CFD Officers and Executives 2010

Elections for Chief, Assistant Chief and Executives were held at our annual meeting on Monday the 5th of April. Our thanks go out to Chief Scott Wintermute who is taking a well deserved rest after leading the department as chief for 4 years.  At the April elections, Deputy Chief Steve Higgins was unanimously elected to the position of Chief and he will be assisted by Deputy Chief Walt Dorf.  The line officers for 2010 are Jeff Hedden - Captain, Jim Querry - Captain, Tim Vanselous - Lieutenant and Mike Burtnick - Engineer.  The department also voted on the Executive committee members and they are Jerry Malecki - President, Quintus Joubert - Vice President, Bill Wintermute - Treasurer, Matt Brown - Secretary, Tim Langston - Trustee, Scott Wintermute - Trustee and Rick Dux - Trustee.  

We would like to congratulate these members and wish them all the best as they lead the department during this year!

Hoops challenge - Fire vs. Rescue

On the 9th of April the Clinton Fire Department took on the Clinton First Aid and Rescue Squad in an epic battle for basketball supremacy.  The event was sponsored by the Clinton Emergency Services Foundation and all proceeds benefited the Clinton First Aid & Rescue Squad and the Clinton Fire Department.  At the sound of the final buzzer the Clinton Fire Department managed to edge out the squad by a respectable score of 41-32.  We'd like to thank everyone that joined us for this wonderful community event and we look forward to more social events like this in the near future.

Shoots and scores!

The final score is in!

Chief Higgins (middle) and Deputy Chief Dorf (right) receive the trophy

The 2010 CFD Dream Team

Photos courtesy: Rick Dux

Photo of the week

Captain Walter Dorf and Firefighter Mchael Iglesias making a rescue on the cliff behind the Red Mill Museum. Captain Dorf is now Deputy Chief and Firefighter Iglesias has moved to Myrtle Beach, SC where he is now a career firefighter.

Reminder: Cancer walk-a-thon & Craft fair

Don't miss the 5th Annual Cancer Walk-a-thon and Craft Fair

Saturday 24 April, 2010 10am - 3pm 

The Commons Park, Main Street, High Bridge NJ.

See you there! 

CFD Biography - Ex-Chief Scott Wintermute

In a new feature on the CFD Blog will will introduce you to our Clinton Fire Department members. We will feature a different member each month. This month I will tell a little about myself.

Name: Scott Wintermute (Ex-fire chief, Trustee)

Family: Wife - Mary Lynn

Children: Jaeden (6) and Russell (2)

Parents: Bill and Judy

Sister: Sue

About Me:

I was born and raised in Clinton and attended Clinton Public School. After graduating from Clinton Public my family moved to Franklin Township and I attended North Hunterdon High School. I graduated from North Hunterdon in 1988 and attended NJIT. I left NJIT in 1989 and worked for Vollers Excavating in North Branch. In 1991 I was hired at Public Service Electric & Gas. I currently work in PSE&G's Gas System Operations Center in Newark.

My wife and I were married in 1996 and live in Clinton Township near the Town of Clinton border. In 2005 we adopted our daughter, Jaeden, from Chongqing, China and in January of this year we adopted our son, Russell, from Hohhot, China. We enjoy traveling, especially camping.

My Fire Service Career:
I come from a CFD family. My father and two uncles are members of the CFD and all three served as Chiefs. I spent a lot of time at the firehouse as a child and often helped out at Pancake Breakfasts and other fund raisers. As a teenager I got together with some friends who were interested in joining the fire department and we pushed the Chief and other Officers to start a Junior Firefighter program. In 1987 the program was finally implemented. Myself and 3 others joined the Clinton Fire Department in April of 1987 as the first Junior Firefighters in the department. I turned 18 in October of 1987 and became an Active Firefighter in November. Since then I have held the ranks of Lieutenant, Captain, Assistant Chief, Chief (2006-2010), and currently serve as a Trustee of the Clinton Fire Department. In addition to my fire service I have also served 5 years on the Clinton First Aid and Rescue Squad.

CFD Activity for January 2010

First off I want to apologize for the lack of activity on the Blog but sometimes real life interferes so please forgive me. 2010 has started out to be a busy year not only for the CFD but for me personally. My wife, daughter, and I traveled to China on January 20 to adopt our son Russell. We returned home on February 5 and have taken some time to settle in. Russell is 22 months and is keeping us all rather busy.

