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APRIL, 2015
ALL HANDS PRIVATE DWELLING IN THE BRONX
JOHN HOPPER
On February 7th at approximately 2:20 p.m., companies turned out to Box 3802 at 4025 Lowerre Place at East 227 Street for a report of a fire in a private dwelling. - See full story on page 9
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- Page 10
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April, 2015
1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY
Plane skids off runway at LaGuardia Airport On a snowy March 4, 2015, at approximately 11:00 a.m. at Queens' LaGuardia Airport, Flight 10-86 inbound from Atlanta with a ruptured wing and a fuel leak attempted to land. Due to snow JUMP TO FILE # and icy conditions, 030615103 the plane skidded off the runway, hit a fence, and nearly landed in the Long Island Sound. The plane immediately started leaking more fuel, causing a dangerous hazmat condition. The plane was quickly selfevacuated with help from the crew on board. Port Authority Police units immediately responded and notified the FDNY. Queens Dispatch automatically sent a second alarm assignment for Box 0037 at 93-01 Grand Central Parkway, which is the LaGuardia Airport Delta Terminal. Rescue Company 4 was informed that the plane was not in the water only up against a fence. Moments later, the 14th Division transmitted a 10-86 (fluoroprotein foam operation) assigning Engine 238 with Foam Tender 238, Engine 294 with Foam Carrier 294, Engine 96 with Foam Carrier 96, Engine 206 with Foam Carrier 206, Engine 207 with Satellite 6, Engine 326 with Purple K 326, Engine 84 with Purple K 84, Hazardous Materials Company 1, Hazmat Battalion and the 35 and 12 Battalions as foam coordinators. Port Authority units did a primary search of the plane, confirming all passengers were removed. FDNY units also did a search and advised there were no serious injuries. All 130 passengers and crew were removed to the terminal. Division 14 advised that there was approximately 300 gallons of fuel on the ground and that it was contained and covered in foam. The fuel was eventually mitigated by Hazmat Company 1 and numerous foam units. Satellite and hose wagon units provided a positive water source if needed. In total, there were 16 minor injuries and one was transported to Forest Hills Hospital. The incident was placed under control with a two hour and 50 minute duration.
STEVE WHITE
JOHN HOPPER
STEVE WHITE
All hands on Staten Island with fatality
- JOHN HOPPER
On February 14, 2015 at 3:13 p.m. firefighters were alerted to 1286 Rockland Avenue in Staten Island. Crews arrived at the two story garden style apartment complex, 50x60, and had one fatality and multiple smoke inhalation victims. They had a report of a fire on the first floor with a victim trapped. A fire victim was taken out of the fire apartment from the first floor by FDNY members and was rushed to the hospital, where the victim later succumbed. The fire was knocked down in less than a half hour.
Visit us at our website, www.1rbn.com JOHN HOPPER
1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY
April, 2015
PAgE 3
Firefighter safety, is everyone getting the message? Part II STAYING SAFE Chief Henry Campbell
When you think of firefighter safety what comes to mind? What comes to my mind, and should to yours, is that you want to return from each call in the same condition you were in when you responded, career or volunteer firefighter. Your family expects it and your fellow firefighters and department expect it. We have seen many and various slogans for safety over the years and the one I like best is “Safety Is No Accident”. It can be interpreted two ways, first as not having or being injured due to an accident. The second interpretation meaning you have to work at staying safe, it just doesn’t happen by chance (accident). The major issue is getting all fire and EMS personnel involved in working and practicing safe work habits. Simple personal tasks that are ignored on a regular basis increase the annual death and injury toll in the fire service. Buckling into a seat belt prior to responding takes just seconds, yet many firefighters continually fail to do so, often resulting in death and injury if the apparatus is involved in a crash or rollover. Some departments are now issuing some form of discipline to personnel who fail to buckle up. How about emergency apparatus drivers, who fail to operate their vehicles in a safe manner and to consider and comply with all traffic regulations and department SOG’s when responding? Don’t let the adrenaline rush cause you to take foolish chances. Getting the crew and apparatus safely to the scene of the incident is an important responsibility of the driver and officer. Adding a minute or more to the response time in order to arrive safely far outweighs excessive speed and the possibility of being involved in a crash. Apparatus and personal vehicles responding to and returning from alarms contribute to between 20 and 25% of the annual death toll. On February 5 of this year, a fire chief from a small town in Illinois was killed when he was
