'Black Sunday' firefighters awarded $183M by jury

Jurors blamed the city and the building's landlord in the deaths and injuries to the veteran firefighters who responded to the Jan. 2005 fire

NEW YORK — A Bronx Supreme Court jury Monday awarded $183 million to plaintiffs in the “Black Sunday” tenement fire that killed three FDNY firefighters — two from Long Island — and severely injured three others, according to city officials and an attorney on the case.

The decision put an end to a legal battle that stemmed from one of the city’s darkest days, which included the death of another firefighter in a separate blaze.

The firefighters became trapped in the tenement blaze and were forced to jump out of the four-story building to avoid being burned to death.Jurors split blame — 80 percent for the city and 20 percent for the building’s landlord — in the deaths and injuries to the veteran firefighters who responded to the Jan. 23, 2005 fire at 236 E. 178 St. in the Tremont section of the Bronx.

Lt. Curtis Meyran of Malverne and firefighter John Bellew of upstate Pearl River died at the scene. Firefighter Joseph DiBernardo of Miller Place, whose heels and feet were crushed in the jump, died of his injuries on Nov. 22, 2011. Firefighters Gene Stolowski, Jeff Cool and Brendan Cawley were seriously injured.

The day was particularly tragic for the FDNY because, later that afternoon, another firefighter, Richard Scalafani of Bayside, died in a Brooklyn structure fire.

Meyran’s family settled a lawsuit with the city separately.

“There are two important issues in this case,” said Vito Cannavo, a Manhattan attorney representing the five remaining victims and their families. “First, it demonstrates that a governmental entity is not immune from liability when it fails to provide its firefighters, who put their lives on the line every day to protect our citizens, with proper safety equipment to fulfill their duties. Second, this case reaffirms clearly that landlords are to be held accountable for turning a blind eye to unsafe conditions that exist in their buildings.”

City officials expressed sympathy for the victims but said it did not agree with the verdict.

“The City has always viewed this incident as a tragedy for the firefighters and their families, but we believe that the jury’s verdict does not fairly apportion liability in view of compelling evidence that established that the landlord’s numerous building code violations were directly responsible for this horrible event,” read a statement. “We will review the record and evaluate our legal options.”

The landlord for the property could not be reached for comment.

The case hinged on evidence the city was negligent for not providing proper equipment, specifically personal safety ropes that would have enabled the firefighters to escape the inferno. What’s more, an illegal partition blocking a fire escape forced the firefighters to either jump or rappel from the windows down to an alley, the evidence showed.

Source: firerescue1.com

5 things firefighters must know about nozzles

Understanding how and why nozzles work better prepares firefighters to make quick, effective knock downs

  

The nozzle on the end of a fire hose is one of the most important pieces of equipment that a firefighter has at their disposal when combating a hostile fire. It's the business end of what we do.

Understanding the nozzle involves more than knowing if a push or a pull opens the bale and if a left or right twist delivers a straight stream. Here are five nozzle questions whose answers you may not know or have forgotten. Either way, knowing your nozzle gives you an edge over your enemy in a fire attack.

1. How are automatic and conventional nozzles different?
Conventional fog nozzles have a fixed or selectable gpm setting. These settings correspond to a particular discharge orifice, or tip size. In order for a conventional nozzle with a fixed opening to operate at the correct nozzle pressure of 100 psi, the proper gpm flow must be supplied. For example, a selectable gallonage nozzle with settings of 30, 60, 95 and 125 gpm will only deliver those flows of 100 psi of nozzle pressure.

There are two possible results when the conventional nozzle is not supplied with the rated or selected flow. First, inadequate flow provides a weak, ineffective stream that fails to reach the seat of the fire. Second, too much water flow creates excessive nozzle pressure making the hose line more difficult to handle and potentially jeopardizing the safety of the nozzle crew.

With an automatic nozzle, the discharge orifice continually adjusts depending on the flow to the nozzle. This sets the flow being supplied to the proper nozzle pressure and correct velocity for maximum extinguishing capability.

2. How does an automatic nozzle work?
The automatic nozzle uses a principle very similar to that of a pumper relief valve. A highly dependable spring, connected to the baffle that forms the discharge orifice, is balanced against the water pressure in the nozzle.

The pressure-control spring senses any increase or decrease in pressure within the nozzle. It then moves the baffle in or out to maintain a particular tip size necessary to keep the nozzle pressure at 100 psi. In effect, the nozzle is constantly changing tip size to match the water being supplied at that moment.

3. What pressure should be pumped to automatic nozzles?
Automatic nozzles greatly simplify pump operation. Since automatic nozzles are designed to operate at 100 psi nozzle pressure, this becomes the minimum starting point for any operation.

