Investigation reveals how four people were caught in a fiery trap
By DARCIE LORENO Tribune ChronicleArticle Photos
When police Officer Doug Hipple burst through the front door of a group home last month, half the front porch was in flames.
Less than two minutes later, heat and smoke billowed through the open door and up the stairwell inside, trapping him on the second floor, along with the women he had rushed in to save.
All that happened before firefighters left their South Street station about a mile and a half away.
Almost three weeks later, Hipple and the three women remain hospitalized in induced comas.
Many have placed some blame on the closed Atlantic Street fire station, which firefighters said would have put them one minute closer to the blaze at 368 Bonnie Brae Ave. N.E., a group home for disabled women. In early January, the Atlantic Street and Parkman Road stations were shuttered after the city furloughed 11 firefighters.
But would that minute have made a difference?
''If you took away any one variable, it would have been a whole different fire,'' fire investigator Jeff Koehn said.
The fire
Newspaper carrier Brenda Edwards said she was driving north on Bonnie Brae Avenue N.E. on April 28 when she noticed the orange flames just after 3:20 a.m. She stopped and called 911, but didn't know the address, so she drove down the road to find a house number.
Then she saw Hipple - on his way to a call on McKinley Street - heading east on Woodland Street. She drove after him, flashing her lights and honking her horn until he stopped. They drove back to the house, and he pounded on the front door.
''It wasn't huge yet,'' said Edwards, who watched from her van. ''Probably about half the porch. But it kept getting bigger. Then I saw him go into the house. And it really upset me.''
The fire was set intentionally on the right corner of the porch and a couch there ignited, helping the flames grow larger, investigators said.
Meanwhile, night shift group home caregiver Shelly Johnson, who was doing paperwork, heard the crackling but thought it was a skateboarder. About the time she saw the flames outside the living room window, Hipple had run in the house. She told him the women who lived there were mentally handicapped and led him upstairs.
The women were Donna Cassidy, 52, Melissa Watson, 44, and Sheree Egry, 52.
Response time
According to fire investigators, it took less than two minutes for Hipple and the women to get trapped upstairs, with heat and smoke blocking their escape. According to radio logs, he lost contact about four minutes after telling dispatchers the group couldn't get out.
State Fire Marshal spokesman Shane Cartmill said fire doubles in size every 45 to 60 seconds. Based partly on that, the National Fire Protection Association recommends no more than six minutes lapse between the time a department receives a fire call to when it arrives on the scene.
''That gives crews one minute to receive the call, one minute to get on the truck and exit the station and four minutes to arrive on the scene, maximum,'' Curt Varone, NFPA director of public fire protection, said.
The timeline takes into consideration the time it takes for a small fire in a room to grow to a "flashover," or when the entire room and its contents are on fire, which then spreads to other rooms, Varone said.
''A room can be fully engulfed and reach a flashover within three minutes,'' Cartmill said. ''At this point, the likelihood of escaping is minimal. But even if you live close (to a fire station), by the time they get there, three minutes isn't a lot of time.''
Arrival
In the Bonnie Brae fire, about five minutes and 34 seconds passed between the time the station received the call and when firefighters arrived on the street at about 3:28 a.m. Koehn said if firefighters would have left from the Atlantic Street station, they would have arrived at the scene about one minute sooner. The downtown station is about a mile and a half from the fire. The Atlantic Street station is about half a mile away.
Fire Chief Ken Nussle estimated travel time at about two minutes per mile, depending on time of day and conditions.
Eleven firefighters responded that night in a ladder truck and a squad. Two firefighters got a ladder and broke through a window at the back of the house soon after their arrival, while two others worked to extinguish the fire at the front of the home. The others installed fans for ventilation and set up outside.
At least five police officers were also on the scene.
Crews reported pulling Hipple out at 3:38 a.m., about 16 minutes after he entered the home.
By about 3:44 a.m., all four victims had been pulled from the home.
According to Koehn, before layoffs, all three stations would have been open with 17 firefighters on duty. Ten would have been staffing the downtown station with three on Parkman Road and three at Atlantic Street.
"They all would have been out the door at the same time, but (the Atlantic Street crew) might have been there quicker because they'd have only one truck," Koehn said, referring to factors other than distance. The crew likely would not have gone right into the home for a search, but would have knocked the fire down at the door for the next crew to arrive, he said.
The front door
One factor that may have affected the outcome was the home's front door - which Hipple left open when he entered - partly due to the layout inside.
The home previously had been split into a duplex. Just inside the front door are enclosed stairs that lead to a landing. From there, a set of stairs heads to the second floor and another leads back down to the kitchen and the rest of the first floor in the home's rear.
Nussle said the open door created an oxygen supply and chimney effect in the stairwell for smoke and heat to rise upstairs.
