City fire report: 'It is not going to be pleasant'By Glenn Smith (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Firefighter CoverageIn our special section with photos, videos, interactives, donation information and every story written about the tragedy.
The Post and Courier A preliminary federal report has provided fresh details about the chain of events at the fatal Sofa Super Store fire, but another report coming this week is expected to provide greater context and insight into how those events led to the deaths of nine Charleston firefighters. The report, due Thursday, should present a comprehensive time line and analysis of the tragedy, detailing the actions of firefighters amid the chaos at the sprawling furniture outlet on June 18. The city consultants' report likely will address many issues spotlighted in a recently released draft review from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, or NIOSH. But the soon-to-be-released report is expected to go deeper, and link actions with results. Mayor Joe Riley has acknowledged that the Fire Department made mistakes that night, but he also has stressed that the fire was a rapidly moving blaze that left firefighters with little time to react. Others, however, remain convinced that the tragedy was avoidable had things been handled differently that night. NIOSH Draft ReportJanet Wilmoth, editorial director for Fire Chief magazine, has known the six members of the city panel for years, and she said she expects the group to deliver an honest report that pulls no punches. "I think they are going to tell the story like it is, and it is not going to be pleasant," she said. "Those nine firefighters should not have died, and we are lucky they didn't lose more." Firefighters and families of the fallen await the report with a mix of anticipation and dread, knowing that raw emotions will accompany the answers they seek. "We'll just have to put on our tough skin and get ready for it," said Jean Dangerfield, sister of fallen firefighter Michael French. The findings of the city-appointed panel, headed by former Shreveport, La., Fire Chief Gordon Routley, are likely to address issues highlighted in the NIOSH report, a review by state workplace safety officials and The Post and Courier's own investigation. Among the issues the panel's report could touch on include: Water supply problems A combination of factors undermined efforts to move water from a plentiful supply of surrounding hydrants to front-line firefighters as they struggled to keep the fire from sweeping through the building. For example, the Fire Department failed to follow its policy requiring that the second truck on the scene hook up to a hydrant. That initially left crews dependent on the limited water supply in tanks onboard their trucks. When hydrant lines were finally established, the supply hoses were too small to deliver the full flow of water available. That's because the city relied on supply hoses about half the diameter of those used by most other fire departments. The first crew inside the main showroom waited 15 minutes for hydrant water. When the engineer finally tapped a line, water had to travel through nearly 1,200 feet of undersized supply hose to get to a truck that was feeding three attack hoses off the stream. There wasn't enough water or pressure to get the job done. Crews inside the building were left yelling for more water, unable to beat back the flames. There was at least one report of a fire captain's hose running dry as he moved closer to the heart of the blaze. He narrowly escaped alive. The department has since upgraded to larger supply and attack hoses, following recommendations from the city's expert panel. Lack of accountability and command procedures In the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, federal emergency management officials encouraged local public safety agencies to adopt uniform policies and procedures to ensure orderly responses to large-scale calamities. South Carolina adopted the federal guidelines, known as the National Incident Management System, in 2005. Charleston was required to follow suit. One key element of the federal guidelines is the naming of an incident commander, the "brain" of the operation who coordinates assignments on the ground from a vantage point away from the action. Assistant Fire Chief Larry Garvin, who was in charge of the scene when firefighters entered the sofa store, reportedly entered the building multiple times as conditions inside and outside grew increasingly worse. One photo, taken at roughly 24 minutes into the fire, shows not a single firefighter or commander monitoring conditions outside the front of the building as the blaze worsened. While such direct involvement with the fire appeared to run contrary to the national guidelines, city officials initially minimized the value of the widely accepted standards. "The somewhat bureaucratic notion that a fire incident commander is not to be engaged, to me, is foolhardy," Riley insisted. Paul Grimwood, who served 35 years with fire departments in London and New York and is now an author and consultant on firefighting tactics, disagrees. He said commanders likely could have taken actions that would have saved lives if they had paid attention to signs of problems that night. He said a controlled evacuation should have been called long before the maydays were heard. "There were clear fire behavior indicators; possibly some structural collapse warning indicators; and an obvious failure by on-scene commanders to act on the fact that an excessive number of firefighters had