SORRY...I JUST HAVE TO RANT!!!!!!!


So, a member of Clark County Fire Department has a heart attack and dies while on duty and do you think the Review Journal hardly has a mention of it?????  I heard that it was a little blurb buried somewhere in the local section.  No mention of his funeral and no pictures honoring a true hero!

This is the same paper that puts on the front page anything and everything that they can dream up to bash our pay and benefits and what our unions do to fight for good wages and benefits for what amounts to a very dangerous job that requires a high level of skill, dedication, training and time spent away from family.  

Richard Washington was a dedicated member of the fire service, and while I never knew him personally, I have heard through the grapevine that he was very physically fit and spent almost his entire 17 year career at one of the busiest stations in the valley working hard proudly serving the citizens.

Sorry, I just wanted to help remember a brother firefighter and pay my respects since I was on-duty the day of his funeral and couldn't attend.  

(I also had to vent a little just to make ME feel a tiny bit better about the whole thing)

Thank you!! I've driven past many stations in the last couple of days and seen the Flag at half mast, and was wondering why.  Sorry to hear you lost a brother firfighter. It's truly sad that that news only deems the ugly stuff news worthy.

My sympathies to his family.  I think it is just disgusting how little attention is paid to those who put their lives on the line to protect people that can't appreciate what they do until they need them.  My brother is on a Hot Shots team in Reno so that hits a little close to home not to mention that it happens to our troops also..And that hits close to home also..These people get paid way too little to do what they do and that's just wrong.  Especially when they pay with their life and get no recognition for it.  

Very sorry to hear.

The only thing my subscription to the RJ's good for is sale papers and cleaning my guns, it seems.

I have known Richard for many years.  
I worked at the same station with him several months while I was roving, and off and on over the years a few shifts at a time.  I have drank a few beers with the man at Super Bowl parties, funerals and promotions.....and while we were not " Best Amigos", he was a friend of mine.

Richard was a great guy with a perpetual smile.  Reliable, humble and friendly.  Richard pulled 2 rookie Firefighters out of a structure fire after they had been pinned by a collapse, Richard refused any awards or even any recognition for the deed.  

While I too was disappointed at the lack of acknowledgement by the media concerning Richard, I was very impressed by the response of our Brothers and Sisters from adjoining Departments.  
I was able to participate in the procession with my Engine and crew, from Station 16 to the church to the grave site.  The procession had units from every Department  in the valley and County.  CCFD, LVF&R, Henderson, NLVFD, BLM, AMR, South West, Nellis, NDF, Metro just to name a few (Metro did a hell of a nice job with traffic!, Thanks Gents) ....I even saw a Truck company from Mesquite.   The service was packed with uniforms and professionals, and it made me proud to be part of it.

Richard will be missed, and I am sure his Family appreciated the show of Brotherhood in his/their behalf.....I know I did.

Gary

Thanks for giving us some insight fellas. It always hurts when one of our few leaves the ranks.

Quoted: I have known Richard for many years.   I worked at the same station with him several months while I was roving, and off and on over the years a few shifts at a time.  I have drank a few beers with the man at Super Bowl parties, funerals and promotions.....and while we were not " Best Amigos", he was a friend of mine. Richard was a great guy with a perpetual smile.  Reliable, humble and friendly.  Richard pulled 2 rookie Firefighters out of a structure fire after they had been pinned by a collapse, Richard refused any awards or even any recognition for the deed.   While I too was disappointed at the lack of acknowledgement by the media concerning Richard, I was very impressed by the response of our Brothers and Sisters from adjoining Departments.   I was able to participate in the procession with my Engine and crew, from Station 16 to the church to the grave site.  The procession had units from every Department  in the valley and County.  CCFD, LVF&R, Henderson, NLVFD, BLM, AMR, South West, Nellis, NDF, Metro just to name a few (Metro did a hell of a nice job with traffic!, Thanks Gents) ....I even saw a Truck company from Mesquite.   The service was packed with uniforms and professionals, and it made me proud to be part of it. Richard will be missed, and I am sure his Family appreciated the show of Brotherhood in his/their behalf.....I know I did. Gary

Hey Gary...I work all the way down on the South side (HFD) and never got to meet him, but that 's what I heard about him...just a solid dude that worked hard for the citizens.

I am just pissed off to no end because the Review Journal has hardly given the past couple of firemen that died hardly any notice...I think the only reason they gave Sgt. Prendes so much press is becuase it was a gun battle involving a "AK47 type rifle".  They absolutely jump at the chance to list every cop or fireman that earns over 100K but they never bother to list the number of overtime hours that they worked to get to that dollar figure.  not to mention how that rag of a paper goes on and on about how great TASC is going to be (never mind that it didn't work in Colorado and it will severely hurt public safety and our quality of life) and how the unions are so evil in the way they fight to protect the wages and pensions of the people doing the nitty-gritty work, 24/7/365.

