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Glendale MidFirst Bank Robbed by Suspect Wearing M/C Helmet

Glendale, Ariz. – On Monday September 17, 2012 at about 10:20am, the MidFirst Bank at 6508 W. Bell Rd was robbed by an armed suspect wearing a full-face motorcycle helmet.  The suspect entered the bank with a handgun, approached the teller, demanding money from cash drawers while threatening to kill him.  The suspect provided the teller with a black bag to place the cash in.  While waiting for the teller to fulfill his demands, he pointed the gun at several other bank employees in a threatening manner.  After obtaining an undisclosed amount of US currency, the suspect ran from the bank to a sport style motorcycle and fled the area.

         The suspect was wearing a black m/c jacket, a full-face blue / black and silver motorcycle helmet,  black jeans, black shoe and black gloves.  He was described as having a light complexion, 6’0 – 6’2, weighing approximately 170 lbs.  The helmet he was wearing is likely to be an “AFX-FX-96 Blue-Multi Helmet.  Although the suspect’s face was hidden by the helmet, investigators think the uniqueness of the helmet may assist in identifying him.  The color scheme on the suspect’s motorcycle may be similar to the helmet he was wearing.  

         The Glendale Police Department needs the community’s assistance is solving this Robbery.  If you have any information, you are asked to call 623 930-3000 or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS.             

GLENDALE FIRE CRISIS RESPONSE PROGRAM RECEIVES 
VALUABLE DONATIONS FROM EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT 
by Michael Young, Glendale Fire PIO

                                   
Jake Winn, Boy Scout         Hygiene kits, first aid kits, cases and cases of bottled water, diapers and clothing items 



On Tuesday, September 18, 2012, the Glendale Fire Department’s Crisis Response Program 
received hygiene kits, first aid kits, cases and cases of bottled water, diapers and clothing items 
to help keep people warm, for example, blankets and knit caps. These items made their way to 
the CR program through a prospective Eagle Scout’s service project. 

Jake Winn, 17, a Boy Scout who has earned over 20 merit badges, needed to plan, organize and 
lead an extensive community service project in order to be awarded the Eagle Scout badge and 
medal, the highest achievable rank in the Boy Scouts of America. Over the past 4 months Jake 
placed donation boxes throughout his neighborhood, local schools and at his church, collecting 
thousands of items and spending countless hours to see his project cross the finish line. 

Every year, Glendale Fire’s Crisis Response Team helps hundreds of people who have been 
displaced from their home, victims of domestic violence, or are homeless and no longer have 
access to basic necessities. Obtaining items such as hygiene kits and blankets can be a 
challenging task, especially for our homeless community. The simple act of donating hygiene 
kits could help someone avoid a dental issue or health problem, and may even retain his or her 
self-esteem during an extremely difficult time. 

The Crisis Response Team, made up of dedicated volunteers trained by the Glendale Fire 
Department, assist firefighters, police officers and the citizens of the West Valley during 911 
calls. The CR’s main job is to provide immediate crisis intervention and referrals to victims, 
families and witnesses after a traumatic event, as well as to guide citizens to the proper resources 
after the event. 

To volunteer with the CR program, please visit 
http://www.glendaleaz.com/crisisresponse/Volunteer.cfm

How Neil Armstrong inspired a POW

By John McCain

The Washington Post
September 14, 2012

Neil Armstrong’s passing reminded me of the moment I learned of his historic accomplishment. I didn’t gather with my family around the television to watch him take his “small step” onto the surface of the moon. When the momentous event occurred, I had no idea it was happening. I and several hundred comrades were otherwise engaged — prisoners of war in the enemy’s capital, where in 1969, news could travel slowly.

Our captors in Hanoi went to considerable lengths to keep us in the dark. They didn’t restrict our access to all news but were selective about the information they allowed to reach us. They routinely apprised us of antiwar protests, race riots, assassinations and the like. Reports were usually piped into our cells during Hanoi Hannah’s “Voice of Vietnam,” an often unintentionally funny, if repetitious, daily broadcast about America’s manifold sins and woes.

“American GIs, don’t fight in this illegal and immoral war,” Hannah would plead, while cheerfully regaling us with victories by the people’s liberation forces and the latest evidence that the United States had become a dystopian society.

Like much of the treatment we received in prison, propaganda was intended to discourage us and weaken our will to resist. By portraying America as so beset by turmoil that it had become a different country than we remembered, a country that had forgotten us, our captors hoped to convince us that whether we remained imprisoned or went home, whether we lived or died, were entirely their decisions.

