1st Responder New England August

The New England Edition PUBLISHING SINCE 1993

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AUGUST, 2017

FIVE-ALARM ARSON BLAZE DESTROYS MILL IN SANFORD

DAVID WALLES

Sanford, ME - On the evening of June 23rd, Sanford Fire responded out on a working structure fire at 6:50 P.M. in the area of Central Furniture. Unit 8-2 called into dispatch reporting heavy smoke in the area as Sanford Fire continued receiving multiple calls reporting the fire. Unit 8-2 confirmed the building on fire to be the old Stenton Trust Textile Mill at 13 River Street. Heavy fire was showing on the second and third floors of the structure.

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August, 2017

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

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NEW HAMPSHIRE

WORKING FACES

If you have photos you would like to see in our “Working Faces� feature, please upload them on our website, www.1stResponderNews.com or email them to Lindsey@1stResponderNews.com.

Chief of Somersworth FD in command of a first-alarm structure fire on June 11th.

ERIN THOMAS

Occupant Charged with Arson Following Laconia Structure Fire Laconia, NH - Laconia Fire Department was dispatched to a building fire at 391 South Main Street on Tuesday, June 20th at 8:50 A.M. Gilford and Belmont were also dispatched under automatic aid.

Both Gilford and JUMP TO FILE# Belmont were de- 062117113 layed as they were already at calls, and the Weirs Station was also delayed as that crew was out of service, training.

Chief Erickson was first to arrive at the two-and-a-half story, wood-frame. It was a multi-family with commercial on the first-floor, measuring 25x80. There were no visible indicators of fire; however, the plastic blinds in the windows were melting, so there was definitely heat building up inside.

There were two occupants outside who stated that everyone was out.

One occupant stated that his apartment was on fire.

Lt. Vaillancourt and his crew of five arrived with an Engine, Ladder and Ambulance. A pre-connected hose was stretched through the front door and up to the sec-

ond-floor apartment. The crew gained entry and knocked down fire in two rooms. The pump operator and ladder driver stretched a line to a hydrant across the street. They then raised a ground ladder to the second-floor apartment to vent a window.

Belmont arrived on scene and conducted a thorough search of the building. Laconia Police shut down traffic and diverted vehicles down side streets.

The fire was under control

within 10 minutes. A first-alarm was struck, which brings in other towns to cover the two city stations, and off-duty firefighters were called back. The scene was cleared within one hour. Damage is estimated at $20,000. This resulted in a $150,000 save.

The second-floor occupant was later arrested following the investigation and being charged with three counts of arson.

LACONIA FD

- LACONIA FD

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August, 2017

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

NEW HAMPSHIRE

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CORPORATE INFORMATION

1st Responder News (ISSN 1525-1683) - New England edition - Vol. 21, No.8 - is published monthly, 12 times a year for $36 per year by Belsito Communications, Inc., 1 Ardmore Street, New Windsor, NY 12553. Periodicals Postage Paid at Newburgh, NY and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to 1st Responder News, 1 Ardmore Street, New Windsor, NY 12553. No financial responsibility is assumed by this newspaper to publish a display, classified, or legal ad or for typographical errors except of reprinting that part of the ad which was omitted or in e r r o r .

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LACONIA FD

Used Fireworks Cause Fourth of July House Fire Laconia, NH - On Tuesday, July 4th at 10:14 P.M., Laconia, Gilford and Belmont Fire Departments were sent to 29 Fenton Avenue for a reported building fire.

Laconia Police arrived first and reported a fire on the outside of the building and heavy smoke in the basement.

Lt. Hobby arrived from Central Station within three minutes and reported a two-and-a-half story, two-family duplex with a fire on the side of the house. Sgt. Cameron from Laconia Police advised the Fire Officer that his officers had checked the building and all occupants were out. A hose-line was stretched and the exterior fire was quickly extinguished.

A crew was sent to the basement and reported fire in the ceiling joists. A hose was stretched to the basement. The Gilford crew was sent to check the upper floors for occupants and any fire extension. This was an older home and there was concern for fire spreading up through the wall channels.

As crews opened up the outside wall, fire was discovered inside, spreading up the wall and between the floors. Crews contin-

JUMP TO FILE #070617102 ued to open up and extinguish fire.

The fire damaged some of the electric components in the basement, so the power to the building had to be cut.

A first-alarm was requested for cover trucks, which brought Meredith Fire and Stewarts Ambulance Service to the city. Several off-duty firefighters also responded and put a reserve engine in service.

Those firefighters had just finished working the fireworks show at Opechee Park.

One of the occupants stated that he had shot off fireworks about an hour prior, and had thrown the spent fireworks in the rubbish barrel. Fire officials warn residents that you should thoroughly flood used fireworks after use because they hold embers and tremendous residual heat. The crews cleared the scene just after midnight.

During the course of the 4th of July, Laconia crews handled 98 emergency incidents in four days.

- LACONIA FD

ERIN THOMAS

Unattended Candle Causes First-Alarm House Fire in Somersworth

Somersworth, NH - Somersworth Fire Department received a report of smoke showing at 79 Colonial Village Mobile Home Park just after 4:00 P.M. on Sunday, June 11th. A Lieutenant arrived on scene, reported heavy fire from the roof of the structure and immediately called for a first-alarm assignment. Berwick Maine, Dover, Durham and Rochester, NH Fire Departments responded. Newington, NH and South Berwick, ME provided station coverage for Somersworth. It's reported that an unattended candle was the cause of the fire, which caused $75,000 worth of damage and filled the neighborhood with thick smoke. No injuries were reported and firefighters were able to rescue three cats during the incident.

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

August, 2017

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August, 2017

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In memory of those who gave all

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

1st Responder Newspaper honors and remembers emergency responders lost in the line of duty

Kentucky: James "Dewon" Wells, 52 Rank: Firefighter/Paramedic Incident Date: May 5, 2017 Death Date: May 6, 2017 Fire Department: Montgomery County Fire/EMS Initial Summary: Firefighter/Paramedic James "Dewon" Wells worked his shift on May 5, 2017, from 0800hrs to 1600hrs. During his shift, he complained to a fire department member that he was experiencing numbness in his mouth. Immediately before leaving the station at the end of his shift, he complained to his chief that he had a headache and did not feel well. The following day, May 6, 2017, at approximately 1400hrs, Firefighter/Paramedic Wells was still not feeling well and went to a medical clinic, but returned home since he started to feel slightly better. Soon thereafter, his wife came home and found him unresponsive on the couch and not breathing. He wife initiated CPR and Firefighter/Paramedic Wells was transported to St. Joseph Hospital in Mount Sterling, where he was pronounced deceased.

