APRIL 2007 ARCHIVED

 

13 Calls for Dingman Township Volunteers

04-23-2007-  Crews from Dingman Township were kept busy today running a total of 13 calls in several areas of Pike County.  26 Engine was alerted just after noon for stand-by duties at the Blooming Grove Fire Co. while they were fighting a large brush fire on White Deer Rd. in Blooming Grove Township.  After a short time standing by 26 Engine was upgraded to the scene and assisted with extinguishment, overhaul, and clean up of the fire.  At 15:37 hours 26 Brush and Ambulance 268 responded to a small brush fire on Gold Key Rd. in the Gold Key Lake development.  The crew on the Brush Truck made quick work of the small fire returning to the station within 25 minutes.  As several members began pump training in the evening the Station and Squad were dispatched to a Carbon Monoxide (CO) detector activation on Beach Rd. in Gold Key Lake.  The crews were on scene almost immediately as they were training just several hundred feet from the incident.  Personnel found a faulty detector as the cause of the activation and returned to training without incident.  The remainder of the calls were handled by Ambulances 268 and 269 throughout the day.

 

2nd Structure Fire in a Week

 

04-16-2007-  Just before 1900 hours this evening Dingman Township’s volunteers were alerted to a structure fire on Ridge Dr. in Gold Key Lake.  Assistant Chief O’Brien (26-2) arrived on scene to find a working fire in the back bedroom of the residence and immediately requested the 2nd alarm for Box 26-04.  This call brought out additional resources from the Delaware Fire Co. (An engine and tanker), the Hemlock Farms Fire & Rescue Co. (Rescue for RIT Team), and the Milford Fire Dept. (An engine and tanker).  The crew arriving on 26 Ladder and 26 Tanker placed a strong interior attack on the fire and quickly extinguished the blaze limiting the fire damage to the back of the structure.  Additional firefighters arriving on 26 Engine and Rescue assisted with laddering and ventilating the building.  As the neighboring departments arrived on scene they were tasked with duties ranging from water supply, overhaul, salvage, and RIT team responsibilities.  The fire was marked under control at 19:19 hours.  No injuries were reported.  The sole occupant and his dog safely evacuated the structure.  The house suffered major fire damage to the rear bedroom as well as smoke and heat damage throughout the top floor.  The cause of fire was ruled accidental.  Hemlock Farms Fire & Rescue Co. (29 Ladder) and the Westfall Fire Dept. (Tanker) stood-by at Dingman Township’s Firehouse during the incident.  Crews returned to the station at 21:37 hours.

  

Wild Weather Sends 3 Off the Road

 

04-16-2007-  At 11:10 hours this morning Dingman Township personnel were alerted to assist with traffic control at the scene of multiple vehicles off the roadway on Rt. 739 north of St. Vincent’s Church.  26 Engine made the response and arrived to find two vans and a small sedan off the roadway with all occupants safely out and uninjured.  Crews provided traffic control on the slick roadway while a local tow service removed each vehicle. The crew was in service for nearly 2 hours.  The FD also provided three portable pumps to area residents that suffered basement flooding during the heavy rains.

 

 Structure Fire Damages Home

 

 

04-12-2007-  Station and Squad 26 were alerted to a possible structure fire on Fawn Lane.  26 Ladder, 26 Tanker, and Ambulance 268 arrived on scene to find a one story ranch with a basement with smoke coming from the attic area near the chimney.  Lt. Smyth (26-5) requested an additional Engine and Tanker from Delaware Fire Co. to assist on scene.  As crews began searching for the seat of the fire the smoke near the chimney began to spread and become heavier.  Due to the difficulty in locating and getting to the seat of the fire the remainder of the 2nd alarm for Box 26-03 was requested to the scene.  This request brought an Engine from Hemlock Farms Fire and Rescue Co. and a Tanker and Rescue (FAST Team) from Milford Fire Department.  Crews from Dingman, Delaware, and Hemlock Farms worked together in removing furniture and personal property of the homeowners to avoid further damage before opening up the involved wall.  Once the personal property was safe and out of harm’s way crews opened up the walls the surrounded the wood stove and chimney.  As crews were involved in opening up the walls smoke was noticeably getting heavier at the floor level.  A crew member went to the basement level and discovered a large amount of fire located in the void space between the 1st floor and the basement ceiling directly under the woodstove area.  Adding to the situation was the area involved also contained all the main electrical wiring for the circuit breaker box for the residence.  Personnel kept the fire in check with a dry chemical extinguisher until power was secured at the main outside breaker.  Once power was off to the house crews made quick work of the fire inside the ceiling with a 1.75” handline.  With the bulk of fire knocked down crews continued to open up the walls surrounding the chimney where they found fire traveling up toward the attic.  The interior crews made quick work of the remaining fire and began the lengthy process of overhaul.  All departments on scene assisted with removing the large amount of debris caused by the fire from the house.  No injuries were reported on scene.  The fire was ruled accidental in nature.  The Westfall Fire Department stood-by at Dingman Township during the incident.  While on stand-by Westfall FD handled one additional incident assisting Delaware Township Ambulance with a medical emergency in Pocono Water Forest.  Hemlock Farms Ambulance also covered one of our medical emergencies in Sunrise Lake during the fire.  Thank you to all our mutual aid for the assistance that day.

 

Minor Calls Fill Out the Week

04-07 through 14-2007-  Crews have been kept steady with a several calls throughout the week.  Included in those calls were a fire alarm, Carbon Monoxide alarm, gas leak, and 3 assist EMS runs.  The EMS side of the house has been kept busy also running 11 calls for the week

 

One Before and One After

 

 

 04-04-2007-  Just before the start of the monthly business the Station was alerted for a motor vehicle accident on Log Tavern Rd. near Crescent Lake.  All three chiefs as well as 26 Rescue, 26 Engine, and Ambulance 268 made the response within a minute.  Asst. Chief O’Brien (26-2) was the first to arrive on scene to find a minor two vehicle accident with occupants wishing to be assessed by EMS crews.  With both vehicles safely off the roadway and no hazards the fire units were advised to return to station and Ambulance 268 to continue in for the requested assessments.  The EMS crew evaluated four individuals involved all refusing any further transport to hospitals.  The incident was then turned over to the Pa. State Police for the investigation.  Shortly after the end of the monthly business meeting 26 Engine was on the road again responding to an unknown type fire along with the Hemlock Farms Fire & Rescue Co. on Canoebrook Dr. in Hemlock Farms.  Hemlock Farms’ Asst. Chief Hall (29-3) arrived on scene to find a resident with a bon fire in his yard.  With no services needed 29-3 cancelled all incoming units.