It rarely succeeded, but our morale, if not our will to resist, suffered under our steady diet of grim news. Every morsel of good news we managed to obtain brought immense pleasure. Although we didn’t wish for more Americans to be captured, neither did we want to waste a moment before learning what they knew. Newly captured prisoners were probably perplexed to be insistently pressed for uncensored information about the war and home as they struggled to come to grips with their new circumstances. Prison is hell on good manners.

Once in a while, the Vietnamese unwittingly let a little good news slip by. One evening, Hannah played a clip of a speech by a prominent American opponent of the war. It was a quick, throwaway line in a long list of diatribes about the war and the president. But we all caught it. The quote was something like: “President Nixon can put a man on the moon, but he can’t end the war in Vietnam.”

Yes, that was news to us, arriving years after the successful Apollo 11 mission.

We had all heard President John F. Kennedy commit our country to putting a man on the moon within a decade. Most of us prisoners were pilots, and we admired and envied the pilots who became Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts. Most of all, we wanted our pride in our country, our love for the place where free people reached for the stars, reaffirmed in the place where it had been tested and mocked.

In that one screw-up, that brief mention of glorious news, our morale soared. We felt almost physically strengthened as we communicated with each other in whispers and tap code: “Did you hear that? Did you? We put a man on the moon. My God, we did it.”

Many years later, I had the honor of meeting the man who planted that flag. I told him how we had learned what he had done and how much it had meant to us. Armstrong was a brave man who made his countrymen proud, but he was also a modest man with a quiet demeanor, and he seemed moved by the recollection.

I could never pay adequate tribute to how much he had once inspired me, in a place that at times seemed almost as distant from America as the moon.

Rest in peace, Neil Armstrong, and thank you from the bottom of my heart.

John McCain is a Republican senator from Arizona. He was captured in Vietnam in 1967 and held until 1973.

Update – Suspect Arrest in Explosive Device Incidents

Glendale, Ariz. – On Wednesday September 5, 2012 just after midnight, an explosive device detonated in the driveway of a residence near 67^th Avenue and Olive, after being placed there by an individual.  The device placed involved (2) two pipe bombs.  This was the third incident involving an explosive device being placed near the home in the past 14 months, and investigators say the other two occasions involved similar IED’s (Improvised Explosive Device).

Notice:  Glendale Fire Parade Canceled

 

It is with a heavy heart that the Glendale Fire Department announces the cancellation of this year’s Fire Prevention Parade and Festival scheduled for Saturday, October 6, 2012. The parade is a 30-year tradition in Glendale held every October during the National Fire Prevention Association’s (NFPA) fire prevention month, which provides a strong focus on educating the community on important fire and life safety topics. The decision to cancel this year’s parade is due to budget challenges and allows the fire department to be fiscally responsible. This year would have been the parade’s 30th anniversary in Glendale and the fire department hopes the long-standing tradition of the parade and festival will return in the future. The fire department believes community education is a critical component of its mission to keep lives and property safe in Glendale. For more community education information, please visit the fire department website at www.glendaleaz.com/fire or www.nfpa.org.

Glendale Remembers 9-11 on September 11, 2012
By Bette Sharpe – Glendale Daily Planet  www.glendaledailyplanet.com 

 

Eleven years ago today, our nation was forever changed.  Glendale is honoring and remembering those who lost their lives that day and those who have fought and continue to fight for our freedom Tuesday morning at 8:45 a. m.  The “9-11 Memorial Service, Public Safety Tribute” was held at the Glendale Civic Center’s Public Memorial, 5750 W. Glenn Drive.  A presentation of memorial wreaths by Glendale Fire and Police, a bagpipe performance by Captain Todd Mills, and the Police and Fire Honor Guard as well as and address, “In Remembrance and Honor”, by Glendale Fire Chaplain Raul Ochoa.  

To all those first responders—those in Emergency Medical Service, firefighters, military, and policemen and women—Tuesday’s program was to honor all of those brave individuals who made the ultimate sacrifices.  And to remember all of the innocent victims who lost their lives that awful day.

 

 

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 4742

Glendale Fire Chaplain Raul Ochoa addresses those who came to remember September 11, 2001 on Tuesday, September 11, 2012.

 

 

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 4746.

Glendale Police Chief Black lays a wreath at the Glendale Civic Center’s Public Memorial in downtown Glendale.  The red ribbon on across the wreath reads, “In Remembrance”.

 

 

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 4756.

One of two wreaths placed in front of the Public Service Memorial as part of the “9-11 Memorial Service Public Safety Tribute on September 11, 2012.  This wreath has a white ribbon with the words “In Honor”.

 

 

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 4758.

A single rose lays at the base of the Glendale Public Service Memorial.

Firefighter of the Year –Captain Paul Morales

Ed Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 0050.

Vice Mayor Steve Frate and Captain Paul Morales, 2011 Firefighter of the Year.