Florida: James Franklin Dorminy, 55 Rank: Lieutenant Incident Date: May 9, 2017 Death Date: May 18, 2017 Fire Department: Reedy Creek Emergency Services Initial Summary: Lieutenant James Franklin Dorminy worked on May 8, 2017, and ran three calls: amusement park ride evacuation; rescue-assist at citizen cardiac arrest; and a false fire alarm. His shift ended at 0700hrs on May 9, 2017. After his shift, Dorminy went to an off-site, private gym for his regular workout. Lieutenant Dorminy was found floating in the pool by bystanders at approximately 0830hrs and was resuscitated. He never regained consciousness and the family terminated life support on Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Texas: Scott Deem, 31 Rank: Firefighter Incident Date: May 18, 2017 Death Date: May 18, 2017 Fire Department: San Antonio Fire Department Initial Summary: Firefighter Scott Deem died from injuries received while operating at a fouralarm fire in a shopping center. Fire crews were searching a gym in the strip mall for any possible occupants as fire conditions rapidly intensified and the structure began to collapse. All firefighters were ordered to exit the building but Deem was unable to do so before becoming caught and trapped. Crews continued to battle the fire but due to conditions were unable to reach Firefighter Deem. According to initial reports, another member of the initial search team was also trapped in the fire but was pulled to safety along with an injured member of the Rapid Intervention Team. The two injured firefighters were transported to the hospital where one remains in critical but stable condition.

Georgia: John Chester, 56 Rank: Battalion Chief Incident Date: May 18, 2017 Death Date: May 18, 2017 Fire Department: Whitfield County Fire Department Initial Summary: Several hours after answering an emergency response call during his normally scheduled shift, Battalion Chief John Chester passed away while at home of a yet to be determined cause.

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

August, 2017

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1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Motor Vehicle Collision in Derry Traps Three People Derry, NH - At 7:59 P.M. on July 5th, the Derry Fire Department Communications Center received a report of a motor vehicle collision with unknown injuries at 144 Island Pond Road in Derry.

An engine and an ambulance were dispatched to the location. Further details were then JUMP TO FILE# received, stating 071017123 that three people were injured and trapped. Additional resources were dispatched for a rescue pumper, two additional ambulances and a Battalion Chief.

Derry FD arrived to find that a pickup truck had struck a tree, injuring and trapping three males.

Parkland Medical Center was alerted and a Boston Med Flight Helicopter was requested to the scene. All personnel worked with numerous power tools to extricate all three subjects. Two males were transported to PMC with non-life-threatening extremity injuries. One male subject was transported to Boston Medical Center by Boston Med Flight with serious injuries.

- DERRY FD

Derry firefighters working to free the last trapped patient.

Boston Med Flight arriving on scene.

DERRY FD

DERRY FD

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

HE HE ER ERO ROES RO OES ES

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August, 2017

VERMONT

INK INK

1st Responder Newspape er features EMERGENCY SERVICES RELA ATED TATTOOS

GREG RAMSDELL

Fully Involved House Fire in Highgate Kills Family Pet

I'm Brigid Macellis and this is Firefighter Tinkerbell! I've been a member at Slackwood Fire Company in Lawrence, NJ since 2014. I joined as a Junior and then worked my way up to being state certified Firefighter 1. I decided to get the Firefighter Tinkerbell tattoo because as a kid, I'd always dress up as a firefighter and my mom called me Firefighter Tinkerbell! I got the tattoo done in January of 2017.

Highgate, VT - On July 3rd at approximately 4:00 A.M., Highgate Fire Department responded to a fully involved house fire on Jedware Circle. Mutual aid from Swanton, St. Albans Town, Sheldon, Franklin and Phillipsburg QC Fire Departments all responded. AmCare Ambulance and Missisquoi Valley Rescue (MVR), m/a to AmCare, also responded. The blaze could be seen from miles away. The family was able to escape the burning house thanks to fire alarms.

Two patients were transported to a local hospital. A family pet was unfortunately lost in the fire and the house was deemed a total loss. Firefighters were on the scene for several hours.

The cause of the fire was believed to be electrical in nature.

Would you like your emergency services related tattoo featured here? Contact Lindsey at

Lindsey@1strespondernews.com

GREG RAMSDELL

Firefighters Respond to House Fire in Franklin Franklin, VT - At approximately 5:00 P.M. on July 9th, Franklin Fire Department, First Response and Enosburgh Ambulance responded to Main St. in Franklin for a report of a house fire. Mutual aid from Enosburgh and Highgate Fire Departments also responded. Upon arrival of Franklin's first-due engine, smoke and flames were showing. Firefighters made an interior attack. The fire was brought under control within an hour and then overhaul operations began. The fire was believed to have started in the basement and worked its way up to the first and second floors. There were reports that no one was home when the fire broke out and there were no reported injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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August, 2017

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

MAINE

Five-Alarm Arson Blaze Destroys Mill in Sanford Sanford, ME - On the evening of June 23rd, Sanford Fire responded out on a working structure fire at 6:50 P.M. in the area of Central Furniture. Unit 8-2 called into dispatch reporting heavy smoke in the area as Sanford Fire continued receiving multiple calls reporting the fire. Unit 8-2 confirmed the building on fire to be the old Stenton Trust Textile Mill at 13 River Street. Heavy fire was showing on the second and third floors of the structure.

Sanford Engine-4 was the first-in engine confirming heavy fire conditions with fire through the roof. Captain Paul Dubois immediately established Command and requested a second-alarm to be struck, announcing that this would be a defensive attack only.

Firefighters worked to establish water supply on all sides of the structure in order to place ladder pipe operations in effect as the fire continued to grow.

Command and his support staff surveyed the building and reported back to Sanford Dispatch that they had a five-story, 100’x400’ abandoned Mason Mill building with heavy fire throughout the upper floors of the structure. Firefighters battled the blaze for several hours and concerns grew for the hazardous conditions that the blaze was causing.

As multiple units worked on the scene to keep the blaze contained, several incoming crews responded to the neighboring residential areas, helping nearby residents to soak down their homes to keep them safe from the hot embers that were coming down from the blaze. Command was also becoming concerned with the possibility of collapse of the dilapidated structure and worked to keep crews at a safe distance, repositioning several units outside of the collapse zone as they worked to control the situation.

Over 100 firefighters from across several jurisdictions between Maine and New Hampshire responded out on the blaze, which grew to five alarms. Firefighters worked off numerous aerial trucks, conducting ladder pipe operations to battle the intense flames. Crews were working to wrap up the bulk of the operations shortly before midnight, as portions of the building continued to burn underneath the collapsed rubble of the structure.

Firefighters remained on the scene over the weekend, conducting fire watch operations to keep the remaining burning embers contained and also watching over the property to keep it secure due to concerns of collapse. Parts of the mill continued to smolder as of Monday morning, June 26th.

A joint investigation is being conducted by the FBATFE (Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives), the Maine Fire Marshal’s Office, Sanford PD, and a local Fire Marshal.

JUMP TO FILE #062717112 The building was deemed too unstable for investigators to enter to conduct their investigation, so they utilized drones to gather the information needed for the investigation. They were also able to gather more information through security cameras around the area and established the point of origin to be on the third-floor of the building.

