HYD #6: PFAS-Free Turnouts & Arsonist Firefighters

Hey Crew!

Happy Memorial Day 🇺🇸 to all, and a special thanks to all of you who have served! This week, I’m adjusting the format. The email will be mostly text. All the images and videos will be available on the website. Just click the links to get all the sources and visuals.

In This Week’s Issue: 

• ⛺️ FFs Demand Updated Wildland Shelters!

• 🚒 Feel Good 🥰: FFs save dog in doghouse.

• 🧯 Arsonists in the Firehouse? 100+ FFs Arrested!

• 🔫 PFAS-FREE Turnout Gear That WON’T Kill You?

• 🙈 Caught On Tape: Car Fire w/o any turnouts.

• 🙏 Fallen SC Firefighter’s Inspiring Message.

CHILD TRAPPED IN VAULT RESCUED BY FDNY (🔐): Firefighters rescued a teen from a Brooklyn vault after he was fooling around with his friends and got locked inside. As a kid, this is kind of irresistible, right? 😀. FFs attempted breaching the door, but found more success going through a wall. (Side note: We did this too. Through the side/bottom is a lot less work). [VIDEO]

SACRAMENTO FIREFIGHTERS RESCUE DOG (🐶): FFs saved a dog trapped in its own dog house. A tree fell between houses and directly onto a dog house. Crews were able to successfully retrieve the dog and reunite it with its family. [VIDEO]

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (🇦🇺): Massive Midday Warehouse Fire & Collapse. Three 13-year-old boys turned themselves into the police after the incident. They're now helping the police with their investigation. The fire caused transport disruptions and nearby residents had to be evacuated. Luckily, no one was hurt. The investigation is still ongoing. [CRAZY VIDEO]

QUICK WATER:

ARSONISTS IN THE FIREHOUSE: The Firefighter Arsonist Problem: Over 100 firefighter arson arrests are made per year, with these cases representing a diverse range of motivations and backgrounds. This is only those caught and arrested! This includes firefighters from volunteer, career, paid-per-call, wildland, junior, new recruit, chief positions, as well as those considered troublemakers or model firefighters. This fascinating, yet disturbing report outlines a long history of fire bugs, torches, and fire-setters in the fire service. [Report]

‘GIMME SHELTER’ FFs Demand Protection That Works! 10 years after the worst FF loss in US wildfire history, firefighters are still issued the same 2002 shelter. Firefighters across the US are calling for improved fire shelters as they face increasingly severe wildfires, a reality exacerbated by climate change. [Article]

While the current shelters, designed in 2002, begin to fail at 500 degrees Fahrenheit, an alternative design by Jim Roth of Storm King Mountain Technologies can reportedly withstand up to 1,800 degrees.

TURNOUTS THAT WON’T KILL US? (🔫) Last week, a definitive report from NIST broke down the biggest problem with PFAS and opportunities for fixing the problems they cause. Within days, the Naperville, IL Fire Dept. announced they had set aside $500K for new PFAS-Free PPE. WOW, that was fast!

The article didn’t say if they had an actual manufacturer that made such gear. I reached out to the writer and she got back to me with the exact gear they’re referencing: Innotex Gray.

If their marketing is true, we may have a real option for PPE that truly protects us. Only remaining question: How long before your department gets it? 

FFs CAUGHT WITH THEIR PANTS DOWN/OFF (🙈): While many of us are concerned with the cancer causing turnouts we’re forced to wear, these two are internet famous this week for attacking a car fire without turnouts.

Part of me is not surprised at all. Over the years, I’ve done worse, but it’s 2023, I care more about my health than I did. But honestly, I’m kind of nostalgic for the time these guys THINK they’re living in. [VIDEO]

FIREFIGHTER DIES IN COLLAPSE, BUT LEAVES LEGACY: 7 firefighters were injured in a collapse on Friday. One firefighter, James Muller, 25, a firefighter with the Irmo Fire District (IFD) was pronounced dead from his injuries in the fire. [INSPIRATIONAL VIDEO]

Captain Stanley of Emergency: Everyone’s first Captain, Michael Norell, who played Capt. Hank Stanley on the show “Emergency” has died at 85. The average reader of this newsletter will fondly remember the quiet and occasionally salty guy who led the way each week.

Editor’s Note: I retire this week after a 27 year career in Chicago. This newsletter is a way for me to stay connected and current. I truly appreciate your support. Thanks for opening it up each week and making it to the bottom of the email :)

YETI Firefighter Cooler Raffle Update: We got great feedback, so we’re going to do the raffle! I’ll be putting it together this week and will update you on the process next week.