Editorial

From the Editor’s Desk

Dennis Whittam, Editor Are You Ready To Meet The Press?

As we enter the holiday season, I ask everyone to pause for a moment and say a prayer for our brothers and sisters who have died in the line of duty. Take the time to remember the members in your department, who have served and have passed, leaving a void in their department. Experience tells me that the fire service will never forget those members who have passed in 2022.

To our officers, who prepare to lead their companies and departments in 2023; are you ready to make a difference? Ask yourself what you can do differently in the upcoming new year to instill an awareness of safe enthusiasm. I am proud to see my company members coming down to the firehouse on their own to check the rigs, test equipment, and to make sure their gear is in order, so they can quickly and safely respond to calls.

In November, I had the honor to attend the Lt. Joseph P. DiBernardo Memorial Foundation fundraiser as a Public Information Officer. No matter how large or small an incident is, you should be following the guidelines of the Incident Command System to make sure that every aspect of your event is safely covered by a qualified and responsible person. My job was to prepare to greet the press that may or may not show up to our event. I prepared a package that gave the history of Black Sunday, and I explained the purpose of the organization and how it has helped firefighters stay safe over the past 10 years. My job was to greet the press and set up a liaison from our group who could take the press around the handson training evolutions and answer any questions that they may have had for us.

As the editor of Fire News, I often receive telephone calls, text messages and emails requesting coverage for a special event at a local fire department. I explain to the person asking for help that I will do whatever I can to help them, but I cannot guarantee that one of our photographers will be able to make the event. I let the departments know that the Fire News photographers are freelance reporters, who typically cover emergency situations in their area. During my conversation, I will often ask, “Do you have a Public Information Officer?” It is my hope that they do.

APIO is the perfect job for a senior member who has good communication skills and knowledge of their department’s events. Today, with the advent of cellphones, word processing skills and email operations, your PIO can get photos and a writeup to all the local press, Fire News included. Your local fire academy often has a class to teach your PIO what to say and what not to say. Yes, sometimes the PIO must explain to citizens why certain situations appear to have gone wrong at a call when in fact nothing went wrong at all. A good PIO is a buffer between the public and the chief. Achief really cannot say he didn’t know something went wrong. APIO can say, “Let me get back to you on this.”

PIOs should start out slowly. Prepare a few photos and copy, about the event and send the information to Fire News. Now that Fire News has grown to 12 editions, turn to page three to find the email address for your paper.

I look forward to your stories. Have a safe holiday season!

- Dennis

Family Time

FirefighterVinny Dominick and his nephew get togetherat the Winona Fire Department Open House. - Fire News photo provided by Vinny Dominick

Winona Lake Fire Prevention

The Winona Lake Engine Company and the Orange Lake Fire Company went to the Meadow Hill School to teach the students about fire prevention. The kindergarteners and first graders came out to see the tools on the truck. Inside the school, the students received a talk about fire safety. Everyone received fire hats. - Fire News photo by Vinny Dominick

Cover Story 2-Alarmer in Rochester

Just before 2230 on October18, 2022, Rochesterfirefighters were dispatched fora house fire on Jay Street. On arrival, companies found heavy smoke showing from the second floorof a 2-1/2 story wood frame. Engine 5 stretched a line and made a push to the second floorbut encountered heavy fire conditions and was forced to back down the stairs. Asecond alarm was struck by command as fire started blowing out multiple sides of the home on the second floor. Crews were able to knock down some of the fire from the exteriorbefore making a second push to the top floorto get the remainderof the fire. - Fire News photos by PuckStopperPhotography.com

Laundromat Fire in Latham

Latham and Boght fire departments arrived at the Latham Laundry fora dryerfire. Upon arrival smoke was billowing from the dryer. The crews quickly opened up the wall above the dryer to gain access to the fire. The fire was contained to the one dryerand the facility was able to stay open. - Fire News photo by Lori Washburn

Bronx Fatal Fire

Battalion 14 transmitted a 10-75 fora fire in a private dwelling on Quimby Avenue. Units encountered heavy fire on the second floor of a 2-1/2 story wood frame dwelling. Tragically three children and an adult passed away as a result of the October30, 2022, blaze. - Fire News photo by Lloyd Mitchell

CarFire in Commercial Building

At 1916 on October16, 2022, the RochesterFire Department was dispatched fora carfire inside a building on Leighton Avenue. Engine 12 arrived first and confirmed heavy fire in a single-story brick commercial complex. Engine 9 quickly requested a second alarm. The fire would subsequently go to fouralarms, as crews battled heavy fire in the building and had watersupply issues. Companies went defensive and set up aerial operations to douse the flames. Aportion of the large commercial storage building was saved due to a fire wall, and crews battled throughout the night and into the next day to put the fire out and extinguish any hot spots in the rubble. - Fire News photos by Matt Leo

