Editorial

From the Editor’s Desk

Dennis Whittam, Editor How Are YourNew Recruits Doing?

In New York, the Fireman’s Association of New York has been encouraging fire departments throughout the state to hold a RecruitNYweekend. I am always amazed at the number of people who stop by the firehouse for this event and had no idea that, according to the National Fire Protection Association, 70 percent of firefighters in the United States are volunteers. This number used to be higher. I joined the volunteer fire service almost 30 years ago. As a kid who grew up in New York City, my wife had no idea that the fire service in our community was 100 percent volunteer. When I decided to join my department — with my wife's blessing of course —we soon realized that being a volunteer firefighter involved a lot more that riding on a truck and fighting an occasional fire. Almost 30 years have passed, and I still find my love for my department is still going strong. Unfortunately, my health has gotten in the way of being first due. I am still active in other ways and try my best to support the members who have followed in my footsteps. Before you take on new members, it is imperative that the Chief of Department sits down with the perspective new member to explain what their obligation to the community entails. I know most departments do this. Unfortunately, the new member doesn’t always realize that he or she may not have the time to volunteer. I joined at a time when my two children were active with school and community sports. I worked 50 miles away from my home. There were many nights that I arrived back home and found myself attending training classes at either my department or at the county fire academy. After I finished the basics, I realized that training never stopped. To maintain active status like most volunteer firefighters, you must participate and maintain your training, drills and response percentages throughout the year. This is where new recruits, no matter what their age, become a problem. I know I am speaking to the choir. If you are reading this, you are aware of the responsibilities of being a first responder. The problem I see is that when we take on new members they really do not understand how much time they need to fulfill their obligation to the fire service.

In my early years I always had to work a second job to pay the bills. Volunteering in the fire service is that second job that pays no bills. If you take on this second occupation, you must be passionate about your decision to protect the community! As a recruiter for the fire service, what do you do to make the person fully understand what their obligation is to your department and to the community that you serve, before they sign on the dotted line? If you find that your new recruits are not living up to your expectations, do not let poor service go by without addressing it immediately.

Recruiting volunteers takes time. Maintaining active, well-trained volunteers can be difficult. Volunteer recruitment is hard work! Volunteer retention is even harder work. Motivating and maintaining new recruits is the job of every member in your department. - Dennis

Multi-Vehicle Blaze on Springfork Dr.

At 0511 on April 26, 2022, Kanawha County Station 3 (Malden) was alerted fora vehicle fire in the area of the 3800 block of Springfork Drive. While en route, Metro 911 advised they were receiving calls of multiple vehicles on fire. Assistant Chief 32 B.R.(‘Sparky’) Scott advised to add Station 4 (Rand) foran engine and manpower. Engine 32 advised that eight cars were fully involved with exposures to several othervehicles. An aggressive attack cut the fire off from spreading any further. Crews cleared the scene around 0715. Units that responded were Malden Engine 32, Rescue Engine 33, Utility 3, and Rand Engine 42. - Fire News photo by AC Bradley ‘Sparky’Scott, Malden VFD

Jefferson Handles Residential Fire

Recently, Jefferson Fire was dispatched to a residential structure fire in theirfirst-due area. Engine 193 arrived to find a single-story house with heavy fire showing. There were also exposures to multiple vehicles. Crews were able to quickly control the fire. Fire crews remained on scene forapproximately two hours. The WVState Fire Marshall’s office was investigating the cause of the fire. Jefferson Fire would like to thank the West Side VFD and Institute VFD for assisting on the fire. Tornado VFD was dispatched to move an engine company into West Side VFD to provide coverage forthe stations that were on scene of the fire. - Photo courtesy of Jefferson VFD

Denton House Fire

On March 19, 2022, the Denton VolunteerFire Company responded fora structure fire on Camp Road in Denton. The occupant and one firefightersustained minorinjuries as a result of the blaze, with both subsequently refusing medical treatment. Adog and a cat perished during the course of the fire. The Red Cross responded to assist the occupants. - Photo courtesy Office of The Maryland State Fire Marshal

