Water Truck, Building Demolition Site
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Water Truck, Building Demolition Site on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Water Truck, Building Demolition Site on Flickr - Photo Sharing! The water truck of the demolition company: ProGreen Demolition.
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Man dies in Indio traffic collision with water truck
thedesertsun.com | Man dies in Indio traffic collision:
A motorist was pronounced dead Friday evening after he crashed a Toyota Tundra into a parked water truck and his vehicle caught fire.
The truck was moving west at a high rate of speed on Avenue 48 toward Monroe Street when the collision occurred. For unknown reasons, the Tundra entered a lane that was closed off for construction, Indio Police spokesman Ben Guitron said.
The victim's vehicle pushed the water truck into a parked tractor. No one else was injured in the collision.
Investigators have not identified the victim, but it appears to be a man, Guitron added. It is also unclear if he died from the collision or the fire.
Avenue 48 between Monroe and Arabia streets have been blocked off so police could investigate. The road wasn’t expected to reopen until about 6 a.m."
A motorist was pronounced dead Friday evening after he crashed a Toyota Tundra into a parked water truck and his vehicle caught fire.
The truck was moving west at a high rate of speed on Avenue 48 toward Monroe Street when the collision occurred. For unknown reasons, the Tundra entered a lane that was closed off for construction, Indio Police spokesman Ben Guitron said.
The victim's vehicle pushed the water truck into a parked tractor. No one else was injured in the collision.
Investigators have not identified the victim, but it appears to be a man, Guitron added. It is also unclear if he died from the collision or the fire.
Avenue 48 between Monroe and Arabia streets have been blocked off so police could investigate. The road wasn’t expected to reopen until about 6 a.m."
Friday, June 8, 2007
Bones found in Utah desert could solve 9-year mystery
Bones found in Utah desert could solve 9-year mystery:
Two of the fugitives were found dead, months and miles apart, in what police believe were suicides.The whereabouts of the third man remained a mystery for nine years _ until this week.
A cowboy riding through Cross Canyon, near the Utah-Colorado border Tuesday, discovered the remnants of a bulletproof vest, a camouflage backpack, pipe bombs, an AK-47, 500 rounds of ammunition and some human bones.Sheriff Mike Lacy of San Juan County, Utah, believes they are the remains of the last fugitive, Jason McVean.And if DNA tests match, authorities can close the book on that part of the case.
"There's still some mystery to it, because we don't know what their plot was, but I can live with that," said Cortez, Colo., Police Chief Roy Lane.It was a Cortez officer, Dale Claxton, 45, who was gunned down while trying to stop the stolen truck.
"Just knowing that they're all found, they've met their maker, there's none of 'em out there _ that brings some closure," Lane said Wednesday.Police still don't know much about the plans of McVean, 26, of Durango, Colo., and his partners Alan "Monte" Pilon, 30, of Dove Creek, Colo., and Robert Matthew Mason, 26, also of Durango.
The water truck was stolen from Ignacio, Colo., but why the trio wanted it and why they were armed for battle with automatic weapons, handguns and explosives remains unknown.
At the time, the rumor mill churned out stories that the three were anti-government survivalists or eco-terrorists."There's 100 theories out there and all of them sound good to me," Lane said.Claxton, an officer for just three years, was known to police dispatchers as Lobo 11. On the day of the shooting, he stopped at the local junior high to give his teacher-wife a kiss and then hit the road.Police say Claxton spotted the truck and called for backup. Before anyone arrived, however, the truck stopped and the killers jumped out and opened fire.
There were 29 bullets in all _ 19 through the windshield and 10 through the driver's side window, Lane recalled. Claxton never took off his seat belt."It was probably one of the most violent things I've ever seen," said Lane, chief of the Cortez department for 26 years.McVean, Pilon and Mason fled northwest, abandoning the water truck and firing a warning shot at a parks worker at Hovenweep National Monument near the Utah-Colorado border.
In summer, the Four Corners desert is unforgiving. Temperatures soar above 100 degrees and the rough, rocky terrain is pitted with canyons and cliffs as high as 200 feet. Hunting for someone is like looking for a needle in a haystack.Still, officers came by the hundreds from 51 different agencies to comb the canyons near Hovenweep and on the reservation of the Navajo Nation.
Tensions rose June 4 after a San Juan County deputy, Kelly Bradford, was injured by a sniper near the banks of the San Juan River, just east of Bluff, Utah.Bradford was sent to the river after a local social worker said someone fired at him while he was eating lunch.Mason's body, strapped with explosives, was found that same day in a dirt bunker on the south side of the river, dead from a gunshot wound to the head.
Bradford's shooting forced the evacuation of Bluff's roughly 300 residents. Police posted road blocks to the north and south, checking every vehicle in case McVean and Pilon tried to sneak away in someone's trunk.Police even tried to smoke out the fugitives, setting fire to tamarisk trees and sagebrush in the river bottoms, while helicopters carrying snipers scanned the area from above.The search waned after a few weeks, hampered by jurisdictional squabbles and the sheer difficulty of the task.Navajo police renewed the search around July 1, a month after Claxton's murder, when a young girl said she saw two men in camouflage trying to steal a truck in a nearby Utah town called Montezuma Creek.
