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Thieves Put Fire Station Out of Service

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Satellite Station Hit

DOUGLAS COUNTY, WISCONSIN, is a sparsely populated rural area on the Minnesota border near Duluth.  The Dairyland Volunteer Fire Department is a small organization with 11 active firefighters that normally responds to about 40 calls a year.

Dairyland VFD Main Station  (GoogleStreetView)

The area they cover is large and, like many rural departments, they keep some equipment stored in an outlier or satellite station.  It was Dairyland's satellite that was hit by thieves last month, taking advantage of the remote location and an April snowstorm to cover their deed when they broke into the station on April 22 between the hours of 11 pm and 1 am the next morning.

The Duluth News Tribune  is reporting yesterday:

The thieves took fire gear, saws, medical supplies, air tanks, a gas detector and more from the fire department’s satellite station at 16567 S. North Road. They also cut radios out of two trucks, putting both vehicles out of commission.

According to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office report, more than $44,000 worth of items was stolen.

"We have enough resources, we have enough mutual aid — that’s not a problem," Dairyland Fire Chief Mike Knutson said. "But it’s the principle: to steal the stuff from the fire department."

Two gloves, a blue baseball cap and some cigarette butts were found at the site after the April 23 burglary. Once the snow melted, deputies were able to get impressions from vehicle tracks outside the building, which appeared to have been made by a shorter SUV like a Blazer or Jeep.

Posted by on May 18, 2013 • Filed under: crime, current events, Fire Rescue Topics, fire stations, News • Tagged: ,

Fire In The Firehouse

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Apparent Total Loss of Building and Equipment

LAURENS COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA, EKOM BEACH Fire Department burned down Thursday afternoon.

WYFF-TV

The fire was reported shortly after noon and it appears that nobody was at the station when it occurred.  From the photos it looks like none of the apparatus had been pulled out of the station.

WYFF-TV Ch. 4 had a helicopter on the scene early on and captured some striking photos.

WYFF-TV

It is still an active fire scene and so far no information has been released.  Firegeezer will update whenever more details are learned.  You can view WYFF's entire photo gallery HERE.

Thanks to Mark Donovan for the quick alert.

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Posted by on March 28, 2013 • Filed under: fire, fire stations, Fires • Tagged: , , ,

Morning Lineup – March 19

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Tuesday Morning – More Old Firehouses

If you slept in Saturday, or just plain stayed away from the computer to start your weekend, you missed an interesting item that we posted that morning.

We tossed out a challenge to the FD's that are operating out of old stations that have been in continuous service since they were built.  The topic was generated by the firefighters in Manistee, Michigan, whose firehouse has been in constant operation since 1888.

That request brought several nominations from people who are affiliated with quite a few other stations, some about the same age, and some that are believed to be even older.

But so far, the leader in longevity claim, submitted by two readers, is the Washington Fire Company #2 in Madison, Indiana.  This classic firehouse has been in continuous service since 1848 and according to IndianaFireTrucks.com , is the oldest continually operated firehouse in Indiana.

Washington Fire Company #2
(IndianaFireTrucks.com / Chris Allen)

This is a good time to read the article, so CLICK HERE and be sure to read the Comments.  Several of the submissions included photos of their stations, so it's a treat.  And if you know of any other pre-1888 firehouses, then click the Comments and add yours to the list.  I'll make a list at the end of the week for you to look over.

Let's bring ourselves back to the present now and start on the daily equipment check.  Fresh coffee will be ready before we meet back in the day room.  See you there.

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Posted by on March 19, 2013 • Filed under: fire stations, morning lineup • Tagged: , ,

Seattle’s Oldest-Living Firefighter Meets Seattle’s Newest Firehouse

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A Real Touch of The Past

SATURDAY WAS A BIG DAY IN SEATTLE, Washington, as the fire department held a grand opening for their newest firehouse.  Fire Station 6 in the Central District has just moved into the brand-new quarters which is part of a long-range replacement program in the department.  Ten years ago the voters approved a special levy to upgrade or replace 32 of the city's firehouses and yesterday No. 6 had their turn.

A special treat during the Open House was a visit from the SFD's  oldest-living former firefighter, Joe Epler, age 102.  The Seattle Times covered the story and reported:

A lot of things have changed since the first time Joe Epler saw Seattle’s Fire Station 6. He was about 8 years old and rode the cable car from his Leschi home to the Central District station. Back then — Epler is 102 — the fire engines were pulled by horse.

When he joined the Seattle Fire Department in the 1930s, the horses had been replaced by trucks, but the equipment was still "rugged" and the hours were brutal, he said. "They didn’t have eight-hour shifts in those days," Epler said. "We worked 14-hour shifts for three weeks."

Epler, who toured the station’s beanery (kitchen), day room, exercise room and private bunks, said the new space "looks like it could last forever."

Joe Epler, not looking a day over 82,
leans against Old Red one more time.
(Seattle Times photo)

On his birthday, the department sends a fire engine to the Ida Culver House Broadview, where he lives with his wife, Marion Epler, who is also 102. The residents get a kick out of having cake with the firefighters while the engine is running downstairs, Epler said.

"We never lose the camaraderie, and we don’t forget our old firefighters," said Fire Chief Gregory Dean.

Read the entire article in the Times HERE.

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Posted by on March 17, 2013 • Filed under: current events, fire stations, News • Tagged: , ,

Who Has The Oldest Firehouse?

21 comments

The Key is "Continuous Service"

OUR FRIENDS IN MANISTEE, MICHIGAN, have a challenge out to see if anyone works in a fire station that is older than theirs and has been in continuous service since it was built.  They are certain that theirs is the oldest in the state of Michigan, but want to know how they rank nationally.

The Manistee fire station was built in 1888 and has been operated by the FD for the entire 125 years since then.  The department was organized in 1869.

Firegeezer believes that there are older firehouses in some of the large cities in the East, but they have not been continuously in operation all that time.

So, what do you think?  Got any nominations for #1?  If so, post them in the Comments or send us an email with the particulars.

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Posted by on March 16, 2013 • Filed under: fire stations, history, Uncategorized • Tagged: ,

Morning Lineup – February 23

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Saturday Morning – Some Firehouse History

Earlier this week the New York city Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to designate five firehouses as architectural landmarks, thus preserving them from destruction or major alterations in their appearance.  In an article about the action by the Commission, the New York Daily News posted:

"Firehouses and other public buildings are often the most prominent structures in their neighborhoods," said Simeon Bankoff of the Historic Districts Council. "They serve as landmarks and we’re pleased to see them become ‘Landmarks’ in fact as well."

"Each of these buildings is a clear expression of civic spirit and pride of purpose that existed at the time they were built and continue to this day in our city’s municipal architecture," LPC Chairman Robert Tierney said Monday in a statement to the Daily News.

Twinned Houses Engine 73 / Hook and Ladder 42
in the Bronx were listed as one entry in this latest action.
(Landmarks Preservation Commission photo)

"The FDNY has done an exemplary job of protecting these structures that have a vital role in protecting New Yorkers, and we’re grateful for its support of the proposals to landmark them," he added.

"FDNY firehouses are important symbols of bravery, safety and service in the communities they protect," Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano said Monday.

A total of 32 firehouses across the city are landmarked, according to the commission. Nine of those are located in historic districts. Out of the 23 individually landmarked firehouses, 18 are still used by the FDNY while five have been transformed into theaters, apartments and other uses.

Of these five additions to the roster, two are in Brooklyn, two in the Bronx, and one in Queens.  You can read more details about the individual stations and where they are located in the Daily News STORY HERE.

If you enjoy reading about historic firehouses like I do, here are some more photos to take a look at.  Our good friend Kathy B. sent along this webpage from the Forgotten New York historic website titled Manhattan's Ancient Firehouses.  CLICK HERE for a weekend visual treat.  I would have loved to work in a fire station called Red Rover Engine Co.  Thanks, Kathy!

Let's rove on over to our own apparatus now and get it checked out.  I'll fire up the historic Bunn-O-Matic before we meet back in the digital day room.

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Posted by on February 23, 2013 • Filed under: fire stations, morning lineup

Court Upholds VFD Seizure

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Sticky-Fingered Fire Chief Loses Appeal

THIS PAST JUNE 27 FIREGEEZER reported HERE on the seizure of a volunteer FD's assets by the Gardner Fire Protection District in Grundy County, Illinois.  The independent Gardner Volunteer Fire Department was contracted by the Gardner FPD to provide coverage to the town and the immediate area.  In our June article we wrote:

The fire protection district provides the funds (collected through taxes) for the VFD to operate but recently the board has been getting stiffed by the volunteers who have been on a credit card spending spree and have refused to furnish the bills and invoices that were paid by the credit card. After many months of conflict and the continued refusal of the FD to account for their spending of (the fire protection district's) funds, the F.P.D. went to the court asking for authority to reclaim their interest in the fire protection responsibility.

Last week the judge ordered the sheriff to seize all the property of the VFD and return it to the FPD. On Monday a moving crew showed up at the firehouse and removed all the property including the emergency vehicles, furnishings, fire equipment, running gear, etc. Everything except the real estate was transferred over to the FPD.

The Gardner town fire station was in legal limbo for six months
(WBBM-TV photo)

The FPD then transferred a pumper and ambulance from other areas into a temporary quarters provided by the town.  The volunteers then appealed the judge's order claiming that the termination of the VFD's contract was not valid.  The appeal has since been denied.  The Morris Daily Herald reported on January 22:

On Jan. 14, Judge Robert Marsaglia’s order in favor of the district’s motion for a summary judgment was filed. The motion was requested in regards to the department’s complaint appealing the judge’s ruling that the termination of the contract between the district and department was valid. The department was stating the termination was invalid.

