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See the original image at washingtonpost.com —

Firefighter Suspended for Skipping Training to Put Out Fire

washingtonpost.com — A D.C. firefighter faces disciplinary action for disobeying a superior's order by deciding to fight a fire in Northwest Washington last month, his attorney said yesterday.

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  • yowhat2002, on 12/24/2007, -2/+200Suspended for doing his job, and putting peoples lives first. How can a man who has risked his life for 21 years be treated with such disrespect?
    • AshamedAmerican, on 12/24/2007, -1/+44No good deed goes unpunished, I suppose.
    • floridiot2, on 12/24/2007, -7/+20This is America. If the guy ***** up on the job without his training, he could be sued, the whole department sued, and then the city sued.
      • NathanielJ, on 12/24/2007, -0/+12He'd been a firefighter for 21 years, why all the sudden would he screw up now? The training argument has no merit unless the firefighter is new to the force.
        • Chompy, on 12/24/2007, -2/+13Whoah there partner, you're using common sense. That has no place in a courtroom. As with so many other failures in society, you can blame the lawyers for situations like this.
      • nastajus, on 12/24/2007, -0/+5I hate this suing thing. Who invented it?
    • sjbdallas, on 12/24/2007, -5/+8In the city's defense:
      There were no lives at stake since the house was unoccupied.
      If his truck was heading to a training thing, we can't be sure he was even equipped to fight a fire.
      If this department was unionized (which it probably is) then there's an issue with how many guys should be on a truck before it shows up to a fire.
      • dickybrown, on 12/24/2007, -0/+6I don't disagree with you - and I'm sure there are 900 other things this guy has done to piss people off over the years

        I will say that the "how many guys on a truck" thing is crap. They're almost always understaffed and could certainly use an extra couple hands.
        • jcounterman, on 12/24/2007, -2/+4Its about safety; you need X number of people in order to be safe at a fire, and you're not supposed to go it alone.
          • nastajus, on 12/24/2007, -0/+2Does not mean it's impossible. Rules vs. lives... It's interesting argument to say the least, but I'm sorely tempted to go with popular opinion here. Give humans some credit, we can fight fires while minimizing danger to ourselves.
      • IphtashuFitz, on 12/24/2007, -0/+8How could the fire fighters or the dispatchers, or even the people who called in the fire know for certain that the house was unoccupied? If it was abandoned then there's always the possibility that homeless people, drug users, etc. were inside. They can't use "nobody home" as a defense because they couldn't be 100% sure nobody was there until the fire was extinguished and the house searched.
        If it's an active fire truck then it should be equipped. Even if it's not fully equipped that doesn't preclude him from showing up and helping the crews that do arrive with their equipment.
        Even if the truck crew is unionized that wouldn't stop a firefighter in this situation. As TFA states, "there's no evidence he did anything other than comply with the mandate to put the lives of the people of the District of Columbia first." No union would EVER prevent a firefighter from fulfilling that mandate.
      • TheOtherOne135, on 02/23/2008, -1/+2This house being unoccupied doesn't mean it's safe to allow it to burn unhindered. If it is fully engulfed in flames, are the homes on either side close enough to catch fire? Also, how much more dangerous will it be to fight it once it's fully engulfed?
    • ufia, on 12/24/2007, -17/+1Look ma, I'm putting out a fire without training! Wooooo!!!! :-O Wooooohooooo!!!!

      Mixing water and fire through electrical wries, household chemicals, or possibly natural gas pipes, is all fun and game until someone get hurt.

      Oh, silly me, this is Digg. His superior was a fascist dictator, of course. Every noobs should just skip training and improvise themselves a firefighter after a quick google search.
      • NathanielJ, on 12/24/2007, -1/+12Yeah, disregard the fact that he's been a firefighter for 21 years. Not like that matters, he's just a "noob" randomly throwing water at fire and wires, right?

