First of all, if you are able/willing/want to work on Monday so that others (B-shifters) may go to the funeral please contact Captain Trussler at 2B. Just to put it into perspective for you…some people who were close with Chris might not be able to go because they are working. If you are a newer guy, take your lumps and offer to work on monday so that others can to to the funeral. It will only be for a couple hours. I remember taking my lumps when BC Tyree died. I worked for J.J. Price so that he could go to the funeral. I did it for free.

Warren “Calhoon” Hawley Passed Away

It is with deep sadness that I inform you of Warren Hawley’s passing. Warren aka Calhoun or Floor Board (for the way he drived) died of a heart attack earlier today. Warren retired back in 1984? I will have a better write-up, some photos, and the arrangments when I can get to them. Warren was a friend of mine and helped me with the book Firefighting in Roanoke. His mind was a steel trap!

Updated with funeral arrangements (15:27hrs):

Visitation will be Sunday at the Oakeys funeral home on RT 604/ Cloverdale road from 14:00-16:00 and 18:00- 20:00

The funeral will be held at 1st Baptist church downtown Roanoke at 13:00 on Monday.
Grave site will be Evergreen cemetery.

It is with a very heavy heart that I inform you of the passing of Captain Chris Brown. Chris was hired on August 2, 1994 and was the Captain at Station 1 on C-Shift. He was a second generation firefighter. His brother Mark is the Lt. on Engine 5 C-Shift and his father (deceased) retired from the department as a firefighter. His mother retired from the Roanoke City Occupational Health Clinic as an RN. Needless to say, his family has dedicated their lives to the City of Roanoke.

Please continue praying for his family, friends, and brother and sister Firefighters. Numerous Roanoke Firefighters have been placing the news and condolences on facebook as well.

The Captain had a very tight knit family at Station 1 as well as at home. You can read about his crew at station 1 on their blog here. I will add more information as it becomes available.

I have attached photos from the past years. They are from Station 1 Blog, RoanokeFirefighters.com (Mike Overacker), Maurice Wiseman, and other photographers. Click on the image for the full size view.

As I am sure that many of you are looking for updates on the condition of Chris Brown, I am willing to share bits here and there when I can. I am NOT a point of contact for the family, therefore I will not disclose everything I hear. I will more than likely be posting information after there is plenty of time for the information to be disseminated other ways. This will ensure that I am giving truthful updates.

I spoke with Chris’ mother earlier and she told me that he was given an EEG. The results have not been disclosed to the family yet. There is approximately 50 friends, family members, and firefighters in the waiting room on the 9th floor of Neuro-Trauma ICU. The last time I checked in was approximately 2pm.

Most of all, we need to continue to keep Chris and his family in our thoughts and prayers. Everyone is going through a tough time.

If in deed you would like an update. Please email me with your phone number and I will call you back (firefleitz@gmail.com). My phone number is published on my Facebook page if you would like to call as well.

Update on Dave Palmer: I also spoke with Dave Palmer today. He is doing better and was heading over for his first treatment today. I spoke with him around 2pm and dropped of a DVD player and some DVD’s. If you want, you could drop him off some DVD’s too.

I will be heading out of town to Nashville in the morning (Friday). I will be available and will be checking on Chris’ status.

We have a Captain who is in need of prayers. Not only him, but his family too. I stopped by RMH earlier tonight to speak with his brothers who congregated there. He is in a fight for his life and needs prayers. He is in the ICU on the 9th floor currently although he cannot have visitors directly. However, his family, friends, and brothers are there and hanging out in the hallway and waiting room.

Say an extra prayer tonight for our Brother.

Also…

I saw Dave Palmer tonight. He is in good spirits and is recuperating. He has a long haul in front of him. You should take a minute to stop in and say hello. I think he would love some movies (DVD’s) if you would like to drop one off. Dave’s wife has been hanging out by his side and his mother has been helping watch the children.

Oh yeah…

Drew Abel and his wife are at RMH as well. They just welcomed a brand new baby into the World a couple days ago. From what I understand they are all doing well. I would have stopped in, but it was late and I didn’t want to bother them.

In case you guys didn’t realize, Cory D. Craighead passed away the other day. I hesitated to comment on his death due to being on the call and HIPPA laws.