By summer's end, however, McVean and Pilon remained at large and were slipping into the pages of folklore. Police conceded they might never be found but kept the case open and vowed to continue to follow any lead.In October 1999, 11 Navajo deer hunters discovered a 9mm handgun and a cache of survival gear next to a pile of human bones in Squaw Canyon about 25 miles northeast of the bunker where Mason was found.An autopsy determined it was Pilon, who had a broken ankle and died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.After that, leads trickled in but led nowhere, Lane said. Eight months ago, his officers went to Flagstaff, Ariz., to investigate a reported sighting of McVean.
"He was like an identical twin to (McVean) and I was sure we had him," the chief said.
A fingerprint check, however, proved the man wasn't McVean.
Lane said he's "99 and 9/10ths" sure that the bones found in Cross Canyon, also near Hovenweep, Tuesday will be McVean's.
DNA results should be ready in less than a week. The weapons and ammunition matched those used by Pilon and Mason.A business card inside the backpack was from a small Colorado company owned by Pilon, Lane said.
He said he visited Sue Claxton, who still lives in Cortez, Tuesday night."She's doing well," Lane said. "I think she's relieved, but we all would have liked to have a person to talk to so we'd get some answers."Lane recently hired their son, Corbin Claxton, 20, as a patrol officer."He got his mother's blessing," the chief said. "I'm glad to have him."___
AP newswoman Jennifer Dobner covered the desert manhunt in 1998-1999 for the Deseret Morning News.
SALT LAKE CITY -- In summer 1998, the Four Corners region of southeastern Utah had the feel of an old western novel, complete with good guys, bad guys, a mystery and a manhunt across the high desert under a blistering sun.
In late May that year, a southern Colorado police officer was shot and killed by three camouflage-clad men in a stolen water truck, leading to a search by hundreds of officers in the area where Utah, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico come together.Two of the fugitives were found dead, months and miles apart, in what police believe were suicides.The whereabouts of the third man remained a mystery for nine years _ until this week.
A cowboy riding through Cross Canyon, near the Utah-Colorado border Tuesday, discovered the remnants of a bulletproof vest, a camouflage backpack, pipe bombs, an AK-47, 500 rounds of ammunition and some human bones.Sheriff Mike Lacy of San Juan County, Utah, believes they are the remains of the last fugitive, Jason McVean.And if DNA tests match, authorities can close the book on that part of the case.
"There's still some mystery to it, because we don't know what their plot was, but I can live with that," said Cortez, Colo., Police Chief Roy Lane.It was a Cortez officer, Dale Claxton, 45, who was gunned down while trying to stop the stolen truck.
"Just knowing that they're all found, they've met their maker, there's none of 'em out there _ that brings some closure," Lane said Wednesday.Police still don't know much about the plans of McVean, 26, of Durango, Colo., and his partners Alan "Monte" Pilon, 30, of Dove Creek, Colo., and Robert Matthew Mason, 26, also of Durango.
The water truck was stolen from Ignacio, Colo., but why the trio wanted it and why they were armed for battle with automatic weapons, handguns and explosives remains unknown.
At the time, the rumor mill churned out stories that the three were anti-government survivalists or eco-terrorists."There's 100 theories out there and all of them sound good to me," Lane said.Claxton, an officer for just three years, was known to police dispatchers as Lobo 11. On the day of the shooting, he stopped at the local junior high to give his teacher-wife a kiss and then hit the road.Police say Claxton spotted the truck and called for backup. Before anyone arrived, however, the truck stopped and the killers jumped out and opened fire.
There were 29 bullets in all _ 19 through the windshield and 10 through the driver's side window, Lane recalled. Claxton never took off his seat belt."It was probably one of the most violent things I've ever seen," said Lane, chief of the Cortez department for 26 years.McVean, Pilon and Mason fled northwest, abandoning the water truck and firing a warning shot at a parks worker at Hovenweep National Monument near the Utah-Colorado border.
In summer, the Four Corners desert is unforgiving. Temperatures soar above 100 degrees and the rough, rocky terrain is pitted with canyons and cliffs as high as 200 feet. Hunting for someone is like looking for a needle in a haystack.Still, officers came by the hundreds from 51 different agencies to comb the canyons near Hovenweep and on the reservation of the Navajo Nation.
Tensions rose June 4 after a San Juan County deputy, Kelly Bradford, was injured by a sniper near the banks of the San Juan River, just east of Bluff, Utah.Bradford was sent to the river after a local social worker said someone fired at him while he was eating lunch.Mason's body, strapped with explosives, was found that same day in a dirt bunker on the south side of the river, dead from a gunshot wound to the head.
Bradford's shooting forced the evacuation of Bluff's roughly 300 residents. Police posted road blocks to the north and south, checking every vehicle in case McVean and Pilon tried to sneak away in someone's trunk.Police even tried to smoke out the fugitives, setting fire to tamarisk trees and sagebrush in the river bottoms, while helicopters carrying snipers scanned the area from above.The search waned after a few weeks, hampered by jurisdictional squabbles and the sheer difficulty of the task.Navajo police renewed the search around July 1, a month after Claxton's murder, when a young girl said she saw two men in camouflage trying to steal a truck in a nearby Utah town called Montezuma Creek.