        Oh silly me, this is Digg. People don't actually read articles before flaming.
      • ThrobbingBrain, on 12/24/2007, -1/+8RTFA - He is a 21 year veteran of the department.
      • bonerjams2k3, on 12/24/2007, -2/+3what a stupid ***** *****-rag
    • mal1964, on 12/24/2007, -1/+2I think the people waving him down two blocks away might not be the Truth 1, they're two blocks away 2, I would think if i saw a firetruck two blocks away id think he was already going there. 3, if the people saw the fire and are now two blocks away did they call, and if so they would know he knew, The only reason I'm questioning it is there must be more to the story,firefighters are like bothers so something missing.
      • TheOtherOne135, on 02/23/2008, -0/+2But if I'd called the fire department, and then I see a truck passing by - no hurry, no siren, no lights, stopped at a red light or some such - I might go flag him down too, if only to make sure dispatch hadn't dropped the ball.
        • mal1964, on 12/25/2007, -1/+1OK, If i would of called them Id be still at the house, who leaves a burning house after you called the FD.
    • laughmore, on 12/24/2007, -1/+1Bizarre Live Interview with 911 Police Chief and Dir. of WTC
      Who's Alan Reiss = Director of WTC, had to digg out of 5 & 6
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhCiAHTp4a4
      What's more he barely survived the 1993 attack, when he was supervising engineer for operations. Man this guy has terrible luck. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940 ...
      What's more the Port Authority police, William R. Hall, chief promoted to the to Federal Security Director in 2002.
      https://www.panynj.gov/AboutthePortAuthority/Press ...
  • Rabbittt, on 12/24/2007, -5/+67First they delay him in his duties as a firefighter, then they punish him for not being a robot.. Their priorities are quite transparent..
  • silentphoenix, on 12/24/2007, -5/+28how could you get suspended for doing some good.......retarded
    • Abominous, on 12/24/2007, -8/+2It's not that he was doing something "good," he was doing what he's been trained to do.

    • centran, on 12/24/2007, -1/+4Because he disobeyed a direct order from a superior.
      Yes he did good. He did the "right" thing. However, he disobeyed an order. It is how the system works. It is *****.
      Unfortunately, this will be on his record now. Hopefully they write the whole story and one day when he is up for a promotion a new superior will be noble enough to admire his "black mark"
  • joker1972, on 12/24/2007, -9/+14Whats more important putting out a house fire or training.
    • noahhoward, on 12/24/2007, -1/+5If the training can help you put out the fire more effectively without risking your life and the lives of those around you? I don't agree with his suspension but without knowing what exactly the training was or why he was required to take it, I can't say I agree with him skipping it either. This could have just as easily been headlined "Fireman dies in blaze, lack of training cited, supervisor blamed."
      • itisfritz, on 12/24/2007, -2/+3You are an idiot. Hes been putting fires out for 21 years. He knows about as much as anyone about putting out fires. They are required to undergo annual training. Don't get into what ifs either. That can go either way because the headline could have just as easily said "Man dies in blaze, lack of fireman cited, supervisor blamed.". Either way the supervisor is to blame.
        • NoOneButMe, on 12/24/2007, -0/+2What about "Local hero dies in blaze" which is a very real possibility given he went to the fire with one other person and didn't have any backup available if something went wrong - floor collapsing under him, ceiling collapsing on him, something blocked the doorways, etc.
          • itisfritz, on 12/24/2007, -0/+1Because hes not an idiot. No one was in the building. Only an idiot would go into a burning building without other people in the truck with them. Hes been fighting fires 21 years and yes it would have been a different story if something bad had happened; but it didn't.
      • FutureEng, on 12/24/2007, -0/+1If he refused to go later, then, yeah there might be a problem. But he could take the training later, solve the crisis (put out the fire) now.
    • TheSpook, on 12/24/2007, -0/+6Punctuation
  • GuacamoleSan, on 12/24/2007, -8/+43I hope the superior gets mauled by a gorilla
    • joeydoo, on 12/24/2007, -2/+36Yeah!.... A Gorilla engulfed in flames... bet his training won't cover that.
      • Synapse84, on 12/24/2007, -4/+13A Gorilla engulfed in flames holding a Shark with Lasers!
        • greenbeanz69, on 12/24/2007, -9/+2A Gorilla engulfed in flames holding a Shark with Lasers and a Turtle on a motorcycle
        • MuletTheGreat, on 12/24/2007, -4/+8A Gorrila engulfed in flames holding a shark with lasers crawling in radioactive ninja squirels with mini Katanas!
          • wellyuk, on 12/24/2007, -4/+0A gorilla engulfed in flames holding a shark with lasers crawling in radioactive ninja squirrels with mini katanas, holding dictionaries for MuletTheGreat.
          • PowerMax, on 12/24/2007, -2/+1A gorilla engulfed in flames holding a shark with lasers crawling in radioactive ninja squirrels with mini katanas, holding dictionaries for MuletTheGreat and a can of tunafish.
          • ApokalypseNow, on 12/24/2007, -1/+10And a partridge in a pear tree!
          • demonsnake69, on 12/24/2007, -1/+4Fa-la-la-la-la,
            La-la-la-la
          • shaun1018, on 12/24/2007, -1/+1A gorilla .... who am I kidding? I've got nothing.
  • whatthefu, on 12/24/2007, -26/+11There's no god damn need to cause an uproar over this, especially if you're just going by the headline. He was suspended for two days without pay for disobeying orders. Yes, he did good, but he didn't follow orders and that is the policy. Obviously the department should be more sensitive to cases like this, but yeah. It's not a huge deal.
    • Sroek, on 12/24/2007, -2/+2Just because something is a "policy" doesn't make it right. The end justifies the means.
      • parax, on 12/24/2007, -1/+1You must not understand the phrase "The end justifies the means". It's meaning is plain, the consequences of an action determine whether or not the action was right or wrong, so you don't examine the action, you examine the consequence. In this case, the consequence was that he got suspended, so by a consequential viewpoint, his action MUST therefore be wrong.
        • Sroek, on 12/24/2007, -0/+1You misunderstood how the phrase applies here.