The cause has been determined to be arson and the investigation has led to the arrest of three young juveniles ranging from 12 to 13 years of age, who were being held at the Long Creek Juvenile Detention Center in South Portland.

The abandoned mill building that dated back to the 1920’s was a total loss. The city is looking to have the building condemned.

Local residents praised firefighter’s efforts at keeping the fire contained and protecting their homes and property from hot embers. There were some concerns in reference to two homeless men who frequented the building that were unaccounted for during the incident. It was later confirmed that they were not there the night of the fire and no injuries were reported at the time of the incident that night.

Over 25 different emergency service agencies and businesses worked together throughout the weekend to assist on the catastrophic incident. Sanford Fire Department was the first-due fire company on the box and received mutual aid from both Maine and New Hampshire jurisdictions on the fire ground for the duration of the incident that weekend.

Departments responding from Maine came from Alfred Fire Rescue, North Berwick FD, North Berwick Rescue, Kennebunk Fire Rescue, Lebanon Fire Rescue, Wells FD, Wells EMS, Acton Fire Rescue, Goodwins Mills Fire Rescue, Shapleigh Fire, Shapleigh Rescue, Ross Corner FD, Arundel Fire Rescue, Berwick FD, South Berwick FD, Saco FD, Biddeford FD, Hollis FD, Ogunquit FD, Waterboro FD, York FD, York County Emergency Management and York County IMT. The State of New Hampshire rendered their assistance from Rochester FD, Milton FD, Dover FD and Somersworth FD. Multiple businesses and agencies worked with the Sanford FD from incident management, to helping with the needs of the first responders on the scene, to investigating the incident to determine a cause. Some of those agencies consisted of Sanford Police, the Maine State Fire Marshal Office, ATF, Sanford DPW, Sanford Water District, Maine DEP, Maine Central Power, Maine Turnpike Authority, Hartford’s Towing, Chandlers Auto, Falls and Web

TECHNOLOGY BY JORDAN

Firefighters from Maine and New Hampshire battle a five-alarm blaze in Sanford, ME.

DAVID WALLES

Fuel Company, National Wrecker, and all the small businesses and surrounding residents who supplied food and water to the re-

sponders.

Author's Note: With incidents this large, it is hard to recognize everyone, so I apologize if any

CATHY BABCOCK

group or organization was missed.

- WILLIAM KING

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

August, 2017

PAGE 11

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August, 2017

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

CONNECTICUT

PATCH OF THE MONTH

If you have photos you would like to see in our “Patch of the Month� feature, please upload them on our website, www.1stResponderNews.com or email them to Lindsey@1stResponderNews.com.

BALTIC FIRE ENGINE COMPANY #1

Baltic Fire Engine Co. #1 Responds as Mutual Aid to Barn Fire EUGENE WEBER JR.

This patch belongs to Allingtown Fire District, located in New Haven County, CT.

Scotland, CT - On the 4th of July at approximately 4:20 P.M., Baltic Fire Engine Company #1 was dispatched as a mutual aid assignment to the town of Scotland, CT on Murphy Hill Rd. for a report of a barn fire.

Upon arrival, units found that the main barn, the hay mow area, was already fully involved with fire extending throughout the barn and attachments, which had only recently become a wine making and sales facility known as the "Hillside Winery".

JUMP TO FILE #071117105 Units from Scotland, Baltic, Canterbury, Lisbon, Windham and other departments were called to the scene with tones for additional manpower for relief since it was already a hot, humid day. The extreme heat from the fire and the day soon wore out the healthiest of fire personnel.

Fire also spread up into a hayfield, which brought on additional

tones for Gator, Forest Fire units from the state, and manpower to help fight the hayfield fire. There were reports of minor burns and a firefighter was transported to an area hospital for reports of heat exhaustion. Units from the Scotland Fire Dept. were on scene throughout the night and the following day putting out the hot spots of the fire.

Baltic did send manpower, including two pumpers and a 3,000gallon tanker to the scene.

- REG PATCHELL

RYAN FLAHERTY

Car Fails to Negotiate Drive Thru in Norwich

Norwich, CT - On Wednesday, July 5th at 11:20 A.M., the Yantic Fire Engine Company was dispatched to McDonald's at 78 Town St. for a car accident in the parking lot. Engine-33 arrived to find a car that had driven through the fence and was resting on top of the guardrail. The car was overlooking an approximate 40-foot drop to the parking lot below, but luckily the guardrail prevented it. The operator was not injured, although he was still inside of the vehicle. At 11:28 A.M., East Great Plain Rescue-5 was added to the assignment. Rescue3 arrived and secured the vehicle to their front winch. Once the vehicle was secured, the operator safely exited and mutual aid was released.

BALTIC FIRE ENGINE COMPANY #1

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

August, 2017

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August, 2017

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

CONNECTICUT

Engine-1 trophies.

LT. MAGYAR

SHFD

The crew with the "Best Engine Tanker" trophy from Beacon Falls.

Stony Hill Engine-1 Takes Home Trophies Bethel, CT - Stony Hill Engine-1 took home some more hardware on June 16th at the Bethany Volunteer Fire Department's annual parade. The two trophies were for 'Best Appearing Custom Apparatus' and 'Department Coming the Longest Distance'. E-1 previously won 'Best Engine Tanker' at the Beacon Hose Co. #1 annual parade. Engine-1 is part of the Fairfield County Tanker Strike Team-7514 and has provided service to communities as far away as Torrington, Monroe and Middlebury since 2013.

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

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August, 2017

CONNECTICUT

Crews Battle Four-Alarm Blaze in Taftville

OLD & NEW

If you have photos you would like to see in our “Old & New� feature, please upload them on our website, www.1stResponderNews.com or email them to Lindsey@1stResponderNews.com

The Danielson Fire Department in Killingly, CT recently took delivery of a new 2017 Pierce Velocity 100' rear mount tower. The new truck has a six-man cab with a 300-gallon water tank and 2,000GPM pump. The Pierce tower is replacing a 1989 E-One Tower that served the citizens well for 28 years.

Danielon's new Tower 161.

RYAN FLAHERTY

Danielson's 1989 E-One Tower that is being replaced.

RYAN KELLEHER

Serving those who serve us.

Norwich, CT - On Monday, July 3rd at 5:25 A.M., the Taftville and Occum Fire Departments were dispatched to 1 South Second Avenue for multiple calls reporting a building JUMP TO FILE# fire at Michael's 071017102 Convenience Store.

Taftville's Chief lives next door and immediately reported heavy smoke pushing from a three-story ordinary construction building and requested a full assignment from Yantic with Norwich's Engine-2 and Truck-1.

Engine-21 laid in from a hydrant on the corner of Providence Street and then stretched a line to the front of the first-floor. Their crew forced the front door and were met with fire directly in front of them. Norwich's Engine2 was second-due and stretched a line around the 'Bravo' side, which had a walk out basement.

Engine-2 advanced their line into the basement with the assistance of Occum's Engine-41 and were able to darken down two rooms of fire.

Tower-25 arrived next, took a position on Providence Street and performed horizontal ventilation.

Truck-1 backed in from South B Street and positioned on the 'Charlie/Delta' corner. Two members of Truck-1 assisted with access and performed a search of the basement while the driver set the truck up.

A Yantic fireman got into the bucket of Truck-1 with the driver and they opened the gable end of the attic, and also took multiple windows to assist with ventilation. Yantic's Engine-33 laid a supply line from the corner of South Fifth and fed Tower-25.

Engine-33's crew then took a line to the second-floor where they had fire in the walls. The crew

AMBER POST

A woman who lives across the street took this picture before the arrival of any fire department units.

from Engine-32 stretched a backup line to the basement and ended up taking over Engine-2's line when they came out to get new cylinders.

Companies operated in the building for about an hour until a firefighter partially went through the second-floor and the decision was made to go defensive. Lisbon Engine-154 laid a supply line from South B Street and fed Truck-1.

Four master streams were utilized until the decision was made to reenter the structure.

East Great Plain Rescue-5 was on scene refilling air cylinders.

The Baltic, Bozrah, Laurel Hill and Jewett City Fire Departments were also on scene and performed overhaul of three floors. The Mohegan Tribal Fire Department provided the FAST and the Norwich Fire Marshal's Office is investigating. The Providence Canteen was on scene serving sandwiches and coffee to the firefighters who worked the scene for about four hours.

- RYAN FLAHERTY

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PAGE 16

August, 2017

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

CONNECTICUT

Smoke in the Basement for Bozrah Firefighters Bozrah, CT - On Tuesday, June 13th at 8:00 P.M., the Bozrah FD was dispatched to smoke in the basement at 263 Browning Road. A lieutenant arrived at 8:07 P.M. and reported nothing showing from a onestory ranch with an attached garage.

Three minutes later, he reported a smoke JUMP TO FILE# condition in the base- 061417112 ment and asked for the structural assignment to be filled out which consisted of two engines from Yantic, Lebanon's Ladder and the Mohegan Tribal FAST. A crew from Ladder-126 investigated the source of the smoke while two members of the engine stretched a dry line to the front door.

Engine-126 tied into the hydrant at the corner of Michelle Dr. and Browning and prepared to feed the ladder if necessary. Crews then found it was an electrical problem with a freezer and the mutual aid was dismissed.

- RYAN FLAHERTY

Get your personal copy of

Bozrah's Ladder-126, a 2003 American LaFrance, parked in front of the house.

RYAN FLAHERTY

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Car Fire in Stony Hill

Bethel, CT - While at an elevator emergency training class on June 11th, Stony Hill Fire was dispatched for a vehicle fire on Maple Row. Engine-3's crew used the K12 saw to access the locked trunk (no car keys available) of the BMW to locate the seat of the smoldering fire.

Teen Crashes Head-On Into Tree

Sandy Hook, CT - Just after 5:00 P.M. on Monday, June 19th, a 17-year-old male crashed his vehicle into a tree. The patient received a bloody nose due to the air bag deployment, but denied any other injuries. Sandy Hook firefighters started patient care, then turned it over to Newtown Vol. Ambulance Corp. on scene. The patient refused transport. Firefighters disconnected the battery, applied speedy-dry to the radiator fluid leak, and returned in service within an hour.

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

August, 2017

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August, 2017

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

CONNECTICUT

RYAN FLAHERTY

Dryer Causes House Fire in Preston

KARIN M. HALSTEAD

Jeep Rollover in Sandy Hook Injures Teen

Sandy Hook, CT - Firefighters were dispatched to the area of 71 Great Ring Road at 2:20 P.M. for a one-vehicle MVA with a hand injury. While en route, dispatch updated responders that it was a vehicle rollover. The Jeep Cherokee held three male occupants under the age of 18, who had self-extricated.

The driver hit a curb and rolled the vehicle, taking out a mailbox. Engine-441 arrived on scene and found the patients in care of Newtown Ambulance Corp. Rescue-444 also responded to the scene. The front seat passenger was transported ALS for a hand injury and shock. The other two occupants were released to their parents on scene. Firefighters blocked the road, applied speedy-dry and assisted EMS with patient care.

DID Y OU K NOW

?

According to the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, men make up roughly 70 percent of the occupation. Statistics from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services place the ratio at 65 percent male and 35 percent female.

Preston, CT - At 11:03 A.M. on Monday, June 19th, the Preston City and Poquetanuck Fire Departments were dispatched to 26 Radler Road for a dryer fire extending up the wall. Preston Chief Casey arrived at 11:06 A.M. and struck the working fire dispatch for smoke showing from a one-story, wood-frame residential and requested one engine from Norwich and the Mohegan Tribal FAST. Preston Engine-21 arrived at 11:07 A.M. and stretched a one-and-three-quarter inch hose line through the breezeway into the house, where they found active fire in the laundry room and kitchen. Norwich Engine-2 arrived next and assisted with the primary search and ventilation. Poquetanuck’s Tanker arrived shortly after and prepared to tie into Engine-21, but the crew was able to knock it down with tank water. The primary search was negative and the fire was held to the laundry room and kitchen.

Bob Long

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

August, 2017

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CONNECTICUT

Lightning May Have Sparked House Fire in New Britain New Britain, CT - Firefighters responded to 404 East Street for a fire in the attic of a threestory, wood-frame house on June 27th.

Firefighters arrived on scene with heavy smoke push- JUMP TO FILE# ing from eaves of 062817103 the roof. People living in the house heard what sounded like lightning hitting the house.

A thunderstorm was in progress at the time, so a lightning strike is believed to have been the cause of the fire. Firefighters fought the fire for over a half hour, at times in very heavy rain, before bringing it under control.

- MICHAEL CARENZA JR

Ladder-1 going to the roof.

Smoke pushing from the roof.

MICHAEL CARENZA JR

MICHAEL CARENZA JR

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August, 2017

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

CONNECTICUT

Rollover MVA on I-84 in Sandy Hook Sends Driver to Hospital Sandy Hook, CT - During rush hour traffic on June 19th at 8:27 A.M., Sandy Hook Fire & Rescue firefighters, along with Newtown Ambulance and Medic were dispatched to I-84 westbound for a one-car MVA with an unconsious patient. Asst.

Chief Anthony JUMP TO FILE# Capozziello was first 061917143 on scene and reported that there were multiple vehicles involved.

Engine-441 and crew arrived on scene, blocked the high speed lane and assisted Newtown Ambulance with the removal of the male driver in the Toyota Avalon. He was conscious and transported ALS with multiple injuries to Danbury Hospital. Rescue444 and crew were assigned to the two-vehicle accident in the slow speed lane, which was a separate rear-end incident and unrelated to the rolled over vehicle.

