Van Buren County Arkansas has been devastated this year and it’s just July.
On Tuesday Feb. 5, 2008 at approximately 6pm Clinton Arkansas was hit by a devastating EF4 tornado. “Super Tuesday” will now be on the minds of all residents as a day that changed their lives forever!
In March/April 2008 VBC was devastated by flooding in numerous areas of the county. Specifically in Clinton and Choctaw. The lake rose to what I’ve been told 24′+ above it’s normal level. Leaving houses flooded and washing away several areas of roadway.
Then on May 2, 2008 Damascus and Bee Branch AR were hit by an EF3 tornado.
Total according to my sources we have lost 6 in death due to the tornadoes, I’ve not heard of any from the flooding.
Here’s a video that I made covering some of the photos I’ve received from the tornadoes.
FIREFIGHTERS WHETHER VOLUNTEER OR PAID, HAVE A DEDICATION THAT JUST WILL NOT FADE
THEY HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY LEARN AND TRAIN, AND FIGHT FIRES IN THE SNOW AND THE RAIN.
THEY DO THEIR JOB WITH HONOR AND PRIDE, THEIR FELLOW FIREFIGHTERS AT THEIR SIDE.
FAMILY MEMBERS WORRY AND PRAY, KNOWING THERE IS A CHANCE THEY WILL BE TAKEN AWAY.
PEOPLE DON’T REALIZE HOW MUCH THEY CARE, OR HOW MUCH OF THEIR LIFE THEY ARE WILLING TO SHARE
WHENEVER THEY ARE CALLED TO HELP THEY GO, EVEN IF ITS SOMEONE THEY DO NOT KNOW ,THEY FIGHT FIRES AND HELP AT ACCIDENT SCENES, WHETHER ITS SOMEONE ELDERLY OR IN THEIR TEENS
WHENEVER YOU SEE THESE MEN AND WOMEN GO OUT, PLEASE REMEMBER TO THINK ABOUT, THE THING THEY ARE DOING INTERRUPTS THEIR FAMILY LIFE, AND SOMETIMES CAUSES THEM TEARS AND STRIFE
SO THE NEXT TIME THEY PASS YOUR WAY, PLEASE TAKE A MINUTE TO STOP AND PRAY, THAT THEY MAKE IT HOME WHEN THE DAY IS DONE AND THAT THIS WON’T BE THEIR LAST RUN.
EMMITSBURG, MD – The United States Fire Administration (USFA) announced today there were 115 on-duty firefighter fatalities in the United States in 2007. In 2007, there were firefighters lost in 33 states and Washington, DC. South Carolina experienced the highest number of fatalities (11) while Pennsylvania, New York, North Carolina, and California each suffered more than 5 on-duty losses.
“This past year will be remembered by the entire fire service as one of the most tragic years for firefighters in recent memory,” United States Fire Administrator Greg Cade said. “We are committed to continuing our dedicated efforts with the International Association of Fire Chiefs, National Volunteer Fire Council, International Association of Firefighters, and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation to make sure 2008 is not a repeat of 2007 and a year in which Everyone Goes Home at the end of their emergency response assignments.”
Heart attacks and vehicle accidents were responsible for the deaths of 54 firefighters (47%) in 2007, down from 54 of the 106 (51%) firefighters in 2006. In 2007, 10 on-duty firefighters died in association with wildland fires.
On June 18th, Charleston, SC lost 9 firefighters while working to control a fire in a large sofa warehouse facility. Each year, firefighters becoming trapped and disoriented represent the largest portion of structural fireground fatalities. For 2007, 64% of all firefighter fatalities occurred while performing emergency duties. Almost 42% were at structure fires with 19 caught or trapped (16.5%).
Speed and a lack of seat belts contributed to many deaths as well. More than 2 of every 10 firefighter fatalities in 2007 occurred when responding to or returning from an incident. While seat belts and speed were not necessarily factors in all of these fatalities, they were contributing factors for most of them.
These fatality statistics for 2007 are provisional and very much subject to change as the USFA contacts State Fire Marshals to verify the names of firefighters reported to have died on-duty during 2007. The final, annual firefighter fatality report for 2007 is expected to be available by early June.