The judge’s order stated the district had the right to terminate the contract of the department when the department no longer provided services to the satisfaction of the district.  The judgment also ruled against the department’s allegations that the district fraudulently induced the department into documents.

The district’s summary judgment ruled in favor of the district for six counts.  This ruling benefits the district in all the major litigation against it, said the district’s attorney, Rick Porter of Hinshaw & Culbertson on Monday.

This not only supports the FPD's repossession of the equipment, but also allows them to take over and operate out of the fire station.

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Posted by on January 30, 2013 • Filed under: Administration & Leadership, current events, Fire Rescue Topics, fire stations, News • Tagged: ,

Suspended VFD Boots Chief, Goes Back Into Operation

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After 13 Months of Turmoil

THE LINN-SAN MANUEL VFD in Hidalgo County, Texas, is back in operation today after a little more than a year of upheaval.  Their mess began 13 months ago in December 2011 when their firehouse burned down while all the members were attending, along with one of their firetrucks, a Christmas party at a neighboring fire department.  Firegeezer posted a video report HERE on the incident where their fire station, a former gas station that was 60 years old, one of their firetrucks and all of their equipment were destroyed.

The Monitor

The Hidalgo County Sheriff began an arson investigation into the blaze and in March, following a tip, the Hidalgo County Commissioners requested an audit of the VFD's financial practices and on September 6 the county auditor's office issued a report on its findings.  They determined that the fire was deliberately set to conceal evidence of financial misconduct where more than $330,000 in county-funded expenses lacked supporting documentation. The funds in question include $79,000 earmarked for travel purposes to conferences and emergency calls and another $40,000 where auditors could not even determine the purpose of the transaction.

The details of the investigaton were covered in a Firegeezer report HERE.

Yesterday (Monday) KRGV-TV stated in a video report HERE:

The department was suspended last month after a series of investigations into its finances and a blaze at its fire station in Dec. 2011. An audit released in September found more than $40,000 in unexplained expenses.

County commissioners voted on a new set of rules and leadership for the department. The firefighters rejected those changes and the commissioners cut off funding in October. The lack of funding forced the department to shut down.

Linn-San Manuel Fire Chief Domingo Hinojosa resigned in December. Firefighters (then) reconsidered the county's new rules and agreed to abide by them.

The 18 volunteers also installed a new Board of Directors which will also include three members appointed by other county emergency services agencies.

The Monitor reported:

The county is moving forward with a plan to construct an emergency services complex that will house offices and equipment for the fire department, emergency medical responders and law enforcement officers. Plans were under way for the facility before the December 2011 arson.

But Guerra, the new board president, said the department is still waiting for an insurance check to purchase more equipment. The department will also look for grant opportunities to acquire other needed gear.

About 18 volunteer firefighters checked gear and took inventory at the temporary station in preparation for the lifted suspension, said Elia Garza-Vicencio, a 27-year volunteer who was chosen as the new fire chief. The department is recruiting new volunteers, ensuring all firefighters are properly trained and informing the Linn-San Manuel community that they’re seeking a fresh start.

"The main thing I really would like to see is if we could get the trust back from the whole community," she said. "A lot of trust was lost and we’re trying to get the people to believe in us again."

Read the entire and complete article HERE.

Hat tip:  Bob H.

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Posted by on January 15, 2013 • Filed under: current events, Fire Rescue Topics, fire stations • Tagged: ,

Fire in the Firehouse

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Engine 6 Out of Service

AN EARLY MORNING FIRE inside an Elizabeth, New Jersey, fire station (probably) destroyed the pumper and heavily damaged the firehouse Sunday morning.

WABC-TV

The fire started in the engine itself around 2 am and spread into the living quarters of the station.  The fire went to two alarms before it was extinguished about an hour later.  No injuries were reported (nor much of anything else…ed.).

WABC-TV carried the STORY.

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Posted by on January 1, 2013 • Filed under: apparatus, fire, Fire Rescue Topics, fire stations, Fires • Tagged: , ,

Recycling the Old Fire Hall

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Probably Has a Big Kitchen

THE DULUTH, MINNESOTA, FIRE DEPARTMENT moved out of and shut down the old Park Point Fire Hall No. 5 this past July.  The building was old, in need of repair and outmoded for current fire apparatus and needs, so the city advertised it for sale by auction.  While the city did not have any stipulations on the usage or plans by the winning bidder, they were hoping that the purchaser would preserve the historical nature of the building and not tear it down.