The driver of the Toyota started in the eastbound lane, took out several feet of guardrail and then rolled over multiple times before landing in the median. Sandy Hook returned to service a little after 9:00 A.M. - KARIN HALSTEAD

KARIN M. HALSTEAD

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

August, 2017

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August, 2017

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

CONNECTICUT

DRILLS/TRAINING

If you have photos you would like to see in our Drills feature, please upload them on our website, www.1stResponderNews.com or email them to Lindsey@1stResponderNews.com.

Norwich, CT - During the month of June, the Norwich and East Great Plain Fire Departments trained together on vehicle stabilization and lifting. Rescue-5 came down to headquarters four nights in a row to train with each on-duty platoon.

Members started in the classroom, discussing the hazards we often face at motor vehicle accidents and proper size-ups. Following that, we discussed our capabilities and then put them to the test with a practical session in the rear parking lot.

Crews from both departments

were teamed up together and worked through different scenarios, depending on where the victim was placed. After that, Lieutenant Fahrenholz led a walk around East Great Plain's Rescue, going over the specialized equipment it carries.

Everyone then walked around Squad-A and discussed the equipment on board. Rescue-5 and Squad-A both carry Paratech Struts and Air Bags with a good amount of wooden cribbing that was used during the drills.

- RYAN FLAHERTY

PROVIDED

Fairfield staffers wash a Red Cross Disaster Relief vehicle during Global Volunteer Month. (L to R): Rick Granger, Jim Bileca and Carel Van der Merwe.

Morgan Stanley Employees of Fairfield Volunteer for Red Cross Fairfield, CT - Employees of Morgan Stanley’s Fairfield office recently participated in Global Volunteer Month by volunteering with the American Red Cross.

Each June, employees from Morgan Stanley offices around the globe participate in a variety of activities to help local communities, from building playgrounds for underserved children to packaging food to support local food pantries and shelters.

JUMP TO FILE #071717102 Last month, Morgan Stanley packaged millions of meals worldwide to help fight childhood hunger, and the Morgan Stanley Foundation donated $750,000 to Food Banks across the country.

Fairfield staffers washed a Red Cross Disaster Relief vehicle in the Brick Walk parking lot during

Global Volunteer Month. After participating in blood drives and stuffing thousands of envelopes with disaster-preparedness pamphlets for distribution, the Fairfield Morgan Stanley staff wanted to do even more. The team wasted no time stepping up with soap and sponges to get the vehicle clean.

- DEBORAH LEVISON

Members practice lifting Forestry 1.

RYAN FLAHERTY

RYAN FLAHERTY

Members use the MaxiForce Air Bag to lift the side of the car. It consists of two circular air bags that are already stacked on each other. The bottom bag fills first and then begins to fill the top bag if you need more lift.

PROVIDED

(L to R): Rick Granger, Carel Van der Merwe, Ryan Brown, Brian Lavigne, Rick Krollman, Joe Matthews, Roger Hueglin, Laura Stotz, Jim Bileca and Michelle Benivegna.

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

August, 2017

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August, 2017

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

MASSACHUSETTS

Mother and Kids Displaced After Blaze Destroys Home in Springfield Springfield, MA - A room-andcontents fire that started on the third-floor of an occupied threestory, wood-frame condominium left a mother and her children homeless, but thanks to the fast work of Springfield firefighters, the damage was less than what it JUMP TO FILE# could have been.

062517100 Shortly after 4:00 P.M. on June 24th, city firefighters were toned out to respond to the address of 155 White Street in the Forest Park section of the city for a reported structure fire. Engine-3, Ladder-3 and District Chief-2 arrived on scene within four minutes of dispatch to find heavy smoke and fire venting from the third-floor of the occupied multiple dwelling.

Companies performed a near textbook perfect interior attack on the fire, stretching and operating two lines and venting the roof to bring the fire under control in less than 15 minutes.

Crews remained on scene for the next hour-and-a-half to overhaul the dwelling and check for extension. The fire did nearly $80,000 worth of damage according to Fire Department sources. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but appears to be accidental in nature.

- NATE ARNOLD

Less than 15 minutes after arrival, only light smoke pushes from the eaves of 155 White St.

NATE ARNOLD

NATE ARNOLD

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

Additional Size-Up Responsibilities STAYING SAFE

Chief Henry Campbell

Size-up is no longer a quick look-see; just look at what has been going on around the world recently.

Today, size-up includes being ever alert regarding your own personal safety from madmen and terrorists, expecting the unexpected from someone who may be hell bent on killing as many people as possible.

Your initial response may be just a ruse, a setup in order to kill and injure as many responders as possible. Nothing is beyond the imagination of a terrorist, willing to die for a cause.

The use of explosives, weaponry, chemicals and vehicles are part of the present day arsenal.

Initially, things may look safe and secure, changing in the blink of an eye to tragedy. Where and how do you begin a size-up. First, it will require observations of all on-scene personnel and a good working relationship with your local police agencies. You definitely need each other’s support.

With the threat of terrorism at an all time high, how prepared are you to protect yourself and the people of your community, and still remain safe? If there should be any form of terrorist attack or release in your community, the fire and emergency services will be in the forefront of the response, and you must be capable of protecting yourself in order to protect others.

How would you respond to a reported threat or attack? What will you look for? How can you tell if a chemical or biological agent has been released? Do you know what procedures to follow in response to a potential terrorist threat? Have you had basic Hazmat training and annual refresher training? Are you familiar with how your HazMat Team is activated and operates?

Have you been trained in decontamination procedures? Does your department and other responding agencies train and drill together?

Are your local police agencies participants in the training and drills?

What is the NAERG? Do you know how to use it? Who will be in charge? Do all responding agencies use the Incident Command System?

If these questions appear difficult for you to answer, then you, your department and community may be in jeopardy from the threat of terrorism and may be placing your personal safety at risk.

On all responses, personnel should stay alert to their surroundings. You must be able to identify

the warning signs of a chemical or biological release. Are their numerous civilians appearing sick with no form of trauma, but all displaying the same symptoms? Was there a reported explosion at the scene, yet no sign of mechanical injuries (basic trauma injuries)? Is there some form of cloud, or mist, or liquid spill present? Are bird and insect life in the area dead or dying?

If none of these warning signs are apparent, and there was a report of an explosion, was there a potential radioactive release from the explosive device?

Remember, radiation is invisible and only detectable through detection instruments.

As in all safety issues, staying alert is the first step in staying safe!

Stay alert for any warning signs of a nuclear, biological and chemical release or threat. You must think each and every response has the potential to be such an incident.

Therefore, you have to treat each response as such and look for the warning signals immediately. If there are no indicators visible, you can resume your normal response procedures. Thinking about them 5 or 10 minutes into the operation will be costly, and may even prove fatal.

