The Tower Ladder was delivered to Micro Fire Apparatus in Allentown, PA less than two months ago and we have received our first update on the re-hab process.  The entire unit has been stripped of hardware, handles, lighting, compartment doors, fender wells and all areas of corrision have been removed or replaced.  The jumpseat area has had new diamondplate installed and is being prepared for the cab enclosure.  The rear of the unit has been removed and will be replaced with new aluminum that will be painted and then covered with chevron striping for safety.  Next week the boom will be sandblasted and painted, followed by the cab and body.  We will post more updates as information becomes available. 

On Saturday, June 27th at 0444 hrs. the Queen Anne’s County 911 Center received a report from a Sheriff’s Deputy of a possible building fire at The Church Hill Lumber Company. Upon further investigation, the Deputy confirmed a fire inside the building located at 562 Main Street and immediately requested a Fire Department response. Commercial Box 5-1 was dispatched bringing Companies 5, 4, 6 and 7 along with County Paramedics. This incident took place while Engine 55, Rescue-Engine 7 and Engine-Tanker 7 were operating on a working building fire in Kent County Company 6’s area. Engine 52 responded under the direction of Firefighter Chris Coursey and upon arrival encountered heavy smoke and moderate fire conditions in the first floor of the retail section of the building. Firefighter Coursey then established Main Street Command as the initial Incident Commander. Engine 52 along with personnel from Paramedic 600 deployed a 2 ½” attack line to a door on Side Alpha and advanced a 1 ¾” attack line into the structure. An interior attack was initiated and a good knock was put on the visible fire in the retail space. Engine 64 arrived, proceeded to Side Charlie and forced entry through a garage door where their crew began to make an interior attack. Rescue-Engine 7 arrived and assisted the crew on Side Charlie with their attack. With conditions rapidly deteriorating, the call was made to back all companies out and regroup. Quint 6 arrived and set-up for master stream operations on the Alpha/Bravo corner. After approximately ten minutes, the fire had gained momentum, forcing units to back away from the building and go totally defensive.

 The Maryland State Fire Marshal was requested due to the building being unoccupied for over a year and no electric service to the building. The power company was requested to secure electrical service around the building. Delmarva Power made the response and cut all power to the immediate area until such time the fire operations would allow for it to be turned back on. A Second Alarm was requested at that time bringing Companies 3, Kent, MD 6, Caroline 700, Kent, MD 4 & Kent, MD 7. Assistant Chief Jester arrived on the scene and after a face-to-face with Firefighter Coursey took over Command responsibilities. A Third Alarm and Tanker Task Force was then requested bringing Companies 2, Caroline 400, Caroline 600, Kent, MD 3, Kent, DE 51, Kent, DE 56 and Talbot 80. Chief Hurlock arrived on the scene and after gathering information from Assistant Chief Jester, assumed Command with Assistant Chief Jester being assigned as Operations. A Command Post was established with Chief 5 across the street in a neighbors yard. Paramedic 600 and 400 established a rehab area across from the structure on the south side while Ambulance 6 established a rehab area on the north side. EMS 3 assisted the Chief at the Command Post.    

 Units on the north side of the incident noticed a dwelling on the Alpha/Bravo corner approximately fifty feet away beginning to take heat and assigned a crew to check the dwelling and deploy exposure lines. Siding on the Delta Side of the dwelling sustained heat damage but there was no extension into the dwelling. Exposure protection lines flowed on the dwelling until the bulk of the fire in the original fire building was knocked at which time the intense heat was contained.

