Feb. 7, 2023 “We’ve lost hundreds if not thousands of hours of expertise and skillsets. The city will be less safe without them,” Uniformed Fire Officers Association president Jim McCarthy said.
Safety is of the utmost concern right now as turmoil swirls in the FDNY ranks.
That’s what bothers Uniformed Fire Officers’ Association President Jim McCarthy the most about the recent demotions of three deputy chiefs and subsequent relinquishment of positions by the top two FDNY officers.
“We’ve lost hundreds if not thousands of hours of expertise and skillsets. The city will be less safe without them,” McCarthy said.
Last week at a meeting, Commissioner Laura Kavanaugh announced she was demoting Assistant Chiefs Michael Gala, Joseph Jardin and Fred Schaaf to deputy chiefs.
McCarthy said it was news to both Chief of Department John ‘Jack’ Hodgens and Chief of Fire Operations John Esposito.
“They usually participate in decisions like these. They were not consulted. They were blindsided,” McCarthy said adding that it was inconceivable to them and fellow firefighters how the measure could have been made without the input of the two ranking officers.
“They (Hodgens and Esposito) felt there’s been a total lack of transparency and communications. And, they just couldn’t do it any longer. They were never kept in the loop or included…”
While the commissioner has the legal authority to make personnel shifts, the union president said the two have decades of expertise as they came up through the ranks. They know the city, the fire department, the dynamics and operations.
“It was just not the right thing to do,” he said. “It was the last straw for them. They weren’t consulted, and they felt they just couldn’t continue…”
He noted that other previous FDNY commissioners with no fire service experience relied on their top officers for their knowledge and tenure as they made decisions that would impact the department, the residents and visitors.
“We need seasoned fire chiefs to stay in the field. It’s imperative that they stay where their expertise can be utilized especially for safety….”
Feb. 6—A man who was suffering from a possible mental health crisis Monday is accused of stealing an ambulance that was parked inside a fire station and driving it around the city for more than an hour before being apprehended by police.
Police didn’t immediately name the man, who was taken into custody after the ambulance crashed into a car at Rice and Greenbriar. Officials said they expected auto theft and evading arrest charges to be filed against him.
After the crash, police said the man was a suspect in another auto theft. He is believed to have stolen a car from a Kroger gas station at 1035 Shepherd at 12:36 p.m., Houston police Cmdr. Caroleta Johnson said.
The man allegedly approached a woman at the gas station and told her that the gas cap on her vehicle was loose, police said.
When the woman got out of her car, the man got inside the running vehicle and drove off, Johnson said
For reasons that weren’t immediately clear, the man drove the car to Houston Fire Station No. 17, at 2805 Navigation. After approaching a firefighter who was outside the building, the man went inside the station’s vehicle bay, boarded a reserve ambulance and drove it away, police said.
Fire officials said it is normal for vehicles parked inside the station to have keys kept inside the cab. It was unclear if the vehicle was running at the time the man entered.
The stolen ambulance was reported around 1:15 p.m. A supervisor from the station tried to follow the vehicle but lost it in traffic, officials said.
The ambulance was missing for more than an hour, until it was spotted near the West Loop at Richmond by a Houston Police Department helicopter. Rodney West, executive assistant chief of the Houston Fire Department, said a GPS tracker on board the ambulance wasn’t working properly after it was stolen.
“We had some challenges with the automatic vehicle location,” West said. “We weren’t able to consistently pinpoint where it would be.”
West said reserve vehicles are generally older vehicles, but it’s unclear if age had anything to do with the tracker not working.
Police received at least one report of the ambulance driving erratically and possibly going down a protected bike trail near U.S. 50 and Interstate 10. The man could be heard talking on an emergency radio about people who were trying to hurt him, Johnson said.
About 3 p.m., police used spike strips to try to stop the ambulance in the 5300 block of Greenbriar. The ambulance continued to travel south on Greenbriar until it hit the back of a silver SUV and stopped just before the intersection with Rice Boulevard.
A television news helicopter spotted the man being pulled out of the ambulance by multiple police officers and being handcuffed while he was on the ground.
Johnson said the man matched a form of identification that was left in the first stolen vehicle. Officials hadn’t determined why he took the ambulance. West said nothing inside the vehicle was missing or damaged.
Feb. 7—One person has been arrested in connection with a house fire last weekend on Detroit’s west side that left a 6-year-old dead, police confirmed Monday.
