Engine Three Incidents In The News! 4/8/07- Three Firefighters injured during 2 Alarm  Blaze in Hagerstown on Easter Sunday Hagerstown, MD- On April 8th, the on duty operator working the First Hagerstown Hose Company at 33 South Potomac Street in Hagerstown received a rude awakening just after 4:30 A.M. when someone came to the fire hall reporting a building on fire a block up the street at 136 South Potomac Street. The operator immediately called over to the 9-1-1 Center giving them the report. As dispatchers prepared to dispatch the call, Engine One out of First Hose started up the street. Immediately after dispatch at 04:36 hours, Engine 1 arrived on the scene reporting fire showing from the second floor of the structure. With reports received, Battalion Chief Dietrich requested the Air Unit and Medic Unit on the call. Upon Battalion Chief Dietrich’s arrival, he found fire at 136 and 138 South Potomac Street and immediately assumed Potomac Street Command and requested the Second Alarm Assignment. Crews responding in on the initial alarm were faced with heavy fire. Engine 4 out of Western Enterprise Station 4 positioned to the rear of the structure off of West Antietam Street where they were faced with the heaviest fire load. As firefighters worked to control the fire, additional crews responded in on the second alarm assignment bringing additional manpower and units from the remaining Hagerstown crews as well as mutual aid companies from Funkstown, Longmeadow, Community Rescue and Washington County Special Operations as well as the County Rehab Unit. As manpower was assigned at the scene, Special Operations personnel worked to erect a special tent they use for decon to be utilized as a rehab area. The tent they brought into the scene was set up in the parking lot at St. Johns Church at 141 South Potomac Street. The tent ventilation tubes were set up to keep the tent warm and came in handy due to the low temperatures crews were faced to deal with. Crews working to control the blaze were able to gain control within an hour after their arrival. Command reported the fire knocked down at 05:39 hours to dispatch advising they had heavy extension. Due to heavy damage to the structure, crews were also faced with a partial collapse on the second floor. After the collapse occurred, Command requested the Collapse Trailer from Special Operations to the scene to assist with securing the collapse zone of the structure. Through out the incident, three firefighters received injuries as well as one resident at the complex involved. EMS crews on the scene treated all three firefighters for non-life threatening injuries. Those needing transport were taken to Washington County Trauma Center where they were later released. The resident who was seen by EMS refused transport to Washington County by EMS. FULL STORY ON 1STRESPONDERNEWS.COM 4/6/07- Early Morning Blaze Destroys Abandoned Building Outside Of Hagerstown Hagerstown, MD- On April 6th, Washington County Dispatch to 9-1-1 calls reporting a structure, which appeared to be a barn on fire on Day road to the rear of the Four Points Sheraton on the Dual Highway. Emergency crews from Funkstown Fire Co.10 along with Hagerstown and Mt. Aetna Fire crews were dispatched out on the call at 1:39 hours that morning. Hagerstown Engine 3 was the first to arrive to find a building fully involved in flames. With Engine 3’s report, the County Working Fire assignment was started to the scene. Upon Captain Pile’s arrival from the Hagerstown Fire Department, he assumed Day Road Command. After size up of the situation, Command began canceling some of the units responding into the scene. Crews arriving on the scene were faced with an old milking parlor that had been abandoned for a while. Command decided to hold Engine 3 along with Funkstown Fire crews to surround and drown out the blaze and protect the area from the fire spreading any further. All remaining units on the call were released and returned to service around 01:57 hours. Command held the remaining units for nearly two hours to soak down the area thoroughly. State FM Ed Ernst responded out to the scene as well. No cause has been released at this time and is still under investigation. FULL STORY ON 1STRESPONDERNEWS.COM 2/17/07- Three Families Left Homeless After Apartment Blaze In Hagerstown Hagerstown, MD- On February 17th, a quiet Saturday afternoon erupted into chaos as Washington County 911 dispatchers become swamped with dozens of calls reporting a building on fire in the Historical District of South Prospect Street in Hagerstown. Firefighters from Hagerstown were dispatched out along with Halfway Truck 26 around 12:42 hours after reports of an apartment building fire were phoned in to the dispatch center. Crews from First Hose, Antietam, Pioneer Hook & Ladder, Western Enterprise and the Volunteer Fire Company of Halfway responded in on the 1st Alarm Assignment to the blaze.  As dispatchers continued taking multiple calls on the fire, it was obvious to dispatch that they had a working fire. HFD Fire marshal Tom Brown advised dispatch the he was able to see Heavy Smoke coming from the Prospect Street area from his location on the Dual Highway. Dispatch automatically started the Emergency Air Unit along with a Medic Unit out of CRS to the incident scene as fire department crews approached the scene. Engine One was the first in unit who arrived to find heavy fire blowing out the windows and up the walls of the house. After Engine One’s report of Heavy Fire Showing, Battalion Chief Hopkins arrived on the scene assuming Prospect Street Command.  Firefighters on the scene worked to gain control of the fire, which had rapidly spread. While crews worked to contain the blaze, several firefighters conducted primary and secondary searches to confirm all residents were out of the building. FULL STORY ON 1STRESPONDERNEWS.COM

DESIGNED BY: