Gaithersburg Townhouse Fire Leaves One Dead

Around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, March 29, MCFRS units were dispatched for a reported townhouse fire in the 1800 block of Windjammer Way in Gaithersburg. Firefighters arrived on scene and found heavy fire conditions in a two-story, middle of the row townhouse.

Two occupants of the home were alerted to the fire by a working smoke alarm, exited the home and called 911. Firefighters were made aware that there was one other occupant of the home, who resided in the basement, who was unaccounted for.

Firefighters engaged in firefighting operations as well as escorting neighbors out of their homes next door. A second alarm was called for bringing additional firefighters and equipment to the scene. Ultimately, the bulk of the fire was knocked down, brought under control, and mostly contained to the townhouse of origin.

Shortly after midnight, the body of an adult male was found among the debris in the basement.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation and MCFRS Fire Investigators are working with Montgomery County Police Homicide detectives – which is standard procedure with a fire death. Due to the extensive damage, and partial collapse of the first floor, investigators are currently awaiting the arrival of engineers to stabilize the structure for fire investigation operations.

Red Cross is on scene and assisting the occupants and neighbors who have been displaced as a result of the fire.

Damage estimates are pending. Over 100 firefighters were on scene and there were no reported injuries to fire department personnel or residents.

Promotions

MCFRS is pleased to announce the following promotions.  

The following person has been promoted to the rank of Captain:

• Clinton D. Kraft

The following person has been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant: 

• Adam C. Nichols

Congratulations and be safe in your new assignments!

Busy Day Yesterday!

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue responded to several significant incidents yesterday, Tuesday, February 2. Below is a brief synopsis of each along with photos and/or videos.

Car Crash Into A Garage

At approximately 2:30 p.m. MCFRS Units were dispatched for a report of a car that crashed into a house in the 4300 block of Sunflower Drive. Units arrived on scene to find a car that had veered off the roadway, up a driveway, into a park car and into an attached garage of the home.

Two occupants were in the car with the driver, a 92-year-old male, being trapped. Firefighters were able to quickly extricate the trapped driver and transport him, and the female passenger, to a local hospital with serious injuries. Photos below.

Anyone who witnessed, or has information about, this collision is asked to call the Montgomery County Police Department’s Collision Reconstruction Unit at 240.773.6620.

Multiple Vehicle Crash on Northbound I-270

At 4:15 p.m., MCFRS Units were dispatched for a report of a crash involving multiple vehicles on Northbound I-270 between Route 28 and Sam Eig Highway.

Firefighters arrived on the scene and found four vehicles crashed as a result of two separate incidents. There were several injuries including two people who were trapped and subsequently extricated by MCFRS personnel.

Several people were transported to area hospitals all with non-life threatening injuries.

Unknown Odor in the Home

Around 6 p.m. last night, Rockville City Police (RCPD) were handling a “check on welfare” concern at a home in the 1900 block of Valley Stream Drive in Rockville. Upon entering the home, officers encountered an unknown chemical odor and immediately exited the home.

The MCFRS Hazardous Materials Unit (HazMat) and the MCFRS Bomb Squad were called to assist in the investigation of the possible, and unknown, hazardous condition. Both RCPD Officers were also checked by MCFRS EMS personnel on scene as a precaution and deemed unharmed. The street was closed off and residents were told to shelter in place as a precaution.

 HazMat team members donned their protective equipment and made entry into the single-family home. Upon investigation, it was found that no one was at home and the odor appeared to be coming from insecticides and other household items. As well, no explosives were found.

Promotions

MCFRS is pleased to announce the following promotions.  

The following personnel have been promoted to the rank of Battalion Chief:

• Erik R. Couse

The following personnel have been promoted to the rank of Captain:

• Samuel E. Villani

The following personnel have been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant:

• Eric P. Wengryn

The following personnel have been promoted to the rank of Master Firefighter:

• Andrea C. Sudjapun
• Joseph J. Chronowski 
• Joshua I. Kurland
• Yann Le Renard

Congratulations and be safe in your new assignments!

Firehouse Cleaning

By: Lieutenant Rob Furst

Once a week every week we focus on one area of the firehouse and give it a deep clean. Tuesday's at Fire Station 12, it is the "weekly" on the kitchen. 

Personnel at the firehouse spent some of the afternoon ensuring that their kitchen is clean and sanitary. We spend a full third of our lives at the firehouse, so we take pride in what we have. 

Fire Chief Turns Firefighter At House Fire

On Thursday afternoon (6/18) Fire Chief Goldstein stopped by to visit with the shift at Fire Station #22.   Tanker 722 (a truck that carries a large amount of water) had been dispatched to a large vehicle/trash truck fire on I-270, which required staffing from Engine 722's crew to get it to the scene.  This left the Engine Company with only two people thus they were one person short.