deployed inside the structure whilst the interior fire was rapidly developing, but their water supply was failing," he said. Incident command systems also help leaders keep track of firefighters on the scene. Radio dispatch tapes from the sofa store reveal chaos and confusion about how many men were trapped inside the building and who they were. Roger Yow, a former Charleston fire captain and president of the local firefighters' union, said firefighter accountability was practically nonexistent. "That's why it was hours before they even realized it was nine guys." The fire department has since upgraded its incident command procedures and adopted an improved system for tracking the whereabouts of firefighters. Poor awareness of threat posed by steel truss roofs In the wake of the fire, the gutted remains of the sofa store revealed a series of bent and charred steel truss members that once spanned the building between its roof and dropped ceiling. The truss design is widely reviled in the fire service because it can hide growing fires and has a propensity to weaken and collapse when exposed to heat, sometimes in as little as 10 minutes. Photographs and accounts indicate that Charleston firefighters were inside the sofa store for at least 30 minutes before the roof collapsed as flames consumed the building. The federal government issues special safety guidelines about the truss design. The guidelines warn firefighters to use thermal imaging cameras to search for hidden heat, and to get out if there is any indication that the trusses are exposed to fire. Charleston firefighters had at least one heat-sensing camera available that night, but it sat unused in a fire truck outside the store as firefighters waded deeper into the showroom. A St. Andrews fire captain offered the use of his thermal imaging camera, but Fire Chief Rusty Thomas said he didn't want it, the NIOSH report stated. It's unclear if commanders at the scene were even aware of the building's specific dangers. During a 2006 walk-through, firefighters didn't note the building's steel truss roof or any other unusual hazards. Firefighters were allowed to remain in the building during the fire even after seeing the steel truss roof glowing red before its collapse. After the fire, the city adopted a new policy that requires firefighters to use a heat-sensing camera to detect hidden fire and prohibits firefighters from entering such structures if a truss roof or floor has been exposed to fire. Reach Glenn Smith at 937-5556 or gsmith@postandcourier.com. Reach Ron Menchaca at 937-5724 or rmenchaca@postandcourier.com.
A Matter of Minutes; Fire Timeline Just 28 minutes passed from the time the first fire units arrived at the scene of the Sofa Super Store fire to the time all hope was lost for the trapped firefighters. Here's the time line developed by investigators for the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health: 7:07 p.m.: Dispatch sends out a call about a possible fire behind the Sofa Super Store. 7:10 p.m.: First fire units arrive on scene and report a trash fire at one side of the building. 7:11 p.m.: Assistant Fire Chief Larry Garvin arrives on the scene. 7:13 p.m.: After searching the main showroom for fire, Garvin opens a door to the loading dock and sees heavy fire. 7:14 p.m.: Garvin radios that fire is now inside the rear of the building, "walking its way into the showroom." 7:16 p.m.: Fire Chief Rusty Thomas arrives on the scene. 7:26 p.m.: Dispatch radios Thomas saying a store worker is trapped at the rear of the building. 7:29 p.m.: A firefighter inside the store indicates he's in distress and asks "which way out," and then says "everyone out." 7:30 p.m.: Several firefighters inside the building radio distress calls saying "need some help out," "need help getting out," "lost connection with the hose." 7:31 - 7:34 p.m.: The trapped store worker is rescued by firefighters. Distress calls from firefighters inside the store become desperate. One calls Mayday, another can be heard praying and another says "I love you." 7:35 p.m.: As efforts to rescue firefighters continue, Thomas orders the front windows knocked out to improve visibility inside the showroom. Fresh air rushes into the burning store. 7:36 p.m.: Conditions at the front of the showroom change dramatically as turbulent, thick, dark smoke rolls out the windows. 7:37 p.m.: Fire boils out the front windows. 7:38 p.m.: Thomas radios for everyone to abandon the building. |
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Comments
This article has 39 comment(s)
Posted by east3 on May 11, 2008 at 12:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Janet Wilmoth is not a person with an axe to grind or a union official, but a journalist representing the views of fire chiefs from across the country. Note the words she used – the nine “should not have died.” Their deaths were preventable.
The cause of death of those nine men was not a discarded cigarette or a faulty fire door or the lack of sprinklers. They were the victims of years of negligence and disregard for the well-being of Charleston’s firefighters by the Fire Chief and the Mayor who appointed him and is now protecting him from accountability.
They knowingly disregarded repeated efforts to move the city and department forward in step with national professional standards. In 2002, the union urged compliance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards, including adequate staffing, larger initial fire responses and adoption of the incident command system, warning that not to do so “increases the risk of firefighter injury.”