“We do have one relative that is under arrest, and the investigation is ongoing,” said Cpl. Dan Donakowski, a spokesman for the Detroit Police Department.
Investigators did not identify the relative, who remained in custody Monday, or release details on what prompted the arrest, Donakowski said. An arraignment date had not been set.
The fire was reported at a home in the 15800 block of Lindsay around 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Donakowski said.
Crews found the 6-year-old boy dead inside.
Fox 2 reported neighbors said the boy’s mother arrived at the scene after firefighters.
Authorities are working to determine if the child was alone at the time of the blaze, Donakowski said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but arson does not appear to be involved, he added.
A Detroit Fire Department representative did not respond to a request for comment Monday on the incident.
Feb. 6—Pennsylvania and Ohio authorities on Monday told residents of East Palestine and nearby areas to evacuate or they would risk serious injury or even death from a planned, controlled release of a toxic chemical at the site of last week’s fiery train derailment.
During a news conference, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine ordered the immediate evacuation of a 1- by 2-mile area surrounding the small village of East Palestine, an area which includes both Ohio and Pennsylvania. He urged any remaining residents in the area to leave, as the release of the chemical vinyl chloride, planned for about 3:30 p.m., will pose grave danger.
Mr. DeWine said the contents of five rail cars are unstable and could potentially explode, causing a deadly spread of shrapnel and toxic fumes. The controlled release of the chemical will help alleviate the risk of this shrapnel, he said.
“We had to weigh different risks with no great choices,” Mr. DeWine said.
At a separate news conference Monday afternoon, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro also urged all Pennsylvania residents remaining within a 1- to 2-mile radius of the derailment to evacuate immediately.
There are 22 homes in that area, 12 had already been emptied and the 10 remaining were in the process of doing so, he said. Mr. Shapiro showed a map with a red and orange blob stretching from the train derailment site into Beaver County, which was based on weather and air modeling.
“If you are in this red zone that is on the map, and you refuse to evacuate, you are risking death,” he said. “If you are within the orange area on this map you risk permanent lung damage within a matter of hours or days.”
Those outside the evacuation zone but in Darlington Township, along State Line Road, Taggart Road and Valley Road, should “shelter in place and be prepared to evacuate as necessary,” Mr. Shapiro said.
He said a network of existing monitors set up within five miles of the site has shown “no air or water contaminants in Pennsylvania.”
This map shows the evacuation zone and particularly dangerous areas near the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Commonwealth Media Services
Both the Blackhawk and Western Beaver school districts in Beaver County dismissed students early Monday because of the worsening conditions.
The derailment sent about 50 train cars, some of which were carrying hazardous materials, off the tracks in East Palestine, Ohio, on Friday, sparking a massive fire. According to now-displaced residents, local authorities began asking people to leave their homes as early as the night of the incident.
In a Sunday tweet, Mr. DeWine asked residents living within a mile of the train derailment site to immediately evacuate their homes because of the potential of a “major explosion.” The governor warned that drastic temperature changes have occurred in a rail car, which may lead to a catastrophic explosion. Deadly shrapnel could travel up to a mile, he said.
With the imminent danger of a potential explosion, he urged all residents who have not yet evacuated to do so. He stated that while many have already left, more than 500 people have declined to vacate their homes. According to the Columbiana County sheriff, households with children that refuse to leave may be arrested.
At approximately 8 p.m. Sunday, the governor deployed the Ohio National Guard to the scene to assist local authorities. The Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Emergency Management Agency and Ohio EPA are also assisting, he said.
East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway had ordered an evacuation early Saturday of a one-mile area surrounding the derailment site. A shelter-in-place order was in effect for a small portion of the nearby Pennsylvania town of Darlington, but there are no homes in that area, according to Beaver County 911 dispatchers.
East Palestine is about 55 miles northwest of Pittsburgh and close to both Beaver and Lawrence counties. Between 1,500 and 2,000 residents were affected by the evacuation, officials said. The village has a population of about 4,800.
As the situation continues to develop, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation also announced additional road closures and detours.
