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LADDER 25 TRAINING: TAKING A VICTIM OFF OF A ROOF February 26th - Our final day training at Rutgers Plaza was
"truckie" training. It involved taking a person off the roof of a
structure without using interior stairways. This required putting
the patient in a stokes basket, and then securing the stokes to the
bucket of the ladder. Then the crew in the ladder would lower the
bucket to the ground, where the victim can be turned over to a
waiting EMS crew. For more pictures, click
here
CAR VS. POLE: 1 PERSON REPORTED TRAPPED February 26th - At 0522, Station 25 was alerted to a reported car vs. pole with the driver pinned inside the vehicle. Chief Ries (Car 25A) and Assistant Chief Toth (Car 25B) responded directly to the scene, with Chief Ries arriving first and establishing command. Rescue 25 responded with a crew of 5 firefighter, and Squad 25 responded with a crew of 2 firefighters for additional manpower. Fortunately for the driver, he was more stuck in the car than actually entrapped, and Chief Ries was able to free him using one of the tools he carries in his chief's vehicle. All units cleared at 0548.
FIREFIGHTER SURVIVAL TRAINING DAY 3: Cement Air chisel February 25th - Tonight were were able to train on our other concrete breaching tool, which is a air chisel with an tip designed to breach concrete. We were able to compare it and see which was more effective, the air chisel or the concrete saw. After a hole was made in the wall, all firefighters who attended the training squeezed through the hole. For more pictures of our 3 days of Firefighter Survival training, go to this page.
FIREFIGHTER SURVIVAL TRAINING DAY 2: BREACHING CEMENT WALLS February 23rd - This evening training involved our Cutters Edge Cement cutting saw. Under the instruction of Captain Middleton and Chief Ries, we used the saw to breach one of the cement walls within the movie theatre. The main purpose of this in a real fire would be to allow for the rescue of a firefighter who is trapped in a building where the walls are made of cement cinder blocks. While one firefighter was using the saw, a second firefighter would use a sledge hammer to break the cinderblocks. We also used the K-12 saw off Ladder 25 with a concrete blade to see how different the cuts were. Everyone was in agreement by the end of the night that the Cutters Edge performed the best at breaching an interior cement wall.
FIREFIGHTER SURVIVAL TRAINING DAY 1: EMERGENCY ESCAPE THOUGH A WALL February 22nd - The owners of the old movie theatre in Rutgers Plaza on Easton Ave generously allowed us to use the movie theatre for any types of non-live fire training we could think of. The first training we did was in firefighter survival and the breaching of walls when an emergent situation occurs that necessitates exiting one room and entering another when the initial method of entry has become compromised. This typically involved a firefighter removing his or her air pack, placing the airpack through the hole (while still having it connected to his or her face piece so he or she is breathing the air from the bottle), and then climbing through into the next room. FULLY INVOLVED BOX TRUCK FIRE February 22nd - At 1550, Stations 25 and 27 were dispatched to a reported box truck fire. Engine 251 (crew of Lt. Wilson, Eng. Pinnella, and FF Sudo) was the first engine to arrive on scene, and found a large box truck fully involved. Using a preconnected hoseline off the engine, the crew extinguished the fire. A member of Station 27 assisted with the extinguishment. Chief Ries (Car 25A) had command.
BREAKFAST AT STATION 28 LEADS TO A TOUR OF LADDER 25 WITH FUTURE FIREFIGHTERS February 20th - The Millstone Valley Fire Department hosted a pancake breakfast at their firehouse at 8:00am. In a show of support for our fellow brothers, we sent our engine crew and our truck crew to their station, to contribute to their fundraiser. While at the breakfast, we also ended up holding an impromptu tour for several future firefighters of Ladder 25. A good meal was had by all the Community firefighters who attended, and we thank the MVFD for holding such a delicious meal and allowing us to attend.
REPORTED OVEN FIRE 115 DOUGLAS AVE February 13th - District 3 was dispatched for a reported oven fire. Engine 253 was first due, with a crew of FF/Engineer Amos, Engine Captain Middleton, and Truck Lt. Wilson, and arrive to find smoke coming from the side door and from the eves of the windows. Upon the crew's entry, they found a fire burning in the oven and heavy smoke in the kitchen area. The fire was extinguished using a water can. Ladder 25 then arrived and was instructed by the Incident Commander to set up fans for ventilation. The engine crew checked for extension in the basement and in the rest of the house. Finding none, all Station 25 units cleared in less than 30 minutes. FINAL EXTRICATION PRACTICAL February 13th - The 6th class and final practical was held this morning for the extrication class put on by Roadway Rescue. This practical was designed to put into practice all the information and tactics that we had learned over the previous 5 classes, including the use of hydraulic cutters and spreaders, the use of saws to gain entry, vehicular stabilization, and best techniques for patient care when extricating victims from a vehicle. Using the Hurst tools off Rescue 25, and the Holmatro tools off Roadway Rescue's light rescue, crews from both Community VFC and our sister station were able to practice gaining entry into vehicles on their roofs, on their sides, and on their wheels. It was a good educational experience for all who took the course. For more pictures, click here
ANNUAL INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS DINNER February 5th - Community Volunteer Fire Company held its annual
Installation of officers dinner at O'Conner's in Somerset. Bob Amos
served as Master of Ceremonies. Guests included the commissioners of
Fire District #3, the Franklin Department of Fire Prevention,
Franklin-Somerset First Aid Squad and representatives from our
mutual aid companies. Awards and recognition were given to our top
10 responders of 2005. Chief Ries also presented awards to our
overall top 10 firefighters, based on alarm response, meetings,
external trainings, and internal drills.
A special award was given to Janet Natal, who during the blizzard of Jan 05, provided a very tasty meal to all the firefighters who were on standby at the fire house. Roses were given to all of our wives and girlfriends, in appreciation for their tolerance and patience over the past year for those times when we had to miss meals or family events due to emergency calls. Our Department Chaplin then swore in all of our officers for the year 2005. As a historical note, this was Richard Ries's 10th time taking the oath for office for Chief of the Department. Dinner and dancing followed, with everyone agreeing that a good time was had by all. For more pictures of the dinner, click here. CAR VS. TELEPHONE POLE EASTON AVE AND BLOOMFIELD AVE
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February
5th - At 4pm, Stations 25, 27 and 56 were dispatched to a Motor
Vehicle Collision Car Vs. Pole at the intersection of Easton and
Bloomfield Ave. Chief Ries (Car 25A) was first on scene, assumed
command, and found 1 vehicle with severe front end damage that had
collided with a telephone pole. Both occupants were already out of
the ehicle, and were being treated by Rural/Metro and Rutgers
Emergency Services. Since there was no entrapment, all fire units
were cancelled except for Squad 25, which was requested to respond
to assist Franklin Police with traffic control.