( Video of award acceptance speech HERE    http://www.glendaledailyplanet.com/media/fire-awards-2012%20ff-year.wmv

GFD STATES - "The Firefighter of the Year Award is given to a fire department member for outstanding service to the department and/or to the safety of the community.  This is a very prestigious award.

The Firefighter of the year has shown an amazing commitment to our department in his service as the Members Services coordinator. He usually works behind the scene in his efforts and his work is usually only associated with announcements.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to members services. As we went through one of the most challenging times in recent Glendale Fire Department history, this person worked through the logistics planning and implementation of every conceivable family need. While this was one of the more obvious issues he has dealt with this year, the firefighter of the year has given his time to many other member needs both great and small. He has done this with very little fanfare and always with the membership’s best interest at heart. He continues to exemplify what is best about the Glendale Fire Department.

This person’s commitment to the members extends not only to those who serve within our department now, but also to those who have retired from service. He gives the same care to each regardless of their status. This caring spirit is an amazing asset to our membership and we should be proud to recognize Paul Morales as our Firefighter of the year for 2011. "

Captain Crystal Sorensen – Retirement

Crystal was hired 9/2/1986 after spending 6 months in the GFD Reserve program and completing the Firefighter I & II class through GCC, under the direction of Captain Joe Young. She attended the Phoenix Fire Academy with fellow hires Steve Schell, Dave Green, & Bruce Jenkins, graduating in the class of “86-2”, with Captain Dale Largent as the Glendale Fire Department RTO.

She attended Medic school and graduated top of her class in 1988, and was the first female paramedic for Glendale Fire. She promoted to Engineer in 1994 and to Captain in 1995. She spent 17 years at FS151 on E151, and then opened FS158 in 2003.

Crystal was in charge of the immunization program for 2 years, was the GFD parade emcee twice, a fire pal, an instructor for the West Valley Training Consortium, and has been and still is a peer counselor on the CISD team.

She represented Glendale Fire in 4 different World Police and Fire Games, competing in the triathlon, the TCA (The Complete Athlon), sprint running, sprint swimming, and racquetball; earned gold in Indy for 100m sprint and long jump. She accumulated 2 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze medals.

Crystal was nominated as “Firefighter of the Year” three times by her peers during her career, which she feels is the supreme and most humbling honor. Her crews were twice awarded “Call of the Year”.

Captain Sorensen says she is fortunate to have had such a fulfilling & rewarding career. She is thankful for the people, friendships, and the opportunity to serve those with whom she works and the community.

(From the Awards meeting this weekend - )

CHIEF DON HEATWOLE CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Ed Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 0 dsc_3000.

Captain Crystal Sorensen and Chief Burdick.  Captain Sorensen received the Chief Don Healwole Career Achievement Award.  Captain Sorensen is retiring on March 30th after twenty-five years of service from the Glendale Fire Department.  She attended Medic school and graduated top of her class in 1988, and was the first female paramedic for Glendale Fire. She promoted to Engineer in 1994 and to Captain in 1995. She spent 17 years at FS151 on E151, and then opened FS158 in 2003.  

Glendale Fire Department - Tragedy with a Miracle

By Bette Sharpe Glendale Daily Planet

Ed Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet No. #3052.

HALO Base Manager, Michael Patten.

January 28, 2012, just about a month ago, Glendale Fire Department suffered one of its greatest challenges with the rescue and emergency treatment of Engineer and HALO Base Manager, Michael Patten.  Michael Patten, a healthy guy in his mid-thirties suddenly collapses a food and gas station on the way back from a ski trip.  Mike Patten had suffered a near sudden death event..  Air-evac came, HALO 151, and started hands only CPR.  Mr. Patten was rushed to the ER where he continued his treatment.  The emergency rescue crew who administered emergency medical treatment to Mr. Patten, came was his very own crew. 

T. J. Dresher, was one of those crew members and said this about his experience, that it was a "pretty surreal moment".  "Thank God for CCC-CCR", Dresher said.  Mr. Patten and the Glendale Fire Department hand only CRP or CCC-CCR, the Tonopah Fire Department, and HALO air-medical transport.

A miracle was granted to the HALO 151 crew that night.  Mike walked out of the hospital one week later, neurologically intact, with no deficits.  This event hits home to the Glendale Fire Department in a very persona way and is a specific example of how CCC-CCR can and does save lives.

Everything lined up that day in January for Michael Patten, his crew knew what to do, and they did what they were supposed to.  There training paid off big for Michael Patten.  Those attending Friday's press conference credit Michael's recovery to CCC-CCR.  Fortunately, Mike does not recall much from that night. 

