A Little Ingenuity

By: Captain Dave Carter

       Fire Station #4

On Tuesday, January 26, units from Sandy Spring Fire Station #4 were dispatched for a report of a person who was having difficulty breathing on Shenandoah Drive.  

Due to road conditions, Medic (M) 704 was unable to make it up Skyline Drive so they backed down to Patuxent Drive and let Paramedic Engine (PE) 704 go first.  PE704 was able to make it up Skyline to Shenandoah Court and staged just past Shenandoah Court to allow the medic and responding plow from Fire Station #25 access to Shenandoah Court.

M704 was still unable to make it up Skyline Drive.  The paramedic and officer from PE704 went to the dispatched address on foot through the snow while the driver of PE704 went to assist and dig out M704.

The patient was assessed and it was determined that she should be transported to a local hospital.

Plow725 arrived on scene but got buried at the bottom of the hill just past the address.  They were not able to clear a passable path.

Additional resources were called for; a second transport (M704 threw and chain which was wrapped around the axle), a 4x4 to get the patient to the transport unit and a larger plow.

A second big private plow attempted to come down the hill as well and got stuck.  We placed the patient in the family SUV and the son attempted to drive up the hill to then transfer the patient to a soon be waiting 4X4 (Brush Truck 724), but was unsuccessful.

Personnel then acquired a kids sled, put the patient on the sled and pulled her up the hill using ropes from PE704.  Halfway up the hill a local resident arrived with a John Deere tractor which was then used to drag the sled the rest the way up the hill. 

Firefighters stayed with the patient, pushing and keeping balance on the sled.  We got the patient

to M704 for warming and further assessment while crew attempted to complete the removal of the broken snow chains.

Eventually a backup ambulance from Howard County arrived and patient care was transferred to them. The patient was then successfully transported to a local hospital. 

This was a challenging call that required some ingenuity on the part of the crew to get the patient successfully to the hospital. 

Sandy Spring Annual Fire Safety Open House

Photo Courtesy of SSVFD web site

The annual Fire Safety Open House at Sandy Spring Fire Station #40, 16911 Georgia Ave., is this Sunday October 6th, 2013 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. On tap are lots of informational handouts and loads of fun activities for kids of all ages!  In addition there will be live demonstrations, static displays of equipment and apparatus, information on volunteering, and the Auxiliary Farmer's Market and Bake Sale.

A special treat, though it is dependent on weather and availability, is that the new MD State Police Helicopter as well as the Children's Hospital Helicopter are slatted to stop by for a visit (and possible a demonstration).

If you are in the Sandy Spring area Sunday, please drop by.

Early Morning Fire in Olney

IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  April 4, 2013

Early Morning Fire in Olney

Montgomery County, MD - - -  Montgomery County Fire and Rescue units were dispatched shortly before 2:30 this morning for the report of a house fire in the 18400 block of Queen Elizabeth Drive in Olney.  First arriving units encountered heavy fire conditions in the area of the home’s carport and requested additional units. Firefighters conducted an aggressive fire attack and quickly controlled the fire.

Investigators were requested to the scene and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. An occupant in the home reported smelling smoke and then seeing flames in the carport area and quickly evacuated everyone from the home. Once outside, they called 911. The occupants reported that the smoke alarm activated.

Damage estimates are $200,000 ($150K to the structure/$50K to the contents). Four occupants of the home were displaced and Red Cross was contacted to assist them.

Fire officials remind residents of the following important safety tips:

-  Install working smoke alarms on every level of your home including basements and in all
sleeping areas. If your alarms are hard-wired, be sure they have a battery back-up.

-  All smoke alarms have expiration dates and should be replaced every ten years, even if they appear to be working. Follow manufacturer recommendations.

-  Smoke alarms should be tested monthly and batteries changed annually, according to manufacturer recommendations. A “chirping” sound may indicate that your battery is low and needs to be changed right away.

-  Make sure your house number is clearly visible from the street so that police and fire/rescue personnel can easily see your address in the event of an emergency.

-  Establish a meeting place outside your home. Every family member should participate in practice escape drills at least two times per year. And in the event of an emergency, always call 911 from a safe place.

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