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Working Incidents and Announcements |
| Chevy Suburban Crashes Into S.E. Duplex |
June 28, 2008 by Alan Etter DCFD PIO
Units were dispatched at 3:33 PM on Saturday, June 28th for the report of a vehicle into a house in the 2200 block of Nicholson Street, Southeast.
Those first on the scene found a Chevy Suburban, traveling East bound on Nicholson, veered off the street and went head on through a two story duplex structure on the corner of Prout and Nicholson Streets. Six people were inside the house at the time of the accident.
Firefighters were able to stand ground ladders to the second floor and assist a 13-year-old girl and an 83-year-old woman down the ladders to safety. They were not injured. A 19-year-old man was in the basement at the time and was able to get himself out. Three other people were on the first floor, including a 43-year-old woman who was hit by flying debris. She was transported for observation of what was a minor injury. Two others on the first floor were not injured.
The 35-year-old driver of the SUV, however, suffered serious injuries and was medevaced to a nearby hospital for further treatment of traumatic wounds. His condition was last listed as stable. MPD was investigating the cause of the crash..
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| Propane Tank Explosion Ignites Fire In Georgetown |
June 26, 2008 by Vito Maggiolo
A gas grill fire and explosion caused damage to several Georgetown structures on Thursday evening, June 26th.
The grill, fueled by propane tanks, ignited in the rear yard of 1030 Paper Mill Court NW, in a complex of narrow townhouses accessible only through walkways and courtyards.
Prior to the arrival of fire units, an explosion apparently took place, and the fire extended up into the soffet and attic of the two story townhouse. A triple hazmat local had been originally dispatched, and the box was than filled.
After the blaze was extinguished, firefighters discovered shrapnel from the explosion had blown across the yard and another rear courtyard into the fourth and fifth floor windows of 3099 K Street N.W. In one case, the debris flew through an unoccupied office and embedded itself in drywall.
Damage from flying debris was also found in an adjacent town home about 30 feet away. Amazingly, no injuries were reported.
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| Man Survives 40 Foot Fall At The State Department |
June 26, 2008 by Alan Etter DCFD PIO
After miraculously surviving a 40-foot fall into a concrete service area, a construction worker has DC Fire & EMS to thank for rescuing him.
At about 7:20 AM, the 45-year-old man somehow fell into the pit near a construction area at the Department of State, 23rd & D Streets, Northwest. Police on the scene advised the man to remain still as they called 911. Fire & EMS engaged a confined space rescue that involved assessing the man's physical condition, securing him into a stokes basket and then hoisting him to the street level where medics continued treatment and prepared him for transport.
Unbelievably, the man suffered no serious injuries that could be ascertained on the scene. The cause of his fall was being investigated by federal authorities.
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| Room and Contents Near Nationals Stadium |
June 25, 2008 by Vito Maggiolo
DC firefighters made quick work of a fire near Nationals Stadium Wednesday evening, June 25th.
The blaze erupted shortly before 9 PM in a two story apartment building at # 88 Q Street S.W. Units arrived to find fire showing from the first floor in the rear.
A working fire dispatch was sounded, but the flames were confined to one room and quickly knocked down. All searches were negative.
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| We Regret to Inform You of the Death of Retired Deputy Fire Chief Thomas A. O'Connell |
He was appointed January 19, 1953 to E-22. He retired February 5, 1983 from the DFC Office. He passed away June 24,2008
There will be a viewing on Friday June 27,2008 at Collins Funeral Home 500 University Blvd. West Silver Spring, Md. 2-4 P.M. 7-9 P.M. There will be a Mass of the Christian Burial on Saturday June 28,2008 at Our Lady of Grace 15663 Norbeck Blvd. Silver Spring Md. (On the Grounds of Leisure World) at 11:00 A. M. Interment to follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Georgia Ave. Silver Spring Md.
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| Firefighter Tech's John Fox and Brian McKenna Retire |
June 24, 2008 by Lt. Kevin Stuart
"Engine 13, Truck 10, Ambulance 13, and Foam Units 1 & 2 has 2 vacancies on the Foam Unit due to the recent retirements of Firefighter/Technicians John Fox and Brian McKenna. Between both members they have over 54 years of dedicated service to the department.
Brian and John good luck and good health in your retirement. Thank you for a job well done! "
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| Nurses From Washington Hospital Center Burn Unit Go Through Training |
June 24, 2008 by Alan Etter DCFD PIO
Members of the DC Firefighters Burn Foundation gave several nurses from the Washington Hospital Center's Burn Unit a chance to 'get their hands dirty' Tuesday.
