SideCharlie.com

Dallas Fire-Rescue Changes Website To Rainbows Over SideCharlie Blog Post

sidecharlie — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:30:06 +0000

Well, what do ya know? After our first blog post and subsequent follow-ups asking that the photo on the front of Dallas Fire-Rescue’s website be changed – it finally happened. The original full size photo showing a firefighter not wearing any respiratory protection while surrounded in smoke with a link to their Respiratory Protection Program has been replaced with rainbows … and the removal of the respiratory program link. Coincidence? We think not!

So today we PRAISE the Dallas Fire-Rescue Department for understanding our initial blog post in all its irony. Though, looking at the pretty rainbow picture we have suddenly have images in our head of a Miller Light commercial telling someone in Dallas to ‘Man Up!’, but we digress.

In the age of health programs, safety officers and the best respiratory protections in any occupation, we publicly thank the Dallas Fire-Rescue Department for the website change. If we are to preach safety to the line firefighters, we must reflect it on all other aspects of the department. Great job Dallas!

Fired FF Alejandro Garza Accuses Austin Fire Department Of Disparity In Justice

sidecharlie — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:56:27 +0000

After a long, hard fought battle, former Austin Firefighter Alejandro Garza lost his battle to keep his job after being accused of posing nude in AFD gear on a dating website. The accusations came forth from the husband of the woman with whom Alejandro had an affair with. An arbitrator sided with the Austin Fire Department yesterday which led to the official firing.

Garza sat down with KVUE-TV News yesterday in an attempt to set the record straight. In the video, he also makes reference to two cases involving the PIO getting a verbal reprimand and a ‘white shirt’ caught stealing getting 90 day suspension. Garza was fired for lying.

After going to the media and throwing mud at the Austin Fire Department, Alejandro hopes to get hired by a smaller department in the Texas area. Good luck with that.

GloZell has something to say about all this …

Click here to view the embedded video.

Gilroy Fire Department (CA) Firefighters Post Series Of Prank Videos On YouTube

sidecharlie — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 15:00:18 +0000

Looks like someone over at the Gilroy Fire Department in California got a new video camera! Youtube account holder RJSILVIAJR (we will assume the firefighters last name is Silvia Jr) posted six simple pranks performed around the station. While simple in nature we over at SideCharlie.com got a good laugh from them anyway! Check out the videos in order after the jump …

Prank #1:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Prank #2:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Prank #3:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Prank #4:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Prank #5:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Prank #6:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Get A Grip! Apparently It’s Illegal To Touch Yourself In A Walgreen’s Parking Lot?

sidecharlie — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 14:38:23 +0000

Turns out that you can’t fondle yourself in a Walgreen’s parking lot and ask a woman (with an infant) to touch your genitals for money. It’s against the law. Just ask FF Joseph Phillips of the Collingdale (PA) Fire Department. The incident occurred in the lot on Chester Pike near MacDade Boulevard in Darby outside of Philadelphia. Phillips allegedly told the woman that she aroused him and that he was unhappily married.

Well, as pickup lines go that one didn’t work out so well and he was subsequently arrested. Phillips was charged with disorderly conduct, harassment, and other related offenses. He faces a hearing on Wednesday (Mar 30).

We found Joseph Phillips listed on the Collingdale Fire Department website listed as a life member of 22 years. However, a subsequent check of his member page shows the department has since removed him from this site this morning. Before being pulled from the site we discovered that Phillips worked as a bartender and gravedigger – surely a recipe for disaster.

More from the NBC News affliliate in Philadelphia ….

Maybe this was playing in his car …

Click here to view the embedded video.

Caught On Video: Kingsport (TN) Firefighters Rescue Woman From River

sidecharlie — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 13:54:41 +0000

Kingsport Tennessee firefighters were dispatched to a woman stranded on the roof of her car in the middle of the Holston River. Witnesses state the driver drove down a hill and into the river without ever slowing down. Our guess is that she was updating her status on Facebook. The entire rescue was caught on video by the Times News Online. Our favorite part of the video can be viewed at 1:01 of Troy Hall – a man with a huge bluetooth in his ear and no tooth in his mouth. He made us chuckle. Check out the video below …

Click here to view the embedded video.

