   On Saturday (20th), a FF died in the Line of Duty during a dive training in the city of Presidente  Figueiredo, in the Amazon region of Brazil. FF Israel Aidem Pereira, 40 years old, was on a wreck diving in a lake, when he lost communication. He was found irresponsive at a depth of 25 meters and brought to surface by other FF. He received CPR and was taken to the hospital, but did not survive. RIP.http://new.d24am.com/noticias/amazonas/soldado-corpo-bombeiros-morre-afogado-teste-mergulho-embalbina/120301     Tweet