At around 4:30 pm - during a severe thunderstorm event - a call came in for a house struck by lightning in the 24700 block of Kings Valley Road.  Fire Chief Goldstein, knowing the Engine was short one person, grabbed his gear and climbed onto Engine 722 in the seat (bucket) behind Captain Brett Livingston to serve as the lineman (firefighter) on the unit.  

Engine 722 arrived on the scene, with several other fire and rescue units, and Captain Livingston and his "crew" eventually went to work.  As you can see below, they all worked up quite a sweat!

Captain Brett Livingston and the crew of E722 taking
a break (Fire Chief Goldstein in middle).

Awaiting their assignment. Chief Goldstein on left.

Taking a break at the rehab section.

Townhouse Fire 10921 Brewer House Road

This morning at approximately 0130 hours, MCFRS units responded for a reported townhouse fire at 10921 Brewer House Road.  The 911 call was made by a neighbor who stated that she was awakened by the occupant of the address knocking on her door yelling fire.

Montgomery County Police arrived on the scene first and reported a fire and one adult male with severe burns.  Engine 726 arrived on the scene and confirmed significant fire coming from several windows in an end of the row, two-story townhouse and requested a 2nd alarm.  A fire attack was initiated from the exterior to dampen down some of the fire which then allowed for a transition to an interior attack to extinguish the fire.  The fire was quickly brought under control and extinguished. 

Click on above for more photos

The 73 year old male occupant of this address was located in a neighbor's townhouse with significant second and third degree burns over approximately thirty percent of his body.  He stated that he was awakened by the smoke alarm and observed fire in the front of the house.  He then attempted to extinguish the fire but could not. 

The occupant was transported Priority 1 to a local burn center with critical and potentially life threatening injuries and is listed in critical condition at the time of this writing. 

Approximately 75 fire and rescue personnel responded to the scene.  In addition, Medical Ambulance Bus 726 (MAB) was on scene for shelter and rehab due to the extreme cold.

The origin and cause investigation determined the fire was accidental and caused by an electrical failure or malfunction in a floor outlet. Damages were estimated at $350,000 to the structure and $100,000 to the contents of the home.  Two cats are also unaccounted for.

Firefighters will be returning to the neighborhood later this afternoon at approximately 4 p.m. to hand out safety information as well as offer to check smoke alarms to insure they are working. 

Patriotism and Pride at the 12 House

By: Battalion Chief Mark Davis

Some old fire hose and a bunch of "know how" created this great patriotic master piece for the day room of Station 12 (Hillandale). Many thanks to Firefighters Dan Rothermal (24B) and Bill Naugle (2B) for taking on this project and keeping the "company pride" going in the 1st Battalion! Excellent work fellas!

A pretty awesome work of art that is also dimensionally correct in terms of length, width, and star size.

First Annual Fire Chief's Ride In Honor of Former Fire Chief Tom Carr

A great cause to honor a great man:

FireChiefsRide2013-Flyer1

Fire Chief Steve Lohr Announces Promotions

Fire Chief Steve Lohr is pleased to announce the following promotions.  Congratulations to all and be safe in your new assignments.

The following personnel have been promoted to the rank of Battalion Chief:

Mike Baltrotsky

Monte Fitch

The following person has been promoted to the rank of Captain:

Michael S. Murdock

The following personnel have been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant:

Mathew M. Houck

Anthony P. Damico

Chase J. Fabrizio

Christina L. Dietz

Daniel H. Hudson

Jamie K. Baltrotsky

Joseph E. Hayunga

Noel P. Hull

Robert J. Faas Jr

Shelley M. Wheeler

Todd J. Brown

The following personnel have been promoted to the rank of Master Firefighter:

David R. Briscoe

Marilynne E. Chindblom

Michael S. Phillips

Peter R. Gillis

Beau P. Nelson

Sean P. Carroll

Shawn M. Goodbrod 

MCFRS Significant Incident Map

This map is for incidents last week Sunday, June 23 – Saturday, June 29.

View MCFRS Significant Incident Map in a larger map

Retired Accountant Trades Office for Saving Lives

Silver Spring Volunteer EMT Jerry Leener joins respected and legendary journalist Jane Pauley on the NBC TODAY show in a featured segment, “Life Reimagined TODAY” which is produced and sponsored by AARP and showcases unique, encore careers. 

Jerry Leener, volunteer EMT with the Silver Spring Volunteer Fire Department had a long and successful career as a CPA at Price Waterhouse but wanted more. After retirement he decided to move on and give back to the community by helping people when they need it most, during emergency situations and became a volunteer EMT three years ago. “Life Reimagined TODAY” will air Wednesday, March 27th between 8:30-9 a.m. in most U.S. time zones.
Preview clip included below: 

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Receives Federal Grant to Update Critical Equipment

New equipment may be one of the most vital life-saving pieces on County ambulances

The Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service was awarded a $1,192,800 Federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant to replace dated cardiac defibrillators with the most advanced generation of cardiac monitor/defibrillator equipment on the market. The County will provide a matching amount of $298,200 towards the purchase of the equipment.