By summer's end, however, McVean and Pilon remained at large and were slipping into the pages of folklore. Police conceded they might never be found but kept the case open and vowed to continue to follow any lead.In October 1999, 11 Navajo deer hunters discovered a 9mm handgun and a cache of survival gear next to a pile of human bones in Squaw Canyon about 25 miles northeast of the bunker where Mason was found.An autopsy determined it was Pilon, who had a broken ankle and died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.After that, leads trickled in but led nowhere, Lane said. Eight months ago, his officers went to Flagstaff, Ariz., to investigate a reported sighting of McVean.
"He was like an identical twin to (McVean) and I was sure we had him," the chief said.
A fingerprint check, however, proved the man wasn't McVean.
Lane said he's "99 and 9/10ths" sure that the bones found in Cross Canyon, also near Hovenweep, Tuesday will be McVean's.
DNA results should be ready in less than a week. The weapons and ammunition matched those used by Pilon and Mason.A business card inside the backpack was from a small Colorado company owned by Pilon, Lane said.
He said he visited Sue Claxton, who still lives in Cortez, Tuesday night."She's doing well," Lane said. "I think she's relieved, but we all would have liked to have a person to talk to so we'd get some answers."Lane recently hired their son, Corbin Claxton, 20, as a patrol officer."He got his mother's blessing," the chief said. "I'm glad to have him."___
AP newswoman Jennifer Dobner covered the desert manhunt in 1998-1999 for the Deseret Morning News.
Water Trucks and Water Tenders
Poway crash leads to lawsuit against U.S. government
Water Trucks and Water Tenders:
Water Trucks and Water Tenders:
Poway Water Tender crash leads to lawsuit against U.S. government
SAN DIEGO ---- A Scripps Ranch family has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government in connection with a Labor Day 2005 crash in which a U.S. Forest Service Water Tender on its way to a wildfire collided with a sport-utility vehicle in Poway, allegedly causing a wife and mother to suffer severe brain damage.
Filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court in San Diego, the lawsuit asks for an unspecified amount of money in damages for Katherine Jones, 47, her husband and her three children.
In letters denying legal claims the Jones family had to file before suing, a government attorney expressed "deepest condolences" to the family, but wrote that the government believes it is not liable for any damages resulting from the collision.
The lawsuit alleges that on Sept. 5, 2005, a U.S. Forest Service water truck was driving west on Scripps Poway Parkway when it went through a red light at Pomerado Road and crashed into the right side of the Jones family's Honda Pilot, where Katherine Jones was seated.
The lawsuit alleges that U.S. government employees were negligent for failing to stop at the red light, safely slow down as the Water Tender approached the intersection or "otherwise ensure the truck could proceed through the red light without endangering other drivers and their passengers."
The forest service truck was on its way to help fight a wildfire in Rancho Penasquitos that burned about 150 acres and prompted the evacuation of about 200 homes.
An attorney for the Jones children, who also were hurt in the crash, said the forest service still had an obligation to proceed cautiously at a red light.
Water Tender crash leads to lawsuit against U.S. government - North County Times / The Californian - Breaking News -
Poway crash leads to lawsuit against U.S. government
Poway Water Tender crash leads to lawsuit against U.S. government
SAN DIEGO ---- A Scripps Ranch family has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government in connection with a Labor Day 2005 crash in which a U.S. Forest Service Water Tender on its way to a wildfire collided with a sport-utility vehicle in Poway, allegedly causing a wife and mother to suffer severe brain damage.
Filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court in San Diego, the lawsuit asks for an unspecified amount of money in damages for Katherine Jones, 47, her husband and her three children.
In letters denying legal claims the Jones family had to file before suing, a government attorney expressed "deepest condolences" to the family, but wrote that the government believes it is not liable for any damages resulting from the collision.
The lawsuit alleges that on Sept. 5, 2005, a U.S. Forest Service water truck was driving west on Scripps Poway Parkway when it went through a red light at Pomerado Road and crashed into the right side of the Jones family's Honda Pilot, where Katherine Jones was seated.
The lawsuit alleges that U.S. government employees were negligent for failing to stop at the red light, safely slow down as the Water Tender approached the intersection or "otherwise ensure the truck could proceed through the red light without endangering other drivers and their passengers."
The forest service truck was on its way to help fight a wildfire in Rancho Penasquitos that burned about 150 acres and prompted the evacuation of about 200 homes.
An attorney for the Jones children, who also were hurt in the crash, said the forest service still had an obligation to proceed cautiously at a red light.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Water Tender rollover on wildland fire
http://www.wildlandfire.com/pics/equip10/wtr-tndr-rollover.jpg
| Bolli Incident,WaterTender Accident; 72-hour Briefing | |
| | |
| Sharon Heywood, Forest Supervisor, Shasta-Trinity | |
THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Preliminary factual findings: On May 25th, contract Water Tender (WT) E41 was assigned to dust abatement on Forest Road 35N18 on the Bolli incident on the Shasta-McCloud Management Unit of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. E41 was driving southerly along 35N18 towards Curl ridge. The vehicle’s left tires left the hardened surface of the roadway causing the vehicle to roll and slide down the embankment approximately 200 feet. Cab & chassis were separated from the water tank and came to rest right side up approximately 200 feet down the embankment. The driver was discovered outside the vehicle and about 50 feet above it. The driver had lacerations to the head and was bruised with possible fractures. Rescuers performed extraction procedures and a medical evacuation to Mercy Medical Hospital. The driver was treated and kept overnight for observation and released on May 26th.