CCC-CCR (Continuous-Chest-Compression--Cardiocerebral Resuscitation) compression method is called "Continuous Chest Compression CPR", which does not require mouth-to-mouth contact.  This new technique is simpler to perform, easier to learn and is proving to save lives.  Dr. Ben Bobrow is the instrumental force in getting the "hands -only" CPR into the Glendale Fire Department.  The new method, CCC-CCR allows for and uninterrupted flow of blood to heart and brain.

            -90% of the time,CCC-CCR will be performed on a family member or a close friend

            -If CCC-CRP is started with in 4 minutes of collapse and defibrillation provided within 10 minutes, a person has a 40% chance of survival.

Follow this link to the City of Glendale Fire Department's web site for the  quick and easy steps to learn CCC-CPR.

http://www.glendaleaz.com/fire/documents/cprcard.pdf

Telephone applications are now available also.

The web site by the American Heart Association offers a free video to view and learn the hands free CPR method as well where you can find a free smartphone application. http://www.handsonlycpr.org/

  Please visit www.glendaleaz.com/fire to learn Hands-Only CPR

	Sudden Cardiac Arrest  - Continuous Chest Compression PSA According to the American Heart Association, nearly 300,000 deaths occur each year, and four out of five of those happen at home. Many of the victims are healthy, with no known heart disease. Unless chest compressions happen immediately, the victim will not receive oxygen to his or her brain, and will surely die. The life we save with CPR will most likely be someone we love. Watch YouTube Video
	Be Prepared to Save a Life - Learn Hands-Only CPR Check out the American Heart Association's new YouTube video which features Ken Jeong as he suits up to promote Hands-Only CPR. Watch YouTube Video

GLENDALE FIRE DEPARTMENT FACILITATES
MOUNTAIN RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL MOCK DISASTER DRILL

By Bette Sharpe - Glendale Daily Planet  www.glendaledailyplanet.com

Friday, February 10, 2012 Glendale Firefighters facilitated the annual MOCK disaster drill on the Mountain Ridge High School campus.  During the drill, medical and sports science students were tested on their emergency medical skills.  Theatre and drama students acted as the “victims” and wore realistic theatrical makeup to make the accident scenario seem more authentic. 

 

After the drill was completed, the medical and sports science students returned to the stands where they received feedback from the emergency medical personnel who assisted in the MOCK disaster drill.  The comments were positive and encouraging.

 

No one knows if and when they might be a first responder for an emergency.  The teens who participated in today's drill have some practice in what to do in a chaotic situation and would  probably be of help and comfort to someone who is injured.  After the MOCK plane crash emergency drill, it was onto third period; "you have to go to your third period", instructor Sean Romero said.  Students can get back to a to a normal day at school.

 

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 1538.

Victims (or in this case theatre students) of the MOCK plane crash were lying on the Mountain Ridge High School football field waiting for help to arrive.

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 1340.

Students from medical and sports medicine classes waited on the eastern side line of the football field for the command to go and find their patient.  The teens were in crews or teams of about four students.  Some crews had more than one patient waiting for them on the crash field.

 

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 1342.

Performing Arts instructor, Laura Nardone's students attended a workshop on Monday to learn about creating the realistic makeup of a disaster victim.  This student must have earned a high mark.  Most of the theatre students applied their own stage makeup.  This event is a favorite for the drama and theatre students.

 

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 1562.

Sloane Coaly, Greg Marc, C.J. Dugan, Joey Rossi and Sierra Corbett (patient).  Crew 9 readies the patient to be rolled onto a back board.

 

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 1580.

Emergency Room nurse, John Fraleigh checks the rescue efforts of Crew 9.

C.J. Dugan, Greg Marc, Joey Rossi and Sloane Coaly.  Sierra Corbett is the rescued victim of the MOCK airplane crash.  Mr. Fraleigh was impressed with what the teens had done and thought they were doing pretty good!  The medical and sports medicine students were calm and focus on helping their patients.

 

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 1624.

Katherine Larned, a senior at Mountain Ridge, shows off her artfully applied stage makeup.  Most of the students did their own.  Katherine's character survived the crash.  Drama and theatre students look forward to the disaster drill every year. 

 

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 1612.

Carson Sheppard and Nathan Wilkerson attend to Matt Shirk, who is playing the role of "Chris", an injured airplane crash victim.  Carson kept talking to the victim "Chris", asking him "to stay awake" and to "talk to me" as he and Crew 42 administered emergency aid, .  Thanks to the efforts of Crew 42, "Chris" survived. 

 

 

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet. no. 1619.

Nathan Wilkerson, Carson Sheppard, Kendall Cooper, Vince Jinenez listen to what David Schramm, has to say about "Chris'" aka Matt Shirk's prognosis. 

 

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 1603.

