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 67 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 Update: KY Fire Captain Electrocution Thursday, October 30, 2014  A Firefighter who died after being jolted with electricity from a high-voltage line in Campbellsville made direct contact with the line, according to a report released Wednesday by the Kentucky Public Service Commission. Tony Grider, a captain with the Campbellsville fire department, was critically burned and died on Sept. 20, nearly a month after the accident. Grider, 41, and firefighter Alex Quinn, 22, were in the raised bucket of an aerial ladder truck at Campbellsville University on Aug. 21 to spray water on students as part of an event to raise research money for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. The bucket was near a 69,000-volt transmission line that was 40 feet above the ground, according to a report Kentucky Utilities filed with the PSC. The bucket was 20 to 25 feet off the ground and extended at a right angle to the fire truck parked at an intersection on campus, the report said. Fire... [ more ]     Tweet DID YOU HEAR THE ONE ABOUT THE IC...... RIP FF KEVIN BELL Thursday, October 30, 2014  The term "did you hear the one about..." is usually related to a joke that's being told...or  story,.usually a good one-but not always. This time it's no joke. Did you hear the one about the Hartford FD incident commander at the fire that tragically killed Hartford FF Kevin Bell? If you read (and especially watched) the news report we passed on earlier-you did hear "the one about." But, like every Line of Duty death-at this early stage, the facts are not out. In nearly all line of duty deaths, the facts do come out...and I said nearly because there are some where the facts do not come out for a variety of reasons-from confusion to impossible determination to even political. Yeah-political. How about that. When you watch the news report-it is confusing to you-because you are Firefighters...so when you listened and watched the report I have to assume - word used intentionally - that you, like me, were confused and perhaps even annoyed-becaus... [ more ]     Tweet Questions Raised/Probe/Video re: Hartford CT LODD NBC CT Video Thursday, October 30, 2014  The Hartford (CT) Fire Department is launching an "internal" investigation to find out what happened when a a 6 year Firefighter died in the Line of Duty at that house fire. See video below. FF Kevin Bell was killed in that two-alarm fire at a two-family home on Blue Hills Avenue on Oct. 7. Their board will be made up of seven people, all with very close ties to the HFD. Their goal will be getting answers for the public, but more importantly, Bell's family. Hartford Fire Chief Carlos Huertas appointed Chief Dan Nolan, who is the deputy fire chief of training, to chair a board of inquiry to review everything that went down on that night. Along with him, the fire marshal, two line deputy chiefs, two union officers and a representative from the employee assistance program make up this board. For the next six months, they'll be looking into the reports that were filed as well as interviewing the responding firefigh... [ more ]     Tweet MAYDAY/FF INJURED AT PA PIZZA PLACE FIRE Thursday, October 30, 2014  Two firefighters were blown down a flight of stairs Wednesday during a blaze at the Pizza Joe's building in Nazareth, borough Mayor Carl Strye Jr. said. The pair entered the structure before water arrived when, Strye explained, the fire "flashed over" and one responder suffered burns to his forearm. The blaze at the Pizza Joe's Italian Restaurant building was reported just after 10:30 a.m. and was extinguished by noon. Everyone who was in the 550 S. Main St. building when the fire started, left safely, Strye said. Vigilance Hose Co. No. 1 in Nazareth led the effort to save the building and it was assisted by several other nearby companies. The restaurant is on the first floor and much of the fire appeared to ... [ more ]       Fire Scene Video Northeast Bravest Audio Tweet FIRE CAPTAIN DIES DURING TRAINING RIP Thursday, October 30, 2014  We regret to pass on to you that a 13-year veteran New Orleans Fire Captain died Sunday (Oct. 26) while training in New Mexico.Capt. Troy Magee fell ill while taking part in a training course in Albuquerque. The NOFD has not advised the nature of the course, or his illness. Magee received Mayor Mitch Landrieu's Outstanding Employee award just this past June, after he rescued a car crash victim while off duty on Interstate 10 near Baton Rouge. Captain Magee's body will arrive at Louis Armstrong airport tonight, where it will be escorted by police and fire department personnel to a funeral home. Our condolences to all affected. RIP. Take Care. Be Careful. Pass It On. BillyG The Secret List 10-30-2014-0630 h     Tweet DAMAGE CLAIMS FILED AGAINST CITY OF PASADENA IN DOUBLE APPARTUS CRASH Wednesday, October 29, 2014  Two people injured when a Monterey Park fire engine collided with an Alhambra fire ladder truck have filed a pair of damage claims against the city of Pasadena. Kenneth Thai, 52, lost most of his right leg when Monterey Park’s engine ricocheted off Alhambra’s truck and pushed him into Lu Dumpling House. The heavy vehicle pinned him to the ground and caused him to sustain a traumatic brain injury, severe facial fracture and deformity, genital injury and deformity, and broken bones, according to his claim. Xu Yang, a 23-year-old waiter who lives in San Bernardino, sustained a severe back injury, his claim alleges. “It is understood that the city (of Pasadena is) the owner and/or operated the dispatch center that dispatched the colliding fire trucks,” the claim says. “The city is … liable for their own failure to exercise due care and … for the failure of their employees.” Attorney Carrington Snyder... [ more ]     Tweet FF SERIOUS AFTER 75' FALL FROM CLIFF AT WVA BRUSH FIRE Your4State.com Video Wednesday, October 29, 2014  A firefighter had to be rescued after falling nearly 75 feet down a cliff in the National Park area of Harpers Ferry Tuesday night while battling a large brush fire. Rescue crews were able to reach the firefighter and begin treating him. Bradley Fritts, the incident commander with the Bakerton Fire Company, said the scene was clear enough to turn over to the National Park Service on Wednesday morning. The firefighter who fell was taken to Winchester Medical Center for further treatment. Fritts said the injured firefigher will stay there until Friday. Crews from Jefferson, Washington, Frederick and Loundon Counties also responded.     