Fundraiser for Firefighter John Glaser

Shawnee (KS) Firefighter John Glaser, 33, died from injuries he suffered while fighting a large house fire on May 22, 2010. His death affected towns in and around Shawnee, but also a community 1500 miles away, Claymont, Delaware..

Claymont, DE (June 25, 2010) -- A little over a month ago, John Glaser, a 6 year veteran firefighter, perished while fighting a house fire in Shawnee, KS. Early on in the firefight, a mayday signal went out for a firefighter down. RIT Teams immediately searched the home and found the 33-year-old man unresponsive at the rear of the home. He died a short time later in the hospital.

Normally, firefighters from distant states would have acknowledged John's passing by commenting on various websites and paying their respects via emails. But Claymont, Delaware firefighters learned that John Glaser was a Delawarean, born and raised in their fire district north of Wilmington. And they responded as if he were one of their own.

Today, Station 13 firefighters along with Jakes Hamburgers conducted a fundraiser, in support of John's wife and 2 children. Why? Firefighters worldwide are family -- and even though Glaser served nearly 1500 miles from Claymont, DE, the Shawnee KS firefighter was remembered as if he was still a resident of the community.

The young volunteer firefighters from Claymont who organized the fundraiser are to be commended for their actions and hard work. And special kudos to local restaurants like Jakes Hamburgers and Moe's Grill for understanding the importance of helping out in the community in which they're located.

Posted here are some photos from the event:

photos by: Lou Angeli

Veteran Wilmington Firefighter and Police Ofiicer Dies On The Job

Fire Inspector Brian P. Waynant, Sr. was on duty with Arson Task Force...found dead

WILMINGTON, DE (March 02, 2010) -- Wilmington Fire Chief Willie J. Patrick confirmed today that a city firefighter lost his life while on duty. Fire Inspector Brian P. Waymant, Sr. was found dead along the Amtrak line near the Browntown section of the city. Officials noted that Inspector Waymant was working as part of an arson detail, which was investigating gang-related fire incidents.

Decorated as a law enforcement officer and firefighter, Inspector Brian P. Waynant, Sr., moved to the Wilmington Fire Department in 2004 after a lengthy career as a Wilmington Police officer. Waynant was 45-years old.

Inspector Waynant was hit by an Amtrak train just south of the Wilmington city limits. The 911 center received a report from an Amtrak conductor who said that his train had just hit a person. Within minutes, firefighters from Engine-1 and Rescue-1 -- along with volunteers from Five Points and Newport -- responded to the scene and recovered Waynant's body alongside the tracks not far from Browntown.

Brian Waynant is survived by his wife, Cheri, and their two children, a son and a daughter. Inspector Waynant had served for 16 years as a Wilmington Police Officer before deciding in 2004 to leave the Police Department to join the Wilmington Fire Department as an arson investigator. During his career, Inspector Waynant initiated numerous arrests of suspects connected to fire incidents and was proud of his 100% conviction rate.

The City of Wilmington is assisting the Delaware State Police and Amtrak Police with the ongoing investigation of Monday night’s incident.

Personal Note: Brian was a Fire Explorer when I first joined the Mill Creek Fire Company. Ever since then, he has served the community in a career and volunteer capacity. He is sadly missed by his family, friends and colleagues.

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2 FDNY Firefighters Killed at Ground Zero

Blaze Rekindles The Horror of 9/11/01

by: Lou Angeli
compiled from dispatches

Two New York firefighters perished while fighting a major blaze in the Deutsche Bank building, just 50 yards from Ground Zero. The building was in the process of being dismantled after it was deemed unsafe following the events of 9/11/01.

The deceased firefighters, both assigned to Ladder 5 amd Engine 24 have been identified as Joseph Graffagnino, 34, an 8 year member of FDNY and 23-year veteran Robert Beddia. On 9/11/01 their firehouse in the Soho section of Manhattan lost 11 members.

WNBC likened the scene to 9/11/01. The acrid smell of smoke, which hung over the neighborhood for days after September 11th, returned to lower Manhattan along with the wail of emergency vehicles.

The abandoned building was being dismantled after it was contaminated in the September 11th attacks. On Tuesday of this past week, workers had dismatled the former 40 story high rise to the 26th floor.

According to initial reports, the blaze broke out at 3:30pm (EDT) between the 14th and 15th floors. The attack was delayed when firefighters found that standpipes were not operational, allowing the blaze to free burn. Firefighters bgean the lengthy task of carrying hoses to upper floors, while others were hoisted by rope to the 17th floor, where the fire started. Within two hours, fire commanders escalated the incident to 7 alarms, bringing 270 firefighters and paramedics, and 70 pieces of apparatus to the scene.

Only a few fire service vehicles were actually operating on scene, directly under the building. Those companies included Engine 10 and Ladder 10, both stationed just feet away on Liberty Street. The remaining companies were staged on West Side Highway and along Church Street – familiar names for those who served at Ground Zero.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency had required that polyurethane sheets surround the building to prevent asbestos and other harmful debris from leaking out. But according to New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, those safety barriers hindered the firefighting operation.

The polyurethane in the building "may in fact have made this fire harder to fight," Spitzer said.

Concerns were raised that smoke plumes coming from the burning building contained the same hazardous materials that caused the building to be condemned several years ago. The most dangerous of those toxic materials is asbestos in a building loaded with the banned fire retardant.

At a Saturday evening press conference, Mayor Michael Bloomberg sought to reassure residents that the chemicals in the building did not present a significant health risk, saying officials saw no need to establish a frozen zone. Firefighters on the scene weren’t buying the mayor’s appraisal, recalling promises by former EPA head Christy Todd Whitman, who claimed on September 13, 2001 that the air at Ground Zero was OK to breathe.

"Terrible event, terrible tragedy, and that house being hit again makes it all the more devastating," said Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta. At least six other firefighters suffered minor injuries, none seriously.

The Deutsche Bank Building sustained major damage during the events of 9/11/01 and was ultimately deemed unsafe to restore. Deconstruction began in 2005 but work was halted for a week last year when a 22-foot-long section of pipe fell from one of the upper floors and went through the roof of a neighboring firehouse, Fire Station 10.

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resources: WNBC, WCBS, NY1
photos courtesy: Brian Fountain