March 20th
- At around 0840hrs
Station 7-3, Station 8-1 and District 5 were
dispatched to 1029 Broadway, in the Borough of
Westville for the Dwelling. Gloucester County
Fire Board was receiving multiple calls stating
that residents call smell something burning and
see smoke coming down the hallway.
Upon the arrival of the Police Chief, he
reported to the police board that he had a
working fire, 733 responded with 5 under the
command of Captain Miller, the crew arrived to a
two story Garden Style Apartment, with smoke
showing from the rear. Crews from 733 stretched
the mall lay to the 1st floor where
crews found heavy smoke. Upon further
investigation the crew found the fire had been
extinguished prior to the arrival by a resident
with an extinguisher.
Crews from Ladder 516 and Engine 811
began positive pressure through the front doors,
after the smoke cleared, and County Fire Marshal
and Local Fire Marshal preformed their
investigation crews cleared with exception of
733 who remained on location performing some
routine Knox Box maintenance.
Crews were on scene for little over
and hour with no injuries reported.
On Scene: Command 7301 Chief Murtaugh Engines:
733, 811 Ladders: 516 Special Service Vehicles:
517, 737
Others: CFM 1, FM 7302 Westville Police
Department
Photos By: Bill Rieger III 1st Responder News
Dwelling in Woodbury and Later in Westville
March 18th
- At 1706rs Taskforce 5 was
dispatched to 414 W. Centre Street in Woodbury
for the dwelling. Upon the arrival of
Deputy Chief Gotthardt, had a 2 story single
family dwelling with light smoke showing, two
patients , 1 with minor burns and second one
with smoke
inhalation
and burns. 511's engine crew arrived under
command of Captain Burch, the crew went into
investigated to find a small kitchen fire with
small extension into the dwelling, crews went
in-service with negative pressure ventilation.
Squad 59, 1st and 2nd duty crew transported the
victims to Cooper Hospital. The fire is under
investigation by Woodbury Fire Marshal's Office
and crew were clear with in the 1/2 hour mark
with no firefighter injuries.
On Scene: Command Chief Murtaugh 7301, Engines
511, 811, Ladder 516, and 736, Woodbury
TLC 591, 592, and Deptford's 995 FM - 5
At 2010hrs Taskforce 7 was
dispatched to 429 Highland Ave in Westville
for the dwelling. Upon the arrival of
Chief Murtaugh, he reported to GC Fire Board he had a 2 story single
family dwelling with nothing showing. 733's engine crew arrived under
command of Captain Cattell the crew went into
investigated to find a odor of something burning
throughout the first floor. Crews later found
what seem to be a space heater that had an odor
coming from it, crews secured the power to the
heater and the odor dissipated, the engine crew
advise the home owner to have the heater checked
out and cleaned before reusing the unit. Firefighters cleared with in the
hour with no firefighter injuries.
On Scene: Command Chief Murtaugh 7301, Engines
733, 511, 512, and 811, Ladder 516, and 736.
Photos By: Bill Rieger III 1st Responder News
Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery
Change Your Clock, Change Your Batteryhas been recognized as America's most
effective fire safety campaign, helping families
keep safe should fire strike.
Working smoke alarms double a family's chances
of surviving a home fire. The program
reminds people how important it is to maintain
working smoke detectors. Each fall when you
change your clocks back to Standard Time,
remember to change the batteries in your smoke
detectors.
Fire Safety Checklist
Install a
smoke alarm on each level of your home,
including the basement. Consult your fire
department for proper installation locations.
Test and vacuum your smoke alarms once a
month—dust and cobwebs can impair sensitivity.
Change the batteries in your smoke alarms
once a year. Depend on high quality brand
batteries.
Check flashlight batteries. Always keep a
working flashlight near your bed, in the
kitchen, basement, and family room—in the event
of a fire, use a flashlight to signal for help.
Install fire extinguishers. Be sure to
install a fire extinguisher in or near your
kitchen and know how to use it. The
International Association of Fire Chiefs
recommends a multi- or all-purpose fire
extinguisher that’s listed by an accredited
testing laboratory.
Make sure your children know and understand
fire safety. Children are at double the risk of
dying in a home fire, because they often become
scared and confused during fires. Show your
children where smoke alarms are located. Make
sure they recognize the smoke alarm’s sound and
understand that a sounding smoke alarm signals a
home fire
Plan and practice your escape routes.
Identify at least two different escape routes
and practice them with the entire family.
