The Kingston Fire

The Times Leader article on the Kingston fire at 120-122 Price St
Angel Ravera, 20, and William Saez, 26, died inside the home, Eric Adams, 49, was pulled from a second-floor bedroom by firefighters and rushed to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead

Angelica Ravera, 18, and her mother, Laura Adams, 50, climbed out of a bedroom window and jumped from a roof onto a snow pile. Angelica Ravera was treated and released from Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township. Her mother was flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital, where she was listed in serious condition Monday afternoon.

“Firefighters were met with heavy fire showing from the first and second floor,” Guido said. “With the amount of fire showing, they made an initial attack and backed out. We believe there might have been flash over, heavy fire that built up from high temperature and it just flashed out at them. They had to get out.”



And from the Citizens Voice



"Laura Adams and her daughter screamed for help early Monday as intense smoke and flames forced them to the front-porch roof of their 122 Price St. home. Her husband, Eric, remained inside - searching in vain for her two grown sons.
Within seconds, hope and heartache"



In addition to the emotional trauma, the chief said sub-freezing temperatures also took their toll.
"The conditions were treacherous. It was freezing cold. It was very, very slippery. It was extremely dangerous," Guido said. "Thank God, none of my guys were hurt."
"Luzerne County Chief Deputy Coroner William Lisman said Eric Adams nearly made it out. "He got to the window and slumped over," Lisman explained.



The Kingston Fire Department, under the direction of Chief Frank Guido, is a combination department consisting of twenty-three career firefighters including the Chief and approximately thirty active volunteers.

From what I've been told, The Kingston FD did an almost superhuman effort at this fire, especially considering their manning and the road conditions. They are a credit to the community and to all who call themselves Firefighters.

My heart goes out to the victims of this fire. The unfortunate truth is that this type of story will become very common in Wilkes-Barre, unless something is done to bring our manning back up to acceptable levels.

Yesterday 'a city official', stopped by South Station (Engine 3 was in service) and made a comment about, "How he thought it (South Station) was being used for something else (not a fire station) now."
I'm still hearing rumors that Leighton has plans to sell the station by the end of the year, whether he wins re-election or not. This CAN NOT be allowed to happen. Once gone there will NEVER be an other!

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster

The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occurred on February 1, 2003, when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, resulting in the death of all seven crew members.


The loss of Columbia was a result of damage sustained during launch when a piece of foam insulation the size of a small briefcase broke off the Space Shuttle external tank (the main propellant tank) under the aerodynamic forces of launch. The debris struck the leading edge of the left wing, damaging the Shuttle's thermal protection system (TPS), which protects it from heat generated with the atmosphere during re-entry. While Columbia was still in orbit, some engineers suspected damage, but NASA managers limited the investigation, on the grounds that little could be done even if problems were found.


The Crew consisted of Captain David M. Brown (USN), Colonel Rick D. Husband, Captain Laurel Clark (USN), Engineer Kalpana Chawla, Lt. Colonel Michael P. Anderson, Commander William C. McCool & Israeli Colonel Ilan Ramon.


Dan Emplit WBFD

WAKE UP America

From my forwarded E-Mail Box
"My great great grandfather watched as his friends died in the Civil War, my grandfather watched as his friends died in WW II, and my father watched as my friends died in Vietnam.
None of them died for the Mexican Flag.
Everyone died for the U.S. flag.
In Texas, a student raised a Mexican flag on a school flag pole; another student took it down. Guess who was expelled...the kid who took it down.
Kids in high school in California were sent home this year on Cinco de Mayo because they wore T-shirts with the American flag printed on them.

Enough is enough.
The below e-mail message needs to be viewed by every American; and every American needs to stand up for America.

We've bent over to appease the America-haters long enough.
I'm taking a stand.
I'm standing up because the hundreds of thousands who died fighting in wars for this country, and for the U.S. flag can't stand up.
And shame on anyone who tries to make this a racist message.
Let me make this perfectly clear!

THIS IS MY COUNTRY!
And, because I make This statement DOES NOT Mean I'm against immigration!!!
YOU ARE WELCOME HERE, IN MY COUNTRY!
Welcome!
To come through legally:
1. Get a sponsor!
2. Get a place to lay your head!
3. Get a job!
4. Live By OUR Rules!
5. Pay YOUR Taxes!
And
6. Learn the LANGUAGE like immigrants have in the past!!!
AND
7. Please don't demand that we hand over our lifetime savings of Social Security Funds to you.

If you don't want to forward this for fear of offending someone,
Then YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM!

When will AMERICANS STOP giving away THEIR RIGHTS???

