CFD Awards Dinner

On Saturday December 12, 2009 the members of the Clinton Fire Department held our annual Christmas Party and Awards Dinner. The evening was attended by members and invited guests in honor of the hard work the members put in in 2009. Several presentations were made at during the evening.

Michelle Harrison, President of the Clinton Emergency Services Foundation presented CFD President Jerry Malecki with a check in the amount of $6,000.00. The Emergency Services Foundation held fundraisers during 2009 to raise money for the Clinton Fire Department and the Clinton Rescue Squad. CFD greatly appreciates the hard work that Michelle and the rest of the Foundation members put in to assist us in buying equipment.

Bill Langston Sr. was recognized for going Exempt after serving the Clinton Fire Department for 63 years. We can not thank Bill enough for his service to the community. Henry Freyer was also recognized for going exempt with over 15 years of service.

The following is a list of members who joined the CFD during 2009:
Active Members: Steve Seguine, Rich Duffy, Christian Cole
Junior Members: Chris Bittenmaster, Justin Horvath, Tyler Platt, Kasey Stephens, Conner Shea, Tom Crampton

Years of Service awards:
10 Years - Quintus Joubert
20 Years - Jim Querry
30 Years - Jerry Malecki
35 Years - Drew Stephens

The following were recognized for responding to 50% or more of the alarms for the year:
Mike Burtnick - 52%
Jeff Hedden - 52%
Walt Dorf - 55%
Darrell Dulack - 56%
Jeffrey Plaisted - 56%
Craig Allen - 57%
Scott Wintermute - 65%
Jerry Malecki - 81%

The final award of the evening was Firefighter of the Year and was presented to Jerry Malecki. Jerry responds to a lot of calls but also did a lot of work behind the scenes and was greatly appreciated by the CFD Officers. Great job Jerry.

A special thank you to Lynn Wintermute and Carol Dorf for putting a wonderful evening together.

The festive season

The Clinton Fire Department prides itself on being a family organization.  Once you join as a member your family suddenly grows exponentially.  Your children suddenly have lots of extra uncles, aunts and cousins and you get a whole bunch of brothers and sisters.  

This time of the year our calendars are packed with social events such as the town Christmas parade, tree cutting and decoration and the Christmas party.  Honestly I'm not sure who has more fun, the kids or the adults - you be the judge.

Holiday Fire Prevention tips from USA.gov

According to the United Sates Fire Administration (USFA), each year fires occurring during the holiday season injure 2,600 individuals and cause over $930 million in damage. There are simple life-saving steps you can take to ensure a safe and happy holiday. By following these precautionary tips, individuals can greatly reduce their chances of becoming a holiday fire casualty:

Preventing Holiday Tree Fires

Special fire safety precautions need to be taken when keeping a live tree in the house. A burning tree can rapidly fill a room with fire and deadly gases.

* Selecting a Tree for the Holiday - Needles should be green and hard to pull back from the branches, and should not break if the tree has been freshly cut. The trunk should be sticky to the touch.o Old trees can be identified by bouncing the tree trunk on the ground. If many needles fall off, the tree has been cut too long, has probably dried out, and is a fire hazard.
* Caring for Your Tree - Do not put your live tree up too early or leave it up for longer than two weeks. Keep the tree stand filled with water at all times. Do not place your tree close to a heat source, including a fireplace or heat vent. Be careful not to drop or flick cigarette ashes near a tree.
* Disposing of Your Tree - Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood burning stove. When the tree becomes dry, discard it promptly. The best way to dispose of your tree is by taking it to a recycling center or having it hauled away by a community pick-up service.
* Never Put Lit Candles on a Tree - Do not go near a holiday tree with an open flame -- candles, lighters or matches.

Holiday Lights

* Maintain Your Holiday Lights - Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Use only lighting listed by an approved testing laboratory.
* Do Not Overload Electrical Outlets - Do not link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. Make sure to periodically check the wires -- they should not be warm to the touch.

Holiday Decorations

* Use Only Nonflammable Decorations - All decorations should be nonflammable or flame-retardant and placed away from heat vents.
* Never Put Wrapping Paper in a Fireplace - It can throw off dangerous sparks and produce a chemical buildup in the home that could cause an explosion.
* Artificial Holiday Trees - If you are using a metallic or artificial tree, make sure it is flame retardant.

Finally, as in every season, have working smoke alarms installed on every level of your home, test them monthly and keep them clean and equipped with fresh batteries at all times. Know when and how to call for help. And remember to practice your home escape plan.

Thanks to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation for posting this information!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving: Turkey Fryer Safety

Thanksgiving is around the corner and your safety during this wonderful family event is our primary concern. If you are considering using a turkey fryer it is essential that you check out this post on turkey fryer hazards and safety precautions. In order to illustrate the dangers that turkey fryers pose we are posting two videos. We are sharing these videos not to scare anyone, we just want to illustrate the real dangers that improper use of turkey fryers can pose.

Please stay safe and have a wonderfully relaxing safe Thanksgiving!

Fire Safety: Turkey Fryer Dangers

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, we wanted to share some basic safety tips when working with Turkey fryers:

Turkey fryer hazards

Turkey fryers pose certain hazards that you should avoid at all costs:

• Many units easily tip over, spilling the hot oil from the cooking pot.
• If the cooking pot is overfilled with oil, the oil may spill out of the unit when the turkey is placed into the cooking pot. Oil may hit the burner or flames, causing a fire to engulf the entire unit.
• Partially frozen turkeys placed into the fryer can cause a spillover effect. This too may result in an extensive fire.
• With no thermostat controls, the units also have the potential to overheat the oil to the point of combustion.
• The lid and handles on the sides of the cooking pot get dangerously hot, posing severe burn hazards.

Important safety information

If you absolutely must use a turkey fryer, please use the following tips:
• Turkey fryers should always be used outdoors a safe distance from buildings and any other flammable materials.
• Never use turkey fryers in a garage or on a wooden deck.
• Make sure the fryers are used on a flat surface to reduce accidental tipping.
• Never leave the fryer unattended. Most units do not have thermostat controls. If you do not watch the fryer carefully, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire.
• Never let children or pets near the fryer even if it is not in use. The oil inside the cooking pot can remain dangerously hot hours after use.
• To avoid oil spillover, do not overfill the fryer.
• Use well-insulated potholders or oven mitts when touching pot or lid handles. If possible, wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from oil splatter.
• Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and be careful with marinades. Oil and water do not mix, and water causes oil to spill over causing a fire or even an explosion hazard.
• The National Turkey Federation (NTF) recommends thawing the turkey in the refrigerator approximately 24 hours for every five pounds in weight.
• Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water to extinguish a grease fire. If the fire is occurs use your all-purpose fire extinguisher and call 911 immediately for fire department assistance.


Information primarily based on theinformation provided by the Underwriters Laboratories®.

