We're STILL our own worst enemy...

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Youtube credit: engine139

"I'm tellin' all y'all.....dis how we start dem chainsaws 'round these here parts"......

[Goose 188]

i think chain saws is the least of their problems...what about turn out gear or even a helmet? Jesus christ...

[efdcapt115 1,511]

i think chain saws is the least of their problems...what about turn out gear or even a helmet? Jesus christ...

This video is getting around the different blogs, but nobody seems to know much about the who, what, where. It looks like a minimally staffed FD (the one ff in gear), and these other people could be civilians....maybe more info will come out about it.

[M' Ave 1,466]

How about the fact that they are spraying water INTO the structure.....

It hardly looks too far gone to begin an interior attack. Spraying water into the structure...especially with a automatic nozzle is a quick way to successfully save the cellar.

Of course, I suppose that interior attack tactics would first require firemen numbering more than 1. Also, what are they doing with that chainsaw?? The fire's vented, to some extent, just get in there and get some water on it.

This has disaster written all over it. Obviously, this is a case of extreme condition, however it highlights a need for some "back to basics" training. We all need to be rock solid on the basics of fire attack and fire-ground operations. This is especially important in the volunteer realm where tools aren't being handled and looked at everyday. In a situation with many more variables, including manpower, a great deal of emphasis needs to be placed on what to do at a fire in the first few seconds. What line would go where, who does what and where should I go with what tools in (_____) situation?

I know that, at work, we're trying to incorporate more basic drilling on a regular basis alongside keeping up with the new tech. that comes up. I also know of volunteer agencies keeping a good ratio of basic training mixed in with a hurst tool drill or bail-out practice. Sounds like good logic to me.

[PCFD ENG58 1,085]

This video is getting around the different blogs, but nobody seems to know much about the who, what, where. It looks like a minimally staffed FD (the one ff in gear), and these other people could be civilians....maybe more info will come out about it.

A small Dept in the Keys I think ???? yea one with not to many runs yea I think !

[efdcapt115 1,511]

A small Dept in the Keys I think ???? yea one with not to many runs yea I think !

Actually, and I'm not saying this to be a b-buster; I heard it's from Texas.

[JohnnyOV 2]

Actually, and I'm not saying this to be a b-buster; I heard it's from Texas.

When it first surfaced yesterday, that is where the original reports were saying it was from

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Bear with me for a moment; A while back, I put up a request on the board for any gear or equipment that could possibly be donated to a rural fire department in Maine. My mother's cabin is in the town, and I had contacted the COD on a different matter, but the discussion evolved to the needs of the department.

They don't HAVE enough turnout gear for their members. Maybe the Chief from Rockland, antiquefirelt could expand on the lack of funding for the fire service up there......

Initially, the idea was greeted with much enthusiasm from more than a few members. As I tried to pursue the idea of following through, one member actually grew hostile in his e-mail responses, like "I'm so busy, why are you bothering me..." Aside from maybe one member the request for donations turned into an utter bomb with members dropping the ball.

I was not going to mention this until now in this discussion, I just began wondering....something is definitely not right here, aside from the horror show of 14 seconds of video. I think maybe we should be careful to rush judgement, but now that this is out on the blogs and boards, the fire service deserves to know the facts. But I relayed the information about the gear for Maine thing because.....maybe this department lacks turnout gear. You may laugh, but it's a 2011 reality in the fire service that there are places that lack basic turnout gear.

Of course, chances are these are some type of members of a department were seeing, they might have all the latest and greatest gear.....back on a rack at the firehouse, or folded neatly in a compartment.

These stills from a newspaper tell more of the story:

http://www.uvaldeleadernews.com/news/article_69171608-1c40-11e0-b79e-001cc4c03286.html?mode=image

I would say hold off judging until we know for sure, and we deserve to know, there's nothing wrong with asking the question, "what the hell is going on here?" It could be taken as a mockery of our profession, career or volunteer. There should be a groundswell of anger in the fire service at incidents like these if justified, because everything guys fight so hard for in this business...guys died and safety improvements came from their deaths....do we disregard those lives given to the service...do we disrespect the profession so severely....I was actually thinking earlier a good soundtrack for this video would be 14 seconds of a ringing cuckoo clock.

But one thing I want to do is give credit to the Brother working on the roof properly. Like it ain't hard enough, and you have added chaos from the personnel around you....

[JohnnyOV 2]

http://uvaldetx.com/content/safety

The Uvalde Fire Department has 4full-time and 30 volunteer personnel. UFD has mutual agreements with surrounding cities and will service wherever it is needed, as long as vehicles are available. UFD has an ISO scale - fire insurance rating of 5 in town/ 9 out of the city limits.

VOLUNTEER FIRE CHIEF: Gene Ayala FIRE MARSHALL: Jimmy Joe Howard

Equipment:

Class A Pumpers: 4 Brush Trucks: 3

Rescue Utility: 1 Rescue Boats: 1

http://maps.google.c...234.27,,0,-0.03

4 blocks away from the fire, so deductive reasoning lets me assume that this is the correct department.

______

Being that there are full time employees with this department, as well as this article ( http://www.uvaldelea...1cc4c002e0.html ) listing them at the local country club for an awards banquet, I highly doubt that funding was an issue for a lack of turnout gear. In fact, there are pictures of turnout gear in the gear bags on the front lawn of the building.

It is unfortunate that this is occurring at this day in age in the fire service in America. I feel that someone needs to sit this chief down and just straight out ask him in a non threatening manor, 'What the hell is going on?" I'm sure that the negative press that this video is getting among the country's departments, will well alone be enough to make the department face it's embarrassment without need for outside questioning of their tactics. Who knows, maybe this video will be the best thing that happens to this department, their chief and officers get on everyone's rear end, and completely turn the department around 180 degrees. Unfortunately, sometimes you need something like this negative event to get people's rear in gear.

All I can say is that I wish Uvalde Fire Department the best of luck of trying to fix their problems, and that there is a wide world of knowledge out there for them to ask for help if they so choose. There is no shame in asking for assistance when you really need it most.

Edited January 18, 2011 by JohnnyOV