The following roads will be closed until further notice:
* Route 51 between Route 168 and Ohio
* Anderson Road at Route 51
* Little Beaver Road at Route 51
* Taggert Road at Route 51
* Valley Road at Taggert Road
* Logtown Road at Route 51
* Enon Road at Route 51
* East Palestine Road at Route 51
* Darlington Road at Route 51
* Oakdale Road at Route 51
* Agnew Drive at Route 51
* Cannellton Road at Route 51
* Route 168 — All traffic will take northbound Route 168
* Posted Detour for Northbound Route 51
* From northbound Route 51, turn right onto Route 168
* Turn left onto Route 551
* Bear left onto Route 351
* Follow Route 351 into Ohio ( Route 617)
* Turn left onto Route 170 in Ohio
* Follow Route 170 back to Route 14
* End detour
Posted detour for Northbound Route 51:
* From northbound Route 51, turn right onto Route 168
Two women rescued from a house fire in Washington, D.C. early Tuesday have died.
Shortly after 3:15 a.m., firefighters found smoke showing from the second floor.
Around 3:20 a.m., they reported locating a victim on the second floor, and seven minutes later, another one, WUSA9 reported.
They were rushed to a hospital where they later died.
The cause remains under investigation.
DC Fire and EMS is deeply saddened to report that the 2 victims from the fire in the 7200 block of 8th St NW have succumbed to their injuries. Our heartfelt condolences to their family, friends, and the community. #DCsBravest
Chief of Department John “Jack” Hodgens and Chief of Fire Operations John Esposito were outraged about the demotions of three officers.
By Thomas Tracy, Michael Gartland, Graham Rayman Source New York Daily News (TNS) Distributed byTribune Content Agency, LLC.
FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh is facing turmoil after she demoted three chiefs.
After FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh demoted three FDNY chiefs over the weekend, two of the department’s top uniformed officials gave up their own positions in protest, the Daily News has learned.
The turmoil in the highest levels of the FDNY began when Kavanagh demoted Assistant Chiefs Fred Schaaf, Michael Gala and Joseph Jardin to deputy chief, and then called other top chiefs on the carpet, multiple source told The News.
Outraged FDNY Chief of Department John “Jack” Hodgens, the most senior uniformed official in the agency, then voluntarily stepped down from his post in protest of Kavanagh’s move, with Chief of Fire Operations John Esposito following suit, the sources said.
Both men technically remain in their posts but will return to their civil service rank of deputy chief. They asked to be placed in their prior units. Kavanaugh was “disappointed” by their decision and hoped they would reconsider and not just throw it away “for a few bad apples,” sources said.
“We do not comment on personnel moves,” FDNY spokesman Frank Dwyer said Monday.
Kavanagh ordered the demotions Friday and then called in the department’s 20 appointed chiefs and said she had become frustrated in recent weeks because the chiefs had been pestering her for promotions and personal cars, department sources said.
But she said she hadn’t heard much from them about much more pressing problems like the spike in fire deaths in the Bronx and a pending critical on the purchase of new air respirators for firefighters.
“She challenged them to stop focusing on their own perks and careers and focus on the people of this city, which is what they had originally signed on for,” said one source familiar with the meeting. “It was a call to action.”
Kavanagh did not do the demotions herself but directed her chief of staff, Lewis Martinez, to handle them. Hodgens and Esposito, the source said, wrote in their resignation letter they should have been consulted beforehand.
“You can’t demote three guys and not tell the chief of department and the chief of operations. It’s a no brainer,” the source said.
Kavanaugh did not consult with Mayor Adams before making the demotions, the sources said. It was one of the unions that first alerted the mayor’s office to the demotions and resignations Sunday night, the sources added.
A spokesperson for Mayor Adams said Kavanagh “makes the personnel decisions she feels that are in the best interest of the FDNY.”
“It’s important for New Yorkers to know that the FDNY remains ready to respond in case of an emergency,” the spokesperson added.
The departures sparked criticism of Kavanaugh from at least one of the FDNY unions and concern about the leadership of the agency going forward.
“It certainly is a rebuke of the commissioner that culminated this weekend,” said James McCarthy, president of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association.
“But the biggest impact is on the safety of the people of New York City. We’ll be losing all this talent and fire experience and leadership at the top of the department. These are the people that come when a fire gets out of hand and cover the logistics and this is going to impact the way we protect the life and property of the city.”
The uproar comes at a time when the department is facing staffing struggles, retirements at the rank of deputy chief and continued federal scrutiny over its hiring practices. A slate of promotions are scheduled for Tuesday.
Hodgens made $242,193 in 2022 as chief of department. He’s a 36-year veteran who joined the department in 1986 and has been twice cited for bravery. He was named to the post in July and Kavanagh called him at the time “forward-looking and innovative.”
A former colleague of Hodgens told The News, “He is the most honorable individual I ever met in the FDNY.”