Cleveland Fire Department’s Lt. Kevin Brady Survives Heart Attack, Sought Out Help

sidecharlie — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 12:55:37 +0000

Lt. Kevin Brady of Station 22, Cleveland Fire Department is featured today in a news story on WEWS-TV. In it, Kevin details how after a fire he felt, “a pain like I’ve never felt before” in his chest. Instead of ignoring it he told a paramedic in the station who hooked him up to the monitor to discover he was having a heart attack. Heart attacks are the #1 killer of firefighters in the United States.

Instead of ignoring the signs like many other firefighters, Kevin sought out help and as a result is alive today.

Click here to view the embedded video.

NYC Law Firm Throws Firefighter & Daily Show’s Jon Stewart Under The Bus!

sidecharlie — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:40:47 +0000

SideCharlie.com has obtained a copy of the debut flyer that was provided inside the gift bags at the 2011 World Police & Fire Games fundraiser last week. The 8.5″ x 11″ handout depicts Firefighter Robert Keiley stricken with ailments as a 9/11 FDNY rescuer when in actuality he wasn’t employed until 2004.

According to a blog post earlier today by Statter911.com and a the New York Post, Keiley is upset that a photo he modeled for in 2010 was used by an ad agency for Worby Groner Edelman & Napoli Bern LLP depicting him as someone he was not. According to Robert, the original photo he modeled for had him holding a fire helmet and not of the photo of the twin towers shown in the flyer below. You can read more about his claims at the two links above.

Another person that has yet to be mentioned in any of the news articles or blog posts is The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart who fought extensively for the Zadroga Bill providing coverage for the 9/11 rescuers. The ad agency conveniently adding a statement at the bottom of the flyer “A special thank you to Jon Stewart for his efforts on the Zadroga Bill” making an attempt to ride on the coat tails of the popular cable star.

Jon Stewart was a featured speaker at the World Police & Fire Games Gala Event where this flyer first appeared.

The ad agency has fired back stating that Robert had signed a model release in exchange for a $350 payment thus giving the company full rights to do whatever they wish with the photo.

Below is a photo of the debut flyer obtained by SideCharlie.com that was inserted into gift bags at the 2011 World Police & Fire Games Gala Event.

The rock group Evanescence wrote a song a while back hitting on this very subject of advertising. Looks like Robert fell victim to the world of lies …

San Antonio Fire Captain Gets 60 Days Suspension Over Reckless Fire Response

sidecharlie — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 20:01:34 +0000

Fire Chief Charles Hood of the San Antonio Fire Department suspended three firefighters for traveling at an unsafe speed and not buckling up while racing to a fire on the Northwest Side last year. Firefighter Robert Arranaga, 30, was trapped and hospitalized with a broken neck and remains on medical leave. The crash destroyed Ladder 35 priced at $600,000.

According to internal documents obtained by the San Antonio Express-News, Firefighter Brandon Wheeler, 29, was driving when the truck left the Culebra Road station to respond to a call for a structure fire on Nov. 14. The truck reached a speed of 33 mph in about 30 seconds. At that speed, the driver made an attempt to turn onto Loop 410 and the truck rolled onto its side.

Firefighter Robert Arranaga, 30, was trapped. Wheeler, 29, Capt. Larry Schultz, 59, and firefighter Brad Phipps, 31, were uninjured. Police said speed caused the crash.

Schultz received the harshest punishment: a 60-day suspension because he is ultimately responsible for the truck and the crew. Wheeler was suspended for 45 days and Phipps for five days. Arranaga, a one-year veteran whose first day at the station was the day of the crash, wasn’t suspended — he was following his leaders’ example, Hood said, and his injuries were punishment enough.

All 1600 personnel were ordered to view the crashed truck which will ultimately be placed on view at the San Antonio Fire Academy.

The Ultimate Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Situational Internet Resource List

sidecharlie — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 15:46:04 +0000

This is a growing list of online resources from around the globe the provide the detailed, 24 hour coverage of the Japan disasters. If you are aware of additional resources that may be of use to humanitarian aid and responders please add them to the comments section below. We will be updating this list over the next few days.