Glendale Firefighters were on hand to assist with the mass causalities.  Teens from Mountain Ridge High School had to assess their patients during the MOCK disaster drill held on the football field on Friday, February 10, 2012.

Avoid Burn Injuries in the Home

By: Michael Young

February 5^th-11^th has been designated Burn Awareness Week in 2012.  Burn Awareness week is designed to educate the community on burn injuries and how to stay safe, especially when at home.  This educational series is extremely important because over 100,000 children were seen in emergency rooms across the country last year for a certain type of burn injury and none of them were even around a flame.  Those children were the victims of a burn injury known as scalding, an injury that is almost 100% preventable. 

A scalding injury occurs when hot liquid, hot food or steam damages one or more layers of skin.  The majority of these scalding injuries took place inside household kitchens or bathrooms, most likely when there was a brief lapse in adult supervision.  It’s not hard to understand why young children are at risk of scalding injuries.  Children, especially the younger ones, are very curious and often imitate adults.  This may involve mimicking actions in the kitchen and reaching for hot pots and pans on the stove.  Children do not have the motor skills to react quickly once they come in contact with a hot object and because they have thinner skin than older children and adults, they suffer burn injuries at a lower temperature and with shorter exposure.

Scalding can also occur when a child is left unattended in a bath tub causing burns from the lengthy exposure, and usually cover large areas of the body.  Other scalds can take place when adults are jostled while holding a restless child in their arm or on their lap while drinking a hot beverage. An adult can also slip or lose their grip while removing hot food from a stove or oven, or carrying it to a table, causing themselves or someone else to get injured.

Things to think about:

·         A healthy adult can be burned by liquids at 155°F within 1 second, 140°F within 5 seconds, 120°F within 5 minutes.  Children can be burned in half that time.

·         The clothes on which a substance is spilled retains heat until they are removed.  

·         The thicker a substance, the more heat it retains and the more it sticks to the body. 

·         Children, Elderly, and those with a handicap are  most at risk for scalding injuries

·         65% of all children hospitalized for burns are from scalding injuries

·         Hot tap water causes more hospitalizations/deaths than any other liquid

·         95% of burns from a microwave are scalding injuries

·         Always set water heater at lowest level. Water temperature should never rise above 120°F in residences and 110°F in nursing homes/day cares

·         Always establish a “kid-safe” zone in the kitchen, keep all children at least 3 feet from any cooking appliance

·         Use the back burners on the stove when possible

·         Turn pot/pan handles toward the back of stove

·         Avoid using table cloths.  Children can use these to pull hot object down on them.

·         DO NOT warm baby bottles in the microwave

·         DO NOT hold a child while cooking or carrying a hot beverage

Emergency Care for scalding injuries:

·         Remove victim from source of injury

·         Remove all clothing items that are affected like shirt, socks, diapers, etc.

·         Run cool (not cold) water over affected area.  If water is unavailable, any cool non acidic drink will work.  DO NOT USE ICE- it can cause further damage

·         Call 9-1-1

·         Apply a clean dry compress to the affected area

·         DO NOT APPLY BUTTER, GREASE, CREAMS, OINTMENTS, ETC.  This can increase the risk of an infection.

UPDATE- Glendale Police Release Names of Phoenix Officers Involved Shooting

         GLENDALE, Ariz. – The Glendale Police Department is releasing the names of the three Phoenix Police Officers involved in the officer involved shooting incident that occurred at 59^th and Cactus Road on Wednesday, January 18^th, 2012.  The Phoenix Police Officers who discharged their firearms at the scene are:  Sergeant Bill Gatlin, Officer Jeff Anders, and Officer Alex Crabbs.

            The suspect who was struck by gunfire, after pointing a firearm in the direction of officers, is a Hispanic male in his mid to late twenties. The suspect’s identity is yet to be determined.  Once he is positively identified, that information will be made public.  The suspect is still hospitalized locally, in critical but stable condition.  The suspect is facing several charges in Phoenix and Glendale, including several counts of aggravated assault on a police officer.  The details regarding those charges will be provided at a later date.  There is no additional information to be released regarding the investigation at this time.

A Chase, A Crash, Shots Fired 
-  Spanning 2 Cities
By - Ed Sharpe - Glendale Daily Planet

 

<Glendale Daily Planet 1/18/2011> This afternoon a suspect was shot after pulling a gun on Phoenix police officers.

Authorities say the man was a the intersection of Thunderbird and 31st  Avenue on Wednesday,  saw officers and started a red light running spree.

The suspects  big mistake was to pull a gun on police officers and brandish it. When weapons come out it changes the level of the game entirely. 

Officer James Holmes, PIO - Phoenix PD stated, "We believe if he's willing to pull out a weapon and point it toward police and drive erratically without regard to public safety, then we have got to do our best to get this guy stopped,"

When the  suspect  got to 59th Avenue and Cactus, he crashed into a passenger car, however the  second driver escaped injury. 

