This article is a must read

Follow the link to the article below. This is an expertly written article characterising firefighters showing full respect for a Firefighter who died in the Line if Duty. A very moving article of our Love for each other that is the Brotherhood shown through at a very trying time in a Department's healing after the death of a young firefighter.

Link to the article

Charleston 9

Today marks the one year anniversary of the LODD's in Charleston. I have added several links to information on websites covering the incident on VAFireNews.com.

Never Forget

"We Got To Do Better"

"We" as in Firefighters, not just here in Roanoke but everywhere. 115 Firefighters died last year according to FirefighterCloseCalls.com. The website is hosted by Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder and others who are interested in decreasing firefighter deaths. However, last year seems to remind us that we have got to do better.

The reason why I am writing this right now is because of this incident below where a Scranton Firefighter was killed by electrocution during a house fire when his ladder truck came into contact with a power line. The image is from www.WNEP.com.

You can view the story by clicking here or on the picture.

How can this happen? I am not trying to monday morning quarterback, and no I was not there. But we got to do better. Captain Jim Robeson, a 26 year veteran, was killed in this incident. God Bless his family and his brothers on the job. We need to learn from this incident.

This is but one of many incidents where firefighters die...and shouldn't. FirefighterCloseCalls.com has the breakdown of firefighter deaths here. I will post some of the statistics below.

Type of Duty:

24 Responding 20.8%
11 Training 9.56%
37 On-Scene Fire 32.1%
8 On-Scene Non-Fire 6.95%
13 After 11.3%
20 Other On-Duty 17.3%
2 Returning 1.73%

Type of Incident:


5 Wildland 4.34%
48 Structure Fire 41.7%
7 MVA 6.08%
3 Hazmat 2.60%
6 EMS 5.21%
1 Tech Rescue 0.86%
1 Outside Fire 0.86%
1 False Alarm 0.86%
41 Not Incident Related 35.6%
1 Other 0.86%
1 Unknown 0.86%

Cause of Fatal Injury:

19 Caught/Trapped 16.5%
1 Contact with 0.86%
4 Fall 3.47%
55 Stress/Overexertion 47.8%
4 Collapse 3.47%
3 Struck by 2.60%
26 Vehicle Collision 22.6%
2 Lost 1.73%
1 Other 0.86%

Nature of Fatal Injury:

16 Asphyxiation 13.9%
3 Crushed 2.60%
7 Burns 6.08%
2 CVA 1.73%
33 Trauma 28.6%
1 Electrocution 0.86%
52 Heart Attack 45.2%
1 Other 0.86%

WE HAVE GOT TO DO BETTER!

Basically, a firefighter dies every three days in the United States. There have been 2 reported by EveryoneGoesHome.com and today is the 6th of January. I guess you could say we started this year on track for last year. Although the numbers of 2006 were a lot better.
They give these statistics:

Firefighter Line-of-Duty Deaths Honored by NFFF

» 2008 LODDs Reported to Date: 2
» 2007 LODDs: 118 - Details | Stats
» 2006 LODDs: 87 - Details | Stats
» 2005 LODDs: 105
» 2004 LODDs: 99
» 2003 LODDs: 108

Another update

I got this email from Tom Bishop, David's brother.

Don't know if you talked with anyone today, but David and Tracey are progressing as expected. Tracey is in a lot of pain, but has been up walking. The doctor said today would probably be her worst.

David is feeling better and as expected is sore also. He is in isolation in intensive care to prevent any germs from finding their way in.

I know he will be glad to get back on his feet also.

Thanks to all the fellow firefighters for all their assistance during this ordeal. One thing I learned as a firefighter for 10 years is that when things are down you can always count on your brothers for a helping hand.

Update on the Charleston Firefighter Memorial:

5 guys from Roanoke County, 2 from Salem, and Jeremy Bennington and Jeff Oliver from the City will be in Charleston for the Memorial tomorrow. I know we all appreciate them representing us.

Update on SC's Bravest and David Bishop

David Bishop and his wife are both out of surgery and doing well. They are in recovery now.

South Carolina's Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service will be on Friday June 22nd.

The memorial service for the "Charleston 9", Charleston Fallen Firefighters
Capt. William "Billy" Hutchinson, 48; Capt. Mike Benke, 49; Capt. Louis
Mulkey, 34; Engineer Mark Kelsey, 40; Engineer Brad Baity, 37; Assistant
Engineer Michael "Frenchie" French, 27; Firefighter James "Earl" Drayton,
56; Firefighter Brandon Thompson, 27; and Firefighter Melvin Champaign, 46,

will be held Friday at 1000 hours at the North Charleston Coliseum. If you
are planning to attend, make your travel arrangements now. Some of the
closest hotels will be in the area of the airport. When calling, advise the
hotel folks why you are in town and some may be providing special rates.

