Cannelton Fire Chief Arrested While Fighting Fire

Ok. I'll say it bluntly. LEOs are 100% incompetent to fight fire or perform more than BLS with injured people. In the event that a cop comes into conflict with a fire chief at a fire or EMS or a doc or an ER nurse at a site with injured people, the cop should be decertified and charged with a felony, and prosecuted jealously, as the bar puts it.

Your LEO weener length doesn't mean bupkes when there's a fire, or people are bleeding out or having an MI. Get the # out of the way and let people who actually have a clue do the job. I don't care if you think you are in charge. Get your ego off to the side and let someone who knows what they're doing deal with it. Go manage traffic, if you want to get some glory.

Something that should be shameful to any LEO worthy of the name

I wish we knew more.
The article makes it sound like the fire chief just started shoving the officer around. I can't see why he would do that unless the two have a previous history. It's also possible that the chief was trying to avoid unneeded injuries by keeping the officer back.

I don't know, just speculation. Again, I wish we knew more about the situation. I do agree to your sentiments in the OP though.

Men behaving like children. I used to volunteer, it was a pissing contest of who is the bigger man on campus. Testosterone flowed, orders given. I couldn't deal with it, had to remind them a few times that this is a volunteer department. Felt like a high school football team!a reply to: Bedlam

originally posted by: Chickensalad
I wish we knew more.
The article makes it sound like the fire chief just started shoving the officer around. I can't see why he would do that unless the two have a previous history.

The cop was breaking windows. That's not something you want to do in a house fire. The cop was told to leave the scene since the fire chief was on scene and was the incident command. The cop refused, and continued to try to break windows. The fire chief shoved him and told him to # off, to get off the scene. The cop called the state police.

At that point, the cops told the fire fighters they were in charge, a blatant violation of IC. The fire fighters left the scene, and the house burned down.

The cops, especially the one precipitating the problem, should be decertified at the least, prosecuted and tossed in prison would be more like it.

originally posted by: Bedlam
Ok. I'll say it bluntly. LEOs are 100% incompetent to fight fire or perform more than BLS with injured people. In the event that a cop comes into conflict with a fire chief at a fire or EMS or a doc or an ER nurse at a site with injured people, the cop should be decertified and charged with a felony, and prosecuted jealously, as the bar puts it.

Your LEO weener length doesn't mean bupkes when there's a fire, or people are bleeding out or having an MI. Get the # out of the way and let people who actually have a clue do the job. I don't care if you think you are in charge. Get your ego off to the side and let someone who know what they're doing deal with it. Go manage traffic, if you want to get some glory.

Something that should be shameful to any LEO worthy of the name

Yeah, yeah, yeah! More NOZZLEHEAD propaganda! KNOW WHO THE LAW IS, BEOTCHES!

originally posted by: Chickensalad
I wish we knew more.
The article makes it sound like the fire chief just started shoving the officer around. I can't see why he would do that unless the two have a previous history. It's also possible that the chief was trying to avoid unneeded injuries by keeping the officer back.

I don't know, just speculation. Again, I wish we knew more about the situation. I do agree to your sentiments in the OP though.

You do not let someone enter a burning building where you will have another potential victim that would then need rescue. If its to be done, it'll be done by the people with training/equipment to do so: the fire department

The fire chief was in charge, he did his job, and the officers ego couldn't take not being given an opportunity to boost his hero complex.

I almost pity the officer for having such an inconceivably small mind. And I think any officer on scene is culpable just as much. They watched this happen and stayed behind the blue line.

a reply to: HUMBLEONE

about an hour east of evansville indiana

what does a cop know about fighting fires? absolutely nothing.

The worse part is that the cops made the firefighters leave before the fire was completely out and the fire burned the other half of the guys house.

I smell a lawsuit.

Greetings-

As a medically retired cop from Ca. some may view My response as containing bias yet I'll do My best to leave said bias at the front door.