CFD Activity 11/3 - 11/18

On Monday 11/9 our members drilled on the use of portable pumps. Portable pumps a very useful in supplying water to fires from swimming pools, ponds, rivers and streams when a fire truck can get close enough. On Monday 11/16 CFD conducted a drill on hose lines, focusing on extended lays and hand line advancement. During this time Engine 45-1 and Tower 45 were also serviced. During this period CFD responded to 7 calls, a summary follows.

11/4/09 @ 11:01 am - Fire Box 4601 Level 1 - Bundt Park in Clinton Township for Engine 45-1 to set up a landing zone for a medical helicopter. CFD was cancelled by Annandale Hose Company(46) as they had sufficient manpower to handle the call at 11:03 am.

11/6/09 @ 2:10 pm - Fire Box 2549 Level 1 - Interstate 78 in Union Township for a reported grass fire in the median. Chief 45 responded immediately and arrived in the area within 2 minutes and found no fire. Chief 45 held all units in station while he checked 78 from Exit 12 to Exit 16 and cancelled all units at 2:19 pm.

11/6/06 @ 3:40 pm - Fire Box 2549 Level 1 - Interstate 78 near Exit 13 for a grass fire in the median. Chief 45 arrived on scene @ 3:42 pm and again found no fire. All units remained in quarters while Chief 45 checked the highway from Exit 12 to 16. With nothing being found all units were cancelled at 3:50 pm.

11/7/09 @ 12:51 pm - Fire Box 9102 Level 1 - Engine 45-1 was requested to respond mutual aid with Quakertown Fire Company(91) on Upper Kingtown Road for a large brush fire. Engine 45-1 arrived at 1:04 pm and assisted QFC extinguish and overhaul the fire. All units were back in quarters at 2:19 pm.

11/14/09 @ 6:56 pm - Fire Box 4504 Level 4 - Lakeview Avenue in the Town of Clinton for a carbon monoxide(CO) detector activation. Since all occupants were out of the residence and no one was feeling ill, all CFD units responded in a non-emergency mode(no lights or siren). Engine 45-2 arrived at 7:06 pm and used gas detector to determine there was CO in the residence. initial readings of 40 parts per million(ppm) were found in the basement and garage. Further investigation found the CO was from the car exhaust and after venting the residence all units cleared at 7:32 pm.

11/17/09 @ 3:13 pm - Fire box 4505 Level 1 - Interstate 78 in area of Exit 16 for a smoke investigation. Chief 45 could see the smoke from Grey Rock Rd in Clinton Township. Annandale Hose Company(46) was also dispatched due to the unknown location and source of the smoke. Chief 45 arrived in the area and the smoke had disappeared. Chief 45 checked from Exit 15 to Petticoat Lane and found nothing. All units were cancelled at 3:25 pm.

11/18/09 @ 1:11 am - Fire Box 9106 Level 3 - Walmart in Franklin Township for the structure fire. Tower 45 and Engine 45-1 responded mutual aid with Quakertown Fire Company(91) on the first alarm. High Bridge, Annandale, and Lebanon also responded on the first alarm as did Clinton Rescue Squad. Units arrived and found a moderate smoke condition and 2 sprinkler head activated in the store. Investigation found the fire was in the artificial flower section and the sprinklers had extinguished it. Units operated to shut down the sprinklers, secure the power, and ventilate the smoke. Clinton Rescue Squad treated a civilian with a burn injury but did not transport. All CFD units were released and back in quarters at 3:35 am. Franklin Township Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the cause of the fire.
Click here for NJ.com Article - Walmart fire

Media Alert: NJ Storms and Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

MEDIA ALERT

The New Jersey Poison Information & Education System - Serving New Jersey Since 1983. Media Contacts: Nancy Sergeant, SGW, 973-263-5471, nsergeant@sgw.com; Alicia Gambino, MA, CHES, NJPIES Director of Public Education, 973-972-9280, agambino@njpies.org.

BREAKING NEWS: Bad storms expected in New Jersey and the area that can cause electrical outages. Carbon Monoxide poisoning is an immediate danger and more prevalent during bad weather.

SAFETY TIPS TO PREVENT CO POISONING DURING BAD WEATHER:

In the event of power outages, take these precautions:
1. Have a flash light or candles and matches at the ready.
2. Do not bring portable generators, gas-powered equipment or heating items into a closed home or garage.
3. Never cook or heat with charcoal indoors.
4. Check the batteries on your carbon monoxide detector.
5. If you don’t have a detector, install one before the bad weather hits.
6. Keep your home well ventilated. If need be, keep a window slightly cracked to allow air flow.
7. Open flues if you are using a fireplace.
8. Do not idle a car in a closed garage. Once you pull in, immediately turn off the engine.

IF YOU SUSPECT CARBON MONOXIDE TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION:
• Get out of the house and
• Contact your local fire department immediately - call 911.
• Do not waste time opening windows or trying to “air” out the house/building; which will delay your escape from possibly dangerous fumes.

Newark, N.J., November 13, 2009— With bad weather storms predicted for this weekend, New Jersey residents are warned to take necessary steps to make sure this Friday the 13th weekend storm passes as safely as possible. During bad weather, it is not uncommon for homes and offices to experience power outages. Responding by bringing generators and gas-powered items indoors is dangerous and potentially poisonous. Many home heating systems have also not yet been properly prepared for the winter and residents may be at risk for carbon monoxide (CO) exposure.

During bad weather, residents tend to close down their homes, but frequently bring items indoors with them that are potentially more dangerous than the bad weather outside. Carbon monoxide is a particularly danger as it is an odorless and colorless gas that is only easily detected with an installed and fully functional carbon monoxide detector.

Help is Just a Phone Call Away
If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, or have questions about the safety of an item in your home, call the Poison Control Hotline (1-800-222-1222). Trained health professionals are on duty 24 hours a day to answer questions and provide guidance and advice. Officials recommend putting the number in all family cell phones as well as programming it as a speed dial number on landlines, and prominently posting the number near home and phones.

For more information on preventing carbon monoxide poisoning click here.

Fund Drive 2009 - Update

The first four weeks of donations for our 2009 Clinton Fire Department Fund Drive have been received and we want to thank everyone who has contributed to date. We realize that the recession has hit everyone across the country and any support is much appreciated! Reminders to the community will be sent out in early December so please look out for those.

If you are outside our primary response area and would like to make a donation to the Fund Drive please send a check to Clinton Fire Department, P.O. Box 5062, Clinton, NJ, 08809 and write Fund Drive in the memo line. Our volunteers appreciate all the support that we get from the public.

Thanks again for your support and stay safe!

