CPR, Horses and a Fire

February 28^th –  The members were in quarters first thing in the morning for a mandatory CPR recertification training session.  Upon conclusion, the Chiefs, the Rescue Engine and the Tender with a total of 12 volunteers, traveled to a local horse farm for a presentation regarding special hazards to the business type.  Prior to the presentation being fully concluded,  the station was alerted to Carranza Road in Tabernacle for a reported dwelling fire.  Chief 1710 (S.Pratt) with Deputy 17101 (D'Amico) on board, RE1712 (Mitchell) and T1716 (Randall) all answered up, while being advised to a caller reporting a smoke condition in the kitchen.  Chief Pratt and Deputy D'Amico arrived and assumed Command Staff roles for the incident.  RE1712 arrived and assumed 2^nd due engine operations, working in the kitchen area where the fire was to ensure it was extinguished and not spreading to any other locations. T1716's crew arrived and was tasked as the 2^nd due truck, further assigned to Division C operations which also included securing utilities and investigation further smoke conditions.  Working with one another, and with the additional units on scene, the crews made quick work to mitigate the incident prior to being released from the scene before 13:00hrs.

Annual Report for 2009

January 30^th – The annual report, prepared by the Fire Chief presented to the membership.

Vincent Fire Company Annual Report 2009 (.pdf)

Busy Start to the Week

January 25^th – A storm hit the Burlington County area early Monday morning racking up 14 incidents.  Most of the incidents were storm related, wires, poles down, etc.  Just after lunch the company was dispatched to RT 38 and RT 206 for a motor vehicle collision.  RE1712 arrived to find that the driver's door of the vehicle needed to be removed to gain access to the patient.  The crew used the hydraulic spreaders to remove the door in minutes.  Once the door was removed the crew packaged the patient and transferred care to the awaiting Basic Life Support unit.  The patient was then transported to Cooper Trauma in Camden.

The day closed out with 11 members traveling to the CVS warehouse in Lumbertown Township for a walk thru.  This allows members to get a better feel for the layout of the building in the event of an emergency.  The Vincent Fire Company provides mutual aid assistance to Lumbertown Township.

Ice/Cold Water Training

January 22^nd / 23^rd – About 12 members, along with personnel from Hampton Lakes Fire Company, Good Will Fire Department and Vincentown Emergency Squad completed operations and technician level training in ice/cold water rescues.  The class was presented by Emergency Services Training.  Instructors Lenny Dotson and Jason Palmer were able to cover strategies and tactics for rescuing victims out of ice and cold water.  This group of emergency personnel will respond as a task force to these types of incidents in Southampton.  The group would like to thank the instructors for a very educational day.

December 28^th – The company was alerted to respond on the RIC (Rapid Intervention Crew) assignment to McKendemin Road in Medford Lakes for a reported house fire.  With the majority of the duty crew still in quarters at the 22:45hrs mark, Chief 1710 (S.Pratt) and RE1712 (Randall) with 4 were both quickly on the street in just over a minute, proving to be the first truck on the air for the assignment.  Chief 1710 picked up the assignment of Staging Officer for the incident. As RE1712 was arriving in staging, the assignment was reduced to apparatus from Districts 37 (Medford Lakes), 25 (Medford) and 43 (Tabernacle) after what sounded to be a small fire that was quickly extinguished by the first due companies.

December 26^th – At 15:38hrs, District 17 companies along with Medics were alerted to RT 206 at North Main Street for reports of two vehicles involved in a motor vehicle accident, with possibly four people trapped.  RE1712 (D’Amico) arrived to find same as reported, with four people still in their vehicles.  However, after crews got out and checked on patients, it became apparent that nobody was indeed trapped, but all those involved needing to go to the hospital. BLS 1993 (Pemberton Boro) and BLS 2583 (Medford) provided EMS, E1713 (B.Pratt) and E1723 (Hampton Lakes) assisted with manpower and traffic, along with U1718 (S.Pratt).

