June 2008

Structure Fire Heavily Damages Conashaugh Home

06-22-2008- The Pike County Communications Center began receiving multiple 9-1-1 calls at 00:20 hours  reporting a house on fire on Sandy Pine Trail near White Tail La. in Conashaugh Lakes.  26-1 (Chief Mikulak) requested a 2^nd alarm assignment for Box 26-03 upon his response.  26-6 (Lt. Wisniewski) was the first to arrive on scene to find a ranch style home with several rooms and the roof heavily involved in fire.  26 Ladder was the first apparatus to arrive on scene and began an interior attack and primary search of the residence.  The crew from 26 Ladder was able control and confine to the areas of the home that were already involved.  The primary and secondary searches performed by the Dingman Township crews proved negative.  The 20 volunteers from Station 26 were assisted on scene by an engine from the Hemlock Farms Fire & Rescue Company.  The Milford Fire Department provided a FAST team on the scene along with a tanker to assist with water supply.  The Delaware Fire Company placed an engine at the Seneca Dr. Dry Hydrant to fill empty tankers and a tanker to assist with water supply on the scene.  The Westfall Fire Department and Greenville Fire Department provided stand-by duties at the Dingman Township and Milford Firehouse respectively.  No injuries were reported on the scene.  The fire was ruled undetermined but accidental in nature by the Pa. State Police Fire Marshal’s Unit.  Dingman Township personnel and apparatus were in service for just under 3 hours and 20 minutes.

Rollover Accident Confines One

06-14-2008- Units were dispatched at 14:25 hours this afternoon for a reported rolled over vehicle with one person entrapped inside on Log Tavern Rd. near Bluestone Ridge.  26Rescue, 26 Engine, and Ambulance 268 under the command of Chief Mikulak (26-1) located the accident closer Dwarfskill Ct. than Bluestone Ridge.  Crews assessed the scene and found the sole occupant of the SUV confined in the vehicle and suffering minor injuries.  Personnel went to work stabilizing the vehicle and securing the hazards.  Once the vehicle was secure fire and EMS personnel worked together to remove the driver through the sunroof of the damaged vehicle.  The driver was transported to a local hospital by Ambulance 268 with minor injuries.  The Pa. State Police at Blooming Grove investigated the cause of the accident.  Dingman Township personnel operated for just under an hour on scene.

Motorcycle Accident Injures Two

06-12-2008- 26 Rescue and Ambulance 268 along with Medic 401 responded to a report of a motorcycle accident on Gold Key Rd. near Indian Pipe Ter. in Gold Key Lake.  Lt. Smyth (26-5) had the command on scene and requested an additional ambulance from the Milford Fire Department due to multiple people injured on the scene.  Additionally a 2^nd unit from Pike ALS added themselves to the response. Dingman Township Fire and EMS personnel treated injuries and controlled hazards.  Ambulance 268 and Medic 4012 each transported one patient to a local hospital for additional treatment of their injuries.  Pa. State Police at Blooming Grove investigated the incident.  Station 26 units operated 40 minutes on scene.

Gizzmo Makes His First Rescue

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06-09-2008- Shortly before 1800 hours 26 Ladder responded to an animal in distress on Columbine Ln. in Pocono Woodlands.  Upon arrival personnel were informed that a young cat had been in a tree for the last three days.  With the possibility that the little feline could be severely dehydrated due to the excessive heat that has been blanketing the area the crew quickly threw the main to begin the rescue.  Once the aerial was in place Firefighter Tim “Gizzmo” Guerra ascended to the tip and made the successful grab of the land lost feline.  With his feet firmly back on the ground, Firefighter Guerra returned the family pet back to it’s owner.  Congrats to Gizzmo for making his first rescue since becoming a senior firefighter.  It was reported that the cat has been telling his friends that he owes one of his nine lives to Gizzmo.

Morning Accident on Log Tavern Rd.

06-07-2008- 26 Rescue and Ambulance 268 were alerted at 09:39 hours for a reported vehicle into a tree on Log Tavern Rd. near the Indian Trails development.  Units arrived on scene to find a sedan had left the road way and struck a utility pole, a guide wire, and a tree coming to rest in a wooded lot.  Fire crews secured hazards and controlled traffic while the EMS crew treated a minor injury on the scene.  Pa. State Police at Blooming Grove investigated the accident.  Met-Ed Utilities was also notified to inspect their damages property.  Personnel operated for just over an hour.

Boating Accident Sends 26 Boat onto Lake Wallenpaupack

06-06-2008- Just after 2300 hours this evening 26 Boat, 26 Support, and 26 Rescue were alerted along with the Tafton Fire Company, Hemlock Farms Fire & Rescue Co., Ledgedale Fire Company, Hawley Ambulance, and Honesdale ALS Medic 504 to a boating accident with injured subjects near Kipp Island on Lake Wallenpaupack.  Assistant Chief O’Brien (26-2) was the first to arrive at Lighthouse Harbor Marina launch area and could hear the screams of the injured party from their location on the island nearly a half mile away.  Hemlock Farms’ Boat was the first to arrive and launched with a medical crew from Honesdale EMS Medic 504 on board to begin treatment on the injured parties.  Ledgedale Fire Co. Boat also launched from a different boat launch and arrived on scene to also assist the injured parties.  Crews arrived at the accident scene to find a two boat accident with two seriously injured boaters and three other boaters denying any injury.  All parties involved were able to make it to the shoreline of Kidd Island to await help from emergency services.  29 Boat and Ledgedale Boat along with the medical staff of Medic 504 transported the injured individuals back to Lighthouse Harbor to the awaiting ambulances.  26 Boat was launched to the accident scene and brought the other parties involved back to shore to be assessed by EMS personnel.  All three boats remained on scene to assist the Pa. Fish & Boat Commission with their investigation and to tow the damaged vessels back to the main shoreline.  Units were on the lake for nearly 3 hours.

Junior & Operator Training Continues

06-03-2008- For the past several months Lt. Wisniewski (26-6) has been holding in house training sessions for our junior members on Tuesday evenings.  Today the juniors and several apparatus operators in training climbed on board 26 Ladder, 26 Engine, and 26 Support for a joint training exercise at Sailor’s Landing in Gold Key Lake.  The apparatus operator trainees practiced drafting, aerial water way usage, and supplying multiple hoselines.  The junior assisted and practiced various techniques of advancing handlines as well as connecting supply lines.  Toward the end of the hot night the junior had themselves a water war to cool things off.