(Google Satellite View)

The auction was held Friday and the winning bid of $235,000 was submitted by Bob and Laura Goewey who currently live in Park Point.  They plan to remodel and modernize the building and then live in it.  It also holds a sentimental value to them because Laura's great-grandfather was a city fireman in the early 1900's.  The Duluth News Tribune tells us:

Besides the fire hall built in 1930, the 50-by-100-foot lot at 2138 Minnesota Ave. has direct access to Lake Superior. The fire hall hasn’t been used since July. But it’s gone without needed repairs and upkeep for years.  The couple plan to rehabilitate the 3,120-square-foot building, adding insulation and installing a new roof, siding and windows. "It’ll look like it did originally from the outside," Bob Goewey said.

The Goeweys  (News Tribune)

Built in 1930, the fire hall was designed to complement the homes around it. It was identified as a historically significant structure in a 1984 inventory of buildings in Duluth.

Inside, the couple plan to keep the original configuration but update the bathroom and kitchen and other spaces for modern family living.

Bob Goewey owns a local home improvement store and says that he can complete the renovations himself for about $100,000.

WDIO-TV has more HERE.

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Posted by on December 15, 2012 • Filed under: current events, fire stations, News • Tagged: , ,

Partial Collapse of Firehouse Traps Pumper

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Appears To Be Limited Mostly To Front Wall

LAKE STATION, INDIANA, FIREHOUSE #2 experienced a partial building collapse Wednesday evening.

Sun-Times News Service

Videographer Mabas21 commented:

Fire station number two located at 3107 E 35th Ave in Lake Station collapsed onto engine 6 and the ceiling was coming down. Engine 6 was being pulled out of the building, but there was never any contact made between the engine or the building. All fire department members got out without injury. Engine 5 and rescue 10 were pulled out unharmed via the second bay. Engine 6 was pulled out after a front end loader lifted a beam and material off of it.

One of the trusses was laying across the pumper and that incidence may have prevented the rest of the roof from coming down.

Mabas21 posted this raw video taken right after the event:

 

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Posted by on November 23, 2012 • Filed under: Building construction, Fire Rescue Topics, fire stations, Videos • Tagged: ,

Township Wants Their Fire Protection Money Back

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"No Play, Then No Pay"

CASS TOWNSHIP IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY, Pennsylvania, went to court two weeks ago and asked the judge to shut down the Duncott Hose Co. and return their treasury to the township.  The Republican Herald reported:

In a five-page petition, the township alleged that the company no longer fights fires and, therefore, has no right to keep the money in its relief fund, which is supposed to be used for buying firefighting equipment.

"Members of Duncott Hose Company (are) not responding to fires in and around Duncott or Cass Township in general," the petition reads in part. The township asked the court to order the company to return all money in the fund to the township, bar the company from transferring any other assets and appoint a receiver to inventory those assets and merge the company with another in the township.

In the petition, Cass alleged that the company incorporated June 8, 1959, for the purpose of fighting and preventing fires. The company has received money from the township for the Firemen's Relief Fund and other purposes, according to the petition.

"Duncott Hose Company has solicited funds from the residents of Cass Township to support the hose company and its purposes," the petition reads in part. However, the company ceased being an active volunteer fire company several years ago, according to the petition. In spite of that, the company has kept all the money in the fund even after the township sent a letter to it Jan. 10 asking that the money be returned to it, the petition reads in part.

Where equipment checks are but a memory…
(photo by Dave Perez)

Read the entire article HERE.
See Dave Perez' photo gallery of Schuylkill County firehouses HERE.

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Posted by on November 4, 2012 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, fire stations • Tagged: , ,

Emergency Shutdown of Aging Firehouse in Ohio

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The City Got Every Last Day Out of It That They Could

THE TOLEDO, OHIO, FIRE DEPARTMENT had to shut down and vacate Station 3 on a moment's notice Thursday evening when the bay floor buckled.

Fire Station 3  (Google Street View)

The firehouse has been in service for 85 years since it was built in 1927.  As the building has been deteriorating over the years, fire engines have been getting progressively heavier.  Finally, the rusting I-beams supporting the bay floor started losing their battle when the duty shift noticed new cracks in the floor and investigation disclosed some slight buckling.  The crew and apparatus were immediately relocated to Station 13.  The Toledo Blade reported:

Crews had noticed a crack in the floor before, but even with the damage, the floor was still level. On Thursday, firefighters realized the floor had buckled, creating a precarious situation for personnel and equipment.

"Chief Santiago didn't want to take any chances with this," Lieutenant Hertzfeld said. "We could have a rig back in and fall through or firefighters could be stepping off the rig. Who knows what could happen?"

The city had already begun plans to build a new station to serve that area, so they have a bit of a head start on it.  Fire Chief Santiago says that they will be able to maintain acceptable coverage from Sta.13 and the 2nd-due companies until a more permanent solution can be made.

