fire news new york state may 2013

ServingFire, Rescue

& EMSHeroes InNY State

W W W.FIRENEWS .COM MAY 2013VOLUME 6, NO. 7

– New York State Edition –

Fire News Welcomes AllTo FDIC

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In the early morning hours of morning of March24, 2013, the Village of Wappingers Fire Depart-ment, was dispatched by Dutchess County 911 fora reported house fire on Downey Avenue. Turn topage 7 for the full story.

-Fire News photo by Bill Johnson

FireNews.com Fire News, May 2013,

In this issue...Fully Involvedin CatskillA Hamburg Road Extensionhome was engulfed in flames on March 25, 2013.

See story on page 6

See story on page 10



Multiple Calls Received in SchenectadyA request for a second alarm brought all of the city's apparatus to the scene.

Fire Department of the City of New YorkCoverage of the FDNY begins with athree-alarm blaze in the borough ofManhattan.

Abandoned BuildingBurns in City of BeaconCrews remained on location until the next day to extinguish hot spots.

PLUS:Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 4

Industry News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 16

Business Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 28

Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 29

James ‘Senior’ Cole Answers Last AlarmJames “Senior” Cole passed away suddenlyon February 21, 2013.


Letters to the Editor, byline articles, and columns represent the opinions of the writers andphotographers and are not necessarily the views of the Fire News. We reserve the right toedit all of the above. We are not responsible for errors in advertisements beyond the cost ofadvertising space. Copy submitted is subject to editing for space requirements. The placingof an advertisement in this publication does not constitute endorsement. Contents are copy-righted. Editorial and advertising copy cannot be reproduced without written permission fromthe publisher. Fire News is published monthly by Fire News LLC, with corporate offices at 146South Country Road, Bellport, NY 11713.


ArlingtonGas ExplosionA gas explosion blew windows outinto the front yard of an Arlington home.

A Service for New York State Firefightersand EMS Heroes

146 South Country Road, Bellport, NY 11713

FRANK C. TROTTA, PublisherTIM EDWARDS, Executive Editor

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, Fire News, May 2013 FireNews.com

From theEditor’s

DeskDennis Whittam,

Editor

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Fire News recently learned that under current law, contributionsinto certain LOSAPs (Length of Service Award Program) cannot beguaranteed to volunteers, meaning that they are vulnerable to cred-itors if the department goes bankrupt. Also, according to theCongressional Fire Service Institute, a federal cap established in1996 on annual contributions into a LOSAP has never been adjust-ed for inflation, reducing the value of the LOSAP funds for manydepartments. CFSI also pointed out that LOSAPs that are treated asprivate plans are subject to stringent reporting requirements.Thanks to, Congressman Peter King a bill, known as the VolunteerEmergency Services Recruitment and Retention Act was intro-duced (H.R. 1009). The bill will clarify the tax treatment ofLOSAPs. In addition, Senator Susan Collins (ME) and SenatorCharles Schumer (NY) introduced S. 506, companion legislation toKing's H.R. 1009.

Collins and Schumer also introduced S. 501, the VolunteerResponder Incentive Protection Reauthorization Act, a distinctlyseparate piece of legislation. This measure would exempt from fed-eral income tax any property tax benefit and up to $600 per year ofany other type of benefit that a state or local unit of governmentprovides to volunteer emergency responders as a recruitment orretention incentive.

It is imperative that you follow the Congressional Fire ServiceInstitutes (CFSI) coverage of these bills. You should visitwww.cfsi.org on a regular basis to provide you with informationand updates as CFSI works with the bill sponsors, the national fireservice organizations and the relevant House and Senate commit-tees on these important bills.

By visiting CFSI.org on a regular basis you will learn whatpolitical leaders are the fire service's true friends in government.Thank you Congressman Peter King, Senator Susan Collins andSenator Charles Schumer for the support you are giving to the fireservice. …Dennis

Do You Know HowCFSI Helps You?

ANNUALPHOENIX FIRECAMP

The 7th Annual Phoenix Firecamp, a free weeklong overnightcamp for girls ages 14-19, will be held July 21-26, 2013, at theUtica Fire Training Academy. The program, conducted by FireService Women of NYS, Inc. (FSWNYS), in partnership with theWestmoreland Volunteer Fire Department and the Utica FireDepartment, is designed to acquaint young women with their oppor-tunities in fire and emergency services.

Phoenix Firecamp is free, except for a non-refundable $100application fee. A maximum of 24 campers are accepted annuallyfrom a national field of candidates. Applications are now beingaccepted and must be postmarked by May 1, 2013 to be considered.All the Phoenix information and the application are posted at:www.fswnys.org.

TRAINING SEMINAR SUPPORTS JOSEPH P. DIBERNARDO

FOUNDATIONThe First Annual Training Seminar to benefit the Joseph P.