"Especially the way it was set up, it went directly from the front door to the stairwell," Nussle said. "There was no chance of it spreading laterally. If the door had been closed, it's very possible it could have proven enough of a barrier at least to give the Fire Department enough time to arrive and suppress the fire."
When Johnson led Hipple upstairs, she retrieved one woman and Hipple two. About the time the smoke detector went off, they were headed back toward the landing. But Johnson lost the hand of the woman she was with and, knowing the home's floor plan, went down the stairs to the kitchen and out the back door. Officials believe Hipple, who was unfamiliar with the floor plan, became disoriented on the landing. He and the three women went back upstairs, away from the heat and smoke rising from the front door, and into a bedroom.
Meanwhile, firefighters believed the four were in the back of the house as other officers tried directing Hipple to a rear window.
''If they would have crawled back into the hallway, they would be dead,'' Koehn said. ''He was (unconscious) by the time they told him to go to the back.''
After firefighters entered a window in a rear bedroom, they began a room-by-room search. After he quit responding, officers shouted his badge number over their radios in the hope that firefighters would hear the calls through Hipple's radio and pinpoint where he was. They first found Hipple, distinguishable by his police vest, in a bedroom at the front of the home with two women. The third woman was found in another front bedroom.
Due to burns and heavy damage to their lungs from smoke inhalation, they all remain in critical condition in the Burn Center of Akron Children's Hospital.
Outcome
When it comes to how the situation could have been different, Nussle agreed with Koehn.
"We had multiple factors here," Nussle said. "A police officer unconscious, not really normal layout. Normally, firefighters can size up a house from the exterior and know what the interior will look like. This was a little bit different.''
As far as the open front door and Hipple's heroic role in the fire, Nussle said police officers generally aren't trained to enter burning buildings. But Hipple's actions were only human, he said.
''He was in rescue mode,'' Nussle said. ''That was his priority, to get the three people. It's just a natural human reaction and not really as much as being a public servant, but rather a human being. It was very commendable, but obviously we don't condone that ... because we know the effects of fire and how that will act on a body."
He said if the Atlantic Street station had been open, it could have made a difference.
"Yes, it could have," Nussle said. "Being there a minute or a little sooner ... they would have been faced with a smaller fire and the end result may have been different."
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smokey
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05-18-09 2:27 PM
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NOTRIGHT-just out of curiosity what is it you consider simple minded. it sounds like to me the post on here is outrage due to most of the mayors decision to cut safety forces.
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NOTRIGHT
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05-18-09 8:11 AM
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PEOPLE RIGHT NOW OFFICER HIPPLES LIFE IS AT STAKE.GET OFF OF SOME OF THIS SIMPLED MINDED STUFF AND FOCUS YOUR ENERGY AND PRAYER ON HIM.HE DID WHAT HE THOUGHT HE HAD TO DO.GOD BLESS HIM AND HIS FAMILY.SOME OF THESE PST ON HERE ARE JUST NOT RIGHT.
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smokey
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05-18-09 6:24 AM
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cvengros- and maybe if theres enough people you can get volunteers to canvas the city you know catch people coming out of stores and stuff like at election time, count me in for that!
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smokey
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05-18-09 6:23 AM
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cvengros no thank you for taking the time to do the petition. something has got to be done. I have to say at least your making an effort instead being one of those types that just whine and complain.. thanks again!!
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FACTORYWORKER
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05-17-09 10:50 PM
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Officer hipple, i would like to say thank you for what you did, what you did shows that we do have some great police officers, and you sir, are one of them. but now you have to pay the price for what you did with the pain you are now in, so for that i thank your family. sir, if i can be of any help to you, like take you to the doctors or whatever please leave a message on this blog and i will go to warren city police dept and give them my name and address, if not this blog then any, i read them all. i wish we had more cops like you. thanks again.
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smokey
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05-17-09 9:43 PM
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dang cut off) or to eat two day leftovers to save money, why is it that the city of warren can't seem to get it together and bite the bullet on other areas to keep the safety forces,sure cutting some other area might not be pleasent or convient but its a heck of alot harder than to bury somebody due to no officer or another fire that leaves and eyesore and may take life do to no firefighters. I suggest like someone did in another article and get a copy of the budget go over it and go to the mayor and councils meeting and start asking questions about why this or that department couldn't be cut?? you would be surprised at the income some of these officails make why couldn't they take a pay cut for a time till its gets better, like they want the safety forces to do or lay off some other people in deparments that "ARE NOT" as important as safety forces!! a city without safety is chaos!! somethings gotta give agreed but it should not be SAFETY!!
