Comments on: Shadow Wants More Light, And Foley’s Guber Announcement

By: Steven Auerbach

Steven Auerbach — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 20:31:59 +0000

Is there anyone who has had their fill of Tiger Woods? Enough already, does anyone really give a shit about his dirty laundry and the skanks he has had an affair with? Give the guy a break. It’s as annoying as having to listen to those absurd ads sponsored by the Church against gay marriage in a vain attempt to take the spotlight off the abuse in the Church. Oh and a word on Walsh–the writer and artist–kudos–for the elected official–well we all love a Maverick and helping the checks and balances but for crying out loud why are you always on the wrong side?–Let Bridgeport thrive and stop fighting the Mayor.

By: town committee

town committee — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:44:39 +0000

Ron you know me better than that. In fact Rooney was my driver when I was the LT on Squad 5. I don’t feel that I was defending Rooney in anything I said. Was the move to Wood Ave a bad move? Yes it was. Was it responsible for the deaths on Fairfield Ave? I don’t know and neither do you. We agree that if they were at 7-11 water would have gotten on the fire quicker but would it have saved those lives? I don’t know because I have not read the investigative report.
What Rooney told the residents was the truth, we may not like & I don’t like what he said but per the code he was right. I have always felt that the Fire Code was weak and really ineffective when it came to structures like PT. I remember when NFPA 101 was accepted by the State (Legislature) along with the Connecticut addendum to the code there were attempts to strengthen the means of egress from structures like PT, we failed to get that done.
Ron don’t ever confuse things, when I say Rooney was right it does not mean anything other than on a particular statement he was right. I know that the Fire Investigative unit is basically ineffective as no one has the practical experience necessary to develop the proper expertise. The crippling of this unit started with the previous chief and has been carried over.

By: Ron Mackey

Ron Mackey — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:37:13 +0000

“town committee,” You said, “Blaming Rooney for the deaths on Fairfield Ave is wrong. You do not know all of the circumstances on that fire nor do I. On hindsight it was wrong to relocate 7-11 to Wood Ave.” Andy, I agree with this part. Andy, there is really no differences in the technical issues of the fire service between us. You know that the lack of Rooney’s communication skills with the public are terrible and a number of decisions were not helpful. We agree that the relocation was a bad decision. Not informing the residents of Engine 7 and Ladder 11 district of the relocation and informing them that the time to respond to their call for help will take twice as long and you know that response time is critical, well these decision didn’t help to save those four residents on Fairfield Ave. Andy those are facts and nothing personal.

You also said, “If Rooney has a fault and it also goes to the previous chief who does have a degree it was in effect disbanding the Arson or Investigative unit. Rotating people in and out of that unit for a week at a time does not allow them to get the training they need. Bringing in the State Fire marshal’s office should be considered an insult to the professionalism of our FM office.” Andy, once again we agree, what actions did Rooney do to correct those decisions and what did he say or do to help that division and thereby helping the taxpayers of Bridgeport? He did nothing.

You said, “Let’s concentrate on making conditions at PT better more work in that area.” I agree. But I don’t agree that less finger-pointing will get things done. Remember how the fire at PT started. Andy, come now, you know that you would want to know exactly what happened and who was at fault; well I feel the same way.

Rooney made this statement that was printed in the CT Post on Nov. 14, “The buildings are up to code,” Rooney told a Friday press conference at the fire scene. “The windows are close enough to the ground that you don’t need fire escapes–I think the code says 20 feet.”

Rooney also said that the third-floor bedrooms have windows overlooking porch roofs, making it possible for people trapped upstairs to escape to safety, if necessary. Andy, that is what Fire Chief Rooney told residents of PT Barnum at a press conference at PT, that the answer for Tiana Black and her three babies was to jump two stories for their safety and that current residents at PT was do to save their life. Great answer, right?

Andy, maybe because you and Rooney were assigned to Rescue 5 maybe you cannot see his faults because you are tight with him, maybe.

By: town committee

town committee — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:10:50 +0000

Ron now you are getting personal. You have a long-standing feud with Rooney and now you are putting it to work. Blaming Rooney for the deaths on Fairfield Ave is wrong. You do not know all of the circumstances on that fire nor do I. On hindsight it was wrong to relocate 7-11 to Wood Ave.
You know that 7-11 was in quarters when this latest tragedy happened. It made no difference that they were in quarters. There was a delay in notification that led to these deaths.
So the question should be were there circumstances that led to a delay in notification of the FD on the fire that killed the 4 people.
If Rooney has a fault and it also goes to the previous chief who does have a degree it was in effect disbanding the Arson or Investigative unit. Rotating people in and out of that unit for a week at a time does not allow them to get the training they need. Bringing in the State Fire marshal’s office should be considered an insult to the professionalism of our FM office.
Let’s concentrate on making conditions at PT better more work in that area and less finger-pointing will get things done. Remember how the fire at PT started. It was accidental (based on news reports).

By: Up On Bridgeport

Up On Bridgeport — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:12:04 +0000

Write On Ron!

By: Ron Mackey

Ron Mackey — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 01:22:48 +0000

“BARF,” let’s not forget that Chief Rooney is a high school graduate. One of his more celebrated decisions was to close the firehouse on Ocean Terrace and to relocated Engine 7 and Ladder 11 to the Wood Ave. firehouse while repairs were being done to the floor at the firehouse. Chief Rooney did not inform the residents of that district of the decision to relocate that fire apparatus. Two weeks after that relocation 4 people were killed in a house on Fairfield right behind the Ocean Terrace firehouse fire on Fairfield Ave. There is more about Chief Rooney.

By: The Bridgeport Kid

The Bridgeport Kid — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:51:39 +0000

No one gives a farthing about the poor folks that live in subsidized public housing. I know a few people that have lived or still live in P.T. None of them chooses to live there. They want a better life. A woman and her three children perished from smoke inhalation. The city’s housing authority has the law on their side; officials can rightfully claim that the buildings met all local fire code conditions. But that does not ease the pain of those grieving over the loss of human life, and that is what led to the creation of a “task force” and a shadow committee.