DiBernardo Memorial Foundation will be held on June 29 throughJune 30, 2013, at 0800 to 1700. In honor and memory of “Joey D,”the foundation is presenting a two-day training seminar. Learn fromsome of the top fire department instructors in America. Speakingwill be Deputy Chief Vincent Dunn, FDNY (ret.), Firefighting inPrivate Dwellings and Strip Malls; Battalion Chief FrankMontagna, FDNY, Utility Emergency Tactics; Battalion Chief JohnSalka, FDNY (ret.), Get Out Alive training; Captain Mike Dugan,FDNY (ret.), Truck Company Operations; Capt. Bobby Morris,FDNY, Forcible Entry Tactics; Capt. Tony Tricarico, FDNY (ret.),Elevator Emergencies; Firefighter John O'Connell, FDNY (ret.),Collapse Shoring Updates. There will be a special introduction byFDNY Chief of Department Ed Kilduff. The seminar offers 16hours of solid training from the best of the best. All of the proceedsgo to the foundation for the purpose of saving firefighters livesthrough training and the purchase of personal life saving ropes.

The cost for the two-day seminar, which will be held at theBrookhaven National Lab, is $200, paid in advance. To get to theBrookhaven National Lab take exit 68 on the Long IslandExpressway (LIE), north on the William Floyd Parkway, CountyRoad 46, 1.5 miles north of the LIE.

Send checks to the Lt. Joseph P. DiBernardo MemorialFoundation, P.O. Box 47, East Setauket, NY 11733 or pay viaPayPal/credit card on our website www.joeydfoundation.org. Pleaseinclude the name, address and email of attendee(s).

Photo identification is required to enter BNL. There is limitedseating so register early for this event. Contact Chief DiBernardo [email protected] or 631-689-7484 with questions.

FIREFIGHTERJOHN JANOS

ANSWERS LASTALARM

Fire News regrets to announce thatBinghampton (Broome County)Firefighter John M. Janos passed awaywhile on duty at Quint 21-3. He had24-1/2 years of service with theBinghamton Fire Department.According to the Binghampton FireDepartment, FF Janos, along with his department, had answered a callduring the overnight (0021 hrs) at 23 Henry Street for an automatic firealarm and they climbed the stairs to check the building. After the callhe was not feeling well. They checked on him at approximately 0730this morning and found him deceased in the bunk room. Fire Newsoffers its sincere condolences to all affected by this tragedy, especiallythe officers and members of the Binghampton Fire Department, hisfriends and most importantly, Firefighter Janos' family. Visit the City ofBinghampton Fire Department website: http://tinyurl.com/d79j6ma,the IAFF Local 729 website: www.iaff729.org/ and the Broome CountyEmergency Services website: www.gobroomecounty.com/e911/ formore information. Fire News hopes to bring you coverage of the funer-al in our next edition.

Where Are YourDepartment’s Photos?

We would like to remind our readers that we are alwayshappy to receive photos and stories.

Feel free to e-mail your photos to [email protected]. We ask that any photo you do send be high resolution (300 dpi or better) and that you do not retouch, crop, alter orreduce your photos in size when you e-mail them to us.

Please send two to four photos per incident. Also, include abrief write-up of the incident, event, or family news, whichincludes basic “who, what, when, and where information.”

We look forward to seeing your department in our next issue. - Ed.

MAIL TO:Fire News · 146 South Country Rd. · Bellport · NY 11713Name _________________________________________Address ________________________________________City ___________________________________________State____________________________Zip ___Phone # (_____) _________________________________E-mail __________________________________________Credit Card No: ______-______-______-______Exp. __________ V-Code (3 digit code from back of card) ____________

Call 631-776-0500 Ext. 1Fax 631-286-6866

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Ethan Lynn Amsbaugh, ofPriority Response Ambulance,Mount Union, PA, who died in theline duty on June 2, 2012, ofinjuries sustained in an ambulanceinvolved motor vehicle collision.

Ruben Berrios, of FDNYEMS, Brooklyn, NY, who died inthe line duty on December 10,2012, of complications from work-ing 9-11 WTC site.

Luis Bonilla, of Mayo OrganTransplant Team, Rochester, MN,who died in the line duty onDecember 26, 2011 of injuries sus-tained in a medical aviation acci-dent.

Peter P. Carbonneau, of VanBuren Ambulance Service, VanBuren, ME, who died in the lineduty on April 8, 2012, of a on-dutycardiac event.

James M. "Jim" Dillow, ofREACT, Rockford, IL, who died inthe line duty on December 10,2012, of injuries sustained in amedical aviation accident.

Gene Grell, of Mercy AirMed/Med-Trans, Mason City, IA,who died in the line duty onJanuary 2, 2013, of injuries sus-tained in a medical aviation acci-dent.

Billie J. Grills, of CarterCounty EMS, Grayson, KY, whodied in the line duty on November11, 1986, of an intercerebral hem-orrhage while on-duty.

David Hines, of Mayo OrganTransplant Team, Rochester, MN,who died in the line duty onDecember 26, 2011, of injuries sus-tained in a medical aviation accident.