Narrative: WT E41 is a type 2 water tender, 1974 Kenworth 900, license number SE505316, with 2500-3000 gallon capacity. At 1130 at the Water Tender Group briefing in the field, water tender E41 was assigned to continue watering 35N18, the main access route to the fire. WT E41 proceeded southerly from the bottom of Sheep Camp access road to begin dust abatement where the previous water tender had left off.
At 1208 a call from WT E59 indicated that a water tender had gone off the road and that the driver was found outside the vehicle trying to climb back up the hill. Tracks indicate that WT E41 was headed southerly up a relatively straight stretch of road 35N18 when the left wheels of vehicle went onto the soft shoulder and the vehicle could not return to the hardened travel way. Apparently, the vehicle rolled upside down and slid down hill until another obstacle flipped it back upright. It is unclear when the cab/chassis and the water tank became separated. The roof of the cab was ripped off, remaining attached only at one corner, and the top of the water tank was severely scraped. However, damage to the vehicle was not as severe as expected: the water tank was not ruptured; the truck tires were all intact except the left inside dual; the dash, steering column, and seat were intact; and the fuel tanks were intact. Debris from the descent was distributed in a fairly narrow corridor. There was no water left in the tank and no evidence of loss of a large quantity of water at the scene. The road bed at the scene was not wet when the responders arrived.
It is unclear when and how the driver got out of the vehicle. It is also not clear if the driver was wearing his seat belt at the beginning of the accident or removed it during the accident. When found by E59 contract water tender driver, E41’s driver was told to remain in place until medical assistance could arrive. Due to the driver’s injuries and the difficult nature of his location, CHP worked with Incident Command on a helicopter extraction. Bolli Incident staff prepared the driver for extraction; the CHP Helicopter extracted the driver and transferred him to the life flight helicopter (REACH) for transfer to Mercy Medical Hospital for evaluation and necessary medical care. The driver suffered lacerations, bruises and a fractured thumb.
At this time there is no evidence that any other vehicles were involved in the accident. Road 35N18 is a level 2 road in steep terrain. Road conditions at the accident site were unremarkable: road alignment grade in the direction of travel was 4-6% uphill; there is no outsloping evident on this stretch of road; and the hardened travel way is 11 feet wide. As you are facing the direction of travel, there is a sheer rock cut bank on the right side of the road and the embankment on the left drops off at about an 80% slope. Turnout opportunities were available about 100 feet before the site and another visible farther south up the road at the next spur ridge.
Records indicate that appropriate vehicle inspections had occurred prior to the incident. There is no information available about the speed of the vehicle.
Vehicle inspection will occur after recovery and a coordinated CHP and Law Enforcement investigation is still ongoing.
| Donna F. Harmon |
| District Ranger South Fork Management Unit |
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Breakfast to honor Bob Layton
File photo / The OutlookBob Layton, 71, has been everything from driver to chief at the Corbett fire station. He will be recognized as the honored guest at the annual firefighters breakfast at the Corbett fire hall, 36930 S.E. Historic Columbia River Highway.
The annual breakfast, which raises scholarships for local students who want to be firefighters or paramedics, will continue until 11:30 a.m.
The honored guest for the day will be longtime Corbett volunteer Bob Layton, who got his first taste of the job in 1952, when he was pulled from his high school classroom to help fight a brush fire. He joined District 14 in 1957, served as chief from 1976 to 1980, and has twice been recognized as Oregon’s volunteer of the year.
“He just keeps giving and giving to the department,” says former chief Dennis Bryson. “Today he still carries on at the same pace as he did in earlier years.”
Layton responded to 393 calls in 2005, despite some health problems that included heart surgery 25 years ago.
“Just a few years ago I observed him operating a water tender at a house fire while on crutches,” Bryson said.
Saturday’s annual breakfast will be an opportunity to congratulate Layton. The event also will include fire engines, door prizes, balloons, old cars and Sparky the Fire Dog. Cost is $4.50 for adults and $2.75 for children younger than 10.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Justin Vela
Justin Vela: "Some demonstrators tried to flee while others surged forward pulled apart the barricade.
The police pulled the barricade back and a water truck rolled forward, firing into the crowd.
Everyone fell back as tear gas and rubber bullets were fired.
The demonstrators threw rocks and beer bottles at the police.
The nozzle of the water truck was turned 75 degrees to blast a group of cameramen who where filming on top of a truck.
Tear gas and rubber bullets were fired on the stone throwing demonstrators for about fifteen minutes before things calmed down and demonstrators again gathered around the barricades."
The police pulled the barricade back and a water truck rolled forward, firing into the crowd.
Everyone fell back as tear gas and rubber bullets were fired.
The demonstrators threw rocks and beer bottles at the police.
The nozzle of the water truck was turned 75 degrees to blast a group of cameramen who where filming on top of a truck.
Tear gas and rubber bullets were fired on the stone throwing demonstrators for about fifteen minutes before things calmed down and demonstrators again gathered around the barricades."