Dunkirk Auto RepairShop Blaze

On March 29, 2022, the Dunkirk VolunteerFire Department responded to a structure fire on West Mount Harmony Road. The fire involved an auto repairshop. The fire went to two alarms bringing approximately 60 firefighters to the scene. Crews were able to bring the fire undercontrol within an hour. The fire damaged the structure and several vehicles parked outside. The incident remains underinvestigation. - Photo courtesy of the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal

Pikesville Vehicle into Bank MVA

Shortly after1700 on April 1, 2022, Pikesville VolunteerFire Company units were alerted fora report of a vehicle that had crashed into the M&TBank building on Old Court Road (Box 213). Upon arrival, Squad 322 and Tower323 confirmed that a large SUVhad crashed into the building, causing damage to an exterior brick wall, a window pane and a workspace inside the bank. Firefighters assessed the driver, confirmed he was uninjured, and assessed structural damage before turning the scene overto Baltimore County Police 4th Precinct units. - Submitted by Mikes Fire Pics

Hampstead Structure Fire

On April 9, 2022, the Hampstead VolunteerFire Company was alerted fora fire on Gill Avenue. Fire crews entered the structure, observed a smoke condition and upgraded the assignment to a structure fire. Afire occurring in the ceiling area of the structure was discovered by fire crews and was controlled by the structure’s sprinklersystem. Fire crews mitigated the remaining hazard and requested investigators from the Office of the State Fire Marshal to determine the origin and cause, which was determined to be accidental. - Photo courtesy of the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal

Page 10, Fire News, July/August 2022

SolarPanel Fire on

Emmerick Drive

On May 11, 2022, the Joppa-Magnolia VolunteerFire Company was alerted fora reported structure fire on Emmerick Drive. The fire was called in by a nearby neighborwho observed the solar panel on fire. He alerted the owners who were able to safely escape with theirdog. The fire was contained to the panel with minor extension into the roof of the home. Firefighters were able to quickly bring the fire undercontrol. No injuries were reported. - Photo courtesy of the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal

Jarrettsville Closet Fire

On April 30, 2022, the Jarrettsville VolunteerFire Company was alerted fora structure fire on the 2000 block of Nodleigh Terrace in Jarrettsville, Harford County. The fire was determined to have started in a closet inside the home. The fire was quickly knocked down without incident. No injuries were reported. - Photo courtesy of the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal

26 Displaced at Apartment Blaze

On April 28, 2022, the Bay District VolunteerFire Department was alerted fora reported structure fire at the St. Mary’s Apartment Complex at Lexington Park. The incident involved a fire in a three-story, garden-style apartment building. The fire originated in the area of a third-floorbalcony and spread to the roof structure of the building. Approximately 26 residents were displaced by the fire. The Red Cross assisted residents with immediate needs. The cause of the fire was underinvestigation. The fire went to three-alarms bringing approximately 100 firefighters to the scene. - Photo courtesy of the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal

Sissonville Kitchen Fire

On May 13, 2022, Kanawha County Stations 26 (Sissonville) and Station 3 (Malden) responded fora house fire on Harvest Lane in Sissonville. Engine 263 arrived to find a working fire. An aggressive interiorattack contained the fire to the kitchen area. No injuries were reported. Units that responded: Sissonville Engine 263 and 264, Malden Engine 32, Utility 3, KCEAA154. - Fire News photo by AC Bradley ‘Sparky’Scott, Malden VFD

Brush Fire Off Route 60

On April 15, 2022, at 1917, Kanawha County Station 3 (Malden) was alerted to a brush fire on Kanawha Boulevard (Route 60) in the area of the Malden Underpass. Units found a brush fire between Route 60 and the railroad tracks. Engine 32 arrived shortly thereafterand attacked the fire from the Malden Drive side of the tracks. Kanawha RiverRailroad was notified to stop train traffic in the area untill the fire could be extinguished. Crews cleared the scene at 1955 hours and there were no injuries. Units responding were Malden Utility 3 and Engine 32. - Fire News photo by AC Bradley ‘Sparky’Scott, Malden VFD

