View's from the Jumpseat!

Firefighter Treated For Burns In Three-Alarm Harlem Fire

2012-07-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

Looks like the FDNY was faced with a "Heavy Contents" fire this morning in Spanish Harlem. From the news report looks like they found what the FDNY calls "colliers mansion" conditions, named after the collier brothers from Manhattan. I have spoken with many FDNY members who express how common these conditions are in their city.

FDNY has one option that most of us don't, Staffing. The news reports state that this fire went to three alarms bringing 138 firefighters to the scene. Can you imagine how long it would take to get 138 to your fire scene.

This is why identifying, controlling, and pre-fire planning "Heavy Content" residences before they catch fire is so important. Once you discover these conditions you should report findings to the entire department, code officials, landlords, and dispatch center. Knowing that you will be facing these conditions before you arrive will allow time to call extra alarms for more firefighters, allow you to change tactics, and make for a safer fire scene.

Great job by the FDNY, as usual. Speedy recovery to the burned firefighter and thanks to the news team for sharing this video. Hoarding is becoming a familiar condition to today's firefighters, time to train on dealing with this growing problem!!

Here are some other links to this story:
http://gothamist.com/2012/07/12/photos_six_injured_in_massive_east.php#photo-2

http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20120712/east-harlem/firefighters-battle-massive-blaze-east-harlem

http://manhattan.ny1.com/content/top_stories/164684/firefighter-treated-for-burns-in-three-alarm-harlem-fire

West "By God" Virginia People

2012-07-09T14:29:00.002-07:00

Good afternoon from the jumpseat. In my travels around this great country spreading the #hoarding message I often encounter people who know little about my home state. The comments range from: is that near Richmond to isn't Charleston near the ocean (referring to Charleston SC). Many not knowing that we are a state and not part of Virginia. Once past the discovering where my home state is the discussion often goes to the hillbilly jokes. So you get the point.

I must say one thing about my home state, WV people are the nicest folks on earth! Yelp, I said it, they truly know how to look after each other, even complete strangers. What WV lacks in numbers we make up for in quality. The quality of our residents is second to none. Recent storms that hit the east coast hard served as a prime example of what WV is all about!

Here is a awesome blog from the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette on a story of how a mayor of Fayettville opened his house to help some complete strangers! I am very proud to say that I live in West "By God" Virginia.

Be safe everyone ....

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/opinion/perspectives/saturday-diary-thank-you-west-by-god-virginia-643641/

Alleged Hoarder in Custody After 7 Hour Standoff

2012-07-08T03:00:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon from the jumpseat. As we are experiencing technical difficulties with our sister site we will continue to spread the hoarder message here on views from the jumpseat. This is a tragic story that hammers home what Compulsive Hoarding disorder means to the folks who experience it.

This story has all the "tell tell" signs of compulsive hoarding. The code enforcement officer shows up to serve notice and they find a person with a deep seated passion for their belongings. People who hoard have a deep association with their stuff! They are even willing to booby trap or shoot at people who threaten it.

Since the days of the collier brothers the intense feelings for things that you and I feel are valueless are well documented. We all should watch this video and learn from this tragic event.

People who hoard have a disorder that needs to be handled with care. Learn the warning signs of a possible hoard behind closed doors and practice how to interact with someone who has this conditions.

Stay tuned for more information once chamberofhoarders.com gets back up and running!

Till then be safe and stay cool!!!

Alleged Hoarder in Custody After 7 Hour Standoff

This is what it's all about!!!

2012-07-07T17:14:00.001-07:00

As the View's crew tweeted about the brotherhood/sisterhood of today's fire service being in decline, I stumbled upon this heartwarming story. If this don't show you what type of people sign up to serve as a firefighter. We all need to keep our focus on what we all are....Family! Shout out to station 1!

Detroit Fire Department Out of Service 7-4-2012

2012-07-04T18:19:00.001-07:00

Hoarder without Boarders

2012-07-03T18:08:00.000-07:00

Good evening from the jumpseat. As I try to unlock the lid that has firmly planted it'self on my brain I wanted to give a shout out to some folks that have reached out to me. After the past year and half of researching Fires in Hoarded conditions my amazement keeps growing. I had no clue of just how big of a problem Hoarding is becoming worldwide!

In the past month or so I have spoken with Fire Advisor Tonya Roberts from Ontario Canada and Heather Matuozzo from the UK about the Hoarding problem. It is truly amazing that we all are encountering this problem. So where do we go from here. We all push forward to attack this problem HEAD ON!

Look, Hoarders don't have boarders!

It matters not where you are located. From the backwoods of West Virginia to London we all have the potential to face this epidemic. The best remedy is to fix the problem BEFORE a fire happens. That is a proven fact that remains constant! But then again we are the FIRE DEPARTMENT, we fight fires!

Fighting a Hoarder fire is NOT a normal response. We need to all keep that in mind when the bell rings. Hoarder fires kill and have the potential to KILL FIREFIGHTERS. The maze of belongings can leave you lost and trapped in a blink of an eye.

So back to the research lab I go! I am passionate about protecting firefighters from the dangers of Hoarding! Keep your eyes out for more hoarder fire information from the jumpseat soon!

A huge shout out to Canada and the UK for reaching out to band together across boarders to face Hoarding head on!

Be safe and remember,

Bunker up, Buckle in, it's where we ALL begin!!

Fat to fit Day 1

2012-07-02T19:48:00.002-07:00

Hoarder House Fire

2012-07-01T12:02:00.001-07:00

View more videos at: http://nbcmiami.com.

These conditions are happening on a daily basis. Many hoarders are reclusive and are not seen much. God bless the family of this fire victim. It's time to take on this problem, HEAD ON, before you are called to a HOARDER FIRE.

Stay tuned to more from the jumpseat!!!

Leaders Toolbox!

2012-06-27T11:19:00.001-07:00

I would like to send a huge thank you out to Dr. Richard Gasaway for the chance to record a podcast on Hoarding. Remember SA does matter ..

http://www.firehouse.com/podcast/10729193/the-leaders-toolbox-heavy-contents-hoarder-homes

Summertime Funk!

2012-06-21T17:26:00.002-07:00

Good hot afternoon from the jumpseat. I apologize for the lack of blogs and articles being produced from the jumpseat. It seems like every year the summer funk hits. Whether it is the kids being home from school, constant hotter than heck temperatures, or the increased call volume. Something always seems to slow down the creative juices in the summer. So what to do….Hmmm…Let’s write about it!

Summertime in our city seems to be a Hotbed of action, literally. While the fires seem to slow down the overall call volume goes through the roof. It is like when the heat goes up in the daytime it causes problems and when the sun goes down everyone comes out at night it causes problems.

I wonder if you are seeing an increase in call volume?

What causes this spike in responses?

As we head into the dog days of summer, I hope to keep publishing quality jumpseat content. Until then let us all focus in on our safety as we prepare for our summertime rush.

A few reminders are:

• Hydrate constantly, including the days before your shift
• Carry extra clothes to change into on scene because of the constant sweating
• Allow for extra rehab time
• Call for additional manpower
• Remember to acclimate before the bell rings.
• Make sure to get more rest to prepare for the busier shifts

Most of all we need to watch out for each other when the heat is on. Be safe everyone

Bunker up, buckle in, it’s where we all begin!!!

Their Last Call Charleston Fire

2012-06-18T08:59:00.001-07:00

Five years ago the Charleston South Carolina Fire Department lost 9 firefighters in the super sofa store fire. I can remember this day just like it was yesterday! Charleston SC fire department is about like a mirror image of my home department that shares more than just the name. Honor the fallen by reviewing the report, watching the videos, and saying a prayer for their families on this anniversary of their ultimate sacrifice.

So others may live!

God bless the fallen and the Charleston SC Fire department!

Situational Awareness in Hoarder Homes

2012-06-15T10:35:00.000-07:00

Here is a Guest article from SAMATTERS.COM

Introduction from Dr. Gasaway:

I want to take this opportunity to introduce the Situational Awareness Matters community of readers to an associate and good friend of mine, Firefighter-Paramedic Ryan Pennington with the Charleston (WV) Fire Department. Ryan has been conducting extensive research on the epidemic problem of emergencies in hoarder homes. Emergencies including everything from fires to EMS calls to animal hoarding issues – the whole gamut. Ryan has also developed a knock-out program on hoarder home fires. If you’re jurisdiction is having problems with hoarder home fires, Ryan’s program may be just what you need. Let’s see what Ryan has to say in this guest article on “Heavy Content” Hoard Homes.

