Headlines - Just News headlines all the time: Dec 27, 2007

Thursday, December 27, 2007

California Fire News

[LAFD] Helicopter FIRE-3 - Hoist Rescue - 250' above canyon floor

Posted: 27 Dec 2007 01:19 AM CST

[LAFD] Firefighters from helicopter FIRE-3 demonstrated skill and bravery when called upon this afternoon.

Firefighters responded to a 9-1-1 call for an injured hiker, in a steep hillside area between El Escorpion Park and Bell Canyon.
One of the hikers, an 18 year old man fell approximately 20 feet and fractured a leg and had minor trauma to the head. His friend was able to climb down to an intersection, then direct the fire companies to the victim.
The firefighters found that the rescue uphill would be too steep to perform safely. They called for a hoist rescue and air operations sent Fire-3 to affect a rescue with Fire-1 as the safety observer.
As an additional safety precaution, E105 and E106 assisted Ground to Air communications for Fire-3.
The helicopter crew of Fire-3 under the direction of Crew Chief-Dave Norquist demonstrated why LAFD firefighters are the best in the world.
Pilot-Phil Clark skillfully maneuvered the airship in a canyon, where the erratic wind gusts can make a steady work platform difficult.
Helitak Safety-Member Robert Steinbacher was in direct communication with coworker Firefighter-Paramedic William Dunn as he was lowered to the fall victim. For about 20 minutes the pilot held the airship in a steady hover, despite sudden gusts of wind.
Paramedic Dunn dangled 110' feet down from the helicopter 250' above the canyon floor. Alone on a steep hillside, without room for a second Paramedic(the footing was limited), Firefighter Dunn stabilized,splinted and packaged a patient into a stokes litter basket, before being hoisted to safety.
Paramedics Steinbacher and Dunn continued treatment enroute to the emergency room at Northridge Hospital. The young man was listed in fair-stable condition.

Truly these unsung hero's of the LAFD can make all Angelino's proud of their Fire Department

News: San Juan OK's firefighter $15 stipend

Posted: 26 Dec 2007 12:30 PM CST

San Juan OK's firefighter stipend, cuts deputy

HOLLISTER - The San Juan Bautista City Council approved a $15-per-call stipend Tuesday for its volunteer fire department. In order to afford the payments, officials "moved things around" in the budget, said Councilman Ed Laverone, including cutting one of the city's two sheriff's deputies.

The stipend has been touted by many, including Laverone and Fire Chief Scott Freels, as a first step toward solving the Mission City's firefighter shortage.

In September, Freels told the Free Lance that the size of San Juan Bautista's fire department had fallen from 26 to 10 members in about two years. Most of the city's current firefighters aren't interested in money, he said, but the stipend could help in finding new recruits.

"The discussion of the stipend has already helped with recruitment efforts," said Laverone, a former volunteer firefighter himself.

The new payment system - which the council approved only as a pilot system - will start Jan. 1, Laverone said. To receive the stipend, firefighters will have to file requests for payment, so they can continue to volunteer without a stipend if they want.

With the city's budget problems, the elimination of one sheriff's deputy was already in the works, Laverone said. The Mission City contracts with the San Benito County Sheriff's Office to provide law enforcement. Cutting back will save the city $67,500 for the rest of the fiscal year, he said, of which $7,500 has been budgeted for the stipends.

Source: Article

News: Airport manager defends layout switch

Posted: 26 Dec 2007 11:35 AM CST

HOLLISTER - Airport Manager Bill Gere's plans for the Hollister Municipal Airport have drawn some sharp criticism, but Gere defended his proposed layout plan Friday.

Gere presented the council with the new layout Monday, but some airport users complained that the plan left out a new California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection air-attack base, as well as facilities for gliders.

"Every issue brought up had been brought up in the past," Gere said.

Many of those speaking out against the plan are protecting "specific, selfish interests," he added, rather than focusing on the welfare of the airport or the city as a whole.

Three members of the Hollister Airport Advisory Commission - Douglas Hooten, Fred Meyer and Allen Ritter - said the document had been changed since the commission recommended it for approval.

"The layout plan presented to the city council was different from the one presented to the airport commission, and that's a problem," City Manager Clint Quilter said Friday.

The council did not vote on the plan, and instead called for a special airport commission meeting to iron out the differences between the commission-approved layout and the one brought to the council. That meeting has been scheduled for Jan. 3, Gere said.

Specifically, the commission-approved plan included a new air-attack base, while the proposed plan left that area open for development to be determined by a "request for proposal."

Ritter said Friday he also wants to see a glider facility back on the plans.

Asked why the plans were different, Quilter said: "I don't know. My assumption is that someone redrafted it."

Gere acknowledged that he had revised the layout plan after it was shown to the airport commission. But the changes were not substantial, he said.

"I did not change anything," he said. "I went from one depiction supplied by CalFire to another depiction supplied by the CalFire."

Gere added that it's unfair to imply that he is trying to "pull a fast one" on the council and the airport commission.

"You can't pull a fast one when (the plan) is taped up on a wall in front of the city council," Gere said.

Ritter, a former airport manager himself, said Gere's behavior was inappropriate.

"I would've never done that," Ritter said.

The land in question has been the subject of debate and controversy in recent months, as developer Andy Barnes proposed building corporate hangars on the land that CalFire wants.

Gere said Friday there's a way to meet both groups' needs because CalFire can expand at its current site.

"We know why they need a new facility, because the old ones sucks," he said. "But we don't know why they need to move."

The city council has directed the airport commission to develop a "request for proposal" that will allow Barnes' firm and other companies to present their plans.

The proposed layout plan reflects the wishes of the council and the Federal Aviation Administration, Gere said. He added that it can be revised once the CalFire situation is resolved.

"We are still free to do any or all of the options," Gere said.

Article source: Holister Freeelance