Page 12, Fire News, July/August 2022 Waldorf Fire Extends

On May 21, 2022, the Waldorf VolunteerFire Department responded fora structure fire on WhitefirCourt in Waldorf. The incident involved an exteriorfire which extended into the dwelling. The dwelling was occupied at the time of the fire and all occupants escaped without injury. The incident was underinvestigation by officials. - Photo courtesy of the Office of The Maryland State Fire Marshal

1 Fatality, 1 Serious in Hughesville Blaze

The Office of the State Fire Marshal and Charles County Sheriff’s Office investigated a fire that seriously injured a 44-year-old man and left a 75-year-old woman in critical condition (the woman succumbed at the hospital the next day). At around 0930 on April 6, 2022, firefighters from Charles, St. Mary’s, Prince George’s counties, and the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to a dwelling fire on FosterPlace in Hughesville. According to investigators, the home was located on a single-lane dirt road approximately one-and-a-half miles from the nearest hard surface road, making access difficult. Units arrived to a a two-story single-family dwelling with heavy fire on the first floorextending to the remainderof the home. First arriving personnel found the home’s occupants in the driveway suffering from burns. EMS treated and transported both patients to MedstarWashington Hospital Center. Deputy State Fire Marshals determined the fire originated on the first floorof the dwelling and concluded that the male occupant was on the home’s second floorwhen he heard an explosion and saw smoke from the HVAC vents. He then went to the first floorand found heavy fire conditions in a bedroom on the first floor. He entered the room, retrieved the female occupant, and sustained significant burn injuries. The cause of the fire was underinvestigation. - Photo courtesy the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal

FireNews.com

Fire News, July/August 2022, Page 13 WaterIssues at Grafton Structure Fire

On May 12, 2022, at 1328, NutterFort Fire Department Tanker7, staffed with two, responded to assist Grafton Fire Department, along with numerous otherdepartments, with a structure fire on Ross Street in Grafton. Awidespread waterissue required assistance of multiple tankers. Tanker7 shuttled five loads of water. - Photos courtesy of Nutter Fort FD

Another Look Abandoned Building on Chestnut Street Goes

The Jefferson VolunteerFire Department was dispatched to a structure fire on Chestnut Street just before midnight on March 23, 2022. Crews arrived to find a working structure fire in an abandoned building. Jefferson was assisted by the Davis Creek VolunteerFire Department, Alum Creek VolunteerFire Department and West Side VolunteerFire Department. Crews were on the scene forapproximately two hours. No injuries were reported.

- Photos courtesy of Jefferson VFD

Page 18, Fire News, July/August 2022 Cover Story

Mobile Home Well Off on Arrival

Recently, multiple agencies responded fora structure fire in the Tornado area. Crews were dispatched to the Smith Creek Road area just before 0300. Tornado Volunteer Fire Department arrived to find a mobile home well off. Also assisting was Jefferson VolunteerFire Department, West Side VolunteerFire Department, Institute Volunteer Fire Department, KCEAAand KCSO. - Photo courtesy of Jefferson VFD

Quick Stop by Sykesville

On April 9, 2022, the Sykesville Freedom District Fire Department responded aftera fire occurred within the attached garage of the single-family dwelling. The fire department requested the Office of the State Fire Marshal to investigate the origin and cause of the fire. Investigators determined the fire originated within the attached garage. The fire was placed undercontrol within 10 minutes. - Photo courtesy the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal

Newburg Snuffs Shed Fire

On April 20, 2022, Firefighters from the Newburg VolunteerFire Department responded to Yatten Farm Road in Charles County, fora shed fire. Crews arrived to find the shed fully engulfed. The fire was placed undercontrol within 30 minutes. No injuries were reported. - Photo courtesy of the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal