Tragedy and Heros

[nakedtwister]

I usually don't have a lot to say on Rockpage, but I would like to say first that I was sorry to hear about the fire that took 4 innocent lives in Hastings. I would like to say that lets not forget the heros that risked there lives, such as Dave Gunther, fire fighters, rescue personel, and all who helped that tragic day. I'm not from that area but I have good friends in Northern Cambria, and in a close knit community like that it touches everyones heart. Lets also not forget all of the people with bands willing to donate their time to help raise money for people in need. You people are true heros too. Griff and I were talking at work about it last night at work and it angered us that the Governor of our great state signed a bill allowing utilitiy companies to shut off our necessities. With the economy the way it is there is little hope for not just the poor, but the ill stricken and aged, the young looking for work thats not there, and all of us trying to make ends meet. But yet people still find the time and money to donate. You are all my Heros!!!!!!! Not to make it political, but lets all remember that when its time to vote again. We cant blame the rich, only ourselves for our choices of representation.

[becky]

amen!

[tonefight]

I usually don't have a lot to say on Rockpage, but I would like to say first that I was sorry to hear about the fire that took 4 innocent lives in Hastings. I would like to say that lets not forget the heros that risked there lives, such as Dave Gunther, fire fighters, rescue personel, and all who helped that tragic day. I'm not from that area but I have good friends in Northern Cambria, and in a close knit community like that it touches everyones heart. Lets also not forget all of the people with bands willing to donate their time to help raise money for people in need. You people are true heros too. Griff and I were talking at work about it last night at work and it angered us that the Governor of our great state signed a bill allowing utilitiy companies to shut off our necessities. With the economy the way it is there is little hope for not just the poor, but the ill stricken and aged, the young looking for work thats not there, and all of us trying to make ends meet. But yet people still find the time and money to donate. You are all my Heros!!!!!!! Not to make it political, but lets all remember that when its time to vote again. We cant blame the rich, only ourselves for our choices of representation.

beautiful

[f.sciarrillo]

Greatly said "Applauds"

[bassist4life2004]

I usually don't have a lot to say on Rockpage, but I would like to say first that I was sorry to hear about the fire that took 4 innocent lives in Hastings. I would like to say that lets not forget the heros that risked there lives, such as Dave Gunther, fire fighters, rescue personel, and all who helped that tragic day. I'm not from that area but I have good friends in Northern Cambria, and in a close knit community like that it touches everyones heart. Lets also not forget all of the people with bands willing to donate their time to help raise money for people in need. You people are true heros too. Griff and I were talking at work about it last night at work and it angered us that the Governor of our great state signed a bill allowing utilitiy companies to shut off our necessities. With the economy the way it is there is little hope for not just the poor, but the ill stricken and aged, the young looking for work thats not there, and all of us trying to make ends meet. But yet people still find the time and money to donate. You are all my Heros!!!!!!! Not to make it political, but lets all remember that when its time to vote again. We cant blame the rich, only ourselves for our choices of representation.

Amen Brother. Nicely said. Nicely said!

[Griff]

Nice job Brian, very strong words

[Sinman]

Heros?
well, i dont know.
over 50% of the people in that house died a tragic death.
knowing many firefighters and ambulance people in hastings, i think the state police should have gave them all a breathalizer after their "rescue"
Dave Gunther said, in the Altoona Mirror, that he would have forgave the renters one months rent.
Nice spin, Dave.

[JeffLeeper]

I'm not usually confrontational , but since 50% died , you're saying the rescuers weren't heroes ? These guys aren't getting paid for this. They do it for all of us.

Thank God and these people that it wasn't 100%.

When push comes to shove ...it takes a lot more nerve to do the job than to critique it.

Shame on you.

[bassist_25]

Give me a fucking break. Well, at least he didn't start slamming Bobby Lee for being a liberal (yet).

[bassist_25]

When push comes to shove ...it takes a lot more nerve to do the job than to critique it.

Jeff, this line is quotable brother.

(too bad I currently have two old sKool quotes for this week )

[ZappasXWife]

That post was extremely tasteless for a public forum. Woofburger doesn't bother me at all, but that did, and I don't even know the people involved. Shame on you sinman.