New Jersey towns commemorating Veterans Day

"Local military veterans will be holding services and other events this week to commemorate Veterans Day.  The holiday, originally called Armistice Day, was created to honor veterans of World War I. The armistice effectively ending the war was signed on Nov. 11, 1918. In 1954, Congress passed legislation setting Nov. 11 as a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

Here is a list of some of the observances and related events taking place throughout New Jersey".

Happy Veterans Day

It is easy to take liberty for granted, when you have never had it taken from you. ~ M. Grundler

In war, there are no unwounded soldiers. ~José Narosky

Get blog updates via email

It’s now even easier to follow the daily activities of the Clinton Fire Department. If you’d like to read along using your favorite email program simply enter your email address into the “Get new posts via email” box located in the right hand navigation panel. As new posts are added to the blog, they will automatically be sent to your email account – simple and easy!

If you use a blog reader you can subscribe to both Posts and Comments.  There are several reader subscription options in "Subscribe to blog updates -Readers" section of the right navigation panel including My Yahoo!, Google, Bloglines and more.

Thanks for your support and stay safe!

CFD Activity 10/28 - 11/2

On Halloween we held our open annual open house. The event was organized by Firefighter Robert Perkins. Candy cookies and juice were provided for trick or treater's who stopped by the station. Glow necklaces were given out and there was a moon bounce for the younger kids as well. A special thanks to ShopRite of Clinton for donating the snacks and candy! On Monday evening CFD conducted the November department meeting. Steve Seguine and Rich Duffy were admitted to the department as Active Firefighters. Firefighter Seguine is the latest Junior Firefighter to advance to active membership. We welcome them both to the department. CFD responded to 5 calls during this period and a summary follows.

10/29/09 @ 10:42 am - Fire Box 4504 Level 1 - West Main Street and Hancock Street for the reported vehicle fire. Chief 45 arrived at 10:44 am and determined the car was overheated and not on fire. All other units were cancelled without responding. Chief 45 cleared the scene at 10:47 am.

10/30/09 @ 11:09 am - Fire Box 9106 Level 1 - Shop Rite in Franklin Township for the fire alarm. Tower 45 and Engine 451 are assigned to the box to assist Quakertown Fire Company(91) on this box. Deputy 91 and Engine 912 arrived first and investigated the alarm. Tower 45 arrived and staged in the rear of the building. 91 Fire units determined there was no alarm and the actual alarm was at the old Shop Rite building in Clinton Township. Annandale Hose Company was dispatched to investigate and all 45 fire units were ready for service at 11:33 am.

10/30/09 @ 1:40 pm - Fire Box 4621 Level 1 - North Hunterdon High School for the fire alarm. Engine 451 is assigned to assist Annandale Hose Company(46) on this box. Engine 451 arrived with Tower 46 at 1:47 pm, Captain 46 assumed command. Tower and Engine crews investigated and found a faulty detector caused the alarm. All units were ready for service at 1:58 pm.

10/31/09 @ 10:47 am - Fire Box 2548 Level 1 - Hunterdon Developmental Center in Union Township for the suspicious package. Deputy 45 and Engine 451 arrived on scene and pulled a protective line while Human Services and State Police investigated. Police eventually determined the package to be harmless and all units were released at 11:42 am.

11/2/09 @ 7:51 pm - Fire Box 4191 Level 2 - Route 513 in Alexandria Township for an electrical fire outside a dwelling. Tower 45 and Engine451 are assigned to this box to assist Quakertown Fire Company(91). Tower 45 and Engine 451 responded within 3 minutes but were cancelled at 7:58 pm by 91 Fire who investigated and determined the fire was out and they handled the call. All CFD units were back in quarters at 8:07 pm.

How to change your smoke detector's batteries

Time to change your smoke detector batteries

Fire recalls - Children safety

I wanted to take a moment to highlight an invaluable resource for your children’s safety. Our blog has a direct link in the right navigation panel to the United States Fire Administrations site for kid’s products that are recalled due to fire hazards or concerns.

The list of recalls is comprehensive and includes:

• Appliances
• Electronics/Electrical Power Devices
• Furniture
• Household Products
• Indoor Environment Products
• Infant/Child Products
• Clothing (not toys)
• Lighting/Lighter Products
• Toys

We would recommend that you visit this site periodically to check up on any recent recalls that may affect your family’s safety.

CFD Activity 10/21 - 10/27

Our members responded to 6 calls during this period and had a drill on Monday 10/26. Lt. Jim Querry was the Officer In Charge of the drill and the topic was ground ladders and tower ladder operations. Training on the basics is necessary to keep our skills sharp.

Lt. Querry and Deputy Chief Higgins instruct Junior Firefighters Stephens and Platt as well as Firefighter Jim Fania.

Ex-Chief Langston instructs CFD members on proper operation of the tower ladder.

Following is a summary of our recent calls:

10/23/09 @ 2:13 pm - Fire Box 4601 Level 1 - Motor Vehicle Accident with entrapment Interstate 78 west in Clinton Township. Engine 451 responded to assist the Annandale Hose Company. Engine 451 arrived on scene at 2:23 pm and deployed a hose line to protect Clinton Rescue Squad members while they extricated and cared for the victim. Engine 451 was ready for service at 3:33 pm.

10/23/09 @ 4:54 pm - Fire Box 4504 Level 4 - Carbon Monoxide Alarm, Hillside Drive in the Town of Clinton. The residents were out of the house and not feeling ill so all CFD units responded non-emergent and Chief 45 arrived on scene at 5:02 pm followed shortly by Engine 451. Members checked the residence using 3 meters and found no carbon monoxide. The cause of the alarm was found to be a faulty detector. All units were ready for service at 5:15 pm.

10/24/09 @ 1:41 am - Fire Box 9103 Level 2 - Chimney Fire Quakertown Road in Franklin Township. Tower 45 and Engine 451 respond mutual aid with Quakertown Fire Company(91) on this box. QFC was on scene and operating when Chief 45, the Tower and Engine arrived to assist. Quick work by QFC held the fire to the chimney and caused no damage to the structure. After assisting QFC operations all CFD units were released and ready for service by 2:50 am.

10/27/09 @ 9:01 am - Fire Box 2591 Level 2 - Structure Fire, County Route 579 in Union Township. Tower 45 responded mutual aid with Quakertown Fire Company(91) in this assignment. QFC arrived quickly and found fire in the attic of a detached garage and advance a hose line to extinguish the fire. Tower 45 arrived and vented the roof and assisted in overhaul operations. Damage to the structure was minimized by quick action by all units responding. High Bridge Ladder 14 also assisted on this assignment.

10/27/09 @ 2:31 pm - Fire Box 4621 Level 1 - Fire Alarm at North Hunterdon High School. Engine 451 responded mutual aid with Annandale Hose Company on this assignment. AHCO and CFD members found water leaking into a smoke detector to be the cause of the alarm. All units were ready for service at 3:01 pm.

