One of today's stocks on the move is Cascade (NYSE:CASC), up 2.9% to $46.76. The S&P is currently trading fractionally lower to 1,219 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average is trading fractionally higher to 11,879.
Cascade Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets materials handling equipment and related technologies. The Company's products include custom hydraulic cylinders, lift truck attachments, hose reels, sideshifters, and forks. Cascade operates around the world.
Cascade has overhead space with shares priced $46.76, or 15.0% below the average consensus analyst price target of $55.00. The stock should find initial support at its 200-day moving average (MA) of $43.03 and further support at its 50-day MA of $42.05.
Over the past year, Cascade has traded in a range of $31.30 to $55.67 and is now at $46.76, 49% above that low. Over the past week, the 200-day moving average (MA) has gone down 0.2% while the 50-day MA has advanced 2.8%.
2011年12月19日星期一
2011年10月7日星期五
Elderly man knocked to the ground by wayward fire hose
An elderly pedestrian was taken to the hospital after a hose flew off the side of a fire truck, knocking him to the ground.
Authorities said the victim was standing on a street corner in Revere, MA, waiting for a ride as the fire truck was making a turn.
The truck cut the corner, whipping the fire hose around and bringing the man to the ground.
A family member said the victim was sent to the ICU with broken bones and a concussion.
The fire truck was seen on surveillance tape dragging its 200-foot long fire hose down the street. Authorities said the crew on board had no idea what had happened.
"He was moaning. He was hurt," said Arthur Pantano, who witnessed the incident.
Pantano said it took people a minute to figure out what had happened.
"The engine was to the right, he was on the ground. And there was a hose," Pantano said.
Fire Chief Gene Doherty said when he heard the incident on the radio, he went to the scene.
"It wasn't transmitted what had occurred, I just knew the inflection of the voices of the officers calling for additional help that something was drastically wrong," Doherty said.
According to Doherty someone flagged Engine Four down, and when the crew got out, they were stunned to see what had happened.
"It was a terrible thing, Doherty said. "It was terrible seeing that gentleman lying on the ground as the guys were working on him."
Why the hose came loose is anyone's guess, but Doherty said it appeared it had been loaded properly.
"It's just freaky. No one meant to do it. No one really meant to do it," Pantano said. "He was at the wrong place at the wrong time."
The man was still in the hospital Friday morning but was expected to be OK.
The Fire Chief said he has ordered some specialized netting to go over that hose to ensure when that truck is on the road that this does not happen again.
Authorities said the victim was standing on a street corner in Revere, MA, waiting for a ride as the fire truck was making a turn.
The truck cut the corner, whipping the fire hose around and bringing the man to the ground.
A family member said the victim was sent to the ICU with broken bones and a concussion.
The fire truck was seen on surveillance tape dragging its 200-foot long fire hose down the street. Authorities said the crew on board had no idea what had happened.
"He was moaning. He was hurt," said Arthur Pantano, who witnessed the incident.
Pantano said it took people a minute to figure out what had happened.
"The engine was to the right, he was on the ground. And there was a hose," Pantano said.
Fire Chief Gene Doherty said when he heard the incident on the radio, he went to the scene.
"It wasn't transmitted what had occurred, I just knew the inflection of the voices of the officers calling for additional help that something was drastically wrong," Doherty said.
According to Doherty someone flagged Engine Four down, and when the crew got out, they were stunned to see what had happened.
"It was a terrible thing, Doherty said. "It was terrible seeing that gentleman lying on the ground as the guys were working on him."
Why the hose came loose is anyone's guess, but Doherty said it appeared it had been loaded properly.
"It's just freaky. No one meant to do it. No one really meant to do it," Pantano said. "He was at the wrong place at the wrong time."
The man was still in the hospital Friday morning but was expected to be OK.
The Fire Chief said he has ordered some specialized netting to go over that hose to ensure when that truck is on the road that this does not happen again.
2011年9月19日星期一
Fighting more than flames; fire crews happy to serve in Vacaville
You know, the ones who run into burning buildings to save the family dog and emerge from the flames, Fido in hand, as the roof comes crashing down behind them -- those guys? While many have heroic, shining moments, the actual everyday life of firefighters that doesn't make the headlines often goes overlooked -- but is no less important.
It all starts at 8 a.m. with the changing of the guard.
