E.R.A.S.E. Historical Interlude

Back in the 1960’s and early 1970’s, there were a slew of fires in major U.S. cities that were discovered to have been set by drug addicts and homeless persons hired by landlords to burn their buildings, buildings that had numerous housing code violations. The result of the fires were that the tenants had to vacate the buildings, landlords collected insurance monies, and the cities paid for tearing the buildings down that could now be replaced – along with the tenants. These fires were not controlled and some landlords were sued since the fires accidentally burned other buildings (like what happened to the church in Mt. Pleasant.) The big fire in Mt. Pleasant (March 2008) fits some of the description of these earlier fires: the building that burned had over 7,000 housing code violations; was due to to go court the next day (after the fire); but before the court appearance, the building burned; and the tenants have been vacated after enduring poor living conditions and without having gotten justice. The slumlord will likely get the insurance money; the building has since been condemned and is in process of being demolished.

An E.R.A.S.E. Interview with Rising Star DCFD Captain Vanessa Coleman, Trailblazer

E.R.A.S.E. – Captain Coleman, please tell us about yourself, how you came to be a firefighter and attained the rank of Captain.

Vanessa Coleman: I am 36 years old. I was born and raised in Washington DC. I graduated from DC public high school and went right into the DC Fire Cadet Program where I became a full-fledged firefighter in 1992, scoring at the top of my class. I took the first promotional exam in 1997, and was promoted to Sergeant in 1999. I took the second exam and was promoted to Lieutenant in 2004. Then I took the last required exam to be promoted to Captain and was promoted Captain in December 2007.

E.R.A.S.E. found Captain Coleman to be a true trailblazer, who embodies not just the qualities but the commitment that is often under-rated as a qualification for leadership here in the District.
E.R.A.S.E.: What are your aspirations as a firefighter?

Vanessa Coleman: I see myself playing a Chief role within the department, one who will regulate and promote department honor through excellence, integrity, and trust. I want to reassure our internal and external customers by the actions we (as officials) take…that ’everyone matters’.

E.R.A.S.E.: Have you found many challenges as a black woman in the Fire Department?

Vanessa Coleman: Yes, I have found it challenging being a minority in the classes of both race (African American) and sex (woman) to do my job effectively, without obstacles.

E.R.A.S.E.: Could you give us an example, Captain, in your own words about any particular struggle?

Vanessa Coleman: There are constant struggles that I’m presented with and yet have to overcome. One I’m struggling with at the present, is a situation resulting from the big fire that was fought over in Adams Morgan in March 2008, where I am being falsely accused of an operational error that rightfully was the fault of the battalion chief who was in command of all the fire ground operations. Specifically, it’s been claimed that I didn’t check the basement for fire. The real reason why the basement never got checked is because the chief interrupted and rerouted my company from completing this tasks of locating and checking the basement to that of another assignment on the 3rd floor of the building, where we were told to remain for the duration of the fire. Because the chief failed to back fill the basement tasks with another company, the basement fire momentarily remained undiscovered, thus allowing it to spread beyond control.

It wasn’t until the next day, after hearing reports that the fire started in the basement and after listening to the recording with all of the radio transmissions made, that I found out the basement check had not been reassigned to another company in the transition of my company’s reassignment, as I thought it would have been done by the chief. The book states that it is the commanding chief’s responsibility on every fire to assure and verify that a basement check is being/has been performed; and moreover, to inquire and record the basement check results on their Incident Command Form. If the chief would have been properly and accurately utilizing this form at the time he decided to deviate from standard procedures, this error probably wouldn’t have occurred, and the building would probably still be standing today.

Thus, as far as the books go, this chief should be at fault for neglecting his responsibility of ensuring that the basement was checked by the companies due to the rear/basement of the building. According to the book, these three companies (2nd and 4th due engine company, or the 2nd due truck company) are to enter from the rear/basement. If there is no fire/emergency evident, they are to proceed with standard procedures, or request their secondary assignment from the commanding chief. I shall note: The 4th due company never went to the basement but was headed to the 3rd floor (freelancing) when they were rerouted to check the basement (because fire was reported in the basement). Though this company officer failed to follow written protocol, he was not written up, either.

The fire officials know that the chief should be the main one held at fault for these errors, by not filling in his basis/assignments correctly. Yet, because he’s in the good ole boy network, they chose to cover him, and place the blame on the next “less popular” officer down the chain, myself.