The basic formula for calculating pump discharge pressure is PDP = NP + TPL — PDP is the pump discharge pressure, NP is the nozzle pressure and TPL is the total pressure loss (that's hose line friction loss plus apparatus friction loss plus elevation pressure).

With an automatic, the nozzle pressure will remain constant and the formula can be rewritten as: PDP = 100 + TPL. So, for a 200-foot pre-connected 1 3/4-inch hose, what pump pressure will be required to flow 150 gpm? Friction loss in 1 3/4-inch hose for 150 gpm is about 28 psi per 100 feet of hose.

The answer: PDP = 100 + (2 x 28); PDP = 100 + 56; PDP = 156.

To flow 150 gpm in this scenario, a pump discharge pressure of 156 psi is required. The required pump pressure will vary depending on the friction loss produced, the amount of flow desired, and the length and size of the hose lay.

The advantage of using an automatic nozzle is that any flow can be delivered by the pump operator and still be controlled by the nozzle operator. Variable flow, constant nozzle pressure, and nozzleman flow control are three essential elements to successful fire streams and fire attack.

4. Can an automatic nozzle be used with foam and foam eductors? 
If the eductor manufacturer's recommendations for inlet pressure, maximum hose length and size are followed, the automatic nozzle will adjust itself automatically to the rating of the eductor. With any eductor system, the nozzle valve must be fully open to prevent excessive back pressure on the eductor, which will prevent foam concentrate pickup.

Certain guidelines, however, must be followed. Foam-making is simply the addition of a proper amount of foam concentrate to water. This solution of foam concentrate and water is then mixed with air (aeration) either at the nozzle with aspirating attachments or as the stream pulls air along with it in a non-aspirating application.

5. What are the trade offs of low-pressure nozzles? 
Reducing nozzle pressure does account for some reduction in nozzle reaction. But how much reduction in pressure is required to get a significant reduction in reaction? And while reduced reaction may be a positive aspect, what are the negative aspects of choosing a low-pressure nozzle delivery system?

Those advocating for reducing the fog nozzle pressure typically would reduce the required nozzle pressure downward from 100 psi to 75 psi. If the flow is kept constant, the reaction reduction from a 25 percent cut in nozzle pressure is 13 percent. It works out this way: a 200 gpm stream at 100 psi has 101 pounds of reaction; cutting the nozzle pressure to 75 psi reduces the reaction to 88 pounds.

Nozzle pressure is directly related to the velocity of the stream. For the given example, instead of a stream speeding through the fire's super-heated gases at 80 mph, it goes through at 60 mph. Which one goes farther? Which splashes more when it hits? Which bores through the wood char to get to deep-seated heat?

Make a comparison to the trend of law enforcement in the United States. As the threat to police officers goes up, are they going to smaller guns with fewer bullets in the clip? Are they taking out the bullets and pouring out half the powder? If they cut out half the powder the gun would kick less, be easier to aim, and it wouldn't hit as hard. Is that what the police want for their weapons?

Fire departments need to ask if this is really what they want for their primary weapon.

Or consider an example that comes closer to home: how many people wish for a shower with less pressure and how many would think that a shower with less pressure does a better job of getting the soap off? 

Source: firerescue1.com

Fire razes down Fire Service office

Fire has razed down the Ofoase office of the Ghana National Fire Service in the Eastern Region.

The Regional Safety Director, Samuel Mantey, who confirmed the incident to Myjoyonline.com said the fire broke out at about 8pm Sunday.

Mantey however refrained from giving details pending investigations.

The residential apartment had been given to the Service to use temporarily while construction of the main office continues.

It is unclear what might have triggered the fire but a source at the station attributes it to a burning bush close to the offices.

Fire officers were nowhere close to saving the situation.

The Service station in Ofoase operates for 12 hours instead of 24 hours.

All office equipments except their vehicles which were parked at the District Assembly were destroyed by the fire.

Source:myjoyonline.com

MASSIVE RESPONSE( Firefighters from 40 departments battle warehouse blaze at Marshall)

Marshal- More than 40 fire departments from seven counties battled a fire Friday at a warehouse owned by FutureX Industry in the small town of Marshall in Parke County.

Fire departments from Parke, Montgomery, Fountain, Vermillion, Putnam, Clay and Vigo counties answered the call at 226 E. Guion St. with tanker trucks, aerial trucks and manpower.

Also responding were the Parke County Sheriff’s Department, Parke County EMS, Parke County REMC, Vectren, Ceres Solutions and many members of the local Amish community.

"I want to thank everybody," Marshall Assistant Fire Chief Jason Ryan said. "It was just remarkable."