WTVG-TV Ch. 13 filed this video report:

 13abc.com: Breaking News, Weather and Sports

The Toledo Blade has the STORY.

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Posted by on September 15, 2012 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, fire stations, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Fire In The Firehouse – Louisiana

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Early Detection Reduced Losses

A ST. TAMMANY PARISH, LOUISIANA, FIRE STATION suffered major damage Saturday when a fire started in the engine bay and destroyed about 50% of the 3,500-sq. ft. firehouse.  It is identified as Fire District 1, Station 14 and located near Slidell.

WWL-TV

The fire was discovered around 11:20 am Central when a firefighter heard some loud popping noise coming from the engine bay.  When he looked to see what was causing it, he found a large fire already in progress and notified dispatch.  Fortunately the engine was on the street at the time and not only escaped the fire, but provided an early attack on the blaze.  The alarm brought 20 firefighters to the scene and they had it knocked down in about 25 minutes.

There was a firetruck parked in one bay, a hose tender valued at $80,000 plus $35,000 worth of hose and equipment that was destroyed along with three firefighters' personal vehicles parked next to the building.

WVUE-TV filed this video report that includes some fire footage:

 New Orleans Local News, Weather, Sports, Investigations

The station personnel and fire engine have been relocated to another fire station to operate from until a temporary building is set up on the site.

WVUE-TV

WWL-TV has more HERE.

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Posted by on September 9, 2012 • Filed under: fire, fire stations, Fires, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Detroit’s Fire Sale

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Hoping To Raise $1.5 Million

THE CITY OF DETROIT HAS OFFICIALLY announced that their landmark Detroit Fire Department Headquarters building is being offered for sale. 

The 62,000+ sq. ft. building is located in the heart of downtown across the street from the sports arena in a prime location.  However there are strict historic district regulations attached with it the will prohibit any destruction or major alterations to the facade or fabric of the decrepit building.  The city will be accepting bids on the property with a $1.1 million asking price to open the bidding.  They have not yet announced when the bids will be accepted.

The classic structure was built over 80 years ago in 1929 and has served the FD continuously.  The fire and police departments are both vacating their current heaquarters and moving into a combined public safety headquarters being set up in an abandoned casino building.

Recently the cash-strapped city has only been operating 35 – 38 of its 68 engine companies.

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Posted by on August 31, 2012 • Filed under: current events, Fire Rescue Topics, fire stations, News • Tagged: ,

Firefighters Going Batty in Albuquerque

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No Sign of Robins

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, FIREFIGHTERS in Downtown Station 1 had to relocate to other quarters Tuesday because of a fruit bat infestation of the building.

AFD Sta. 1 – all flights cancelled

The crews had known for a while that there were creatures in the walls because they could hear them occasionally, but they thought they might just be mice.  Until Monday, that is.  A bat make its first public appearance in the Fire Marshal's office on the second floor and then before you could say Holy Ventilation Hole, Batman! they started coming out of holes in the ceiling and even electrical sockets.

On Tuesday the crews and apparatus were relocated to another station while the animal control wardens went to work capturing and killing the flying mammals.  Last night they were expected to bring in an ultra-sonic device that is expected to cause them to voluntarily leave the building and allow work crews to cover up all bat-size holes and seal the building.

KRQE-TV Ch. 13 filed this "action" video report:

 

Good luck, guys.  By the way, what's the status of my transfer request?

Albuquerque Fire Department WEBSITE.
Local 244 WEBSITE.

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Posted by on August 22, 2012 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, fire stations, Firefighter Safety & Health, Videos • Tagged: ,

Severe Storm Blows Roof Off Firehouse

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Heavy Wind and Water Damages

THE LINE OF VIOLENT STORMS that moved through Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York Thursday night left hundreds of thousands without power and a Butler County, Pennsylvania, fire station without a roof.

WTAE-TV

The Middlesex Volunteer Fire Department's station was built just 17 years ago, but the storm ripped a 40-ft by 80-ft. section of the roof right off the rafters and left it laying on the ground beside the building.

WTAE-TV

The members of the VFD turned out in force to nail salvage covers over the rafters in an attempt to minimize water damage, but by then the office records and computers were already ruined.  The upstairs social hall that was just renovated six months ago, was also heavily damaged by the rains.

KDKA-TV Pittsburgh filed this video report on the destruction:

 

WTAE-TV has more details plus additional video HERE.

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Posted by on July 27, 2012 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, fire stations, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Firehouse Falling Apart – Condemned

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Members Parking the Trucks in Their Yards

THE RIVER FALLS VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT in Marietta, South Carolina, has a big problem.  Their firehouse is falling down and they have had to move everything out pronto.  WSPA-TV explains:

Chief David Embry arrived at the River Falls Volunteer Fire Department in Marietta two months ago to find the sheetrock splitting in the bay that houses fire trucks. "We didn't know why, we couldn't find a reason," he says. Weeks later, it got worse. "We saw a big dip, a sag in the roof," he says. "We pulled a piece of the sheetrock down to look up in the attic and that's when we saw the trusses had come apart."

