JANUARY 2006 ARCHIVE

Jan. 30 2006- Both Dingman Township Ambulances were requested to assist Hemlock Farms Fire & Rescue Co. with a motor vehicle accident with multiple injuries on Surrey Dr. in Hemlock Farms. The 07:20 a.m. call was answered by 5 personnel who arrived on scene to find the Hemlock Farms Crews busy working a four vehicle accident scene with at least 9 persons involved. Dingman Township Personnel were given a total of 4 patients to treat and transport. A total of 7 injured patients were taken to Bon Secour Hospital between the four ambulances that were on the scene.

Fire Destroys Milford Landmark

Jan. 28 2006- Dingman Township Volunteers were alerted to assist the Milford Fire Department at 2047 hours with a structure fire on West Harford St. in Milford Borough. 26 Ladder and Tanker responded with 8 personnel to call. 26 Tanker arrived on scene and provided a back up water source to Westfall’s Engine 1 in the rear of the structure. 26 Ladder was assigned truck company duties also to the rear of the structure. Personnel performed a variety of fire ground function before being released by 33 Command shortly before midnight. An additional 7 personnel stayed on stand-by at the station to crew 26 Engine and Rescue. This was the sixth structural fire Dingman Township crews responded to in the past two weeks.

2 STRUCTURES, ONE ELECTRICAL AND ONE FIRED

Jan. 25 2006- After nine days of running 3 minor car accidents, 2 utility emergencies, 4 carbon monoxide incidents, and 18 EMS calls, the volunteers got a few more fires under their belts. At 1743 hours the Department was requested to Gold Key Rd. in Gold Key Lake for a structure fire electrical in nature. 26 Ladder and Ambulance 268 with 8 personnel arrived to find nothing showing from the exterior of the structure. Upon investigation, crews found a light smoke condition with the odor of electrical burning in the basement area. Crews also found that all the lights in the residence were flickering. Personnel investigated further and found a ballast in a fluorescent lighting fixture was burning. Power was secured to the room and the Fire Department’s Star Electrician Joe DeMaio removed the ballast and controlled the electrical hazard. Power was restored to the room and personnel still encountered power surges throughout the house. An additional check with an electrical meter found that the residence lost the neutral coming in from the utility pole. Met-Ed was notified and arrived within 10 minutes. Personnel opened doors to allow natural ventilation and secured from the scene within an hour. Shortly after finishing up the required Hazardous Materials Awareness Class at the station, members were on their way to their 2^nd structure fire of the evening. At 2317 hours, 26 Engine and 26 Rescue were requested to assist the Hemlock Farms Fire & Rescue Co. with a fully involved structure fire on Saddlebrook La. in Hemlock Farms. Hemlock Farms crews arrived to find a 2 story house fully involved. Shortly after their arrival on scene the building collapsed allowing for only an exterior attack. 26 Engine and Rescue arrived 2^nd due with 12 personnel and assisted the Hemlock Farms crew with extinguishment and lengthy overhaul. Personnel operated on the scene for just under four hours. Dingman Township VFD retained an additional crew at the station to man the Ladder Truck and Tanker if it was needed.

SNOW LADEN WINDS TAKES DOWN TREE

Jan. 15 2006- After returning from the structure fire and clearing the tree down on Rt. 739 at Sunrise, 26 Engine with 5 personnel was responding again at 0410 hours for a reported tree into the house on Mulberry Dr. in Pocono Woodlands. The Engine crew arrived on scene to find a large pine tree had fallen and struck not only the house but also two vehicles (destroying one) and the utility lines to the house. Personnel assessed the scene to find that tree did significant damage to the roof of the home. A branch five foot in length came through the roof narrowly missing the occupant while she slept. Personnel using chain saws were able to make a pathway for the occupants so they could exit the residence. Personnel also removed what they could from the roof and secured the damaged area with plastic sheeting until more permanent repairs could be made. The Engine crew operated for three hours securing and protecting the resident’s personal property.

EARLY MORNING FIRE DESTROYS DINGMANS FERRY HOME

Jan. 15 2006- Personnel that were just warming up from their 3.5 hour wait for Met Ed Utilities on Rt. 739 were on the street again with 26 Engine and 26 Tanker at 0145 hours to assist Delaware Fire Co. with a working structure fire on Doolan Rd. Personnel arrived on scene and assisted with extinguishing and overhauling the fire which caused significant damage to the residence. Station 26 personnel operated for just under two hours at this scene.

