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National Homeland Security Knowledgebase

Car into Water

At approx. 17:55 hrs, E3, E5, E1, L1, C3, R1 with the Zodiac responded to a motor

vehicle accident with the motor vehicle reported to be in the water. Upon arrival E3

Lieutenant requested two ambulances to the scene and reported two victims

involved in the MVA. It was later discovered that the second person was a passerby

who had stop to assit the occupant of the vehicle in the water. It is reported that

the passerby help the occupants head above water until emergency crews arrived.

Engine 5 was used to stabilize the vehicle as crews donned cold water rescue suits to

remove the victim from the vehicle. At approx. 18:11 hrs the victim was reported to

be removed from the vehicle and was transported to Bridgeport Hospital by SEMS

Fairview Ave. Structure Fire

At approx. 10:13 hrs, E1, E2, E5, L1, C3 responded to a reported structure fire at 31

Fairview Ave. Car 3 arrived reporting heavy smoke from a 2 story wood house.

Command activated the structure fire protocol and requested E4 special called to the

scene for additional manpower. E1 entered the bulding to find heavy fire in the

basement of the structure. E5 crew stretched a second line and found fire on the

first floor with a partial floor collapse in the kitchen. At approx 10:26 hrs all visible fire

had been knocked down and crews continued ventilation along with salvage and

overhaul procedures. The fire was reported under control at 11:00 hrs.

Dock Marina Boat Fire

At approx. 01:05 hrs, E1, E5, L1, C3 responded to a reported boat fire at the Dock

Marina. Upon arrival Car 3 reported smoke showing from a 40ft vessel. E1 crews

stretched a 2 1/2" line to the vessel while the rest of the E1 crew attempted to gain

entry to the boat and perform a search of the vessel. Upon gaining entry to the boat

crews were unable to enter the vessel due to heavy smoke and fire conditions inside

the vessel. Two 1 3/4" attack lines, flowing foam, were utilized to knock down visible

fire. L1 crew assisted with the second line and opening up the vessel. Fire

extinguished at approx 03:00 hrs. There was one reported fatality as a result of the

fire.

Knowlton St Structure Fire

At approx. 16:40 hrs, E1, E2, E5, L1, C3 responded to a reported structure fire at 25

Knowlton St. Car 3 reported heavy fire and smoke from the residence upon arrival. E1

stretched an 1 3/4" line through the front door of the building while E5's crew

stretched a secondary line to the rear of the building. Inside crews found heavy fire

conditions on the first floor and a broken gas line in the kitchen. Crews were removed

from the structure until the gas was shut off and the integrity of the structure was

evaluated. Prior to crews arriving one civilian was removed from the first floor of the

residence by a neighbor. The occupant was treated for burns and smoke inhalation

and transported to Bridgeport Hospital by AMR. Command reported the fire under

control at 17:17 hrs. One civilian and one firefighter were injured at this fire.

Webe Ave Structure Fire

At approx. 15:11 hrs, E1, E5, L1, C3 responded to a reported chimeny fire at 70

Webe Ave. Upon arrival a third engine was requested to the scene and an update

was given that this was an attic fire with heavy fire in the attic. E1 stretched the inital

attack line as L1 went to the roof for ventilation. Interior crews experienced heavy

fire in the attic and had a difficult time accessing the attic. E5 stretched a second

attack line inside the structure. While attempting to vent the roof it collapsed and L1

had heavy fire through the roof and immediately vacated the roof. Crews were

removed from the building and the bulk of fire was knocked down using the master

stream on the aerial. Crews then reentered the building and finished extinguishing the

fire. There were no reported injuries.

Orange and Columbus Structure Fire

At approx. 18:45 hrs, E1, E5, E3, L1, C3 responded to a reported structure fire at

the corner of Orange and Columbus. Upon arrival C3 reported heavy smoke and fire

from a 2.5 wood house. E2 and E4 were added to the assignment. Crews stretched

multiple attack lines to all floors of the structure. They reported heavy fire on the

second floor and in the attic. One Engine from Bridgeport was requested to the

scene to act as RIT. One engine from Milford was called to man Stratford Fire HQ and

an off duty crew was called to staff the spare engine. Crews reported partial floo

r collapses on the second floor. The fire was reported under control at 20:23 hrs.

