Boston Fire Department
Court: Cronyism in Boston Fire Department not a First Amendment issue
By adamg - 11/22/11 - 6:14 pmA federal appeals court today tossed the First Amendment claims of a group of Boston Fire Department clerical workers passed over for promotions, saying that while it's unfortunate they may have lost out because they weren't friends with the mayor's cronies in management, that doesn't rise to the level of a violation of their First Amendment rights.
The workers alleged they were passed over repeatedly for promotions in favor of friends or members of "the Hyde Park Group" affiliated with pals of the mayor and a similar "South Boston Group."
New fire chief will need some warmer clothes
By adamg - 11/17/11 - 9:33 am
Steve Abraira with Charlestown Engine 50. Photo by BFD.
The Boston Fire Department yesterday announced the appointment of Steve Abraira of Miami as its new fire chief, replacing the retiring Ronald Keating. Abraira will report to Fire Commissioner Roderick Fraser.
Abraira, who started as a Miami firefighter at 19, was fire chief in Palm Bay, Fla., when Fraser selected him over several other candidates, including five from Boston.
Going into a burning building
By adamg - 9/25/11 - 8:58 amBFD training video by McElroy Films, filmed at the department's training facility on Moon Island and featuring a simulated "Mayday" situation.
Firefighters will do whatever it takes to fight a fire
By adamg - 8/31/11 - 10:01 am
Hosed carThe other day, I ran a photo from Mt. Ida Road in Dorchester showing what can happen when you park in front of a hydrant. Turns out it was for a fire on the second floor of a three decker at 36 Mt. Ida that was declared out about a half hour after firefighters arrived around 1:36 a.m.
Steve MacDonald, spokesman for the Boston Fire Department, explains why firefighters might have run the hose right through the car. He emphasized he was not at the scene and had yet to talk to any firefighters who were, so he had no firsthand knowledge of the specific incident:
Could be days before everybody gets their power back
By adamg - 8/28/11 - 4:27 pm
Fire Department alarm operations center. Photo by BFD.
UPDATE: City increased estimate of number of customers without power Sunday evening.
The mayor's office reports some 5,000 11,000 NStar customers in Boston are without power and that it's "possible that some outages could last days."
Meanwhile, city crews received roughly 500 reports of downed trees and tree limbs across the city (including this one in Roslindale).
The Boston Fire Department reports firefighters responded to calls across the city, but especially in West Roxbury, Roslindale, Jamaica Plain and Allston-Brighton.
Firefighter acquitted of fraud
By adamg - 8/16/11 - 7:07 amThe Globe reports on bodybuilder Albert Arroyo's verdict in federal court.
Peter Gelzinis writes: Case strong, but dumbbells win.
The bodybuilding firefighter on trial
By adamg - 8/12/11 - 7:46 amPeter Gelzinis spends the day in court watching the trial of Albert Arroyo, the bodybuilding firefighter with the bad back. He is not impressed.
While he testified he was spooked by stairs, he nevertheless kept climbing them, even when an elevator was nearby.
Engine 51's new home
By adamg - 7/19/11 - 8:40 amThe Boston Fire Department shows off the newly renovated Engine 51 in Oak Square.
Changing of the guard in West Roxbury
By adamg - 7/5/11 - 6:18 pm
In October, 1921, the Boston Fire Department's Engine 30 in West Roxbury officially and finally switched from horses to a truck. Herald-Traveler photographer Leslie Jones was there to watch the horses leave the station for the last time. From the Boston Public Library's fire department collection.
Centre Street regulars will notice that one thing hasn't changed: The firehouse itself, still home to Engine 30 (and Ladder 25).
Posted under this Creative Commons license.
Massholes are forever
By adamg - 6/30/11 - 11:59 am
The Boston Public Library just posted a ton of photos of Boston firefighters and firefighting back in the good old days (like, when horses still pulled fire engines) from its Leslie Jones collection. Do not click on that link if you don't have some time to spare. I'll be posting some photos from the collection over the next few days, but had to start with this photo of a firetruck trying to get out of a fire house because it's just so Boston: Massholism is obviously not a new phenomenon.
Click to see the photo in all its glory; post if you know where that station was.
Posted under this Creative Commons license.