In January the CFD had our monthly meeting, 3 drills, 1 mandatory class, and we assisted at the Annual Clinton Yuletide Bonfire. We also responded to 22 calls during the month. A summary of those calls follows.:

01/06/10 @ 7:25 pm - Fire Box 4508 Level 1 - Holiday Inn of Clinton for the fire alarm activation. Investigation determined that prior work on the sprinkler system had caused a false activation. The following units responded: Chief 45, Deputy 45, Engine 452, Tower 45, Engine 461, and Ladder 14. Fire Marshal 45 was notified of the situation. All units were ready for service at 8:02 pm.

01/07/10 @ 5:52 am - Fire Box 4508 Level 1 - Holiday Inn of Clinton for the fire alarm activation. Investigation determined alarm cause to be the same problem as previous call. Fire Marshal 45 was on scene and would ensure problem is repaired. Units responding: Engine 452, Engine 461, Ladder 14 and Deputy 14. All units were ready for service at 6:25 am.

01/10/10 @ 5:35 pm - Fire Box 4503 Level 2 - Leigh Street in the Town of Clinton for smoke in a dwelling. Units responding on the box were: Chief 45, Deputy 45, Engine 452, Tower 45, ladder 14, Engine 461, Engine 912, and Squad 18(FAST). Chief 45 and Deputy 45 arrived and determined the cause of the smoke to be a faulty oil burner. All 14, 46, 91, and 18 fire units were cancelled prior to arrival. Engine 452 and Tower 45 shut down the unit and vented the smoke from the dwelling. All units were ready for service at 6:04 pm.

01/12/10 @ 8:29 am - Fire Box 2546 Level 1 - Hunterdon Developmental Center(HDC) Cottage 16 for the fire alarm. Deputy 45, Engine 451, and Engine 912 responded. Investigation determined the cause to be burnt food. All units were ready for service at 8:51 am.

01/12/10 @ 11:36 am - Fire Box 4601 Level 4 - Jumping Brook Place in Clinton Township for the Carbon Monoxide(CO) alarm. Engine 451 responds mutual aid to AHCO(46) on this box. Captain 46 cancelled Engine 451 at 11:38 am.

01/13/10 @ 4:15 pm - Fire Box 4601 Level 4 - Grayrock Rd for the odor of gas in the residence. Engine 451 is assigned mutual aid to this box. Engine 451 assisted with the investigation and was ready for service at 4:45 pm.

01/14/10 @ 7:23 am - Fire Box 4503 Level 4 - Alexandra Way for the odor of gas in the residence. Deputy 45 and Engine 452 responded and found no gas in the residence. There were numerous gas odor calls on this day and the source was later found to be axle grease that leaked on Route 31. All units were ready for service at 7:47 am.

01/14/10 @ 2:23 pm - Fire Box 4504 Level 2 - Lakeview Avenue in the Town of Clinton for the kitchen fire. Deputy 45 arrived in 4 minutes and took command and advised he had smoke showing from the dwelling. Engine 451 with Lieutenant 452 arrived and stretched a line and made an aggressive interior attack on the fire. The fire started on the stove due to unattended cooking and spread to the cabinets and walls. The fire was contained to the kitchen with heat, smoke and water damage to other parts of the house. One occupant was injured and was treated and transported by the Clinton Rescue Squad. The following units responded on the box: Engine 451, Engine 452, Tower 45, Engine 461, Engine 912, Ladder 14, Squad 18(FAST). Chief 46, Chief 14, and Deputy 91 also assisted at the incident. All units were ready for service at 4:51 pm.

01/17/10 @ 10:46 am - Fire Box 4623 Level 1 - Clinton Township Police Headquarters for the odor of smoke in the building. Engine 451 was special called to assist first alarm companies search for the source. The source was found to be from a shorted electric device in the basement and Engine 451 was ready for service at 11:44 am.

01/17/10 @ 1:03 pm - Fire Box 4501 Level 2 - Center Street in the Town of Clinton for the oven fire. Chief 45 arrived in 1 minute and found fire coming from the range top. Engine 452 and Tower 45 arrived and removed the stove from the dwelling with no fire extension to the building. The fire was extinguished once the stove was outside. The following units responded on the box: Chief 45, Deputy 45, Engine 452, Tower 45, Engine 461, Engine 912, Ladder 14, and Squad 18(FAST). All units were ready for service at 1:31 pm.

01/17/10 @ 5:39 pm - Fire Box 4621 Level 1 - Immaculate Conception School for the fire alarm. Engine 451 responds mutual aid on this box and assisted searching for the source of the alarm. The source was determined to be a power problem in the area, no fire. Engine 451 was ready for service at 6:21 pm.

01/19/10 @ 6:03 am - Fire Box 4506 Level 1 - Clinton Public School for the fire alarm. The source of the alarm was due to prior work on the heating system. Responding units: Engine 451, Engine 452, and Ladder 14. All units were ready for service at 6:47 am.

