Kansas City LODD

[StLRes2cue]

..........

[fyrmnk]

The only additional info from the news tonight is that the Captain was 57 years old.

Also, another firefighter on the rig reportedly has serious injuries as well.

[Jonathan Hall]

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, relatives, and fellow brothers in KCMO.

[bolivas203]

May God be with his family and his brothers during this difficult time.

[firenresq77]

Rest in Peace, Brother. My thoughts and prayers are with all of the KC Firefighters and their families

[ftfdverbenec770]

from one KC boy to my fellow brothers, my prayers go out to all of you guys, his family, and his friends. thanks for all of your work and dedication to everyone

[FiftyOnePride]

Prayers go out to all of the family and firefighters involved and affected.

R.I.P.

[LADDERCO44]

The officers and members of the Citizens Hose Co. No. 1 offer our condolences to the brothers and sisters of the KC Fire Department with the tragic loss of Capt McGowan. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends, and those injured and we ish a speedy recovery for those injured.

Rest in peace brother!



Eugene T Tucker
Public Information Officer
Citizens Hose Co. No. 1 Inc
Smyrna,DE

[NJFFSA16]

Another preventable death..

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - A fire truck involved in an accident
that killed a veteran Kansas City firefighter had faulty brakes,
according to a police report.
Acting captain Gerald McGowan, 57, became the 100th Kansas City
firefighter killed in the line of duty when the pumper crashed into
a tree in early September. Four others were injured.
A police report, obtained by The Kansas City Star on Wednesday,
said the truck's brakes were "out of adjustment" and that the
35,400-pound pumper could have stopped 70 feet before hitting the
tree if they had worked properly.
Assistant city attorney Alan Holtkamp told The Star that the
Kansas City Fire Department expected to be involved in litigation
because of the accident, so the city would not allow employees or
officials to comment on the report. Spokespeople at the Fire
Department did not return messages left by The Associated Press
late Wednesday night.
The accident happened Sept. 5 when a car turned left in front of
the fire truck. The driver of the truck hit the brakes as the
pumper struck the car's left front corner. The truck then skidded
across asphalt, struck a stopped car and hit a tree. Three other
firefighters and the driver of the second car were treated for
injuries.
The driver of the first car, LaDonna Davis, 37, was unharmed,
but she has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and driving
while her license was revoked. The police report noted that even if
the truck's brakes had been properly adjusted, it could not have
avoided hitting Davis' car.
Prosecutors said the brake troubles were not relevant to their
case against Davis, who told police she did not see or hear the
fire truck approaching.
"When a driver puts an accident into motion by failing to yield
and turning in front of a fire truck, they become responsible for
anything that happens in that accident," said spokesman John
Liebnitz. "The driver is responsible for all foreseeable and
nonforeseeable consequences."
The police report said that if the pumper had been considered a
commercial vehicle, it "would have been in violation" of federal
law and "placed out of service," meaning it would have to be
repaired before returning to service. Government vehicles are
exempt from commercial vehicle inspection.
The Fire Department has said it has two employees who perform
most repairs, but some work such as transmission and brake jobs, is
done by outside shops.
This is not the first time questions have arisen about
maintenance of Kansas City Fire Department vehicles.
City Auditor Mark Funkhouser warned in a 1991 report that there
wasn't adequate preventive maintenance and vehicles were too old. A
1995 audit found that little had changed.
In 1996, so many of the Fire Department's aerial trucks had
mechanical and safety problems that the department used a
30-year-old truck that had been mothballed.
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On the Net:
Kansas City Fire Department:
http://www.kcmo.org/fire.nsf/web/home?opendocument

(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)