Now, the entire roof is slowly caving in. After a contractor's inspection, the county had to condemn the building. "The building is going to fall down if we don't tear it down first," says Chief Embry.

WSPA-TV also filed this video report of Chief Embry giving a tour of the station:

 

They have since made a temporary arrangement with neighboring departments to house their trucks to get them out of the weather while they make  arrangements to fund and replace the current building.  They are hoping that the county will authorize a local bond issue to raise the estimated $800,000 needed to build a new structure.

River Falls Sta. 1

Firegeezer notes:  According to their website, the RFVFD has two stations.  This report does not identify which one is having the problem.

River Falls Vol. Fire Department WEBSITE.

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Posted by on July 25, 2012 • Filed under: current events, fire stations, News, Videos • Tagged: , , ,

Misguided Fire Engine Brings Down the House

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Watch Out For the Center Pillar

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA, ENGINE 9 was exiting the firehouse responding to an emergency call Monday morning when it struck the center support column in the doorway.  The as-yet-unexplained collision brought down most of the front wall and rollup doors, raining bricks down onto the pumper and bringing the response to a quick halt.

Augusta Chronicle

The Augusta Chronicle reported:

Augusta Fire Chief Chris James said it appeared some part of the fire engine at Station 9 on Walton Way Extension hit the center column between the garage doors, causing much of the front of the building to collapse.

"It’s pretty bad," James said.

Although the collapse stopped the firetruck, James said it did not affect the response to the fire call. Another engine company picked the call up and responded immediately.

Not to be outshone in oratorical proclivity, City Administrator Fred Russell said, "They’re not going to be able to use (the station) for a while."

WRDW-TV tells us:

The truck (sic) was dispatched to a call on Gordon Highway, and as it was leaving, it ran into the center brick column separating the two garage doors.

The column then collapsed and pulled down the top structural beam, too. There was damage to the building, a glass door and one fire truck. The other truck is said to be OK and will be rerouted from a different station.

Luckily, the other two trucks housed at Station 9 had already left and are not damaged. Firefighters from the station will still be responding to calls in the area, but Engine 9 will operate out of Station 15 and Engine 2 will operate out of Station 10.

WRDW-TV also has a video report HERE.

 

Hat tip:  Matt K.

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Posted by on June 26, 2012 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, fire stations, Videos • Tagged: , ,

Help Comes to Schoharie VFD

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Wiped Out by Irene

LAST AUGUST WHEN HURRICANE IRENE swept through the northeastern states, one of the hardest-hit area was central New York.  Many days of extra-heavy rainfalls left the area flooded and isolated with all connecting highways and bridges washed out.  No place was devastated more than the village of Schoharie where the entire town was nearly destroyed.  The village fire station had 8 ft. of water inside and the damage to the building's foundation rendered it irreparable.

In a letter to the National Volunteer Fire Council asking for help in getting back on their feet, the Schoharie VFD wrote:

While not a single life was lost when Hurricane Irene visited Schoharie, the damage throughout the area was catastrophic. More than 275 homes and businesses suffered significant water damage – in other words, over four feet of water on the ground floor. Roughly 80 percent of all structures in just the Village of Schoharie alone were damaged, mostly by muddy and contaminated waters that flooded basements, rose 4 to 8 feet up the walls of their first floors, and left behind a residue prone to mildew. Roads were wiped out, phone lines and communication systems were disabled, commerce was adversely affected, and transportation became nearly impossible. We watched as dirty water collapsed the foundations and consumed the houses of many friends and fellow fire department members.

Our department is physically and mentally exhausted. Over the past month our members have helped evacuate our entire village, have performed more than 300 basement pump-outs, have responded to dozens of emergency and service calls, and have helped coordinate the statewide emergency response and recovery efforts and many resources thrown at us.

Many fire departments throughout New York plus several from out of state have helped them to recover, but they are still operating out of a temporary building that the owner permitted them to occupy until they can get a permanent quarters.

This former tractor sales and repair shop has been
serving as a temporary fire station.  (Watershed Post photo)

It was announced this past Tuesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is providing an allotment of over $900,000 – or three-quarters of the cost to replace and relocate the firehouse in the village of Schoharie. The other 25 percent of the cost will be covered by the state of New York.  In practice, the VFD will now purchase the property where they are located and build a new station next to the existing structure.  A temporary garage will be erected to be used until the new station is completed.

The Watershed Post has this STORY.
The NVFC has the earlier mentioned letter in its entirety that delineates the department's situation  HERE.
Schoharie FD's excellent WEBSITE (click on the History button for some good reading and photos).
 

