Glen Echo House Fire Displaces Family Of Five

On Thursday, July 14 at approximately 4:30 p.m. MCFRS units were dispatched for a report of a house fire in the 6700 block of Rannoch Road in the Glen Echo area of the county. First arriving units reported smoke showing from a two-story, single family home.

Upon further investigation, firefighters reported the fire was in the basement with some extension to the first floor. Additional firefighting resources were requested and dispatched. The fire was quickly brought under control and extinguished.

A family of five was home at the time and safely evacuated. They reported the home lost power and shortly thereafter smelled a slight burning odor. A short time later, smoke became heavy in the basement and they called 911.

Approximately 75 firefighters were on the scene. Crews were rotated frequently during operations and overhaul due to the high temps and heat index which was well over 100°. MCFRS was assisted by mutual aid crews from Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, National Institutes of Health Fire Department, and the Naval Surface Warfare Center Fire Department. One firefighter was transported with a heat related illness to an area hospital for a checkup.

Investigation determined the cause of the fire to be electrical and accidental in nature. Damages were estimated at $150,000.00 to the contents and $50,000.00 to the structure. Two adults, three children and two dogs have been displaced as a result of the fire. Firefighters will be going back out to the community later today and going door to door offering to check smoke alarms and provide safety tips.

Glen Echo's Annual Red Dress Ball Has Heart

By: Roger A. Marks, Firefighter

February is Heart month and every year Glen Echo's swing dance community, through the efforts of Flyingfeet Enterprises, hosts the "Red Dress Ball" dance that benefits the American Heart Association and women's cardiac health issues.

This year MCFRS Community Outreach (CO) added something new for the dance community to think about. As a follow-up to Trish Thompson's I-Team 4 series of Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) stories the CO team was joined by crews from Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad and Glen Echo Fire Department to offer dancers insight into the chain of survival via High Performance CPR and public access AED's.

The historic Spanish Ballroom, where the event was held, is part of the National Park Service (NPS) and has an AED available to occupants that is maintained by the NPS. Approximately 325 people were in attendance this year including staff and volunteers.

In addition, the public was introduced to Glen Echo's new Paramedic chase car (ALS711) staffed by PMIC Danny Kuan, and Firefighter Meghan Quinn. Ambulance 741 had a crew of 3 including Driver Craig Pernick, Charge EMT Jordan Hoefler, and Acting Active Derek Schlickeisen.

Participants were also treated to a demonstration of the Lucas Device which is a battery operated mechanical piston that delivers flawless chest compressions during CPR. While the participants watched this technology effortlessly perform compressions, they also had an opportunity to try their hand at manual compressions with visual feedback from Physio-Control's True-CPR device. Everyone came to understand just how hard it is to maintain good chest compressions for CPR. MCFRS CO had approximately 100 people engage directly with the on hand Fire-Rescue personnel or try the hands-on activity.

Staff also had Files of Life on hand as well as information about the Alert Montgomery system. Photos from the event are below.