Battle of the Badges (Pipebomb found in Queens)

[DoYouEverWonder]

Crappy headline but an interesting story in light of recent events involving small bombs.


July 11, 2005

A fire lieutenant transported a live makeshift bomb back to his Bayside firehouse Saturday night and waited a half-hour before calling the NYPD bomb squad, a gross violation of protocol, fire and law enforcement sources said.

The lieutenant, whose name hasn't been released, found the device on 201st Street in Bayside while responding to a small fire in a trash can.

Instead of calling police, he handled the pipe bomb, replaced some of its spilled gunpowder and brought it back in a fire truck, risking injury to fire fighters and contaminating the crime scene, police and fire officials said.

"We have a protocol and it wasn't followed in this case," said Fire Department spokesman Frank Gribbon. "And we'll investigate why."

At least 30 minutes after discovering the bomb, the lieutentant called the NYPD, which came to retrieve the crude, homemade device from Engine Co. 320 at 36-18 Francis Lewis Blvd.

http://www.nynewsday.com/news/nyc-bomb0711,0,4419139.story?coll=nyc-homepage-breaking2

[ispeculate]

1. Crappy headline but thats probably exactly what it is...

A battle between NYPD and FDNY about jurisdiction. Nothing new in NY.

If you look on the map you can see that 201 St is only a couple of blocks away from the firehouse on Francis Lewis Blvd.

FDNY obviously made a judgement call and as a New Yorker I trust them. I bet if you review all of the circumstances you find out they did the safest thing.

Perhaps the headline should have read "Battle of the Egos?"