10/27/09 @ 9:13 pm - Fire Box 4503 Level 1 - Odor of smoke, Cedar Court in the Town of Clinton. Chief 45 arrived at 9:17 and was followed by Engine 452 and Tower 45. Members investigated a burning odor in a townhouse unit and found an electrical fire in a light fixture. Members removed the light and ensured there was no fire extension to the structure. All units were ready for service at 9:54 pm.

Halloween Open House (5 pm - 9 pm)

This Saturday is our Halloween open house and we would love to see you there. This annual community event has grown from strength to strength each year and many kids look forward to it months in advance. Along with all the fun and festivities we will be collecting canned and other non-perishable goods the Food bank of New Jersey. Please bring your food products and support this wonderful community effort.

The open house starts at 5 pm and ends around 9 pm. The event gives your family the opportunity to tour the apparatus and ask any questions that they may have about the volunteer fire service. We added a LARGE inflatable jumping castle to the list of attractions last year and it was a definite hit with both the firefighters and the kids. Along with the candy, juice and chips that were provided by ShopRite of Clinton, we’ll also have fire prevention information available. 

We look forward to seeing you at the fire house!

Fireplace safety

Now is a great time to get ready for winter. One of the primary fire concerns during the cold winter months is chimney fires. We would recommend that you get a professional to come and inspect your fireplace and chimney to ensure that they are in good working condition. The video below will give you a good idea of what your professional should be checking for.

CFD Activity 10/16 - 10/20

On Friday, October 16 the YMCA Preschool visited the fire station. CFD Secretary Matt Brown did a fire prevention presentation, assisted by Chief Scott Wintermute and Firefighter Darrell Dulak. On Monday, October 21 our members drilled at Edna Mahon Prison. Also keep in mind our Annual Fund Drive has been mailed out and any help is greatly appreciated. The following are the incident responses for this period.

10-17-09 @ 12:02 pm - Fire Box 1402 Level 1 - Fire alarm at High Bridge Elementary School. Tower 45 is assigned to this box to assist the High Bridge Fire Department(14). Chief 14 arrived at 12:03 pm and quickly determined the alarm was in error and CFD was cancelled at 12:06 pm.

10-19-09 @ 10:39 pm - Fire Box 2548 Level 1 - Fire alarm at Hunterdon Developmental Center, Cottage 11 - Quakertown(E-912) and Pattenburg(E-251) are also assigned to this box. Tower 45 and Engine 912 arrived at 10:45 followed by Engine 451 at 10:47. Members quickly investigated the alarm and found the cause to be burnt food in a microwave. Engine 251 was cancelled without responding. All units were back in service at 11:01 pm.

10-20-09 @ 10:03 am - Fire Box 4621 Level 1 - Fire Alarm at Ingersoll Rand Route 31 South in Clinton Township. Engine 451 is assigned to this box to assist the Annandale Hose Company(46). Engine 451 responded at 10:06 but were quickly cancelled by Chief 46 when he was informed the alarm was actually a fire drill and the dispatcher alerted the fire box in error. CFD was ready for service at 10:08 pm.

10-20-09 @ 3:47 pm - Fire Box 4503 Level 1 - Motor vehicle accident with entrapment Leigh Street and School Street in the Town of Clinton. Chief 45 arrived at 3:48 pm and found a car struck a house and a Clinton Rescue Squad EMT on scene was requesting a helicopter to med-i-vac the driver. Engine 451 arrived at 3:53 pm and quickly stretched a hose line to protect the Rescue Squad during extrication. Other CFD members assisted EMS and Rescue as needed. Annandale Hose Company(46) was requested for an Engine to set up the landing zone at Clinton Public School. Clinton Rescue Squad extricated the patient and paramedics determined the helicopter was not needed and Engine 461 was cancelled as they arrived at the school. All CFD units were back in service at 4:38 pm.

Haunted Mill - Actors needed

If you like scaring the living daylights out of people this will be right up your alley.  The Haunted Mill, located in Clinton, NJ, is seeking volunteer actors age 18 and up. It is a great deal of fun with a wonderfully creative bunch of people.

The event runs on this Friday and Saturday the 23/24 and again on the 30th again.  There are 3 separate areas in all with 55 actors minimum needed each night. There is a need for help this on these dates but especially on this weekend.

If you think that you might like to try this even for just a couple of hours please contact Donna Stumm via email at donnastumm@earthlink.net. She will be able to get you to the correct person or give you the info herself.

CFD Activities 10/7 - 10/15

During this time our department responded to 5 more calls, visited schools for fire prevention week and worked very hard helping to construct the Haunted Mill. The Haunted Mill begins Friday October 16, so come on down and give it a shot....if you're not scared that is. CFD gets a portion of the proceeds for doing our share of the work. This is a good fundraiser for us as well as the historical museum. Also as the previous post said our annual fund drive has started, we appreciate every one's support in the past and going forward.

Following is a summary of our recent calls:

10-8-09 @ 8:21 pm - Fire Box 4621 Level 1 - North Hunterdon High School for a landing zone. This fire box is set up by Annandale Hose Company for fire calls at the school and Engine 451 is assigned. Annandale had sufficient manpower to handle this incident and CFD was cancelled at 8:22 pm.

10-9-09 @ 1:30 pm - Fire Box 2548 Level 1 - Hunterdon Developmental Center Cottage 17 for a fire alarm activation. Engine 451, Engine 912(Quakertown), and Squad 25(Pattenburg) responded to this incident. Investigation determined the alarm to be false, a bad detector was found. The detector was cleaned and replaced and the alarm was reset. All units returned to service at 2:02 pm.

10-9-09 @ 4:09 pm - Fire Box 4501 Level 1 - Town Restaurant, Main Street Clinton for a fire alarm. Engine 452 responded and arrived at 4:16 pm. Investigation determined the alarm was caused by cooking and there was no problem. All units returned to service at 4:21 pm.

10-11-09 @ 6:06 pm - Fire Box 9106 Level 1 - Hampton Inn for a fire alarm. Clinton Engine 451 and Tower 45 respond mutual aid to Quakertown Fire Company(91) on this box. Chief 45 and Chief 91 arrived on scene at 6:10 pm. Chief 45 assumed command and Chief 91 was Operations Chief. Tower 45 arrived and was sent to the 4th floor to investigate the cause of the alarm. Engine 912, Engine 451, and Rescue 91 also responded and stood by on scene. 91 Police arrived on scene for a disorderly person complaint at the same time the FD's were investigating the alarm. Investigation determined the alarm was pulled by the disorderly person who was having a medical issue and was transported by Clinton EMS. The alarm was reset and all units returned to service at 6:36 pm.

10-14-09 @ 8:18 am - Fire Box 4503 Level 1 - Fire Alarm on Haverfarm Road in the Town of Clinton. Hunterdon County Communication advised Chief 45 the alarm company received proper code after dispatch and was requesting cancellation. Chief 45 held all apparatus in station and proceeded non-emergent to ensure all was OK at the residence. Chief 45 arrived at 8:23 am and spoke to the resident who had set the alarm of in error. The scene was clear at 8:26 am.