Ryan said that firefighters were on the scene until 7 p.m. He said the fire marshal was on the scene, but was unable to determine the exact cause of the structure fire. He will return Monday.

The large structure that burned was one of four buildings used by FutureX. It was used to store resin and plastic pellets used to make plastic products.

“All of our employees are safe and are good,” said FutureX Vice President Brent Thompson. “Our local fire districts are doing a great job.”

Rick Ransom, a 35-year employee with the company, said he was alone in the structure when he discovered the fire. He was able to get out unharmed. 

The warehouse included a resin grinding facility in the south end of the building, and that is where the fire is believed to have started in an electrical panel, said Craig Eldridge, FutureX maintenance employee.

The building, which was filled with resin pellets, was quickly engulfed by flames. Though firefighters tried to save one of the facility’s silos, which was also filled with resin, it was eventually destroyed. 

Initially, firefighters were concerned flames would reach a 500 gallon liquid petroleum tank north of the structure. It did not. Two homes directly north of the fire were evacuated as a precaution.

Neighbors reported they originally thought someone was burning trash. But after they heard a booming sound, they looked outside to see flames and quickly called 911.

Parke County Sheriff Justin Cole said the fire was first reported at about 11 a.m. Firefighters were on the scene throughout the day and into the evening hours. No injuries were reported, however a Coal Creek tanker was severely damaged during the situation.

 Source:journalreview.com

Ark. firefighter hurt in fire truck crash

The firefighter was responding to a grass fire when he was hit by a semi while attempting to turn onto a highway; the chief thinks the brakes were defective

 

A firefighter was injured in a crash between a fire truck and an 18-wheeler Friday.

The Madison County Record reported that the firefighter, with the Marble Volunteer Fire Department, was leaving the firehouse to respond to a grass fire. While attempting to turn right onto a highway, the semi hit the truck.

Fire Chief Ron Pfeiffer said the brakes may have been defective on the rig. A witness at the scene said the truck made no attempt to stop, indicating the brakes were completely out or the firefighter didn’t see the oncoming semi.

According to the department's Facebook page, the firefighter is OK and is expected to make a full recovery. The driver of the semi was uninjured.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Source: firerescue1.com

8 Trucks Burnt At Suame

Eight trucks were burnt beyond repairs as a ferocious fire hit parts of Zone 8 of the Suame Magazine in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital, last Saturday. The incident occurred around 12:30 am when the artisans had closed from work. Eyewitnesses could not state exactly what started the blaze, which was said to be spreading fast and consuming everything it came across. Apart from the trucks, the fire also destroyed vehicle parts and the various wooden structures in which the parts were being stored. People at the scene said they woke up only to see a disturbing spectacle of fire burning the trucks and the wooden structures. The fear-stricken people tried to quench the blaze but their efforts proved futile because it was very intense and scary to approach. . The people then placed a distress call at the office of the Ghana National Fire Service and personnel rushed to the scene to ply their trade . Even though the fire was said to be very fierce, the fire fighters reportedly managed to douse it before it could cause more havoc. But before the firemen were able to bring the inferno under control, it had already consumed the eight trucks, the vehicle parts and the wooden structures. When DAILY GUIDE visited the area Saturday morning, some of the affected people were seen openly contemplating their losses. Some of them appealed passionately to the government to come to their aid.

Source: peacefmonline.com

Man Burns Teenage Pregnant Girlfriend Alive Because He Didn't Want To Be A Father

A man burned alive his heavily pregnant teenage lover because he didn’t want to be a father. Eren Toben, the father-to-be, and his friend lured Maria Peiner, 19, into a wood on the outskirts of Berlin to kill her. Once in the woods he hit her with a piece of wood, stabbed her with a bread knife and then poured petrol over her and set her alight. The judge said: “She was still conscious, it could have been 10, 20, 30 seconds - she was still moving.”The body was found by a walker the next day and the pair responsible for her death were soon in custody and blaming each other. But Toben's fingerprints were on the handle of the knife found near her charred remains. Both remained silent during the trial. Of his accomplice the judge said: "He acted for the sole purpose of taking pleasure in the destruction of another human being’s life.” Eren Toben Speaking after the trial, Maria’s brother said: “I hope that our family can finally have some peace.” In Germany the killer and his accomplice friend were each jailed for 14 years for the horrific crime. Jud Regina Alex said of Toben, who hatched the plot: “For him the crime was a solution, he wanted a free, happy life which he had control over.  "He abused Maria’s love for him to lure her into an ambush." Maria was eight months pregnant and looking forward to becoming a mother, the court heard. But in January last year Toben, together with his old schoolpal Daniel Mueller, 20, lied to her that they were going to go shopping for baby clothes and killed her in the woods. Source: uk mirror