Fire Critic An Unadulterated View of the Fire Service
Can Philadelphia afford to continue cutbacks in the fire department? Yeah, Philly doesn’t need firefighters. Hell, the City might as well continue to cut positions, brownout, and close stations. I don’t see any need in them….then again, check out these two 5 alarm fires within 24 hours of each other and ask yourself that question again. There were around 150 firefighters on scene of each of these fires… I doubt even this could open some of the council member’s eyes!
More information on the City of Philadelphia’s plan on cutbacks:
From IAFF22.org:
SAVE OUR MEDICS FLYER click here
FIRE DEPT. FIREHOUSE CLOSING SCHEDULE-JANUARY 2011 click here
FIRE DEPT. CLOSURE MEMORANDUM click here
5 Alarm Fire at a 4 Story Apartment Complex on Monday
Firefighters battle a blaze in an apartment building in Philadelphia, Monday, Jan. 10, 2011. Firefighters said the building had been evacuated safely and there were no reports of injuries. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) (Matt Rourke - AP)
KSRO.com:
Scores of firefighters battled a blaze in a four-story apartment complex on Monday but said the building had been evacuated safely and there were no reports of injuries.
Light smoke was reported in the four-story Windermere Court complex in West Philadelphia on Monday afternoon, and the fire quickly worsened, with flames shooting from the roof, Deputy Chief Willy Williams said. About 160 firefighters aided by 50 pieces of equipment were battling the blaze, Williams said.
Hoses poured water on the fire from several sides of the apartment complex, which has three large residential sections that are connected, as crews tried to keep the flames from spreading to nearby buildings, Williams said.
“Whenever you have gusting winds, always a chance embers will be spread,” he said. “The fire is coming up through the roof, so that is one of the concerns.”
Emergency crews had gone through the complex to get residents safely away from the fire, whose cause hadn’t been determined, Williams said.
More coverage:
Check PhillyFireNews.com for Photos
5 Alarm School Fire on Sunday
ED HILLE / Staff Photographer The Global Leadership Academy at 5151 Warren St. in West Philadelphia may not resume classes for the rest of the week after Sunday's fire, the charter school's chief executive said. A spokesman said the Philadelphia School District had offered the school a temporary home. Read more: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/20110110_Fire_rips_through_West_Philadelphia_charter_school.html#ixzz1Ag8mEA5a Watch sports videos you won't find anywhere else
A five-alarm fire that raged for more than an hour and a half early Sunday caused “substantial” damage to the 400-student Global Leadership Academy in West Philadelphia, Deputy Fire Chief Michael Wahl reported.
The cause of the fire, which started in the basement of the three-story building at 5151 Warren St., near 52d Street and Lancaster Avenue, is under investigation, Wahl said.
Naomi Johnson Booker, chief executive officer of the public charter school, said Sunday that classes might not resume for the rest of the week.
“Everything was lost in the fire,” Booker said. “There is not a pencil, not a book, not a crayon. And my teachers don’t have any instructional material, lesson plans.
Watch sports videos you won’t find anywhere else
More coverage:
- 5-alarm fire at West Philly charter school
- After fire, West Philly charter school looking for new home
- Fire rips through West Philadelphia charter school
Check PhillyFireNews.com for several photos