Karen Marie Hollis, ofREACT, Rockford, IL, who died inthe line duty on December 10,2012, of injuries sustained in amedical aviation accident.

Justin Michael Hueston, ofVernon County AmbulanceDistrict, Nevada, MO, who died inthe line duty on September 25,2012, of injuries sustained in amotor vehicle collision.

Shell Lair-Langenbau, ofMercy Air Med, Mason City, IA,who died in the line duty onJanuary 2, 2013, of injuries sus-tained in a medical aviation acci-dent.

Andrew H. “Andy” Olesen, ofREACT, Rockford, IL, who died inthe line duty on December 10,2012, of injuries sustained in amedical aviation accident.

Russell Piehl, of Mercy AirMed, Mason City, IA, who died inthe line duty on January 2, 2013, ofinjuries sustained in a medical avi-ation accident.

David Restuccio, of LIJ/StatenIsland University Hospital EMS,Staten Island, NY, who died in theline duty on August 27, 2012, ofinjuries sustained in an ambulanceinvolved motor vehicle collision.

Joseph V. Schiumo, of FDNYEMS, Brooklyn, NY, who died inthe line duty on December 9, 2013,of complications from working 9-11 WTC site.

Ray Shriver, of Teton CountySheriff's Search & Rescue,Jackson, WY, who died in the lineduty on February 15, 2011, of oninjuries sustained in a SAR avia-tion accident.

E. Hoke Smith, of Mayo OrganTransplant Team, Rochester, MN,who died in the line duty onDecember 26, 2011, of injuriessustained in a medical aviationaccident.

Timothy Kyle Southern, ofPriority Patient Transport,Harrisonburg, VA, who died in theline duty on January 6, 2012, ofinjuries sustained in an ambulanceinvolved motor vehicle collision.

Joshua A. Weissman, ofAlexandria Fire Department,Alexandria, VA, who died in theline duty on February 9, 2012, ofinjuries sustained in a fall from abridge while operating at the sceneof an MVC.

‘The Ultimate Sacrifice’National EMS Memorial Service Releases Names of 2013 Honorees

The National EMS Memorial Servicereleased the names of the 19 individualsfrom 10 states to be honored at the 2013National EMS Memorial Service to beheld Saturday, June 22, 2013, in Colorado

Springs, CO. The 19 individuals beinghonored this year join 601 others previ-ously honored by the National EMSMemorial Service. The 2013 NationalEMS Memorial Service will be conduct-

ed at the Pikes Peak Center in ColoradoSprings. Additional information can befound at http://nemsms.org.

NATIONAL EMS MEMORIAL SERVICE 2013 HONOREES


Three Alarm BlazeBeat in Circleville

On March 27, 2013, a three-alarm fire broke out in a 2-1/2 storyframe structure on King Road in the Circleville Fire District(Orange County). Upon arrival of firefighters, a working fire wasdeclared. Mutual aid from Bullville, Pine Bush, WashingtonHeights, Silver Lake, Coldenham, Montgomery and Mechanics-town responded to the call. An excellent aggressive interior attackwith three lines knocked down the flames with no reportedinjuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation by OrangeCounty Fire Investigators. -Fire News photo by Steve Lenz

Fully Involved in Catskill

A Hamburg Road Extension home was engulfed in flames onMarch 25, 2013, at about 1230. Catskill Fire reported that therewas a possible chimney fire at that location. An additional secondcall reported that the house was fully involved. The fire hadextended to the roof of the home. Apparently the homeownerattempted to put out the fire before calling the fire department.The lack of water, high winds and exploding acetylene tanks ham-pered the firefighting operation. The home was a total loss and onefiremen received minor burns. He was treated at the scene.

-Fire News photo by Chuck Adsit


Village of Wappingers Fatal FireCover Story

On March 24, 2013, the Village ofWappingers Fire Department, Mobile LifeSupport Paramedics, and the Village ofWappingers Police were dispatched byDutchess County 911 for a reported house fireon Downey Avenue. In less than a minute,Village Police Officer Matt Kemlage arrived atthe location and advised DC911 of a working

fire. There were also reports of a person possi-bly trapped in the structure.

Due to the heavy fire on arrival, it made itimpossible for firefighters to enter the structureas well as unlikely that anybody could survive.The New Hamburg Fire Department wasrequested to the scene to supply additionalwater and manpower.

Three people escaped the residence and afourth person was later found deceased in asecond floor bedroom. The fire’s cause is underinvestigation by the Dutchess CountyDepartment of Emergency Response FireInvestigation Division and the Village ofWappingers P.D.