[BDR]

Heros?
well, i dont know.
over 50% of the people in that house died a tragic death.
knowing many firefighters and ambulance people in hastings, i think the state police should have gave them all a breathalizer after their "rescue"
Dave Gunther said, in the Altoona Mirror, that he would have forgave the renters one months rent.
Nice spin, Dave.

In the past, you've pissed some people off on this site with some of your retarded anecdotes, and I don’t think I’ve ever personally called you on one of them, but the above words really take the fucking cake.

The jury is no longer out ... you a true and complete buffoon. First of all, I’ll guarantee that wood-framed house went full bore in about five minutes after that couch sparked. To imply that the first responders were impaired or late arriving on scene or inefficient in any way while pulling people out of there WHO SHOULD’VE PROBABLY DIED INSIDE is an atrocity. You should be pistol whipped for even opening your mouth and spewing such garbage. You obviously have no idea what it takes to do that job — to leave a family picnic or a friend’s wedding or a sound sleep at 4 in the morning to go and help a stranger.

I don’t personally know what it’s like, either, but my wife was a volunteer firefighter and EMT for 10 years before we met and I’ve heard the stories and I’ve seen her pain when things like this happen. These people truly care about others — even cynical pieces of shit who hate the world.

I sense you have some animosity (stop me if I’ve used too many big words in this post) toward Davey, who for the record, is a fair guy and a good friend. Maybe he wouldn’t book your band back or something, who knows.

I’ll tell you this, I’ve known Davey for years and I talked to him in length Saturday. From the minute this happened, he was bombarded by the media, which many times, tends to look for blame and fault in these situations, and not so much for the selfless heroes like Davey who make a bad situation a little better. He was initially accused of having inadequate wiring in the house and THAT was what started the fire. The fucking power was off! Not possible! Next, it’s the smoke detectors, which he said were provided. I believe he did. If he sounds a little defensive, he has good reason to be. Irresponsible journalists have been trying since Saturday to paint him as a slumlord and it’s bullshit. He’s a good man who would’ve helped these people with money had they not been humble and kept their troubles to themselves.

I work for a newspaper in Huntingdon County and I’ve been covering this tragedy for our paper since Saturday. While the crux of the story was the loss of life, the sidebar and “beef” of it has been the fast work of those who risked their own lives — Davey included — to save others. If you can’t see that as the real story here, then there’s something wrong with you. The fire was an accident, a horrible one, but an accident nonetheless. What happened afterwards was no accident. When there’s no time to think, a person’s true colors always shine through.

Davey and Justin bum-rushed that place with no training or hesitation, acting only on instinct, and helped to save three. Where were you and your gigantic mouth?

I dare you to respond. Show us your true colors one more time, Sinman.

r:>)

[bassist4life2004]

Heros?
well, i dont know.
over 50% of the people in that house died a tragic death.
knowing many firefighters and ambulance people in hastings, i think the state police should have gave them all a breathalizer after their "rescue"
Dave Gunther said, in the Altoona Mirror, that he would have forgave the renters one months rent.
Nice spin, Dave.

Ur a cock, and i hope you rot in hell for that statement. Hero's cant save everybody, but REAL HEROS make a full hearted attempt. You are one of those people who think that everyone that should be called a hero should dress in a cape and a mask, and fly around town fixing all of the worlds problems. The only thing is, not everyones problems can be fixed, and not everyone can be saved. But, heros are the people who put lives of others before their lives in selfless acts of bravery. Heros fight wars, fight crime (except the plcb who think havin a good time is a crime) and fight fires. Heros are people who do their best to help others. You, however, are an asshole, and seriously dude, you wait, one of these days you'll be looking for someone to save ur ass from something, and nothings gonna help you because you dont appreciate the people who try.