Cory was our MDA Ambassador for Local 1132 several years ago. The first time I met him he was still walking. Soon after he started relying more and more on a wheelchair to get around. Over the years I lost touch with him and his parents. However, Local 1132 continued to raise money along with the IAFF for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Cory’s battle with MDA ended the other day and he was buried today. He was a blessed little guy and is in a better place now. He will be missed.

At the hospital, his father told me that Cory stated all he wanted for his funeral was a firetruck in the procession. From what I am told we made this happen. Rodney Jordan got the engine there and the Salem Firefighters offered an extra special showing at the cemetary. They put Ladder 1 in the air and stood at attention. Great job guys. Way to show them that we care.

This has got to be a joke. Apparently, one of Roanoke County’s Chiefs has said that any County firefighters who are hurt playing football for the team being established will be let go once they run out of time.

I sure hope that this is a joke.

What if someone gets hurt doing something else? What if a firefighter is injured in a vehicle accident? Playing soccer? Gets hit by a meteor?

You get my point. What are the past practices for extended injury/illness in the County. Is this normal consequences for being unable to work and running out of time?

Any County FF’s want to give me their point of view?

Roanoke Bravest Football….meeting coming up on October 20th. Visit Roanoke Bravest Football website here.

The team seems to be coming along. The website is still being tweaked!

You know what I think is the funniest about all of this is that there are firefighters worried about other firefighters getting hurt playing football…yeah you read that right.You’re a damn fireman….our job is dangerous. Firefighters die each year doing the job and you are worried about playing football in pads. Get real!

Supposedly Administration is worried too. Since when do they give a hoot about us getting hurt.

You want to know what would tell me that Admin is worried about us getting hurt? DISABILITY RETIREMENT!!! That is what would truly let me know they care!

Updated: Thursday evening.

I apologize for the name differentiation. I had William G. Walters and knew he went by Jerry or Stick. I figured it was short for Gerald, but I did not know he was a Jr. My apologies. His obituary is added below with funeral arrangements.

William Gerald Walters Jr.
William Gerald (Jerry) Walters Jr., 59, of Roanoke, Va., passed away early Wednesday, September 23, 2009, following a short illness at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. He is survived by his wife, Judith Ann Miller Walters; a son, William Gerald Walters III; his mother, Mary Elizabeth Walters; mother-in-law, Kathleen Miller; two sisters and spouses, Diana and Clarence Woods, Marilyn and Charles “Chuck” Evans; one brother and spouse, James Michael and Tammy Walters; two sisters-in-law and spouses, Caroline and Ronnie England; Lula and Jerry Snyder and one brother-in-law and spouse, Frank Jr. and Karen Miller; numerous loving nieces and nephews and friends and his faithful companion, Michi-girl. He was preceded in death by his father, William G. Walters Sr. and father-in-law, Franklin Miller Sr. An Armed Forces Veteran, he worked as a firefighter and EMT for the City of Roanoke until his retirement in 1997. The family will receive friends Friday, September 25, 2009, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at Oakey’s North Chapel, 540…. Funeral services with the Rev. Mark Washington officiating will be Saturday, 12 noon, at Oakey’s North Chapel. Interment will follow at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens.

William G. Walters, or Jerry or Stick to most, passed away today. Stick was hired on November 22, 1974. He retired aroune 2000 although I don’t have the exact date. He was nicknamed “Stick” because he was tall and skinny!

I knew Stick pretty well for never having worked with him. I was hired in 1999 and he probably retired right around the same time I was hired. Stick’s last assignment was Station 8. He suffered a stroke last year, and I remember him telling me about his recovery. He fully recovered from the stroke from what I could tell and was always good for a couple of stories when he stopped by the Credit Union. Stick will be missed.

More information will be added when we know it. Enjoy the photos below circa early 1990′s taken by Maurice Wiseman.

I kinda missed this one by a little bit. Captain Charlie Fochtman retired last month. Charlie was last assigned to Station 11 on C-Shift. I spoke with him the other day and he is packing up and moving to Avon, North Carolina. I don’t blame him one bit! I wish I could join him!!!! Enjoy the picture below circa early 90′s. Enjoy retirement Captain!

Yesterday, an auction ended for a postcard of Historic Fire Station 1. I had bid on it, was watching it, then forgot about it. I did not win the auction. Below are pictures of the postcard which is used and dated 1917.

Just a quick message to Roanoke’s Bravest, our Families, and our Friends. We have a couple of guys we need to keep in our prayers.

Dave Palmer is in the hospital. He needs our prayers. I understand that some of the guys are getting together to help out at his house. I will be happy to post any information here. I don’t want to go into too much detail and I have not been given the full diagnosis, but he and his family are looking at a long recovery.

Retired Chief Billly Obenchain is returning to Duke this upcoming week. I don’t know much else, but that we should also be praying for him.

We also have several out on light duty finishing up their injury/illness/operation leave who should be joining us back in the station soon. Bennington, Kincer, Elmore, Foutz, Jordan, etc.

Retired Captain Ronnie Renick is still recovering from his motorcycle accident from what I hear.

Mark Nelson is still out on his ordeal. I still don’t understand the guilty until proven innocent deal. I really feel that administrative leave with pay should be used in these circumstances while the judicial system works. Unless you are jailed that is. However, I do not know the full details so I might just be totally off base.

Finally, Bryan Fichtner is still going through what I would call a very raw deal. Truthfully, in most any FD in the Nation I feel he would be looking at full disability. Instead we have him working some each day. No bright side to that story!

Lt./Union President Rodney Jordan, Lt. Steven McFaden,  and Firefighter Becky Smith (not sure if anyone else was there) recently attended the VPFF Legislative Conference in Virginia Beach. While there, the VPFF made their endorsements for Virginia’s next Governor, Lt. Governor, and Attorney General.
Governor: Creigh Deeds: www.deedsforvirginia.com
Lt Gov. Jody Wagner: www.jodyforva.com
Attorney General: Steve Shannon: www.shannon2009.com

Good job representing! I am sure you all had a great time in Va. Beach and learned a lot.

Photo from Charlie Adkins

In yet another moment of “I am in the wrong business”, Roanoke City is paying an independent consultant to find our new City Manager.

My first thought is what about Human Resources? What about City Council? What about the Roanoke Times, Washington Post, and New York Times? Why not just advertise it?

Colin Baenziger is the name of the consultant. What happens if he cannot find the 70-100 candidates? Not that I think there won’t be plenty of applicants. But what if he doesn’t. Are there checks and balances in place to make sure he doesn’t pad the list with friends and acquaintances just to appear to have done his job?

Either way, with the unemployment rate at an all time high you would think that there are plenty of hungry management types out there looking for a job. The last figure I saw was somewhere around 15 million unemployed.

Especially with top management officials taking the brunt of the finger pointing for budget shortfalls either rightfully or not.

The article on WDBJ7 states:

Members of city council say they’re looking forward to the process with an open mind.

“We haven’t made any pre-determined decision about someone from Roanoke or someone from Virginia, or it has to be someone from outside Virginia. We just want Colin’s help and find the very best candidates regardless,” says Rupert Cutler with Roanoke City Council.

Baenziger also wants to hear from Roanokers.

A public meeting is scheduled Wednesday in city council chambers.

Two more open meetings are on the schedule Thursday to hear from business leaders and neighborhood groups.

Baenziger says he hopes council will be able to make its decision by mid-December, with the goal of having the new city manager on the job by mid-February. Read more

The biggest question I have is how much we are paying this consultant to find a new City Manager. Currenty City Manager Darlene Burcham will end her tenure in Roanoke on March 1st.

Oh yeah…one other thing. Read the comments on the article linked above. And no, they are not mine.

They guys at Station 11 B-shift are inviting everyone to stop by on September 27th for an open house to wish Captain Riley Peters a wonderful retirement. The events will start at noon and go until whenever.

Hey guys, before I write a little ditty on this I want to preempt it with a message. If you have a chance, any chance at all get by Second Alarm and have a beer. Be sure to tell Gary Harris your a Roanoke City Firefighter. Not to get a free drink, but to show him your solidarity to his passion he has enjoyed for 30 years.

The Second Alarm is closing its doors after 30 years.

The Second Alarm sits at 2816 Williamson Road. The same place it has been for 30 years. Gary Harris has owned and operated it ever since he opened it in 1979. Gary retired from the Roanoke Fire Department as a Captain after 35 years of service. He was hired on February 16, 1964 and retired in 1999.