Tweet MAN ATTACKS FFs/EMTS IN AZ YouTube Video Wednesday, October 29, 2014  A 30-year-old West Valley man faces aggravated-assault charges after authorities say he punched a pair of Glendale firefighters during a medical call Sunday, but witnesses said the firefighters used excessive force in restraining him, according to officials. An internal investigation is underway and could be completed as soon as today, said Glendale Fire spokesman Michael Young. Firefighters had James Murillo on a gurney after he suffered a seizure from overdosing on prescription medication and were moving him toward the ambulance when the incident occurred, according to court records. While on the gurney, police say Murillo punched his father and then turned his rage toward firefighters when they told him to stop, punching both firefighters multiple times in the face and upper body, according to authorities.     Tweet LODD UPDATE: OTHER CT FF BURNED IN SAME FIRE IS ON THE MEND Jason Martinez, 29 Wednesday, October 29, 2014  Jason Martinez, 29, who was in critical condition for weeks after sustaining burns to more than 10 percent of his body in a Hartford fire on Oct. 7, is starting to heal. Martinez’s family said in a statement on the firefighter union’s Facebook page that he is “up and able to move around and is busy working on his recover.” Another firefighter, Kevin Bell, was killed in the fire on Blue Hills Avenue. Martinez is a dedicated firefighter, and in 2011 Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra praised him and six others for extraordinary acts during a fire on Cleveland Avenue in Hartford’s Northeast end.     Tweet FF STRUCK ON THE ROADWAY IN NC Tuesday, October 28, 2014  Wallace officials tell us a firefighter was hit by a vehicle while controlling traffic on Monday evening. The fire department says James Morrison of Wallace Volunteer Fire Department was hit while directing traffic around an 18-wheeler and van crash on Highway 41. He was in front of the Food Lion when he was hit. We do not have the identity of the driver. Officials say charges will likely be filed in the day ahead. They tell us Morrison was brought to the hospital with non-life threatening head and knee injuries. No word on his status this morning.     Tweet DENNIS SMITH REMEMBERS CHIEF HARVEY EISNER & FH'S BRUCE BOWLING Monday, October 27, 2014  As the fire service mourns the sudden loss of fire service icon, friend and Brother, Chief Harvey Eisner, I thought you would find comfort and a bit of enjoyment (as I have) learning how "it" all started-meaning Firehouse Magazine...and so much that followed that. At the risk of thinking that some of our younger Secret List members don't know who Dennis Smith is, I'll give you a very quick briefing. Dennis is a retired firefighter from FDNY. He is best known for writing the best selling memoir Report from Engine Co. 82, a chronicle of his career as a firefighter with the New York City Fire Department in a South Bronx firehouse - the worlds busiest - during the late 1960s and into the 1970s. (Note-if you don't have "Report from Eng Co 82" in your personal library-get it. Seriously. Get it. $14.00 Here is a link ) http://www.fire-police-ems.com/books/br1001.shtml Dennis also founded Firehouse magazine in 1976. While the editor and publisher of Fi... [ more ]     Tweet LAFD Battles Blaze at Venice Storage Facility; Injuring 8 Firefighters FireLensMan Video Monday, October 27, 2014  Los Angeles firefighters relentlessly battled an extremely hot and stubborn major emergency blaze Saturday night at a Venice public storage facility, that led to the injury of eight LAFD responders. At 7:37 PM on October 25, 2014, the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a structure fire at Extra Space Storage, located at 658 Venice Blvd. They found a two-story 80,874 square foot storage facility with smoke on the second floor. Several interior storage units were well involved in fire, and flames spread rapidly as the intense heat and thick smoke banked down to floor level. Firefighters battled until they were low on air, and had to exit to get new air-bottles, then rejoined the fight. Waves of additional firefighters were continuously assigned through the night to battle the intense and challenging fire. The building's metal roof made it difficult to vertically ventilate with saws to allow heat and smoke to release. Firefighters b... [ more ]     Tweet FIRE CHIEF HOSPITALIZED AFTER FREAK ACCIDENT Ozark First Video Sunday, October 26, 2014  The chief of the Camdenton Fire Protection Department is recovering at Columbia hospital after sustaining injuries in a freak accident Friday afternoon. According to the fire department, a vehicle drove into the fire department’s business office and pinned Fire Chief Drew Stark between his desk and the vehicle. Stark was taken to the Camdenton Ambulance Base, where he was life-flighted to the University of Missouri Hospital in Columbia. The driver of the vehicle was transported to Lake Regional Hospital. The extent of Stark’s injuries was not reported, but the department released the following statement on their Facebook page Saturday morning: “As of late last night it is reported that Chief Stark's injuries are not as serious as previously thought, however they are still evaluating him. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.”     Tweet 2 IFD FFs SUFFER BURNS TO EARS AT FIRE Sunday, October 26, 2014  Two firefighters were hurt during a fire at a townhome on the city’s east side Sunday morning. Firefighters arrived at 4038 Brentwood Drive, near 42nd Street and Post Road, to find heavy smoke and fire coming from the two-story townhome. It took about 40 minutes to get the fire under control. A family of three was displaced and the Red Cross is working to find shelter for them, according to IFD. Fire officials said despite wearing full protective gear, two firefighters burned their ears and were taken to Eskenazi Health. The cause of the fire was electrical and it was ruled accidental, according to firefighters. Damage is estimated at $70,000.     Tweet CHIEF HARVEY EISNER - RIP Sunday, October 26, 2014      Tweet Prev 1 2 3 4 Next Page 1 of 632 [ Total items: 9475 ] Search for news stories : Select Year Select Month Select Category Enter Keyword