We've gone so far the other way... bent over backwards not to offend anyone. But it seems no one cares about the AMERICAN CITIZEN that's being offended!

WAKE UP America !!!"

The Shuttle Challenger disaster

Yesterday was the 25th anniversary of the Shuttle Challenger disaster. On Tuesday, January 28, 1986 at 11:38 a.m., the Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, killing its seven crew members.


Moments before the Challenger disintigrated.

Onboard were Michael J. Smith, Dick Scobee, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis & Judith Resnik. This was the worst 'space' disaster since the Apollo 1 fire in 1967, only equalled by the shuttle Columbia disaster on February 1, 2003.


Note the puff of grey smoke


In 2004, President George W. Bush conferred posthumous Congressional Space Medals of Honor to all 14 astronauts lost in the Challenger and Columbia accidents.



The Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery, where some remains were buried.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Something way off my normal Beat...

In this economic climate, where we are all tightening our (money) belts, I'd like to point out a group who seem to take the brunt of this.
The ASPCA and local shelters are on financially rough footing. They are there to take in our discarded friends.
Like Ava


Or Cassandra



Or Higgins


or Lola


Or Ruby


Or Walter


A little money, basically change from your pocket could mean life for a pet like Hennessey


Even if you can't adopt then, please, if you are getting a tax refund, think about the pets with nothing, no one (except the good people at the ASPCA and shelters country wide), and no family. And give what you can dog food, treats, cat food, kitty litter, the change you throw on the counter, ALL would be a help.

ASPCA facebook
ASPCA website

Any replies Anonymous or not will be posted for this topic.
Thank you,
Dan Emplit WBFD

PS Today was the 25th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster. More on that tomorrow.

Why California is broke and Wyoming is not

The Governor of California is jogging with his dog along a nature trail.

A coyote jumps out and attacks the Governor's dog, then bites the Governor.

1. The Governor starts to intervene, but reflects upon the movie "Bambi" and then realizes he should stop because the coyote is only doing what is natural.

2. He calls animal control. Animal Control captures the coyote and bills the State $200 testing it for diseases and $500 for relocating it.

3. He calls a veterinarian. The vet collects the dead dog and bills the State $200 testing it for diseases.

4. The Governor goes to hospital and spends $3,500 getting checked for diseases from the coyote and on getting his bite wound bandaged.

5. The running trail gets shut down for 6 months while Fish & Game conducts a $100,000 survey to make sure the area is now free of dangerous animals.

6. The Governor spends $50,000 in state funds implementing a "coyote awareness program" for residents of the area.

7. The State Legislature spends $2 million to study how to better treat rabies and how to permanently eradicate the disease throughout the world.

8. The Governor's security agent is fired for not stopping the attack. The State spends $150,000 to hire and train a new agent with additional special training re: the nature of coyotes.

9. PETA protests the coyote's relocation and files a $5 million suit against the State.

Wyoming:

The Governor of Wyoming is jogging with his dog along a nature trail. A Coyote jumps out and attacks his dog.

1. The Governor shoots the coyote with his State-issued pistol and keeps jogging. The Governor has spent $0.50 on a .45 ACP hollow point cartridge.

2. The Buzzards eat the dead coyote.

Total costs California = $7,304,400
Total costs Wyoming = $0.50

And that, my friends, is why California is broke and Wyoming is not.

Add on edit: Change the Wyoming part to Texas and this is true!!!

Oh, a shooting buddy and his son took this picture, in the mid-west, Neither knew The 'kitty' was there until the flash scared it!

Are my parents being punished?

These are pictures of my parents street. It is a dead end street in Wilkes-Barre. Theses pictures show that the street was not touched after a snow storm.... They were taken Jan 8th 2011, 2 DAYS after a snow storm. Now I know that the main streets have a priority, But ... 2 DAYS!!!! And the city couldn't spare a plow for the 5 or 10 minutes it would have taken? They pay taxes and aren't getting the services they payed for!!



You can see where my front wheel drive car lost traction. What if the ambulance was needed on this street? Or the Fire Engine?




That hill on top of the turn is a killer. It will stop a 4 wheel drive in really bad weather.



The pictures Below were taken today. They show the city's' plow and salting STOPPED just BEFORE my parents house.
Why? Any ones guess is as good as mine. They have plenty of room to turn around past my parents house.




Here you see where my parents neighbor, a retired Firefighter, plowed enough, using his quad, for them to get out. But AGAIN, he shouldn't have to.



You can see where they stopped salting. Why does MY parents tax dollars get them less than, say Barney Farms?




These 'Games' are either someones laziness or spite. They need to stop.

Dan Emplit WBFD