1 Car MVC, In front of Wawa
February 28th
- At around 2115hrs while some of the
members were hanging around the firehouse, they
heard a loud bang come from across the street,
after investigating further the crews found a 1
car MVC in front of the Wawa on Broadway and
Olive Streets across the street from the
firehouse. Rescue 738 and Squad 739 responded
quickly, upon the arrival of the Rescue under
the direction of Captain Nordaby, Westville
Police Department stated they had one patient in
custody that was refusing medical treatment. It
appeared the vehicle was traveling north on
Broadway towards Brooklawn when the vehicle
struck two park cars and continued airborne when
land in a resident's grass on Broadway. The
patient refused treatment, while members of the
rescue secured the vehicles power and took up
with no injuries reported. It should be noted
that this accident is under investigation by the
Westville Police Department.
On Scene were Command 7303 (Captain Nordaby),
Rescue 738 Westville, Squad 739, Westville
Police Department, Brooklawn Police Department
and West Deptford Police Department.
Photos By: Bill Rieger III 1st Responder News
Rescue Goes To Woodbury For Motor Vehicle Crash
February 27th
- At around 1145hrs Taskforce 5 was
dispatched to Oak Street and Tatum Street for a
Motor Vehicle Crash.
Upon the Arrival of Engine 511 and Rescue 738
crews investigated to find a 2 car motor vehicle
crash, with 4 patients all with minor injuries.
Crews from the engine and rescue secured the
vehicles and assisted the BLS units and
packaging the patients, to the trip to
Underwood, which was down the street from the
accident scene.
Crews from the engine and rescue were available
shortly after the packaging of the patients.
On Scene were Command FM-5 (Tucker), Engine 511 Woodbury,
Rescue 738 Westville, ALS Unit LS – 4, BLS 591,
592, 593, and 594, along with Woodbury Police
Department.
Photos By: Bill Rieger III 1st Responder News
Busy Day Starts with 4th Alarm in Deptford
February 12th -
Around 2 AM on Monday, February 12, 2007,
Engine Co. 733 was dispatched to 1070 Delsea
Drive in Deptford Twp on the 2nd Alarm. The
Engine arrived to find a strip mall with heavy
fire conditions and extension into the B and D
exposures. The Engine Co. laid in from a hydrant
on Delsea Drive to Division C and supplied
Engine Co. 922. The Engine Crew was then
assigned the task of searching exposures on the
D-side of the fire building and eventually
pulling ceilings in the D-2 Exposure. The job
eventually escalated to a 4th Alarm as
additional companies where requested due to the
advancing fire conditions and freezing
temperatures. Ladder Companies where working on
the roof performing a trench cut and multiple
ladder pipes where in-service knocking down the
fire. The bulk of the fire was knocked down,
with some pockets of fire still burning in the
original building, which where determined to be
gas feed and crews had to wait for PSE&G to
located the gas shut off. Companies began to
pick up and command started to release
non-committed companies. The Engine Company was
released shortly before 7am.
As the day progressed, the calls continued to
come in. The Squad handled an MVA with Trauma in
Gloucester City and the Engine responded on a CO
Alarm shortly after noon time. As the afternoon
rush was beginning to start, the companies again
hit the street as Task Force 5 (Woodbury) was
dispatched to the China House on Evergreen Ave.
for the building. As companies investigated a
smoke condition on the interior, Rescue Co 738
was redirected to Delsea Dr and Little River for
the Material Spill. The rescue arrived and found
a large area of Diesel Fuel on the roadway and
requested a County Sand truck to secure the
area. As crews continued to locate the source of
the smoke in Woodbury, which was eventually
determined to be from roofers working on the
roof, County Communications notified command
that their would be a L-Z Assignment in Woodbury
and assigned Engine Co. 733 to handle that
assignment. All companies returned to service a
short time later.
Photos By: Bill Rieger III 1st Responder News
Bob Bartosz Camden Fire Department
2nd Annual Westville, Woodbury, National Park
Banquet.
February 2nd
- The members National Park, Westville, and Woodbury
Fire Departments gathered together for the second
annual Westbury Park Banquet. This evenings events
were held at the National Park Fire Department
Banquet Hall, with Chief John Hoffman of the
Washington Township Fire Department as the honorable
Master of Ceremonies. The evening started with the
recognition of invited guests and a few words from
each communities mayors followed by the presentation
of awards. From Westville Chief Chuck Murtaugh was
named by his fellow members as Member/Firefighter of
the Year, Paul Ostorm received the EMT of the Year,
and Sean Nordaby received Jr. Firefighter of the
Year. From Woodbury Bill Gotthardt was named
Firefighter of the Year, finally National Park named
Jessie Jones as Firefighter of the Year and EMT of
the year was Mike Cresctio, and Jr Firefighter of
the Year was presented to Josh Robinson. The members
and Chiefs of the Taskforce also presented
Woodbury's Retired Chief Drew Bain with a plaque
thanking him for his years of service as Chief
of the Woodbury Fire Department, following the
awards ceremony, dinner was served and catered by Masso's Catering. At the conclusion of Dinner,
members where treated to a brief comedy routine and
the viewing of the annual slide show followed by a
night of music and dancing presented by Infinite
Sounds DJ.