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Call Steve Jackson, at 845.242.6114 in Hudson Valley & Northern Westchester, NY

Call Tom Tobin, at 518.461.3356 in Capital District, NY

Call Jim Conboy at 570-934-2296 in the Twin Tiers of PA & NY

Call Steve Schuman, at 516.731.1616 in Long Island & Southern Westchester, NY


EarlyMorningStructure

Fire inValhalla

On March 17, 2013, at 0200, theValhalla Fire Department was dis-patched to the area of LivingstonAvenue and Entrance Way for a struc-ture fire. Upon arrival units foundheavy fire coming out of a secondfloor window and through the roof ofa vacant house. Valhalla's mutual aidassignment was immediately called,which brought in a ladder from NorthWhite Plains, an engine fromThornwood, a FAST unit fromElmsford, an engine from Hawthorneon standby and a tower ladder fromWest Harrison on standby. A crewfrom Valhalla Volunteer Ambulance

Corp also responded. Crews began aninterior attack on the second floor fireas fire spread throughout. The blazewas complicated by a roof collapse,which lead to the evacuation of fire-fighters. An exterior attack with amaster stream from the tower ladderensued. Firefighters were eventuallyable to re-enter the house and extin-guish the fire. Westchester CountyCause and Origin and the Mt. PleasantPolice Department are investigatingthe cause of this fire.

-Fire News story by Daniel Lester -Fire News photos

by Anthony Ciancio


Kitchen Fire Knocked Downat the Valleyview Apartments

On March 16, 2013, Boght, Latham and theMaplewood fire departments responded to astructure fire at the Valleyview Apartments.Upon arrival, a heavy smoke condition com-ing from both sides of the apartment complexwas observed. The departments worked

quickly to get an unattended kitchen fireunder control before it could spread to any ofthe other units. The complex was evacuatedand only one apartment was damaged.

-Fire News photos by Lori A. Washburn

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Schenectady firefighters received multiple reports of a house fireon Avenue A near Station 4's quarters. Upon seeing smoke from theapron of the firehouse, a request for a second alarm was made,bringing all of the city's apparatus to the scene. Flames on the sec-ond floor had extended into the attic. Firefighters knocked downthe flames in less than an hour. All occupants of the home escapedthe smoke and flames. -Fire News photos by Peter Barber

Multiple Calls Received in Schenectady


Bullville Goes to Work

March 21, 2013, at 1130, Bullville (Orange County) firefightersresponded to a reported structure fire on Long Lane in the BullvilleFire District. Upon arrival, firefighters reported a 2-1/2 story framedwelling was fully involved. A third alarm was transmitted with arequest for a tanker task force. Approximately 60-100 firefighters

from eight departments assisted at the blaze. Firefighters were ham-pered by lack of water and utilized tankers for a water supply. Thefire destroyed the home. No injuries were reported for the operation.

-Fire News photo by Steve Lenz


Three-Alarm Blaze Battled in Plattekill

Plattekill firefighters responded to a three alarm structure fire onQuaker Street in Plattekill on March 10, 2013. The fire was in aduplex-style frame building. Mutual aid was requested to the scenefrom Modena, Wallkill, Cronomer Valley, Orange Lake andColdenham. Numerous neighboring departments were placed on

standby for companies that were out at the fire. An aggressiveattack was made by all companies, which prevented the fire fromspreading to an attached building. The cause of the incident wasinvestigated by the Ulster County Cause and Origin Unit.



On March 21, 2013, New Windsor Fire Department was toned out fora structure fire on Windsor Highway. Upon arrival, command report-ed a fully involved structure fire with heavy fire and smoke consuminga commercial establishment. A request for a second alarm was made tobattle the flames. It was necessary to bring in a third alarm assignmentto battle the blaze that was hampered by cold weather conditions. Once

the fire was knocked down, overhaul operations commenced and thefire was declared under control. Responding departments includedNew Windsor, Vails Gate, the City of Newburgh, Stewart Air Guard,Cornwall, Cornwall on Hudson, Dan Leghorn, Good-Will, Washing-tonville and West Point and New Windsor EMS, as well as the NewWindsor Police Department. -Fire News photos by Gary Hearn

New WindsorThird Alarm


Fire News photographer Lori Washburn recently spent a day withfirefighters from around the state at the Rexford Fire Department asthey learned techniques and information that could help make sure theycome home after a fire. MacBoston 18 Truck is an organization dedicat-ed to the memory of New York State Fallen Firefighters, who have diedin the line of duty. Drawn together by tragic calls resulting in the loss offirefighter lives, career and volunteer firefighters from state-wide joinedtogether and formed MacBoston in 1996. The not-for-profit organiza-tion has grown since its inception and has purchased 5 pieces of retiredapparatus. The group attends funerals, parades, musters, memorial cer-emonies and conventions of fire service groups. Their trademark is thehuge American flag that they proudly fly from their ladder trucks.Besides providing support to fire department families, they also providesupport in their commitment to the fire safety by organizing large train-ing symposiums geared towards saving firefighter lives.