run over by an apparatus backing up. The Illinois State Police reported the fire department was attempting to close a road for a helicopter to land in a medical emergency. I don’t know what the circumstances were surrounding the accident, but there are safety rules that govern safely backing apparatus in order to prevent such tragedies from occurring. How will this tragedy impact the family, community, fire department and the apparatus driver? In a small department in a small community it may have a lasting effect. Cigarette smoking, obesity, and lack of physical agility and conditioning contribute approximately 50% of the annual firefighter death toll through stroke and cardiac arrest. If there is one item that contributes to so many medical conditions it is cigarette smoking, and for many, difficult to stop. Failure to use seat belts, lack of control when driving fire apparatus or private vehicles, which result in motor vehicle rollover and/or crashes, along with stroke and cardiac arrest are the main causes of firefighter deaths. It is these major areas that add 60-70% of the annual firefighter death toll, and it is within these areas that we must improve our safety and education. Firefighting and emergency scene activities are dynamic, leading to a variety of issues that can result in death or injury, some of which we have no control over. We do have control over the aforementioned and therefore all personnel should strive to reduce carelessness, recklessness, and bad habits while encouraging all members to do the same. By stopping unsafe behavior, you will be successful in improving the level of safety within your department then you have accomplished much; a safer work environment for you and your fellow firefighters. Don’t be shy about speaking up to those fellow firefighters about their disregard for firefighter safety, point out the proper and safe way to perform a task. Let them know how it impacts them and all their brother/sister firefighters in the department. You just might save a life, maybe theirs, and maybe even yours! Till next time, Stay Safe and God Bless!
ALLEN EPSTEIN
Auto body shop fire in Queens On February 25, 2015, a fire broke out in an auto body show at Myrtle Avenue and Cypress Hill Street in Queens. The main body of fire was quickly knocked with one hose line. Trucks checked the roof, but found no extension. No injuries were reported by civilians or first responders on the scene. The cause and origin are under investigation by local officials.
APPARATUS IN ACTION If you have photos you would like to see in our Apparatus in Action feature please upload them on our website www.1stResponderNews.com or email them to Heather@1stResponderNews.com.
JOHN HOPPER
Engine Company 46 - 2015 KME Engine 2000/500
Additional columns by Chief Campbell can be found on our website at www.1rbn.com
JOHN HOPPER
Tiller Ladder 40 - 2013 Seagrave 100' TDA
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April, 2015
1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY
220 Engine and 122 Truck FDNY HOUSES FDNY HOUSES by Larry Woodcock
Welcome to Park Slope, Brooklyn, which has become one the best neighborhoods in the city leaving its rough and tumble label in the past. Located on the border of Prospect Park between Flatbush Avenue and the Prospect Expressway, Park Slope can be traced as far back as 1814 when ferry service linked Brooklyn with Lower Manhattan. By the early 1880’s, many wealthy New Yorkers moved into large Victorian mansions along Prospect Park West to have dramatic park views. Row houses, brownstones, Queen Anne’s, block after block became part of this landmark district in 1973. This historic district contains over 1,800 buildings spread out over a thirty block span and were built primarily between 1862 and 1920 in a variety of architectural styles, popular at the time. Park Slope made the national registry of historic places in 1980. Prospect Park, Brooklyn’s gem as I call it, houses a zoo and a lake along with several notable landmarks. The brick and stone castle structure, which is the Park Slope Armory at Eighth Avenue and 14th Street built in 1893, was designed to resemble the medieval military structures in Europe. It was built for the New York state Militia. It was added to the registry of historic places in 1994. At 530 and 532 11th Street, off Eighth Avenue, is the quarters of 220 Engine and 122 Truck, each with a different house. The truck firehouse was built in 1882 at two stories and with a wood frame is the oldest active house in the borough. Its architect is unknown. The engine house was built in 1907 and is a three story brick structure designed by Walter Parfitt, an architect famous for civic designs as well as four other firehouses in the city. Through the 1950’s and the 1960’s, the neighborhood declined as many of the wealthy and middle class families fled for suburban areas, leaving the area with vacant and rundown buildings. By the late 1980’s, the working class trend continued and through the early 1990’s the neighborhood came back. An influx of professionals contributed to an explosion in property values that made Park Slope one of the wealthiest communities in Brooklyn. From 1879 to 1889, the
LARRY WOODCOCK
Brooklyn atlantics, who later became the Brooklyn Dodgers, played at Washington Park located on 5th Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets until the park was destroyed by a fire in 1889. They came back and played in the new Washington Park located between 1st and 3rd Streets and 3rd and 4th Avenues until 1913. Part of the wall from the park still stands on Third Avenue, at what is now a Con Edison yard. The old stone house located on 5th Avenue between 3rd and 4th Avenues is a farm house used by
one of the first Dutch families in 1699. It is now a historic interpretive center open to the public. On December 11, 1960 two planes collided over Staten Island. One crashed into Miller Field. The other crashed into Sterling Place and Seventh Avenue, Park Slope setting numerous buildings on fire. Firemen both on and off duty responded and made numerous rescues under extreme conditions. They operated on scene for over 100 hours. The crash killed all 128 people on board both planes and another six on the ground.
This was an event that highlighted another historic chapter for the FDNY. Engine 220 was organized as Engine 20, Brooklyn Fire Department in November of 1882. It changed to Engine 20 FDNY in 1898. They changed to Engine 120 in 1899. They changed again to 220 Engine in 1913. 122 Truck was organized as 72 Truck in December of 1907. They changed to 122 Truck in January of 1913. Both companies had numerous medal recipients and unit citations along with five line of duty deaths.
Today, the neighborhood population exceeds 64,000. When visiting Brooklyn, stop by the quarters of 220 and122 if you have an affinity for history. Be sure to walk through Prospect Park a must see. stop by La Villa Pizzeria on 5th Avenue off of Carroll Street for some really good pizza done in wood burning ovens. Visit Farrell’s Bar on 16th Street at Prospect Park West. It is quintessential Brooklyn and there will always be a New York City fireman or cop partaking in the festivities, off duty of course.
1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY
April, 2015
Page 5
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April, 2015
1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY
ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE IN STATEN ISLAND To see your photos in the newspaper, upload them on our website www.1stResponderNews.com or email them to Heather@1stResponderNews.com
STEVE WHITE
The color guard for the FDNY Emerald Society marches up Forest Ave. for the Staten Island St. Patrick's Day parade.
STEVE WHITE
The Bini Foundation engine at the St. Patrick's Day parade in Staten Island.
STEVE WHITE
The Bini Foundationmemorializes Rescue 5 firefighter Carl V. Bini, who was killed on September 11,2001. It raises money for various charity organizations.
STEVE WHITE
Rescue 5 in the St. Patrick's Day parade.
STEVE WHITE
Ladder 79 in the St. Patrick's Day parade.
STEVE WHITE
Firefighters Pete Falcone(left) with firefighters Anthony Scalisi (middle) and Justin Kaplan in the Staten Island St. Patrick's Day parade.
1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY
April, 2015
PAgE 7
IN SERVICE If you have photos you would like to see in our In Service feature please upload them on our website www.1stResponderNews.com or email them to Heather@1stResponderNews.com.
FDNY Engine 96 - 2015 KME Engine
JOHN HOPPER
JEFF CRIANZA
EMS responds to pedestrian strike
JOHN HOPPER
On Thursday, February 26, 2015, at 8:20 p.m, police responded to a 911 call of a motor vehicle collision involving a pedestrian struck near the intersection of Webster Avenue and East 174 Street. EMS responded to the location and transported the aided male to Saint Barnabas Hospital, where he was pronounced DOA. Upon investigation, ofďŹ cers determined that the tractor trailer, exiting the eastbound Cross Bronx Expressway exit ramp of Webster Avenue, attempted to make a right turn onto Webster Avenue when it struck the male, who was trying to cross Webster Avenue. The driver remained on the scene. There are no arrests and the investigation is ongoing by the NYPD Collision Investigation Squad.
FDNY Engine 316 - 2015 KME Engine
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April, 2015
1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY
PATCHES If you have photos you would like to see in our Patches feature please upload them on our website www.1stResponderNews.com or email them to Heather@1stResponderNews.com.