Fund Drive 2009

One of our main fundraising activities is our annual Fund Drive that is sent out to all residents in our primary response area. Last year the support was fantastic even though the economy was already experiencing a down turn. This year our Fund Drive was mailed out on the 13th of October. One of the cornerstones of the Fund Drive is the chief's letter that introduces the fire company to the residents and provides an annual update on our activities. To a view the Fund Drive letter as a PDF please click here.

If you are outside our primary response area and would like to make a donation to the Fund Drive please send a check to Clinton Fire Department, P.O. Box 5062, Clinton, NJ, 08809 and write Fund Drive in the memo line. Our volunteers appreciate all the support that we get from the public.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chief's letter 2009

Dear Neighbor,

Thank you for your supporting your volunteers in 2008!

Much like last year we are still experiencing an economic slowdown and we appreciate any donation that you, our neighbors, are able to make to support your volunteer fire department. I want to ensure you that 100% of your tax deductible donation goes towards funding your department’s operations - training, apparatus maintenance, purchasing new gear and specialized fire suppression equipment.

For those of you new to the area, our membership is 100% unpaid volunteers who respond when their pagers go off. Every year our call volume increases and last year we responded to a record 296 calls for help – flooding, false alarms, major structure fires, motor vehicle accidents, brush fires, medivac landings and minor incidents.

2009 has been even busier than 2008 and in August our town had two major flooding incidents with our department responding to a record 62 calls. While responding to flood calls our members were also dealing with the fact that our Station had flooded. Although we all worked very hard to minimize the damage, our fire station sustained almost $30,000 in flood damages!

Membership continues to be a challenge for us due to the high costs of living in this area; strict training requirements; population mobility and distant employment. I’d appreciate it if you would join your fire department family by completing the Membership Application Request form.

You can now follow your fire department’s activities on our:

Blog at: www.clintonfiredepartment45.blogspot.com/

Facebook by searching for: “Clinton Fire Department”

The Clinton Fire Department has an open door policy and our neighbors are always welcome to stop in. Monday nights (6-7pm) is the best time to visit, and you can always ask for more information at one of the Town social events… CFD Halloween open house, Haunted mill, Town picnic or Christmas parade.

You can count on your fire department to be there for you and your loved ones in any emergency situation! Wishing you and your loved ones a safe and happy holiday season and all the best for 2010.

Thank you for your continued support,

Chief Scott Wintermute

swintermute@clintonfd.org

Reminder: Haunted Mill (Oct 16, 17, 23, 24; 30)

Come join the fun at the Clinton Haunted Mill Village- "Asylum of Terror... Welcome to Hell” starting on October 16th!

Dementia, paranoia, violent sociopathic behaviors, physical abnormalities and deformities…these are but a few of the afflictions that torment the wretched souls imprisoned within the walls of the Asylum. Locked up and abandoned by their families and friends these inmates were subject to countless hours of experimentation and torture by the barbaric and Inhumane Dr. E. Vil and his cold- blooded staff. The inmates eventually become zombies. Their minds and bodies deteriorated and were eventually discarded in the mass grave behind the asylum, but their souls remained. These spirits now roam the grounds and halls seeking revenge... MORE>>

We hope to see you there!

Fishing trip

On Thursday the 8th of October, nine of us went on a striped bass fishing trip. The trip was not funded by the fire department although most of the guys were from CFD.   We left from the Atlantic Highlands boat dock just before 2pm with great anticipation!

We had a fantastic time and we had 14 keepers with the biggest fish being 37.5 inches and over 20 pounds- caught by ex-chief Mike Clancy.

Lots of keepers!

Based on the success of this trip we are hoping to get enough people to make this a bi-annual event.  Thanks to Roger and Jerry for taking care of all the logistics and planning - you guys are the best!

Reminder: Casino night fundraiser

If you're looking for a fun night out please support tonight's casino night fundraiser organized by the Clinton Emergency Services Foundation. The Foundation helps to raise funds for the Clinton Fire Department and Clinton First Aid & Rescue Squad.


"Vegas-style" entertainment will be held from 7:30pm to Midnight on Friday, October 9, 2009 at Beaver Brook Country Club - 25 Country Club Road, Annandale. Featuring all your favorite casino games, the night will include music, prizes, hors d’oeuvres, and more.

We hope to see you there!

The importance of smoke detectors

We've all heard that smoke detectors save lives.  This video shows the speed at which fire grows and how essential it is to have working smoke detectors in your house.

CFD Activity 9/30 - 10/6

Since my last update our members have responded to 5 calls, continued construction on the Haunted Mill, Several members attended a class on Thermal Imaging Cameras, and we held our monthly meeting. The Haunted Mill construction takes quite a bit of our members time during the end of September and October, but we still have time for fire prevention week. Our members will be visiting Clinton Public School as well as several other school programs in our area this week and next. Also don't forget Friday is the Clinton Emergency Services Foundation Casino Night at Beaver Brook. See the fund raising post for more details. Following is a list of our call activity.

10-1-09 @ 8:59 am - Fire Box 1402 Level 1 - Fire alarm activation at the High Bridge Elementary School. Tower 45 is assigned to assist High Bridge Fire Department(14) on this box. Tower 45 arrived at 9:09 am and stood by per Chief 14 who had command. HBFD members determined the alarm was faulty and Tower 45 returned to quarters and was ready for service at 9:27 am.

10-1-09 @ 2:37 pm - Fire Box 4502 Level 1 - Smoke odor in a dwelling on Fairview Ave in the Town of Clinton. Engine 45-2 arrived at 2:43 pm and determined the odor was caused by someone smoking in the residence there was no fire. Engine 45-2 was returned to service at 2:49 pm.

10-1-09 @ 5:58 pm - Fire Box 4601 Level 2 - Smoke coming from a furnace on Regional Rd in Clinton Township. Tower 45 is assigned to this box to assist the Annandale Hose Company(46). Tower 45 arrived at 6:07 and assisted in ventilating the structure once it was determined to be a faulty furnace. Tower 45 returned to service at 6:26 pm.

10-2-09 @ 2:31 pm - Fire Box 9106 Level 1 - Fire alarm activation at the Hampton Inn in Franklin Township. Tower 45 and Engine 45-1 are assigned to assist Quakertown Fire Company(91) on this box. Tower 45 arrived at 2:37 pm and Engine 45-1 was cancelled en route. The cause of the alarm was determined to be a faulty detector in a room and the system was reset. All CFD units were ready for service at 2:57 pm.