Bombeiro Water tanker - Sao Paulo, Brazil - Fire Fighting Vehicles
Bombeiro Water tanker - Sao Paulo, Brazil - Fire Fighting Vehicle: " "Bombeiro Water tanker - Sao Paulo, Brazil"
Bombeiro Water tanker - Sao Paulo, Brazil
"Bombeiro Water tanker - Sao Paulo, Brazil"
Featured Waymark in Fire Fighting Vehicles
Bombeiro Water tanker - Sao Paulo, BrazilPosted by: 
saopaulo1
saopaulo1S 23° 32.316 W 046° 38.184
23K E 332955 N 7395901
Quick Description: Water truck of Sao Paulo's fire department. Parked outside a fire station.
Location: Brazil
Date Posted: 5/28/2007 11:52:37 AM
Monday, May 28, 2007
Wind fans wildfire 7 miles N.E. of Sisters
.: Albany Democrat-Herald: Local News: "Wind fans wildfire 7 miles N.E. of Sisters
SISTERS n High winds have challenged firefighters battling a wildfire burning approximately 7 miles northeast of Sisters. The fire was reported at 2:05 p.m. on Sunday, and was being pushed east of Stevens Canyon toward Fremont Canyon by up to 20 mile per hour winds.
The fire is burning primarily in grass and brush, and is believed to be between 50 and 100 acres. The fire initially threatened structures, but shifted and began moving northeast away from homes. No evacuations had been ordered as of 7 p.m. Sunday.
Firefighters were expected to get a break Sunday evening, with winds decreasing to 5 to 10 mph by midnight. Temperatures were also expected to drop into the upper 20s and lower 30s.
The fire is believed to be human caused, but is still under investigation.
The fire was being staffed by 7 engines, 2 smokejumpers, 1 dozer and a water tender. Resources are being provided by Oregon Department of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service."
SISTERS n High winds have challenged firefighters battling a wildfire burning approximately 7 miles northeast of Sisters. The fire was reported at 2:05 p.m. on Sunday, and was being pushed east of Stevens Canyon toward Fremont Canyon by up to 20 mile per hour winds.
The fire is burning primarily in grass and brush, and is believed to be between 50 and 100 acres. The fire initially threatened structures, but shifted and began moving northeast away from homes. No evacuations had been ordered as of 7 p.m. Sunday.
Firefighters were expected to get a break Sunday evening, with winds decreasing to 5 to 10 mph by midnight. Temperatures were also expected to drop into the upper 20s and lower 30s.
The fire is believed to be human caused, but is still under investigation.
The fire was being staffed by 7 engines, 2 smokejumpers, 1 dozer and a water tender. Resources are being provided by Oregon Department of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service."
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Water truck tumbles down embankment
North State Briefs: May 26, 2007 :
"LAKE SHASTA -- The driver of a water tender assigned to help fight the Bolli Fire went down an approximately 200-foot embankment Friday, and reportedly suffered minor injuries, said a spokesman for the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
The water tender did not roll into Lake Shasta as had been feared, he said.
Forest Service spokesman Mike Odle said the contracted driver, who worked for Alan's Water of Cottonwood, went off a Forest Service road north of Whitegate and rolled about 200 feet before stopping. The driver was going to be taken to a Redding hospital for observation."
"LAKE SHASTA -- The driver of a water tender assigned to help fight the Bolli Fire went down an approximately 200-foot embankment Friday, and reportedly suffered minor injuries, said a spokesman for the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
The water tender did not roll into Lake Shasta as had been feared, he said.
Forest Service spokesman Mike Odle said the contracted driver, who worked for Alan's Water of Cottonwood, went off a Forest Service road north of Whitegate and rolled about 200 feet before stopping. The driver was going to be taken to a Redding hospital for observation."
Friday, May 25, 2007
Maine Firefighter Killed in Tanker Rollover - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty
Maine Firefighter Killed in Tanker Rollover - Firehouse.com In The Line Of Duty: "
"
SPRINGFIELD, Maine-- A volunteer firefighter answering a call for assistance at a Prentiss sawmill was killed instantly when the firetruck he was driving overturned on Route 169 at about noon Monday.
Firefighter Peter Beebe-Lawson, 50, of Springfield was coming out of a fairly sharp curve on his way to the fire when he apparently lost control of the 3,500-gallon Freightliner tanker truck at about 11:45 a.m., Trooper Jarod Stedman said.
The tanker went off the right side of the road before veering into pine trees on the road's left side. The tanker absorbed heavy front-end and roof damage and landed on its passenger side.
The truck's sole occupant, Beebe-Lawson was pronounced dead at the scene, Stedman said. The body was taken to Clay's Funeral Home in Lincoln.
A tiny town centered between Lincoln and Topsfield along Route 169 on the eastern edge of Penobscot County, Springfield was hit hard by the loss of Beebe-Lawson, a devout Roman Catholic with several foster children who friends said was planning to open a private school with his wife, Selby.
"It's a horrible loss for our community. Our hearts go out to his family," Selectwoman Lorna Thompson said Monday as she gathered Fire Department insurance information and other data that might help Beebe-Lawson's family.
"We really don't know what happened, and until we do, there's really not much I think we're going to be willing to say," Thompson added. "Everybody knows everybody in a small town like this."
She refused further comment.
"I haven't known him for a long time," Tax Collector Kay Thompson said, "but you could tell he cared about people. He tried to help a lot of people ... he'd try to take care of them, talk with them if they wanted help."
The fire destroyed the sawmill, Cole's Shingle Mill located on Mud Pond Road, said Stephen McCausland, Maine State Police spokesman. An overheated gasoline engine that powered a saw caused the fire at the one-story business, which made cedar shingles. Springfield and Kingman volunteer firefighters fought the blaze.
Beebe-Lawson's death drew condolences from Gov. John Baldacci, who was "deeply saddened by this terrible accident."
"Peter Beebe-Lawson gave his life in the line of duty," Baldacci said in a press release. "Firefighters risk their lives every day protecting the rest of us. They deserve our deepest gratitude and respect."
Firefighters, including Springfield Fire Chief John Krapf, visited the fire scene several times during the day as Troopers Stedman, Trevor Snow, Angela Porter and Marc Poulin worked to reconstruct how the accident occurred.
Krapf and his brother Steve, who is also a Springfield fire volunteer, described Beebe-Lawson as an ardent community participant, eager to help others, despite moving to Springfield only about three years ago.
"He was a very outgoing, friendly person," said Steve Krapf, who met the Beebe-Lawsons at St. James Church, which they attended regularly. "He would talk to anybody. He was always really interested in other people."
Beebe-Lawson was a fully qualified truck driver and the truck regularly passed monthly inspections, John Krapf said. The reconditioned Irving tanker truck, which Krapf described as a 1989 model but state police pegged as a 1973, had no mechanical problems.
"We just had it repainted and we were going to have it re-lettered," Krapf said of the truck.
Beebe-Lawson's was the first accident involving a firetruck, John Krapf said, on that stretch of Route 169, which is sharply crested in the center, has worn but intact blacktop and little emergency lane space on either side.
"We've had logging trucks roll over around here, but that's usually a bit further along the road [toward Prentiss]," Krapf said.
Krapf promised that Springfield firefighters would hold a memorial, perhaps a fundraising supper, in honor of their fallen comrade and to aid his family.
Republished with permission of the Bangor Daily News.
"
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System
Whiner of the year award goes to...Here's your sign award...National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System:
Synopsis
Inexperienced driver nearly knocks over crew when he opens tank dump.
Event Description
During monthly apparatus checks, an inexperienced driver was in the cab of a 3000 gallon water tender. He inadvertently pulled the actuator knob for the rear tank dump. The outflow of water narrowly missed other firefighters working the area, narrowly avoiding injury.
Lessons Learned
Standard procedure during training should be that non-familiar operators are only allowed in the cab when accompanied by a trained operator. The actuator knob should be clearly marked and perhaps painted a bright warning color or covered with a manual locking mechanism.
Demographics
Department type: Combination, Mostly volunteer
Job or rank: Captain
Department shift: Straight days (8 hour)
Age: 52 - 60
Years of fire service experience: 11 - 13
Region: FEMA Region X
Event date and time: 05/15/2006 19:30
Hours into the shift: 0 - 4
Event participation: Told of event, but neither involved nor witnessed event
Weather at time of event:
Do you think this will happen again? No
What were the contributing factors?
- Task Allocation
- Training Issue
- SOP / SOG
- Human Error
What do you believe is the loss potential?
- Property damage
- Minor injury
My Dream Truck - Model M923A1 water truck, water tender
Model M923A1 water truck, water tender
Editors note:
United Truck & Equipment:
http://www.watertrucks.com/truck_details.asp?id=4
"1986 AM General M923A1 4000 Gallon Hyd Sys 5-Valve
Unit Number TRAMGN
Year 1986
Make AM General
Model M923A1
Sale Price $52900; 1986 AM General (Three Units for Production); UnitedBuilt 4000 Gallon 5-Valve Hydraulic System w/Self-loading; Cummins Diesel Engine 250hp; Allison MT654 Automatic Transmission; 18000# Front Axle; 38000# Rear Axle"
Editors note:Anyone want to make the editor real happy?
Any investors out there?
I would love to set this one up for Wildland fire fighting! From the limited info this seems like a great base truck to build out for fire fighting support... I drive you buy!
M923A1 water truck
United Truck & Equipment:
http://www.watertrucks.com/truck_details.asp?id=4
"1986 AM General M923A1 4000 Gallon Hyd Sys 5-Valve
Unit Number TRAMGN
Year 1986
Make AM General
Model M923A1
Sale Price $52900; 1986 AM General (Three Units for Production); UnitedBuilt 4000 Gallon 5-Valve Hydraulic System w/Self-loading; Cummins Diesel Engine 250hp; Allison MT654 Automatic Transmission; 18000# Front Axle; 38000# Rear Axle"
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Salt-water truck overturns leaving driver and sole occupant dead
The Shreveport Times:
"Louisiana state police are looking into what caused a salt-water truck to overturn in Claiborne Parish today, leaving its driver and sole occupant dead.
Charles L. McVay’s 2003 Mack salt water truck was headed north on the Pattontown Road a little more than 5 miles south of state Highway 2 when it topped a hill, a report from Troop G says.
The truck ran off the right side of the road at around 12:45 p.m., toppling onto its side after skidding about 250 feet, the report said.
McVay, 58 and from Homer, was dead at the scene, the report said, adding he was wearing his seat belt and shoulder harness, and alcohol use is not believed to have been involved."
"Louisiana state police are looking into what caused a salt-water truck to overturn in Claiborne Parish today, leaving its driver and sole occupant dead.