Early Morning Roller over on the NJTP
January 21st
-
At approx. 0740 hrs. the County Communications began
receiving calls for an overturned vehicle in the
South Bound lanes of the N.J.T.P. in the area of the
17 mile marker. 9201 arrived at the 18.5 MM with a
single vehicle crash that had rolled multiple times
and was now up righted. 7302 arrived shortly after
and assumed the "Turn-Pike Command" After
investigating, it was found that 1 passenger was
trapped in the rear seat and NJSP had the driver in
custody. Squad 739 arrived and began patient care on
the trapped occupant, as Engine Co. 921 arrived and
stabilized and secured the vehicle. Rescue Co. 738
arrived shortly after and went to work removing the
rear door of the vehicle and removing the patient
for transport. Extrication was complete within 7
minutes after arrival. EMS transported the patient
to local ER and companies cleared shortly after with
no reported injuries.
Companies on scene: Squad 739, Engine Co. 921,
Rescue Co. 738 Rescue Co. 2518 and Squad 1895 staged
at Exit 2.
Photos By: Chief Rick Thomas (9201,Tacoma Fire
Company)
City fire sends one to Cooper
January 20th
-
Taskforce 5
was dispatched at 09:36hrs., for a report of a Building
fire at 231 N Evergreen (Woodlake Apartments) Apartment
30 C on January 20.
Companies
from Woodbury, National Park and Westville were
dispatched to the scene.
Gloucester
County Communications informed units responding that
they had received two calls, with callers stating they
hear the fire alarm and see smoke in the hallway.
FM-9401 was on radio in the area and reporting fire and
smoke coming from second story window and residents
still on second floor.
Command
7302(Assistant Chief Farley) arrived on location and
reported smoke and fire showing from the number 2 floor,
with residents still inside. Command reported that crews
would be operating and performing primary searches,
while requesting the all hands and entrapment be
re-dispatched.
Ladder
Company 736 and Engine Company 511 arrived; while ladder
crew split and went to work with the primary search and
opening up, the engine crew stretched the first handline
and went to work finding the seat of the fire.
The ladder
company came across the closed apartment of the seat of
the fire, upon forcing entry the crew found the resident
behind the door, semi-conscious,
the ladder
crews passed the victim to the engine crew and continued
the search, with the rest of the search coming up
negative. The fire was knocked down quickly and crews
continuing checking for extension.
The resident was taken to Cooper Trauma by 591 and LS 1
for trauma evaluation.
The fire was knocked down quickly began crews continuing
checking for extension. The fire was brought under
control at 45 minute mark with No firefighter injuries
reported, and the fire is under investigation by the
Gloucester County Fire Marshal's Office and Woodbury
Fire Marshal’s Office..
Companies on scene were Ladders 736, 516, Engines 511,
733, 811, 812 Rescues 738, Cascade 947, Fast Team Camden
County 325, BLS 591, 592, ALS 1, GC, CC ISAT , Woodbury
OEM, Woodbury Fire Marshal’s Office and Gloucester
County Fire Marshal’s Office
Photos By: Bill Rieger III 1st Responder News
MVC Broad Street and Chestnut Ave in Woodbury
January 4th
-
At Around 1500hrs Task Force
5 was dispatched to Broad St and Crescent Ave., for a
motor vehicle crash. Rescue Company 738 and Engine 511
responded immediately, Rescue Company 738 arrived to
find a one car MVC, car vs. pole with wires and a
transformer down, and the pole was off its post. Upon
the arrival of 7301 (Chief Murtaugh) the chief assumed
command and requested PSEG to the scene and State
highway services to help with detours of the highway,
due to road closure. Companies stood by prior to the
arrival of PSEG and State DOT. The patient was
transported to local the hospital and there were no
firefighter injuries reported.
On scene were Rescue Company 738, Engine Company 511,
Ladder Companies 516, 736, BLS 591, and UMH LS 1
Photos By: Bill Rieger III 1st Responder News
Westville Fire Department
836 Broadway
Westville NJ,08093
Gloucester County - Station 7-3