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smokey
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05-17-09 9:33 PM
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cvengros- I too will be there to sign. officer hipple did what not many people would do, he cared more about his fellow man than he did himself( considering he has a wife and family) I can't say for 100% that I would have done the same thing alot of people may say "yes I would have" its easy to speak the words but to actually do it!! is another , this officer is a TRUE HERO, he didn't do it because his job says he has to, most officer would have stayed outside and waited but he didn't he talked the talk but he walked the walk. this comes down to all these cuts to the safety forces, these are the department should be cut last I don't care it they had to shut down city hall for two days a week or have or shut the water dept down two days a week,pull juveniles out jjc to do street clean-up etc. whatever it takes to keep the safety forces up to par!! COME ON MAYOR HOW HARD IS IT! residents of warren make sacrafices everyday to pay their bills if its riding a bike to work to s
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stillangry
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05-17-09 9:31 PM
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*******codes.ohio.gov/orc/705.92 ORC705.92 Procedure for removal of elective officer by recall. Any elective officer of a municipal corporation may be removed from office by the qualified voters of such municipal corporation. The procedure to effect such removal shall be: (A) A petition signed by qualified electors equal in number to at least fifteen per cent of the total votes cast at the most recent regular municipal election, and demanding the election of a successor to the person sought to be removed, shall be filed with the board of elections. Such petition shall contain a general statement in not more than two hundred words of the grounds upon which the removal of such person is sought. The form, sufficiency, and regularity of any such petition shall be determined as provided in the general election laws.
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stillangry
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05-17-09 9:30 PM
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(B) If the petition is sufficient, and if the person whose removal is sought does not resign within five days after the sufficiency of the petition has been determined, the legislative authority shall thereupon order and fix a day for holding an election to determine the question of the removal of the elective officer, and for the selection of a successor to each officer named in said petition. Such election shall be held not less than thirty nor more than forty days from the time of the finding of the sufficiency of such petition. The election authorities shall publish notice and make all arrangements for holding such election, which shall be conducted and the result thereof returned and declared in all respects as are the results of regular municipal elections.
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stillangry
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05-17-09 9:29 PM
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(C) The nomination of candidates to succeed each officer sought to be removed shall be made, without the intervention of a primary election, by filing with the election authorities, at least twenty days prior to such special election, a petition proposing a person for each such office, signed by electors equal in number to ten per cent of the total votes cast at the most recent regular municipal election for the head of the ticket. (D) The ballots at such recall election shall, with respect to each person whose removal is sought, submit the question: “Shall (name of person) be removed from the office of (name of office) by recall?” Immediately following each such question, there shall be printed on the ballots, the two propositions in the order set forth: “For the recall of (name of person).” “Against the recall of (name of person).” Immediately to the left of the proposition shall be placed a square in which the electors may vote for either of such propositions. Under each of su
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stillangry
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05-17-09 9:29 PM
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In any such election, if a majority of the votes cast on the question of removal are affirmative, the person whose removal is sought shall be removed from office upon the announcement of the official canvass of that election, and the candidate receiving the plurality of the votes cast for candidates for that office shall be declared elected. The successor of any person so removed shall hold office during the unexpired term of the successor’s predecessor. The question of the removal of any officer shall not be submitted to the electors until such officer has served for at least one year of the term during which he is sought to be recalled. The method of removal provided in this section, is in addition to such other methods as are provided by law. If, at any such recall election, the incumbent whose removal is sought is not recalled, the incumbent shall be repaid the incumbent’s actual and legitimate expenses for such election from the treasury of the municipal corporation, but such sum
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paulydel
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05-17-09 9:12 PM
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Its a shame that Warren has becaome a getto town becasue at one time the police and fire departments were on of the best in the state and now they barely exist. If anything they should not be cut from the budget especially concidering the square area that Warren covers. The stimulus money should have been put in the taxpayers hands because we would have made an emmidiate difference in the economy instead of people continuing to lose their jobs.
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hibernian
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05-17-09 8:32 PM
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CEVENGROS.....i will see you at the log cabin. i will definitely get the word around to as many people i know who are sick and tired of the same old same old in the city. it's time to make a real difference and TAKE THIS CITY BACK, people are fed up and it starts now. if i am paying for safety forces, or lack there of, we need to get that levy out of here as well. i am proud to say that i am a firefighter and i'm on the chopping block. i do not fear retribution. i will fight this to the end and ask my fellow brothers and and sisters to stand up and do the same. DO NOT BE AFRAID. STAND UP AND BE HEARD. I URGE ALL TO BE HEARD AND SEEN AT EVERY EVENT THE MAYOR, DIRECTOR, COUNCIL MAKE APPEARENCES. LET THEM KNOW WHAT YOU DEMAND FIRST....SAFFETY!!!!
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hibernian
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05-17-09 8:24 PM
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EVERYONE needs to take come kind of concession. just don't go after safety forces especially fire department. how can you negotiate with dishonorable people like those holding office in the city now? sit at table with all union heads and make cuts even cross the board. period. but it seems cicero has a vendetta against safety forces especially the fir department. but what does he care, he lives in lordstown anyways.
