Vista (Westchester) Firefighter Charged With Arson In Church Blaze 10/22/07

[irishfire2491 24]

Vista firefighter charged with arson in church blaze

Vista firefighter charged with arson in church blaze Police say the volunteer firefighter apparently wanted to look like a hero. (10/23/07) VISTA - A Vista volunteer firefighter is accused of setting fire to a church in an apparent effort to look like a hero.

According to state troopers, a fire at Saint Paul's Episcopal Chapel in Lewisboro was discovered by a firefighter on his way to a department drill around 6 p.m. Monday. Troopers say it was that firefighter, 18-year-old Christopher Iacovino, who was responsible for starting the blaze.

Firefighters who were gathering for a drill at the Vista Fire House were on the scene in a matter of minutes. They put out the flames quickly with minimal damage to the church.

Iacovino was arrested at the scene and charged with arson. He is due back in court on November 5.

News 12

[DonMoose 3]

Wow, I went to highschool with him. He never seemed like that type.

[Bunkers 0]

Wow, I went to highschool with him. He never seemed like that type.

They never do.. until they do it.

[trauma74 111]

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN THE VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE!!!!???? Arson, shooting a fellow firefighter along with a DWI arrest and a city council permitting firefighters drink beer in firehouses after they return from a job!

I have been a volunteer firefighter for 17 years and I have seen and heard some crazy things, but things are seriously getting way out of hand!!!!!

[fire2141 33]

With 816,600 volunteer firefighters in this country its hardly a need for alarm. These kind of things actually happen in the paid fire service as well, although not as widely publisized and just in case you haven't heard cops occasionally shoot civilians in the heat of passion or while commiting a crime as well. Read the paper or watch the nightly news and you'll see what I'm talking about.

[Guest]

really, there's only 816,600 VFF's?

oh, btw someones gotta say it...another black eye...

[fire2141 33]

Please understand that I'm not condoning any of this. The point I'm trying to make is that this is not a perfect world and we all do what we can to keep those with questionable histories out of the first responder business. It's inexcusable but to quote Forrest Gump "it happens".

[hudson144 150]

Need for alarm? It most certainly is! Lets just say that if a responding rig broadsided a mini van with a family in it and the worst happened would it be a need for alarm then? This has nothing to do with career,volunteer,private fd, police dept. The fact is that it was wrong no matter where the individual was from! Whats wrong is wrong! Step back and read and think slowly what you stated!

[Guest]

18 years of age.......Who knows what we will find from this one. Probably a newer member who just graduated from the juniors and wanted to impress the big brothers who constantly pick on him(Im not saying this is what happend)but, these things always seem to pan out like this.

The kid made a critical mistake, I am glad the brothers cleaned up his mess, saved the property, and no one was hurt. He will probably be able to get some help, do a little time and move on with life,just not as a firefighter. We all made bad choices at age 18, and this misbehavior in no way should reflect the Vista FD.

By the way, Did they ever find a cause for the Ring's End Fire? I heard maybe electrical short from the rain?

[Guest]

Probably a newer member who just graduated from the juniors and wanted to impress the big brothers who constantly pick on him(Im not saying this is what happend)but, these things always seem to pan out like this.

you're right, im not saying thats what happened either, but its probable.

so, when you prank the new guy, how far is too far?? who says how far is too far???

most people i've seen are to immature to say "when" and end up crossing the line

...then whos at fault???

Edited October 23, 2007 by vacguy

[fire2141 33]

Hudson144 before you all dogpile me, I'm not condoning what happened. I think it's teribble, wrong bad. But lets face it these kind of things happen everywhere. What can you do after the fact. Not a damn thing but talk about it. I stepped back and thought carefully about what i said. I was merely making a point. I wasn't trying to downplay what happened. What we can do is everything in our power to prevent people with questionable histories from being in the emergency services. Did I make any reference to condoning what happened. Apparently not. So you are alarmed, what are you going to do about it? If you have a viable solution, i would like to hear it.

[Oswegowind 17]

Once is more than enough...it is cause for alarm...cause it keeps happening! I thought it was pretty interesting how he was arrested at the scene...either he is a braggart or someone watched him do it! Pretty sad! YOU SHOULD NEVER PLAY WITH MATCHES!

[hudson144 150]

DOGPILE?i like that- I wish your 2nd post was your first because it made alot more sense and clearer to us all! Alarmed/yes. If I was in a position to discipline someone for something like this it would be the same way. NYSP/WEST CPD and an arrest would be made. Suspend/terminate whatever you want to call it. Not trying to offend you but I had to say how I felt and understand how you feel also! JJC

[TimesUp 148]

With 816,600 volunteer firefighters in this country its hardly a need for alarm. These kind of things actually happen in the paid fire service as well, although not as widely publisized and just in case you haven't heard cops occasionally shoot civilians in the heat of passion or while commiting a crime as well. Read the paper or watch the nightly news and you'll see what I'm talking about.

So your answer to Trama74's question is to mention the paid fire service, and cops. What does that accomplish?

[x635 4,066]

So your answer to Trama74's question is to mention the paid fire service, and cops. What does that accomplish?

I think he means that there are bad seeds everywhere. As for what it accomplishes, I don't know- I think it's just used for comparison purposes.

Let's stick to discussing the situation as published, and not attacking one another for their views/opinions/thoughts/facts.

[ONEEYEDMIC 68]

And to set fire to a CHURCH NO LESS. Good Job.

[Remember585 815]

Nobody mentioned the wrong-doings of EMS personnel.....remember the NYC EMS members and their film?!

If priests are touching little boys' no-no spots, why are we so alarmed that firefighters light fires? It's the human urge to defy the laws we live by, firemen aren't suppost to light fires but they do - I don't think any background check, reference list or anything we can do will ever prevent this.

[DonMoose 3]

Nobody mentioned the wrong-doings of EMS personnel.....remember the NYC EMS members and their film?!

If priests are touching little boys' no-no spots, why are we so alarmed that firefighters light fires? It's the human urge to defy the laws we live by, firemen aren't suppost to light fires but they do - I don't think any background check, reference list or anything we can do will ever prevent this.

Nicely put. I'm telling you, this kid went to a good highschool, he never got into trouble. He was a smartass in class always making smart comments. I'm taken totally by surprise by this. I gave him a call and I'm waiting on him to call me back. All I can say is wow.

[Guest]

This is a black eye for the fire service and a major blow for our department. As we are about to ask the public for a much needed multi-millon dollar upgrade to our firehouse, to have a bored "newbie" seek to get attention by starting a fire in of all places a hundred plus year old church! I fear we will never recover from this in the public's eye. As I start and finish all of the classes I teach, and also preach around the firehouse, that the actions of a "member" reflect on the whole organization. Do your best to represent your department in a positive light. Never put your organization through the turmoil our department has gone through over the last 24 hrs.

Thank you all for not taking shots at the department, only the individual. Bill D.

[Guest]

Bill,

Anything you guys need, you know where to find us.

JW

[fire2141 33]

X635 thank for coming to my defense. Perhaps my first post was a little off the mark. Bill I would like to say that the Vista Fire Department is mighty fine organization. I spent over thirty years in your neighboring department and I personally harbor no ill will towards the department. This is an isolated incident. If the kid wasn't in your department he would have done it somewhere else.

[helicopper 1,050]

you're right, im not saying thats what happened either, but its probable.

so, when you prank the new guy, how far is too far?? who says how far is too far???

most people i've seen are to immature to say "when" and end up crossing the line

...then whos at fault???

Come on, the only person at fault for the fire is the accused arsonist! Being the victim of pranks, harassment or any other type of mistreatment certainly doesn't diminish the responsibility for this act. I understand what you're saying about him being the victim of pranks but two wrongs never make a right. (And I know you're not excusing him.)

If he was the victim of "hazing" in the firehouse, the hazers should be disciplined so as not to create an environment of hostility or mistrust but don't attribute this knuckleheads error or lack in judgement to that.

Yes, there are definitely bad apples EVERYWHERE and they do give their entire industry/discipline/calling a bad name and black eye when they're involved in these incidents. Maybe we ought to be raising our standards instead of lowering them and improving our training and other activities to instill a better sense of duty in new members everywhere.

You know things are tough when the Phoenix Arizona PD is recruiting on NY radio stations but the answer can't be taking anyone who shows up on our doorstep.

[lad12derff 283]

With 816,600 volunteer firefighters in this country its hardly a need for alarm. These kind of things actually happen in the paid fire service as well, although not as widely publisized and just in case you haven't heard cops occasionally shoot civilians in the heat of passion or while commiting a crime as well. Read the paper or watch the nightly news and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Are you kidding me? They jump all over the paid service when we step out of line. Just ask the guys from FDNY how fast they fell out of grace after 09/11/01. Fights in firehouses, DWI arrests, Women claiming to have been sexually assaulted. This person has a problem and needs to get help in the can while he is sleeping with Bubba.

[ny10570 745]

Nicely put. I'm telling you, this kid went to a good highschool, he never got into trouble. He was a smartass in class always making smart comments. I'm taken totally by surprise by this. I gave him a call and I'm waiting on him to call me back. All I can say is wow.

This says it all. A few have called this a call for alarm and in other threads people talk about more stingent background checks, tougher rules, etc. There's always a first time and you usually don't see it coming. Ever single time some nut freaks out and kills his family or commits some other heighnous crime the reports go straight to the neighbors and the always have the same lines about how they were such a normal family, he was such a quiet guy, they seemed so nice, etc. If it was only the creeps or the weird people doing this crap we'd catch them before they did it. I remember about 9 or 10 years ago there was a rash of big fires out west and it caught some major press when it was a fire fighter that was starting them. The big statistic then, more than half of all arsonists are firefighters. This will always be a problem because nearly everyone who gets into this job likes fighting fire. If there were a place in Westchester were you could burn a structure every day the line of people waiting to use it would be nuts. These people are us and we are them. The only difference is their line between whats right and wrong is at a different place than what is acceptable. THIS DOES NOT EXCUSE HIS BEHAVIOR. This is just why it has always happened and will continue to happen.