Captured Events 2010

 Signal 51 Group and Shreveport Fire Corps members Jerry Hope & Karen Mackey & Signal 51 Member Russell Teutsch along with Ass't Chief  Russell Moon of the Shreveport Fire Dept Fire Prevention Bureau canvassing homes in the MLK area during the SFD Smoke Detector Drive on 20 Nov, 2010.  Checking and installing Smoke Detectors, and changing batteries where needed.                      >> More <<

A 2nd Alarm was struck for a fire in one of the East Kings Court Apartment Buildings in the 1800 East Kings Highway on Saturday night, Nov. 6 around 6:29PM.  One townhouse was destroyed and there was damage to other condos that were exposed to the rapidly advancing fire. Aggressive firefighting and use of a ladder pipe on Truck 7's aerial brought the fire under control by 6:50PM.  One firefighter was slightly injured when he received burns while fighting the fire, and while it was not serious he was taken to the hospital to be checked.  Two children, one 5 and the other 7 years old playing with matches started the blaze. 

>> Aftermath Photos <<                >> Recorded Fire Radio Traffic <<

Our Jerry Hope had major surgery on Monday, November 1.  Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.  He is at Schumpert Highland. Late Monday's report stated that the surgery went well and he was to be placed in a room Monday evening.  He has been in a lot of pain, so it might be a day or two before he will be able to see all his friends. Karl reached Jerry by phone this morning (Wednesday the 3rd) and he sounded kind of rough and said he was having a hard time but he was going to make it. Today, Thursday the 4th, 3 and a half days after surgery, I visited Jerry at Schumpert.  When I arrived he was doing something on his laptop, and looked pretty darn good to me.  Basically he was his old self -  Maybe just a little groggy from the pain medication, but he smiled occasionally and was as talkative as ever.  He says he still has a good deal of pain when lying down, but now I think you can go see him.  Here is a message from Jerry:   >> Click HERE to see appreciation video clip from Jerry <<

Fred (Nov. 5) reported that he talked to Jerry on the radio and that he was on the way home. 
Nov 6, Jerry responded to the a 2 Alarm fire in an apartment building at East Kings Court on East Kings Hwy with rehab supplies with his wife/nurse accompanying him but he did not leave his vehicle.   We are thinking about changing his nickname from Batman to Superman.  Update from Jerry (11-18-10)

Signal 51 Member, Jerry Hope put together this excellent display representing some of the Federal Q2 Siren's family of previously used emergency warning devices, Jerry is one of our outstanding members of the Signal 51 Group, a member of Caddo Parish Fire District 6 where he is an EMT-B, and a member of the Shreveport Fire Dept. Fire Corps. He has been invited several times to place his "Emergency Warning Devices Display" on exhibit at several fire related events, such as, fire chief conventions, antique fire apparatus shows and fire buff meetings and at a fire department banquet.   >> More <<

This fire at 1135 Wells Island Road was attended by SFD, Caddo Fire Districts 1 & 2. The fire came in around 01:30 hrs and first unit on the scene reported a working fire in a double wide trailer home.  Besides the fire district units, SFD Engines 1 ,5 ,4, Battalion Chief 1, Truck 1 and Rescue 1 took in the fire. Signal 51 members Jerry Hope and Fred McClanahan responded                   >> More <<

At 2:30 hours on October 4, members of C shift responded to this vacant house fire (Arson/Rekindle).  How it started is still under investigation.  There was a fire there earlier in the evening that was extinguished.   >> More <<

On the way to a house fire at about 21:00 Hrs on Sept. 2,  Engine 14 was hit by a car.  There were injuries to the passengers in the automobile.  The fire was in a vacant house and caused extensive damages.  The following companies responded:  Engine 8, 15, 14 Truck 7 Rescue 9 Battalion Chief 3. Medic 14 responded on the report of a working fire, as did Signal 51. Engine 16 took in the call after 14's Accident.  Medic 14 took the injured car passengers to the hospital. Engine 4 was sent to cover Station 8 and Engine 13 backed up at Station 16.     >> More <<

At 18:33 hours on August 2 Fire Dispatch broadcast that a caller reported someone was in trouble in Red River under the Jimmie Davis Bridge.  The call was first reported to Bossier City 911 and then transferred to Caddo Parish 911.  A few moments later dispatch reported that the location of the incident was changed to Hamel's Park on Fant Parkway which is north of the bridge and that several people were downing.    >> Chief Crawford's Briefing on this event <<   
 >> Sig 51's Jerry Hope's Report <<   >> More Information and Photos on the Red River Tragedy <<

