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Comment by crossfire on July 18, 2008 at 12:51pm

What's going on my friend?

Comment by Nicholi69 on July 16, 2008 at 1:26am

ummmm i dont remeber this story before now. But MR. Engle looks good in that uniform with the Mohawk and facial piercings at his age its so hard to pull off that look but i guess when the midlife crisis hits it hits

Comment by SEP on July 16, 2008 at 12:49am

All in all this stuff happens regardless of pay or volunteer, or how busy your house is. Is was a bad choice for them. Horseplay of any kind should be clearly addressed in your personnel rules and regulations and the what the outcome will be if you get caught, most departments, particularly volunteer outside of the metro area do not address personnel rules and regs or have strong SOPs/SOGs. It makes no difference if this is a new incident or old, back in the mid 80's the National Fire Acadmey came out with a firefighter safety tape showing ive incidnets of firefighters getting injured and killed, that tape is still valid, although no hard to find and rarely used, the same type of accidents on that tape still happen to day. History repeats itself and folks don't seem to learn from it. This is not the last time we will see this story or one simular in nature. There are a number of firefighter vidoes on youtube that show firehouse horseplay, some how the "jackass tv show " mentality has infiltrated the fireservice, right wrong or indifferent. One of them will eventually show a firefighter seriously injured or worse.

Comment by Mary Ellen Shea on July 15, 2008 at 8:45am

Oh here we go again with this story.....when I first started my current fire service related job, this story and the related video was getting tossed back and forth across the internet like the proverbial hot potato. It was hot news then....it's old news now....but in the grand tradition of the media....there's no better news than shock news. I graduated with a Communications/Journalism degree, and the old adage goes "If It Bleeds, It Leads"--meaning that if the story contains something particularly salacious, or features an over-the-top "weird" or blood and guts angle...it gets top billing.

But that begs the question...why is this getting dragged out of the attic and run through its paces again?
My comment then when this surfaced was..."you can't fix stupid"....but....... those responsible can and DID learn from their mistakes after getting their dirty laundry splashed across the entire country for six months. The mindset there has matured, as have the individuals responsible. And if they are still doing any bonehead maneuvers, you can bet your last peso that they aren't filming it for posterity.
Anyone care to hold a burial ceremony for this story? I've got a shovel and a nice quiet shady spot all picked out...

Comment by SEP on July 15, 2008 at 3:23am

Gee love the mohawk....some how fits the behavior...!? I have seen a lot of horseplay over the years, but nothing to this extreme and potentially a hazard not only to the personnel but the structure as well. Prior to this the worse I have seen is bombing the batt chiefs car from the bucket of an extended tower ladder with a watermelon....The batt chief wasn't the target he just happened to pull in and park over it, the same time the watermelon was dropped...

Comment by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on July 14, 2008 at 9:22pm

Blog posts?
In many cases, I have to seriously question if some who posts "blogs" really understands what that is.
And as far as blogging to stimulate discussion? How much can any one person stomach the posting of the poems, personal pictures and urban legends that some believe as "blogging"?
It should be embarrassing, but they want to call themselves "bloggers" when they are doing nothing more than plagiarizing or posting a "message".
And when you try to stimulate discussion and to elicit responses, you are told to change the subject or the thread is closed. That is strange when you purport to be a "social" network, wouldn't you say?
People are afraid to say how they really feel because they don't want to be controversial.
Controversy has existed since they penned the Bill of Rights. It is here to stay.
We have become a society of followers with few new leaders emerging. That might force them to make controversial decisions that effect others. And that disturbs the balance of our "pass/fail" mentality.
No thanks.
As long as my brain functions, I will say what's on my mind and if that upsets some, then they can go elsewhere or I can. It really doesn't matter.
TCSS.
Art

Comment by Rockland USA on July 14, 2008 at 8:35pm

FireSiren, I removed the KKK story because you did have a point about the content balance of my posts. I wish you had mentioned the other stories that have been posted. It's funny how Firehouse.com, Firegeezer.com, StaTTer911.com and other blogs can post the same variety and SAME stories that I am posting. But, when I post a blog story that appears on almost every other blog site then it's completely out of bounds. I guess I should be posting an article on my preference to load a crosslay? My stories are 50/50 in content and are not always negative. I don't need an audience for my Internet TV show because it's a whole different subject matter. I don't even discuss fire department on that show. You had a point and I appreciate your post regarding the KKK incident - I removed that with your comment. That story really had no discussion merit and so it was removed.

I will continue to post articles that will generate discussion and awareness. That is one of the purposes of a blog. I've been blogging for 4 years now and quite successful at it. I'm sorry that those in the fire service are finding the subject matter offensive. Siren, I will take better care at what articles do get posted on the blog - thank you for your comments.

Please understand, I am not doing any of this for publicity - I don't need it. I am trying to generate discussion in the community here and generate more traffic to THIS site for Web Chief. Judging by the blog posts, I think we are succeeding.

Comment by Jim Brunelle Jr. on July 14, 2008 at 7:57pm

.
Ok, I watched the videos, and yes some of those acts should not have taken place in a firehouse. But they did, and obviously someone that was involved with the making of that video had an axe to grind or was looking for maybe some type of electoral gain by surfacing this video that they held onto for 4 + years,
Every firehouse messes with new members to some extent,hosing them down at drills,tossing them into a portable pond(drop tank) full of water, tying them up with knots,ect.
And I must commend the chief for accepting responsibility for the actions.
Although wrong he apologized and pointed out that himself and the group was younger and has matured since then, becoming an officer will do that to a person.

Comment by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on July 14, 2008 at 6:11pm

http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/printer.jsp?id=47617

http://cms.firehouse.com/web/online/News/Kentland--Md-Tower-Likely-Totalled-in-Crash/46$2395

http://www.emsresponder.com/web/online/Fire-Service-EMS/Maryland-Fire-Department-Restricted-after-Ambulance-Dispute/18$6011

http://forums.firehouse.com/showthread.php?t=90713

http://cms.firehouse.com/content/article/printer.jsp?id=60217

http://cms.firehouse.com/web/online/News/Maryland-Firefighters-Face-Criminal-Charges-for-Alleged-Assaults/46$48356

Yeah; I wanna be like them!
Art

Comment by Wolfy Lang on July 14, 2008 at 5:49pm

LANDOVER, Md. -- 9NEWS NOW has learned the chief of the Kentland Volunteer Fire Department has been suspended. Sources confirm the suspension is part of the disciplinary action announced Sunday night by the board of directors of the Prince George's County fire company.

For more go to http://cms.firehouse.com/web/online/News/Maryland-Chief-Suspended-Over-Old-Videos/46$60217

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