2007 Archives: Mon, Dec 31st - Year End Wrap Up
Sun, Dec 23rd - Santa Visits River Edge Thurs, Dec 20th – Holy Shirt! At 1205 hrs, firefighters were dispatched to an unnamed tee shirt screen printing business on River Edge Rd for a reported dryer fire. Ladder 1 arrived on scene to an already extinguished dryer fire with a smoke condition inside the mixed-use structure. Firefighters removed some smoldering contents and made the scene safe before returning to quarters. Luckily only a few shirts were damaged in the incident.
Sat, Dec 16 - Company 1 Holiday Party Today members of REFD Co. 1 had their annual holiday party, A good time was had by all. Santa Also stopped by and made a visit to company 1 during the party.
At tonight’s monthly company meeting, Firefighter Dave Delia came off probation and received his black shield. This accomplishment is achieved after successful completion of the Firefighter 1 course at the Bergen County Fire Academy and 1 year of being on probation. Congratulations Dave!
Tues, Dec 11th - Motor Vehicle Crash with Rollover Units were dispatched today at 1225hrs for a report of motor vehicle crash with rollover but no entrapment. Engine 3 responded to the intersection of Kinderkamack and Jefferson with a full crew. E3's crew disconnected the battery and waited for the SUV to be uprighted by the towing company before taking up. Units were released at 1247hrs.
Tues, Dec 4th – Water in the basement The “day crew” responded with Engine 3 today a couple houses from fire headquarters for a report of water in the basement. Upon arrival, Engine 3’s crew met with a neighbor who was taking care of her next door neighbors home while she was on vacation and came across 2 1/2 feet of water in the basement. Engine 3 immediately secured the utilities and put 2 sub-pumps in operation to remove the water. It was determined that the hot water heater blew which caused the flooded basement. Units operated on scene for almost an hour. **Holiday Safety Alert** The River Edge Fire Department reminds all our residents to be extra cautious during the holiday season. The chance of having a fire in your home is substantially higher during this time of year due to the following: We also remind you to check that your heating systems are properly working. Carbon monoxide is another threat during this time of year due to the improper burning of heating fuel. If your carbon monoxide alarm is activated, please do not hesitate to call the Fire Department. Have a Safe and Happy Holidays!
**Covert Op** River Edge Spec Ops assisted an unnamed NMFD officer at approximately 10pm in removing his Jeep Liberty that was stuck in the mud since 2pm. Details are sketchy as to how it actually happened. Both River Edge and New Milford Fire officially deny any knowledge of this incident. Further updates will be made as they became available.
Sat, Nov 10 - Good Intent
Sat, Nov 10 - 2 calls then an 'all hands' in New Milford Beginning at 1800 hrs, fire units remained busy with 2 back to back calls. Then around, 2100 hrs, River Edge Fire was dispatched to the Borough of New Milford for a working structure fire. New Milford units arrived with heavy smoke pushing out of the attic and immediately requested a FAST team from Bergenfield. Shortly thereafter, River Edge Engine 4 (acting Rescue 1) was dispatched directly to the scene and Engine 3 to standby. Units from Oradell and Dumont were also operating on scene. This all hands fire took off quick and was successfully stopped by all fire companies. No injuries were reported.
Pictures provided by Chris Saraceno Sun, Oct 28 - Units respond to a Activated Fire Alarm
Mon, Oct 23 - Passing of Firefighter Richard "Chip" Ryen Funeral InformationViewing - Thursday, October 25th
Volk Funeral Home, Oradell 2:00PM - 4:00PM & 7:00PM - 9:00PM Fire Dept. Services: 8:00PM Funeral Service - Friday, October 26th
Sat, Oct 20 - The REFD pays their final respects to Ex-Chief Tom Phillips Tues, Oct 16th - Passing of Firefighter Thomas Phillips It is with the deepest regret that we must announce the passing of Ex-Chief Thomas Phillips. Tommy served the River Edge Fire Department for over 25 years and was also a daytime member of the Oradell Fire Dept. Always with a smile on his face and contagious laugh, Tommy had a great outlook on life. He will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him. Beaugard Funeral Home, River Edge:
Tonight was REFD's annual Old Timers Night. The event was hosted at Company 2. This is where past members come to the firehouse to have dinner, meet up with old friends, share stories with current members and talk about being on the department back in the day. Mon, Oct 8- Oct -13 - Fire Prevention Week - Pratice Your Escape Plan River Edge Volunteer Fire Department Reminds River Edge Residents to “Practice Your Escape Plan”
Fire Prevention Week is actively supported by fire departments across the country. For 85 years fire departments have observed Fire Prevention Week, making it the longest running public health and safety observance on record. More Dates TBA Tues, Oct. 2 - Passing of Firefighter Douglas VanValen Funeral Arrangements Riewerts Memorial Home Viewing Funeral Service Fri, Sept 21 - Food On Stove Turns Ugly At 1830 hrs, Central Dispatch alerted the REFD of a reported house fire on Washington Ave. When Chief's arrived on scene with PD, they found a grease fire that got out of control and spilled in the kitchen. In an effort to put the fire out, a resident of the home sustained serious burns to his hands, feet and abdomen. River Edge Ambulance was dispatched and transported the burn victim to the hospital. "Number One Truck" secured the scene and removed the smoke from the structure. Units returned shortly thereafter. Thur, Sept 13th to Sun, Sept 16, 2007 - Firefighters Convention, Rollover and Fire. While most members were at the state firefighter convention over the weekend, the crews that stayed home to cover the town responded to a total of 8 calls including a rollover accident and a fire at Romans Pizzeria in New Milford. On Saturday, the Oradell FD hosted the “stay at home” party with a deep fried Turducken as the main course. While all 3 Dave’s were out of town, it was a busy weekend for the Tri Boro.