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hibernian
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05-17-09 8:17 PM
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of course franklin and the rest of the gang are going to say they want safety forces, yet the will still pump hundreds of thousands into the music hall, which will be closed for several months this year, pay the top guys who run the hall combined over 200k, that's 4 firefighters salaries, keep all parks open, which according to cicero only costs 40k a year. but if go look at the budget, 40k is set aside to maintain bldgs and mowers etc..but there's also another 297k budgeted for the parks. makes no sense to me?
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scooter123
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05-17-09 6:16 PM
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good for Dougie,he's a good guy.meet him right after he started.This should tell you we have to have firefighters also
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ThETrUtH2008
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05-17-09 5:19 PM
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further layoffs, but also bring back firefighters already laid off. "I think that speaks a lot for our commitment to safety. I think that speaks for itself. That's the proposal we've put forward," said Warren's Safety Service Director Doug Franklin. The firemen say they just want cuts to be equal throughout all of Warren. "Bring the department heads together. Bring the union heads together. The mayor is unwilling to do this. And we're asking him to step up or get out of the way and let someone else do it," said Marc Titus, President of the firefighter's union. That's something the city says they're already doing. "That's what we want. We want the same thing. We're not just going to ask the firefighters for some monetary relief. We're going to every bargaining unit. Every employee in the city will equally share in their sacrifice," said Franklin. The two sides are scheduled for a meeting this upcoming Thursday.
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ThETrUtH2008
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05-17-09 5:18 PM
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After being informed if they don't accept the latest contract offer, more cuts could come as soon as next Friday, some firefighters in Warren are speaking out about safety. They point specifically to a fire that severely injured four people 2 weeks ago on Bonnie Brae Avenue and say January's cuts already hindered their response. "Our response time was slowed. They say only by a minute. I tell them, try holding a lighter to your hand for a minute and I'll have you wait another minute. See how you feel. Those people deserved that minute. They paid for that minute," said Bill Monrean, Vice President of the IAFF Local 204 Union. Officials from the city say safety is their main concern, too, and they're doing everything they can to make sure these layoffs don't happen. That includes a proposal currently on the table for the fire department. Neither side would discuss specific details about concessions, but city officials say the proposal would not only prevent further la
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OutsideTheBox
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05-17-09 5:12 PM
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Well said. A recall petition needs to be started. If I knew how, I would do it. Anyone know? The Mayor isn't listening to anyone. He's doing what he wants to do because he thinks he knows best. Look at how fired up everyone is over his rediculous financial decisions. - That is why you can have him removed from office! This is what recall petitions are for - so you can change the course of the future of this City.
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firemain
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05-17-09 4:44 PM
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The article was written well. The fact that Officer Hipple left the door open was not critical of his actions simply a fact of the fires path. Firefighters entering the building would have left the door open too. As for cvengros, Shelly Johnson has spoken several times, but to the investigators working the case. There are no hidden stories, nothing left out. It's a shame that people jump to conclusions about any crime, especially this one. People's lives are on the line, regardless of who they are, where they work or what they do for a living. Had officer Hipple not attempted to rescue the residents, with Ms. Johnsons help I might add, they would all be dead! The bottom line is the reduction in safety forces personnel may not be to blame for this fire but definitely is a sign of things to come. As residents, YOU must be decide the level of service for the city!!! Do you want a music hall and parks or Police and Firefighters??? TELL THE MAYOR QUIT WASTING YOUR TIME FIGHTING IN HERE!!!!
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biscuit
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05-17-09 3:50 PM
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I personally know Officer Hipple and he is not only a great Police Officer but a wonderful person. He thinks of others always. People need to stop the complaining and think of what he did - would you run into a burning home trying to rrescue someone you didn't even know? Well - Doug would and did! A heroic salute to him and here's hoping he and the ladies fully recover.
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Sassysue
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05-17-09 2:12 PM
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Carol, You apparently are a very confused person. Have you not read the articles about this tragedy? After you do some catching up come back and run your mout.
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WFDwife
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05-17-09 12:05 PM
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Warren4504 - Shame on you. You want to make a comment about another post on here, fine. However, do not insinuate firefighters do their job for the glory and accolades. If you knew anyone of the firefighters you would know this is absolutely not the case.
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CURLEY
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05-17-09 12:00 PM
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I can't see how any normal thinking person would bad mouths an officer or fireman who runs into burning building to save someones life while other people are trying to get out. Officer Hipple did exactly what he should have done. To protect and serve the people. I'm an old man, but he'll always be a better man than I. I would have been the one trying to get out of the building. My hat is off to him and people like him. Gods speed to you Officer Hipple!
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FireFightingDrone
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05-17-09 11:50 AM
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lol bus (-:
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