There were no reported injuries.

Liedle's Structure Fire

At approx. 15:13 hrs, E1, E5, E2, L1, C3 responded to a reported structure fire at

Liedle's, 337 Kenyon St. Upon arrival crews had nothing showing. E1 entered the

building and found a working fire in the basement. 1 line was stretched and the fire

was quickly knocked down. There were no reported injuries at this fire.

Oakland St. Structure Fire

At approx. 21:33 hrs, E1, E2, E5, L1, C3 were enroute to a reported

structure fire on Hollister St., when dispatchers received multiple calls for a working

structure fire on Oakland St. and were informed by the caller that Hollister St was

burnt food on the stove, C3 diverted E2, E5, L1 and added E4 to the assignment for

Oakland St. Upon arrival E5 stated they had heavy smoke from a structure. Upon

further investigation E5 reported they had a fully involved structure fire with multiple

exposures. Milford and Bridgeport were dispatched as mutual aid to cover Stratford

and Milford E4 responded to the scene of the fire. E3 clearing from a car fire also

responded to Oakland St. Multiple lines were used to protect the exposures and

extinguish the fire. There were no reported injuries.

Riverdale Dr Structure Fire

At approx 14:20 hrs E3, E1, E5, L1, C3 were dispatched to 509 Riverdale Dr for a

reported structure fire. Upon arrival E3 confirmed they had a working fire and C3

added E2 to the assignment as the RIT team. No injuries were reported.

While working this incident E2 was cleared from the scene to respond to a car fire 2

ft from the building at Autozone on Barnum Ave. Stratford requested mutual aid from

Milford for 1 engine and 1 ladder company to respond. The car fire was extinguished

and Milford Tower 1 assisted with checking the roof of the building for extension. No

injuries were reported.

River Rd. Extrication

STRATFORD -- An unidentified man was extricated from his vehicle Saturday

afternoon following a one-car crash on Route 110 just south of the Sikorsky Aircraft

factory, fire officials reported. The incident was reported at about 1:20 p.m., after

the driver, traveling south, made a sudden left turn in attempt to get on the

entrance ramp to the westbound section of the Merritt Parkway, then collided with a

utility pole. Assistant Fire Chief Ellen Murray said it took about 20 minutes to rescue

the man, described as being in his early 40s, from his Pontiac auto. Murray said the

man, who was using his seatbelt, was initially unconscious, but regained it during the

extrication. Murray described the driver as suffering from a concussion and facial

trauma. Murray said he was taken to Bridgeport Hospital. Police, who remained on the

scene until 4:30, refused to provide any details about the incident.

Fire Ops 101 updates

So far we have received "yes" responses from Councilman Henricks and

Councilman Moore. The Mayor, CAO, Councilman Julian, and Councilman

Kubic have notified us that they will not be able to attend the event. We will

hold this event again in the future and those involved in local politics that

would like to participate should contact Local 998 to be put on the list of

invitees.

Click here to see a video of Fire Ops 101 in Hartford

Residential Sprinkler Demonstration

The video below demonstrates the necessity for residential

sprinklers. This video is provided by FireRescue1.com

Sprinkler Demo

Stratford firetrucks need replacing

STRATFORD — Warnings were issued by fire officials to the Town Council and Mayor James R. Miron more than two months ago that public safety and the lives of firefighters were in jeopardy because of two aging firetrucks that frequently broke down.

Sometimes, fire officials said, some trucks broke down even on the way to fires.
Fire Chief John Cybart and Kevin Lantowsky, former president of the local firefighters' union, were backed by about 50 firefighters during a contentious March council meeting when they described how 17-year-old Engine 2, out of the Huntington Road station, had failed on its way to a fire at a five-story Broadbridge Avenue condominium complex.