On in 24-hour shifts, Vacaville firefighters arrive at their home away from home bright and early to relieve those working the previous shift.
And on a recent Thursday at the corner of Nut Tree Road and Ulatis Drive in Vacaville, it was no different as Capt. Phil Sanner, Ryan Purnell, Grant Tokiwa, Stewart Balderama and Clark Guglielmoni arrived to kick off "B Shift" at Station 72.
Gathered around the table, the day usually begins with morning muster, with the crew going over the game plan for the day -- it's a regular ritual that can include everything from safety inspections at local schools or businesses to cleaning the bathroom, washing the windows or buying aluminum foil. After all, they have to do their own shopping.
With firefighters spending an estimated 33 percent of their lives on the job and at the station, it really becomes "a family," according to Purnell, and they are quick to learn each other's habits and quirks.
After the day is mapped out, the crew begins its daily series of checks.
Hoses of all sizes, the brakes on the engine, bags of medical equipment, the epinephrine in each bag, it's all got to be checked. Each person is responsible for a specific aspect, with the engineer seeing to the truck or engine and the paramedic tending to medical supplies to ensure everything is ready to go for whatever emergency they might encounter.
After inspections are complete, the crew usually tries to squeeze in a trip to the gym -- something they are also required to pay for out of their own pocket and that Sanner insists has significantly cut down on city expenses stemming from workers comp injuries.
Armed with radios, they march into their respective gyms which are determined by proximity to whatever station they are working from. However, according to Purnell, they are usually lucky if they can fit in their allotted one-hour workout before receiving a call.
The second a call does come, they drop what they are doing and are out the door and on the way -- usually in less than a minute and less than 90 seconds in the middle of the night.
From lift assists for a fallen senior citizen to drug overdoses, traffic accidents and everything in between, every day offers something different.
"We never know what's next," Sanner said. "Electrician, plumber, psychologist, social worker -- it keeps it interesting."
Purnell agreed noting, "It's always a learning process. You learn something new every day."
Shifts usually include a drill of some kind, with the captain coming up with a scenario of ladders and hose lays to be executed. As soon as the drill is completed, they have the task of returning the maze of hoses to their carefully folded piles atop the engine.
At some point, a trip to the grocery store is inevitable and each member chips in around $10 at the beginning of the shift to be put toward buying food for lunch, dinner and breakfast the following morning.
The adventure usually begins the second they pull into the parking lot; for those who normally find parking a Honda a stressful ordeal, try doing it in a fire engine.
Once this is completed, the trick becomes getting through the store -- and checkout line -- before the next call comes.
Purnell said it isn't at all unusual for a firefighter to have a cart full of groceries and then have the radio summon them to some kind of emergency, leaving the fully-stocked cart behind. Fortunately, he added, the fire department has an arrangement with local merchants and in such situations, they take the cart to the refrigerated area in the back and save it for them until they return.
"This city's great," he said. "They take good care of us and in return we like to take good care of them."
Care for the city and those in it is a common theme for those in the Vacaville Fire Department.
"I think the best part and for me the thing I get out of it is the impact we have on peoples' lives," Sanner said. "And it's usually a positive impact. I think that's the more rewarding part."
"It's not always about the headline-making fires. It's the things we do day in and day out. Night in and night out," Sanner said.
It all starts at 8 a.m. with the changing of the guard.
On in 24-hour shifts, Vacaville firefighters arrive at their home away from home bright and early to relieve those working the previous shift.
And on a recent Thursday at the corner of Nut Tree Road and Ulatis Drive in Vacaville, it was no different as Capt. Phil Sanner, Ryan Purnell, Grant Tokiwa, Stewart Balderama and Clark Guglielmoni arrived to kick off "B Shift" at Station 72.
Gathered around the table, the day usually begins with morning muster, with the crew going over the game plan for the day -- it's a regular ritual that can include everything from safety inspections at local schools or businesses to cleaning the bathroom, washing the windows or buying aluminum foil. After all, they have to do their own shopping.
With firefighters spending an estimated 33 percent of their lives on the job and at the station, it really becomes "a family," according to Purnell, and they are quick to learn each other's habits and quirks.
After the day is mapped out, the crew begins its daily series of checks.
Hoses of all sizes, the brakes on the engine, bags of medical equipment, the epinephrine in each bag, it's all got to be checked. Each person is responsible for a specific aspect, with the engineer seeing to the truck or engine and the paramedic tending to medical supplies to ensure everything is ready to go for whatever emergency they might encounter.