TREES BLOCK ROADS AGAIN

Jan. 14&15 2006- This weekend proved to be very busy for the volunteers at Dingman Township. Crews started answering calls at 0036 hours on Saturday for a motor vehicle accident on Iroquois Trail in Conashaugh Lakes. The EMS crew transported one person from the scene with minor injuries. At 1435 hours the Dive Team was requested to Lake Wallenpaupack for a possible ice rescue. Tafton Fire Co. arrived on scene and was able to successfully remove the trapped person without the need for the dive teams. Shortly after returning from the cancelled Dive Team call the weather took a turn for the worse with a driving snow and 50+ mph winds and calls for service for the Station began to roll in more frequently. At 1932 hours 26 Ladder, 26 Engine, and Ambulance 269 responded to a chimney fire on Sunrise Dr. in Sunrise Lake. Personnel made quick work of the fire and back in the station within 40 minutes. At 2146 hours 26 Rescue and 26 Brush responded to a tree and wires down on Rt. 739 near Whispering Pines Nursery. Personnel arrived to find a large pine tree had fallen into the road taking with it three power lines. A driver of a mini van did not see the tree in the road due to the weather and struck the tree causing minor damage to his vehicle and no injuries. Personnel were able to cut the tree and with the assistance of a Penn DOT plow truck, remove it from the roadway to open a lane for travel. Crews remained on the scene 3.5 hours controlling traffic while awaiting a response from Met-Ed Utilities. Crews cleared at 0129 hours on the 15^th only to be dispatched again at 0145 hours to assist Delaware Fire Co. with a structure fire (see next story). While returning from the structure fire at 0327 26 Engine was diverted to assist personnel already on Rt. 739 near Sunrise Lake with clearing a tree that had fallen and blocked the roadway. Personnel removed the tree quickly and were back at the station for a quick cup of coffee when at 0410 hours 26 Engine with five personnel were on the road again to a tree that had fallen on a house on Mulberry Dr. in Pocono Woodlands (see story further down on page). At 0445 hours the stand by crew at the station were dispatched to assist Delaware Fire Co. once again this time for a tree and wires call on Rt. 2001. This crew was cancelled shortly after responding by the Bushkill Fire Co. who took care of the call while returning from the structure fire. The stand by crew didn’t have to sit to long before they were back on the road again with 26 Ladder at 0516 hours for a fire alarm activation on West Shore Dr. in Sunrise Lake. Personnel arrived on scene to find the alarm triggered due to the area’s power outage. All personnel were back in station just about to sit down for a much deserved warm meal when they were sent out again at 0754 hours for a tree and wires call on Indian Trails Rd. Personnel manning 26 Engine made the response. Personnel arrived to find a large tree had fallen and snapped a Met-Ed Utility Pole in half and leaned a Verizon Telephone Pole into the roadway. Personnel were able remove a large part of the tree to open a single lane for residents to get into and out of the community. Personnel flagged the low hanging phone lines with caution tape and left the scene to the utility companies for repairs. Personnel operated for an hour at this scene. Breakfast was once again attempted and once again it was interrupted at 0932 hours for another chimney fire on Stateway Dr. in Sunrise Lake. Personnel responded in 26 Ladder, 26 Tanker, and Ambulance 269. Personnel once again made quick work of this chimney and cleared the scene in half an hour. The crews finally were able to get some breakfast and rest as the remainder of the day was silent for the volunteers. Final totals- 10 Fire Department responses and 11 EMS responses.

MVA SENDS 3 TO BON SECOURS

Jan. 11 2006- Personnel returning from the EMS call in Shohola just returned to station at 1047 hours when they were sent to assist Hemlock Farms Fire & Rescue Co. with a 3 car motor vehicle accident in front of the Wayne Bank on Rt. 739 in Lord’s Valley. Ambulance 268 transported two occupants with minor injuries to Bon Secour Hospital. This was the fourth and final call for the day for the EMS crews.

DRIVER MISJUDGES ROAD BREAKS POLE

Jan. 11 2006- Personnel were awakened early today at 0250 hours for a medical call in Sunrise Lake. Personnel no sooner got back to their homes when at 0652 hours they were dispatched again for a motor vehicle accident on Log Tavern Rd. near Pocono Water Forest. Personnel arrived on scene to find that an SUV had left the roadway and struck a utility pole guide wire causing the pole to shear at the half way point. The accident knocked out power for most of the day to many residents in Dingman Township. Personnel assessed the driver for injury and reported the damaged pole to Met-Ed Utilities. Personnel cleared the scene 0847 hours only to sent out again to cover a medical call at Twin Cedars in Shohola Township.

ICY ROADS SLIDES CAR INTO SAND TRUCK

Jan. 4 2006- The string of motor vehicle accident calls continued for the personnel at Station 26. This accident occurred at 0727 hours on Wild Meadow Dr. in Sunrise Lake. Personnel arrived on scene to find a two vehicle accident involving a passenger car and a dump truck. Personnel assessed the scene finding no FD services were required. EMS personnel assessed the occupants of the vehicles finding no significant injuries. Personnel returned to service at 0759 hours.

WHEN 2 CARS COLLIDE [AGAIN]

Jan. 3 2006- After responding to four EMS calls and a Wires Down call the Dingman Township Volunteers were back on the street again at 2037 hours for a motor vehicle accident on Rt. 739 near the 5 Mile Meadow Rd. Personnel manning 26 Rescue and Ambulance 268 arrived to find a two vehicle accident with two of the five occupants complaining of minor injuries. EMS personnel assessed all parties involved and transported two to a local hospital for further treatment. FD personnel assisted with patient packaging and traffic control. Pa. State Police investigated the accident. Units were on scene for just over an hour.

WHEN TWO CARS COLLIDE

Jan. 2 2006- While two of the chiefs were on their way to breakfast they came across this accident on Rt. 739 in front of St. Vincent’s Church. A quick assessment found a total of 8 people involved in this rear end type 2 vehicle collision. After Chief Mikulak requested the station dispatched, an additional 15 personnel arrived manning 26 Rescue and both ambulances. EMS personnel assessed all 8 occupants and transported four of them to local hospitals with minor injuries. Fire personnel assisted with patient packaging, hazard control, and traffic control. Personnel returned to station within an hour of the 10:10 a.m. call.