When the suspect got out of his car, officers say he once again pointed his gun at them.

"Three Phoenix police officers fearing for their lives discharged their weapons and he was struck," said Tracey Breeden, PIO - Glendale Police Department.

Apparently the suspect did not have any life threatening  injuries.    We  were unable to obtain  his name.

Police are puzzled why the suspect, described as a Hispanic male in his mid-20s, ran from officers.

Traffic in the vicinity of  59th ave. and cactus was rerouted for hours while the suspect was handled,  scene investigated and then cleaned up.

HEAR ALL THE DETAILS

Officer James Holmes, PIO for Phoenix PD statement -MP3 File HERE

Glendale Police PIO Officer Tracy Breeden statement - MP3 File HERE

Ed Sharpe / Glendale Daily Planet 

Looking  over toward 59 Ave. and Cactus.
Glendale  Patrol cars block off access to the crash scene where  gun- toting  driver was finally apprehended.

Ed Sharpe / Glendale Daily Planet

Glendale Police Officers  J. Martinson and  D. Atkins establish a perimeter  for media and bystanders

Ed Sharpe / Glendale Daily Planet

Glendale Police PIO Officer Tracy Breeden explained to us that even though the shooting was by  Phoenix Police Officers it is Glendale's responsibility to  conduct the investigation since it happened within Glendale City Limits.

Ed Sharpe / Glendale Daily Planet

Officer James Holmes, PIO for Phoenix PD stated, "We believe if he's willing to pull out a weapon and point it toward police and drive erratically without regard to public safety, then we have got to do our best to get this guy stopped."

Kids and Cops Team up for Holiday Shopping Patrol!
By Bette Sharpe - Glendale Daily Planet

Target at 43rd and Peoria was the place to be on Saturday, December 17.  Forty kids and Glendale Police Officers did some holiday shopping, which included presents for family members.  This annual event is a fun one.  Target store manager, Lazlo Perez has hosted the event in previous years, this year's event was held in the afternoon rather than in the evening.

Other shoppers in the parking lot wondered what was going on when they saw the small crown gathered at Target's entrance. 

Each young shopper has a gift card to shop with, the presents were also wrapped at Target and there is a stocking filled with goodies for each shopper! 

Saturday's event schedule included three stops.

· First stop:11:00 a.m. Theatre Works

The kids will start the day off by meeting at Theater Works, 8355 West Peoria and 83^rd Avenue, where they will watch a Christmas themed puppet show.

·   Second Stop 11:45 a.m. Submarino’s

The second stop of the three events on Saturday was to have lunch at Submarino’s, located on the northwest corner of 51^st Avenue and West Northern, and then escorted in a caravan to the Target.

·   Third Stop: 1:00 p.m. Target

The caravan arrive at Target located at 43^rd and Peoria where The Santa was in the parking lot waiting to meet the kids and their officers.  Then it was into the store for shopping.

More photos to be added! Come back soon!

Sweet Sounds Roll Through Glendale Schools

Glendale Fire and Ear Candy Charity Deliver Much Needed Musical Instruments

By Bette Sharpe - Glendale Daily Planet

Glendale fire stations have collected (and continued to collect to the end of the year) gently used musical instruments (please no organs or pianos) for use in the Glendale Elementary Schools.  Friday, December 16, Glendale Firefighters delivered about 20 instruments to Landmark Elementary School, 5730 W. Myrtle Ave, Glendale; Ms. Sherri Stillman, principal at Landmark Elementary was pleased to have the new instruments..  The donated and refurbished musical instruments will be shared with students at Discovery, Imes, Bicentennial North and Sunset Vista Elementary.  Each school will received between two and six instruments.

Nate Anderson, Founder and Executive Director of Ear Candy, loves what he does.  He started Ear Candy four years ago when he saw that some elementary school musicians were not able to obtain the instruments they needed for band.  Ear Candy is a non-profit organization that asks people who have musical instruments gathering dust in garages and spare rooms to donate those instruments to Ear Candy, who will in turn match those instruments with a young musician who may not have the financial means to purchase an instrument on their own.  This year Ear Candy has impacted 15,000 kids.  For more information on Ear Candy, call 480.l965.3362 or visit http://www.earcandycharity.org/.

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 0. 

Front Row: Lisa Kutis, Glendale Fire and Nate Anderson, Ear Candy, Founder and Executive Director.  Back Row: Glendale Firefighters, R. Adam Ellis, Chris James, Marsha Brantner, and Matt Graner

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 7835.