In 2005, the governor of South Carolina issued an executive order which adopted the National Incident Management System (NIMS) as “South Carolina’s standard” and encouraged all local jurisdictions within the state to adopt it.
Both the union and the Governor were ignored by the Mayor and the Chief. After the fire, they defended their reliance on “tradition” and repeated their disregard for professional standards. According to the P&C, “Charleston Fire Chief Rusty Thomas said … that he does not know whether his department's policies mirror federal and state guidelines for managing a fire scene.” He said, “We have our own incident command system…I don't care how it is anyplace else."
These actions are the definition of professional negligence and their words are public confessions. They did not care what the standards were, and even after nine men had died, swore they would never change their ways.
Not only was there no recognizable command system, every aspect of the operation was substandard. The response was too small, the crews understaffed, the apparatus poorly equipped, the hoses and nozzles obsolete, the water supply procedures inadequate and outdated by decades, the scene disorganized, the radio system misused, the tactics fatally incompetent, the engineers poorly trained, the commanders ignorant of tactics and hydraulics. Only the guts of the firefighters were above and beyond. They were betrayed by an ignorant and negligent leadership that allowed them to go to their deaths wrongly.
The Mayor wants to claim that no fire department could have controlled this fire. First, he is probably wrong. Had all those factors above been up to standard, it is very possible that a strong and well-supplied attack on the loading dock fire could have knocked it down and possibly limited its spread.
But more importantly, if he really believes that, then how does he excuse his Chief leaving his firefighters to die inside a fire that no fire department could control?
Posted by Thomas1776 on May 11, 2008 at 3 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"Those nine firefighters should not have died, and we are lucky they didn't lose more."
With Riley in office and Rusty Thomas still Chief, how on this earth our fire fighters can still respect and work for them is just hard to understand and believe. Nobody respects either one of them anymore - and never will ever again.
Posted by Thomas1776 on May 11, 2008 at 3:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Riley can use his psychopath traits and skills all he wants, but the facts are clear. The fire did not kill those 9 men. Rusty Thomas and Weasle Joe did - PERIOD!
Final Justice is coming in a court of law.
Posted by geekguy2008 on May 11, 2008 at 3:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I never thought I'd live to see the day where I would actually be ashamed to live in Charleston....The Mayor and Fire Chief need to be replaced as soon as possible, and that Larry Garvin man, too. This is totally inexcusable and unacceptable.
Posted by CedarPosts on May 11, 2008 at 4:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lights On for Charleston - Lights Out for Rusty Thomas
I'll offer a suggestion - When the report is released by the Mayor on Thursday or sooner, Charlestonians turn their car headlights on to show support for the Charleston Fire Department and at the same time showing their demand that Chief Thomas resign.
In Charleston's polite society, during the days, weeks and months after this tragic event, everyone was supportive of Rusty Thomas. We allowed him time to express his sorrow and to shed his tears, to say what he felt needed to be said.
The men and women of CFD have also stood by their chief out of politeness and respect due to a Chief of any fire department.
But now is the time for Chief Thomas to return this respect and do the right thing.
There will be no mobs descending on City Hall, no blue flu, no over loading of 911 or refusal of any station to answer calls, no parade of torches marching up meeting street and no hanging at White Point Gardens.
Just thousands of cars and trucks with their headlights on calling for his resignation.
Chief Thomas it is time to stand down.
More about Lights On for Charleston - Lights Out for Rusty Thomas at:
http://cedarposts.blogspot.com
Posted by Thomas1776 on May 11, 2008 at 6:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
A march in protest is still in order. It must be done to demonstrate the outrage that these two clowns have spit in the face of everything rules and law stand for.
They killed 9 brave men out of their own pathetic ignorance and pretentious self pride. A total farce Riley is.
He will be forced out of office. This was the last straw. Riley can kiss his little weenie butt goodbye as he falls flat on his face in the low tide puff mud.
March on City Hall! March!
Posted by Thomas1776 on May 11, 2008 at 6:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
BTW: Be thankful that the Post and Courier has the guts to stand up to Riley. The P&C is on the side of the citizens of Charleston!
Posted by Neponset on May 11, 2008 at 6:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thomas
I am surprised that the P&C has printed the facts, since day one and has kept this sad story alive for this long.
Posted by Puzzled on May 11, 2008 at 7:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Polite doesn't cut it. Polite and quiet protest against unsafe practices when unheard for the term of the current administration. Polite didn't publicize the archaic operation of a fire department. Polite didn't challenge a Chief and Mayor who do not listen and believe that national accepted standards and practices are "foolhardy."
