by: Lou Angeli

TORONTO, ONT (August 29, 2013) -- Earlier this week, Toronto Fire Chief Jim Sales announced that 2 city firefighters had been suspended indefinitely for sexist remarks made about colleagues on Twitter. Believe me, these firefighters made some very nasty comments. 

Toronto's top firefighter said,  'In the public domain it's…

by: Lou Angeli



During my career, I’ve covered a number of wildland fire campaigns as a video and photojournalist.  One thing I’ve learned is that when Mother Nature whips a firestorm, she does so with a vengeance. 

by: Lou Angeli

WILMINGTON, DE (January 21, 2013) -- Nearly 4 years ago, the citizens of Wilmington, DE lost vital fire protection to a fancy sounding concept known as Rolling Bypass, the city's term for brownouts. Since 2009 one of three engines companies (the department operates six) has been closed for 24 hours leaving five engine companies to serve the city of 90,000 (daytime). Response times increased somewhat, especially in neighborhoods which are home to those…

by: Lou Angeli

Veteran responders: Remember back in the day -- before the internet -- when contact with one another was through print magazines or via "pen pals?" Back then we learned of LODDs, huge incidents, apparatus deliveries and job notifications through magazines like Firehouse, Fire Engineering, Fire Chief, JEMS and monthly…

Pumpers will tow Rescue Trailers to the scene

(Heavy Rescues to be shut down and sold)

by: Lou Angeli

Wilmington, DE (May 11 2012) -- On January 1, 2011, the lone career Heavy Rescue in the State of Delaware was disbanded by the Wilmington (DE) Fire Department, and 17 jobs eliminated, in an effort…

Wilmington's Squad Concept Violates Contract's Minimum Staffing

by: Lou Angeli

Wilmington, DE (May, 7, 2012) -- A court appointed arbitrator has ruled that the City of Wilmington violated its contract with the city's firefighters when the Fire Department introduced the Squad Concept on January 1, 2011. At that time, the Fire Department…

OPINION

Wilmington, DE (April 6, 2012) -- It's been a busy week for volunteer firefighters in New Castle County, Delaware, and fire departments across the nation have learned the details thanks to software known as a news aggregator. In this case, the automatic system discovered the terms firefighters, structure fire, injured firefighter on DelawareOnline, the web version of Delaware's News-Journal.

These aggregators make life easy for news editors (TV, radio,…

by: Lou Angeli

Lewes, DE (March 27, 2012) -- I don't know where to start, but first allow me to make this personal statement. The New York Post, one of America's largest newspapers, is also its worst. It serves up yellow journalism on a daily basis and "...is best used to line the bottom of bird cages."

Yesterday, Monday March 26, 2012, The Post ran a story about a former FDNY firefighter who the paper claims faked a medical condition in order to…

Emphasis has been on Rolling Stock -- Not Tactics

by: Lou Angeli

(St. Louis, MO ) - Ever since Neil Svetanics, former Chief of the St. Louis Fire Department, popularized the "Quint Concept" 20 years ago, the nation's fire departments have gone crazy for quints. The concept that some said was a only a passing fad is still claiming new…

by: Lou Angeli

Suburban Philadelphia, PA -- (October 18, 2011 )  During the next 6-8 weeks thousands of suburban firefirefighters around metro Philadelphia will have the opportunity to decide who will lead their volunteer department during the year 2012. For nearly 300 years, they will determine by 'popular vote', who is best suited to command the department,…

$100,000 raised during last September's race weekend.

For the past three years, Dover International Speedway has played host to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation for a…

by Lou Angeli

December 22, 2010 -- Today firefighters and emergency personnel worldwide mourn the loss of 2 brave Chicago firefighters who perished during a building collapse in south city. It came on the 100th anniversary of the Union Stock Yards fire, which killed 21 Chicago firefighters.



Sadly though, 11 years ago this month a similar fire claimed the lives of 6 Worcester Mass Firefighters who were lost as they searched for 2…

No Warning Given to Wilmington's Mutual Aid Partners…

photo courtesy Dover International Speedway

Playing it safe in the world's most dangerous…

Production has begun on a television documentary dealing with firefighting volunteers. “Last One Standing” is one of the few fire-rescue documentaries that specifically deals with the subject of volunteer firefighting. The documentary is being filmed in HD and surround sound, and will take about 6 months to produce.

The synopsis for the film is posted online at…