MacBoston 18 Truck recently held its 2013 Annual Seminar at theRexford Fire Department. The day long winter training seminar consist-ed of multiple topics. The morning seminar Thermal Insult Recognition(a fresh look at modern fuels; fire dynamics and the limitations ofP.P.E.) was lead by Lt. William Greenwood, City of Keene FireDepartment. The afternoon session included "From Xbox to the BoxAlarm: Understanding, Motivating, Training and Leading Today'sFirefighters. This was lead by Chief Tiger Schmittendorf, author,instructor and emergency manager. Chief Schmittendorf serves theCounty of Erie (Buffalo, NY) Department of Emergency Services asDeputy Fire Coordinator, managing three training academies and 45 fireinstructors in coordinating the training of 97 fire departments and over5000 firefighters. He created a recruitment effort that doubled his ownfire department's membership and help net over 525 new volunteers.

The second afternoon session was conducted by Chief Gerald Paris,Jr. Chief Paris is Past Chief of the Shaker Road-Loudonville FireDepartment. He is currently the First Deputy Chief Fire Coordinator forthe Town of Colonie. He is a Nationally Certified Instructor 2 and FireOfficer 3 and specializes in Mayday, F.A.S.T and Firefighter Survivaltraining. The session was called Advanced SCBA Skills. Beginningwith the basics of mask confidence the class progressed into an in depth

instructional program of the firefighters most important piece of equip-ment, the SCBA. Firefighters spent hours crawling through a variety ofobstacle courses, each meant to test their ability to escape from variousconditions. The grueling obstacles pushed each firefighter, new or sea-soned, to manage their stress, think outside the box, while watching outfor themselves and their partner. Firefighters were taught to exit haz-ardous situations with air and without air. Each firefighter left withmore knowledge to share with their fellow brothers and sister.

-Fire News photo by Lori A. Washburn

Seminar Held at the Rexford Fire Department

PennWell today announces the winningteams in the 2014 JEMS Games AdvancedClinical Competition held during the EMSToday Conference & Expo, a PennWell event;the conference is a leader in providing qualityeducation for emergency medical services(EMS) worldwide.

Each year, the JEMS Games are produced asa special event at the EMS Today Conference &Expo. The goal of the games is to provide EMSprofessionals with a valuable combination ofeducation and competitive rivalry. Teams fromaround the U.S. competed in the preliminaryrounds of the competition on Wednesday, March6, 2013. The top three teams competed in thefinal round on Friday evening, March 8, 2013,attracting a crowd of over 450 people.

The games present competing teams withpatient care scenarios that test each three-personteam’s skills as EMS professionals. Each teamhad 20 minutes to manage five challengingpatients.

The game’s final scenario involved a multi-ple-patient incident involving a pediatric seizurein the audience of a dignitary speech. Whilecrews cared for the child, his father suffered amassive heart attack and became progressivelyworse, forcing teams to split up and care for theextra patient. The mother and wife of theinvolved victims returned from the restroom tofind her family in distress and became hysterical,causing the teams to also manage her emotionalcondition.

When all seemed to be under control by eachteam, a sniper in the rear balcony fired several“shots” at the dignitaries on the stage, strikingone in the chest and upper leg, resulting in severebleeding, shock and a collapsed lung that had tobe managed rapidly. Security personnel returnedfire and critically wounded the sniper who tum-bled over the balcony to the floor below. He wasmortally wounded but still required a rapidassessment by each team.

The realistic, complex and challenging sce-nario was developed by industry experts andJEMS contributors who know the obstacles pro-fessionals face on a daily basis.

Emergency services personnel look to theJEMS Games to create realistic situations inwhich they can test their skills and competeagainst fellow EMS professionals. Additionally,the final competition grants attendees in theaudience quality continuing education based onthe scenario and accompanying mini-lecturespresented in between each team’s participation.

The EMS Today Conference & Expo pro-vides training, which is one factor in the key toprofessional success, and the JEMS Games bringthat training to life, providing a hands-on teach-ing aspect.

The JEMS Games Founding Sponsor isLaerdal Medical Corp. Supporting sponsors for2013 JEMS Games were: Ferno, HartwellMedical, Innovative Healthcare Corporation,Moulage Concepts, QuickClot and Karl Storz.Prizes for the teams were donated by Ferno,Laerdal Medical, QuickClot and Vidacare.

More information on the EMS Today

Conference & Expo or the JEMS Games may befound at EMSToday.com.

PennWell Public Safety, a PennWell businesslocated in La Jolla, Calif., produces public safe-ty products and services including JEMS(Journal of Emergency Medical Services),FireRescue Magazine, Law Officer, EMS TodayConference and Exposition, JEMS.com,FirefighterNation.com, LawOfficer.com andother products.