Polite is over. A recall petition should be started if, after Thursday, the Mayor does not act.
Posted by STREETLAW on May 11, 2008 at 7:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
A military commander far away from Charleston sent his men to face the enemy. Normally some kind of intelligence would have been sought to determine the size of the enemies forces, their weaponry, their will to fight.
Prior to the battle, forward observers might have been posted to detect enemy movement and direct artillery. If it were dark, these observers may have been equipped with night vision scopes.
But this commander did nothing to assess the situation, and instead, sent his men to be slaughtered by a superior force.
Subsequently, he was relieved of his command and court-martialed.
There is no doubt his men were heroes. And many thought he tried to mitigate his failure in the matter by shifting the focus of determining responsibility by playing on the bravery and sacrifice of the men who perished.
What a sweetheart.
Couldn't happen here.
Posted by RTC on May 11, 2008 at 8:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
City fire report: 'It is not going to be pleasant'
No, it's not. How could anything concerning the unnecessary loss of nine lives contain one pleasant or positive statement?
Posted by jefferymaier on May 11, 2008 at 10:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The S.C. Code of Laws defines involuntary manslaughter in SECTION 16-3-60. Involuntary manslaughter; "criminal negligence" defined.
With regard to the crime of involuntary manslaughter, criminal negligence is defined as the reckless disregard of the safety of others. A person charged with the crime of involuntary manslaughter may be convicted only upon a showing of criminal negligence as defined in this section. A person convicted of involuntary manslaughter must be imprisoned not more than five years."
This fits the situation with the chief almost perfectly.
Posted by the_yankee on May 11, 2008 at 10:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Excelent comments from all on this post and all very true. The thing that puzzles me is how did this moron(bushy brows) get re-elected. Can anyone anwser that????
Posted by Paul on May 11, 2008 at 10:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Recall petition, where do I sign?
Posted by moonpie on May 11, 2008 at 10:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well said "raregar67".
How did he expect his men to battle a fire with no resources. His courtesy hour is over. We need to take our country, cities, back from these power seekers. I can't believe he, RT, even has to be asked or forced out. With these reports it should be his will.
Posted by LutherVanderhorst on May 11, 2008 at 11:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You can scrutinize any action after the event and find flaws.
Posted by UrGatorbait on May 11, 2008 at 11:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
east3 excellent post, streetlaw that was a very good analogy.
I can't believe there where no procedures in place for an on scene commander, no accountability procedures for such a deadly environment and apparently no span of control by any level of supervision. The hose issue is totally unacceptable. It's like taking a knife to a gunfight.
I'm not a Charleston resident but this report smacks of negligence. Disgusting that 9 men died to save a nickel or two.
Posted by UrGatorbait on May 11, 2008 at 11:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
To bad most of these flaws were known prior to the incident Luther. Finding ways to improve in after action reports also might involve negligence. You comment reeks of a head in the sand mentality.
I wonder if the CFD had after action reports from other fires that might have shown ways to improve procedures?
Posted by Thomas1776 on May 11, 2008 at 12:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The City has Charleston seems to have always had a seriously LACKING THIRD RATE equiped fire department while Riley has been WASTING 10's of millions of YOUR money on his little pet projects.
What is Rusty Thomas's salary? (experienced fire fire fighter my butt!)(Rusty have proven himself to be worthless).
What is Riley's salary? (a little man and a big bigot who thinks he is Jesus himself and can walk on water and never do no wrong. He thinks his words can get him out of this one. Well they WONT work this time).
The People of Charleston Want Rileys And Rusty Thomas' HEADS on delivered to them on a silver platter. And they will get it!
They are both doomed to public persecution.
The majority of the people WANT them gone.
Posted by Thomas1776 on May 11, 2008 at 12:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
jefferymaier,
That is why the SC State Attorney General best act against Riley and Rusty as well or charges could be brought up on he himself.
Posted by Thomas1776 on May 11, 2008 at 12:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A documentary on this horrible mishanding would do even more justice with all the BS psychopath lines of Weasle Rileys as he tries to escape responsibility and protect a bozo.
Riley used his psychopath skills and the same crapola with former police Chief Rueben Greenberg. The public pressure was so much, Riley had to coward down to the real power. WE THE PEOPLE!
