Running With the Devil

I don’t know why that song popped into my head today, but it did.

I was downtown today, shooting photos of the Firehouse Expo — a big trade show, of sorts, for firefighters and fire department administrators.  This year it’s being held at the Baltimore Convention Center, kind of ironic, given the cuts our mayor and fire chief have made to the fire department.

The IAFF Local 734 was protesting the cuts outside the convention center — Chief Clack was the keynote speaker.  As he was rushed into his SUV by a handler, I stood in front and snapped away — at one point, we made eye contact, and he waved.  At that moment, he just looked sad, tired, and…human.  In no way did he resemble the man who stood before our City Council and justified his closing of three critical fire companies, or the man who, after making said cuts, crowed about receiving a contract extension and a raise.

I almost felt sorry for him, because I’ve seen that look before.  The look that makes you wonder how much longer he’s going to be able to endure the hell he’s created for himself.

Nevertheless, the show must go on, and I was really proud of our firefighters today.  I love to see people taking a stand when it counts — and this was quite a show of strength.

You can see some of the photos here.

The Erasure

Unlike other cities across America, Baltimore seems to be determined to erase its history — by demolition of buildings, homes, and yes — by the demolition of entire neighborhoods. Either by neglect, or by the wrecking ball, pieces of Baltimore are falling victim to our “red-headed stepchild” status, despite the heroic efforts of organizations like Baltimore Heritage.

I was fortunate enough to visit one of Baltimore’s old industrial buildings last weekend — here are a few photos from my visit:

Broken window

Old Scale

Gears - these are at least 5' in diameter.

Some of the lightbulbs are still hanging from the ceiling.