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Tag: Boston Firefighters

  • BMW Fire Hydrant Violation: Should Fine Be Higher?

    There is a reason why citizens are told not to park in front of fire hydrants: The time taken to get around or through those cars can cause the sort of timely delays that can get other people killed.

    Depending on the situation, it can also leave you having to pay for costly repairs to your vehicle.

    Luckily for the inconsiderate BMW owner who blocked a hydrant, he won’t have to foot the bill for his selfish error.

    Firefighters battling an eight alarm blaze in the neighborhood in Boston, Mass. were forced to smash his windows in order to get a line through to the hydrant.

    The fire caused an estimated $750,000 in damages and displaced nearly three dozen residents. The source of the fire is thought to be an SUV engine fire.

    The blaze came merely days after the burial of a Boston firefighter who lost his life fighting a similar blaze.

    Because the damage to the BMW is covered and the fine is a meager $100, some residents feel that the owner should have been hit with a stiffer punishment.

    Boston fire spokesman Steve MacDonald is not convinced that a bigger fine would have made much of a difference.

    He said, “I don’t think [the money] is a deterrent to anyone. Sometimes people do stupid things.”

    In other words, if someone is going to do something as idiotic as park next to a fire hydrant and block access for fire fighters trying to do their job, odds are it’s because of a personality quirk.

    That didn’t stop annoyed citizens from taking to social media websites to abuse the hapless car owner.

    For what it’s worth the guy had allegedly only owned the car a couple of days ahead of the incident. One witness saw him sitting near the curb with his head in his hands.

    Hopefully the harrowing and stupid experience will at the very least encourage him to obey parking laws in the future.

    Do you think fire hydrant parking violations should come with stiffer fines? Comment below!

    Image via YouTube

  • Firefighter Funeral: Servicemen Nationwide Pay Respect to Deceased Firemen

    The memorial processions for two fallen firefighters who died in a nine-alarm fire last week brought together firemen, police officers, and other civil servicemen from across the nation.

    The wake for Boston firefighter Michael R. Kennedy, 33, was held Wednesday at the P.E. Murray Funeral Home in West Roxbury.

    The streets were lined with thousands of first responders to pay respects to Kennedy and his fellow colleague Lt. Edward J. Walsh, Jr., who also died in the fire.

    The funeral for 43-year-old Walsh was held earlier Wednesday in his hometown of Watertown.

    Servicemen as far as Costa Rica came to support the Walsh family.

    During the funeral, family and friends stood up to recall some of their fondest memories of Walsh.

    “He was a born leader who did not regard himself as a hero,” said President Richard Paris of the Boston Firefighters Union.

    “He was destined to do great things and he did,” his sister Kathy Malone shared with the congregation.

    “Let us be inspired by his example,” Mayor Marty Walsh also added.

    The service ended with the ringing of the bell, which is a traditional symbol for the death of a fireman.

    Many of the servicemen who attended Walsh’s funeral procession also made their way to Kennedy’s wake service.

    The wake was scheduled for 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. but started at 4 p.m. due to the large number of people in attendance.

    Kennedy’s funeral will be held 11 a.m. Thursday at the Church of the Holy Name in West Roxbury.

    A report about Kennedy’s wake:

    The pair’s unfortunate death occurred on March 26 when they became trapped in the basement of an old building located in the historic Back Bay neighborhood.

    Kennedy was a former Marine Sergeant who enjoyed motorcycles. Walsh was a married father of three young children.

    The Boston Firefighters Department is accepting donations for both families on their Credit Union website.

    View a previous report about the Back Bay fire:

    Image via YouTube