After inspections are complete, the crew usually tries to squeeze in a trip to the gym -- something they are also required to pay for out of their own pocket and that Sanner insists has significantly cut down on city expenses stemming from workers comp injuries.
Armed with radios, they march into their respective gyms which are determined by proximity to whatever station they are working from. However, according to Purnell, they are usually lucky if they can fit in their allotted one-hour workout before receiving a call.
The second a call does come, they drop what they are doing and are out the door and on the way -- usually in less than a minute and less than 90 seconds in the middle of the night.
From lift assists for a fallen senior citizen to drug overdoses, traffic accidents and everything in between, every day offers something different.
"We never know what's next," Sanner said. "Electrician, plumber, psychologist, social worker -- it keeps it interesting."
Purnell agreed noting, "It's always a learning process. You learn something new every day."
Shifts usually include a drill of some kind, with the captain coming up with a scenario of ladders and hose lays to be executed. As soon as the drill is completed, they have the task of returning the maze of hoses to their carefully folded piles atop the engine.
At some point, a trip to the grocery store is inevitable and each member chips in around $10 at the beginning of the shift to be put toward buying food for lunch, dinner and breakfast the following morning.
The adventure usually begins the second they pull into the parking lot; for those who normally find parking a Honda a stressful ordeal, try doing it in a fire engine.
Once this is completed, the trick becomes getting through the store -- and checkout line -- before the next call comes.
Purnell said it isn't at all unusual for a firefighter to have a cart full of groceries and then have the radio summon them to some kind of emergency, leaving the fully-stocked cart behind. Fortunately, he added, the fire department has an arrangement with local merchants and in such situations, they take the cart to the refrigerated area in the back and save it for them until they return.
"This city's great," he said. "They take good care of us and in return we like to take good care of them."
Care for the city and those in it is a common theme for those in the Vacaville Fire Department.
"I think the best part and for me the thing I get out of it is the impact we have on peoples' lives," Sanner said. "And it's usually a positive impact. I think that's the more rewarding part."
"It's not always about the headline-making fires. It's the things we do day in and day out. Night in and night out," Sanner said.
2011年8月10日星期三
Two medics and an SUV, a cheaper alternative to fire stations
Turn two fire stations into limited-response units -- with two medics and an SUV -- and save $1 million, says Councilman Jon Camp.
About 80 percent of all firefighter calls are for medical emergencies, not fires, he notes.
So the medics and equipment would be a first response, quickly followed by a fire truck and ambulance from a fully staffed station.
Two men and an SUV would save about $500,000 a year in personnel costs for each station, Camp has said.
I asked Public Safety Director Tom Casady for his reaction to the two men and an SUV idea.
"Councilman Camp's proposal is not entirely out in left field, but it certainly would be a reduction in our capabilities and the level of service," Casady said in an email.
"It is a alternative to consider if we cannot afford the current level of service."
Camp's proposal would reduce staffing needs, but would create some problems, Casady said.
"There is a limit to what two people and an SUV can safely do. They can determine that there is no fire, and that the alarm is false. They can deploy a fire extinguisher on a burning trash can. They can use a pry bar on a sprung passenger-side door. They can stabilize a potentially broken ankle at a softball field.
"But there are many things they cannot do, most importantly, grab a hose from a fire engine and prepare to fight a structure fire. That would have to await the arrival of more personnel and the apparatus itself: a pumper.
"In reality, many incidents could be adequately dealt with by two people and an SUV (especially false alarms), and they could be a good first response to a medical emergency while the ambulance crew is en route.
"But you often do not know from the initial information precisely what you will encounter at the scene, and you operate on the belief that the fire alarm could be real, the back pain could actually be a symptom of a heart attack, and that extricating the passenger from the car could require hydraulic tools."
The two men and an SUV plan would mean that more Lincoln homes could not be reached by a fire truck within the 6-minute, 20-second goal.
"Two people with extinguishers, hand tools, first aid supplies, and a defibrillator is better than nothing at all, but it is clearly a reduced service level," Casady said.
Eat those words
During a city budget hearing, Coby Mach quoted specific no tax increase messages made by three City Council members in past election campaigns.
And he encouraged the three -- Carl Eskridge, Jayne Snyder and Gene Carroll -- to stay true to that message.