Hat tip: Tom Lindtveit

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Posted by on June 10, 2012 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, fire stations • Tagged: ,

“Monster” Dogs Keep Firefighters at Bay

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Unhappy Lunch Hour

TWO LARGE, VICIOUS DOGS on the prowl came onto the grounds of the Elgin, Illinois, fire station 7 Wednesday during the crew's lunch break.

Elgin Fire Station 7  (Google Street View)

Capt. Tony Bialek was sitting on the rear patio eating his lunch when one of the dogs, a 90-lb. female pit bull suddenly charged at him.  TV Channel 2 News tells:

Bialek made a desperate dash to the back door. "I got to the door, and the dog was right there, and I shut the door, and the dog jumped up on the glass, and it wanted to chomp on my behind, that’s for sure," he said. "The dog was bouncing off the glass, trying to get into the station."

Bialek said he was lucky he had left the back door of the firehouse open when he went outside to eat.

"If I didn’t have that door propped, I wouldn’t have made it, even if I didn’t panic and do the wrong combination," he said. "The dog was, (her) nose was right there by the door when I shut it, it was that close; drooling, foaming at the mouth, chomping away."

Then, another larger dog – a 130-pound Presa Canario mix – joined in, and the two dogs kept firefighters from going outside, bouncing against the firehouse door glass, trying to break it.

Rear patio where attack occurred.  Fortunately Capt.Bialek
had propped the combination-lock door open while he was eating.
(Chicago Tribune photo)

Unable to leave the firehouse, they called the police and when an officer arrived, one of the dogs attacked him and the officer shot it.  The dog was wounded, but not killed, and ran back to a house where it lived.  The other dog lived elsewhere and it ran away.  Its owner showed up and helped corral the animal.  Both owners were issued 5 citations each for allowing vicious dogs to run free, not having inoculations, and for assaulting the fire captain and police officers.

The Chicago Tribune has MORE.
Elgin Fire Department WEBSITE.

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Posted by on June 8, 2012 • Filed under: current events, fire stations, News • Tagged: , , ,

Fire in the Firehouse

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Saved the Engine, Though

A RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TENNESSEE, FIRE STATION was heavily damaged Thursday night when a fire started in one of their equipment bays.  The Southeast Rutherford Volunteer Fire Department Station 3 had just completed a training session at the firehouse  less than a half-hour before somebody saw smoke coming from the building.

WSMV-TV

The response of the members was quick as they were not far at the moment and when they got to their station they could see that the bay housing their structural collapse and cave-in trailer was where the fire was seated.  A report from WTVF-TV tells us:

The fire chief said that they had training earlier in the evening, and his crew had just left the station.

A few minutes later, there was a call about smoke from a garage door. By the time firefighters arrived, they saw flames and heavy smoke. It didn't stop one firefighter though from springing into action to save one of their engines.

"One of my first firefighters on the scene opened the entrance door and hit the button to raise the bay door and then come back and got a breath and got inside the fire truck and got it out," he said.

WTVF-TV also posted this video report from the scene that includes a brief interview with the fire chief:

 

The Daily News Journal adds:   "We lost a trailer that held structural collapse equipment, a lot of brand new hand tools and rakes, and we are currently doing an inventory to come up with the total amount of loss we've suffered," said Chief Larry Farley.

The fire was knocked down quickly and the fire engine was spared any damage.

WSMV-TV

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Posted by on June 2, 2012 • Filed under: fire, Fire Rescue Topics, fire stations, Fires, Videos • Tagged: ,

Updated – Firehouse Burning in Pennsylvania

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Working Incident  Fire is out.

Updates are posted.  Scroll down.
New Update, 11:00 pm – burned car and body found inside firehouse.  Scroll down.
Further Updated:  Victim was not a volunteer member.

THE LEITHSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, FIREHOUSE in Northampton County is on fire this afternoon after a dump truck crashed into the building around 1 pm.

Allentown Morning Call

The Allentown Morning Call is reporting:

The three-alarm fire, reported around 1 p.m. Thursday, has firefighters from mutual aid stations in Northampton, Bucks and Lehigh counties responding with tanker trucks to bring water to the fire.

Firefighters on scene initially reported flames from three of the four bays of the fire station at 1995 Leithsville Road, which is Route 412 in Lower Saucon Township.

Emergency radio dispatches said there is at least one burn victim and the fire has spread to the entire building. A social banquet hall on the property to the rear of the fire station is not involved in the fire.

Two tanker task forces with at least 10 trucks have reportedly set up to draw water from two locations off Routes 412 and 212, and fire police have closed down those roads in the area of the fire station.

Leithsville's equipment is presumably still inside the building. The fire company has a 2001 E-One engine, a 1991 E-One heavy rescue truck, two tankers trucks and a brush trucks, according to its website.  Update:  there were just three trucks inside, all lost to the fire.  The engine, a tanker and a brush truck….ed.

This is a breaking incident and reports are just coming in.  Firegeezer will be updating so check back for fresh reports.

Update, 3 pm Eastern:
The dump truck was a triple-axle rig hauling asphalt.  It crashed through the front of the building and immediately broke out in fire with the driver barely escaping according to people on the scene.

It is not yet known if the burn victim is the truck driver or somebody who was in the station.  The firehouse is fully involved and it is expected that the building and the apparatus inside will be total losses.

Two tanker task forces have been deployed.  A third task force was dispatched but returned after fire officers said they didn't have the resources for more water supply.

Morning Call

Update #2, 3:30 pm:
The morning call is now quoting neighbors as saying that the truck driver is the burn victim.  The firehouse faces into a T-intersection and the road it faces is a downgrade.  Apparently the dump truck was on the downgrade and could not stop at the intersection, instead traveling across the highway into the firehouse.

Lehigh Valley News

Lehigh Valley News

Google Street View of Leithsville Fire Station

Satellite view of the fire station shown in upper center.
The truck came down Flint Hill Rd. that is
located in the lower right of the view.

The rear of the dump truck is seen in this image from WFMZ-TV

The Hellertown Patch has more details and a photo gallery HERE. 

Hellertown Patch

Update, 11:00 pm:
After the fire was out, a car with a driver was discovered in the firehouse, both burned up.  Initially it appears that as the dump truck careened across the highway, it struck the car and drove it into the station ahead of it.  The fire that broke out immediately trapped the driver.  So far, the only fact that the police and coroner have confirmed is that there was a burned body found in the building.  Witnesses are stating that the car is underneath the truck's cab.

Update, Friday afternoon:
The Leithsville Fire Chief has verified that the victim was not a volunteer member of the department.  Police are going with the original speculation that his car was T-boned by the dump truck and dragged into the building.  The Morning Call has an updated report HERE.

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Posted by on May 24, 2012 • Filed under: fire, fire stations, Fires • Tagged: , , , ,

Crashing Cars Come to Rest At Firehouse

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Five Injured

A STOLEN SUV RACING THROUGH ORLANDO, FLORIDA, early Friday morning ran a red light and collided with another smaller SUV.  The crash caused both of them to flip over with the second car coming to rest against the wall of Fire Station 2 in the center of Orlando.

WOFL-TV

The stolen car that caused the wreck rolled over more than once and was left in a heap of debris just outside the firehouse.  The firefighters just happened to be responding out of the station on a call when it happened and they witnessed the crash.  There were no damages to the station, but the electrical box for the traffic signal control was destroyed by one of the tumbling cars.

Reportedly, the stolen car was being watched/followed by a police cruiser and when the driver realized they were behind him he sped away, leading to the collision moments later.  Five people from the two automobiles were transported with minor injuries.  No arrests were made immediately but charges are pending.

WKMG-TV

WKMG-TV has the story and a video report HERE.

Google Street View of Fire Station 2 and the Accident Location

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Posted by on April 20, 2012 • Filed under: Fire Rescue Topics, fire stations • Tagged: , ,

Tornado Flattens Kentucky Fire Station – Listen to the Radio Traffic

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Direct Hit

THE SPATE OF DESTRUCTIVE TORNADOES that swept through Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana Friday afternoon struck a firehouse in northern Kentucky near the Ohio River in the town of Milton, Trimble County.

Milton Station 2 photos from MFRD website

The twister came through around 3 pm and all Trimble County firefighters were out on watch and prepared for the storms that were coming.  In Milton all of the department's volunteers were at the main fire station monitoring the storm when one of the tornadoes struck Fire Station #2, leveling the building.  Fortunately there were no members at the firehouse that was struck  Chief Long reports that there was one member inside at the time, sheltering in the area that was left standing.  At least one of their units was in the building at the time.

Damaged pumper parked in what used to be an engine bay.
(Courier-Journal photo)

Radioman911 has the Trimble County radio traffic on this 43-minute recording that begins just as the twisters are being sighted by the emergency personnel and being reported in.  Click on the Play button to listen to the broadcast. 

 
Watch live video from Radioman 911 on Justin.tv

One of the firefighters witnesses the destruction of Fire Station #2 at the 5:25 mark of the tape.  Continue listening.

Members begin salvaging their equipment soon after the strike.
(Louisville Courier-Journal)

Milton Fire and Rescue Department WEBSITE.

Update:  Radioman911 has posted additional radio traffic from the southern Indiana dispatch.  An entire town, Marysville, Indiana, was destroyed.

 
Watch live video from Radioman 911 on Justin.tv

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Posted by on March 2, 2012 • Filed under: fire stations, Major Incidents • Tagged: , , ,