 Kent, MD Truck 7 was positioned on the Charlie/Delta corner for master stream operations with a supply line from Caroline County Tanker 606. Engine 32 was directed to go to The Pond Development off of Route 300 to establish a water supply from a dry hydrant in the development. Lieutenant Collins initially assumed the north side water supply officer and had the crews at the draft site stretch a line through the Rhodes’ Store parking lot to Main Street where Kent, MD Rescue-Pumper 4 reverse laid a 4” supply line and supplied the north side water operations with Caroline Tanker 704 until such time Engine 32 had problems holding a draft. Caroline Engine 401 was then moved to the north side draft site along with Engine 55 to re-establish the draft. Captain Williams was then assigned as the north side Water Supply Officer. Caroline County Officer 715 (Bartz) was assigned as the south side Water Supply Officer. A water supply was established on the south side at Walnut Street & Oakmont Avenue - the entrance to the Hunt Development using Rescue 700 as the drafting piece. Caroline County Engine 603 was assigned to check the Hunt Development due to the amount of embers traveling in the air towards that area. Engine 603 reported embers were in the area but no hazards were indicated.

 With Quint 6 being in jeopardy of fire damage, the unit was moved away from the building. Approximately two minutes after moving Quint 6 the wall on the Alpha Side of the warehouse collapsed outward into the parking lot where Quint 6 was originally positioned. Tower 4 was then brought to the Alpha Side near the Bravo corner to set-up for master stream operations. Then due to Kent Truck 7’s inability to extinguish certain areas of the building on Side Alpha, Truck 2 was set up at the Alpha/Delta corner to extinguish those areas. Truck 2 and Tower 4 began extinguishing the bulk of the fire and remained in operation for approximately an hour. Personnel from incoming units were placed on handlines and the monitoring device from Engine 55.

 Tanker shuttle operations continued until the need for the amount of water being flowed was no longer necessary. With the fire contained to the original fire building units started to become available from the scene as they were ready as operations had began to wind down. The State Highway Administration detoured traffic on the north and south side of the incident closing Main Street for the remainder of the operation.    

 The situation was placed under control at 0810 hrs. with all units working. The Fire Marshal’s investigation began and units worked around that area mopping up in various locations. At 1020 hrs. Command held all Church Hill units, Engine 64, Caroline Engine 703 & Engine 25 for further mop-up. Once the Fire Marshal concluded his investigation, mop-up was completed and Command released the mutual aid units. Due to the collapse of both sections of the building, an excavator was requested to assist with breaking apart some of the debris. The 911 Center contacted a contractor from the St. Michaels area who responded with a full compliment of equipment within an hour and a half.

 Church Hill units remained on location until 1550 hrs. assisting the excavation crew extinguishing hot spots. Due to the immense heat, a fiber optic cable was damaged knocking out cable TV, Internet and some phone service in the area. An Atlantic Broadband representative responded and assessed the situation. Cable between two poles directly in front of the store will need to be replaced. Once all but a few hot spots were extinguished, the remaining Church Hill units cleared turning the scene over to the excavating company, Command was terminated.

Engine 55 staffed with three volunteers responded at 0302 hours on Kent County Box 6001 for a working fire at Bramble's Construction Company located at 603 Morgnec Road.  Kent County Company 6 units arrived to find a large commercial building well involved and started defensive operations only.  Engine 55 arrived at the second entrance to the complex and laid 1000' of LDH to set up on the Alpha/Delta corner.  At that point the crew deployed the portable master stream and an attack line to the Delta Side for fire attack.  QA Engine Tanker 7 arrived and supplied our line.  Our lines were in service until Command placed the fire under control and units started to take up.  The engine company operated for just over two hours after which responded at 0504 hours on the working fire at Church Hill Lumber Company.

Eight minutes after both engines backed into quarters from the MVC on Route 213, Local Box 0504 was struck at 1402 hours for a reported vehicle fire in front of 320 Big Woods Road.  Engine 55 & Engine 52 were on the street immediately and given an update from Queen Anne's advising that fire involved a golf cart.  As the apparatus left the "Town Limits" a smoke column was visible miles away.  E55 arrived with one four wheel ATV well involved with the crew deploying the front bumper line.  The crews from both engines made quick work of the fire and overhauling the scene.  The five personnel were back in service within thirty minutes.  Captain Williams had Big Woods Road Command.