[songsmith]

My family had a rental property when I was a teenager. It was a real big deal for us... we were very poor until then, but inherited a farm from close family, and moved there, hence the rental property. In that time, 10 years (most of that time the place was empty), one family played the rent game where you move in in the fall, stop paying rent after the next month, then PA law says you can't be kicked out until spring, so you stay till then, and when finally evicted, they tore out the walls. The next people put a woodburning stove in after being told directly not to... flue fire, $12K in smoke and water damage. Oh, they defaulted on the rent after the second month also. Next, my uncle moved his family in... family is better, right? Got drunk and drove his car INTO the bathroom, narrowly missing his own young son. He went to jail... no rent paid. More repairs. Finally, my mother's sister moved in. They actually paid a very small rent fee regularly, but the last time I visited there were cockroaches crawling everywhere. When they moved out, they left a houseful of really nasty junk and vermin. How can people live like that? Eventually, the house, which sat next to the road, was struck by a woman playing with her car radio, and before it could be repaired or razed, the Flood of '96 carried it away. The place where I grew up is an empty weeded lot.
Now, the point of all this is that for Davey to forgive a month's rent is INDEED a big deal, and should be noted as such. Rentals are rentals for a reason. They not only have to pay for themselves ( property taxes and such), but they are meant to make a profit. I myself paid rent for many years, and my experience made me put my rent ahead of even groceries on my budget.
Of course, I don't think that nonpayment of bills deserves the death penalty, and apparently, neither does Dave. In fact, what could he possibly say to make any of this better? Rock and an extremely hard place, my friends. These renters put young kids in a dangerous situation, and paid the ultimate price.
As for First Responders being drunk... it was a weekend night, and they are volunteers. Sinman, I suppose you are a complete teetotaler, always ready and sober in case of emergency. Perhaps they should have simply said,"That sucks but I'm drunk. Let 'em die." I would hope somebody would come help me.
I've been in several burning buildings as a former volunteer firefighter, including a fatality. It's a surreal, quiet, frightening place, and very humbling. It makes even very well-trained men scared off their ass, and mistakes get made at every fire. But what would you say if nobody had responded, you'd still be bitching, Sin.----->JMS

[nakedtwister]

Heros?
well, i dont know.
over 50% of the people in that house died a tragic death.
knowing many firefighters and ambulance people in hastings, i think the state police should have gave them all a breathalizer after their "rescue"
Dave Gunther said, in the Altoona Mirror, that he would have forgave the renters one months rent.
Nice spin, Dave.

When I posted my statement about Heros my intentions were to give credit where credit is due. The people involved in the rescue first were not trained personnel, but citizens with a heart unlike "SINMAN". To assume that the trained volunteer firefighters were intoxicated is just that, your assumption. And even if they did knock down a few they did their job without hesitation or reguard for their own lives. You "SINMAN" obviously have some deep rooted problems with fireman. Maybe your mommy didn't get you that big toy ladder truck for Christmas last year or maybe your exgirlfriend ran off with a fireman when she figured out that you were a sadistic ass. Be that as it may I salute all of the efforts of the people involved in the attempts to save "100%" of the trapped family. It's a GODSEND to have persons like that in a community. Remember that when you are in need!!!!!!! These Heros were not looking to be heros and they most likely dont consider themselves as such, but do not paint them as incompetent because they have lives outside of their efforts in the volunteer field of work. They are not looking to get medals, or pats on the back, or payment, or free Beer. They do it because they love and respect their community. So when we see these people maybe a simple thank you is all we need to give them. Naked Twister out!!!!!!

[Jim Price]

I feel bad for the Hastings police chief who was in the situation of having to rescue the two girls from the window. He was forced to 'play God' and could accommodate only one girl at a time; he rescued the first girl, but by the time he could get to the second, she was gone. He'll likely be dealing with that moment for the rest of his life.

But he, the volunteer firemen, Davey and others put their own lives in harm's way to try to rescue others. Fires are nasty business, and any one of these rescuers could have lost their own lives in the attempt. Everyone in that house likely would have perished had they not stepped up and taken action. We need to be continually thankful that these folks exist.

I live only a short distance from a volunteer fire company in Altoona, and I'm often awakened at night by the wail of the firehall siren. It could be a house fire with people's lives in peril, a car wreck, train wreck, brush/forest fire or other emergency; these guys don't know what situation they might be stepping into. I don't complain about the siren; I'm thankful they are nearby, and hope they're around if I'm ever the one needing assistance!

[Jones]

Heros?
well, i dont know.
over 50% of the people in that house died a tragic death.
knowing many firefighters and ambulance people in hastings, i think the state police should have gave them all a breathalizer after their "rescue"
Dave Gunther said, in the Altoona Mirror, that he would have forgave the renters one months rent.
Nice spin, Dave.