E.R.A.S.E.: Captain, this sounds like the kind of injustice that we pulled together to fight against. E.R.A.S.E. always believes that any problems or infractions and the responsibility to assure quality is maintained by leadership who is always responsible for outcomes. Are you willing to fight back against this injustice? Will you let us help you?

Vanessa Coleman: I am fighting back, and I am proud to associate with your efforts to fight against this injustice, because as Martin Luther King, Jr., said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” and I believe the citizens of this great District, my home town, don’t deserve anything less.

E.R.A.S.E.: Captain Coleman, this has been a pleasure and an honor, and we are glad to fight by your side and tell your story, because the people have a right to know. And we will prevail!

On WPFW

Tomorrow, Wednesday, April 23rd, Vanessa Coleman, the highest ranking African-American female DC Firefighter is going to be on Gloria Minott's show just after 9:30am on WPFW-FM, Peace and Justice radio. So make sure your dial is on 89.3 tomorrow morning. Peace and Love.

MORE DIRTY LAUNDRY

Firefighter Technician Berlin Hiligh, who was given a 240 hour suspension signed off by Assistant Chief Brian Keith Lee was then given approximately a 700 hour suspension for the same penalty. In a recent court hearing the Judge told the city that they might want to settle this case and suggested that his lawyer and he might think about suing for breach of contract.

But Lieutenant Roni Marconi, whose crime was similar, was promoted and NEVER missed a day off on enforced leave or did a day on suspension.

NEWS FLASH . . .

(Allegations compliments of The Spooks who Sit by the Door)

• Captain William G. Mutchler, who was previously assigned to the fire boat, which is part of the Special Operations Division, failed to give a swimming test and could not swim himself.

• Lieutenant Walter Webb who is assigned to Rescue Squad 1 which is a part of the Special Operations Division has failed to get and maintain an EMT certification.

These are all minimum requirements for federal grants that the Fire Department receives through the Federal Government.

• Former Sergeant Darryl Green who resigned was found not guilty in D.C. Court. Assistant Fire Chief Brian K. Lee allegedly asked the Corporation Counsel to please not drop the case.

• There is a further allegation that Captain Vanessa Coleman (one of the DC Fire Department's highest-ranking black female firefighters) is being unfairly targeted for charges of negligence in the Mt. Pleasant Street fire, where a building owned by a slumlord with a record 7,000+ housing code violations, was due to go into court the following day. What a coincidence! .... or was it?

New Announcement!!!!

There will be a rally on May 1, 2008, from 12 noon to 2:00 pm. Where? Across the street from the Firefighters Headquarters on Vermont Ave. We will meet at the Civil War Memorial on U Street, NW.

It is the view of E.R.A.S.E. that the DCFD White Supremacist control - not to include all white firefighters - is coming to its end, that the DC taxpayer will not tolerate this good old boy mentality; no more memos to state "zero tolerance towards discrimination" (while it's going on) and hiring additional administrative personnel (like a Chief of Staff to watch your back); and bringing humanitarian ideas to the union is not enough to stop the truth of the wholesale abuses of the fire chief and his cohorts. They should start to send out their resumes in order to keep up with the pace of citizens and firefighters seeking justice. "The people united will never be defeated."

Our demands are for:
- A judicial review;
- A citizens review board established;
- A Congressional inquiry;
- Get rid of the do-nothing union;
- Lt. Lehan out of our neighborhood;
- And Fire Chief Rubin and Deputy Chiefs Brian Lee and Shultz out of our Community (all of them MD residents).

People are still being killed because our EMT operators are not from DC anymore and they don’t know the city. Now whole communities are being burned out, including churches, coincidentally helping landlords avoid paying penalties for being slumlords; E.R.A.S.E. says blaming those fires on junior officers will not work. Put the spotlight on your special operations division where it is 98% white and people who can't swim and others are not trained in areas where they are supposed to be professionals. Your present and future lawsuits of racist injustice are continuing to cost the taxpayers millions of dollars, as is your shameful criminal thefts of DC property and equipment. You must cease and desist! Just like the statement about the rich, the citizens cannot afford you and federal funds should not pay for your indiscretions anymore.