At 08:40 hours on July 31, a very hot day, B-Shift answered an alarm for a house on fire in the 2800 block of Ashton.  Engines 1, 4, 8  - Truck 8 -  Rescue 1 -  Battalion Chief 2 responded.  Battalion Chief 2 was on scene first and reported a working house fire and for the first engine arriving to lay a line.  The occupants of the home had escaped outside, but the home owner did receive burns to the face.  Chief Officers were paged because of the intensity of the fire, and Car 50 was paged from the Fire Prevention Bureau.  Signal 51 members Jerry Hope and Fred McClanahan responded on the report of a working fire.  Sig 51 members are now carrying cool wet towels along with the usual iced bottles of Gatorade and water.   >> More <<

On July 22, 2010 two more SPRINT Cars were placed in service and issued brand new 2010 Ford Expeditions along with SPRINT 9 which went into service earlier in the year using an old spare Battalion Chief's Suburban.  SFD Chief Brian Crawford at a News Conference at the SFD Maintenance Facility presented the news to the public.  His concept for the SPRINT Cars was covered in a    >> KSLA Channel 12 TV Story <<     >> SPRINTs on YouTube <<     >> More <<

At 5:26 AM SFD firehouse speakers opened up with a report of a vacant house on fire two doors down the street from 1100 Portland Ave.  C-Shift was on duty and answered the call with Engines 1, 4, & 8, Truck 8, Rescue 1. and Battalion Chief 2.  Engine 4 was first on the scene and reported flames from the A and B sides and requested that the next engine company lay a supply line to their engine.  At 5:39 AM all firefighters making the internal fire attack were ordered to vacate the house and a defensive attack was initiated.  Two Signal 51 members responded upon the report of a working fire.  Fire Prevention Car 48 responded upon request of the Incident Commander. 
 >> More <<

Who said Signal 51 members that live out of town cannot help out with rehab operations in Shreveport? Well, check out this report from member Karl Brummett who lives in El Dorado, Arkansas: “I'd been out on a roll-over entrapment MVA and hadn't been home long when, while monitoring the SFD and Caddo Fire District’s online scanner feeds on Signal 51’s Web site, the tones went off dispatching SFD & CFD-5 to a reported garage on fire at 306 Sage Hill at 00:57hrs. I sat down to monitor the call and E-19 reports a working structure fire and calls for a supply line. Shortly after that Sig 51 member, Jerry Hope comes on the radio and calls Firecom to inquire about the location of the fire as he couldn't get his GPS to work properly. They kind of got him on it and he cleared off. Now, being the good buff that I am, I already had Google's street scene up so I'd know exactly where they were and what the structure looked like. I called Jerry's cell and was able to talk him to the fire scene post haste.” See, now with our online scanner feeds even out of town members can help with our rehab service.

Retired Captain Deborah Mims was named the first female fire captain for the Shreveport Fire Department. Mims died last week after a lengthy battle with cancer. FUNERAL Services for Captain Mims will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 29, 2010 at New Testament United Pentecostal Church, 4400 Fairy St., Shreveport.  
Capt. Mims paved the way for other women.  Currently the department employs 44 females, roughly 8 percent of its 575 employees, but it all started with her and she did it with a big smile. >> More <<

Shreveport Fire Department units in Battalion 1 were dispatched to the Burger King Restaurant at 1733 Line Avenue Tuesday, May 25 at 11:50 am for smoke coming from the roof. Fire crews arrived on scene at 11:53 am and discovered that a venting system above the broiler in the kitchen was on fire. Crews were able to extinguish the fire very quickly from inside and from the roof area where the system vented. The fire was brought under control at 12:03 pm. >> More <<

Shreveport Fire Dept. 2009 Annual Report.  This report includes the mission statement, information about the fire department's divisions, statistical summary and the total response by company. Engine 9, again answered the most calls with 3561, but Hook & Ladder 8 was the busiest truck co. answering 1032 calls beating Truck 9 for the first time in several years, Rescue 9 was the busiest Rescue with 3033 rolls, Battalion Chief 4 was top BC answering 1285 alarms and Medic 14 was busiest ambulance with 3799 runs.       
Click on HERE to see the report.

The speakers in Shreveport Firehouses opened up with the alert tones at 20:20 hrs and the dispatcher broadcast that a house was on fire at Herndon and Gilbert Ave.  First units on the scene reported heavy fire and smoke conditions.  An interior attack was started.  As Engine 1's crew was making headways fighting the fire the ceiling collapsed on them.  Captain Craig Mulford received 1st and 2nd degree burns and a back injury.  He was taken to LSU Hospital where he was treated and released the next morning.  After the crew was removed from the interior of the house the firefighting became defensive and an exterior attack was initiated.  Fire officials stated that the fire started in several different areas and that the  SFD Fire Prevention Arson Investigators had a possible suspect identified.  The vacant house which was built in the 1920's was a very large 2 story structure with attached servants' quarters and a garage.               >> More << 

At 22:53 hours Signal 51 pagers went off notifying us of a 2 alarm fire at Kings Manor Apartments 1668 David Raines. Three Signal 51 members responded with refreshments and pizza. The first alarm was transmitted at 21:37 hours for this fire. The first unit on the scene reported heavy fire coming from one of the ground floor apartments spreading to adjacent units and apartments above. The fire remains under investigation.            KTAL tv 6 Video of this fire. 