Gary’s son Todd is a firefighter for the Roanoke Fire-EMS Department and was hired in 1987. I currently work with Todd at Station 13 C-shift. I can tell you that just about anytime I drive by Second Alarm in the morning, both Todd and his father’s vehicles are there. They usually got together and cleaned and got everything ready for the days business. Second Alarm is open from 2pm til 2am.

Today, when talking to Todd I could tell that the sudden events leading up to the announcement of closure had effected the family. I can only imagine that after 30 years, Gary would have liked to have had a different ending to the story.

Needless to say that after 30 years of leasing the property, it isn’t much to ask of the owners.

Unfortunately, Harris was not left many other options and the bar will be closing. September 26th will be the last day of the Second Alarm…unless Gary decides other plans at a different location.

Like I said in the beginning, it would be great for everyone to stop by and say hello to Gary before it closes. Enjoy a frosty beverage and talk about “Back in the Day”. You might even catch Todd there!

If you need a drinking buddy….give me a call!

Read the story on the Roanoke Times here

The Roanoke Bravest Football Club is being formed and creating a public safety football team.

All are welcome to a team meeting on October 20th at 6:30pm at the Roanoke Regional Training Center.

The season will start July 2010, so that is plenty of time to get into shape!

Read more here: Roanoke Bravest Football Club

Over the past several days, firefighters have been training at the Roanoke Regional Airport.

They also staged an emergency drill.

The Roanoke Times covered the event in a photo gallery. Check it out here.

Old Station 3, located at 6th and Rorer SW, is undergoing a face lift. The 100 year old station was closed down a handful of years ago. An architecture firm has bought it and is renovating it. I will have more information next week hopefully. They hope to open have the renovation complete by Sunday. You can view the old station here.

As promised, I would like to delve into the new plans for the amphitheater in Roanoke City. I was reminded today by a reader and I appreciate the phone call.

Roanoke was applauded when they decided to remove the amphitheater plans from the budget this year. However, in an action that further perpetuated the displeasure with Roanoke City Council, they decided to add it back in. WTF? Exactly.

Two things I am sick and tired of is hearing about is that damn amphitheater

and,

how out of money Roanoke City is!

The Amphitheater

Let me talk directly about why we don’t need an amphitheater. Because no one has shown the need for it. I have always said, going back to the Victory Stadium saga,  that if we needed one Victory Stadium would have been booked all year long. But it wasn’t.

What kind of leadership are we being run by? “If you build it, they will come”. Sure, that worked great in the movie, but in real life what guarantees to we have?

I think that a lot of the progressive things happening in Roanoke are great. Unfortunately, most are being done for the wrong reasons. Roanoke needs to stop funding private initiatives. Remember the apartment building at 1st and Campbell? Remember the tax breaks given to them? What about Ukrops? Remember the tax breaks given to them?

Get a hold of yourselves. We cannot prosper under a plan of increased tax revenue if every new tax revenue possibility is given tax breaks.

What about the City funded initiatives? Remember how much Roanoke City gave to the Art Museum? Can anyone count how many other museums we already have that are fighting for funding? Remember that huge green space where the amphitheater was supposed to go…before anyone said it was ok to put it there? Remember how much we spent on that?

What about studies and consultants? Why in the hell is Roanoke City paying salaries for some positions when every time we need data we have to outsource it? The people who should be doing it get to skate. Maybe we should be hiring more qualified individuals who can put together a report when needed.

Is Roanoke really broke?

You tell me. If you are living paycheck to paycheck and can’t hardly afford to put food on the table are you going to go out and purchase a luxury yacht?

Here are the ways Roanoke City has asked us to help out:

• Turn trucks off on scene
• Don’t let them idle too long before going somewhere
• Keep the lights off as much as possible at the station
• Don’t run the A/C too cold
• Don’t run the heat to high
• Don’t go out and train or ride territory too much

Here are the ways Roanoke City has forced us to help out:

• No raise last year
• No merit raise last year (maximum was less then 1%)
• No more ICMA match (the maximum City paid was $25 a paycheck)
• No more training other than on duty mandatory training
• No more travel
• No more college tuition assistance
• No more pagers to find out about overtime
• No more overtime, now we simply mark trucks out of service
• No more vacation after signups because we have too many vacancies

I might have left something out, but that is a pretty pitiful look at what we have given up already.