Cardiac monitors/defibrillators are indispensable and vital to first responders. The equipment is utilized in conjunction with State and County protocols to deliver advanced cardiac support and to obtain electrocardiograph assessments in order to determine the most appropriate course of treatment. The equipment may be used as an initial diagnostic tool or as a source of continuous information to evaluate a patient’s response to treatment. It will allow first responders to quickly diagnose a patient in the field, provide quick access to clinical information and faster treatment while simultaneously transmitting critical patient information directly to the hospital’s emergency department prior to and during patient transport. The equipment (known as Lifepak 15s) also has additional life-saving technology that features integrated carbon monoxide (CO) monitoring that measures vital blood gases and CO levels in the blood resulting in quicker diagnosis and patient stabilization. 

Early defibrillation is a critical component in treating cardiac patients and the Cardiac Monitors/Defibrillators are essential in cardiac arrest emergencies and other potentially lethal cardiac rhythms which require an electrical intervention. With an EMS call volume of over 80,000 incidents each year, protecting and saving lives is Montgomery County Fire and Rescue’s core mission and the ability to upgrade our inventory of cardiac monitor defibrillators through the grant award will be instrumental in continuing to offer the best and most advanced emergency medical care to the residents of Montgomery County and its visitors.

The equipment (known as Lifepak 15s) has capabilities that are superior to the current model and will allow first responders to detect and treat cardiac events, monitor heart rhythms, blood pressure and oxygen saturation, diagnose heart attacks, shock hearts back into normal rhythms, provides external pacing and defibrillation for difficult-to-defibrillate patients. The units also have additional life-saving technology integrated that features a carbon monoxide (CO) monitoring feature that measures vital blood gases and CO levels in the blood which facilitates a quicker diagnosis and patient stabilization.   

“I know how important this funding is to Maryland communities – often it’s the difference between life and death.  First responders protect our homes and communities, and the federal government has a responsibility to protect them by providing them with the tools they need to do their jobs safer and smarter,” said Senator Barbara Mikulski. “Every day when our first responders report for duty, they don’t know what they will face. That’s why I fight every year for the equipment, training and staffing our protectors and communities deserve.”

“When a natural disaster occurs or we are faced with a terrorist attack, it is our first responders who provide the first line of defense for our citizens,” said Senator Ben Cardin. “This federal funding is an important investment in keeping Maryland families and businesses safe if, and when, a disaster strikes. It ensures that our first responders have the resources they need to protect us and the equipment and training they need to do their jobs.”  

“I am pleased that this grant will enable us to do more to support the critical missions of our firefighters in Montgomery County by providing them with funding for 40 new cardiac monitors/defibrillators,” said Congressman Chris Van Hollen. “This new equipment will help ensure that our community’s emergency responders have the full array of tools that they need to do their jobs and keep our fellow citizens safe.” 

The units cost over $37,000 each and, with daily opportunities to put the new equipment with its expanded capabilities and technology to work, the average cost per use is less than $8.00 over the course of the equipment’s life span. By upgrading the department’s cardiac monitors, first responders will have a very dynamic and advanced tool to provide the assessment and treatment of the most critically ill and injured patients which, ultimately, will translate into lives saved.

“I want to thank Senators Mikulski and Cardin and Congressman Van Hollen for their efforts to provide this grant to Montgomery County for more advanced cardiac defibrillators,” said County Executive Isiah Leggett. “This new equipment will help our first responders save even more lives, and for that we are grateful.” 

“Over half of the department’s cardiac defibrillators have been in use since 2002 and exceed the recommended replacement schedule. These new monitors are state-of-the-art and will allow us to provide the highest level of service and to achieve our most important job - - saving lives,” said Fire Chief Richard Bowers. “Every day, our first responders put their lives on the line to protect our residents and it’s crucial that they are equipped to handle any emergency. This is a great investment to better serve the residents of Montgomery County and those in the region.”

Unit Citations

Yesterday, Fire Chief Bowers stopped by Fire Station #2 (Takoma Park) and Fire Station #15 (Burtonsville) to present personnel with unit citations for life saving actions taken at two fires last year.

Station 2’s crew quickly went into rescue and fire extinguishment mode when responding to a fire on Flower Avenue in Takoma Park. Due to their quick actions, a 15 year old female was rescued.

Likewise, career and volunteer personnel from Station #15 received recognition for their quick actions at a fire on Castle Boulevard that resulted in 17 people being removed/rescued from harms way.

Video and photos are below. Great job by all!

 

Fire Station #2 crew

Fire Station #15