Chaotic Moscow Building Fire

[Capnkeys]

EXTREMELY graphic video. This is supposedly "a fire at the Moscow Institute of State and Corporate Governance on October 2, 2007. At least nine students died and 47 other people were injured."
Fire with Chaos in Moscow [Part 1]

 

[Capnkeys]

Fire with Chaos in Moscow [Part 2]

 

[Capnkeys]

A big motivating factor in posting this two part video, was to show what it's like to have ladder trucks so desperately far away. This video is from the capital city of Russia. It's pretty sad, even though the video is older it is believed to have been shot in 2007. That's like yesterday in the fire service. The ladder trucks that showed up, looked like they were being chauffered by the corner mechanic. I mean....c'mon is that the kind of fire protection they get in the Capital City of Moscow? Lord help them.
But it ties in locally, and nationally with the big Republican Mayors/Governors' moves to go after companies in New York City and so many other cities across America right now, it must have been number one on their election platforms to make war against the cops and firemen, shut them down so they move a little closer toward Moscow......
Then comes this story today out of Omaha, Nebraska. Shut the truck company, the nearest next one....ten minutes away. Just a little bit closer to Moscow.

The question is....why? Do they have to be shown another shirt-waist factory, or a HappyLands.....? They will mess with the fire department until the next Big One and with any hope the body count won't be too large.....that's the game they are playing....fingers crossed that the department doesn't get a multiple fatality job in the first dues of lost companies....But eventually it will happen. The question is, where does it stop? Twenty companies can lead to more companies....it's all a big waiting game now...and the losers will be the dead civilians, hopefully not MOS as well....they are playing a game of odds that they don't get to their dreaded day, where labor leaders can step up and say "you see? We told you so..."

And the rest of these states moving to strip hard fought for bargaining rights, make big changes to P&F retirement obligations..,..what a bunch of baloney.
PS: Omaha, Nebraska...home to one of the richest men on the planet, Warren Buffett. He's probably busy giving his wealth away to some foreign country's welfare, because for this to be happening right under his nose, he must not pay attention to his local news much. Guys like Warren, who has stated he doesn't pay his fair share of the tax burden, need to be stepping up in these depression-stricken states, and put their money where the philanthropic ideas are. Working in Omaha obviously made this guy one of the wealthiest men alive; can't he see right under his nose what is happening in the city that helped make him the richest? Same as Bloomy. Net worth of 15 billion last I saw it, it maybe doubled since then. The City that helped put him on top; the city he is doing his darnedest to make unrecognizable. He want Manhattan to look like a Chinese city; rickshaws all over the place, and the servant class all riding bicycles to work.
/rant. 

http://www.ketv.com/newsarchive/27591680/detail.html

 

[grumpy grizzly]

This reminds me of when Boston cut companies. Those who are familiar with Boston knows that East Boston is physically seperated from the rest of the city, access is by the Sumner Tunnel, and as a last resort the Tobin Bridge. The powers that be cut 2 of the 5 asigned engine companies. So any fire would result in an immediate move-up of companies with a delay of 15-20 minutes to reach either the fire or a covering station. Better hold on guys, the calvary is delayed!!! Also the Brighton section is seperated from the rest of the city due to distance. Mayor says no problem, don't live there cut an engine and a truck. So now your working fire (10-75) truck is coming from dowtown, either L-15 or L-26, a long, long haul for them, especially at rush hour. As payback to the mayor the department cut E-10, first due to the mayor's house. The first lime green rig went to E-25 house, a unit also cut. The mayors wife liked slimed green as a color, E-10 was the first one. They were not happy, eventually all went to that color. No money to keep jakes on the job but we can paint the rigs. What a bunch of assoles!!! And the mayor had aspirations of running for president.

 

[nfd2004]

I remember those days Grump.

 

[truck4]

Many European countries have regional fire stations, with many apparatus and manpower groups. These stations have long response times and limited manpower. Italy and Switzerland use regional fire stations where cities like Amsterdam, London and Paris have 'neighborhood' fire stations more like the US. 

In Rome, for example, the central Rome station is at via Nazionale and via Genova and house around a dozen rigs. The next closest station is on the far side of the Vatican.

These are cities I have been to, however, I have not been to Russia and do not know how they run thier department. From the video, it looks like they're more of a regional service. Maybe some of our international members have some knowledge.

 

[3511]

Interesting rant, Capnkeys.

I did not realize that "Republican Mayors/Governors" are against the fire department.  They are against public safety. Who knew?

Perhaps if we get all the things you wish, i.e., all things for all people all the time, our fire departments will resemble Moscow's because...well, we just can't afford all things for all people all the time.

They tried that (it's called socialism...in Russia it was Communism) and those systems collapsed. Witness the video. Now, they cannot provide basic public safety services...not much, for anybody, any time. Is that where we are going?

I don't believe this is a political forum, nor should it be, but your emotional, illogical rant deserved some comment.

 

[69 METS]

Well said 'Capnkeys'. I've been a member of the 'GOP' for 35 years (wow, I'm really getting old!) and I'm sickened by the lack of support they have shown for the fire service in recent years. Last December it was the GOP that held The Zadroga 9/11 Health Bill hostage until they could get enough Democrats to vote in favor of the GOP's 1st love ... Tax Breaks for the Wealthiest 2% of Americans. The GOP played their selfish, childish game with this important bill while Firefighters, Police Officers, EMS personnel and construction workers who served tirelessly at Ground Zero and are now very sick or in many cases dying worried that needed health care for their 9/11 related illnesses would not be paid for (I recently lost a friend due to 9/11 illness and have another who's fighting for his life currently. Most of those who I worked with back then are pretty sick now, so the bill is 'near & dear to my heart'.)

This year we have GOP Governors in many states attacking the collective bargaining rights, salaries and pensions of public sector employees. Firefighters are being laid off, stations closed, staffing cut on units, etc. It's clear that the safety and well being of the citizens as well as the Firefighters are not at all important to these very wealthy CEO types who have been elected to office as GOP representatives. In times of fiscal problems, priorities have to be set, public safety should be the last service to take any hit that would endanger lives. Bike lanes, hiring of high paid consultants for projects that shouldn't be priorities, major tax cuts for very well off corporations, high paying jobs created and filled via nepotism, etc. are what need to be eliminated.

 

[truck4]

Found some info on the state run Russian Fire Service:

http://www.russiajournal.com/node/5692

"Like most Russian public services, the fire service suffers from a lack of funding. Spending on all emergency services was only 1.4 percent of the national budget in 1997, rising to 1.6 percent in 1998 and falling again to 1.2 percent in 1999."

"Firemen are paid only 2,000 rubles ($70) a month, and even senior officers only get twice that amount. The basic fireman's pension, after 20 years' service, is only $80 a month."

"Moscow Region has 90 fire stations, with 12,000 firefighters (not all are assigned to suppression."

 

[68jk09]

Well said Capnkeys (not illogical) & 69 mets....i am not talking politics or a particular party but about politicians who do not give a shit about the real need for Fire & Police.