What an asshole! Are you serious? And this IP hasn't been banned from this forum yet?

[Sinman]

rob, pistol whipped?
ive been pistol whipped more times than you gave your old lady an orgasm, and im still standing, marching on, west penn, outlaw style!!!!!
first, i challenge you, rob, to pistol whip me.
second,i have no idea who davey gunther is.
i know what he said in the newspaper, which isnt a great source either.
im just questioning why over half the people died in this house, and call these people heros.
is there a need to call me names.
i know im going to hell, and rule it like the great state it is.

where is billy, when he needs to question the authority here, now.

i have no hard feelings for firemen, or have no exgirlfriend who ran off with one.
its just that hastings has 2 things......bars and churches.
i, unfortunately know some of these "firemen" and know thier drinking habits, and made a bold statement.
call me a cock, or a sadistic person, or anything else you want to.
but the question is still.....
would dave gunther give up one months rent to help these people.

...and thank the democratic party for shutting off these people's electricity.

[Imgrimm01]

I...... Alright ..... I got nothin.

[ToonaRockGuy]

Wow, it's the return of The Reason.

[JeffLeeper]

Trying to politicize things can't detract from your statements. Sometimes a person is just wrong. In this case , you are.

Nobody's perfect , me included , but if you're going to make statements like that , own up ...be a man...and don't make it worse by showing your tough side.

You're wrong.

[bassist_25]

rob, pistol whipped?
ive been pistol whipped more times than you gave your old lady an orgasm, and im still standing, marching on, west penn, outlaw style!!!!!
first, i challenge you, rob, to pistol whip me.
second,i have no idea who davey gunther is.
i know what he said in the newspaper, which isnt a great source either.
im just questioning why over half the people died in this house, and call these people heros.
is there a need to call me names.
i know im going to hell, and rule it like the great state it is.

where is billy, when he needs to question the authority here, now.

i have no hard feelings for firemen, or have no exgirlfriend who ran off with one.
its just that hastings has 2 things......bars and churches.
i, unfortunately know some of these "firemen" and know thier drinking habits, and made a bold statement.
call me a cock, or a sadistic person, or anything else you want to.
but the question is still.....
would dave gunther give up one months rent to help these people.

...and thank the democratic party for shutting off these people's electricity.

Wow, I usually just let people say their dumb shit on here and live and let live, but this is just asinine.

1. 50% of the people in the house survived because they were rescued. That's 50% that probaly wouldn't have made it if people didn't help. Why is it so hard for you to get your head around that?

2. I, along with probaly the majority of the people in this thread, know Davey personally, unlike you who admitted that you don't.

3. You obviously know nothing of the circumstances or the people involved (other than what their drinking habits are). Reading the newspaper doesn't make one an expert on what happened.

4. You love to turn every post into an ad hominem jab against anything related to the left/liberal/Democratic Party. We get it dude: You're a conservative!!!!

5. And most importantly, a number of us are trying to do something positive here. You'd rather come in and bring negativity in just because that's your style (a quick post search would reveal that majority of your messages are either negative or insulting another board member).

[songsmith]

Seriously, Sin. Wash that sand out of your vagina. It's the most beautiful spring in PA we've had in years... life is good for the 50% that survived. Dandelions and birds chirping, fresh-cut grass, and I'm headed to the river for a kayak ride. Take a deep, slow breath. Now exhale slowly. Do that 20 more times. There. Yeah. All is good. I feel nice.Yeah.---->JMS

[BDR]

No sense in arguing with someone with only a brain stem. The only correct and decent response for you to have made would have been an apology to those you insulted with your ignorance and lack of compassion. Instead, you puffed up your breast feathers, as expected.

ive been pistol whipped more times than you gave your old lady an orgasm ...

Maybe this should tell you something about your ability to get along with other people.

Take Paul's advice and do a post search on yourself. It's called looking in the mirror. You're a sad, hateful person. I will waste no more words on you. You don't deserve the attention.

r:>)

[tonefight]

would dave gunther give up one months rent to help these people.

I believe he would have. Thats from knowing Davey for about 15 years