It was a cooperative agreement between the foundation and the Fire & EMS Department to let the nurses experience being a firefighter. About a dozen nurses donned turn out gear and went through the SCBA Maze, the flashover simulator and the burn building at the Training Academy.
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| Engine 12 and The Hazmat Host Promotion Dinner For BFC Bashore |
June 23, 2008 by Engine 12 and Hazmat 1
The Quarters of Eng. 12 ,Hazmat-1 and BFC 1. Newly Promoted BFC of Special Operations and former Firefighter/Technician, Lt. and Capt. of Hazmat-1 had his promotion dinner along with a few gifts from the men and women of the house.
BFC Bashore has spent time in all forms of the Hazmat Operations and has been a vital part of what the Unit has progressed to. The members presented him with a special cake and a plaque denoting the time spent with the unit. All the members wish him the best in his new assignment and advancement in the department.
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| Lt. Jeff Wright Retires From "The Midnight Express" |
June 23, 2008 by John Mullen and Lt. James Seavey
With roots tracing back 36 Years to the Hillandale Volunteer Fire Department, alongside the Tate Brothers of DCFD fame, Lieutenant Jeff Wright, finally served his last shift at 1018 13th Street, NW. He quietly walked out of Engine 16/Truck 3/Battalion 6 Quarters on June 15th at 0700 hours having responded to over 30,000 responses in a career that many would attempt, but few would make to completion.
Jeff walked into old Engine 2 at 719 12th Street N.W. in 1978 as a Probationer and spent a brief two year stint there, moving to the new quarters at 500 F Street, NW, before transfering to Engine 16 in 1981. A quick study, he became a favorite pick to serve as the Fill-in Battalion Aide on his Platoon in the 6th Battalion Office. He would become a Wagon Master in 1987 and then piloted the Midnight Express until his promotion to Sergeant in 1995.
Jeff ultimately returned to his beloved "Big House" on 13th Street and served his final ten years as Lieutenant on the Tower Ladder from 1998 to this month.
Jeff has long maintained that he could not hold a candle to the "legends" of the house he loved: Fred Wood, J.R.Hayden, Arthur Tudge, Donnie Capps, John Doyle, J.J. Jones, among countless others. We are now honored to count Lt. Wright amongst the legends to have passed through the doors of 1018 13th Street. May he have a long and well-deserved retirement.
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| 2nd Alarm 935 Florida Avenue N.W. |
June 23, 2008 by Vito Maggiolo
The second church fire in D.C. in just four days severely damaged a structure in the U Street corridor Tuesday morning, June 23rd.
Heavy fire was showing from the three story section of a vacant church complex at 935 Florida Avenue N.W. upon arrival of box alarm units. The first alarm was sounded shortly after 4 A.M.
The advanced stage of the fire and the building’s condition led to an almost immediate exterior attack, utilizing Tower 3 and two ladder pipes. That tactic quickly knocked down all visible fire.
Hand lines were able to finish off remaining hot spots. All searches proved negative.
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| CFSI Interns Ride Along With DCFD |
June 23, 2008 by Alan Etter DCFD PIO
Several interns working the Congressional Fire Service Institute got a chance to ride along with the DC Fire & EMS Department on Monday, June 23rd. About a dozen young people were assigned to units across the city so they could observe the department in action.
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| 2 Alarm Church Fire in N.E. |
June 21, 2008 by Vito Maggiolo
A pre dawn blaze severely damaged a church in Northeast Washington on Saturday morning, June 21st.
Firefighters arrived at the Riggs Park Baptist Church around 4:30 AM to find heavy fire in the rear basement of the one story brick structure. They knocked down the initial blaze, but flames had already traveled up the walls to involve portions of the first floor and spread into the cockloft.
It than became a labor intensive effort to expose all the hidden fire and open the slate roof, and a second alarm was sounded.
There were no injuries, and the cause is being investigated.
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| We Regret to Inform You of the Death of Retired Firefighter Thaddeus S. Hess |
He was appointed on December 3, 1942 to E-13 and he retired August 1, 1967 from E-25. He passed away June 14, 2008
There will be a memorial service Saturday July 5, 2008 at 2:30 P.M. at Pautuxent River Assembly of God. Route 4 in California, Maryland.