Posted by sharann on May 11, 2008 at 12:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
june18th forever changed my families life. all because of comand choices,water supply you pepole know who you are and i pray that justice will provail
Posted by Paoa on May 11, 2008 at 12:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Rusty Thomas has to go! And he will, because this tragedy will not go away. The Mayor and Rusty's Rangers and sycophants can say what they will, but they cannot fight the truth. RT and the culture he helped to promulgate in the CFD,poor training and failure at the CFD command level on 6/18 contributed to the deaths of the Charleston 9 and I don't care how you spin it! The truth is the truth !!
Posted by every_1_goeshome on May 11, 2008 at 12:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thomas1776… In reference to the third post in this string, what makes you think final justice is coming in a court of law? None of the Families have sued the City of Charleston, CFD, Rusty Thomas, Battalion Chief Garvin, or the incompetent Training Officer. As a matter of fact, it seems they are very unwilling to do so. In a way I understand. Doing so will mean admitting their loved one worked for an incompetent, FD, an incompetent Chief, an incompetent system that was so far behind the times they were the laughing stock of the local and regional fire service long before June 18, 2007. That will be tough, very tough for a Family to do.
Posted by dr_fed on May 11, 2008 at 1:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Remove this third rate piece sh*t mayor from office now. This spineless weasel is not even worth being called mayor. At this point as long as he remains in office he will only bring disgrace and shame to the city of Charleston.
Posted by icbmman on May 11, 2008 at 3:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The_yankee, to answer your question, Riley was re-elected because his competition was absolutely pathetic. There have been no charismatic visionaries to run for the mayor's office in Chas since the 90s. Most of the candidates that have run against him were either incompetant rejects, boring bureaucrats, or both.
The fact is that while Riley has done some good things for the city, his loooooong tenure in power has corrupted the city's operations and planning. It is time for at least Thomas to be fired...maybe the mayor can be recalled.
Posted by dr_fed on May 11, 2008 at 3:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Unfortunately there is no recall provision in SC law. Perhaps multiple lawsuits could be measured against Riley that would include criminal negligence in the leadership incompetence he displayed in the events leading up to this tragedy. This would enable the governor and the state legislature to come in and forcibly remove this pathetic weasel of a mayor who's driving Charleston into the gutter. That is the only way to remove this individual. History has shown that monarchs and dictators do not willingly abdicate their positions of power.
Posted by a_set_love on May 11, 2008 at 4:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Gee, now I have wonder what led people to vote for Riley.
Can anyone name 10 things he has done as mayor, to make Charleston a better place for all its citizens to live in.
He has been there 30+ years so this has to be an easy question.
Posted by WalkMan on May 11, 2008 at 4:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I reinterate my comments from a previous article: If the issue at hand is why the Sofa Super Store was lost that fateful day, I'll listen to all comments pertaining to the structure and the fire load for that day. Our so called "perfect storm" of events!?!
But if our issue at hand is why did we have such a loss of life I don't want to hear any of it. I don't want to sound bitter but all the clues were there to prevent the deaths. ALL the clues. It was arrogance and/or ignorance that allowed such poor decisions for firefighters to continue to operate once the building should have been written off and most importantly without proper water supply. We don't send a soldier to war without the proper weapons and these men should not have been asked to battle a fire without the proper water in place. PERIOD.
There are plenty of contributing factors including the fire Chief's intent to continue to throw men at the fire until they could no longer enter the building. But no firefighter should have been in that building without enough water. If they had been withdrawn, we may still be debating why the building was lost, but 9 additional men would have been able to give their input and perspective too.
They died because of poor decisions. They DIED because of poor decisions. THEY DIED BECAUSE OF POOR DECISION!!!
Posted by WalkMan on May 11, 2008 at 4:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Not CONDITIONS!!
Posted by Thomas1776 on May 11, 2008 at 7:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
60 Minutes is toying with the idea of doing a story on the SSS reports.
Posted by dr_fed on May 11, 2008 at 8 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"Gee, now I have wonder what led people to vote for Riley.
Can anyone name 10 things he has done as mayor, to make Charleston a better place for all its citizens to live in."
Yeah he bullshi*ted a majority of the populace to keep re-electing him. That's about all he's good at.
Posted by Puzzled on May 11, 2008 at 8:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The families that accepted workmen's compensation monies had to forfeit the right to sue the City. That in essence was their settlement.
The current Mayor was elected by about 17,000 people that voted. Apathy was King.
There is no recall provision in SC law? Hmmmm ..... what are the provisions for impaneling a grand jury to determine if charges should be filed?