Rescue Box 0512 was struck at 1254 hours alerting Company 5, Kent County Company 6 & Queen Anne's ALS units for an MVC with rollover involving three vehicles in front of 6716 Church Hill Road.  Engine 52 arrived confirming same with Captain Williams establishing Command. The crews from E52 & E55 began to assess the occupants who were all out of the vehicles on arrival.  Two patients were packaged and transported by Kent PM8 & PM600 to Chester River Medical Center.  The crews from Company 5 and Kent County E64 secured the vehicles and handled a fuel leak from one of the passenger cars.  The five volunteers from Church Hill operated for one hour on this incident.

Forty minutes after crews returned from the previous MVC, Rescue Box 0582 was struck at 0742 hours for an MVC with entrapment on Route 301 at Route 19.  Captain Apple (Company 6) arrived via POV to find a two car MVC in the intersection and established Route 301 Command.  Engine 52 arrived and assessed two patients for injuries determining the driver would require a total sidewall removal.  The engine crew completed the job within a few minutes.  Command requested on additional ALS unit along with MSP aviation for both patients.  Once the driver was extricated, PM4 took over patient care until the arrival of Trooper 6.  Both patients were airlifted to Shock Trauma with Command placing the incident under control.  The six personnel from Company 5 operated for fifty minutes.

Rescue Box 0582 was struck at 0346 for a motor vehicle collision with fire on Route 301 at Route 19.  Engine 55 arrived north of Route 19 to find one tractor trailer off the roadway with moderate fire conditions, FF Carson assumed Route 301 Command.  The engine crew stretched the 200' front bumper line, while the crew from PM600 evaluated the driver who has self extricated prior to our arrival.  It was noted that the truck was carrying approximately 300 gallons of diesel fuel, which combined with oil leaking had run into a small stream.  PM600 transported the driver the Chester River Medical Center.  The crew from Engine 64 was assigned spill control and began diking the stream and applying boom and absorbent pads.  The trailer was carrying approximately 80 tons of wheat seed and no other hazards were evident.  EM2 arrived and assessed the situation, then requested a spill response from MDE.  Upon completion of mop up and spill control, the scene was turned over to MDE.  The six personnel staffing Engine 55, Engine 52 and Tanker 5 operated for two hours and thirty minutes.

Box 0409 was transmitted at 0908 hours alerting Companies 4, 5, 3 & Queen Anne's ALS for a reported dwelling fire at 211 Coon Box Road north of Centreville.  Enroute, Chief 4 was advised of a possible person trapped.  PM4 arrived with a single story wood frame dwelling with heavy fire showing,  Chief 4 (Schelhouse) arrived and assumed Command and with minimal staffing requested a second alarm. E41 arrived and deployed an attack line to Side Alpha, while the crew from Company 5 deployed a second line from E41 to Side Charlie for an interior attack.  Once the bulk of the fire was knocked, crews started a primary search with negative results.  While crews were opening up, extension was discovered in the attic space so vertical ventilation was ordered.  The fire was placed under control awaiting State Fire Marshal's Office for investigation.  The three personnel from Company 5 operated for three hours before returning to quarters. Photos from Fire In The Hole Photography at www.fithp.net.

At 1432 hours Ambulance 5 was dispatched for a traumatic injury on Route 213 at Union Church Road.  Enroute, Queen Anne's advised that MSP was on location of a motor vehicle collision and wanted a patient checked out.  Since the call should have been dispatched as an MVC from the start, Special Unit 59 responded on the run.  Units arrived on location to find two vehicles off the roadway.  Ambulance 5 obtained two refusals and transported one patient BLS to Chester River Medical Center.  The crew from SU59 checked the vehicles for any hazards before clearing the scene.  The five volunteers from Church Hill operated for thirty minutes.

At 2146 hours Rescue Local 0512 was dispatched for an MVC on Route 213 at Roundtop Road.  Engine 52 arrived to find two vehicles in the intersection with FF Carson assuming Church Hill Road Commad.  Both drivers were evaluated by Ambulance 5 and determined to be BLS patients.  The engine crew secured the vehicles while A5 & PM600 packaged both patients for transport to Chester River Medical Center.  The six personnel from Church Hill operated for fifty minutes.