          From the his superior's vantage, his means was disobeying an order. However, the end, which was performing his duty as a firefighter and serving the people, justified his means.
          • parax, on 12/24/2007, -0/+1Performing his duty wasn't "the end", it's the means, the action that he performed that lead to the end. His suspension is the end of the scenario.

            I'm not saying what he did was wrong, I think he did the morally correct thing. It's just not a case of the end justifying the means. If you smash someone's door down to give them CPR and save their life, then the end justifies the means. If, however, you got sued, then the end does not justify the means. The correctness of the action is not justified by the ending to the story.
    • noahhoward, on 12/24/2007, -3/+4It doesn't matter to Digg that he disobeyed orders, I mean what could possibly go wrong when you disobey orders, disobeying orders is cool.
      • Travelsonic, on 12/24/2007, -2/+2Obviously misinterpretation and sucky reading comprehension is even more popular.
    • itisfritz, on 12/24/2007, -0/+0Its not as much of an uproar as it is a bunch of people who just got done beating it and then found somthing easy to complain about. Yes policy is policy; but fires don't have policies, and because of this if there is another agenda for a firefighter other then putting fires out then it automatically should be second to putting fires out. Hes been putting firs out for 21 years, most all training can wait.
  • AeroZepp, on 12/24/2007, -3/+54Wouldn't this count as "hands on" training?
  • ryanward, on 12/24/2007, -4/+17While he disobeyed policy, he was putting out a fire. Seems a minor reprimand would have been sufficient.
    • Unsanity, on 12/24/2007, -5/+14The guy got a minor reprimand, two days without pay is really not a huge punishment, especially for disobeying a direct order.
      • myllamaboots, on 12/24/2007, -2/+5Its the point. He was doing his job and saving lives and they try to punish him??? I don't care if it was only an hour - thats still insane. Why should he be punished for saving lives and doing his job?
        • noahhoward, on 12/24/2007, -5/+5Because without the proper training he is putting everyone at risk and liability. You know what would have happened if someone was hurt fighting that fire and they found out this guy had skipped training?
          • myllamaboots, on 12/24/2007, -0/+3Hes been doing it for 21 years. I would think he would know how to do his job properly. He took the right steps by calling his supervisor and getting the okay to be on the scene and respond. I don't see what he did wrong here.
        • itisfritz, on 12/24/2007, -0/+4Hes been fighting fires for 21 years.
          What would of happened if somone had died and the reason for it was because no one came to put out the fire because they where at training. What ifs are just speculation. No one was hurt and he did his job
          • nastajus, on 12/24/2007, -1/+4The life expectancy of firefighters is shorter than other occupations, if he's been doing this for two decades, he should be generally very expert at this.
        • centran, on 12/24/2007, -2/+3Join the military. Join the police force. Become a firefighter.
          It is a different mentality. You will understand why he has to be punished. You just cannot disobey someone who is a higher rank then you. If had disobeyed the order outright he would have been much more severely disciplined to even fired.
          I am actualy surprised he was suspended without pay. But maybe there is a weird rule saying you can't do that and you have to withhold pay.
  • kosha, on 12/24/2007, -29/+0How is this that unexpected. It's like a cop getting suspended for shooting a criminal.