Fri, Aug 31 2007 – River Edge Fire Dept Graduates 6!! and Craig Harris The River Edge Fire Dept would like to congratulate our most recent graduates of the Bergen County Fire Academy. Tonight, River Edge’s bravest added 6 new firefighters to the ranks. The graduation ceremony took place at Ramapo College in Mahwah. Congratulations to new Firefighters Dave Delia, Tim Curran, Ryan Koenigsknecht, Marissa Hone, Ben Silver and William McQuade for their successful completion of the Firefighter I Course. Good luck to our newest firefighters and stay safe. Congrats to Oradell firefighter Craig Harris as well. Craig finished at the top of the class. Craig Harris everybody!
Thurs, Aug 30th - 2nd alarm at Huffman Koos Furniture At 1437 hrs, Central Communications dispatched River Edge Fire to the Huffman Koos furniture store for a report of fire in the building. Chief's from River Edge arrived on scene and found smoke coming from the structure. With that, a 2nd alarm was transmitted which brought in units from Oradell and New Milford as a precaution. After an investigation, the fire was contained to the boiler room and was extinguished without further damage. The Huffman Koos structure on Main Street is no stranger to fires. Over the past 5 years there has been several fires in the structure that posed a great threat to firefighters because of its large size and heavy fire load.
Sun, Aug 26th – MVA with entrapment At around 2200 hrs, River Edge Fire was dispatched to a motor vehicle accident with an entrapment on Kinderkamack Rd. between Howland Ave and Reservoir Ave. Chief Stucke arrived on scene and advised incoming units that we had a 2 car head on collision with one driver still trapped in the car. He ordered a hose line dropped in the street from Engine 3 and Hurst tools from Rescue 1. Units arrived in minutes and Rescue 1 began cutting the door off, while Engine 3 stood by with a hose line to protect the crews. Once the driver was out, EMS packaged and transported the patient to the hospital. The driver was luckily wearing his seatbelt, but still sustained head injuries from the impact of the crash. Fire crews worked safely and efficiently for a job well done.
Sun, Aug 19th - Back to Basics and New Jr. Firefighter Today after the Sunday rig checks a crew went out with Engine 3 to hit the hydrant, pull attack lines and pump. Also a new Jr. Firefighter Dan Fletcher was tested on hitting the hydrant.
Tues, Aug 15 - Firefighter Tim Carroll At tonight’s monthly company meeting, Firefighter Tim Carroll came off probation and received his black shield. This accomplishment is achieved after successful completion of the Firefighter 1 course at the Bergen County Fire Academy and 1 year of being on probation. Congratulations Tim!
Fri, Aug 10th - Overturned Moving Truck & Oil Spill At 16:42hrs River Edge Units were dispatched to 924 Kinderkamack Rd. for an overturned truck leaking fuel. Upon arrival Chief 1-0 and 1-01 directed units into the scene and called for New Milford's Squad 36 Haz-Mat Unit and an extra River Edge BLS unit. Engine 3 hit the hydrant and stretched a 1" 3/4' hand line for protection. Truck 1, Rescue 1 and Squad 7 started an investigation and evacuation of 930 Kinderkamack Rd. since the structure was damaged by the truck. Units determined the building was not unstable but it was inhabitable. OEM relocated the residents. Bergen Brookside towing was called in to upright and tow the vehicle. Units took up at approximately 18:45hrs.