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| Boy 7, Saves Family From Fire |
June 20, 2008 by Alan Etter DCFD PIO
At 2:00 PM Saturday, Fire & EMS was dispatched to the 3300 block of Runnymede Place, Northwest, where it was reported there was fire in a second floor hallway.
First arriving units discovered that a box fan had malfunctioned and had caught fire with serious extension into the floor and wall. Seven-year-old Andrew Miller was asleep in the next room - heard the smoke alarm and ran downstairs to tell his grandparents, who were unaware of the fire.
The grandparents then assisted the rest of the family, including a two-year-old boy and a five-year old girl, out of the house to safety. Firefighters extinguished the blaze quickly with no injuries.
Fire Marshal Gary Palmer praised Andrew for his fast action and also praised the Miller family for keeping their smoke alarms in working order.
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| Burn Foundation Fundraiser Correction to Flyer |
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| Arrest Made In N.E. Apartment Fires |
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| 2 Alarm Fire Rips Through N.E. Apartment Buildings |
June 18, 2008 by Alan Etter DCFD PIO
Early Wednesday evening a fire erupted in the 300 block of L St. N.E. Units 317 through 321 were heavily involved.
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| Man Rescued From Conveyor Belt |
June 17, 2008 by Alan Etter DCFD PIO
At 8:43 AM, Fire & EMS responded for what was reported to be an industrial accident at the Amtrak Ivy City rail yard, 900 T Street, Northeast. A man was trapped in a conveyor belt and had suffered a serious leg injury.
Utilizing two rescue squads coordinated through Battalion 1 and Special Operations, Firefighters were able to stabilize the equipment on scene so that a metal bar could be cut and the man's leg extricated. The 49-year-old man suffered what appeared to be a broken ankle and several abrasions. He was quickly treated by medics on the scene and transported to a local hospital, where his condition was listed as fair.
The cause of the accident was being investigated by Amtrak and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
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| Tent Collapses Injuring A Dozen Tourists |
June 16, 2008 by Alan Etter DCFD PIO
As a severe thunderstorme rolled through the DC area on Monday, nearly a dozen people were injured as a tent collapsed on them on the National Mall. It happened about 4:30 PM as heavy rains and high winds battered the District.
Caught in the sudden storm, a group of adults and children visiting Washington from Gainesville, Florida tried to seek shelter under a tent near the 1200 block of Madison Street. The tent was being erected to house displays for the upcoming Folklife Festival the week of July 4th. The wind and the rain brought the tent down on the people inside.
One girl was trapped with a support bar across her leg. US Park Police and Park Service employees freed the girl prior to the arrival of the fire department, but several other people reported injuries, most were minor in nature, ranging from cuts to abrasions. In all, 10 people were transported for observation.
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| Personnel Actions SO-2008-39 |
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| Fire Destroys Shaw Rowhouse |
June 13, 2008 by Alan Etter DCFD PIO
Assistant Fire Chief Brian Lee discovered this fire in the 1100 block of 6th Street, Northwest and called for the box alarm. Heavy fire and smoke were evident from the top floor of an occupied three story rowhouse. A tremendous interior attack knocked the fire fire down quickly with no injuries to either civilians or firefighters.
The cause is under investigation
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| Sgt. LaCore Back To Full Duty |
June 13, 2008 by Alan Etter DCFD PIO
Sgt. Michael LaCore of Truck 9 reported for his first full duty status day today, June 13, 2008, seven and a half months after being critically burned in a fire in Northeast.
Sgt. LaCore, whose injuries were incurred October 29, 2007 in a two-alarm blaze at 621 4th St., Northeast, has undergone skin grafts and physical therapy to regain his health. He was declared fit for duty yesterday and reported early today for what has been an extremely busy day for his company.
Also injured in the fire on 4th Street were firefighters Charlie Shyab, Doug Donnelly and Kenneth Humphries. Firefighters Donnelly and Humphries returned to duty relatively quickly, but Shyab remained in treatment until March, 2008, when he returned to full duty status.
The whole DC Fire & EMS family welcomes Sgt. LaCore back and wishes him well as he continues his career at Truck 9
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| 2nd Alarm Near Union Station |
June 12, 2008 by Alan Etter DCFD PIO
DC Fire & EMS responded at 1:41 PM for the report of a building fire in the 200 block of Massachusetts Avenue, Northeast. A column of smoke could be seen all over Capitol Hill, and first arriving units reported fire showing from the front of the office building under renovation.