Now lets go back to the $14,000,000, that’s million with an M, they are proposing to spend on the amphitheater. Do you think we have that kind of money laying around.

Bowers also praised Trinkle as a major behind-the-scenes driver in adding the City Market Building renovation and Elmwood Park amphitheater to the city’s five-year capital spending plan. Bowers said that those projects, combined with the Jefferson Center, Roanoke Civic Center and Valley View Mall, will make Roanoke a “tourism magnet that should have regional appeal throughout the mid-Atlantic states.” (source Roanoke.com)

What about us Bowers? The Roanoke City EMPLOYEES who make Roanoke City what it is. What about the ones who work day in and day out for a City who spends money so frivolously yet cannot afford to give their employees a COST OF LIVING RAISE?

If we don’t have the money then WE DON’T HAVE THE MONEY! Don’t tell us we don’t have the money and then spend $14 million like it is going out of style.

Ethics people…..Ethics….ethics…..groan…

This is an often debated question. Where should you work Roanoke City, Roanoke County, or Salem?

Since I work in Roanoke City, I will offer you an issue that we face here in the City as opposed to Roanoke County or Salem. One that is a huge problem and probably the most important given the potential danger in our profession.

The problem is Disability Retirement. Text below is directly from Roanoke City Code (link)

Sec. 22.2-51. Occupational disability retirement allowance.
(a) Eligibility. Upon the application of a member in service or the head of such member’s department, any member who has been totally and permanently incapacitated for duty as a natural and proximate result of an accident occurring while in the actual performance of duty at some definite time and place without willful negligence on his part may be retired by the board on an occupational disability retirement allowance not more than one (1) year after the filing of such application; provided that the board’s medical examiner or examiners shall certify after medical examination (i) that such member is mentally or physically totally incapacitated for the further performance of any gainful employment for which the member is qualified with his most recent participating employers, (ii) that such incapacity is the natural and proximate result of an accident occurring while in the actual performance of duty, and (iii) that such incapacity is likely to be permanent.
(b) Amount of benefit. The occupational disability retirement allowance shall be equal to sixty-six and two-thirds (66 2/3) percent of a member’s average final compensation. This benefit shall be reduced by workers’ compensation benefits as provided for in section 22.2-53. This benefit shall not be reduced due to payment commencing prior to normal retirement age.

The emphasis above was mine.

The issue with the bold and italic text above basically says that if you become disabled from your job, you can be place in another position of “gainful employment”. That gainful employment would naturally be any position within the City that you are able to do.

In other words, even though you were injured as a firefighter you can become a ticket collector at the Civic Center. The fact that you put in time and risked your life as a firefighter for Roanoke City and the Citizens of Roanoke City is not an issue.

You should have a problem with this. Everyone should have a problem with this! Everyone should be doing something abou this.

I can tell you that I have spoke with Council members about this and the outlook is bleak. They care about the ampitheater, the market building, the Social Security building, and the art museum more than they care about us getting hurt.

Let me show you the other side of the fence (the Roanoke County and Salem Firefighters). These guys/gals operate under the Virginia Retirement System (VRS).

The VRS Disability Retirement (link)

Overview
If you are unable to perform your job because of a physical or mental disability and the disability is likely to be permanent, you may be eligible to apply for disability retirement benefits through the Virginia Retirement System (VRS).

Eligibility
Your eligibility begins on the first day of employment in a VRS-covered position. Any medical condition you have when you are first employed, however, must worsen substantially for you to be considered for disability retirement. You also must apply for disability retirement while employed in a VRS-covered position or within 90 days of leaving employment.

Therefore, I will pose the question to you. Where would you rather work?

Sure there are other arguments, but most pale in comparison to the one above.

I am hearing rumors that anywhere from 6-12 Roanoke City Firefighters have put in for the open positions in Salem.

If you are wondering how many firefighters will be hired this next round, I am hearing that the City and County will both hire 12 each and Salem will hire 6. Do not take that as fact though, I do not have the exact numbers.

Hey all. The four alarm fire on Mclanahan was ruled accidental. Here are two additional images from Jim Hylton taken the following day.