JOHN HOPPER
Bronx second alarm extends upward On a cold February 16, 2015 at approximately 9:30 a.m., Bronx companies turned out to 2075 Bainbridge Avenue between East 194 and 195 Streets for a reported smoke condition in the building. Battalion 19 arrived on scene and transmitted a 10-75 for a heavy smoke condition while companies tried to locate the seat of the fire.
JUMP TO FILE #021615116
The 19 then transmitted a 10-70 (water supply required) sending Engine 72 with Satellite 2. Moments later, the fire extended from the basement to the first and second floors and com-
mand transmitted a second alarm. The fire was quickly knocked down and the fire was placed under control with an approximate one hour duration. Due to a fire in the South Bronx earlier, some units were relocated and caught work. - JOHN HOPPER
ROBERT PAV (FDNY RETIRED)
FDNY Ladder 128
1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY
April, 2015
PAgE 9
APPARATUS IN ACTION If you have photos you would like to see in our Appartus in Action feature please upload them on our website www.1stResponderNews.com or email them to Heather@1stResponderNews.com.
RICHIE YORK
The Mask Service Units (2003 Freighte /Hackney) will soon be getting replaced with new apparatus built by Freightliner/Seagrave.
JOHN HOPPER
All hands private dwelling in the Bronx On February 7th at approximately 2:20 p.m., companies turned out to Box 3802 at 4025 Lowerre Place at East 227 Street for a report of a fire in a private dwelling. Bronx dispatchers assigned a fourth engine, Rescue 3 and Squad 61 and advised all units responding that they were going to work. They were getting multiple calls and reports of people trapped.
JUMP TO FILE #020915109
Moments later, Battalion 15 transmitted a 10-75 (working fire) for a fire on the second floor of a two and a half story private dwelling. Tower Ladder 51 was assigned as the FAST truck, Battalion 27 as the all hands chief and Division 7.
The fire was quickly knocked down with slight extension to the top floor. The fire was placed under control with a duration of 31 minutes. Units assigned were Engines 63, 62, 66, 79, Ladders 39, 32, 51 as the FAST truck, Rescue 3, Squad 61, Battalions 15, 27 and Division 7.
JOHN HOPPER
FDNY Tower Ladder 127, a 2006 Seagrave 75' aerialscope tower ladder, operating an all hands fire on 111th Avenue as the FAST truck
- JOHN HOPPER
JOHN HOPPER
FDNY Rescue 3 (spare), a 2007 Pierce Pierce Arrow XT (ex-Rescue 1), operating at an All Hands fire on White Plains Road
JOHN HOPPER JOHN HOPPER
FDNY Engine 303, a 2003 Seagrave engine, operating at an all hands fire on 111th Avenue as the second due engine.
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April, 2015
1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY
The forgotten memories of the blue soldiers
ON THE BOOK SHELF On The Book Shelf by John Malecky
The Forgotten Memories of the Blue Soldiers By Leo P. LePage, Jr. Available from: FSP Books & Videos 188 Central Street, #4 Hudson, MA 01749-1330 1-800-5228528 E-mail: support@fire-police-ems.com www.fire-police-ems.com Price: $19.95 This is a soft cover book measuring 6 inches by 9 inches and has 263 pages. The author is a retired sergeant from the Hartford, Connecticut Police Department and this is his second police book. His first book, The Badge, the Street and the Cop, was reviewed one year ago. If you read it and it made an impression on you, you will not want to miss reading this latest one. To refresh your memory, the first book was about the author who worked during the 1960's era where there were no portable radios. They were memoirs about him. This second book is memoirs about members of the police department that he worked with. As gruesome and horrific the first book was, this book is the same and even worse regarding the incidents that occurred to others on the job. I can honestly say that with some of these chapters, I could never have
imagined that human beings can behave as some did. Once you think you've read the worst, another horrible story from the next chapter hits you. There are 21 chapters, many of which have a side story named, "Cop Talk" at the end of the chapter's story in which the author and some of his former coworkers reminisce about stories from the past, a good portion of which I would say were things you can laugh about. They might serve as a bid to dilute the horror that is in the chapter and they take place at a favored establishment frequented by cops. I would be remiss if I did not mention two stories about female police officers, one of which was the first female on the HPD. The memoirs about these women and their dedicated service is worth reading about. The first female in the HFD was enlisted in some special assignments that were best assigned to her gender. One of them which she volunteered to do when presented with the problem at hand was something most people would not do including myself. Read about her assignment and the outcome in the book. Other chapters cover those who were just plain crazy for lack of a better term! There are stories of cops being shot with no word or warning as well as other assaults that would make the reader appreciate what they do and how their lives are put on the line everyday they work. It is a very good book to read for those who have strong stomachs!