On a somewhat rainy Friday at lunchtime, E.R.A.S.E. was heard just to the right of the steps of Wilson Building (City Hall to those of you who don’t live in DC). We took the fight to City Hall because our attempts to let city leadership know of the crimes being committed by our Fire Chief seem to fall on disinterested ears, i.e., 2 council members reported to us that they were "investigating" and the mayor said that his hands were tied.

The union has not responded to date, nor have they been a part of any of the solutions; most firefighters believe that they are in bed with the administration. Because of the lack of response by the Union, they have been chosen as the next target to be protested.

We had at least 10 Firefighters and EMS workers come out; 5 or more organizations were represented; 1,500 flyers were passed out to people who live all over the country, who passed by and or stopped.

We did have some detractors initially; an "Uncle Tom" came out and tried to deter us but once he and the police officer that he called over were reminded that we knew our 1st amendment rights and were abiding by them, they tucked their tails back between their legs and left.

We also made face-to-face contact with two of our noble council members, Jim Graham and Carol Schwartz. Even they gave us positive feedback, that which we have yet to receive from our Mayor.

Pictures and audio will be coming soon

There will be a community meeting to talk about the activities of Deputy Fire Chief Brian Lee. ANCs 7D and 7C are the areas affected by and concerned about racism and graft.

A luta continua [the struggle continues].

Taxpayer Porkbarrel

(All of this information is "alleged" and was obtained by secret E.R.A.S.E. agents within the DCFD.)

Dennis Rubin worked as an instructor for University of Maryland Fire Institute and is friends with Steven Edwards (Department Head of UMD Fire Institute). DCFD is sending Firefighters to be trained at the Institute at a cost of $600,000 per year and that is opposed to being trained at UDC or being trained in house, as they traditionally had been. This is a trifling way of spending our tax dollars - $600,000 is an outrageous sum. Lehan has gotten approximately 45 days of overtime since January of 2008 though he has not served on an ambulance (which is customary in the DCFD if you take days off). He still receives a disproportionate amount of overtime and did so even when there was a surplus of firefighters - meaning there was no need for overtime!

SMELL FISHY to you? Yeah, to us too.

(All of this information is "alleged" and was obtained by secret E.R.A.S.E. agents within the DCFD.)

Rally Press Release

Community Group E.R.A.S.E. Calls Rally – Fight Racism in DCFD
End Racism And Stop Exploitation, E.R.A.S.E., Demands City Honor Its Brave Firefighters by Ending Racist Abuse in Fire Department

E.R.A.S.E., End Racism And Stop Exploitation, a group of taxpayers, lawyers, firefighters, faith and community leaders have come together to address institutionally supported racism in our midst, with the understanding of its history and its affect on people who are not white; and have pledged to work towards its eradication, to "crack the jaws of racism" in the words of abolitionist John Brown. DC's Fire Department is infested by the rankest, most primitive 'Jim Crow'-type racism, theft, graft, disrespect and downright criminal gangster-type behavior, along with racist, sexist and homophobic remarks and behavior that has thoroughly tarnished the brave hard work and tradition bestowed on firefighters

Our city's administration and its fire department leadership are all complicit in sustaining and nurturing this deadly culture of racism, intimidation and exploitation within the DCFD. E.R.A.S.E. has brought its concerns down to the Wilson building because a number of attempts to bring the concerns of the citizens to the city administration concerning the malfunctioning and embarrassment of the Fire Department because of a few bad apples – starting with leadership and sprinkled throughout the agency – have resulted in no more than a few weak "I will investigate" responses and the Mayor insulting us by saying "my hands are tied" and he can't do anything about the situation. This is an abuse of the public trust and wholesale disrespect to the taxpayers, said E.R.A.S.E. E.R.A.S.E. has vowed to continue to fight this holy war against the infidels until justice is achieved.

E.R.A.S.E. and our community demands that the Mayor and/or City Council take action in support of our firefighters and citizens. We demand the following actions:



· We call for a judicial review,

· We demand the establishment of a Citizen's Review Board;

· We request a Congressional inquiry;

· We call for you to get Lt. Lehan – the Godfather – out of our neighborhood; and, finally

· Get non-residents Fire Chief Denis Rubin and his deputies out of our community!



The rally will be held on Friday, March 28, 2008 at 12:00 noon. For more information on E.R.A.S.E. and the allegations, visit our blog at abolishracism.blogspot.com. E.R.A.S.E. can be reached at erase-racism@hotmail.com.