Charles L. McVay’s 2003 Mack salt water truck was headed north on the Pattontown Road a little more than 5 miles south of state Highway 2 when it topped a hill, a report from Troop G says.
The truck ran off the right side of the road at around 12:45 p.m., toppling onto its side after skidding about 250 feet, the report said.
McVay, 58 and from Homer, was dead at the scene, the report said, adding he was wearing his seat belt and shoulder harness, and alcohol use is not believed to have been involved."
Thursday, May 17, 2007
This company obviously has pride in its equipment
Editors note: Alotta H2O water truck service obviously has pride in its equipment, Found the website for this Southern California company and just love the pride shown in operations an equipment. Check it out here
| Alotta H2O water truck service has been servicing Southern California for the past 16 years. Our fleet of trucks are well maintained, street licensed, fully equipped and insured and run 24/7 or as needed. We have done 100’s of movies and/or commercial productions. |  |
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Propeller may have injured pair of wayward whales - CNN.com
Propeller may have injured pair of wayward whales
POSTED: 8:31 a.m. EDT, May 17, 2007
Story Highlights
• NEW: Injuries on whales near Sacramento, California, typical of propeller wounds• Humpback mother, calf made 90-mile river journey from San Francisco
• Whales probably won't need treatment if they can be returned to seawater
• Biologists to play whale sounds to lure pair toward San Francisco Bay
WEST SACRAMENTO, California (AP) -- Two humpback whales that made a 90-mile river journey from San Francisco to the outskirts of Sacramento have injuries that appear to have come from a propeller, marine experts said Wednesday.
The condition of the whales, believed to be a mother and her calf, was diagnosed by researchers from the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California, using photos taken Wednesday in the Port of Sacramento and enlarged on computer screens.
"The injury on the female is about 2 feet long, 6 inches deep, and has sharp edges typical of a propeller wound. We don't think it's life-threatening," said Frances Gulland, director of veterinary science at the center, the group that has taken the lead on the attempted rescue of the whales. "The calf has a wound that looks a little bit more severe than the female."
The calf's wound was difficult to assess because it is on the animal's underside, below the water line, Gulland said.
Although the injuries appear to be growing, the whales will probably not need treatment if they can be returned to their natural seawater habitat, researchers said. The salty ocean water is cleaner than the fresh water in the port, helping to heal such cuts in the mammals.
Biologists planned to play the familiar sounds of humpback whales underwater Thursday to lure the whales out of the basin and toward San Francisco Bay, Gulland said. They will play the sounds from a boat as the tide goes out.
Shipping and small boat traffic were halted in the canal, which is 30 feet deep and 200 feet wide. One freighter remained docked at the port, known primarily as an export terminal for California rice.
The next ship was not expected to dock until May 23, giving authorities time to try to escort the whales back to the Pacific, said Teresa Bledsoe, administrative clerk at the Port of Sacramento.
Biologists had feared the larger whale was entangled in fishing gear, but what appeared to be an object wrapped around it is actually blubber, Gulland said.
The wounds, which were likely suffered as the whales made their way up the Sacramento River, appear to go only as deep as their blubber, rather than their muscle.
Mount Shasta Herald, Weed Press, Dunsmuir News - Mt. Shasta News - News
Mount Shasta Herald, Weed Press, Dunsmuir News - Mt. Shasta News - News:
By Gene Eagle
Over 2,000 feet of hoses lay at the ready around the outside perimeter.
Young reported no problems, saying the humidity was hi"
Prescribed burn goes as planned in McCloud
By Gene Eagle
 |
Photo of the recent prescribed burn at the former landfill site in McCloud by Gene Eagle |
Five large piles of wood at the former landfill site in McCloud were consumed by fire during a scheduled prescribed burn Friday evening.
The burn was conducted by the McCloud Fire Department, in conjunction Mount Shasta Fire Protection District and McCloud CDF.
Twenty firefighters were involved, and a water tender from John Ingram Trucking was used.
McCloud Fire Chief Craig Young said the wood that was burned could be moved to the Mount Shasta transfer center.
“We had five large piles that were about 50 by 50 feet each, with 150 feet clearance around them,” Young said.
The water tender skirted the outer perimeter of the burn area throughout the evening, spraying water onto the wildland area to keep trees, brush and other vegetation wet.
“We also had three firefighters in the brush keeping a lookout for any spot fires that might occur,” said Young.
Over 2,000 feet of hoses lay at the ready around the outside perimeter.
Young reported no problems, saying the humidity was high and the wind never got over two miles per hour.
He said Auto Aid engines from CDF and Mount Shasta Fire Protection District were released at about 11 p.m., leaving three firefighters on watch throughout the night with the portable 4,000 gallon pond, floating pump and hoses in place in case the wind picked up.
“I want to thank McCloud CDF, Mount Shasta Fire District firefighters, Chief Chris Baker, John Ingram and McCloud Community Service District employees for their help getting this burn done safely,” said Chief Young. “It was good training for everyone involved.”
Young encourages anyone interested in joining the McCloud Volunteer Fire Department to call
964-2422.
Over 2,000 feet of hoses lay at the ready around the outside perimeter.