Good afternoon and welcome to SAmtters.com. I would like to take this opportunity to speak to you, the loyal readers of SAmatters, on Hoarder House Fires. Educating firefighters on the dangers associated with hoarder fires has become my passion, so when Chief Gasaway offered, I jumped at the chance to share a lesson in hoarding with you. So let’s go into the chamber of hoarders for an article on using the term “heavy contents” while battling a Hoarder Homes fires.

Hoarder Home Size-Up

The duty of the first arriving officer is to size up the situation accurately. During this process they will use their senses to form a plan of attack by walking around the structure. During your size up you will need to pay close attention to windows, front yards, porches, and entry ways for signs of hoarded interiors. If you make this determination you need to announce “Heavy Contents” to everyone on scene and responding to tell them of the conditions. It’s kind of ironic that I am writing about the use of this term for Dr. G’s website as he was instrumental in developing it. You see he is the brain science professor that helped me realize the meaning behind these two terms placed beside each other.

The Origins of Hoarding

We all have terms that we use to describe a hoarded home. From “trash house” to “Collier’s Mansions”, a term derived from the Collier brothers in Manhattan. They made hoarding famous or should I say infamous. We have used multiple versions of describing the same thing. These words have the same meaning behind them but can be harmful to the owners of the homes if they are standing beside one of our radios when the report gets to command. You see, people who live in hoarded conditions have an emotional attachment to their “stuff.” A simple stack of newspapers to you might have a deep emotional meaning for them. You can see how it might cause a problem if they overheard radio traffic describing their belongings as “trash” or their home as a “trash house.” If you choose to use “Collier’s Mansion” terminology you will need to make sure that everyone who might respond to your scene has a true understanding of its meaning.

Heavy Contents

That is why I developed the term Heavy Contents. It is politically correct, accurate, and should trigger your brain to start thinking of the increased weight that is added to the structure, even before the first drop of water hits the ground. Hoarded homes often have so much stuff in them that normal living spaces become uninhabitable. If the belongings are occupying that amount of space imagine how much extra weight has been added onto the structure. This is where the term Heavy comes in. A large amount of belongings equals a large amount of weight and it is a term that anyone can relate to, even if they haven’t been taught it, due to the use of common terminology.

Property Maintenance

Another complication inside a hoarded home is the lack of property maintenance. Hoarder conditions make it almost impossible to reach all the points of the structure from leaking pipes, busted ceilings, finding termites, or noticing a leaking exterior wall leading to weakened structural members. This is troubling to us, as firefighters, due to the chances of structural collapse being increased, often without us knowing. This is just another reminder that if we hear the term heavy content called out that we should automatically think of increased collapse risks.

Piled High and Deep

The second of the two words should warn you of the dangers that lie inside. With hoarder homes you can face belongings that can reach all the way to the ceiling. Add in a fast-moving fire with thick dark smoke and it’s a recipe for your death. If you hear the call of heavy content you need to go to a defensive mindset. Not so much that you need to abandon interior operations, although that would be a wise decision many times, but you need to be more careful in selecting your point of entry, hand tools, and absolutely do not enter without a thermal imagining camera and a hose or search rope to help aid in your exit. In a hoarder home the right and left hand searches are basically useless due to the inability to use the walls. Your only link to the outside is that hose or search line if your TIC batteries fail.

In closing I would like to thank Dr. G for giving me the guidance over the past 20 plus years and the chance to share an article on hoarder home fires with you. You should read this article, return to your department, and share the term “heavy content” with anyone who may respond to a hoarded home in an emergency. It should hammer home the importance that it’s not a basic fire anymore. Hoarded houses can put you at a higher risk that needs to be identified and adjusted for immediately upon the discovery of heavy content’s. Using a term developed with Dr. G’s brain science will hammer home to your people the need and hopefully make you remember this article. Just remember that SA does matter and before you go into your next fire maybe you should spend some time reading Chamber of Hoarders (www.Chamberofhoarders.com) so you will be ready to face the Heavy Contents inside your next hoarder home fire.

Hoarder Home Podcast

Ryan Pennington will be a guest on my Leader’s Toolbox Podcast radio program at Firehouse.com next Wednesday. This is not a live program. I will send out an announcement via my social media channels to let you know when it goes live, along with a link.