Thur, Aug 9th - Traffic light box fire and then some... At 10:25hrs River Edge units responded to the area of Kinderkamack Rd. and Voorhis Ave for the smoking traffic light box. Upon arrival of Chief 1-0,1-01 and T-1 several residents in the area reported having electrical issues and smoke conditions in their homes. Engine 2, Engine 3 and Rescue 1 also responded to the scene and assisted with checking and securing the home with issues in the area. PSE&G and Bergen County Traffic signal division were also called to the scene. Kinderkamack Rd. was shut down for a short time during the investigation and units took up at 11:45hrs.
Sun, Aug 5th – Apparatus Pump Testing This morning the Tri-Boro’s annual pump tests took place at the River Edge train station. Oradell and New Milford units were tested along with all of River Edge’s pumpers. And of course, the #1 Truck too.
Friday, August 3rd - Boil Water Advisory in Effect During Friday night’s storms, the United Water facilities in Haworth was struck by lightening. Power was lost to the pumps, which mandated a boil water advisory for most of the area. Residents are advised to boil water to cook, wash dishes, and brush teeth. Use bottled water to drink and make ice cubes. Fri, Aug 3rd – Strong Thunderstorms rip through area Torrential rain and severe thunderstorms ripped through North Jersey on Friday night, keeping River Edge Fire personnel on standby. After a slow night, units were dispatched to a reported house struck by lightening. Upon arrival, it was determined that there was no evidence of damage to the house. Units returned to quarters after a brief investigation. Tues, July 31st – Spec Ops drill River Edge’s elite Spec Ops Team drilled in Memorial Park tonight. They simulated a rescue situation where a party was stuck in a tree. The team built mechanical advantage systems and tied off to trees for anchors. Every month the team continues to improve their skills. Next up for Spec Ops is a confined space drill.
Tues, July 24, 2007 – Drill Review Tonight, members of the Special Operations Team reviewed their gameplan for their big drill at United Water this Sunday. Members reviewed how to package a patient properly, with the help of Junior FF Tim Curran as the guinea pig. This Sunday, Spec Ops will put their skills and knowledge to use when they perform a staged rescue in a confined space at United Water’s facilities. When asked how the Spec Ops Team will do this Sunday, Coach Pugliese stated, “We’ll never leave you hanging.”
Tues, July 17, 2007 – Truck 1 v.s. Engine 3. Who came out on top? Tonight, Fire Co 1 members participated in a fun drill coordinated by Lieutenant Rush and Lieutenant Schultz. Members were split into teams in a battle to see who could complete a proper hose stretch around an obstacle course and knock down their respective cones with a hand line. Barricades and cones were set up on Roosevelt field for team members to dodge. Despite Engine 3’s valiant efforts, Team Truck came out on top due to their more experienced crew. All in all, the drill was a great way to learn proper hose stretching and have fun doing it. Not to mention a great way to cool off during the summer.
Wed, July 16th, 2007 - LODD: FF Stephen R. Dembski , Ridgefield Park FD A Firefighter from Ridgefield Park, New Jersey died Sunday just hours after operating at a working multi-mutual aid fire in Bogota, N.J. Firefighter Stephen R. Dembski, 41 was reported to have collapsed at an off-duty function. 5 FD's were on the scene of the early morning fire that claimed FF Dembski's life. Our deepest sympathies go out to all effected by the loss of FF Dembski.
Sat, July 14, 2007 – High CO levels in the summer?! Engine 3 and Rescue 1 responded to a residence on Wales Ave between Third Ave and Millbrook for an activated CO alarm. Engine 3 arrived on scene first and found that the level of CO in the house was 35 parts per million and higher. Rescue 1 operated fans and ventilated the home and PSE&G was called to secure the utilities. It should be noted that the Rescue Company also successfully removed the family’s guinea pig pet from the hazardous environment.
Thurs, July 12, 2007 – 2 calls at once At 2145 hrs, REFD was dispatched to Gates Ave for a report of a kitchen fire. At the same time, RE Police received a call from a resident on Midland Ave reporting a fire on the stove. Responding command units arrived at Gates Ave first and determined that the fire was contained to the oven and did not pose a threat. At that point all responding units were re-directed to Midland Ave. The fire on Midland Ave was contained to the stove area and was not as serious as the call came across. Units removed the smoke from the residence and returned to quarters. Both calls were caused by unattended food on the stove. Photography provided by Chris Saraceno. http://www.saracenophotography.exposuremanager.com/
Monday July 9, 2007 – Company One goes to Paramus On what was the hottest day yet of the summer, River Edge Engine 3 was dispatched to Paramus to standby while Paramus FD operated at a house fire on Spring Valley Rd near Howland Ave. Paramus was battling not only the 100 plus degree weather, but a nasty fire that ended in a roof collapse. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured. Extensive mutual aid was called in because of the very high temperatures. RE Engine 3 was assigned to Maywood Fire Dept Park Ave Fire House to standby and cover the town. Photos courtesy of Justin Kearns. http://refdcadet.110mb.com
Saturday, July 7, 2007 – Fireworks Standby Fireworks were held tonight at KBG Field after being rained out on the 4th. Chief 101 established fireworks command at headquarters, while fireworks operations was run by acting Chief 102 (Lt. MacRae) at the field. Also standing by was River Edge Ambulance 57 and 58. And on the other side of the river, New Milford units stood by as well. The event was a great success and no incidents were reported. Wednesday, July 4, 2007 – Independence Day We celebrate our Independence Day this year with many thanks to those serving over seas defending our freedom and way of life. The front facade of Fire company one still displays the banner that we pledged will never come down until our conflict in the Middle East is resolved. No matter who agrees or disagrees with the war, the one thing we always have to support is our troops. God bless.
