Not As Easy As It Looks

Yesterday, Captain Ivan Browning and the shift at Station 28-B conducted a little hazardous materials training. The exercise involved using what is referred to as a Hazmat Level A suit. Level A protection is utilized when the greatest level of skin, respiratory, and eye protection is required.

A Hazmat team trainee was required to dress out in the Level A suit and then perform a dexterity drill using the humat on the engine company. Disconnect, remove from engine, put back on engine, re-connect and recite the emergency procedures action.

Not as easy as it looks with all of the gear on! See photo album below.

Live Hazardous Materials Practical Training

Yesterday (5/4/16) we broadcast a live, via Periscope, Hazardous Materials practical training exercise from our Public Safety Training Academy (PSTA)​. The exercise involved crews practicing techniques to mitigate the release of anhydrous ammonia. Captain Carl Mauney provides commentary to explain what is occurring.

Significant Fire & EMS Incidents From July 25 through July 31

Battalion 1 Incidents

• Motor Vehicle Crash @ E Randolph Road & Tourmaline Court - Dispatched for a crash involving a loaded Ride-On bus. Fire units arrived to find minor collision and transported 4 patients with minor injuries to local hospital.

Battalion 2 Incidents

• House Fire in the 7700 block of Westlake Terrace. Fire units arrived to find a confined dryer fire.

Battalion 3 Incidents

• Hazardous Materials Incident in the 1200 block of First Street- CO leak w/ 11 patients transported local hospitals. Investigation revealed malfunctioning hot water heater

Battalion 4 Incidents

• Motor Vehicle Crash & Hazardous Materials Incident @New Hampshire Ave / Ednor Rd - Fire units arrived on scene and found 1 patient ejected from vehicle and a 50 gallon diesel spill. MCPD investigating.

• Apartment Fire in the 12500 block of Winexburg Manor Drive - Initial call for alarm bells in garden apartment. Fire units found fire in the walls of terrace level apartment. Small fire that was quickly extinguished. Cause was a defective gas stove. Damage of $2K to the structure with no injuries and a family of 5 displaced.

Battalion 5 Incidents

• Motor Vehicle Crash & Hazardous Materials Incident @ Woodfield Rd/ Churchill Downs – Fire units arrived on scene with a car and van, fueled by propane, which had collided. Van had one propane cylinder slightly ruptured. Haz Mat team stayed on scene to bleed cylinder off.

• Building Fire in the 615 S. Frederick Ave - Fire units found a 3-story commercial/mixed use property w/a cooking pot on fire in a small restaurant. Fire extinguished by sprinkler. No injuries and $2K worth of damage.

• GAS / PIPELINE LEAK in the 11400 block of TULIP POPLAR TER – Fire units arrive on scene and found a gas leak between 2 homes requiring the evacuation of portions of the neighborhood. Unified command established with MCPD and scene mitigated without injuries or fire.

Happy Trails After 33 ½ Years of Dedicated Service!

After 33 ½ years of dedicated service Captain Greg Socks decided to hang up his Montgomery County Fire Rescue Service fire gear and hazmat suit for warmer temperatures with more opportunities to fish.

Under the direction of Captain Socks, the MCFRS Hazardous Materials Team has flourished from a set of startup resources to one of the nation’s most sophisticated programs.  As a founding member of the MCFRS Hazmat Team, Captain Socks has been instrumental in the education of personnel on a local, region and national level igniting the spark of learning that has evolved to a defined discipline of chemical knowledge in the fire service.

The personnel of MCFRS wish Captain Socks great health and good fishing in his retirement.