Esposito was named chief of fire operations by Kavanagh also in July after serving as commander of Special Operations including the rescue and hazardous materials units.
Schaaf, Gala and Jardin are close to retirement age. All three, one source said, were not pleased with the direction Kavanagh was taking the FDNY.
“They wanted to stick with the status quo, and that’s not what we are trying to do here,” a source said.
Schaaf was the Queens borough commander when allegations of racism were made in one of the firehouses. Sources said he resisted transferring and disciplining some of the firefighters.
Jardin was chief of fire prevention where he objected to allowing buildings to self-certify their fire safety systems, sources said. But he also was the subject of a series of EEO complaints over his tough-guy management style. The Fire Prevention Division also has the largest black workforce in the FDNY.
Gala, a disciple of former Chief of Department James Leonard who clashed with Kavanagh, sued alleging he was passed over for promotion for criticizing a diversity push in the FDNY. His current responsibilities were unclear Monday. Gala was considered a divisive element in the department, the source said.
Sources said other chiefs may step down on Tuesday.
A firefighter died three days after a surfing accident at a Florida beach, officials said.
Ethan Wilson, 33, was surfing Feb. 1 at New Smyrna Beach when he was found unresponsive in the water, according to a statement from the City of Ormond Beach. He was pulled from the water and admitted to an intensive care unit at a hospital, Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood said in a statement.
“Sadly, this 33-year-old husband and father never made the recovery his many friends and loved ones were hoping for,” the statement says.
Wilson died on Feb. 4, according to the City of Ormond Beach.
“Ethan proudly served our community with bravery and commitment for many years, always putting the safety and well-being of others before his own,” the statement says.
Wilson worked as a firefighter and paramedic with the Ormond Beach Fire Department, according to the city. He previously worked in the 911 communications center with the Volusia Sheriff’s Office, according to Chitwood.
Wilson had a wife, Ashley, and an infant son, Coast, according to a GoFundMe organized by his brother-in-law. He loved the outdoors and enjoyed surfing and fishing.
“Those who know Ethan know he is the most kind and gentle soul one could ever hope to meet,” the GoFundMe says. “Whether you know him from the brewery, CrossFit, the beach, or the firehouse — he’s probably put a smile on your face.”
“In true Ethan fashion, his last act as a physical person of this world will be an act of generosity,” she wrote. “The hospital staff has already matched some recipients and Ethan will give those recipients the ability to live a full and healthy life.”
Ashley Wilson did not respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News on Feb. 6.
Friends and coworkers remembered Wilson as a person who put others before himself.
“One morning after being up all night, Ethan, and another crew member got off shift, bought new smoke detectors, wired, and installed them into an elderly citizen’s house who had no other means,” a coworker wrote on Facebook. “He didn’t hesitate. That was Ethan.”
The City of Ormond Beach called Wilson’s death a “tremendous loss.”
“He will be deeply missed, and his selfless spirit will live on in the lives he touched,” the city said in a statement. “… We will always remember and honor his sacrifices and his unwavering commitment to serving and protecting our community.”
New Smyrna Beach, which is about 55 miles northeast of Orlando, was named the deadliest beach in the U.S., according to a January report from the travel blog Travel Lens.
Authorities say three men are hospitalized with injuries after a house under construction exploded in East Bethel on Monday morning, trapping them inside.
One man was transported by air ambulance to Hennepin County Medical Center, two by ground ambulance. Their conditions are unknown, Anoka County sheriff’s office Lt. Bill Jacobson said in a statement.
Deputies and East Bethel firefighters were called to the scene in the 2800 block of Viking Boulevard Northeast just before 8:30 a.m. and discovered that the three men were trapped in the house. Rescue operations began with assistance of the North Metro Special Rescue Team. Allina paramedics and Life Link EMS also responded to the scene.
The cause of the explosion is under investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office, Anoka County Fire Investigation Team, Anoka County Sheriff’s Office and East Bethel Fire Department.
A massive fire broke out at a Chicago Heights warehouse on Monday morning.
Multiple departments have been dispatched to assist with the in the south suburb, ABC7 reported.
Roads in the area have been closed.
According to FOX 32, the fire broke out around 6 a.m. at Big Daddy Scrap Yard at 1111 Washington Ave., and spread to Arsco auto repair shop and a furniture manufacturer Morgan Li.
It was upgraded to a two-alarm fire around 7:30 a.m.