Ms. Kumar conducts 7th and 8th graders during band practice a Landmark Elementary on Friday, December 16, 20ll.  She welcomed the instruments.  Some of the students on her year- round waiting list have waited for an instrument for a long, long time.  The new instruments will allow more kids to be in the band. 

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 7815.

Nat Anderson opens the cases of some of the musical instruments collected at various Glendale fire stations for the Ear Candy program.  Kids in Glendale Elementary Schools are on waiting lists for the instruments.

LEARN MORE!

GLENDALE FIRE DEPARTMENT JOINS LUKE AIR FORCE FIRE FIGHTERS
FOR PILOT PROGRAM FOR GLENDALE'S FAR WEST 

By Bette  Sharpe - Glendale Daily Planet 12-06-2012

The Glendale Fire Department joined forces with Luke Air Force Base to provide enhanced fire and advanced life support protection for the far west area of Glendale.  Glendale firefighters/paramedics trained at Luke Air Force Base on Monday and Tuesday, December 5-6, 2011.  Later in the week the two crews will conduct practice drills to insure that everyone is sure of the equipment and practices.

Glendale Fire Department will join Luke Air Force Base in providing enhanced fire and life safety protection for Luke AFB and far West Glendale.  This is a pilot program.  Glendale Fire Department will provide a fire truck and two trained paramedics at the Luke Air Force Fire Station 362, providing advanced emergency medical services to the area.  This is a win/win arrangement and is funded by a $75,000 grant from the Governor’s Office of Economic Recovery, Public Safety Stabilization Program.

Luke Air Force Base is located in far west end of Glendale.  The closest Glendale fire station is miles away at 83rd Ave.  Luke has its own fire department; however, by partnering with Glendale Fire Department base personal (military and civilian), will have enhanced protection and and see a improvement in response time as will the residents in the far western part of Glendale.  Glendale firefighters/paramedics and a fire truck will be at the Luke Air Force fire station for 40 hours each week during peak call times. This is a pilot program set to last 6 months.  A key point in this new partnership is that the Glendale Firefighter/paramedics will help staff the fire station when Luke personal are deployed. 

The two members of the Glendale Fire Department who will be the first to work at the Luke A.F.B. Fire Department are Jason Zeller and Captain Mark Manor.  Glendale has a six member "backup" crew who are ready to step in when needed.  Both of the partners, Luke and Glendale do not want to see a break in the emergency services they provide.  Just the opposite, both partners are excited about the increased level of care this new addition to the existing services now provided by the air base with the added benefit to quicker response times.  When the city firefighters are at Luke they will be reporting to Dave Givens, Assistant Fire Chief at the base. 

During the training sessions on Tuesday at the base, there were two emergencies, a munitions problem on a landing aircraft and a building fire alarm.  The base has 49 firefighters and is busier than one might think.  The area around the base has development significantly.  There are neighborhoods, schools and the like that surround the base.  The extra staff and their medical expertise at the Luke Fire Station should allow everyone to rest easier, knowing that fire/paramedic help nearby.

Ed Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no.7389.

Members of the pilot program that partners two city of Glendale Firefighters/Paramedics, and a fire truck with the staff at the Luke Air Force Base Fire Station.  This is thanks to a $75,000 grant from the Governor’s Office of Economic Recovery, Public Safety Stabilization Program. The grant exists for six months.

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 7306.

Details, practice, practice doing the simple tasks, make for success.

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 7318.

Teamwork, communication and cooperation get the job done.

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 7313.

The training continues in the cold and the wet.

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 7322.

Airmen Michael Barns trains with Glendale Firefighters Jason Zeller and Mark Finchum.

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 7342.

Glendale Firefighter Michael O'Neil shows Airmen Jamal Taylor and William Laing some of the special equipment housed on the Glendale Fire truck.

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no.

Glendale Firefighter Steve Kennedy, Glendale Firefighters Captain Dan Wintrow and Senior Airman Luci Cornett stay inside the cabin of the firetruck for their entire shift so no time is lost in case of a fire on the runway.

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 7373.

The Glendale Firefighters/Paramedics will have a chance to work with men and women who work with aircraft.

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 7377.

Luke Air Force Base Deputy Fire Chief Tony Rabonza, Glendale Fire Chief Mark Burdick, and
Chief Master Sgt. Charles Funkhouser.

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 7406.

Chuck Montgomery, Deputy Chief Training Division, City of Glendale, Airmen Jamal Taylor,

Captain Rob Tutrone, Glendale Fire Department and, Airmen Michael Barns.

GLENDALE FIRE CHIEF AWARDED
2011 CHIEF FIRE OFFICER OF THE YEAR

 
AFCA President Larry Rooney (R) presents  Glendale Fire Chief Mark Burdick  with
 the 2011 Chief Fire Officer of the Year Award Congratulations to Chief Mark Burdick!
 