Today’s festivities started off right with the REFD in one of the leading spots in the annual parade down Bogert Road for the first time in years. Unfortunately, tonight’s fireworks were cancelled due to rain. Fireworks are rescheduled for Sat, July 7th. Sunday, July 1, 2007 – Hackensack Memorial and Oradell Fireworks Standby Tonight, members from the REFD and FD’s around the county attended Hackensack FD’s memorial service for the Hackensack Ford Fire. The Hackensack FD lost 5 members in the line of duty in 1988 at the Ford Dealership. Since then, the city has created a monument memorial in their name. We pay respects there every year and remember those lost. On a “brighter” note, the Oradell FD asked River Edge units to standby for them while Oradell participated in their towns fireworks display. Engine 3 was assigned to the detail and was “first in, last out.”
Sat. June 30, 2007 – Déjà Vu For the second straight day, around the 0800 hour, River Edge units were dispatched to Roosevelt School for activated fire alarms. Again, workers were present doing work and set off the alarms. It’s a good thing tomorrow’s Sunday. Sunday, June 24, 2007 – Special Ops teams up with United Water This morning, members of River Edge FD’s elite Special Ops Team met with the director of safety at United Water in Haworth for a walkthrough of the facilities. Members were educated on several confined space areas that may pose as hazards to workers who could get trapped. In the event of a confined space emergency, Special Ops members of REFD would be called in to assist. A drill with United Water is in the works.
Friday, June 22, 2007 – Congrats to REFD’s recent grads Congrats to Firefighters D. Delia, T. Carroll, R. Koenigsknecht and M. Hone for graduating High School. Good luck in college.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007 – Bergenfield Fire Training Center Tonight, Fire Company One held a drill at Bergenfield FD’s Fire Training Center. Units were broken up into teams and practiced fire attack in a controlled fire environment. Bergenfield’s training center is able to smoke up the building and light a propane controlled fire in order to simulate real life fire conditions. Members practiced various skills such as apparatus placement, hose stretching, and fire attack.
Friday, June 15, 2007 – Overheated fan catches fire River Edge units responded to a residence on Manchester Rd for a report of a fire in the basement. PD units arrived first on scene and found an old fan had shorted out and caught fire. The fire was extinguished and FD units performed ventilation for the extensive amount of smoke.
Thursday, May 31, 2007 - REFD goes to work again - Working Basement Fire At about 2040 hrs, River Edge units were dispatched to Borgert rd between Concord and Manning, for a report of an alarm sounding. Upon arrival Chief 1-0 (Stucke) reported smoke showing from a 2.5 story residential home. Engine 3 and Ladder 1 were first on the scene and found heavy fire and smoke in the basement and stretched in. The third alarm fire brought in mutual aid units from Oradell, New Milford, Dumont, Paramus and Hackensack for a fast team and MSU. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Photos Below By Brett Dzadik
Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - Fire In the Walls In the early morning at 0304 hrs, River Edge units responded to Dinallo's restaurant, for an activated fire alarm. On arrival, Chief Stucke (1-0) reported smoke showing from the rear of the structure. Engine 2 established the water supply while Truck 1 and Rescue 6 investigated. After a walk though of the restaurant, fire was found in the walls behind the stove area and in the drop ceiling, The fire was extinguished and an extensive overhaul was done to make sure the fire did not spread. Due to quick thinking by the crews, the fire was contained to a small area. Units were back in quarters after and hour. Tuesday, May 22, 2007- REFD web site up and running!!! Due to the hard work of our newly formed computer committee, riveredgefire.org is now up and running! Big thanks to Firefighters M. Medico, D. Delia, K. Mahoney and T. Carroll for working on the site. Check frequently for updates abut what's going on in "the edge".
|
Copyright © 2007 - All Rights Reserved - River Edge Fire Department
Site Designed By FF. Mike Medico & FF. David Delia