On Friday, January 1, 2010 Sprint 9 (Single Paramedic Rapid Intervention Non-Transport) using a reserve Battalion Chief Car started responding out of Station 9 to medical emergency calls on a trial basis. Fire Chief Brian Crawford says that it will respond with a captain (with paramedic credentials), and a driver from Ladder Truck 9 and a designated firefighter from either Engine 9 or Rescue 9. This will mean that only Truck 9 will be out of service for fire calls, since the engine and rescue will still have minimum staffing. This concept is being used in San Antonio, Texas with much success. This should lead to much savings in wear and tear on engines or ladder companies that now respond to all medical emergencies. And of course, the fuel cost will be significantly lower.                >> More <<

Shreveport Fire Dept. 2008 Annual Report.  This report includes the mission statement,information about the fire department's divisions, statistical summary and the total response by company. Engine 9 answered the most calls - 3578, Hook & Ladder 9 was the busiest truck co. answering 1001 calls, Rescue 9 was the busiest Rescue with 3068 rolls, Battalion Chief 4 was top BC answering 1351 alarms and Medic 14 was busiest ambulance with 3669 runs.       
Click on HERE to see the report.

About our Site
In our Web site you will find information about the Signal 51 Group, and what it does to support our local fire departments.  There are a lot of photographs of fires, firefighters, buff events, apparatus and a great deal of other stuff for you to view.  Don't forget to click on any picture to see an enlarged image (not all, but most), and we have a large number of Videos Clips 

In our Site you will find video clips of fires, apparatus responding to emergencies and other fire dept. related video.  Some of the video clips can be streamed while others can be downloaded and viewed later.  Many of our videos are on YouTube and can be accessed by clicking on our Wall of Videos  Wall of Sig 51's Video, or you can  Click on here and go directly to our Channel on YouTube.

Members of the Signal 51 Group want this site to be a great place to visit!
This Webpage is paid for by the dues from the members of the Signal 51 Group, and we want it to be really a great fire buff webpage, so if you have any suggestions for improving our site please email us or leave a message in our Guestbook.  If you have any complaints about something not working, please email us so we can fix it.  And We try to keep up with what's happening with the S.F.D. Since we are a fire buff club we will include interesting but unofficial information about the Shreveport Fire Department and other fire departments in our area.

About Us (Signal 51)
The Signal 51 Group was formed in 1969 by five local Fire Buffs whose mission was to offer support to the Fire Department of the City of Shreveport.  In 2009 we celebrated our 40th year of operation and now have over 12 members.  Our organization is a member of the International Fire Buff Associates, Inc. (IFBA).  The IFBA  has over eighty Fire Buff Groups in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and many other countries that have joined together to share their ideas on promoting the general welfare of the fire services and allied emergency services.

The Shreveport Fire Department
The Shreveport Fire Department became a paid department in 1890 (see Brief History of the S.F.D.), and with the support from the citizens, local government officials, and excellent leadership the Shreveport Fire Department has done an outstanding job in performing its primary responsibility to protect lives and property from fire.  Starting in 1965 firefighting crews were introduced to basic life support and CPR training and provided these services when called upon.  Under Chief Dallas W. Greene leadership Shreveport  firefighters were prepared in 1983 when almost over night began operating the Emergency Medical Service for our city.  At that time local privately owned ambulance companies were discontinuing their services. 

Under Chief Bo Roberts leadership the Fire Dept. obtained a Property Insurance Association of Louisiana rating of Class 1 in 1998.    When it became Class 1 it was one of 14 fire departments operating Advance Life Support in the United States that had obtained that ranking. 

Click Here to see the Shreveport F.D. Master Plan for the years 2007 to 2011

The Caddo Parish 9-1-1 District has an "Enhanced 9-1-1 System", which provides immediate information containing the caller's name, address, and telephone number.  If you hang up, the Communications Officer  will call back! If the Communications Officer receives a "9-1-1" call and no one is on the phone (either the phone is an "open line" or the caller hangs up), the Communications Officer will attempt to call the telephone number back to determine if there is an emergency.   If no answer is received, the closest available law enforcement agency will be dispatched to investigate the call.  Click HERE or on the thumbnail for more about our 9-1-1 System.       Also, Check out the 9-1-1 video presentation.