Page 10, Fire News, December2022

Henrietta House Fire

On October29, 2022, the Henrietta Fire District was dispatched to a house on fire on Wickwine Lane. Units en route noticed a visible header, and requested a mutual aid engine from Pittsford. The first arriving units were met with heavy fire showing from the house, and quickly commenced fire attack operations from the exterior, while also working to protect an exposure on the B side of the structure. The Brighton Fire Department was also requested to the scene mutual aid, and aerial operations were commenced with Henrietta Quint 640. The fire was brought undercontrol in roughly 45 minutes, and the cause was underinvestigation. No injuries were sustained, but two cats perished in the fire. - Fire News photo by Matt Leo 4 Civ., 4 FFInjured at Ridgewood Blaze

Engine Company 277 and LadderCompany 112 transmitted an urgent 10-75 forheavy fire out the second-floorwindow of Gates Avenue apartment in Ridgewood on October8, 2022. Battalion 28 transmitted a second alarm, quickly followed by a third and fourth, as fire extended into the third-floorapartment and shaft area. Atotal of fourcivilians and fourfirefighters suffered minor injuries. - Fire News photo by Lloyd Mitchell FDNYunits in the Jamaica section of Queens were on the scene of a suspected explosion in a commercial building on 91st Avenue near130th Street on October24, 2022. Asmall fire was quickly extinguished, and building department officials were called to the scene to determine any structural damage. - Fire News photo by FirstOnScenePhotos.com

Jamaica Explosion

Special Equipment for Queens 2-Alarmer

Atwo-alarm electrical fire in the basement of a seven-story office building on Jamaica Avenue near163rd Street in Queens kept FDNYcompanies busy on October5, 2022. The blaze required several specialized units such as Purple-K and Re-Breathercompanies. The size of the building required multiple truck companies for search and evacuation. - Fire News photo by FirstOnScenePhotos.com

FireNews.com

Fire News, December2022, Page 11 New York City Fire Museum Hosted “ANight at the FDNY Museum” Celebrating 35th Anniversary & New Exhibition

On November 3 from 1800 to 2100, the New York City Fire Museum hosted “ANight at the FDNYMuseum” to celebrate the new special exhibition “Firehouse: The Photography of Jill Freedman.” This fall also marks the Museum’s 35th anniversary at 278 Spring Street, the former home of Engine 30.

The Firehouseexhibition featured numerous images contained in Freedman’s book, Firehouse, which was released in 1977 and garnered rave reviews highlighting the honesty and grit that captured the danger, tragedy, heroism and camaraderie of being a firefighter in New York City. To create this display of heroism and heart, Freedman lived among the firefighters in the Bronx and Harlem for more than a year as she chronicled their work.

The NYC Fire Museum was joined by representatives of the Jill Freedman Estate, FDNY, and other distinguished guests. Aspecial thank you to the event sponsors: Participating Sponsors — Firehouse.com, Seyfarth Shaw LLP, and Honorary Commissioner Dorothy Marks, and Supporting Sponsors — William Norden, Paul Magda, Tepper, Tepper & Koprowski CPAs, Colonel Patrick J. Mahaney, Jr., U.S. Army (ret.), and Ms. Stephanie Simone-Mahaney. For more information about the museum and the exhibit go to www.nycfiremuseum.org.

Visiting the New York City Fire Museum COVID Information

The Museum advises guests visiting the museum to wear a mask. Directions Address: 278 Spring Street, New York, N.Y. To reach the Museum by subway, take the C or E train (8th Avenue Local) to Spring Street. Walk west 1½ blocks. Alternately, take the 1 train (IRT) to Houston Street. Walk south along Varick Street for four blocks to Spring Street. Walk west ½ block. To reach the Museum via bus, take the M10 or M21 to Spring Street. Hours of Operation Open Wednesdays through Sundays, 1000 to 1700. Advance ticketing preferred, walk-ins welcome. Admission Prices Advance tickets are preferred for General Admission: $10 for Adults. $8 for Students, Seniors, Firefighters, AAA members, Federally Disabled. $5 for Children.

Free admission - with valid ID - for:

New York City Fire Museum, Museum Council and Cool Culture members; Active and Retired FDNYand NYPD members; Active and Retired US Military service members.

About Jill Freedman

Jill Freedman was a highly respected New York City documentary photographer whose award-winning work is included in the permanent collections of The Museum of Modern Art, the International Center of Photography, George Eastman House, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the New York Public Library, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, among others.

She was best known for her street and documentary photography, recalling the work of André Kertész, W. Eugene Smith, Dorothea Lange, and Cartier-Bresson. She published seven books: Old News: Resurrection City; Circus Days; Firehouse; Street Cops; ATime That Was: Irish Moments; Jill’s Dogs; and Ireland Ever. Jill Freedman lived and worked on the Upper West Side of New York City.

Learn more about her life and work at http://www.jillfreedman.com.