10-5-09 @ 7:18 pm - Fire Box 4601 Level 4 - Gasoline leaking from a vehicle at the Valero Station on Route 31 south in Clinton Township. Engine 45-1 is assigned to Assist AHCo(46) on level 4 call in this box. Engine 45-1 and Deputy 45 arrived at 7:22 pm and assisted in containing the spill and the leak until Hunterdon County Haz Mat arrived on scene. All CFD units were ready for service at 8:51 pm.

Fire Prevention Week (October 4th to 10th)

Fire Prevention Week 2009 focuses on burn awareness, burn prevention and keeping homes safe from the leading causes of home fires such as cooking. Many families gather in the kitchen to spend time together, but it can be one of the most hazardous rooms in the house if you don't practice safe cooking behaviors. Cooking equipment, most often a range or stovetop, is the leading cause of reported home fires and home fire injuries in the United States. Cooking equipment is also the leading cause of unreported fires and associated injuries.

For tips on Safe Cooking Behaviors click here. 

CFD Activity 9/21 - 9/29

CFD members have been busy since our last update. Our members responded to 8 calls, stood by at fireworks at the town picnic, and began construction on the haunted mill. Following is a list of our call activity during this period.

9-24-09 at 6:59 am - Fire Box 2549 level 1, reported brake fire on a tractor trailer interstate 78 14.4 mile marker in Union Township. CFD as well as Pattenburg Fire Company were dispatched to this call. Chief 45 arrived at 7:45 am and cancelled all other units due to the fire being extinguished by the truck driver prior to arrival. All units were back in quarters at 7:20 am

9-24-09 at 6:25 pm - Fire Box 4504 level 1, West Main St in the Town of Clinton for an outdoor ashtray fire. Chief 45 and Captain 45-1 arrived on scene at 6:28 pm and moved the ashtray away from the building and used a hose from the building next door to extinguish the fire. All other units were cancelled and returned to service at 6:33 pm.

9-25-09 at 5:14 pm - Fire Box 9106 level 1, Hampton Inn in Franklin Township for a fire alarm. CFD responded mutual aid with Quakertown Fire on this box. Units arrived within 6 minutes and quickly determined the alarm was set off by paint fumes. All Units were back in service at 7:29 pm.

9-26-09 at 7:48 am - Fire Box 4502 level 1, Center St in the Town of Clinton for a residential fire alarm. Chief 45 and Deputy 45 arrived in 2 minutes and quickly determined the homeowner had burnt food while cooking and there was no problem. all units were cancelled and returned to service at 7:54 am.

9-26-09 at 5:35 am - Fire Box 2549 level 1, 78 east bound near exit 15 in Union Township for a Motor Vehicle Accident. CFD units arrived on scene and found a car had driven off 78 and rolled over landing near Freedom Rd. CFD members checked the vehicle for hazards and the Clinton Rescue Squad treated and transported the victims. All CFD units were back in Service at 6:37 am.

9-28-09 at 6:50 pm - Fire Box 4607 level 2, Maple Ave in Annandale for a possible structure fire, smoke in the basement. CFD responded mutual aid on this call with Annandale Hose Company(46). Chief 45 arrived at 6:53 pm and established command. Engine 46-1 and Tower 46 arrived shortly after and began investigating the cause of the smoke. Chief 46 arrived and assumed command from Chief 45. High Bridge Fire was requested for ladder 14 due to CFD ladder being out of service. Engine 45-1 arrived at 6:55 pm. Crews thoroughly checked the basement and determined the cause of the smoke was a defective washing machine. The unit was disconnected and removed from the dwelling. All units returned to service at 6:33 pm.

9-29-09 at 9:49 am - Fire Box 2548 level 1, Hunterdon Developmental Center cottage 18 for a fire alarm. Chief 45 arrived at 9:52 am and investigated the source of the alarm. The alarm was quickly determined to be false and all units were cancelled. QFC(91) and PFC(25) are also assigned to this box. All units were ready for service at 9:55 am.

9-29-09 at 3:50 pm - Fire Box 1401 level 2, Church St in High Bridge Boro for a possible structure fire. CFD responds as mutual aid with High Bridge Fire Department(14) on this box. Deputy 14 arrived and determined the fire was out and cancelled mutual aid companies at 3:53 pm.

Clinton Fire Department Fundraising Activities

Haunted Mill (Oct 16, 17, 23, 24 & 30)

October is a busy month for the Clinton Fire Department as we are involved with the haunted mill in town. Performances are scheduled for the evenings of October 16, 17, 23, 24 and 30 starting at 6:30 pm. The fire department assists the new comers club with this event and we are responsible for most of the construction (maze construction, ramps, prop installation etc) as well as providing fire protection services during event nights. This is a major fundraiser for us and all our members give a lot of time during the week and on weekends. I hope to see everyone at this wonderful event.

For more information please check out the haunted village website.

Casino Night (Oct 9)

The second event that is coming up in early October is the Casino Night that is organized by the Clinton Emergency Services Foundation. The Foundation helps to raise funds for the Clinton Fire Department and Clinton First Aid & Rescue Squad.

"Vegas-style" entertainment will be held from 7:30pm to Midnight on Friday, October 9, 2009 at Beaver Brook Country Club - 25 Country Club Road, Annandale. Featuring all your favorite casino games, the night will include music, prizes, hors d’oeuvres, and more.

For more information please check out our Facebook Casino Night events page.

Hope to see you at these events!

Fire Siren

In response to several questions about the siren alerting system in Clinton I will explain how the system works. There are 2 sirens in the Town of Clinton, 1 on the firehouse and the second 1 is located on West Main Street by the Shell Station. When the Clinton Fire Department is dispatched for a call a tone is sent out via a radio frequency. This tone makes our firefighters pagers beep and sets off the sirens in town. The sirens are on timers and should only work from 6:00 am until 10:00 pm.

The sirens serve several functions, alerting firefighters, alerting the public, and can be used during a state of emergency. Our firefighters carry pagers so some people have asked why do you need the siren to alert your members. Simple pagers do malfunction, members may work outside and not carry the pager, or they may be in a loud environment and can not hear the pager. Alerting the public that the CFD has been dispatched for a call is another reason for the siren. When the public hears the siren they should be alert for firefighters responding to the station as well as fire, police, and EMS apparatus responding to the scene of the call. Last but certainly not least in the event of a serious emergency town officials could use the sirens to alert the public.

Many questions have been asked in regards to the intermittent use of the siren on West Main Street. There were a few factors that came into play causing this siren to be out of service several times over the last several years. One cause was the Hunterdon County Communications Center switched all fire department dispatching to a different frequency and it took a while for the new equipment to be installed. A second factor was the Exit 15 construction when the power was disconnected and the siren was mounted on a new pole. Lastly there was a minor problem with the timer that was fixed recently. For those who ask how we made due when the siren was down the answer is simple, members missed several calls during this time.

