Editorial

From the Editor’s Desk

Dennis Whittam, Editor As We Enter2022 …

As Fire News welcomes everyone to 2022, I would be remiss if I didn’t pause to look back to December 2021 and offer condolences to the Malveaux family and to the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY). Recently, FDNY Firefighter Vincent Malveaux was in training and began to feel ill and lost consciousness during his daily training at the FDNYFire Academy on Randall’s Island. ‘Pablo,’as Malveaux was affectionately known to his classmates, was taken to Harlem Hospital, where he died. As a firefighter, I know the sadness of losing a brother or sister firefighter. Fire News will bring you coverage of the Line of Duty funeral to honor Firefighter Vincent Malveaux in a future edition of our paper.

As we enter 2022, I would like to congratulate all firefighters and officers as you take on your new positions of being a firefighter and a new officer. To all firefighters, especially those firefighters who have some time under their belts, take the time to share your knowledge with your newer members and take the time to offer learning experiences that will help your company officers lead you through the year. New officers should confer with past officers so you don’t repeat the same mistakes that they may have made. As a new leader, never embarrass a member who may seem weak in certain skills. You will soon learn that as a new officer, you now take on the role of being a teacher. Firefighters must practice what they have learned to become proficient in the skills that save lives, including your own. Officers need to make sure every member knows how to use the tools of your trade - firefighting!

Anyone with experience will tell you that going on calls is the easy part of our job. Making sure you and your colleagues know what they are doing is the hard part. Hopefully everyone realizes the importance of drills, training, and truck maintenance. Yes, I said truck maintenance! Saws must start; air packs must work as expected and simple things like making sure the fuel tanks are full is important. When you leave the firehouse after a call, stop, and look around and give thought to anything that requires attention. If you see something is wrong, don’t wait until the next day to make changes.

As an officer, you must set the example and keep the bar raised high, so that your troops are ready for action.

On New Year’s Eve, hug your loved ones, say a prayer for world peace and dust off your training manuals so that you can be the best at what you love to do. Also, remember Firefighter Vincent Malveaux and offer prayers of comfort to his family. In my family, we have a tradition; at the stroke of midnight, we hug one another and start the new year with three foods: herring, lentil soup and rye bread. Yes, I know, to some this sounds horrible. But the symbolism is meaningful.

I wish everyone good luck, good health, and prosperity in 2022. Happy New Year and good luck to all as you enter 2022!

- Dennis

Page 6, Fire News, January 2022 Cover Story

Fire Guts Amsterdam Building

- Fire News photo by Mark Perfetti . - Fire News photo by Peter R. Barber

On November19, 2021, City of Amsterdam firefighters battled a three-alarm fire in a vacant building on East Main Street. Heavy smoke and flames were visible from the C side of the structure. Fire spread to crawl spaces, so firefighters went defensive with two aerials, a deck gun, several handlines, and a blitz fire. The fire was brought undercontrol in undertwo hours.

- Fire News photo by Mark Perfetti

Fire on Lenox Road

Firefighters responded to reports of a building fire on Lenox Road on November3, 2021. They found a heavy smoke condition in a top-floorapartment. Units opened up and found fire in three other apartments. The fire went to a four-alarm assignment. - Fire News photo by Lloyd Mitchell

Throgs Neck House Fire

Firefighters in the Throgs Neck section of the Bronx responded to a fire on the second floorof attached houses on Hollywood Avenue on October29, 2021. One handline was needed to knock down the blaze and bring the incident undercontrol. - Fire News photos by FirstOnScenePhotos.com

Start of a Busy Day in Yonkers

City of Yonkers firefighters operated at three separate structure fires on November14, 2021. The first alarm was struck just before 1100 forsmoke from the roof of a building on Hawthorne Avenue, just blocks from Fire Station 3. Units arrived in underthree minutes and found fire showing from the roof of a three-story multiple dwelling which has had a history of fires. Companies located the fire in the ceiling of the third-floorapartment and brought it under control in about 30 minutes. No injuries were reported. - Fire News photos by Mike Messar

