**MEDIA ALERT AND PHOTO OPPORTUNITY**
For Immediate Release:August 31, 2010
Barb Clapp
(410) 561-8886 or barb@barbclapp.com
Baltimore City’s Fraternal Order of Police and Firefighters Unions Scheduled for Symbolic Waves to Show “We Stand By Our Oath,” Demonstrating Pride for Public Service to the City’s Citizens Symbolic Wave Scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday
What:
Baltimore’s Fraternal Order of Police and Firefighters Unions will hold two rallies this week, waving to citizens underneath the organizations’ billboard, to show pride in representing the City’s citizens and the level in which they care about public safety despite a lack of support from Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and some members of the Baltimore City Council.
The billboard, which is in downtown Baltimore on the eastside of I-83 south of Fallsway, is visible from President St. and strategically located near City Hall on one of the main arteries into the city so that drivers are greeted upon entrance to the city with the message, “Welcome to Baltimore. Home to a Mayor and City Council who turned their backs on our police and firefighters.”
Baltimore’s FOP and Firefighters Unions will be dressed in shirts expressing their pride to represent the citizens of Baltimore, even when the city’s government has broken contractual obligation to the unions, robbing them of benefits, of which they are legally entitled.
Changes in the pension system were enacted last month, but the unions have filed suit in federal court to challenge the legality of the changes.
Where:
Downtown Baltimore underneath Baltimore FOP and Firefighters Unions billboard
Eastside of I-83, South of Fallsway
When:
Tuesday, August 31, 4 p.m. & Wednesday, September 1, 7 a.m.
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Around 0245 hours, units were sent to 526 Swann Avenue for a report of a dwelling fire, box 53-16. First arriving companies reported a frame dwelling with heavy fire showing. A working fire was alerted. Members made an aggressive interior attack to extinguish the fire. Primary and secondary searches were negative. One firefighter was transported to Mercy Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He was treated and later released. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Shrortly after 0900 hours, Box Alarm 21-5 was alerted for a dwelling fire at 3316 Elm Avenue, in Hampden, hon. Initial arriving units reported a three story dwelling, heavy fire first and second floors, and encountered a seriously injured civilian out front. A working fire alarm was sounded, followed by a second alarm. Crews made an aggressive interior attack to extinguish the fire. Additional reports indicated that all occupants were not accounted for. Search and rescue teams located a victim in the basement. The victim was removed by Firefighters and transferred to awaiting Paramedics, where they transported the victim to an area hospital. A third civilan was also injured. He was injured when he risked his own life to enter the burning house and rescue his neighbor.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Fire Investigation Bureau and no additional injuries were reported.


The Department is hosting a Blood Drive on August 27, 2010. Click HERE for more information.