We are dealing with the unknown on the initial response; therefore every precaution must be taken to protect responding personnel. Once again, if you become a casualty, you can’t help anyone.

Also, in your daily activities, do you make note of any suspicious activity and report same to your commanding officer and to the local police agency? Preventing an incident from occurring will always be the best act one can perform in reducing the risk of injury and death.

If you require any form of additional training in order to safely respond to, and mitigate a terrorism incident, you should contact your fire chief and he/she should contact their local county fire coordinator.

It is never too late to learn, and learning and training will help keep you safe.

Response to terrorism incidents deals with your safety and the safety of your community. We are living in scary times, but they will be a lot scarier if you are not prepared. You owe it to yourself, your family, your community, your department and your country to be prepared. I know the fire and EMS services can be counted on to perform beyond expectation and render safe their communities from any threat, attack or emergency.

Like our troops, you too are on the frontline in America’s fight against terrorism. Performing a good SizeUp helps keep all safe.

Till next time, Stay Safe and God Bless!

www.1rbn.com

PAGE 25

August, 2017

MASSACHUSETTS

Firefighters gather before service.

K. LEGER

Beloved Fire Chaplin Dies Unexpectedly Fall River, MA - Monsignor Thomas Harrington, Fire Department Chaplin, recently passed away unexpectedly. His services were held on July 7th.

Monsignor Harrington was also an accomplished author, having penned the book "A Call to Save," which followed his life story growing up in New Bedford, MA where he entered the priesthood and was assigned Fire Chaplin for the city. The book continued his life story when he

JUMP TO FILE #071017133 retired to Fall River in 2006 for medical reasons and continued his Chaplin duties for the Fall River Department.

Monsignor was well loved by everyone in the department, as he presided over many department events, and no matter day or night, freezing cold, or steaming hot, Msgr. Harrington was the first one

you would see when you came out of the fire building, offering a helping hand.

On July 7th at Saint Mary's Cathedral, he was laid to rest with full Department honors, attended

by Fire Departments from across Bristol County and beyond. After the service, his casket was loaded onto a Department Engine and transported to New Bedford where he was laid to rest.

- KENNETH LEGER

PATCH OF THE MONTH

If you have photos you would like to see in our “Patch of the Month” feature, please upload them on our website, www.1stResponderNews.com or email them to Lindsey@1stResponderNews.com.

This patch belongs to Boston FD Engine 14/Ladder 4, located in Suffolk County, MA.

EUGENE WEBER JR.

PAGE 26

August, 2017

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

MASSACHUSETTS

PETER LOBO

Fatal Car Accident in Falmouth Falmouth, MA - Falmouth Fire received a call around 8:45 P.M. on July 10th for a car off the road on Blacksmith Shop Road.

Ambulance-36 and Engine-24 responded along with a Heavy Rescue. Upon arrival, crews found one individual deceased. A female passenger in the car was also found injured in the accident and sent to Falmouth Hospital. Fire units remained on scene until the Mass State Police investigated the accident.

Whitman FF/Paramedic Andy McGillivray standing next to the vehicle.

PAT TRAVERS/NEFIREPHOTO.COM

Driver Falls Asleep Behind Wheel, Crashes into Tree Whitman, MA - At approximately 3:35 P.M. on the afternoon of Saturday, July 8th, the Whitman Fire Department received calls of a car off the road in the area of 14 Pleasant Street. Engine-243, Ambulance-249 and Car-3 responded.

Police arrived on-scene and reported that the vehicle was overturned and off the roadway.

Companies arrived to find an SUV off the road and down an embank-

JUMP TO FILE #071017104 ment, on its side and against a tree.

The single occupant was out of the vehicle prior to companies arrival, with the help of a witness onscene.

The driver reportedly suffered minor injuries and was transported to the Brockton Hospital for an

evaluation. Family members told local media outlets that the teenage driver fell asleep at the wheel just prior to the crash.

Heavy duty tow trucks were called in to remove the vehicle from the woods. Whitman Police are currently investigating the cause of the crash. No other injuries were reported.

- PAT TRAVERS

WORKING FACES

If you have photos you would like to see in our “Working Faces� feature, please upload them on our website, www.1stResponderNews.com or email them to Lindsey@1stResponderNews.com

JIM FORTIN JR

Clinton Battles Two-Alarm House Fire on Fourth of July Clinton, MA - The Clinton Fire Department was dispatched to 157 Pleasant Street for a structure fire on July 4th at 10:28 A.M. Engine-4 arrived to find heavy fire showing from the roof and ordered a second-alarm. The house was reported to be evacuated prior to arrival. Crews stretched a hand-line to the second-floor to extinguish the heavy fire in the attic. Ladder1 went to the roof to ventilate. Crews had the bulk of the fire knocked down quickly and then began to overhaul. Clinton crews were assisted on scene by Boylston, Lancaster, Sterling and West Boylston while Devens covered the town.

Crews were tied up on scene for a few hours and a cause is under investigation.

Plymouth, MA - Plympton Firefighter Andrew Norton at a recent controlled live burn.

JOHN SJOSTEDT

August, 2017

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

MASSACHUSETTS

PAGE 27

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August, 2017

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

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1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

August, 2017

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August, 2017

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

MASSACHUSETTS

Westborough Crews Battle Two-Alarm House Fire Westborough, MA - Firefighters were dispatched to 100 Milk Street at 10:01 A.M. on the morning of July 1st. Car-3 arrived to find fire showing from the second-floor on the 'A/B' corner of a colonial style house and requested a second-alarm. Crews JUMP TO FILE# stretched multiple 070117106 hand-lines to the second-floor.

Southborough Tower-21 was ordered to throw the ladder to the roof to ventilate.

Crews faced heavy fire in a second-floor bedroom that extended into the attic. The bulk of the fire was knocked down in 20 minutes and crews began to overhaul.

With temperatures rising into the mid 80's, the Box-4 canteen from Worcester was requested to respond for rehab.

Mutual aid at the scene came from Grafton, Hopkinton, Northborough and Southborough while Upton covered the station. Companies were tied up on scene for the next few hours and a cause is under investigation.

Crews arrived to fire showing from the second-floor.

- JIM FORTIN

JIM FORTIN JR

APPARATUS IN ACTION If you have photos you would like to see in our Apparatus in Action feature, please upload them on our website www.1stResponderNews.com or email them to Lindsey@1stResponderNews.com.

JOHN SJOSTEDT

Controlled Burn Conducted in Plymouth Plymouth, MA - In June, firefighters from DCR, Plymouth Fire and Plympton Fire participated in a controlled live burn of approximately 60-acres in Myles Standish State Forest in Plymouth. Pictured here are firefighters keeping the fire back from an access road.

Clinton, MA - Clinton Ladder-1 at a two-alarm house fire on July 4th.