Also on November14, 2021, Yonkers firefighters responded to Nodine Hill section just before 1900. Units were met with a highly visible column of smoke coming from a first-floorapartment on Ash Street which quickly spread up the exposure 2 side of the building and onto the exposure 4 side of an adjoining house. Both buildings were occupied, three-story multiple dwellings just two blocks from Fire Station 6. The engine company running out of that station had been temporarily relocated due to firehouse renovations. Asecond alarm was transmitted upon arrival of the battalion chief. Members had to operate around the building's electrical service lines which had dropped onto the street and sidewalk. Companies quickly set up masterstreams to knock down the heaviest fire between the buildings as searches were conducted. Fifteen Yonkers fire companies and 56 firefighters brought the fire in both buildings undercontrol in just undertwo hours. More than 40 people, including at least 19 children, were displaced by the fire. - Fire News photo by Mike Messar

40+ Displaced in Yonkers

1 Injured in N. Broadway Blaze

Just before 1400 on October4, 2021, Yonkers Fire received several calls foran apartment fire on North Broadway, just a few blocks from Fire Station 9. As the first-due companies left quarters, a large column of smoke could already be seen. Units arrived to find heavy fire in one unit of a three-story, set back garden apartment complex. The lone occupant was found outside the unit suffering from smoke inhalation. As the firstdue truck company made entry they encountered heavy smoke from the front door, and a size-up discovered heavy fire pushing out the rear, which was inaccessible to apparatus. Aftera long hose stretch and the interiorcollapse of the second floor, members had the fire out in about an hour. The cause of the fire was determined to be electrical, centering on a powerstrip. - Fire News photo by Mike Messar

20 Families Displaced in Mount Vernon

Just before 1700 on November1, 2021, Mount Vernon firefighters responded to a fire on the second floorof the three-story Highland Manor Apartments on Highland Avenue. Firefighters quickly knocked the fire down in the fire apartment but spent the betterpart of the next two hours attacking pockets of fire. Just after0300 the following morning, firefighters were called back to the building and found fire through the roof on arrival. Multiple masterstreams were set up and companies operated forseveral hours. Large sections of the building were covered in scaffolding from renovation work at the time. Twenty families were left homeless and at least one occupant was transported by EMS forrespiratory ailments. Mutual aid came from Yonkers, Eastchesterand New Rochelle. Two firefighters were treated forminorinjuries. - Fire News photo by Mike Messar

FireNews.com Fire News, January 2022, Page 9 Attached Garage Fire in Greece

In the afternoon of September25, 2021, Greece firefighters, along with mutual aid, were dispatched to Colin Street formultiple calls reporting a house fire. On arrival, crews found smoke and fire showing from an attached garage and quickly went to work. Companies stretched lines and knocked down a heavy volume of fire in the garage and worked to control the fire extending to the home and the radiant heat melting the siding of an exposure dwelling. Firefighters were able to get a handle on the fire and put it undercontrol within 20 minutes. - Fire News photos by PuckStopperPhotography.com

Long Fight at Pearl RiverShooting Range Fire

The Pearl RiverFD responded to an automatic alarm at the RISE gun store and shooting range in the early afternoon of November28, 2021. Crews arrived to find a very light smoke condition inside the range, which was located in the basement of a large strip mall. As firefighters went to work to locate the fire, it became very clearthat the unique construction characteristics of the range would soon lead to a multi-day response, eventually destroying three businesses. Protected by heavy steel plating and reinforced concrete, the smoldering fire was hidden in an insulated void. As firefighters worked to gain access to the fire, theirefforts were severely hampered by the steel and concrete. As the hours dragged on, multiple attempts were made to find the fire using traditional hand tools, saws and, eventually, heavy-duty jackhammers were also brought in, with limited success. As the day turned into night, defensive operations were started, with exhausted firefighters being rotated from the scene and replaced by fresh crews. Multiple Rockland departments responded on mutual aid, along with several departments coming overthe borderfrom New Jersey. The Westchester Department of Emergency Services also sent their Technical Rescue Team, supplementing the Rockland TRTalready operating on scene. Pearl Riverfirefighters would remain on the scene well into the next day as demolition equipment was brought in to teardown the destroyed areas. Thankfully, a fire wall prevented the fire from extending down the length of the building, saving several otherbusinesses. Ahandful of firefighters were treated forhigh CO levels throughout the incident. An investigation is underway into the cause of the fire by the Orangetown Police and the Rockland County Sheriff’s Department. Multiple EMS agencies also responded to the scene, led by the South Orangetown Ambulance Corps. - Fire News photos by Kenny Flynn