About PennWell CorporationFounded in 1910 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, PennWellCorporation is a privately held and highly diver-sified business-to-business media and informa-tion company that provides quality content andintegrated marketing solutions for the followingindustries: Oil and gas, electric power genera-tion and delivery, hydropower, renewable ener-gy, water and wastewater treatment, waste man-agement, electronics, semiconductor manufac-turing, optoelectronics, fiber-optics, aerospaceand avionics, LEDs and lighting, fire and emer-gency services, public safety, and dental.PennWell publishes over 130 print and onlinemagazines and newsletters, conducts 60 confer-ences and exhibitions on six continents, and hasan extensive offering of books, maps, websites,research and database services. In addition toPennWell's headquarters in Tulsa, Oklahoma, theCompany has major offices in Nashua, NewHampshire; London, England; Houston, Texas;San Diego and Mountain View, California;Fairlawn, New Jersey; Moscow, Russia; andHong Kong, China. www.pennwell.com.


2013 Jems Games Advanced ClinicalCompetition Winning Teams Announced

Team FDNY Earns Gold Medal in EMS Clinical Competition at EMS Today Conference & Expo, Washington, D.C.

2013 JEMS GAMES WINNING TEAMS

1st Place (gold medal) team:Team FDNY EMS, from the

Fire Department of New YorkThe 2nd Place (silver medal) team:Cumberland County (N.C.) EMS

The 3rd Place (bronze medal) team:Sussex County (Del.) EMS

The 1st Place, gold medalist teamreceives a $1,000 cash prize and

each team member receives acomplementary three-day registration

to the 2014 EMS Today Conference andExposition, which will be held in

Washington, D.C., February 4-8, 2014.

THE 2013 JEMS GAMES TEAMSTHAT PARTICIPATED IN THESEMI-FINAL COMPETITION

WERE:Bensalem EMS (Pennsylvania)

Cumberland County EMS(North Carolina)

Harpur's Ferry Student VolunteerAmbulance Service (New York)

Humboldt General Hospital (Nevada)Lucas County EMS (Ohio)

New Britain EMS (Connecticut)Queen Anne's County Dept. of

Emergency Services (Maryland)Surry County EMS (North Carolina)

Sussex County EMS (Delaware)Team FDNY (New York)


Chief Perkins Recognizedfor 50 Years of Service

FASNY Second Vice-President Kenneth M. Pienkowski (right)shakes hands and congratulates past-Chief Tom Perkins of theBaldwinsville Fire Department in Onondaga County, as he preparesto hand over an official FASNY Proclamation honoring ChiefPerkins for his 50 years of service to the Baldwinsville FireDepartment. The event was at the Departments Annual InstallationBanquet held at the Double Tree Hotel in East Syracuse on January12, 2013. -Fire News photo by Gordy Kotars

Rescue 42, Inc. recently relocated its offices and factory toaccommodate the planned manufacturing expansion for both therescue product divisionand the new VAULTproduct line. The newbuilding, located at 370Ryan Avenue, was once a

Fleetwood Motorhome manufacturing plant. Rescue 42's portionof the facility encompasses nearly 20,000 square feet of manufac-turing floor and 3,000 square feet of office space.

In business since 1995, Rescue 42 has undergone numerousmoves as the company continues to expand production of its pop-ular fire/rescue tools including the TeleCrib Stabilization Systemand Shark Collapsible Cribbing. The last facility was custom builtfor the company five years ago, but was quickly outgrown. "Weare astounded at how much growth Rescue 42 has experience overthe years," said owner Tim O'Connell. "With every move we'vedoubled or tripled our space, and outgrown it within just a fewyears forcing us to lease secondary warehouse spaces offsite."This move, once again, brings all of Rescue 42's operations underone roof and gives everyone a bit of elbow room. "We had peopleand equipment piled up to the ceiling in both the factory and in theoffice," said O'Connell about the old building. "We had simply runout of room to increase the volume of our current rescue productsand could not begin production on our new VAULT line".

The expansion of the production lines will be executed instages to minimize down time, but several upgrades to the exist-ing system were executed during the move. New power systemswere installed to support the machinery and welding stations,while the compressed air and vacuum systems got a much neededupgrade. Future plans include adding more manufacturingmachinery and expanded welding and assembly stations.Production on the new VAULT Mobile Solutions line is expectedto begin shortly.

As a tight-knit, family-style operation, everyone at the compa-ny pitched in to help pack, run new wiring, assemble furniture andmake countless truck laden drives between the two locations(which were only about two miles apart). Despite all their hardwork, the employees made sure to have fun with it too. "We had avery rainy November/December in Chico, so before the move, weset up some cones in one of the empty shops and let our kids ridetheir bikes for a few hours," said Sales and Marketing ManagerLydia Agurkis. "The kiddos were very disappointed when wemoved a whole bunch of equipment into their race track!"

Because of the enormous size of the overall property, asRescue 42 continues to grow, more space can be acquired on site,hopefully eliminating the need for another move in the future.Visitors are welcome to stop by for a tour of the new facility at370 Ryan Avenue, suite 120 near the Chico Airport. Please callLydia Agurkis, Sales and Marketing Manager at 888-427-3728 foradditional information or to request a tour.