JIM FORTIN JR

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

August, 2017

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August, 2017

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

August, 2017

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PAGE 33

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August, 2017

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

Tell Me Exactly What Happened ON THE BOOK SHELF

by John Malecky

Tell Me Exactly What Happened Dispatches From 911

By Caroline Burau Available from: Anywhere books are sold Price: $16.95 The book is softcover, measuring 5 ½ inches by 8 ½ inches and has 182 pages within 31 chapters. As you can see, the chapters are fairly short.

These are memoirs of the author who worked in two different dispatch jobs.

One was a 911 operator for the White Bear Lake, Minnesota Police Department. The center also covers the township, which combined, has a population of 35,000. It is a suburb of the twin cities. The 911 desk has a single operator, so you can imagine the demand and restrictions placed on that one person, right down to getting a chance to perform human bodily functions.

She eventually leaves this job to work as an EMD (Emergency Medical Dispatcher) for a private ambulance company so diversified that it even has air ambulances! One thing you will realize is that dispatchers can and do save lives from their desks by coaching callers about the proper things to do while help is on the way, and by calling the appropri-

ate agencies to handle the situations.

You’ll also realize that they do get emotionally and personally involved with the outcome of the calls, especially when life is at stake, because with very few exceptions, they never leave their positions no matter how serious an incident gets. The exceptions are dispatch centers manned by emergency personnel who would have to leave their posts and call forward to the police for instance, because they have to respond in an emergency vehicle at a busy time.

The chapters will hold your attention. Not all are about calls. Some involve work conditions with respect to time off, seniority, personalities, private space, fatigue and many other aspects of the job. Dispatchers reading this book will relate accordingly with respect to their own work environment and the ever present hierarchy. Personal life comes into play as well because her husband is also a dispatcher and they have a school-aged daughter.

The chapters are peppered with slang, locker room talk, humor and other things that go on amongst themselves, never of course on the air or on the phone. The reader will be amazed about how many diversified emergencies happen in the jurisdiction.

I believe this book will help educate readers about the highs and lows of the job and about how versatile dispatchers can be, helping them to respect these workers. She is also the author of “Answering 911, Life in the Hot Seat".

MASSACHUSETTS

Neighbors Run to Fire Station to Report Fire Fall River, MA - On the hot Saturday afternoon of June 24th, firefighters from Flint Village were sitting outside of their station under the shade of an old tree when neighbors from a UMP TO FILE# nearby street ran up J062417107 to tell them about a house fire behind the station. The firefighters responded immediately, while simultaneously contacting Fire Alarm to send a full still alarm response to 78 Barre Street for a working fire.

With heavy fire showing from the third-floor of a wood-frame structure, the crews of Engine-9 and Ladder-4 went to work. They stretched lines to the third-floor and had water on the fire before the Chief came on the air to respond. The members did a tremendous job of knocking down the rapidly spreading fire.

Companies were on scene for several hours overhauling and investigating the origin and cause.

Fall River Special Services was called in to provide rehab to firefighters on scene and to assist the Red Cross with the victims who could not return to their home.

- KENNETH LEGER

K. LEGER

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

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PAGE 36

August, 2017

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

Tis’ the Season….

For Fresh Produce!

FORK & HOSE CO. a Food Blog by A.J. Fusco

It’s August and the gardens and markets are overflowing with seasonal produce just waiting to be used in the firehouse kitchen! Not only is the variety this time of year great, but so is the quality. The corn is extra sweet now, the tomatoes are ripe and plump and the hot peppers are at their peak. I am sure by now you have heard of “farm to table," which is the practice of sourcing your food directly from the local farmers. While it may be difficult to “abide” by farm to table exclusively, it is a practice that will definitely result in better food ending up on the kitchen table.

Farmer’s Markets are popping up everywhere nowadays, and for good reason! These are great ways for farmers, bakers and all types of culinary artisans to show their wares, and we the consumers get to reap the rewards with great ingredients. It is also an excellent way to get to know these producers and to start a conversation about what is in season and even how to prepare the ingredients. At these markets, anything you find will taste so much better than any other time of year because they are at their peak.

Right now, one ingredient for me stands out….tomatoes! No

more pale red, “plastic” tastelessness! Instead, we are blessed with tomatoes that make it worth the wait all year long. Nothing beats a garden fresh tomato with olive oil and some flaky sea salt, simple... and that’s just it when it comes to quality in-season produce, keep it simple! Check out the list below with some preparation ideas!

-Zucchini - Grilled with some olive oil, salt and cumin.

-Peppers, hot and sweet varieties - Sliced thin and sauteed with garlic and olive oil.

-Carrots - Roasted with olive oil, garlic, sliced hot peppers and fresh thyme. Finish with a drizzle of honey.

-Herbs - Fresh bright herbs like parsley, cilantro and basil make great pestos, chimichurri and salsa verdes.

-Berries - Nothing beats fresh berries with a touch of sugar and topped with homemade whipped cream.

-Eggplant - Sliced thin and quick grilled, garnished with lemon, mint, olive oil and salt.

-Corn - The sweetest corn doesn’t need much, but for a change of pace, make some Mexican street corn or “Elote”.

These are just some ingredients and ideas that you can use, but as always, use your imagination!

And did I mention that buying produce that is in season usually means it’s cheaper, and what firehouse doesn’t like a cheap meal bill?!? So head on over to the market and have some fun in the kitchen!

Stay safe, eat well!

PROVIDED

Read more from our columnists on our website! www.1rbn.com

RHODE ISLAND

PORTSMOUTH FD

Portsmouth Firefighters Presented with EMS Pride Award Portsmouth, RI - On June 14th, members of the Portsmouth Fire Department were recognized with the EMS Pride Award. This award was presented by the Rhode Island Ambulance Advisory Board. The award was presented to Captain Steven Lynch, Lt. Allen Levesque, Firefighter William Depiero, Firefighter Kevin Farley and Firefighter Dylan Miniati for their work in resuscitating a choking patient on Mother's Day.

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August, 2017

1ST Responder Newspaper - NE

What is the Root of the Problem?

Chaplain's Corner Didymus McHugh

I am going to start off by stating that I am not an expert, nor do I play one on TV, but sometimes common sense just prevails and makes one think.

There are many people today using many different substances for many different reasons. I remember growing up in a firehouse, where on Sunday mornings and many nights, the members would drink. Nobody really asked why. It was the culture. There was one person that had a bottle of brandy in his pocket. He said that it was to treat a toothache.

Many people, society, use so many different substances these days. So many get hooked on opioids. Some get hooked after surgery. There are some people that get hooked after a surgery, then the insurance will not cover the prescriptions to cover it when they need to use it for pain. They tell me that it is cheaper to use street drugs.

There is also another class of people that use substances. That class may be the people that you may stereotype, but many that you would never expect to be using

substances. When you get a chance to actually sit down and hear these peoples stories, you hear the other type of pain. You hear the trauma that they have lived with, the depression, the crisis, the "untreated" behavioral/mental health issues.

