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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 2015 2 2014 87 2013 101 2012 83 2011 81 2010 87 2009 93 2008 118 2007 118 2006 107 "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)  FIREFIGHTER LINE OF DUTY DEATH UPDATE: REWARD OFFERED - KENTUCKY  Tuesday, January 20, 2015    There's a new reward in the Line of Duty death of a McCreary (Kentucky) County Firefighter. Whitley City Fire Lt. Arlie 'Pooh' Hill died in 2013, two months after rushing into a burning McCreary County home because he thought someone was inside. Investigators later found the fire to be arson. In a Facebook post on today, Hill's brother and sister announced they're offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.       CLEVELAND FFs PREPARE TO HEAD TO COURT IN CRASH CASE  Monday, January 19, 2015    We're tracking new developments in a crash of a big fire truck that has the firefighters facing charges.The video showed one thing but statements of the firefighters seemingly said another. Now, they'll try to clear their names in a trial by jury. Second firefighter in ladder truck crash case is arraigned Cleveland firefighters accused of lying about what happened caught on camera are now saying prove it in front of jury. In June, a ladder truck drove through a parking lot at E. 116 and Buckeye, cutting through. Records show the driver told investigators a car cut him off and he crashed into a pole. Then a boss backed him up on that story. But Cleveland accident investigators found security video of that lot does not show a car cutting off the truck to make it hit the pole. So Richard Nickerson and Ron Vargo were charged with falsification. They've plead not guilty and had months of pretrial hearings. Now, they're asking for a jury t... [ more ]       FATAL APPARATUS CRASH IN HENRICO CO VA  Monday, January 19, 2015   A Fredericksburg man was killed after his car ran into a fire truck that was parked along Interstate 295 south at the I-64 interchange in eastern Henrico County Monday morning. “A 2003 Pierce pumper truck (Henrico Fire Unit) was sitting in the left and center lane with lights activated when it was struck by a southbound 2013 Honda Civic,” Virginia State Police spokesman Sgt. Steve Vick wrote in an email. “The driver of the Honda, Brad T. Cartwright, 31, of Fredericksburg, Va., died at the scene; he was not wearing a seat belt.” Two Henrico firefighters, who were in the truck when it was hit, were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Vick added. What happened? Henrico Fire crews were initially called to I-295 at about 6:20 a.m. after a 2014 Dodge Caravan , headed north on I-295, ran off the side of the interstate and flipped down an embankment into White Oak Swap Creek. “The driver of the Dodge, Bra... [ more ]        WTVR Video  VOLUNTEER FF INJURED IN RESPONDING POV CRASH  WHEC Video  Monday, January 19, 2015   Two people were injured when a vehicle went off the road and went down an embankment.We’re told one of the people involved in the crash is a Marbletown volunteer firefighter. We're told he was responding to a call around 9 a.m. when fire officials say he lost control of his vehicle, went over a guardrail on Welcher Road in Newark and dropped 40 feet. The firefighter was flown to Strong Memorial Hospital. No word on his condition at this time.       HOARDING CONDITIONS AT MD FIRE THAT INJURES 5 FFs  Monday, January 19, 2015    Companies were dispatched for the reported dwelling fire. Chief 5 arrived with fire showing from the rear of a 1 story single family dwelling requesting the Working Fire Dispatch and two additional tankers. Chief 6 arrived establishing Command, Chief 5 was assigned operations. Interior crews reported a basement fire, with high heat on the first floor. As the crew on the first floor was making their way through the house, they reported “pack rat” conditions requesting a line to go to the rear and the roof to be opened. Companies in the rear reported they were knocking the fire down from the rear. They had fire showing from the basement with extension to the rear deck that was well involved. As companies knocked the fire down in the basement and the roof got opened, companies operating on the 1st floor had fire above them in the attic and worked on pulling the ceiling. The fire was placed under control within 45 minutes. Four firefighters were transported to the... [ more ] WASHINGTONVILLE, NY APPARATUS CRASH  Monday, January 19, 2015   A WFD Engine was involved in an MVA this morning while responding to an MVA during the ice storm. All 6 firefighters were transported to a local hospital and released with minor injuries. ICE CAUSES NJ APPARATUS CRASH  Monday, January 19, 2015    Rain and ice caused a pileup of a dozen vehicles Sunday that damaged a fire engine on a New Jersey Turnpike overpass Sunday.The trouble began when firefighters and an EMS crew responded to a one-car accident on Route 42 in Bellmawr, Fire Chief Jim Burleigh said. The responders blocked the road with a fire engine to protect workers at the scene, Burleigh said. As the EMS crew worked to treat the driver involved