The Sub Burndown
Saturday December 26, 2015
Section 1
- The Sub Fire -
Is BC-1 Berryman an Arsonist?
In evaluating the actions of BC-1 Neal Berryman, the person in charge of "running the fire" on 12/26/15 at The Sub (10:46am) and Square Deal Recordings & Supplies (`1:00pm), we have come to the following realizations.
The following facts are clearly shown in our documentary viewable at, "SubBurndown.com."
- BC-1 Berryman refuses to allow any defensive water on clearly visible merchandise burning to the right of The Sub's front door – He instead uses a hose directed to the left to blow entrained air in to the left to fan and exacerbate the fire. The air is to help burn through the roof so the ladder truck can put water on the fire from above without anyone going inside.
- It is this action that directly causes and is 100% responsible for the fire getting into Square Deal.
- BC-1 Berryman has had Square Deal "softened" with instructions to have doors and openings left open – This creates drafts and helps to spread the fire and is the opposite of San Luis Obispo City Fire – Emergency Operations Manual procedures.
- BC-1 Berryman refuses to assign R.I.C./F.A.S.T. personnel which would allow interior operations that would have easily stopped the fire from spreading into Square Deal.
- BC-1 Berryman refuses to defend the apartment defensively through the windows or door which would have stopped the fire in the apartment, and it would not have burned the main dock or comic locker.
- BC-1 Berryman opens the big refrigerator door to the comic locker to allow for air circulation needed for a fire to move into the big sealed up refrigerator with only one other opening. He hides that he did this by not rolling up the big roll-up shipping door in the rear that would have exposed his action. This was the only roll-up door he did not have opened.
- Before the fire is in Square Deal, BC-1 Berryman has over eight vent holes cut into the roof, including on both sides of an interior firewall.
- BC-1 Berryman repeatedly has overhead hoses put water and entrained AIR through cut roof openings to oxygenate the underside of the roof fire.
- BC-1 Berryman calls for every truck available within ten minutes of arriving even though the actual window box fire was put out at ten minutes and it was only a small fire burning in the front above the window box. He was planning a big fire from the beginning and never considered just extinguishing the fire.
- BC-1 Berryman NEVER checked The Sub for people. Unless he talked to the "off-duty firefighter" who we feel is the arsonist, (who disappeared after clearing The Sub and Square Deal of people), how did he know nobody was inside?
- BC-1 Berryman declares to the victim, 12 minutes into the fire, that he will take absolutely NO RISK for our businesses and property at this fire. He refuses the owner's information about the buildings and does not even have the front door opened to look inside for over 30 minutes.
- BC-1 Berryman has the ladder truck crew going onto the roof to cut holes and spread the fire before the first fire truck arrives and puts the window box out with a 3-second stream. Four minutes after the original window box fire is out, BC-1 Berryman has the roof crew cut two 8'x8' holes on the opposite side of the roof to spread and accelerate the fire.
- BC-1 Berryman is responsible for documenting the fire, yet his "narrative" of The Sub fire is among the shortest and he documents nothing for the entire 10-hour Square Deal fire.
Every act BC-1 Berryman takes is consistent with an intentional burndown. He does nothing during both The Sub and Square Deal fires that would inhibit, slow down, stop, or minimize the fire.
Every command and action BC-1 Berryman makes causes things to get worse. He intentionally causes the fire to intensify, spread, and grow!
BC-1 Berryman is either the most inexperienced, incompetent, and unprofessional leader there is or he does know what he is doing and he is an "arsonist of convenience." Just because he accomplishes his dirty deed and has his fun using City equipment and personnel, it should not relieve him of the responsibility for his illegal and inappropriate actions.
BC-1 Berryman burns down and destroys two local businesses: One that should have been saved with only the front room damaged and one that should not have been involved in the fire at all. No one questions why it is okay for him to do that instead of just put out the fire.
BC-1 Berryman's past record shows he always burns the structure in the name of fireman safety and his own personal satisfaction. If BC-1 Berryman was proud of saving structures, he would have saved some.
If BC-1 Berryman shows up for "your" fire, you better have your "treasures" secure because where you see looming disaster, he sees an opportunity for a big fire and to be a hero. He can't do that if he just rushes in and puts out the fire.
Section 2
- Square Deal Recordings & Supplies (SDRS) Fire -
Section 3
- San Luis Obispo City Fire Department (SLO City FD) Issues -
NEXT STORY
Total Destruction
Total Destruction: A Job Well Done for SLO City FD?
Total destruction was considered a job well done by SLO City Fire leadership because no fireman was injured.
With this as their only standard of success, it is easy to see why SLOFD no longer actually fights significant fires.
SLO City FD Battalion Chief (BC-1) Neal A. Berryman, who personally directed the burndown said to The Sub owner (12 minutes into the fire), "We will take NO risk to save your property."
If SLOFD leadership had stopped at taking no risk and just let The Sub burn, Square Deal Recordings & Supplies would have not caught fire
If only SLOFD had not responded, only The Sub would have burned and 3.5 million gallons of water would have been saved.
Without the aggressive vent cutting ahead of the fire, and the air blown in (via fire hoses) through the multiple draft holes cut into the roof as well as through the front door, the fire could not have burned as hot or intensely and would have moved much slower. It took deliberate and intentional effort to spread and intensify the fire to burn so quickly and completely from just a window box fire – which was burning only 24" into one part of one building. The fire would not have had the intensity to burn through the wall into Square Deal and would have stayed in The Sub. It would also have allowed firefighters ample time to do their job of saving Square Deal rather than destroying it.
The roof parapet walls held the fire in The Sub. The SLOFD leadership's actions are what forced it into Square Deal by burning through the back wall with all the air they drove in, as the hose pointed only to the left of The Sub's front door.
Unless there is civilian oversight and performance standards that serve the community (rather than just SLOFD), SLOFD will clearly be more of a hazard to property owners (in case of a fire) than an asset.
SLOFD's current leadership replaces leadership that would allow the real firefighters to do their job and be the heroes we all think they are.
Until the current leadership is replaced, we will all face more danger and property destruction than we should.
Section 4
- Comments, Observations and Correction on Narratives by SLO City FD -
- Section 1 - The Sub Fire:
- 6 Minutes With The Arsonist
- Full Fire Investigation Never Done - Arson Investigation Refused
- Clearing The Building - Checking to Make Sure No One is Inside
- No R.I.T. or F.A.S.T. Crew Assigned
- The Sub Fire Load & Interior Details
- The Sub Roof Details
- Seven Path to Enter & Fight the Fire at The Sub
- Intentionally Assisting In Burning a Building Down is Not Firefighting
- UID #2 on Top of The Sub Roof Corner A/B
- Section 2: Square Deal Recordings & Supplies Fire:
- The Sub Office Proves Fire Did Not Come Into The Front Of Square Deal Recordings & Supplies From The Sub Through The Firewall Between The Two Businesses
- Unknown Incendiary Device Number Three
- SDRS Fire Load Notes
- 11 Basic Stop Points for Preventing Fire Spread into SDRS from Rear
- Hole Map Illustration
- Section 3: San Luis Obispo City Fire Department (SLO City FD) Issues:
- SLOFD Fire Calls 2009-2016
- SLOFD Press Release Corrections
- Bravest Act or a Cowardly, Evil Act?
- Is BC-1 Berryman An Arsonist?
- Total Destruction is a Job Well Done
- SLOFD Fails to Follow Its Own Rules
- SLOFD Underground "Burndown" Policy
- Is SLO City FD a Corrupt Fire Department?
- How Can You Believe A Fire Department Would Help Burn A Building Rather Than Save It?
- Official CityGate Report Shows Major Fire Department Problems that City Leadership Continues to Ignore
- They Train For What They Actually Do, BURN Things Down Fast and Efficiently
- Is SLO City FD a Corrupt Fire Department?
- Letter From City Manager Derek Johnson - June 12, 2018
- Letter To City Manager Derek Johnson - July 26, 2018
- Letter From City Manager Derek Johnson - August 13, 2018
- Letter To City Manager Derek Johnson - August 17, 2018
- Letter To City Manager Derek Johnson - August 17, 2018 (#2)
- SLO City FD Actual Firefighter Strategy
- Official CityGate Report Shows Major Fire Department Problems that City Leadership Continues to Ignore
- They Train For What They Actually Do, BURN Things Down Fast and Efficiently
- Section 4: Comments, Observations, and Corrections to Narratives of SLOFD:
- SLO City Fire Department Continues to Fail Our City
- Narrative: Battalion Chief Neal Berryman
- Narrative: Deputy Chief Jeff Gater
- Narrative: Chief Garret Olson
- Narrative: Captain Michael King
- Narrative: Captain Mark Vasquez
- Narrative: Captain Matt Callahan
- Narrative: Captain Paramedic Station 3A David Marshall
- Section 5: Case Studies (Pattern of Conduct):
- Section 6: SLOFD Firefighter Narratives
- Section 7: SLOFD Fire Investigation Report
- Section 8: Arson Investigator /Expert Letters
- Section 9: Firefighting Info:
- Section 10: Original Unedited Video Material
- Section 11: Original Photographs and Images
- Cesar's Photos
- Ethan B.'s Photos
- Drones Images
- "Katie's Friend"s Photos
- Neighbor's Photos
- Jim M.'s Video
- Jimmy T.'s Video
- John I.'s Witness Videos
- KCOY Photos
- Logan C.'s Photos
- Michael H.'s Photos
- Nicole and Kjerstin's Photos
- Shar's Photos
- "PRR"'s Photos
- Sara S.'s Photos and Videos
- Final Report Videos
- Section 12: Actual Firefighting Action
- Section 13: What Real Ventilation Training Looks Like