Help me out here people....
Posted by REDLEG on May 11, 2008 at 9:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
THE FIRE WILL ALWAYS BE THE WORST DAY FOR MANY FAMILIES AND THE CITY OF CHARLESTON...THANK GOODNESS IT WASN'T CITY HALL OR A HISTORICAL DOWNTOWN BUILDING...WITH THE REPORTS OUT WITH NAMES MENTIONED AND DUTIES FAILED AND SO MUCH SADNESS IN LACK OF DIRECTIONS AND COMMON SENSE WHY ARE FIREFIGHTERS FAMILIES SUEING THE STORE OWNERS AND FURNITURE COMPANIES FOR THE DEATHS OF THEIR LOVED ONES??..SO SAD
Posted by FIRSTDUE on May 11, 2008 at 10:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ALL INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM UTILIZE THE APPOINTMENT OF A SAFETY OFFICER AS A POSITION TO BE FILLED IMMEDIATELY IN ALL MULTIPLE COMPANY RESPONSES. IF VIRTUALLY ANY COMMAND SYSTEM WRITTEN IN THE LAST 25 YEARS WAS USED THAT NIGHT A SAFETY OFFICER WOULD HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED AND THAT SAFETY OFFICER WOULD NOT OF LEFT ANY MEN IN THAT BUILDING WITH OUT A WATER SUPPLY. ALL SAFETY OFFICERS IN ALL COMMAND SYTEMS ARE THE FINAL SAY IN ALL SAFETY ISSUES AND CAN NOT BE OVERRIDDEN. THOSE MEN WERE UNDER THE RT SYSTEM WHERE RT HIMSELF HANGS OUT AT THE FRONT DOOR TO SEE IF ANY PANSIES COME OUT. HOW CAN ANYONE SAY THEY DEATHS COULD NOT OF BEEN PREVENTED!?
Posted by jammer on May 11, 2008 at 10:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
dr_fed he's mayor because, as someone else mentioned, there simply hasn't been a viable candidate to oppose him in years
with him you know what you have, so until someone better finally pops up he'll continue to be the victor simply because it beats having an even more incompetent person than him in place
what's he done for the city? made the rich richer and moved the poor out of their own houses... created tons of minimum wage tourism jobs that amount to nothing... put lots of lipstick on downtown to attract more tourist as to create more minimum wage jobs... allow uneducated incompetent people lead this community into disaster... and sold his old house on 171 to a friend of mine's mom... other than that not much... lol
Posted by rjcontego on May 11, 2008 at 11:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
go to myrtle beach and you might realize a few things that riley did for chas...be realistic you all
Posted by bravecharleston9myspace on May 12, 2008 at 12:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR SUPPORTING OUR FALLEN 9 AND NOT ALLOWING THEIR DEATHS TO BE IN VAIN!!
THANKS FOR SUPPORTING THE FAMILIES NOW. :o)
THANKS FOR THE INFORMATION TO CONTACT 60 MINUTES ALSO...I AM GOING TO BRING IT TO OUR PEEPS SO WE ALL CONTACT THEM!!
I PRAY THEY TAKE THE STORY AND SHOW SOME MUCH NEEDED LIGHT ON THIS AREA!!! MAYBE THEN SOME CHANGES WILL OCCUR...
BTW....THE POST & COURIER (GLEN SMITH) HAS BEEN THE ONLY SOURCE OF MEDIA OUT THERE THAT THE FAMILIES AND I CAN TRUST. HE LISTENS, TRULY CARES AND RESPECTS THEM.
THAT IS WHY YOU ALL ARE STILL READING ABOUT THE CHARLESTON 9...BECAUSE HE TRULY CARES!
***thanx GLEN!! :o)
never forgetting together,
missy
Posted by acaj1 on May 12, 2008 at 3:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
We really are still not wary enough about bar joist roofs or floors. Bar joist trusses were responsible for the collapse of the WTC Towers and will continue to be responsible for firemen's deaths until we get more respect for the vulnerability of these floors to heat. Unprotected bar joist construction fails in as little as 10 minutes when exposed to severe heat. There should be some kind of warning that a building has bar joist floors such as some marking outside the building that would warn firefighters that truss construction is involved. With a large fire in such a building it should be fought from the outside. Except for rescues no one should be allowed in such a building if a large fire develops within.
Arthur Scheuerman,
Ret. Battalion Chief, FDNY