Winter Storm Brings Incidents

December 19^th - As the effects of a winter storm system moved into the area, the fire company was off to an early start.  At 06:28hrs, the company and BLS were alerted to Main Street in the Village for reports of a vehicle into a pole.  Chief 1710 (S.Pratt) as well as RE1712 (D’Amico) arrived to find a car had lost control, striking one of the street lanterns in the Village, sheering it from its base and lodging his car on it.  With no injuries and no hazards at the location, the company ensured the safety of the driver while he got his vehicle back on the road and the company returned to quarters.

Just before the 9 o’clock hour, the fire company and BLS units were once again alerted for a motor vehicle accident on RT 206, south of RT 38.  Chief 1710 (S.Pratt) arrived to find one vehicle off the roadway after rolling numerous times.  BLS 1791 continued to the scene to transport one patient to the hospital while RE1712 (D’Amico) was returned due to their services not being needed on scene.

With conditions worsening with the storm, a crew formed for the Rescue Engine and was in place at the firehouse by the noon hour.  With that said, the crew had soon picked up another motor vehicle accident for the day, this one coming at 13:39hrs in the area of Retreat Road, on RT 206.  Captain Pratt, riding with the chief, arrived to find one vehicle into a guardrail with no injuries.  RE1712 (Randall) secured the scene from traffic while BLS 1791 took a refusal from the patient prior to companies returning.

The final run for the evening would come at the 19:54hrs mark.  The Engine was alerted to respond to Pemberton Township for a reported house fire.  E1713 (B.Pratt) took the call with the in quarters staffing of 5.  While enroute to the incident which was on RT 70 east of the Four Mile Circle, the company was redirected to Station 184 (Presidential Lakes) for the cover assignment.  The crew was held on the assignment until companies returned from the fire at 23:45hrs.  While the Engine was on this run, the Rescue Engine remained staffed from additional volunteers who remained in the township as well as Chief 1710 (S.Pratt).

December 7^th - With the Monday night duty crew in quarters, the station was alerted to Landing Street in Lumberton for a resident reporting a chimney fire.  Chief 1710 (S.Pratt), followed by Chief 1300 (Lumberton) arrived with nothing showing and checked into the report while RE1712 (Randall) was arriving as the first due engine.  Upon further, the crew found a smoke condition originating from a stove with no extension into the house.  E1311 (Lumberton) assisted with ventilation and all crews cleared the scene within the hour.

Station Streets for Fire in Tabernacle

November 28^th - Ten minutes after returning from the Turnpike incident, the station was alerted, along with other units to Hawkins Road in Tabernacle Township for a reported structure fire.  Central Communications was receiving multiple calls from for fire showing from a garage.  Engine 2811 (Indian Mills) and Quint 4314 (Tabernacle) arrived simultaneously to find a single story home with heavy fire in the garage area.  Chief 1710 (S.Pratt) arrived on location and assumed command. Rescue Engine 1712 (B.Pratt) was assigned the 1^st due truck company duties.  The crew ventilated the fire room, secured the power to the home and pulled ceilings and walls to locate any hidden fire.  Due to the quick work by the crews working on scene, the fire was contained to the garage area.  Engine 1713 (K.Snow) and Tender 1716 (E.Snow) whom were both responding to the fire, were diverted to Station 431 for the cover assignment.  Units were on their way back to Vincentown within the hour.

Tender on the Turnpike

November 28^th - At 12:18hrs Tender 1716 (S.Pratt) was dispatched on the Tender Strike Team to respond to the 43.4 MM on the New Jersey Turnpike in Mount Laurel for a motor vehicle accident.  A tractor trailer involved in the accident had caught fire under the Creek Road overpass.  T1716 accessed the turnpike through an emergency access road and ventured north in the southbound lane to the scene.  T1716 as well as Tenders 1314 (Lumberton), 2516 (Medford) and 2816 (Shamong) assisted supplying Engine 3611 (Mount Laurel) until a continuous water supply was obtained from Creek Road.  The Tender Strike Team units cleared within the hour.