  • cvm4, on 12/24/2007, -6/+12His superior must have little man syndrome. That's pretty crappy and he did the right thing.
  • viciv, on 12/24/2007, -1/+5kudos to him
  • lordwow, on 12/24/2007, -1/+54"Hi, Gerald. What's happening? We need to talk about your training session."
    "The training. I know, I know. Uh, Bill talked to me about it."
    "Yeah. Did you get that memo?"
    "Yeah. I got the memo. And I understand the policy. And the problem is just that I forgot the one time. And I've already taken care of it so it's not even really a problem anymore."
    "Ah! Yeah. It's just we're just not fighting fires before the training sessions anymore. So if you could go ahead and try to remember to do that from now on, that'd be great. All right!"
    • nastajus, on 12/24/2007, -5/+1Too much words, not enough thanks from the boss about fighting the fire.
      • shaun1018, on 12/24/2007, -0/+3Too much of a life, not enough Mike Judge.
  • MyEyesWideOpen, on 12/24/2007, -19/+7Failed to obey orders, failed to follow the Incident Command System. This is how people get killed and he should be reprimanded. He obviously wanted to go play with water rather than go to a boring training.

    As far as whether the punishment was too harsh, well we don't know what else his personnel file holds no do we? Maybe this isn't the first time he's decided to freelance.
    • kipcrist, on 12/24/2007, -8/+4You people dig this person down, yet everything he says is true. The fire department is built on a system of respect and honor. It's imperative that people listen and follow orders or else people get killed. This is what people in California have learned from the forest fires, and that's why the federal government has instituted the National Incident Management System. I agree that the circumstances behind the reprimand are a bit crazy, however it's the principal that matters. Not to mention the fact that DCFD is known for its over-aggressive fire tactics.
      • myllamaboots, on 12/24/2007, -3/+2Except that this was training. It was not a national disaster like in California or with Katrina. That would be a different story.
      • itisfritz, on 12/24/2007, -1/+1"The fire department is built on a system of respect and honor." The fire department was built on a system of putting out fires. The respect and honor stuff is a biproduct of a need for organization.
        He did not follow orders; no one got killed. The principal is not what matters (in this case).
        No one with 21 years expirience should be punished for not going for training when they instead went to put out a fire.
    • noahhoward, on 12/24/2007, -2/+1You're absolutely right but unfortunately that doesn't matter here.
    • MarkusGarvey, on 12/24/2007, -1/+6I'm sure u would change your tune if it was YOUR HOUSE or YOUR FAMILY.....ferinstance.... I'm a EMT, on my way to training in my ambulance. i get flagged down by some people, and they tell me there is a serious school bus accident 1/2 a block away from me, and my assistance is needed. i call in and am told to "proceed to training"....tell me, what would you do?
      • averyhoopyfrood, on 12/24/2007, -0/+4I would kindly tell dispatch that I could not make out their previous transmission and will be off on-scene.

        In EMS we have a legal duty to act when on duty. Although laws vary even out of your jurisdiction you should stop for an accident and provide care until other personnel arrive. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it covers your ass.
        • NoOneButMe, on 12/24/2007, -0/+4There's times when you cant act even if you have training. If you're out of state for example.
        • averyhoopyfrood, on 12/24/2007, -0/+3Since it won't let me reply directly to you, I'll reply to myself.