01/20/10 @ 6:29 am - Fire Box 4506 Level 1 - Clinton Public School for the fire alarm. There was no fire the alarm was caused by a problem with the heater. Responding units: Chief 45, Engine 452, and Ladder 14. All units were returned to service at 6:55 am.

01/21/10 @ 11:18 am - Fire Box 2545 Level 4 - Cross Way in Union Township for the CO alarm. Engine 451 investigated and found CO in the condo unit. The source was traced to carpet cleaners leaving the door open and their truck running. The unit was ventilated and Engine 451 returned to service at 11:52 am.

01/25/10 @ 5:49 am - Fire Box 4504 Level 1 - Lingert Avenue in the Town of Clinton for the wire sparking on a pole. Chief 45, Captain 451, and Engine 452 responded. JCP&L arrived and all units returned to service at 7:17 am.

01/25/10 @ 8:17 am - Fire Box 2546 Level 1 - HDC Cottage 14 for the fire alarm activation. No fire on investigation, the alarm was caused by a water leak. Tower 45 and Engine 912 responded and all returned to service at 8:53 am.

01/26/10 @ 11:39 am - Fire Box 4621 Level 1 - North Hunterdon High School for the bomb scare. Engine 451 responded and stood by with 46 Fire units while police investigated. Engine 451 was released and returned to service at 1:51 pm.

01/27/10 @ 8:38 pm - Fire Box 4601 Level 4 - Beaver Avenue in Clinton Township for the car leaking gas. Engine 451 is assigned to this box and was cancelled while responding by Engine 461. Engine 451 was back in quarters at 8:55 pm.

01/28/10 @ 7:03 am - Fire Box 4505 Level 1 - Interstate 78 East for multiple MVA's. CFD units assisted State Police blocking traffic until dispatched to another location at 7:56 am.

01/28/10 @ 7:56 am - Fire Box 2545 Level 1 - Route 173 and Bank Street in Union Township for the MVA. Captain 451 and Engine 451 responded and assisted Clinton Rescue with patient care. All units returned to service at 8:14 am.

01/29/10 @ 6:33 am - Fire Box 4506 Level 1 - Clinton Public School for the fire alarm. Captain 451, Engine 452, and Ladder 14 investigated the alarm and determined there is a problem with a heater. All units returned to service at 6:51 am.

01/29/10 @ 8:00 pm - Fire Box 4601 Level 2 - Riverbend Road in Clinton Township for the chimney fire. Engine 451 was cancelled prior to arrival and returned to service at 8:10 pm.

Safety tips - Driving in snow and ice

With the imminent arrival of yet another snow storm we wanted to share these snow and ice driving tips with you:

The best advice for driving in bad winter weather is not to drive at all, if you can avoid it. Don't go out until the snow plows and sanding trucks have had a chance to do their work, and allow yourself extra time to reach your destination. If you must drive in snowy conditions, make sure your car is prepared (TIPS), and that you know how to handle road conditions.

It's helpful to practice winter driving techniques in a snowy, open parking lot, so you're familiar with how your car handles. Consult your owner's manual for tips specific to your vehicle.

Driving safely on icy roads

1. Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.
2. Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.
3. Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.
4. Keep your lights and windshield clean.
5. Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
6. Don't use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.
7. Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.
8. Don't pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you're likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
9.Don't assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.

If your rear wheels skid...

1. Take your foot off the accelerator.
2. Steer in the direction you want the front wheels to go. If your rear wheels are sliding left, steer left. If they're sliding right, steer right.
3. If your rear wheels start sliding the other way as you recover, ease the steering wheel toward that side. You might have to steer left and right a few times to get your vehicle completely under control.
4. If you have standard brakes, pump them gently.
5. If you have anti-lock brakes (ABS), do not pump the brakes. Apply steady pressure to the brakes. You will feel the brakes pulse — this is normal.

If your front wheels skid...

1. Take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral, but don't try to steer immediately.
2. As the wheels skid sideways, they will slow the vehicle and traction will return. As it does, steer in the direction you want to go. Then put the transmission in "drive" or release the clutch, and accelerate gently.

If you get stuck...

1. Do not spin your wheels. This will only dig you in deeper.
2. Turn your wheels from side to side a few times to push snow out of the way.
3. Use a light touch on the gas, to ease your car out.
4. Use a shovel to clear snow away from the wheels and the underside of the car.
5. Pour sand, kitty litter, gravel or salt in the path of the wheels, to help get traction.
6. Try rocking the vehicle. (Check your owner's manual first — it can damage the transmission on some vehicles.) Shift from forward to reverse, and back again. Each time you're in gear, give a light touch on the gas until the vehicle gets going.
7. More Tips

Sources: National Safety Council, New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Washington State Government Information & Services