02/23/15 ** 09:12 ** FBL ** BUILDING FIRE COMMERCIAL ** E EVERGREEN AVE AND SUMMI ** ** E6,E700-2,E700- **
Engine 6’s crew standing by at the scene this morning.
Flourtown Responds to Overnight Fire
On January 28th, 2015 at approximately 0052 hours, the Barren Hill Volunteer Fire Company along with mutual aide companies from the Flourtown Fire Company, Wissahickon Fire Company, Fort Washington Fire Company and Oreland Fire Company responded to the Washington Towers Apartments, 491 Bethlehem Pike for a reported apartment fire. Numerous calls reporting the fire were received by the Montgomery County 911 system who immediately upgraded the assignment. Upon arrival of Law Enforcement personnel from Whitemarsh Township and Upper Dublin Township, a large volume of smoke and fire was showing from a second floor rear apartment in Building #1. Due to the large amount of smoke and fire, numerous residents sought refuge on exterior balconies and required rescue. Law Enforcement personnel began rescuing civilians from the lower balconies ahead of the Fire Companies arrival. Upon arrival of Fire personnel, crews began making civilian rescues from the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors using grounds ladders and aerial ladder devices. Crews also began making an aggressive interior attack on the fire which had completely consumed the entire second floor apartment prior to the fire company’s arrival.
Primary and secondary searches of the apartment building were made and all occupants were accounted for. Multiple hand-lines were stretched to the 2nd and 3rd floor apartments as the fire extended to the 3rd floor apartment directly above the original unit that was on fire. A partial collapse of the 3rd floor apartment rear bedroom floor occurred during the course of the fire attack. Firefighters held the bulk of the fire damage to the 2nd and 3rd floor apartment with smoke and water damage elsewhere in the building. The fire remains under investigation by the Whitemarsh Township Fire Marshal’s Office.
Command at the incident special called four ladder companies and two engine companies above the original 1st alarm assignment to assist at the scene. Several EMS agencies were also on scene assisting Whitemarsh EMS.
Three civilians were transported to the Hospital with non-life threatening injuries and no firefighters were hurt during this incident.
During this incident, temperatures continued to fall and firefighters faced a tremendous amount of challenges from the cold weather and icing in addition to the actual fire incident. Thanks to the Sague Bus Company of Lafayette Hill who provided two buses for shelter for both firefighters and civilians who were on scene.
Thank you to ALL of our local VOLUNTEER firefighters who spent the better part of four hours battling this blaze this morning. Your hard work and dedication to a successful outcome of this incident truly prevented what certainly could have been a disastrous tragedy. Great Work!
Chris Schwartz
Fire Chief – BHVFC
This post appears courtesy of the Barren Hill Volunteer Fire Company, which was originally posted by their Chief of Operations on Facebook.
Engine-6 Responds to Cheltenham Township
On Wednesday, October 22nd, Engine-6 was dispatched after the second alarm was struck for a fire at the abandoned clubhouse of the Ashbourne Country Club in Chelteham Township.
Inaugural Emergency Services Event
On Saturday, October 11th, Flourtown Fire Company organized the inaugural Springfield Township Emergency Services Event. The event was scheduled to promote fire safety week and fire prevention month, which annually is in October.
Members of Flourtown Fire Company, Oreland Fire Company, Wyndmoor Hose Company, Springfield Ambulance, and the Springfield Township Police participated in the event.
While the weather didn’t exactly cooperate, the turnout from the community was outstanding! Children were able to meet and talk to our first responders, and learn how to keep themselves and their family safe!
All who attended enjoyed live demonstrations, light refreshments food, a smoke house for kids to practice their escape plan, as well as various other hands on activities.
Thanks to all who braved the weather and came out to enjoy this event, and a special thanks to the Flourtown Fire Company’s Fire Prevention Committee Chairman, Jon Walker for organizing such a special event.
FFCO Receives Provident Award for Recruitment and Retention
Flourtown Fire Company was recently recognized for our efforts in the recruitment and retention of new members by the Pennsylvania State Firemen’s Association. The mentoring program was formally adopted by the fire company in 2008, as a result of the efforts of Captain Chris Manning, who has spent countless hours developing, refining, and leading the program to make it a success.
Below, are some highlights of the program that illustrate why it has been so successful in Flourtown Fire Company’s recruitment and retention of new members.
Purpose of the Mentoring Program
The Flourtown Fire Company believes that through quality training, the availability of leading edge equipment and the guidance and support of a senior member, new members will be able to make great achievements in their career as a firefighter. With this philosophy the mentoring program is designed to give new members every advantage and opportunity to become a successful member of the Flourtown Fire Company.
The program is administered by the Mentor Program Coordinator, Fire Chief and Training Officer with the assistance of a Mentoring Committee intended to assist in program review and development.
Mentoring Program Highlights
The Mentoring Program is designed to be as detailed as possible for the mentors and the new members so that a truly structured program can be presented with consistency for all involved. Elements of the program include:
- Program integrity
- Fire ground related safety
- SOG familiarization
- Required training for new members
- Performance reviews
- Administrative Orientation
- NFFF Everyone Goes Home Firefighter Life Safety Resource Kit
- Apparatus Familiarization
- Response Area Orientation
- Fire Operations Orientation
- Equipment Familiarization
- County Emergency Operations Center and 911 Dispatch Familiarization Tour
Program Success by the Numbers
The Mentoring Program has had a total of 32 personnel that have either completed the program or that are currently enrolled. Of the 32 personnel a total of 24 have been retained leaving five personnel that left due to commitments to education, military service or family. Those five members are considered excused dismissals, while three personnel could not meet expectations of the program and were removed.
Nine firefighters started the program as junior firefighters and are now regular members.
Five of the members that were mentees in the program have moved on to become mentors.
One member that began as a mentee now holds an elected administrative position in the company.
The following information shows how the retention of mentees have been able to replace members lost due to attrition as well as bolstering membership by eight working force fire personnel since 2008:
- In 2008 the working force roster had a total of 46 members listed which included Fire Officers (5), Driver/Operators (14), Fire Police (7) and Firefighters (20).
- In 2014 after six years of maturing the mentoring program the working force roster currently has 54 members which includes Fire Officers (6), Driver/Operators (15), Fire Police (4) and Firefighters (29).