Japan Tsunami – Live Streaming:

NHK Japan Live: NHK Japan Live
Al Jazeera Japan Live: Al Jazeera Japan Live
ABC News Live: ABC News Live
Associated Press Live: Associated Press Live
Aftonbladet Live: Aftonbladet Live
Expressen Live: Expressen Live
BBC Live: BBC Live
CNN Live: CNN Live
CCTV News China: CCTV News China
Daily Telegraph Live: Daily Telegraph Live
Deutche Welle Live: Deutche Welle Live
France24 Live: France24 Live
Khon2 Hawaii: Khon2 Hawaii
MSNBC Live: MSNBC Live
NDTV Live: NDTV Live
SVT Play Live: SVT Play Live
VG TV Live (Norway): VG TV Live (Norway)

Twitter – Real Time Updates:

Twitter #earthquake: Twitter #earthquake
Twitter #japan: Twitter #japan:
Twitter #tsunami: Twitter #tsunami

Tsunami Arrival Times for locations in Pacific Ocean:

Tsunami Arrival Times for locations – in Pacific Ocean: Tsunami Arrival Times – in Pacific Ocean
Tsunami Arrival for locations – USA: Tsunami Arrival for locations – USA
Tsunami Travel Times Map: Tsunami Travel Times Map
Time and Date – Japan: Time and Date – Japan

Japan Tsunami Live Radio:

Vanuatu Island Radio Live: Vanuatu Island Radio Live

Google People Finder – Japan:

Google People Finder – Japan: Google People Finder – Japan

Japan Tsunami – YouTube:

YouTube #tsunami: YouTube #tsunami
YouTube Citizentube: YouTube Citizentube

Japan and Hawaii Webcams

Honolulu Webcams: Honolulu Webcams

Japan Earthquake – Real-Time Map:

Earthquake – Real-Time Map: Earthquake – Real-Time Map

Google Maps – Japan Earthquake Location Coordinates (38.322°N, 142.369°E)

Japan Earthquake Location Coordinates: Japan Earthquake Location Coordinates

Tsunami Warnings Center:

Pacific Tsunami Warning Center: Pacific Tsunami Warning Center
West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warnings: West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warningsr
Noaa: Noaa

Japan Tsunami – News:

NHK World Japan: NHK World Japan
ABC News Live: ABC News Live
BBC Japan: BBC Japan
CBS News: CBS News
Channel 4 News: Channel 4 News
CNN Japan: CNN Japan
Daily Telegraph (Australia): Daily Telegraph (Australia)
Fox News: Fox News
Google News: Google News
Guardian Japan: Guardian Japan
MSNBC News: MSNBC News
New York Times Japan: New York Times Japan
NPR Japan: NPR Japan
Reuters Japan: Reuters Japan
R7 (Brasil): R7 (Brasil)
Sky News Japan: Sky News Japan
Sydney Morning Herald: Sydney Morning Herald
The Japan Times: The Japan Times
Yahoo News: Yahoo News

Hawaii – News:

Hawaii Evacuation Map: Hawaii Evacuation Map
Hawaii News Now: Hawaii News Now

Indonesia – News:

Jakarta Globe: Jakarta Globe
Jakarta Post: Jakarta Post
Viva News: Viva News

Nevada Firefighter Makes $232,187 By Using Sick Leave And Working Overtime

sidecharlie — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 19:34:39 +0000

This goes in the category of ‘Who didn’t see this coming?’ A Clark County Nevada commissioner is calling for a criminal investigation into possible abuse of the sick leave and overtime systems by firefighters. This on the heals of an arbitrator chose Clark County’s new contract deal over IAFF Local 1908′s version which calls for a reduction of pay and benefits of 5.5 percent. Clark County is the home of the City of Las Vegas.

The arbitrator, Norman Brand, pointed out several reasons for his decision to side with the county. While some is related to the fall of county revenue and property values outside of Las Vegas, he made it a point to single out an example of sick leave abuse. Mr. Brand told the media how one firefighter took 48 days of sick leave working only 63 of his 121 shift days, but worked 92 shifts of overtime or callback pay to bring his annual pay to $232,187 before benefits.

This is a perfect example of how a single firefighter’s actions can affect the entire department. We fault management for not dealing with the obvious sick leave abuse. Clark County uses Telestaff, a fire services staffing software package, that easily produces reports to show those who utilize the most sick leave and those who are scheduled for the most overtime.

You can read more into the contract decisions in Sunday’s Las Vegas Journal.