The most important thing to remember when you hear the siren blow is that your neighbors are leaving their families, their jobs, school to help out the community. They don't get paid and there is always the chance when that siren blows that a firefighter may not see his or her family again. If anyone has further questions or concerns please do not hesitate to ask, we are always at the firehouse on Monday evenings so feel free to stop by.

CFD Guest Book

We love hearing from you!

Please take a moment and sign our Guest Book.
Click on the Comments link.

Fire Call Update!

Photos are of units operating Sunday, 9/20/09 at the Hunterdon Developmental Center.

The Clinton Fire Department has been pretty active since my last posting on Wednesday, September 16. Since that day CFD has responded to 8 more calls for help.

Wednesday, 9/16/09 3:28 pm CFD was dispatched to (Fire Box 4501 Level 1) Old Highway 22 for an odor of gas behind the Hair Cutters. Chief 45 arrived in less than a minute followed by Engine 45-2 and quickly determined the source to be a small diesel spill behind the Laundromat. Absorbent was applied and units were back in quarters by 3:41 pm.

Wednesday, 9/16/09 8:29 pm Fire Box 2548 Level 1 was dispatched for the fire alarm at Hunterdon Developmental Center, Cottage 21. This box brings CFD, Quakertown(Engine 91-2), And Pattenburg(Engine 25). Chief 45 and Deputy 45 arrived in 3 minutes and quickly determined the cause of the alarm was accidental and all responding units except Engine 45-2 were cancelled. The Engine crew double checked the building and reset the alarm. All Units were back in quarters at 8:46 pm.

Friday, 9/18/09 8:39 pm CFD was dispatched for Engine 45-1 on automatic mutual aid with Annandale Hose Company for a natural gas odor in a dwelling on Wellington Dr. Engine 45-1 arrived 9 minutes after dispatched and assisted with a gas meter to monitor the house. No readings were found and the gas company was notified. Engine 45-1 returned and was ready for service at 9:16 pm.

Saturday, 9/19/09 2:10 am Fire Box 2548 Level 3 was dispatched for a possible fire in the hospital building at Hunterdon Developmental Center. Units arrived and found there was no fire, but a serious steam leak in the basement. The hospital was evacuated as fire units from Clinton, Quakertown, High Bridge, and Pattenburg worked wit HDC Engineering to shut down the leak. The leak was stopped around 3:30 am and all units were clear of the scene by 4:00am.

Saturday, 9/19/09 5:53 am Engine 45-1 was dispatched with Annandale for an odor of gas at Amerigas on Beaver Ave. in Clinton Township. Units arrived quickly and determined there was no problem, all units were back in service at 6:09 am.

Saturday, 9/19/09 8:39 am Engine 45-1 was dispatched with High Bridge for an alarm at Spruce Run Recreation area. The alarm was quickly determined to be false and CFD was cancelled without responding.

Saturday, 9/19/09 10:17 am Fire Box 2548 Level 1 was dispatched for HDC Cottage 13 for the fire alarm activation. Engine 45-1 assisted by Chief 91, Engine 91-2, Engine 46-1, and Engine 25 found the alarm to be caused by water leaking into the alarm system. The alarm was cleared and the building was turned over to HDC Staff. All FD units returned to service at 10:45 am.

Sunday, 9/20/09 4:43 pm Fire Box 2548 Level 1 was transmitted at HDC for an explosion and fire in a manhole. Chief 45 arrived in 2 minutes and found smoke coming from a manhole near cottage 17. Chief 45 set up command and was notified of multiple fire alarms and a smoke condition in cottage 12. Command requested the call be upgraded to a level 3 and a special call for Tower 46 due to CFD Tower being out of service. Units checked building to building verifying that the alarms were false and that no smoke or Carbon Monoxide was entering the buildings. The smoke condition in cottage 12 was caused by a compressor motor fire which was secured by FD members. Cottage 17 also had smoke condition which was determined to be coming from the manhole fire via conduit. 9 cottages as well as the hospital building were evacuated. HDC Engineering arrived and ensured that power was shut off and opened the manhole. Once units ensured all buildings were safe and there was no further danger all occupants were allowed to return to the buildings and the scene was turned over to HDC Staff. All FD and EMS units were back in service at 8:15 pm.

The following responded and assisted at the scene.

Fire Units: Clinton FD(Chief 45, Engines 45-1, and 45-2, Service 45) Quakertown (Deputy 91, Engine 91-2, Rescue 91) High Bridge (Chief 14, Deputy 14, Ladder 14) Annandale (Chief 46, Tower 46) Pattenburg (Squad 25) Lebanon (Squad 18(FAST))

Station Cover: Glen Gardner (Engine 12-2) and Lebanon (Ladder 18)

EMS: Clinton (Chief 45-5, BLS 4651, BLS 4554, BLS 4553, Rescue 45-5, Service 45-5) High Bridge (BLS 1451) Quakertown (BLS 9152) Flemington (BLS 4955) Bloomsbury (BLS 4352)

Hunterdon County: Deputy Fire Coordinators (Stephens & Rathborne) EMS Coordinator (Buchannon)

NJ Division of Fire Safety: Tim Weiss and Walter Zieser.

How fast does fire spread?

Modern synthetic materials help fire to spread very quickly - much quicker than most people realize.  To this end, fire departments have initiated box alarms to get the needed resources dispatched to the fire even BEFORE the chief gets on scene. (Box alarms: Part 1 & Part 2)

Before you watch the video think about how long you think it would take for your living room to be fully involved with fire.  Now click Play and see how close your guess is.

Does something strike you as odd about this video? The absence of smoke alarms makes this simulated situation very dangerous! Your comments about the video would be appreciated.

How to join the volunteers at Clinton Fire Department

As someone who's been part of the Clinton Fire Department (CFD)  family for over 10 years, I can't speak highly enough about the bonds that are created by being a part of such a fantastic community organization.  I would encourage you to reach out to us if you are interested in becoming a member.  Many of us delay this fantastic experience because we are waiting for the perfect time to start.  The fact is that once you join the CFD family, it becomes part of your life rather than a hobby that you have to make time for.  Helping others is extremely rewarding, exciting and fun.

CFD offers three types of volunteer membership:

1) Active firefighter (over 18 years of age)
Active firefighters make up the bulk of our membership and they are responsible for all the fire-related activities of CFD. All prospective active firefighters must be over 18 years, possess a valid NJ driver’s license and are required to pass a physical exam. Once a physical has been completed recruits begin the New Jersey Firefighter I course which is an exciting introductory program to fire science. All recruits are required to receive a passing grade on the State certified exam which is administered at the end of the program. To remain in good standing, active members must maintain 25% service and participate in not less than 4 monthly meetings and 4 fundraising activities for the previous 12 months.