2 words: Pa THETIC. Let Your Employer's snip burn while You revert to 7th grade when an unk. 8th grader gave You a "snuggie" coming out of gym class. Of course I'm referring to the Citizen's house burning down while Ofc. BadgeHeavy tossed His weight around or tried to and that is when the Fire-Eater (volunteer makes it an even more dereliction of duty)
I'd even go so far as to bet that the Ofc. in question pointed this out during the argument, it 'probably' went like this:

Officer: "I'm in charge here so ask before You assign anybody to do anything. Everything, I repeat EVERYTHING MUST go through Me..."

Fire-Eater who volunteers His time knowing that He may one day give His Life for others: "How many fires have You fought"?

Officer: "Are You questioning My leadership skills?"

Fire: "No, but We'll need to get more water in here.."

Police: "But You didn't clear it w/Me and I'm IN-CHARGE, NOT YOU!!!"

TheJob is hard enough w/out brain-donors adding to the fray. Also KNOW THIS: Each time that a 'broke weenie' steps on His/Her 'thing' each person that took TheJob cringes.. This is 'cringe worthy'

Luckily I worked at a PD that got along well with the FD, heck they even let Me drive 'TheTiller' (Big Engine) AFTER a police funeral AFTER party at the bar across the street from the PD.

Proud Member of LEAP• Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

originally posted by: Tardacus
what does a cop know about fighting fires? absolutely nothing.

The town's insurance provider needs to withdraw coverage until the officers involved are removed and charged appropriately.

Let the town go it bareback for a bit. The mayor will come to her senses and deal with it appropriately. Or they'll be bankrupt, first fire.

The mayor needs to dismiss the police chief, assume the office, and decertify the LEO. And then instruct the city attorney to prosecute full bore. Or, you know, go out of business and face her own charges for malfeasance.

eta: the cops say they were making sure no one else was in the house. Not only is that the fire fighters' role, the #ing homeowner was on scene. Try asking.

Some video OP.

a reply to: JimNasium

In our small town, the firefighters are literally hailed as hero's. LIke, never pay for meals when they eat out kinda thing. We have folks that are reknowned the world over for their skills with tank, battery, and well fires in our small county. Just about the only service our local tax dollars provide that works properly, and properly is an understatement.

I can't imagine the hell that would rain down on a policeman who stepped on those toes. Especially the volunteers (who tend to deal wit tank, well, and battery fires)

Once outside, Foertsch attempted to break the window of a room that he was unable to clear. Fire Chief Christopher Herzog approached Foertsch, pushed him hard enough to cause him to step back, and began shouting profanities at him, telling him to get off of his fire scene.

More info - the mayor paid the bail

originally posted by: Bedlam

Once outside, Foertsch attempted to break the window of a room that he was unable to clear. Fire Chief Christopher Herzog approached Foertsch, pushed him hard enough to cause him to step back, and began shouting profanities at him, telling him to get off of his fire scene.

More info - the mayor paid the bail

Both officers conveyed the situation to their superiors. At the request of Cannelton Police Chief Lee Hall, troopers with the Indiana State Police were contacted to investigate the complaint. After investigating, Troopers Jeremy Galloway and Nathaniel Kern arrived at the scene of the fire and placed Herzog, 51, into custody.

It wasn't the local's, it was the freaking state troopers.

Jesus.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
It wasn't the local's, it was the freaking state troopers.

Jesus.

At the behest of the mentally challenged police chief.

Time for him to go, and be decertified along with the cop. Go manage something you're good at - maybe the door at the Walmart.

The cop was trying to break a window to the house. For what, to give the fire more oxygen. The chief had every right to get pissed. effing idiot.

I'm thinking the state police don't have authority there

originally posted by: Grimpachi
The cop was trying to break a window to the house. For what, to give the fire more oxygen. The chief had every right to get pissed. effing idiot.

This is why you have incident command. The fire fighters are in charge of fires. EMTs are in charge of injuries. Cops are in charge of crime scenes. You never get EMTs or firefighters interfering with crime scenes. For some reason, LEOs think they need to be telling the experts what to do with fires and accidents.

A handy way of brushing them back is, decertify the ones that do. And charge them. Problem solved. Won't take but a couple of examples and that'll stop.