Hoarder Home Webinar

Ryan and I will also be jointly presenting a Webinar on situational awareness and firefighter safety in hoarded environments. The date will be announced soon on my social media channels. If this is a topic that interests you, please post a comment at the end of this article and send me a message on my Facebook Fan page or on Twitter. Thank you! Your participation is very important to the success of Situational Awareness Matters!

FDNY & NFFF: Still Working...So Everyone Goes Home

2012-06-12T12:34:00.001-07:00

Every jumpseat rider needs to watch and learn from the FDNY and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundations. We all can learn from their initiatives on safety, survival, fitness, and Situational Awareness.

Huge thank you to the FDNY and NFFF......

Always #jumpseatready!

BURN Webclip - "Did You Get My Dog Out?"

2012-06-11T15:13:00.001-07:00

We need to spread the message about this documentary. This clip reminds me of Max the dog. Great job Detroit's Bravest for helping man's best friends!

Jumpseat strong work!

Passion Show’s

2012-06-09T16:31:00.000-07:00

Good,Hot, afternoon from the jumpseat. It’s truly amazing how sometimes I can find inspiration in the weirdest of places to share here on the views. As I attended, my daughters swim meet today I noticed how some excelled at the sport while some just seemed to “be swimming through the motions”. Then it hit me like a runaway Michael Phelps joke, BAM! How many of you just go through the motions at your firehouse. During my career, I have seen many firefighters’ who could care less about learning their trade and just go through the day without a burning passion for the job.

What is YOUR passion? If you don’t put your heart and soul into something are you truly giving it you’re all? Just like the kids whose parents make them compete in a sport they don’t like you will just swim through your career not knowing what you could achieve. It takes passion, passion for helping people, passion for learning the job, and passion for honing your skills to the point of proficiency.

All the great athletes, just like firefighters, hay a burning desire to compete at the highest level. Whether it is the Olympics or NFL they all want to be on top. Do you want to be on top of the fire service? We all should put our heart and soul into learning our trade, then climbing the ladder of rank, then take our passion and share it with the thousands of firefighters who come after us. This is where your passion will shine through. Taking a class from a passionate instructor makes learning a joy for the student’s and gives the instructor pride when the student’s do well.

In closing, do not be unhappy swimmers! Put your passion into the fire service and who knows what it might give back to you. It pays me back every time I see one of my students on an engine, ambulance, or rescue truck because I know without a doubt that when I taught them my passion shined through.

Be safe everyone and thanks for the visit to the jumpseat!!!

Join the Views and Dr. G for FREE

2012-06-08T06:06:00.001-07:00

Very excited to announce the “View’s Crew” will be joining Chief Rich Gasaway (Ret.) on June 19^th 2012 for a conference call about anything firefighting. The event is brought to you by SAmatters.com and it is FREE!

Come join in the conversation during the 2012 International Fire/Ems Safety Health Week and share experience, training, tips, and commentary with Dr. G. Rich is the leading expert on Situational awareness and has presented around the world on this exciting topic. Mix Dr. G in with the “views Crew” and we will have a wide range of advice from the jumpseat to the Chief’s Desk.

DATE: Tuesday, June 19, 2012

TIMES:

1200-1300 EST

1100-1200 CST

1000-1100 MST

0900-1000 PST

Conference Call Ideas

Schedule a drill during the call and put us on a speaker phone.

Schedule an officer’s meeting during the call and put us on a speaker phone.

Schedule a health and wellness committee meeting during the call and put us on a speaker phone.

Record the call and play it back later for your members.

Conference Call Agenda

There will be no formal agenda set by me. This will be an open forum for asking questions or sharing situational awareness ideas and best practices. It would be helpful if you sent me your questions when you register. This would allow me prepare and ensure we make the best use of our time together. I will then post the questions I will be addressing here so you can see how the topics are shaping up.

Conference Call Registration

Since my conference call system can only handle 100 callers, please register by sending me an email to:

Webinars@RichGasaway.com

When you register, include your name, rank and department (just so I know something about the people attending). If you have a specific question or issue, include a brief summery or question in the email and I will do my best to address your issue during the call.

Conference Call Logistics

1. It’s FREE. There is no cost or obligation for participating.

2. Each registered participant will receive an email with the call in number and access code.

3. The call may be recorded and rebroadcast at my discretion at a future date.

4. The conference call system is a third-party vendor. I cannot control glitches in their system. So, if for some reason you can’t get connected on the scheduled date/time, I will apologize in advance.