They express that they feel the pain and use the substances to selfmedicate.

The question that comes about is why don't they get the help that they need to handle the behavioral health issues? Is it stigma? Is it insurance? Is it that they were told that they are not supposed to discuss their problems with anyone?

What challenges are members of your department facing that may be causing them to self medicate? Do they know where to reach out? Do they know that there are locations that rehab and detox emergency services? Brothers want to help brothers/sisters. We are one family. We, ourselves, need to get to the root of why we really do a certain action. People avoid certain people or places because it brings up pain or bad memories. For others, the pain may be too great.

If you know someone who may have a substance abuse problem, including alcohol, please say something and help them get the help that they need. There are many treatment facilities out there.

Stay safe, Didymus McHugh

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MASSACHUSETTS

NATE ARNOLD

Access to the fire building proved challenging for the WFD not only inside, but outside as well.

Despite Westfield Jakes’ Best Efforts, Two Residents Die in House Fire Westfield, MA - A room-andcontents fire in an occupied twostory, wood-frame dwelling held more challenges than were expected for Westfield firefighters, who responded to the call at 3:00 P.M. on Saturday, June 17th.

Fire companies where dispatched to the address of 40 Park Street on the East side of the city for the possible structure fire and arrived on scene to find smoke and fire venting from the first-floor of the 'Delta' side. The problems for Westfield's bravest began even before the fire fight got underway.

When responding firefighters attempted to open not only the closest hydrant, but the next closest one

JUMP TO FILE #061817110 as well, they got a rude surprise...no water. With the initial attack lines still running on booster tank water, Park Street command elevated the call to a second-alarm, bringing in all remaining available Westfield firefighters to the scene. A call was placed to the Barnes Air National Guard Crash/Fire/Rescue Department for their tanker truck to augment the water supply.

As all Westfield personnel were responding to the call on Park Street, more mutual aid was called for from West Springfield and

Holyoke to slide into the breach and cover the city from headquarters.

Even with the the water supply issue (mostly) rectified on scene, fire crews encountered yet another problem inside the dwelling, as hoarding conditions slowed their progress and hampered their search efforts.

Sadly, two residents died in the fire, but it was definitely not due to lack of effort on the part of the Westfield Fire/EMS Department.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Westfield Fire/EMS Department and the State Fire Marshal's Office.

- NATE ARNOLD

NATE ARNOLD

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MEET OUR CORRESPONDENTS

PROVIDED

1st Responder News correspondent, David Burns, covering the arrival of Air Force One at Newark Liberty Airport.

David Burns has been a 1st Responder News correspondent since 2013.

He has 35 plus years of experience (first major page at the age of 16) shooting and covering breaking and national new events.

Some of his credentials include eight years as a lead photo editor at two major New York City area newspapers (NY Post and NY Daily News), NJ/NY State Certified EMT, former Chief of Operations for a NYC based volunteer ambulance corp., and Honorary Chief in the New York State Honorary Fire Chiefs' Association.

Some of his specialties include photojournalism, photo editing, emergency medical response, emergency management public information officer, fire and police scene photography, assignment desk operations, twoway radio communications, public safety communications and event planning.

JUMP TO FILE #060317100 David has covered some major stories over the years, including the release of US hostages from Iran in 1980, 1984, 1988 and 1992; Presidential campaigns and Inaugurals; the United States Space Shuttle Program; Papal trips to America in 1980, 1987 and 1995; the first Reagan/Gorbachev summit in Geneva, Switzerland; US Military operations in Central America in 1983 and 1993; and the 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.

David also planned and executed the New York Post's special coverage of the 2008 Papal visit to the United States. He directed coverage on the death of Osama Bin Laden, and also planned and executed coverage of the US 2012 Presidential Campaign, including the Inaugural.

The first major assignment that David worked on was the Carter v.

Reagan campaign in 1978.

DAVID BURNS/@FD4D

MASSACHUSETTS

Trucks on display.

K. LEGER

Fall River Fire Museum Holds 9th Annual Fire Truck Show Fall River, MA - The Fall River Fire Museum Held its 9th annual fire truck show on Sunday, June 23rd under clear blue skies.

Over 20 antique and modern fire apparatus were on display all day, where large crowds enjoyed the JUMP TO FILE# show. The show was 062517104 moved to a new location this year, on the training grounds of the Fall River Fire Department.

Families enjoyed a bounce house, the fire S.A.F.E. house where they toured three simulated rooms and learned fire safety lessons in each. Some of the engines hooked up to the hydrant and flowed water to the delight of the crowd. Ladder trucks extended their aerials to display large American Flags and Heavy Rescue-1 arrived to preform a mock extrication.

Michael Higgins, a chainsaw artist from the Magic Garden, carved two pieces that were raffled off to the assembled crowd. The first piece was a lighthouse set on a rock formation, and the second piece was two extended aerial ladders with a flag draped in between.

The latter piece was won by a Fall River firefighter who immediately donated the carving back to the Department to be displayed in the Louis A. Shea Jr. Memorial training ground garden.

Chief Shea was a much beloved leader of the department for many years and the department training grounds have been dedicated in his honor. The department plans to plant trees and add benches to the area in the future.

- KENNETH LEGER

Rescue-1 extrication drill.

K. LEGER

K. LEGER

Michael Higgins, a chainsaw artist from the Magic Garden, carved two extended aerial ladders with a flag draped in between.

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MASSACHUSETTS

PAT TRAVERS/NEFIREPHOTO.COM

Car Snaps Telephone Pole in Whitman

Whitman, MA - Just before 11:00 A.M. on the morning of Friday, June 30th, the Whitman Fire Department responded to a report of a motor vehicle accident on High Street, in the area of Mayflower Circle. Ambulance-249, Engine-243 and Car-3 responded. Companies arrived to find a single car into a telephone pole, with the pole snapped. The lone occupant of the vehicle refused transport from the scene. National Grid was requested to the scene to repair the snapped pole.

APPARATUS FOR SALE

The Board of Fire Commissioners of the Uniondale Fire District will accept sealed Bids until 2:00 pm, June 19, 2017, for the sale of one (1) Red 2005 International Ambulance. Add’l detailed info can be obtained. At 3pm, June 19, 2017, bid(s) will be opened and publicly read aloud. Vehicle is to be sold “as is”. The minimum accepted bid for the vehicle is $35,000 w/ firematic pkg.

Sealed bid(s) may be delivered in person to District Office M-F 9:00a-5:00p at 501 Uniondale Ave., 2nd Floor, Uniondale, NY 11553. Sealed bid(s) must be marked “Bid for 2005 International Ambulance”. Sealed bid(s) must be accompanied with a check in the amount of ten percent (10%) of the bid price submitted or the bid will not be accepted. Contact District Secretary at (516) 481-8411 8:30a-5:00p M-F. The final sale payment is to be by certified or bank check. The Uniondale Fire District reserves the right to reject any and all bids.

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