Mach, who said he was representing himself and not speaking in his role as executive director of the Lincoln Independent Business Association, also suggested the council use a one-time $1.7 million Verizon payment to reduce the dependence on property taxes this year.
But Carroll pointed out that last year, Mach stood before the council and urged it not to use one-time money to solve budget problems.
"You have changed your view on one-time dollars?" asked Carroll.
"Yes," said Mack.
More commissioners in our future
Lancaster County will likely add two members to its five-member Board of Commissioners after the 2020 census.
Counties with populations of more than 300,000 must have seven county commissioners, according to state law.
Lancaster County has more than 285,000 residents, based on the 2010 census.
Wheel tax, three months early
The proposed increase in the city's wheel tax will take effect this fall, not in January.
Traditionally, wheel tax hikes have started Jan. 1, but this series of increases ($10 this year for a car and $5 each of the next two years) will likely begin Oct. 1.
The ordinance provides for a Sept. 1 starting date. But city staff say that's probably not possible and the time will be amended to Oct. 1, if the council decides to approve the tax hike.
From the city's point of view, that three months of additional revenue brings in about $173,000 more to the city's street construction and repair program for next fiscal year, which begins Sept. 1.
About 80 percent of all firefighter calls are for medical emergencies, not fires, he notes.
So the medics and equipment would be a first response, quickly followed by a fire truck and ambulance from a fully staffed station.
Two men and an SUV would save about $500,000 a year in personnel costs for each station, Camp has said.
I asked Public Safety Director Tom Casady for his reaction to the two men and an SUV idea.
"Councilman Camp's proposal is not entirely out in left field, but it certainly would be a reduction in our capabilities and the level of service," Casady said in an email.
"It is a alternative to consider if we cannot afford the current level of service."
Camp's proposal would reduce staffing needs, but would create some problems, Casady said.
"There is a limit to what two people and an SUV can safely do. They can determine that there is no fire, and that the alarm is false. They can deploy a fire extinguisher on a burning trash can. They can use a pry bar on a sprung passenger-side door. They can stabilize a potentially broken ankle at a softball field.
"But there are many things they cannot do, most importantly, grab a hose from a fire engine and prepare to fight a structure fire. That would have to await the arrival of more personnel and the apparatus itself: a pumper.
"In reality, many incidents could be adequately dealt with by two people and an SUV (especially false alarms), and they could be a good first response to a medical emergency while the ambulance crew is en route.
"But you often do not know from the initial information precisely what you will encounter at the scene, and you operate on the belief that the fire alarm could be real, the back pain could actually be a symptom of a heart attack, and that extricating the passenger from the car could require hydraulic tools."
The two men and an SUV plan would mean that more Lincoln homes could not be reached by a fire truck within the 6-minute, 20-second goal.
"Two people with extinguishers, hand tools, first aid supplies, and a defibrillator is better than nothing at all, but it is clearly a reduced service level," Casady said.
Eat those words
During a city budget hearing, Coby Mach quoted specific no tax increase messages made by three City Council members in past election campaigns.
And he encouraged the three -- Carl Eskridge, Jayne Snyder and Gene Carroll -- to stay true to that message.
Mach, who said he was representing himself and not speaking in his role as executive director of the Lincoln Independent Business Association, also suggested the council use a one-time $1.7 million Verizon payment to reduce the dependence on property taxes this year.
But Carroll pointed out that last year, Mach stood before the council and urged it not to use one-time money to solve budget problems.
"You have changed your view on one-time dollars?" asked Carroll.
"Yes," said Mack.
More commissioners in our future
Lancaster County will likely add two members to its five-member Board of Commissioners after the 2020 census.
Counties with populations of more than 300,000 must have seven county commissioners, according to state law.
Lancaster County has more than 285,000 residents, based on the 2010 census.
Wheel tax, three months early
The proposed increase in the city's wheel tax will take effect this fall, not in January.
Traditionally, wheel tax hikes have started Jan. 1, but this series of increases ($10 this year for a car and $5 each of the next two years) will likely begin Oct. 1.
The ordinance provides for a Sept. 1 starting date. But city staff say that's probably not possible and the time will be amended to Oct. 1, if the council decides to approve the tax hike.
From the city's point of view, that three months of additional revenue brings in about $173,000 more to the city's street construction and repair program for next fiscal year, which begins Sept. 1.
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