Young reported no problems, saying the humidity was hi"
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Beautiful Kenworth / Pierce elliptical tank water tender
Tankers - Elliptical Tanker:
Elliptical Tanker
With its low center of gravity, a Pierce elliptical tanker will give you smoother, easier handling as well as increased vehicle stability. The design is a proven performer, having survived our grueling 'twist test' in which opposite front and rear wheels are raised 9' to identify and eliminate potential stress points.
Highlights/Features
* Stainless steel tank with exclusive Pierce full head baffling system and brushed finish. 20-year warranty.
* Corrosion-free, lightweight, lifetime-warranty polypropylene tank with polished wrap and insulation
* Multiple body designs and rear axle locations for optimum weight distribution.
* Several tank bulkhead sizes available/used to optimize the tank configuration for the lowest center of gravity, overall height, and best weight distribution.
* Maximum storage space.
Typical Specifications Models
* Mini-pumper, compliant with NFPA 1901.
* Mini-pumper featuring a rear-mounted portable pump, compliant with NFPA 1906.
* Mini-pumper with cross-mount pump, compliant with NFPA 1906.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
The View From North Central Idaho - Boomershoot 2007 cleanup
The View From North Central Idaho - Boomershoot 2007 cleanup:
In some ways the camera motion in this picture adds to the realism of the event:
There were 50 to 75 people shooting at 150 or so high explosive targets from 25 yards away. The rapid detonations at such close range gave my chest a real pounding.
It was all over within a minute or two. But then there was the fire...
Notice the burning flare just right of center in the picture above? That was one of four used to ignite the gasoline from the fireball targets.
The fire required two fire extinguishers and several gallons of water to extinguish. Even though there was no smoke or detectable hot spots two hours later I wasn't satisfied and persuaded my brother Doug to bring out the water truck and we put another 100 to 200 gallons of water on the stump and ashes. We turned the area into a muddy, ugly, soup.
Boomershoot 2007 cleanup--It was work for me but it was fun for others.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Mendel to equip Cambodians with second firetruck (Water Tender)
Douglas Mendel Cambodian Relief Fund
Doug Mendel will be selling Cambodian crafts at the Almost 2 Mile High Flea Market in Silverthorne on June 20. For more information, visit www.dougmendel.com.
***
SUMMIT COUNTY — Doug Mendel hopes to provide Cambodians with a second fire truck in the next several months, but this time he'll skip the time-consuming task of shipping a multi-thousand-pound piece of equipment halfway across the world.
Mendel, a longtime local who recently relocated to Moab, Utah, is in the process of having a water tender built in Phnom Penh, Cambodia through his Douglas Mendel Cambodian Relief Fund.
Last year, he shipped a 30-year-old fire engine donated by Breckenridge's Red, White and Blue Fire District to the Sihanoukville Fire Department in Southern Cambodia. It has since responded to two fires in the port city.
Mendel's latest undertaking included wiring $11,000 to a close friend in Phnom Penh, who is working with the captain of the Phnom Penh Fire Station to have the new truck built.
They will purchase a used two-and-a-half ton Korean truck, then contract out to have it outfitted with a 2,000 liter water tank, a pump, hose, lights and sirens, and a fresh coat of red paint.
When the job is done around June, three firefighters from the rural northeastern province of Ratanakiri will take a 12-hour, 360-mile bus ride to the capital city of Phnom Penh to pick up their gift.
The shiny new truck will replace the eight-person department's aging engine.
"They have one Chinese fire truck that's maybe 25 years old that is 50 percent operational," Mendel said.
Mendel also hopes his nonprofit will raise enough money this year to build a concrete fire station so the crew, based in the province capital Ban Lung, has a place to work and sleep, similar to U.S. fire departments.
He envisions a small facility with four offices that double as shift quarters specifically for the fire department's use.
"They kind of share space with police and so when there is a fire the firefighters have to go from their home to the fire station and then to the scene, like we did 10 years ago. This will help cut down response time greatly," Mendel said.
He estimates he'll need anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000 for that project.
Mendel singled out the Ratanakiri province, which borders Vietnam and Laos and has no paved roads or stop signs, for his latest round of aid because its rural location makes it less likely for the government to provide any financial assistance.
Since Mendel formed his nonprofit organization three years ago, he's collected more than $100,000 between donations, fundraisers and proceeds from his Cambodian craft sales. Of that, about 80 percent has gone back to the Cambodian people. Beyond donating the fire trucks, Mendel has provided numerous fire stations with fire-resistant jackets and pants donated by local fire departments. He regularly delivers stuffed animals, toothbrushes and toothpaste to Cambodian street children and has given one underfunded national park nearly $10,000 worth of electronic equipment, such as GPS units, compasses and digital cameras.
Road runner water cannon - free ad
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Our RoadRunner Model 5000 water cannon (monitor) is America's best value, with more features than all of our competitors combined. Anywhere there is a need for a water truck, there is a need for a RoadRunner Water Cannon.
Our water cannons are used in many applications including; excavation, construction, landfills, logging, quarries, mining, agriculture; fire, erosion, and dust control. Our products are used by companies both big and small.
From city, county, and state municipalities to large industrial companies worldwide while remaining commited to the owner operator that has helped RoadRunner Sales Co. become a leader in the industry. Listening to the needs of every customer is the foundation of our success.
Remote controlled water cannon mounted on a Water Truck
Roadrunner water cannon in action. San Francisco Bay area
Newly installed remote controlled water cannon being tested. For those hard to reach places
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