1. Operations & Training

    Hot Shots 6/20

    June 1, 2020
    June Hot Shots includes the collapse of a 250-foot-high church steeple that free-burned for about 90 minutes, because low water pressure hampered the Baltimore City Fire Department's efforts.
    Tod Sudmeier
    Loma Linda, CA, April 19
    Loma Linda, CA, April 19

    LOMA LINDA, CA, APRIL 19—First-arriving units of the Loma Linda Fire Department encountered heavy fire conditions coming from the front and the rear of the house. They began a simultaneous rescue and fire attack and located one deceased adult inside of the residence. Colton Fire Department, Redlands Fire Department and San Bernardino County Fire provided mutual aid. Twenty-three firefighters were on scene, as were five engines, one truck, one squad and one chief. 

    Photo by Tod Sudmeier

    Raymond Chiozza
    Memphis, TN, April 11
    Memphis, TN, April 11

    MEMPHIS, TN, APRIL 11—Forty-three apparatus and 129 firefighters and other emergency personnel from the Memphis Fire Department worked for more than four hours to bring a blaze at a commercial pallet company under control. In addition to the structure and myriad pallets, 21 18-wheeler trailers reportedly sustained smoke, fire and/or water damage. Among the apparatus on scene were 17 engines, 6 trucks, 3 rescues and 1 quint.

    Photo by Raymond Chiozza

    Connor Hamilton
    Sauget, IL, April 16
    Sauget, IL, April 16
    SAUGET, IL, APRIL 16—The East St. Louis Fire Department was aided by at least 20 other fire departments in the seven-hour battle of a fire at a warehouse. Reports indicated that at least five of the warehouse’s 18 bays (one shown here) were heavily damaged. Reports stated that 9 ladder trucks, 18 tankers and 10 pumpers were on scene. First-arriving units encountered such a heavy fire load that firefighters who went into the structure immediately were called out.

    Photo by Connor Hamilton

    Photo by Howard Meile III
    Baltimore, March 28
    Baltimore, March 28
    BALTIMORE, MARCH 28—An apparent lightning strike caused a blaze in the steeple of an historic, 187-year-old, former Roman Catholic church that today is the home of the Urban Bible Fellowship Church. The steeple free-burned for about an hour-and-a-half until it collapsed. Initially, low water pressure hampered efforts to get water onto the 250-foot-high steeple. Four alarms were struck in 90 minutes. The water department was able to boost the pressure in the area, at which point Baltimore City Fire Department’s Tower 81 was able to extinguish the fire. It took about four-and-a-half hours to put the fire under control.

    Photo by Howard Meile III

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