Link to sign up:http://www.samatters.com/2012/05/23/free-situational-awareness-conference-call/#more-2634

Does your Fire Department have a "Medal Day"

2012-06-06T09:42:00.001-07:00

Does your department have a "Medal Day"? FDNY did a great job with this video honoring the firefighters who went above and beyond. Recognizing people who do their job above and beyond usually don't cost you a thing but the reward to them is immeasurable. Congrats to all the recipients of medals today in the FDNY.

If you are a chief officer take the time to give your members a pat on the back. It doesn't have to be a life or death situation. You will be amazed at their reaction!

"A pat on the back is only a few vertebrae removed from a kick in the pants, but is miles ahead in results."
Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Guest article from Chamberofhoarders.com

2012-06-06T06:47:00.002-07:00

Good morning from the Chamber of Hoarders. The stories from responses in hoarded conditions keep streaming in and there is a tactic that needs addressed. Many times when a hoarded home is on fire the crews must switch to a defensive fire attack. This is not new, but will be more complicated due to the amount of belongings inside the home. It has been well documented that fire departments have called on salvage companies to bring in excavator's to tear the building down. Without these machines the fire may burn for days or weeks. With this in mind, do you have a demolishing crew in your speed dial. What if they are needed at o'dark thirty on a sunday morning? Let's spend some time in the chamber to add another tool in the tool box. So back in the chamber we go.....

: Building after..

Pre-Plan For This Need

In the fire service we all know the value of a Pre-Fire plan of our commercial and multi-family dwelling's in our territory. Have you ever thought about the need to plan for that low-frequency need that you may encounter? You need to add one more special circumstances to this list. A demolishing crew needs added in case of a Hoarder Fire. With the amount of stuff inside a hoarding environment the rapid fire spread can push firefighters out of the structure is a hurry. Chosing to go defensive on a fire with these conditions is often a wise choice, even from the beginning. A problem with the defensive attack is the inability to penetrate deep inside the structure to put out all the fire.

Once you have added gallons and gallons of water in a defensive operations the structure may not be stable enough to send firefighters inside. Now what? This is where the Incident Commander has some decisions to make. Is it safe to send firefighters in? Are we going to let it burn? How are we going to get inside to put this fire out. This is where often the decision is to bring the building down. The density of the belongings inside will not allow the fire extinguished completely. One story that has been shared with the chamber's crew, was an example of this, where the houses structural members including wall, roof, and roof trusses burn completely away leaving only the hoarded materials.

So, now you have decided to demolish the building and you have decided to call in the wrecking crew. Preparing for this occurrence should be handled before the fire happens for a couple of reasons. One is who is going to pay for their services? Often the fire department can be charged for these services unless your agency has access too these types of machines. Second, this building is still on fire. The operator needs to be aware and trained to coördinate the demolition with the hose streams. Using elevated streams will be a "best practice" and offer the operator a greater level of protection. Another consideration for the operator is respiratory protection inside the cab. One shift in wind or debris can make smoke conditions bad enough to harm the operator. Training the operators in the use of an SCBA will be invaluable if this happens.

A good working relationship with these crews before the fire happen is key in a successful demolition of a building that is actively of fire. Fire managers need to be aware of their available resources on any given day of the year. Training these crews in the tactics used and protection equipment will prepare you both for a hoarder fire that needs demolished. Reach out to your local business and ask about their services costs, call out numbers, and locations so you will be #jumpseatready to demolish a house with fire that can't be put out otherwise!

Hoarder Survey Results

2012-06-04T04:33:00.001-07:00

  Here are the results of the recent Hoarder fire survey sent out by the Chamber of Hoarders Staff. Huge “thank you” to the USFA for sharing survey with the fire service community. The response was overwhelming.