2) Junior firefighter
Being involved in the community has a very positive influence on young people.  At CFD we are very proud of the large number of Juniors that are currently in our ranks. Junior members are responsible to respond to all fire calls, drills and community days - whenever possible. Upon turning 18, Junior members complete all required steps to become active members. To remain in good standing, Junior members must maintain 25% service and participate in not less than 4 monthly meetings and 4 fundraising activities for the previous 12 months.

3) Associate member
Associate members are valuable support staff to the active firefighters. Associate members are not required to be involved in active firefighting at a scene although in many cases they may provide an essential support function. In addition, associate members assist the department with activities such as fundraisers and department work activities. To remain in good standing, associate members must participate in not less than 4 monthly meetings and 4 fundraising activities for the previous 12 months.

Here’s an overview of the CFD Application Roadmap:

1) Complete an application form
Pick up an application from one of the fire department officers. Monday nights between 6 and 7 we are guaranteed to be at the station (New street across from the Post Office). The application form needs to be completed and all references and fire certifications need to be listed.

2) Complete the driver’s license check form (Active members only)
Driver’s licenses will be checked through the Town of Clinton on behalf of our insurance company.

3) Complete a physical (Not applicable for Associate members)

Every prospective firefighting member must have a medical exam completed. You will be required to complete the N.J. State Relief Form for the physical.

4) Complete a background check (Not applicable for Juniors)
As part of the membership application process all new members are required to complete a full background check.

5) Meet with CFD membership committee
Once you have completed steps 1-4 (above) you will be required to meet with the membership committee.

6) Complete a prescreening (Not applicable for Juniors)
All new candidate members will need to pass a pre-screening urine drug test as a condition of membership. Candidates will be given the necessary paperwork during the membership interview.

As a final note I'd like to point out the obvious - NONE of us get paid, we volunteer our time and service because we want to give back to the community.  A few years ago we had a new junior who was in the process of completing his paperwork who came up to one of the 'older' guys (an ex-chief) one day and asked when we were getting paid.  The ex-chief replied without missing a beat "I don't know young man, I've been here for over forty years and I'm still waiting for my check".  I hope to see you down at the fire house soon joining the ranks of the volunteer fire service - a proud American tradition!

STAY SAFE!

Busy Again After 9 Days With No Calls.

Our members had a nice break going 9 days without any emergency calls. During that time they took care of equipment and the firehouse, did a firework stand by at the Hunterdon Developmental Center, and stood by during the Iron and Steel Run. On Sunday our members responded to a minor 2 car Motor Vehicle Accident(MVA) in Union Township near the Clinton Station Diner. Units were dispatched at 1453 and back in quarters at 1510.

On Tuesday night at 2030, CFD was dispatched to Patrick Drive in Union Township for an odor of something burning in a residence. Deputy Chief 45 arrived on scene at 2038 and took command of the incident. CFD was assisted by an Engine from Quakertown and Pattenburg on this call. A thorough investigation of the residence found a Compact Fluorescent Light(CFL) bulb shorted out and was burning in side the base and was turning black. The bulb was removed and all units were back in quarters and ready for service at 2127.

Just as units returned to quarters at 2127, CFD was dispatched for an audible fire alarm on Leigh St between Lower Center St. and Main St. Deputy Chief 45 and both CFD Engines arrived on scene in less than 1 minute, with Deputy 45 taking command of the incident. Members made entry and found a significant smoke condition in the building. Command upgraded the incident to a level 2, bringing an Engine from Quakertown and Annandale, a Ladder from High Bridge, and FAST from Lebanon Boro. Water supply was established and crews began searching the building, quickly determining the fire was a cooking fire confined to the stove. Level 2 units were cancelled and CFD units operated on scene until 2234.

On Wednesday at 1134, CFD was dispatched to set up a landing zone for a medical helicopter. This was a mutual aid response to assist Annandale while they operated at the scene of a serious MVA on Route 31. Engine 451 responded and stood by at Bundt Park While the helicopter landed a took off with the patient.

Remembering 911

Lest we forget!

Take a moment today and remember those who perished on 9/11. Also remember those who died fighting to protect our freedom and those who continue to die from illness contracted from working at Ground Zero following the attacks 8 years ago. We can not change what has happened and we must move on, but we should never forget what happened that day. God Bless America!

Disaster preparedness

Every year I’m amazed at the masses who rush to the store every time a weather alert is announced. In our area snow storms lead to long lines at the grocery stores as people empty the shelves, stocking up on eggs, bread and milk. With hurricane season upon us and the potential of any named storm hitting the eastern seaboard, I’d be interested to see how many people have hurricane or emergency supplies or kits in their homes. Please let us know whether you have a disaster preparedness kit by voting in the poll.

If you are interested in putting together a disaster preparedness kit, here’s a list of recommended items from the National Hurricane Center.

.

Happy Labor Day

We've had a quiet Labor Day weekend and I'm sure all our members are enjoying the uninterrupted time with family and friends.  I hope you're making the most of the super weather and spending lots of time outdoors!  Happy Labor Day.
.

Mutual aid and box alarms in action - PART 2

In the previous post we got a quick introduction to mutual aid and box alarms. Let’s now take a hypothetical example of a residential fire alarm in the heart of Clinton. The dispatcher will get the call and dispatch the call in the following way. “Stations clear, Box 45-01 Level 1- 45 Fire and Rescue. 45 Fire and Rescue responding to 11 Street Road for an audible fire alarm. Caller stating that the alarm is making a chirping noise, no visible smoke”. In this case it is a basic fire call which will be handled by units from Clinton Fire Department and no mutual aid is needed. In cases where there are many potential victims such as schools and large businesses, mutual aid units will be dispatched even for a Level 1 alarm e.g. smoke or CO detectors.

Let’s look at another example where a homeowner comes home to find their basement filled with smoke. The homeowner calls 911 and the necessary departments are dispatched. “Stations clear, Box 45-01 Level 2 - 45 Fire and Rescue, Engine 46-61, Ladder 14-69, Engine 91-64, 18 Fire (FAST) responding to 11 Street Road for a possible structure fire. Homeowner reporting their basement is filled with smoke and they smell something burning”. In this case the homeowner is getting a full response from our station (2 engines, a tower ladder and a service truck) as well as an engine from Annandale (46) and Quakertown (91), a ladder from High Bridge (14), and a FAST from Lebanon Boro (18). The responding officers have the necessary resources coming into the scene without having to do anything. In addition they can also upgrade the box based on the criteria established for that location.

Mutual aid based on box alarms has revolutionized the way that we all work together. Previous to box alarms an officer would get on scene and then they would call for help. Now we have a mindset where we’d rather get everyone on the road and then cancel them, rather than getting on scene and knowing that your next available ladder is at least 15 minutes away. Additionally with less members available for daytime responses Clinton may only be able to staff 1 Engine initially. With the automatic mutual aid the box alarms provide the officer in charge will still have adequate resources responding.

.