Now, Cybart is seeking $650,000 in the capital improvement budget for new trucks. He said a new truck will take about a year to order and have built, but with the purchase of a used truck, the department could put that into immediate service to replace Engine 2. He said when the new truck arrives, the used truck could be used as the fleet's backup. But some town officials still aren't sure if and when the funds will be approved.

Town Council Chairman Michael Henrick, R-10, said he still wants to be "completely certain" that the town needs to obtain a brand new truck, but that if it does the council will move to approve it next month.
"If we have to do it, we will," Henrick said. "We're going to take a good look at all this in June after we complete the process for the 2008-09 operating budget this week."

Cybart said he's requesting a new $450,000 truck and a $200,000 used truck, and hopes with some of the recent events, the council will realize how dire the need is "before the equipment breaks down again and somebody gets hurt."

Things got so bad recently than that when two of its seven firetrucks were out of service, Stratford had to borrow a 1980 backup truck from the volunteer Shelton Fire Department for three days.
Cybart said, ironically, one of Stratford's trucks that needed repairs was the department's newest and most used piece of apparatus, the 2002 Engine 1, stationed at Fire Headquarters on Main Street.
He said the other engine out of service — which may not even be usable again — is the department's 29-year-old backup truck that is so antiquated that firefighters have to ride on it in the open air.
"It's a very serious problem because that truck is being evaluated, but may cost too much to repair it at this point," Cybart said. "Engine 2 has about 113,000 miles and is 17 years old. It should really be only used as a backup truck at this point, but right now we have no choice but to keep using it as part of the regular fleet of trucks."

New Fire Union President Bill Hansen, a firefighter who works at the Huntington Road station where Engine 2 is stationed, echoed the chief's sentiments about the dire need for new trucks. He said Engine 2, which covers the Bunnell High School area in the northwest part of town, is the second most used fire truck in the department.

"We have been very fortunate that no citizens or firefighters have been hurt," Hansen said. "But this is a serious problem that needs to be addressed."

Hansen said when Engine 2 broke down on the way to the Broadbridge condos in March, it could have resulted in a tragedy.

"Engine 2 has a 50-foot Arial ladder and it was supposed to serve as a backup in that fire," Hansen said. "Luckily, people had evacuated the condos in time and the other equipment at the scene was able to handle it. But we can't keep taking that chance."

Hansen said Engine 2 also leaks between five and 10 gallons of water an hour, and has three cracks in its ladder.

"We're constantly topping it off with water, but the leak can also be a safety hazard because the water is dripping down into the rear axle," he said. Councilwoman Amy Wanamaker, D-6, said she also warned the council and mayor in March that the firetrucks had to be replaced.

But at the time the mayor and Henrick said the council meeting was "not the appropriate time" to bring the issue up and should wait for the budget process.

They said that the matter was not handled correctly, saying fire officials and some council members, particularly Wanamaker, should not have brought firefighters to appear before the council.
Instead, the mayor and Henrick said the "proper procedure" would have been for Cybart and Wanamaker to contact the mayor directly and work through his office.

"I felt at the time the issue was so serious it had to be brought up, budget time or not," Wanamaker said. "After the department was recently forced to borrow a firetruck from another community, I believe I have been proven right."

The mayor said he "fully supports" seeking both a new firetruck, and a used one for the department.
"I have made the request to the council, and now it's up to them," Miron said.

Firefighters said replacing the engines is imperative.

"There is always the worry Engine 2 is going to break down," firefighter James Rose, who drives the truck daily, told the council in March.

Lantowsky, the former union president, said, "Every firefighter in this town takes pride in doing our job. But we need equipment we can count on to protect the public."

Firetruck demand ignites council fight

STRATFORD — Public safety is in jeopardy because the Fire Department's most frequently used firetruck, Engine No. 2, breaks down regularly and needs to be replaced immediately, fire officials told the Town Council.