Its that time of year again.  The 25th annual Firehouse Expo begins July 22 running through July 26 with the exhibit hall being open Thursday July 24 and Friday July 25, 11am till 5pm and Saturday July 26, 10am till 3pm.  On Sunday July 27 there will be a parade at 9am followed by a fleamarket till 3pm.  Hope to see you there and feel free to drop by the firehouse.

For more info, click here.

The Peter J. O'Connor Station, quarters of Engine 26, Truck 6, Medic 5 and Chief of EMS, now have a website.  Check out thier site, they have done a good job especially with the history of those units.

Peter J. O'Connor Station

The roof is finaly finished with the replacement of the cooper gutters and downspots which are still there after a month.  The apparatus floor on the Engine side has been fixed and hopefuly they will take care of the floor on the Truck side soon.  Also recently we have had inspectors and contractors in the firehouse about the lead paint on apparatus floor ceicling along with some things upstairs.  Hopefully that work will be started soon, we will just have to wait and see.

Several personal moves to pass along.  First off we would like to welcome Captian Jarrett Stafford to Engine 55 on C shift.  He is long term detailed from E2 but hopefully will become the Captian of E55.  Captain Stafford was a Lieutenant at E13 prior to making Captian.

FPA Devrin Worsely has been long term detail to Medic 21 on D shift for his 1800 hrs of medic time.  Best of luck and a speedy return.

Welcome back to Eulalia Silver who has just returned from the Fire Academy after finishing her EMT-I.

Also best of luck to 2 members who are leaving us.  FPA Herb Gilliam is tranfering to Engine 46 and FPA Micheal Punte has been transfered to E42.

Engine 55 ended the fiscial year 26th of 32 engines with 1,692 runs.  Truck 23 finished 15th of 19 trucks with 1,575 runs.  Hopefully I will have a break down of those numbers soon.

As of today, June 1st, Red Medic 43 will be relocated to E8 and T10.  We do not wish that thing on anyone but we are NOT sad to see it go either.  Hopefully 8 engine and 10 truck will have better luck with then we have had in the last several years.

For the 4th time in 2 weeks both Engine 55 and Truck 23 ended up closed at the same time.  On May 6th and 7th, E55 was closed for EMT training at fire school and Truck 23 was manning M43.  On April 28, E55 was closed for PM and on April 24 the engine was closed with the wagon out fire school.  Both of those days Truck 23 was out of service manning M43.

We would like to welcome FFPM Recruit Darryl Lewis and FFPM Recruit Jason Watson-Dorsey to Engine 55.  Both are coming to us from fire school with Darryl going to A shift and Jason going to C shift.

Welcome to FF/PM Barnes who is returning to Engine 55 from a long term detail to M5. 

We would also like to wish good luck to FF/PM Taylor who is now long term detailed to M8.

On March 6 FF/PM Isaacs of Engine 6 was injuried while responding to a box.  He is in critical condition at Shock Trauma with multiple head injuries.  Please keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

New Chief named!

Fire Chief James S. Clack has been named the new Chief of the Baltimore City Fire Department.  Chief Clack is a 22 year veteran of the Minneapolis Fire Department has for the past 2 years has been serving as their Chief.  He is expected to take over the top job in the early part of April but first he must be confirmed by the City Council.  Chief Clack will be the first outsider to lead the fire department in its history.

Read the full Sun paper article here.

Medic 43 has been found!

High winds strike parts of Maryland including Baltimore City.

This gas station is just one of many calls related to the winds that units responded to.  During the peak the evening, city units were waiting 3 to 5 hours for BGE crews to respond.

Update! 

"The death of Captian Ronald Hubble has been determined to be a Line-Of-Duty Death withint the guidelines of the Hometown Heros Act of 2003 which amended the Federal PSOB standards to include heart attacks and strokes wherein death occurs within twenty-four hours of an on-duty activity including training.  Sorry if I appear to be impassive about it but we believe it important that there is a clear understanding of the tragic circumstances."

Stephan Fugate,

President Local 964

Our deepest sympathies go out to the friends and especialy the family.

Arrangements:

Visitation

Shimunek's Funeral Home

610 West McPhail Rd. (at Route 24) - 410-893-9301

Monday, February 4 and Tuesday February 5, from 2 to 4pm and 7 to 9 pm.

Funeral

Funeral services will be on Wednesday, February 6 at Mountian Christian Church.  1824 Mountain Rd, Joppa at 11am.  Interment to follow at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens, 200 E. Padonia Rd, Cockeysville.

Its with sad news that we report that one of our own, Donald Hubbel, Captain Rescue 1, passed away at his home in Harford County today.  Please keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers. 

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Effective February 10, Truck 23's C shift Lieutenant Matt Saylor will be leaving us.  Lt. Saylor will Truck 10's lieutenant on B shift.  In his place we will be getting Lt. Jeff Walsh from Engine 46.  Lt Walsh was an FF/PM, and an EVD at Truck 23 prior to him making lieutenant.  Best of luck Matt!

BCFD Fire communications now has a page on Myspace.  BCFD FCB A Shift.

After being in a reserve truck for about 2 weeks, Truck 23 got their first line back after it had a new transmission put in it.

It is with deep regret that we advise you that Fire Apparatus Driver Operator Jarrett Dixon, 36 years old, of the Baltimore County Fire Department suffered cardiac arrest and was not revived. FADO Dixon had developed chest pains at work while conducting physical training at his assigned duty Fire Station 5 "B" Shift on Wednesday. He was treated and transported by EMS personnel from his career station to a local hospital. Following a "negative" cardiac catheterization on Thursday, he was released to home. While at home, Jarrett tragically suffered a seizure followed by Cardiac Arrest while being transported by his volunteer company (Liberty Road Vol. FD) EMS to a local hospital.

Fire Apparatus Driver Operator Jarrett Dixon is survived by his 5 year old son, his girlfriend and his parents.

Viewings will be at the Vaughn C. Green Funeral Home, 8728 Liberty Road on Wednesday, January 16, 2008 from 1700 to 2000hrs. and on Thursday January 17, 2008 from 1000 to 1300 hrs.

Funeral services will be held St. Bernardine's Roman Catholic Church, 3812 Edmondson Avenue on Friday, January 18, 2008 at 1030hrs.

Burial will be at Druid Ridge Cemetery, 7900 Park Heights Avenue

An educational fund is being established for Jarrett's son. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be sent to the fund at a later date.

Our sincere condolences to the members of the Baltimore County FD, Station 5 crew, the Liberty Road VFD (Baltimore County 46), his family...but especially his surviving 5 year old Son.

The BCFD Emerald Society and the Police Emerald Society have joined up for a Parade Fundraiser.  Live Irish music by James Gallagher and "Off The Boat".  Live and silent auctions, raffles and giveaways to raise money for the annual St. Patricks Day Parade.  January 19, 2008, 3pm to 7pm at Mick O'Shea's Pub on Charles Street, admission is just $5.  They are also in need of donated items for a silent auction.

For move information visit the Emerald Society website.

Box 414 will be holding a shrimp and bullroast fundraiser with open bar at the Knights of Columbus hall located at Belair Road and Klosterman Avenue on Friday February 8, 2008 from 7pm till 12 am.  Music will be provided by "Don't Stop".  Tickets are $35 per person.  This is C-shifts 1st day (C/5) and A-shifts 1st night (A/5).  For tickets contact Mike Temple 410-803-8683, Dave Schoppert 410-248-0488, or Addicks 410-889-4875.  Please come out and support the people who support us on the fire ground.

With the departure of Chief William Goodwin at the end of December, Mayor Sheila Dixon has appointed Deputy Chief Gregory Ward as the "acting" Chief of the department.  Chief Ward is a 30 year veteran of the department and has been a chief officer since 1991.

Engine 55 and Truck 23 finish off 2007 in a blaze of glory with 2 fires, one during the day on C shift and a second later that night on A shift.  Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas from the members of Engine 55 and Truck 23!

Fire destroys home but not christmas! (click on text for story)

In a time when the fire department has been making the news for all the wrong reasons, its great to see a story like this make the news especially at Christmas time.  Despite what people may read, see or hear, this is the majority of the men and women in the fire depatment.  Way to go Canton Station, Engine 5 - Truck 3 - Medic 10!

Truck 23 is transfered to Anne Arundel County Station 26, South Glen Burnie, to cover their tower which was on a 2nd alarm warehouse fire in Waugh Chapel.

TRUCK 27 ACCIDENT

Early on Sunday morning, December 9, Truck 27 was involved in accident while enroute to a box in which 3 civilians lost their lives.  All four members of Truck 27 went to the hospital and were released later that day and are doing well physically.

Please keep those involved with this incident in your thoughts and prayers.