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Glendale Fire Chief Mark Burdick has been named the Chief Fire Officer of the Year by the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association (AFCA). The award was presented to Burdick by Larry Rooney, AFCA’s Immediate Past President, at last night’s Glendale City Council Meeting.

Members of the AFCA nominate one of their peers each year for this top award. As past president of the AFCA, Burdick led chief fire officers throughout the state providing unified guidance on fire service issues and concerns as well as focusing on core areas including the health and safety of firefighters. Burdick is an excellent example of a progressive and innovative fire service professional, according to the AFCA.

AFCA also selected Burdick to receive this award based on his focus on the Regional Automatic Aid System as demonstrated through his championing of several Glendale Fire Department programs including the Glendale Regional Public Safety Training Center, the Helicopter Air-Medical and Logistical Operations (HALO) project, and the Regional Health Center, all of which are now considered national fire service best practices.

To learn more about AFCA go to http://www.azchiefs.org/

Representative Ugenti aims to
toughen missing person reports

“Caylee’s Law” would make it a Class 5 Felony to fail to report a child missing

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX (Nov. 22, 2011) – In an effort to protect missing children, state Representative Michele Ugenti (Republican, District 8) has introduced House Bill 2018 to make it a class 5 felony if a parent fails to report that a child under six years of age has gone missing.

Part of a national movement to tighten missing person reports when it comes to small children, the legislation is titled “Caylee’s Law,” a response to the disappearance and murder of Caylee Anthony, a Florida infant. The bill was drafted with the assistance of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.

Representative Ugenti’s bill requires that a parent, stepparent, guardian or person who has the care of custody of a minor under six years of age to immediately report the child missing after a 24 hour period.

“ Arizona children need to be protected and if one goes missing it’s vital that police begin the search process before the child is put in danger or their life is at risk,” Ugenti said. “This bill is a reasonable and enforceable way to protect young children and hold accountable those parents and adults who fail to live up to their responsibilities.”

For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Daniel Scarpinato at 926-3233 or dscarpin@azleg.gov

Jerice Hunter, Mother of Five Year Old Jhessye Arrested Today

By Bette Sharpe - Glendale Daily Planet

Today Jhessye Shockley's mother, Jerice Hunter, "was arrested by Glendale Police Department for child abuse directly related to her daughter Jhessye Shockley," according to information released today (Monday, November 21, 2011) by the Glendale Police Department at an afternoon press conference.  New information lead Glendale Police to arrest Jerice Hunter at her apartment.  Glendale Police detectives, working with the FBI, searched her home at the Autumn Leaves Apartments, near 45th Avenue in Glendale.

Jerice Hunter and is the prime suspect in the disappearance of five-year-old Jhessye Hunter.  Jhessye was reported missing on October 11, that was six weeks ago.  Jerice Hunter locked Jhessye in the apartment, while she ran an errand.  Hunter left her three older children, ages 6, 9, and 13 in the yard to do chores.  The three children have been in protective custody since Jhessye's disappearance on October 11.  Recently, Jerice's new baby was also placed in protective custody.  Jerice Hunter has served prison time (2006) in California on child abuse charges.  She has declined to take a polygraph unless her attorney was present.

"The Glendale Police Department in conjunction with Silent Witness is offering "...$25,000 for information that would assist law enforcement in locating Jhessye Shockley, and bringing to justice that person or persons responsible for her disappearance." 

 .

Glendale Police state, "About a week ago, The Glendale Police Department, in conjunction with Silent Witness, made arrangements to increase the reward to $25,000 for information that would assist law enforcement in locating Jhessye Shockley, and bringing to justice that person or persons responsible for her disappearance.   Now, with information that has come to light in the past few days, investigators believe it highly unlikely that we will find Jhessye alive.   However, the reward still remains in place for information that will help us find Jhessye and charge that person or persons responsible."

Bette Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet

Rev. Oscar S. Tillman, President of the Maricopa County NAACP, was at Monday's press conference 
to assure everyone that the Glendale Police Department is doing all they can to find Jhessye.  

Jerice Hunter's father and mother, Jesse and Shirley Johnson, believe their daughter is a good mother and had nothing to do with Jhessye's disappearance.  Previously Shockley's grandmother, Hattie Hunter, has accused the media of not paying enough attention to her granddaughter’s disappearance.  Rev. Oscar S. Tillman, President of the Maricopa County NAACP, was at Monday's press conference to assure everyone "that the Glendale Police Department is doing all they can to find Jhessye." 

Police can not discuss the information they just received in this on-going investigation.  The big question that is still unanswered is, Where is Jhessye?  

Ed Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet  -  Remote and Satellite trucks lined both sides of the street outside the Glendale Public Safety Building.