Gary, my heart goes out to your department...my Dad worked for Long Beach Fire and my Uncle was LA County and through the years they all had lots of friends that either died early or were hurt, scarred or disabled for life from the job we do.  These guys are like family for us and it is never easy to see them gone or getting hurt

I'm very glad that Richard's family was shown how much he will be missed and that there was a very strong showing at his service from our brothers and sisters in Fire, LEO and EMS.

Be safe,
Smitty    

Quoted: Quoted: I have known Richard for many years.   I worked at the same station with him several months while I was roving, and off and on over the years a few shifts at a time.  I have drank a few beers with the man at Super Bowl parties, funerals and promotions.....and while we were not " Best Amigos", he was a friend of mine. Richard was a great guy with a perpetual smile.  Reliable, humble and friendly.  Richard pulled 2 rookie Firefighters out of a structure fire after they had been pinned by a collapse, Richard refused any awards or even any recognition for the deed.   While I too was disappointed at the lack of acknowledgement by the media concerning Richard, I was very impressed by the response of our Brothers and Sisters from adjoining Departments.   I was able to participate in the procession with my Engine and crew, from Station 16 to the church to the grave site.  The procession had units from every Department  in the valley and County.  CCFD, LVF&R, Henderson, NLVFD, BLM, AMR, South West, Nellis, NDF, Metro just to name a few (Metro did a hell of a nice job with traffic!, Thanks Gents) ....I even saw a Truck company from Mesquite.   The service was packed with uniforms and professionals, and it made me proud to be part of it. Richard will be missed, and I am sure his Family appreciated the show of Brotherhood in his/their behalf.....I know I did. Gary Hey Gary...I work all the way down on the South side (HFD) and never got to meet him, but that 's what I heard about him...just a solid dude that worked hard for the citizens. I am just pissed off to no end because the Review Journal has hardly given the past couple of firemen that died hardly any notice...I think the only reason they gave Sgt. Prendes so much press is becuase it was a gun battle involving a "AK47 type rifle".  They absolutely jump at the chance to list every cop or fireman that earns over 100K but they never bother to list the number of overtime hours that they worked to get to that dollar figure.  not to mention how that rag of a paper goes on and on about how great TASC is going to be (never mind that it didn't work in Colorado and it will severely hurt public safety and our quality of life) and how the unions are so evil in the way they fight to protect the wages and pensions of the people doing the nitty-gritty work, 24/7/365. Gary, my heart goes out to your department...my Dad worked for Long Beach Fire and my Uncle was LA County and through the years they all had lots of friends that either died early or were hurt, scarred or disabled for life from the job we do.  These guys are like family for us and it is never easy to see them gone or getting hurt I'm very glad that Richard's family was shown how much he will be missed and that there was a very strong showing at his service from our brothers and sisters in Fire, LEO and EMS. Be safe, Smitty

Only sex and violence grabs the attention of the media anymore and I guess the people eat it up....

The Media is only interested in dirty laundry, second hand information and "News Items" they can slant and skew into a ground breaking exclusive....regardless of the facts.  I have little faith in their ability to relay ANY information with any degree of merit.

IMHO, a fully involved Journalist would call for an aggressive fire attack with a trash hook or pike pole....I am sure some would argue that it would be better to sit back and see if it would "Burn it self out" and just protect exposures.....I cant say they would be wrong.

Thanks for the kind words about Richard...

I am responding to this WAY after the fact but I feel obligated (I am trying not to spend so much time on the computer and haven't checked this board for a month or two).
I missed Richard's funeral because I was at the BIG Reno gunshow. I found out about the funeral the day before I was leaving.
At every funeral euology and in every obituary you read what a great guy the deceased was. Every guy that ever died was the greatest guy in the world.
Well in this case, they were right. Richard was a super nice guy. I was never bid into a station with him but we both worked a lot of overtime and ended up working together quite a bit. We were also both big sports fans so we had a lot to talk about. I worked with Richard a couple weeks before he died. Out of all the guys we work with that have died, Richard's death hit me the hardest because he was a great guy. I have never heard a bad word uttered about the guy. In our job a lot of people talk a lot of shit but I never heard anything but nice things said about Richard.

I never heard the thing about Richard pulling two rookies out of a fire. You should bring that up to C1 and see if maybe they can award something to his family in recognition of that since he wouldn't take it while he was alive. It would give his kids something to remember him by.

It is always sad to lose a man who is selfless enough serve his community. Is there a fund or something to contribute to for his familiy?