in the accident, another car slid on the ice and hit the fire engine. That car was totaled, and the fire engine had extensive damage, Burleigh said. A firefighter in the driver's seat of the truck was taken to the hospital with minor injuries and was released Sunday afternoon. The driver involved in the first accident was also taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Ten minutes after the car hit the fire truck, another car slid into Burleigh's car, which had been parked behind the fire engine. And 15 m... [ more ]       2 PA FFs INJURED AT HOUSE FIRE  Sunday, January 18, 2015   Two Richland Township volunteer firefighters were burned while battling Friday night’s fire in Windber.They are home, fortunate to have escaped more serious injury, fire officials said on Saturday. Richland fire Chief Robert Heffelfinger said the pair were on the second floor of a duplex at 1805 Graham Ave., searching for occupants. “The call had come in with possible entrapment,” he said. The structure was in the process of a “flashover,” making the room dangerously hot even with protective gear. “They did go out the window, but had second-degree burns,” Heffelfinger said. One man was treated and later released from Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown, he said. The second firefighter was transferred to West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he was treated and later released. The chief described both men as younger firefighters. They escaped “just in time,” Heffelfin... [ more ]       UPDATE: FIREFIGHTER CRUSHED IN FREAK ACCIDENT AT FIRE STATION  ABC13 Video  Sunday, January 18, 2015    Joey Spitzenberger was just starting his shift today with the Little York Volunteer Fire Department at the fire station where he began his firefighting career as a 12 year old junior volunteer. Then, much like the people he's helped save from wrecked cars and burning buildings, the 23 year old firefighter was in need of saving himself. He was sitting on the bumper of a fire truck in the... [ more ]       FIREFIGHTER STRUCK BY DRIVERLESS VEHICLE IN NEW YORK  CBS6Albany.com  Sunday, January 18, 2015    State Police are investigating after an accident near the scene of a Saturday evening fire. Firefighters were called to a report of a chimney fire at a home on Route 27 when an official from the Churchtown Fire Department, attempting to shut down traffic, was injured. Officials at the scene say they believe his vehicle rolled over him. The official, a man in his 70's, was airlifted to Albany Medical Center with head injuires. Police are investigating. Read More at: http://www.cbs6albany.com/news/features/top-story/stories/firefighter-at-scene-injured-unmanned-vehicle-22503.shtml       INDY TOWER LADDER STRUCK BY SUV  Sunday, January 18, 2015    Wayne Township Fire Department were responding to a fire when one of their ladder trucks was hit in an intersection.On Saturday morning, just after 1 a.m., WTFD responded to a report of smoke in an apartment hallway on Indianapolis’ west side. On the way to the call, Ladder 84 was struck by a SUV. The accident occurred at 10th Street and Girls School Road. No one was hurt in the collision, but the fire truck was seriously damaged. The driver of the SUV was arrested on suspicion of being intoxicated. Luckily, there was no fire at the apartment, despite fire crews being delayed getting to the call.       PA FFs INJURED IN RASH OF VACANT HOUSE FIRES  Sunday, January 18, 2015    Eugene Salvino of Monessen worries that recent arsons in vacant homes in the city might one day lead to an occupied house being burned.“I'm very concerned because of the distance between the homes, which is very minimal,” said Salvino, who has lived in his home on Knox Avenue for nearly 60 years. Four unoccupied homes were torched in the city Friday night into Saturday, and three firefighters were hurt while fighting the blazes, city fire Chief Chris Rhome said. “I hope they quit before they injure more of my firefighters,” Rhome said. All the fires occurred within a few blocks of one another. The first fire began about 10:42 p.m. Friday on 10th Street. Fires followed in the 1200 block of Knox Avenue and two homes in the 600 block of Ninth Street. Someone returned to the home on Knox Avenue Saturday morning and reset the fire, Rhome said. All four homes were destroyed. Rhome said he is convinced the fires were deli... [ more ]       APPARATUS CRASH IN CT  Friday, January 16, 2015    A Shelton fire truck responding to a call collided with a SUV late this morning at Shelton Avenue and Meadow Street. (Photos by Brad Durrell)As of 12:45 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 15, emergency personnel were still at the scene. No serious injuries are being reported. The SUV was occupied by a female driver and no passengers. The Echo Hose fire truck had four firefighters inside it at the time of the incident. There is noticeable damage to the driver-side and rear of the SUV, and some minor damage to the front area of the fire truck. http://sheltonherald.com/57596/shelton-firetruck-and-suv-collide-at-shelton-avenue-meadow-street/       APPARATUS CRASH IN INDIANA