1.       Have you ever responded to a fire with Hoarder Conditions:

Yes: 100%             No   0.00%

2.       How long did it take you to realize that you were facing a hoarder house fire:

Minute: 52.4%               5 Minutes: 35.4                 Start of Overhaul: 11.0%               After Fire:2.4%

3.       Were their occupants trapped:

Yes: 11.0%           No: 89.0%

4.       Did you crew communicate to the incident commanders that they had Hoarder Conditions?

Yes: 39.0%           No: 43.9%            Not Sure: 13.4%                Didn’t Hear: 3.7%

5.       How many personnel did you have on the scene of the Hoarder Home:

5-10: 11.0%   10-20: 52.4%    20-30: 3.7% 30-40: 3.7%         50 or more:1.2%

More than normal: 6.1%

6.       How long did it take to overhaul after the fire was under control?

Longer than normal: 43.9%          10-15 Minutes: 1.2%       30-50 Minutes: 14.6%

60-90 Minutes: 14.6%                     2 Hours or More: 28.0%

7.       Was structure demolition required to extinguish the fire?

Yes: 13.6              No: 86.4%

8.       Would your department benefit from a Hoarder Training Program?

Yes: 79.3%           No: 22.0%

The numbers do not lie that we are all seeing fires in hoarder conditions.   The last two questions are coming soon. They contained short answer questions and the responses were great. Stay tuned in to the chamber to see the exciting answers.

Thank you to all who took part in this survey!

'Hoarder' killed in Bethel Park fire

2012-06-01T15:21:00.003-07:00

By Peter Sullivan / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

An 83-year-old woman described as a hoarder was killed when her Bethel Park house caught fire this morning -- burning faster because of its contents, fire officials said. The smoke at 85 Highland Road was reported at 5:01 a.m. When firefighters arrived, the blaze was already fierce.

They tried to force their way in but the heat and smoke pushed them back, Allegheny County Chief Deputy Fire Marshal Don Brucker said. They were able to contain the fire in less than an hour. About 9 a.m., as they demolished the charred remnants of the house looking for its resident, firefighters found Liz Cutone's body on the first floor.

Bethel Park fire Chief Dave Gerber said having so much fuel only fed the fire. "She was definitely a hoarder," he said. "It makes it harder. It makes it burn a lot faster." Mr. Brucker said there was no sign she tried to escape. Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the fire, he said. Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/firefighters-comb-bethel-park-wreckage-for-signs-of-woman-638507/#ixzz1waC8khmU

Out on Arrival

2012-06-01T02:58:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon from the jumpseat. During my last shift it hit me the three words that every firefighter don’t want to hear. “Out on arrival” is three words that take you from being #jumpseatready to the aw man moment. We all know what's it's like to hear the dispatch of a possible structure fire can clear a station faster than someone cooking with ramps. We all get on our chosen unit for the day, put our seat belt on, and prepare for the upcoming battle, then those words come and it’s time to take the gear off.

Talk about a letdown, now I hate to see anyone’s property be consumed by fire and the heartbreak that goes along with it is staggering. But let’s all face it, we like fighting fires. If there is a fire we want it in our area, unless you the engineer then you want it in your second due so you can fight some fire. That’s why I chose to work on the west side of my city, to see more fire. If you repaired air conditioners would you go to Alaska to work, I vote NO.

With the constant stream of non-fire related calls coming our way you must stay on guard for your next fire. Just remember that when the bell rings, you get dressed and ready just to hear the words Out on Arrival broadcasted over the radio that you shoud take the time to make sure that you place all you PPE and equipment ready for the next fire because you never know where it will be!

Thanks for the stop in the jumpseat!

Bunker up, Buckle in, it’s where we all begin!

Picture is from the Dover DE Fire Department Rescue 1

Taken during visit to Delaware in March 2012

Large Church Fire in South Minneapolis

2012-05-29T04:55:00.002-07:00

The Views from the jumpseat crew would like to share this fire with the loyal readers. God Bless the injured firefighters and the Minneapolis Fire Department.

MAY 28, 2012 · NEWS STORY AND PICTURES COURTESY OF: TWIN CITY FIRE WIRE

May 27 - Five firefighters were injured while battling a three-alarm church fire Sunday night. The blaze lit up the night sky over South Minneapolis as it burned out of control for almost two hours before it was declared under control.

Fire officials said that one of the five firefighters suffered serious injuries to their upper body. Four others suffered less serious burn injuries and they were being treated at Hennepin County Medical Center where Fire Chief John Fruetel and Mayor R.T. Ryback are visiting with them.

Audio: Listen here for incident audio. Mayday about 3:00

The fire at the Walker Community United Methodist Church at 3104 16th Ave. S. was reported around 8:20 p.m. when an initial assignment was dispatched for a report of smoke in the building. According to the church’s website, the thee-story high building was opened in March 1910.

