Saturday, May 12, 2012  Reading City Fire Dept, PA--‐Area Fire Museum Restoration Specialist Ralph Bascelli is selling this restored fire hydrant to benefit the Fire Museum as well as cancer--‐stricken Reading City Fire Chief Ron Wentzel.

The price is $400 You can contact Ralph at rjbascelli@hotmail.com



 

Friday, May 11, 2012  Engine 708 and 731 handled a well involved trash truck fire at 1533 hours on Interstate 270 and around 0200 RS715, E712 M712 and BC701 handled a crash with entrapment involving MCPD.

 

Monday, May 7, 2012  Engine Company 733 handles an auto fire........

 

Saturday, May 5, 2012  This morning around 0540 the 3rd Battalion was dispatched to Needwood and Muncaster Mill Rd for a reported house fire. Additional information was that a tow truck driver was on scene and saw fire in the basement windows and smoke from the house. As crews were enroute ECC found the house in an intersection camera and confirmed a working fire and dropped the Rapid Intervention Dispatch. Crew's arrived to find fire in the basement with extension into the first floor.

A MAYDAY was activated at 0600 when a firefighter from Rescue Squad 703 fell through a hole in the 1st floor and landed in the basement. The firefighter was transported to a local hospital with a knee injury.

 

Friday, May 4, 2012  At 19:47, units were dispatched to Decatur Ave for the 5 Box. Units arrived to find smoke showing. C705D established command. E705B found a working kitchen fire with some extension into the attic.

 


 

Friday, May 4, 2012  At 20:48, PE723 and E726 were dispatched to I270 N between Montrose Rd & Falls Rd for the vehicle fire. E726 arrived on-scene to find a fully involved vehicle fire in the CD lane.

 

Thursday, May 3, 2012  Around 1820 hours Montgomery dispatched Box 11-01 for the house fire in the 5100 block of Baltimore Avenue in Glen Echo. Initial reports as units were responding were of an explosion in the garage. Chief 705 Echo was first arriving reporting a 1 1/2-story single family dwelling with smoke showing from the garage and eves. Engine 711 arrived and stretched a line to the front door. Both Engine 711 and Truck 706 worked their way through collier’s mansion conditions to the kitchen where they knocked down a kitchen that was off. Crews then entered the garage from the kitchen and finished knocking all visible fire they could get to. Extension was found on the second floor along with some minor extension into the attic. Crews performed extensive overhaul due to the conditions. BC702 assumed command on his arrival.




1st: E711, PE706, E750, PE707, E720, T706, AT751, RS741, A711, BC702, BC701
RID: T710, RS742B, M741

A video can be found here: http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Car-Explodes-Setting-House-On-Fire-150169925.html



 


 

Thursday, May 3, 2012  CASE SUMMARY
On 05/03/12 around 1000 am Swatara Township Police and Fire (49, 41, 40) along with Lifeteam were dispatched to the Super 8 Hotel off of Eisenhower Boulevard for a barricaded person involving hazardous materials. When police and fire arrived we found a 2 story hotel with all guests evacuated except a suicidal person on the second floor of the hotel. There was distinct “spoiled egg” odor in the hotel and just outside the hotel.
The scene was immediately secured and Dauphin County Haz Mat Team (77) were requested to assist. A unified command was established along with an evacuation zone. The command consisted of Swatara Fire, Police, Dauphin Co Haz Mat, and Life Team.
A plan was organized and put into action. Two Police Officers with Firefighting Experience and Two firefighters made entry in full PPE to the room to discover the person deceased in the bathroom by way of “Detergent Suicide”. The hazard and deceased were removed from hotel after approx. 3 hours on scene. Following will describe the chemicals used and how the person used them. I will also described lessons learned good and bad so other firefighters will better prepared for this increasing events.

DETERGENT SUICIDE can be found easily on internet and is a common method of suicide in Asian Countries but growing in America. All chemicals are legal and can be obtained easily.
Chemicals mixed
The Works Toilet Bowl Cleaner - Hydrocloric Acid
Hi-Yield Improved Lime Sulfur Spray- Calcium Polysulfide

The person locked his hotel room, then constructed a enclosed “bubble type” area in the bathroom tub and sealed the bathroom with expansion foam. He then enclosed himself in the bathtub and mixed the chemicals. He was in the bathtub for extended period of time prior to a 911 call from the hotel.

LESSON LEARNED:

Do not rush the incident. Insure everyone is evacuated to a safe distance including emergency personnel. Insure scene security.
Gather as much information as possible. We were able to identify the person, his background, and that his vehicle was parked in the lot. His vehicle was searched prior to entering hotel. Our intell developed that person was suicidal. We also discovered he had received a package at the hotel the day before the incident was reported.
Gather all resources needed, develop a plan, and execute plan with safety. Keep the amount of exposed personnel to just enough to complete the task. Have a RIT Team established and ready to act. Control citizens and other firefighters trying to enter the hazard area out of curiosity. A good accountability is important.

A common action was observed by the first entry team. The suicidal person wrote a warning on the bathroom door warning emergency personnel of chemicals used. This is often recommended on the internet sites describing “Detergent Suicide”. The crew also found a will and notes to family.

All firefighters who entered the scene wore SCBA and PPE. They were all de-coned after operating on scene.

We did not have de-con in place prior to executing plan and we learned to make that operation happen earlier. We learned that de-con suggested was just to shower but we stepped it up to the next level with a full wash down as crews exited the scene.

Overall the incident was well handled and we all went home safe with no further incidents. I hope to share scene photos soon showing the bathroom set up so you can see what it looked like. 
 
 
Any questions or need for more information feel free to contact me Pat McKenna, Chief 91, 717-564-2551. I hope this will help prevent any injury or death to any emergency personnel.





 

Tuesday, May 1, 2012 1600 The 3rd working fire of the day was in the 18 box at 12010 Valleywood Dr with numerous stand by units getting this first due working fire! 

Unit Rundown:  1st:  PE725, E723, E807, PE703, E413, AT705, T831, RS715, BC703, BC704, M725  RID: T725, RS703, M741D

 

Tuesday, May 1, 2012 1415 Today at 1415 hours units from the 2nd and 1st Battalions were dispatched to box 7-12 at 2815 Terrace Dr for a reported apartment fire. Units arrived to find a working fire and it eventually wen't to the 3rd alarm.

Unit Rundown:  1st:  PE707, E754, PE719, PE701, E705, AT719, T706, RS742B, A701, BC702, BC701  RID:  T710, RS801, M701  2nd (1426):  PE706, E750, E702, PE716, AT751, T716, M742B, AR716, CP727, CT705  3rd (1454):  E720, PE718, PE721, E834, AT718, PAT723, A702