Archive for Web Administrator

FCFD addresses signs

It has been brought to our attention that signs mentioning “Fire/EMS” have been appearing around the fire district in recent weeks. Persons placing these are not acting on behalf of the Fredericktown Community Fire District or the Fredericktown Firefighters Association. Our organization does not endorse the statement being displayed, or the information being provided by those involved.

If you have questions regarding this matter or to be provided with information that the FCFD fire board and leadership are working on, please contact Chief Scott Mast at 740-694-9701.

Our next meeting of the fire board is on April 11, 2018 at 7:00pm.

Town Hall to be held tomorrow night at the firehouse

In pursuit of keeping the community informed of the daytime staffing solutions that have been presented to our fire board, the FCFD will be conducting a town hall meeting.  The meeting, conducted by the firefighters will be held on Thursday, March 29 at 7:00pm.

The members of the Fredericktown Community Fire District welcome you to your firehouse, 139 Columbus Road to listen to concerns from the community, talk about the current situation, share the proposed solution, and answer questions.

After the town hall session, firefighters will be on hand to tour attendees through the firehouse.

 

Fire destroys Lucerne Road Barn

CH411, E419, E413, T417, R415, and G414 were dispatched at 4:18pm on Tuesday evening to the 14000 block of Lucerne Road in Wayne Township on the report of a fully engulfed barn fire with an exposure nearby.  Tankers from College Township and the Big Walnut Joint Fire District (Morrow County) responded mutual-aid on the call

When CH411 arrived to scene, he found a full engulfed barn fire, roughly 20×30 that was mostly on the ground with a home nearby to the north.  Two 1 ¾” attack lines were stretched from E419, and the incoming crews worked to coordinate fire suppression.  Crews worked to tear apart the piles of metal siding and wooden structure to get access the fire burning underneath.

Water supply was established using a hydrant at the nearby Delco Water plant on Lucerne Road.  Tankers were used to shuttle water to the scene.

The original call on the fire was from the neighbor.  No one was at the property at the time of the fire.  The cause of the fire is undetermined.  The structure and contents were a total loss.

In total the FCFD had 14 firefighters and one cadet respond to the call. All units were back in quarters by 6:06pm.

Berlin Township Trash fire burns out of control

CH411, G412, and G414 were dispatched at 6:27pm on Monday evening to the 11000 block of Yankee Street in Berlin Township on the report of a trash fire.

When CH411 arrived to scene, he found a trash fire that had gotten out of control and had burned roughly a half acre and was still moving. G414 was used for suppression, and the crew utilized a rake to break up any debris that was still on fire.

The occupants at the property were advised of the Ohio burning laws.

In total the FCFD had nine firefighters respond to the call. All units were back in quarters by 7:09pm.

FCFD Divers get tangled up in training

Divers with the Fredericktown Community Fire District took part in a slightly different training than usual on Saturday at the firehouse. No, the department has not added a pool to the facility, but rather the firefighters setup one of the portable tanks used to supply water on the fire ground and utilized it for a training area. Underwater in the photos are FCFD divers Ben Beever and Tom Durbin. At the communications is diver Lt. Kevin Suain.

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), one of the leading dangers that divers can deal with is becoming entangled in something while in the water. Search lines, wires, debris, and aquatic plants are all possibilities that can cause them to get hung up. Unlike a fire scene where firefighters can get grouped into rescue teams, the availability of rescue divers is harder to come by.

After getting geared up the divers entered the very shallow water and had their facemasks obscured to disorient them similar to being under water. In waters throughout the fire district, the majority have very little visibility, especially once a diver comes in contact with silt in the area and stirs it up. Once under the water in the portable tank, the divers kept communicating with a dive tender by utilizing tethered communications, updating on progress and likewise the tender advising what he saw as well. Those helping with the exercise would continually tangle the divers in different manners to challenge their skills to not only recognize the emergency, but also work to free themselves and keep calm during the process.

The FCFD area has 630 acres of public recreational lakes, not including rivers, streams, ponds, and quarries that it is also responsible for protecting and responding to. Utilizing two different types of boats, a dive rescue trailer, and a variety of safety equipment, the dive team is available by mutual-aid anywhere they are called.

FCFD mutual aid to Lundy Lane

CH411, E419, T417 were dispatched at 2:08am on Monday morning to the 7000 block of Lundy Lane in Liberty Two on the report of residential structure fire. This was a mutual-aid call with the Mount Vernon Fire Department.

All FCFD units were cancelled while enroute to the scene. The FCFD had 9 personnel respond to the call. All FCFD units were back in quarters by 2:28am.

Members get a refresher on the MARCS system

On Thursday night for regular training, our personnel took a refresher training on the MARCS Radio system utilized with Knox County and some surrounding counties. Teaching the course was Arlin Bradford from VASU Communications.

The MARCS radio is the lifeline for our firefighters, proper use and understanding is necessary. A great number of questions were generated throughout the evening as Arlin went over current knowledge and upcoming changes that will help in running with mutual-aid departments.

Did you know? Two month wrap-up

Did you know? During the first two months of 2018 the FCFD responded to a total of 39 calls? During the weekday hours our response time to get the first truck out the door was 8.5 minutes, and 15.06 before the first one arrived on scene.

To compare numbers, on the weekend the numbers are vastly different. During the weekend (daytime hours) our response time to get the first truck out the door is 3.5 minutes and 6.5 minutes before the first one arrived on scene.

Daytime hours are our most difficult time due to more and more responders working outside of the district. Over the course of the last 10-15 years the makeup of the ranks have changed.

This is a trend that has been monitored by leadership and presented to the board of trustees during the process of planning for daytime staffing. Last week in Morris Township it was again presented to the public.

Firefighters respond to pump basement of Morris Twp. home

CH411, G412, G414, R415 were dispatched at 2:06am on Sunday morning to the 14000 block of Upper Fredericktown Road in Morris Township to assist a homeowner with water in the basement.

Upon arrival to the scene, crews found a large amount of water in the basement. Firefighters assisted in getting the homeowners pump drafting water to clear out the basement.

All crews were back in quarters by 3:09am. The FCFD had a total of 8 firefighters respond to the call.

Firefighters train on stretching hose lines

FCFD firefighters were out last night for regular training at a local residence they will be using of the coming months. Crews worked together as they practiced two different loads that our department utilizes on apparatus. Repetition, building muscle memory!