Rescue 42 Product GrowthPrompts Relocation to

Larger FacilityNew location quadruples floor -

allows for huge expansion


Haz-Mat Responds in East Greenbush

On March 29, 2013, a small fire broke out in a room that contained hazardousmaterials. The incident brought Haz-Mat teams from all over Rensselaer County tothe University Place address in East Greenbush. Firefighters quickly extinguishedthe fire. The haz-mat teams were dispatched to the scene to address concerns overthe chemicals that were being used in the building. The incident was safely broughtunder control. -Fire News photos by Tom Heffernan

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The City of Beacon Fire Department,Volunteer Ambulance, and Police Department,along with the Village of Fishkill responded toa fire in the administration building at the for-mer Craig House Psychiatric Hospital offRoute 9D on March 20, 2013.

The two-story building was located off asnow covered, un-maintained road that made

access for apparatus impossible. Village ofFishkill firefighters were able to get their lad-der up the driveway near the building and afive-inch supply line was laid to Route 9D forwater. The fact that the building was aban-doned and all its doors and windows weresecurely boarded up, complicated the battle.The decision was made to remove all personnel

from the building. Crews remained on the scene until late in

the afternoon the next day as crews worked toextinguish hot spots and investigators workedto find a cause. The Rombout and Glenham firedepartments stood by in Beacons quarters dur-ing the incident.

-Fire News photos by Bill Johnson

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On March 14, 2013, the New Hackensack Fire Department was dispatched for and resi-dential fire alarm at home on Cedar Hill Road. Assistant Chief Paul Bucher arrived onscene and found that the house was heavily charged with smoke. He requested a full struc-ture fire assignment as well Hughsonville’s FAST Unit. Chief Bucher forced the front doorand as he began to make his way down the hallway, located an unconscious female. Hedragged the female to the front door where he was assisted by Firefighters Fred Smith andChris Morely in removing her. The victim was the turned over to waiting Town ofWappinger/TransCare Medics who stabilized and transported her to St Francis TraumaCenter. Once there, she was immediately flown by Stat-Flight to Westchester MedicalCenter for treatment. Firefighters searched the residence and found no other occupantsother than two greyhounds who did not survive. The fire was investigated by the DutchessCounty Department of Emergency Response Fire Investigation Division and the New YorkState Police-Wappinger Barracks. The victim was released from the hospital after threeweeks of treatment and is reportedly doing well. -Fire News photos by Bill Johnson


Arlington firefighters were dispatched duringblizzard conditions for a reported explosion andfire in a residence on Marple Road. Firefightersarrived to find a well involved two-story, raised-ranch with several windows that apparently wereblown out in the explosion, laying in the front yard.

As firefighters began their attack on the fire,

Arlington paramedics began treating two occu-pants who were in the residence at the time of theexplosion. Both occupants were stabilized at thescene and the transported to St Francis HospitalTrauma Center for further treatment. As crewsmade their attack, the smell of natural gas becamestronger and all personnel was ordered to remain

outside of the structure. Central-Hudson Gas andElectric sent numerous gas crews to the scene andthey shut down gas to the area as they tried tolocate the leak.

The City of Poughkeepsies FAST unit stoodby as Arlington worked to extinguish the fire.



Good-Will Responds to Explosion

Recently the Good-Will Fire Department responded to a morning call on NorthPlank Road for an explosion. It turned out that a gas tank at a local stationexploded when work crews were putting in new tanks. The call was handled byGood-Will Car 1. The Town of Newburgh Fire Department and the Town ofNewburgh Police Department responded to assist with the call.

-Fire News photos by Vincent Dominick


OccupantEscapes

Flames inSchenectady

Schenectady firefighters were alerted to a house fire on Grand Boulevard. The occupantof the home escaped the fast moving fire and ran to a neighbor's house to call 911. Engine4 was the first unit to the scene and discovered the living room was well involved. A sec-ond alarm was sounded for extra man power to respond to the scene. The fire wasbrought under control in less than an hour. No injuries were reported for the operation.

-Fire News photos by Peter Barber


PlattekillCommand

Command at the Plattekill three-alarm fire:From left to right are: Rick Cameron,Charlie Piper and Chief Chris Mancuso.


Well Donein Plattekill

Wallkill's bravest pose for group shotfollowing three-alarm fire in Plattekill.From left to right are firefighters May,Walker, Belarge and Lt. DeGraff

-Fire News photo by Stephen Lenz


New Hackensack FirefightersReceive Propane Training

Firefighters in New Hackensack were recently educated aboutpropane by Dutchess Community College Fire Science ProgramDirector Dave Walsh, and Rich Muellerleile of Star GasCorporation. The two went over the properties and hazards ofpropane gas, showed examples of various storage containers, andreviewed the safety mechanisms built in to the modern gas grill

propane tanks. Firefighters were then shown how effective the newsafety mechanisms were in the event a tank is involved in a fire,compared to a tank that did not feature the newer safety upgrades.At the end of the class, there was a review of an educational propanedelivery truck, which featured a cut-away tank.