          True, you can only act within a normal citizens capacity that would be protected under good samaritan laws if you are out of the state you are licensed in. I was speaking in terms of being in your own state.
  • manicallday, on 12/24/2007, -2/+4This is kinda how D.C. works sometimes. It will be resolved but they're going to put him through some ***** first.
  • VaporBro, on 12/24/2007, -10/+6"Burton, who has been a D.C. firefighter for 21 years, faces a two-day suspension without pay for disobeying an order, Rucker said. If he chooses not to accept the suspension, he can take the case to the department's trial board."

    He is possibly getting a 2-day suspension. That isn't that bad...
    Digg worthy?
    • evilish, on 12/24/2007, -2/+2Do you think he should be even threatened with a 2-day suspension?

      If he was a rookie with little to no training. I would have understood why the 2-day suspension might be applied. The fact that he has been a firefighter for 21 years means that I think he could have been late to training, this once!

      *****, imagine if there was a person trapped in the fire? Or, have you consider how much more damage could have been done by the fire. If they hadn't responded as soon as they did?

      The supervisor should have a big fat steel toed boot planted square up his arse! The blokes involved in responding should have been thanked.
    • VaporBro, on 12/24/2007, -0/+1I didn't say that he shouldn't be thanked. I'm just saying that 2 days suspension is not that bad. That's all.
      • underburn, on 12/24/2007, -0/+1Being disciplined for doing the right thing is wrong, even if its just 2 days.
  • fxu1989, on 12/24/2007, -5/+9This is the true meaning of irony.

    My God, the supervisor should be suspended for being an idiot.
  • MarkusGarvey, on 12/24/2007, -4/+5WTF!
  • Ghostalker, on 12/24/2007, -4/+12My definition of a hero. Stick it to the man, do the right thing.
  • skews13, on 12/24/2007, -1/+7in other news;police officer suspended after stopping bank robbery after missing session at shooting range; nurse suspended for giving cpr at accident scene after missing bed pan classes. authorities stress importance of policy over actions of public service officials. quoting one official; "these people are going to have to learn they cannot go off on they're own saving lives,for the safety of everyone involved".
  • hotsoda, on 12/24/2007, -1/+8I was going to agree with the firefighter because I thought he could have impeded the effort to put out the fire, but the article says he's been a firefighter for 21 years.

    Burton should be commended as a hero. Good on him.
    • cnoteakacash, on 12/24/2007, -0/+321 years on duty and you still do training? Was there some big water hose break through that I was unaware of? Burton is the man for doing his job and it was even like he did not try to comply what was he supposed to say to the people he passed "Sorry I have been ordered not to fight fires today."
  • MrESaulved, on 12/24/2007, -0/+54As a professional, certified, fully-trained firefighter I can bring up some points:

    1) This is a 21 year veteran of the service, he presumably had all required training already to handle such incidents.

    2) His presence and his partner's presence along with the apparatus he was driving was *prior* to any other manpower arriving.

    3) He was flagged down by the public, he had a *duty* to respond

    4) What training program could be more important than actually doing his duty protecting life and property?

    5) He was in contact with his superiors, they knew full well his location.

    He will successfully appeal his suspension. I have.
    • skews13, on 12/24/2007, -2/+17you sir are the reason public safety officials have credibility
    • centran, on 12/24/2007, -0/+1I completely agree that he is in the right and his suspension should very much in all means be appealed.

      However, I ask you if is common for disobeying a DIRECT order normally goes unpunished? Regardless of the situation.
      • MrESaulved, on 12/24/2007, -0/+9"Regardless of the situation?" If only life were that simple and easy to fit the rules of it on an index card, but here's the gist of emergency services:
        You have an obligation to yourself first: You can't help if you don't get to the scene or get hurt while there.
        You have an obligation to your co-workers: Don't make things worse, you already have one emergency.
        You have an obligation to the public: This is why you are there, they need help.
        You have an obligation to the public's property: No one wants financial ruin, even insurance companies.