Welders working on the fourth floor accidentally set off materials on the exterior of the building, and the fire extened upward through the seventh floor. An initial report of workers trapped was unfounded, but firefighters were able to help laborers from a scaffolding on the third floor into the building and eventually outside.
A fast operation contained the fire to damage to the edifice only. There were no injuries.
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| Former D.C. Firefighter Christopher E. Ford Serving In Operation Iraqi Freedom |
Lance Cpl. Christopher E. Ford, a scout with Delta Company, 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd LAR Bn., Regimental Combat Team 5, holds a min-American flag and a stainless steel cross that he carries on every patrol for good luck at Camp Korean Village, Iraq, June 7. Photo by Cpl. Ryan Tomlinson, Regimental Combat Team-5, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs. Photo by Cpl. Ryan Tomlinson, Regimental Combat Team-5, 1st Marine Division Public Affairs.
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| Click Here For Story |
June 10, 2008 Submitted By Richard "Sid" Polish
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| Boat Sinks At The South West Waterfront |
June 10, 2008 by Gary Jean
Fire Rescue 2 responds to sunk boat at Columbia Island Marina. June 10, 2008, 1200 hrs.
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| The House That Jack Built |
June 9, 2008 by Alan Etter DCFD PIO
Hundreds of friends and colleagues of the late Jackson Gerhart attended a very special dedication on Saturday, June 7th. Engine 17 was rededicated in the name Gerhart, a retired DC firefighter who was tragically killed in the line of duty on his volunteer job in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania in 2004.
The street in front of the firehouse in Brookland was shut down for a block party of sorts, as active and retired firefighters and past chiefs came to remember Gerhart.
Retired Chief Tom Tippett called Gerhart an "icon" in the fire service who was known nationwide for his skills.
Current Chief Dennis Rubin presented Gerhart's widow Patsy with a proclamation from the Mayor and held her arm as the firehouse was formally dedicated as the Jackson H. Gerhart House.
Gerhart was the longest-serving firefighter in the history of Engine 17. He worked in the same company for 32 years, most of which as the Engine's driver.
The event was moderated by communications legend Steve Souder, who worked very closely with Gerhart. After the service, the DCFD Barbecue Team served lunch for the hundreds of attendees and members off the community who attended.
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| Burn Foundation Hosts Kids at S.W. Waterfront |
June 7, 2008 by Alan Etter DCFD PIO
In what has become a yearly tradition between the DC Firefighters Burn Foundation, Children's Hospital and the DC Fireboat, several children were treated to rides on the John Glenn Saturday, June 7th. Members of the Foundation prepared lunch for the kids, some of whom are patients at the burn center, and staff members.
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| 2nd Alarm 400 M Street Southwest |
June 6, 2008 by Alan Etter DCFD PIO
Units responded at 5:32 PM on Friday, June 6th - for fire coming from the roof of 400 M St., SW. First arriving units could see a black plume of smoke as they approached the building, which is unoccupied and under renovation. Roofing materials had somehow ignited on the top of the eight story building. A fast attack on the fire knocked it down quickly with no injuries.
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| Engine 10 and Truck 13's Quarters Under Rehab |
June 4, 2008 by Alan Etter DCFD PIO
Engine 10 and Truck 13's firehouse is getting a long overdue makeover. The insides of the 83-year-old firehouse are being ripped out and modernized. At the end of the project, which expected to take a year and a half, the station will have a completely refurbished electrical and mechanical systems, new bay doors, floor, roof and windows.
While the project is underway, Engine 10 and Medic 10 are stationed at a facility on the campus of Gallaudet University while Truck 13 is stationed at the quarters of Engine 8.
Watch this space for periodic updates on the progress.
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| Woman Rescued From Under Metro Train |
June 1, 2008 by Alan Etter DCFD PIO
Fire and EMS responded at 2:44 PM for the report of someone on the tracks at the Smithsonian Metro Station in the 1200 block of Independence Ave., Southwest.
First arriving units found that a woman had fallen onto the tracks and was alive and conscious under the train, about 40 feet from the front. Firefighters were able to crawl under the train to her location, immobilize her to a back board – and using a rope – pull the board with her on it so that it was clear of the train and they were able to treat her injuries.
The woman suffered what were called minor injuries and transported to a local hospital for treatment. Metro Transit Police were conducting an investigation.
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| THE BATTALION-THE SERIES-24 hrs with DC Fire and EMS |
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| Official DCFD 2009 56th Inaugural Badge Order Form |
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