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Woodstock Receives Pet Masks

The Woodstock Fire Department received a donation of three petoxygen mask kits. These kits were donated by Oxygen Masks forPets, a non-profit organization. These specially designed maskscome in a range of sizes allowing them to be used on many differ-ent animals, including dogs, cats, ferrets and even birds. TheOxygen Masks for Pets organization was started by JanetFincannon. Veterinary News Oxygen Masks for Pets is a complete-ly non-profit organization that runs solely off of donations. If youare interested in making a donation visit www.oxyenmasks4pets.com. Several departments in the Hudson Valley are currentlyusing these masks. Most recently, in the City of Newburgh, a catwas rescued from the first floor of a second alarm structure fire.This same oxygen system was used and the cat appeared to be mak-ing a good recovery. -Fire News photos by John C. Miller


James ‘Senior’ ColeAnswers Last Alarm

It is with deep regret that the Old Forge Fire Departmentannounces the passing of active firefighter James “Senior” Cole. Hesuddenly passed away on February 21, 2013. He was 70-years-old.“Senior” was a dedicated American, first serving in the US Army onactive duty from 1964-1966 and Army Reserve until 1970. He was aretired sheet metal worker with Local 38 in Brewster. “Senior” joinedthe Montrose Fire Department at the age of 18 and rose to the rank ofchief and fire commissioner. He was recently awarded his 50-years-of-service pin. Jim eventually moved to Old Forge, where he contin-ued his passion for the fire service by joining the Old Forge FireDepartment. He served as captain, training officer and provided greatfood for the members at their meetings. He enjoyed seeing the newrecruits advance and safely execute the skills he taught them with hisbooming instructional voice.

A firematic funeral was held by the Old Forge and Montrose firedepartments. This was a fitting location for the wake and was a trib-ute to his legacy. Covey-Pashley Post 893 provided taps, while hisdepartment provided the traditional 5-5-5-5 ringing of the bell. James“Senior” Cole will be missed by everyone whose life he touched. Amemorial donation can be made in his honor to the Old Forge FireDepartment, PO Box 1170, Old Forge, NY, 13420.

Obituary


New York Fire Photoswww.nyfirephotos.com

Dennis Whittam

Phone: 631-473-3821Email:[email protected]

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To advertise in theFire News Business Directory Call

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Three-Alarmin Manhattan

On Monday, March 18, 2013, firefighters inManhattan went to work to battle a three-alarm fireon Fulton Avenue in downtown New York City. Theblaze broke out around 0200. This was the secondtime they were called to this location in a week. Thistime, a fire was started on the second floor and wentup to the fifth floor and continued through the roof.Heavy black smoke and flame resulted in firefightersbeing pulled out to make an aggressive exteriorattack. The fire was safely brought under controlwithout incident.

-Fire News photo by Wayne Carrington

Flames Beatin the

North BronxFirefighters went to work in the Wakefield sectionof the North Bronx on March 18, 2013. Battalion 15arrived on location, only to find heavy fire showingon the first floor of a two-story, frame privatedwelling that was on a dead end street. A secondalarm was transmitted and the fire was safelyknocked down in about 20 minutes. No injurieswere reported for the call.

-Fire News photo by Mike Messar


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Terry Farrell FireFighters Fund“Surplus Equipment Program” has assisted fire departments throughout

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the generous support of Long Island Fire Departments.We now need the help of volunteers to assist us with

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Haz-Mat Responds in Brooklyn On March 21, 2013, the Belt Parkway came to astandstill when a van overturned and went onfire. Firefighters from Brooklyn responded tothe westbound Belt Parkway at the drawbridgenear the Flatbush exit to handle the incident.The van was from a graffiti cleaning service.New York Police Department ESU units alsoresponded to assist with the call. FDNY haz-matand Squad 252 responded to the incidentbecause of the chemicals the van was carrying.The driver escaped the incident with only minorinjuries. -Fire News photo by Bill Bennett

News from theNYC Fire MuseumEngine 93's original rig, a 1912 American-LaFranceMetropolitan tractor-steamer. The steamer made itsfirst run with Engine 93 in 1913, and has returned toquarters for their Centennial Celebration on March20, 2013. The vehicle will then be returned to the NYCFire Museum for everyone to see. At the same time themuseum also moved their 1959 Mack Searchlight tothe shops to be checked out. Hopefully, this vehicle willend up as a parade vehicle. Visit www.nycfiremuse-um.org to learn about the NYC Fire Museum.

-Fire News photo by Damon Campagna


FDNY Motley Crews on IceKing of the Ice Teams — April 2, 2013

Engine 14 - Engine 65

Engine 315 - Ladder 125

Engine 308 and Engine 293

Engine 88 - Ladder 38 Engine 207 - Ladder 110



Battalion 6

fire news new york state may 2013

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