        Any direct order which contradicts those standing orders is immediately suspect and must be duly considered. If the authority can't explain why the direct order is more crucial than the standing orders, quickly and clearly, he shouldn't be in authority. Yes, the authority may punish, but it undermines their future authority if their judgment isn't upheld and subsequently jeopardizes their career.

        Life safety is 3 of those 4 standing orders, for a reason. Few reasons trump life safety, if any. Certainly not "I must continue en-route to training."

  • mooboy322, on 12/24/2007, -3/+2ironic
  • myllamaboots, on 12/24/2007, -0/+6I don't understand how he could be in trouble when his supervisor told him that he could play a backup role in the firefighting. He was in the area, only blocks away, and could help. They would be stupid to not let him act. He technically did follow orders. Its not like he has to drive 20 minutes to get there.
    • nastajus, on 12/24/2007, -0/+1Backup means not first. He's supposed to sit on his butt twiddling his fingers waiting to another, presumably more experienced firefighters to show up and take point.
    • centran, on 12/24/2007, -0/+3If you are first on the scene then you are in charge until a higher ranking official comes reliefs you. You are not allowed to pass the responsibility to another person that comes later. This is true for any emergency scene. First on the scene is in charge.
      This means if they where first to arrive then they would there a very long time. The supervisor didn't want them there a long time.
  • krazikamikaze, on 12/24/2007, -0/+5Reminds me of Tommy Gavin compulsively running into burning buildings to rescue people. Makes me want to watch Rescue Me again.
  • DangerCollie, on 12/24/2007, -0/+9You can't discipline someone for doing their job. He had a visual on the fire. If he's on a lifesaving call and diverted, yeah, I could see it getting him in trouble.

    The supervisor is being a dick. Sadly there are a lot of people like them in the service. I got bitched at by a chief from a neighboring department we were providing mutual aid, not even our call, because I was running lights and siren on the tanker hauling water for his guys. He said the siren disturbed people. It wouldn't have been a big deal except that same chief was in our EVOC refresher that reminds everyone that unless you're running lights and siren, you're not legal in this state.

    There are an unfortunate number of people like him in the fire service. I can't explain it. Don't know what makes them act that way. But they're on every department.
    • nastajus, on 12/24/2007, -0/+1Douchbags? I don't use the word lightly. But unfortunately seems they're everywhere.
  • spidoman, on 12/24/2007, -5/+5I remember this one time I was suspended from my job for two days, for reasons that I believed were unfair. I was shocked when it didn't make the frontpage of digg.
  • BradMajors, on 12/24/2007, -4/+3I once saw a car accident which occurred right in front of a fire station. All of the firemen stood outside the fire station just watching what was happening. A pedestrian went to help one of the injured party, but when the pedestrian realized that the firemen were just going to watch and not help, he walked over to them and had to explain to them that they could help rather than just watching before they would do anything.
  • yournightmare, on 12/24/2007, -0/+16To all you people saying stupid things like "without the proper training he could have put everybody's lives in danger by going to fight the fire" and "maybe he need the training to be properly equipped to put out fires" and "maybe this training would help him put out fires more effectively" and other such dumb *****--try thinking just a tiny bit before you type. First, the man has been a firefighter for at least TWENTY-ONE YEARS. I'm sure he's well trained on how to put out a house fire. Second, even if this training would have legitimately helped him do his job better, EVERY SECOND COUNTS IN A FIRE, and his truck was the first on the scene. Third, training can be RESCHEDULED, fires CAN NOT. Hey, they could have even delayed the start of training for THIRTY ***** MINUTES! Basically what I'm saying is, quit acting like a portal to hell is going to open up if this guy didn't get to his training class on time.

    Face it, this about a boss waving his ***** around because one of his underlings decided he was going to do his job and serve the public.
  • bingobongony, on 12/24/2007, -7/+1I love the people acting like if he didn't go to this fire that the fire would have burned forever, killing hundreds of babies and two puppies. This guy simply want not NEEDED a this fire. There is nothing worse than thinkingthat you are the only one that can do a job. Should the guy have his life ruined? No. DID he have his life ruined? No.
    • nastajus, on 12/24/2007, -0/+2Ok, several things wrong 1) English is bad 2) Life is not ruined, at least I suspect not from a two-day reprimand. Otherwise I'm burying you because I don't understand you.
  • LiquidCrystals, on 12/24/2007, -5/+0This story was fabricated so people will forget the fire fighter's role in the 'war on terrorism'.