ALLEN EPSTEIN
Fire in Long Island City factory On February 9, 2015, FDNY firefighters were alerted to a fire in a factory at 33 Street and 47 Avenue in Queens. Crews arrived at a factory in Long Island City and found that the sprinklers doused the fire in the large building.
STEVE SOLOMONSON
Water main break in Sheepshead Bay On February 14th, FDNY was called to the intersection of Ave Y and E 23 St for a reported water main break. FDNY Ladder 169 discovered a large amount of water coming up from the street in the area of the base of the fire hydrant. Some of the sidewalk started to crack, but the FDNY and DEP were able to find the shut off valve in about 45 minutes. The block of residents were without water for several hours.
ALLEN EPSTEIN
Three car MVA in Queens On March 1, 2015, the Hurst tool was used to remove the driver of a vehicle after an accident occurred at 71 Street and Metropolitan Avenue in Queens. Two other patients were removed as well. All were transported to local hospitals with what appeared to be non-life threatening injuries. On the scene were Engine 319, Ladder 140, Rescue 4 and Battalion Chief 28.
1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY
April, 2015
PagE 11
PATCHES If you have photos you would like to see in ourPatches feature please upload them on our website www.1stResponderNews.com or email them to Heather@1stResponderNews.com.
JOHN HOPPER
Bronx fire smolders in walls On February 6, 2015 at approximately 3:30 p.m., a child caller called in a report of a fire at Gun Hill Road and Dekalb Avenue. Bronx dispatchers sent a response of three engines, two trucks and a battalion chief. Moments later, another call came in reporting a shed fire at 212 Street and Jerome Avenue, just a few blocks away. Thinking it was one in the same, the Bronx redirected Engine 81 and Ladder 37 to that location. 37 arrived on scene shortly
JUMP TO FILE #020915112
after and advised there was a large shed smoking on the train tracks above Jerome Avenue and requested a tower ladder. Tower Ladder 51 was assigned. Battalion 27 arrived and transmitted a 10-75, sending a response of one additional engine, a ladder as the FAST truck, Rescue 3, Squad 61, an additional battalion and Division 7.
Companies gained access into the shed and located a fire smoldering in the walls, the shed had electrical equiptment for the train tracks. The fire was eventually knocked down using dry chem and the incident was placed under control approximately two hours later. The units on scene were Engines 81, 62, 38, 63, Ladders 37, 32, 51, 39 as the Fast truck, Rescue 3, Squad 61, Battalions 27, 15 and Divison 7.
ROBERT PAV (FDNY RETIRED)
FDNY Squad 270
- JOHN HOPPER
Colliers Mansion conditions at Bronx second alarm On the early morning of February 18, 2015 at approximately 12:15s a.m., FDNY dispatchers started receiving numerous phone calls reporting a fire in a private dwelling at 819 East 228th Street between Barnes and Bronxwood Avenues. Engine 63 arrived on scene moments later and transmitted a 10-75 for a fire in the basement of a private dwelling. Battalion 15 arrived on scene and put All Hands to work and requested an additional engine and truck, Engine 79 and Ladder 37 were assigned. The fire extended from the basement and extended to the first floor. JOHN HOPPER
JUMP TO FILE #021815100
It was quickly knocked down but due to "Colliers Mansion" conditions, it was difficult to conduct searches and hit all pockets of fire. Division 7 transmitted a second alarm for relief purposes due to the conditions, assigning Engines 82 acting 66, 90, 88, 324 from Queens transporting Satellite 4, Ladders 33 and 61. All other special units were turned around and the fire was placed under control at 1:39 a.m. - JOHN HOPPER
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April, 2015
1st Responder Newspaper - FDNY