Engine 5 arrived to find smoke in the cockloft of the building and requested a full assignment, according to the Extra Alarm Association’s Facebook page. Some companies in South Minneapolis were just clearing of a fire on Sunrise Drive.

An attack line was stretched by Engine 5′s crew to try to find the source of the fire. Engine 17′s crew established a water supply and then stretched a backup line.

While crews were trying to locate the seat of the fire, a Mayday was called. It was initially reported that several firefighters were injured in a flashover.

For continued coverage of this fire and updates visit Twincitiesfirewire.com

Happy Memorial Day from the Jumpseat!

2012-05-28T05:59:00.001-07:00

On this special day remember to personally say "Thank You" to someone who is/or has served our country in the Military. I thought that I would share this AWESOME video of the "Pride of West Virginia" marching bands performance with you. What a great tribute! Happy Memorial day....and a Huge Thank you to all the men and women who protect our Freedom!!!!

Hoarder Storage Fire

2012-05-25T11:33:00.001-07:00

GLENDALE, Ariz. Courtesy of My Fox Pheonix - Firefighters rushed out to an apartment fire in Glendale and found a unit stuffed with belongings. This occurred near 43rd Avenue and Bethany Home Road. Firefighters said the inside of one unit was just packed with stuff. Apparently, a hoarder was storing belongings there -- but wasn't living there. The unit had a lot of damage to it, but crews were able to keep it from spreading. No one was hurt. From

http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/story/18612810/hoarders-storage-unit-catches-on-fire

Max the Long Haired Miracle!

2012-05-21T08:43:00.001-07:00

Good afternoon from the jumpseat. How many times in your career have you truly saved someone’s life? Every day in our world we stand ready to go the extra mile for our fellow-man, but what if the extra mile is for man’s best friend? Now before the safety guru’s start yelling, let’s put this into context. Our number one priority is to safe human life, but sometimes we can save one of our little friends. Should we risk our lives to save someone’s pet? That is up to everyone reading this blog and I would vote NO. But what about the times when you are advancing on the fire and find a salvageable pet? I would like to share the story of Max, the long haired miracle.

On a slow Sunday morning in the firehouse those familiar sounds rang out, “stations and units respond for the reported structure fire?” We all know the reaction when those words come across the speakers and we all responded as usual. This particular morning was my medic unit rotation which usually means that we arrive first because of less turnout time. This response remain constant as we arrived just before the first due engine. Being assigned to the medic unit on a working fire often is like being invited to the senior prom just to watch.

Upon our arrival we quickly found that all occupants were out with except Max the dog. His location was on the upstairs bed that was too high for him to jump from. We conveyed this to the first arriving rescue company as they entered the structure to make sure all occupants were out and to aid the truck company in ventilation. Then out of nowhere here they come out of the house like the blazing hero’s they truly are, Max in hand. Max was given to the medic crew and we went to work. We had recently been given masks to apply oxygen to our little friends. We suctioned his airway, cleared the soot from his nose, and tried our best to help max. He was breathing hard and unresponsive. After about 5 minutes he started to come around and a neighbor transported him to a local animal hospital with our oxygen tank and mask.

We later learned that max had made a complete recovery and the home owner was appreciative that we had quickly put the fire out, but even more that we had saved Max. This would have not been possible without a lot of committed responders that came together to save Max and more importantly without having the oxygen masks that had been “anonymously” donated to the fire department.

This is where the story gets like a Hollywood movie. I had forgotten about Max’s rescue until I was returning from presenting my Hoarder Fires program. On my return flight I sat down next to a professional looking woman and we spent the flight talking until I told her Max’s story, then she just about started to cry. You see someone had anonymously donated those oxygen masks to the fire department and that person was HER. She had seen a story on the news about losing a pet in a fire and wrote the check anonymously. We finished the flight, I sent her the pics, and we parted way’s following a huge thank you on Max’s behalf.

It’s funny sometimes how small our world truly is and this story could not have been a bigger example of just that. Who would have thought that a few firefighters, a medic crew, and a complete stranger could come together to save someone’s life, it just so happened that this time it was a dog named Max. We all need to remember the risk versus reward training when it comes to saving anything, especially when fighting a structural fire. But we also can remember to help those who can’t help themselves. Who knows the next life that you save might be your best friend.

God bless the donator, firefighters, medic crew, and the doctors who save the life of man’s best friend.

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