Fairport Home Burns

In the evening of October25, 2022, Fairport firefighters were alerted fora house fire down the road from the station in the area of Country Downs Circle and Whitney. First arriving units found fire running from the front doorup the side of the home into the eaves and entering the attic of a castle-style dwelling. The first engine company stretched a line and knocked down the fire on the exteriorof the dwelling before entering and making a push to the second floorwhere they found a heavy body of fire. As the first line worked on the second floor, command struck a second alarm. Crews briefly would hit the fire from the exterioras crews continued to work inside as firefighters on the roof started to open up. Crews were able to keep the fire to one section of the home. - Fire News photos by PuckStopperPhotography.com

Head-on MVAin Schodack

On July 20, 2022, in Town of Schodack crews responded fora head-on collision on Route 150. The crash sent one person to the hospital by ambulance and anotherpatient was taken to the hospital by helicopter. - Fire News photos by Martin E. Miller

Page 14, Fire News, December2022 Croton ReservoirRescue

On November2, 2022, Mahopac Fire and EMS was dispatched for a full waterrescue with three people in the Croton Falls reservoir at Hemlock Dam Road with a capsized boat. With multiple units from Carmel Police and Putnam County Sheriff responding, Mahopac Falls Fire, EMS and Dive Team was added to the dispatch. Mahopac Fire Chief Andrew Roberto took Incident Command and coordinated with units from two counties. As units were arriving with boats, Carmel Police officers Detective Shea and OfficerKloskowski commandeered a boat and headed out to stabilize the three people in the water. Units met at the capsized boat, with one person being taken to shore in the Mahopac fire boat and the remaining two taken in the Mahopac Falls boat to the waiting medics on shore to be triaged and transported to Danbury Hospital. - Fire News photo by Jack Casey, PIO

DriverBurned in MVA

On June 1, 2022 at 1130, Brockport Firefighters with companies from Bergen and Spencerport responded foran MVAwith a person trapped and the vehicle on fire on Salmon Creek Road in the Town of Sweden. First arriving units were faced with a heavy smoke condition and flames shooting out of the hood with the driverstill trapped inside. Deputy Chief Jose Medina (2C-23) coordinated the extrication of the victim from the vehicle to Monroe Ambulance. The victim was still breathing when he was transported to Strong Hospital though his condition was reported as critical. Several fire extinguishers were exhausted while police attempted to extinguish the blaze before firefighters were able to lay a line from theirapparatus. Units on scene were assisted by the Brockport Fire Police, Monroe Ambulance, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Ogden Police Department and the Holley Fire Department filled in at Brockport due to the extended incident. - Fire News photo by C. R. Martin, BFD APIO At approximately 1230 on October30, 2022, Mahopac Falls Fire and EMS along with Carmel Police and Putnam County EMS were dispatched to Red Mills Market fora vehicle into a store with a person trapped. Deputy Chief Boyle arrived and confirmed that the vehicle had entered the building with the driverstill inside and one male patient was trapped between the carand building debris. The driverof the vehicle was removed by PO Kloskowski and Deputy Sheriff Sacherand placed into the care of EMS while firefighters worked on extricating the pinned victim. Afterapproximately 10 minutes, the pinned victim was freed and placed in the care of EMS. Both patients were transported by ground to WestchesterMedical Centerwith non-life-threatening injuries. Skyline Towing and Recovery removed the vehicle. Once the vehicle was removed, the scene was turned overto the Carmel Building Department. - Fire News photo by MFVFD PIO, Ellen Nistico

MVAInto Market

DeerRescue

FirefighterJoseph Schweizerfrom Goodwill Hook and Ladder Company 1 donned a drysuit and rescued a deerfrom a residential swimming pool afterit had fallen through the pool’s cover. Warwick Fire Department firefighters assisted and the deerwas safely freed and released. - Fire News photo provided by the Warwick FD

Page 16, Fire News, December2022

FASNYConvention Elections

Congratulation to the newly elected officers of FASNY. (Left to right): is past President John P. Farrell, Jr.; Vice-President Santo ‘Chan’Rivera; 1st Vice-President Gene Perry; President Ed Tase; Five-yearDirectorKen Holmes; and Home Trustee Michael Lapinski. Congratulation to all! - Fire News photo by Vinny Galvin

Remembering The Fallen

On October2, 2022, the Dutchess County VolunteerFiremen’s Association along with the Dutchess County Chief’s Association held theirannual Firefighter’s Memorial at the Dutchess County Emergency Centerin Poughkeepsie. This is the time of yearwe rememberall those firefighters and auxiliary who have answered theirfinal alarm. In attendance were members of the Dutchess County VolunteerFirefighters Association, Dutchess County Chief Council, emergency response officials, elected officials and about 70 firefighters who were there to rememberthose who were gone. This year68 names were read off with the bell tolling foreach name. Finally, a wreath was laid at the headstone by DCVFA2nd Vice President John O’Brien and David Alfonso Fire Coordinator Dutchess County Department Of Emergency Response. Abig thank you goes out to J.H. Ketcham Hose Company and Roosevelt Fire Department forbringing theirladdertrucks so we could hoist a flag, and the Salt Point Fire Company fortheirengine as well as all those who attended the service. - Fire News photo by Vinny Galvin, DCVFA

FASNYRemembers Its Fallen

Recently, the FASNYAnniversary Convention was held in Tarrytown. There was a joint memorial service forthose who answered theirfinal alarm in the previous year. - Fire News photos by Vinny Galvin, HVVFA