    Science help us.
  • mal1964, on 12/24/2007, -1/+1He was going to a Effective Listening Skills seminar.
  • mal1964, on 12/24/2007, -6/+121 year vet I'm guessing 40 lbs over weight, a lot of those old timers carry a extra four feet of hose around their waist and I'm betting the lungs are look like a five pack a day habit. . I hope if i need help a Rockie comes my way.
    • AngusMustang, on 12/24/2007, -0/+2My 52 year old senior captain, who runs on the treadmill every day for an hour, could whip most twenty year olds ass. And he's "average" for my department.
      • mal1964, on 12/24/2007, -0/+1I should of said a percentage are, and not a lot I don't like to generalize.When you got a house full of chefs you need a treadmill.
  • mal1964, on 12/24/2007, -3/+1Here he is reenacting the scene.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kbq-4Wo94QA
  • tankd0g, on 12/24/2007, -2/+1A K9 unit cop who was on administrative leave here got suspended and later fired for taking his dog to ground zero on 9/11 to help with the rescue efforts. Just because you have the right-a-way doens't mean you won't get run over by the bus.
  • jerbaker, on 12/24/2007, -0/+5Reminds me of an incident when I was a teenager. An attic fan at my friend's house had seized and started some insulation burning in the attic. I climbed up on the roof with a hose and put the fire out through the fan opening. After talking with the fire department and helping to clean up, I went home. When I got there my parents were angry that I was home past my curfew. When I explained the situation to them, they told me my curfew didn't contain exceptions for fires and grounded me anyway.
  • Wrabbit26, on 12/24/2007, -3/+1As far as what I've seen in this story I would have to agree with the masses.

    However, stories like these never seem to say much about what happened. It's usually just one side and that side was oppressed in some way that they need the public to hear it before anyone gets the whole story. Having been a supervisor of great, good, average, poor and kick this guy/girl out for wasting tax-payer money troops I can honestly say that this fire-fighter is more likely always the pain in the ass type of person. They are the types that would rather set up a situation to play martyr than do as they were told. I do believe they did the right thing in responding to a scene but when the other units starting showing up, cause all we saw is that when they arrived they were the only ones at the time, they could have handed over the reigns and still made their training. It is my guess that this training they missed was longer than a few hours and couldn't easily be rescheduled. How long did the fire-fighter stay at the fire that only cost $150,000 worth of damage? In my house it wouldn't take long to burn $150,000, nor would it take long to put that out. My point is this, it wasn't a "Backdraft" movie type fire here. This individual used the fire as an excuse not to show up to a training session because they have personal issues with the boss. Suspension sticks and the fire fighter learns to work with the boss instead of against them. More people and property is saved down the road.
  • shaun1018, on 12/24/2007, -0/+3Damn firefighters... fighting fires.
  • BronxBartoni, on 12/24/2007, -0/+2Makes me wonder what area of D.C. this fire was in.
  • cuttyhunk, on 12/24/2007, -0/+1dugg for school bus thumbnail.
  • 2oonhed, on 12/24/2007, -0/+4And what about the public relations fiasco that was so cleanly avoided by this good fireman. Would the Chief rather read headlines in the local newspaper the next day? : "FIRE TRUCK DRIVES PAST BURNING HOUSE WITHOUT STOPPING TO HELP"....No doubt they would have thrown the fireman under the bus for that one. Dammed by the retard chief if he does & dammed by the public if he doesn't.
  • neurosport, on 12/24/2007, -2/+1ok really 2 days is not serious

    now if he was suspended for a month that would be a cause for bitching
  • bitterbug, on 12/24/2007, -0/+1People are assuming because of the word "training" that he was a trainee. With his years of experience he could very well have been the instructor. Geez.
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