Here is a link for directions: http://www.coliseumpac.com/parking.php

If you are interested in going to the service give me a call at 540-537-8158 (cell). I am working today and will get back to you promptly if I am on a call.
Tentatively, we are looking at heading out tomorrow afternoon/evening, staying in or around Charleston tomorrow night, then coming back after the services Friday.

The Charleston Firefighter LODD's

The names of the firefighters who died yesterday evening:

Capt. William "Billy" Hutchinson - 48 years old - 30 years of service
Capt. Mike Benke - 49 years old - 29 years of service
Engineer Louis Mulkey - 34 years old - 11 1/2 years of service
Engineer Mark Kelsey - 40 years-old - 12 1/2 years of service
Engineer Bradford "Brad" Baity - 37 years old - 9 years of service
Assistant Engineer Michael French - 27 years old - 1 1/2 years of service
Firefighter James "Earl" Drayton - 56 years old - 32 years of service
Firefighter Brandon Thompson - 27 years old - 4 years of service
Firefighter Melvin Champaign - 46 years old - 2 years of service

Information above from the STatter911 Blog.

There is a memorial fund set up for the Firefighters:

Anyone wanting to donate money to the firefighters' families can make a donation at any Bank of America location or send money to: The City of Charleston Firemen's Fund, P.O. Box 304, Charleston, SC, 29402.

Information above from Charleston.net.

If you want, start "passing the hat" for the firefighters. I will coordinate the effort, as several of you have already asked about donating for the firefighters. All you have to do is get the money or checks together and put them in an envelope and get them to me directly or get them to your Union VP (J.J. Price - A, Tom Mougin - B, and Steve McFaden - C) and they will get it to me. Do not put it in the departmental mail, please get it to one of us directly. Make sure checks are made out to: The City of Charleston Firemen's Fund.

Thanks, if you have any questions let me know.

This is the least we can do.

If anyone wants to travel to Charleston to the upcoming funerals, let me know. I know of one who is already planning on going. I will post the funeral arrangements when they come in. More than likely the events will span several days.

God Bless, and Stay Safe.

Be sure to review the 2007 International Fire & EMS Safety Stand Down which is going on right now.

Funeral Arrangements for Kyle Wilson

Hey guys,

Here is the deal:

The funeral service will be at the Nissan Pavilion on Saturday the 21st at
1600hrs.

There will be visitation on Friday the 20th at 1600hrs to 1800hrs and
1900hrs to 2100hrs at the Miller Funeral Home, 3200 Golansky Blvd in
Woodbridge VA. 22192 that number is 703-878-2273

Todd Stone sent this info:

It appears that the wake will be this sat for the LODD in prince william on monday.A-shift is working so i can not go. I Talked to chief Hoback in the staff meeting yesterday and if anyone from the department would like to go to the wake on Sat the city will provide the training vans and the pio van. So if anyone would like to go up and show support to this family and this department please call Chief Hoback and secure the vans and get a list of who wants to go. All info on the wake will be out today .Thanks Todd Stone

Unfortunately, I will be unable to attend or even schedule the trip. I certainly hope that we get a group of firefighters to go. Please let me know if I can help, but I will be travelling to Boston in the morning and I will be gone until next Tuesday.

If you have never been able to go to a Firefighter LODD funeral, it is certainly an event that deserves the utmost reverence. Knock on wood, but Virginia has been very fortunate over the years and we have not had too many LODD's. I travelled to Chesapeake when the two firefighters died in the Advance Auto parts store. The procession was miles long. I cannot estimate as to how many firefighters were there, but they were all there to pay respects for two of our Fallen Brothers. If you have the chance to pay proper respects and travel to Prince William, please do so. Thanks to Chief Hoback for giving our Brothers the opprotunity to pay respects and provide travel for the event, and thanks to Captain Stone for setting it up.

God Bless you Kyle Wilson and your family, Brother and Sister Firefighters, and all of those affected by your sacrifice. You will not be forgotten. Godspeed Brother.

For more information on Kyle Wilson click here.

LODD - Firefighter Fatality in Prince William County - Kyle Wilson

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VIRGINIA . . . At 6:02 this morning Fire and Rescue units were dispatched to a house fire at 15474 Marsh Overlook Drive in Woodbridge. When firefighters arrived on the scene the home was heavily involved in fire. Firefighters began immediate suppression efforts and a search for possible occupants. Read More

Rest in peace Kyle, and God Bless your Family and Brother and Sister Firefighters.