Media Advisory: Fire Causes Significant Damage to Potomac Home

IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  February 27, 2013

      Fire Causes Significant Damage to Potomac Home

        Fire Displaces Family of Four 

                                                        

Montgomery County, MD - - -  A Potomac home suffered over $600,000 in damages after a fire Monday afternoon. Firefighters were dispatched shortly after 4:00 p.m. to the 12400 block of Willow Green Court in Potomac for the report of a house fire. First arriving units described heavy fire and smoke conditions and requested additional resources.  

Photos courtesy of Rockville Volunteer Fire Department 

Two teenagers were home at the time of the fire and were able to safely escape after an alert neighbor walking her dog smelled smoke and went to investigate to locate the source. The neighbor saw flames to the rear of a home and quickly called 9-1-1, secured her dog to a nearby mailbox and ran to the home and began to pound on the front door of the home in an attempt to alert any occupants inside that the home was on fire. The teens inside narrowly escaped the blaze and officials are crediting the alert neighbor’s quick actions in helping the occupants escape safely.   

Fire and Explosive Investigators conducted a detailed investigation and have determined that the fire was accidental in nature and believe that cooking materials placed outside to cool sparked the fire. Investigators noted that, due to extensive fire damage to the home, they were unable to determine whether the home was equipped with smoke alarms.   

One firefighter was injured and was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries and has been released. Approximately 80 fire rescue personnel responded and were on the scene at the height of firefighting operations and the American Red Cross was assisting the displaced family.

Fire department officials remind all residents that smoke alarms are one of the most important safety features to have in your home and, with many units available for under twenty dollars, they are worth every penny. 

More photos below and HERE. 

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Photos courtesy of Rockville Volunteer Fire Department 

Photos courtesy of Rockville Volunteer Fire Department 

Incident Operations Wrap-Up From Last Night

MCFRS Units were dispatched 324 times between 5 PM & Mid-night 10/29.  The high peek period was between 8 PM to 10 PM when MCFRS units were dispatched 156 times.  From Mid-night to 4 AM this morning (10/30) units were dispatched 47 times.

During this time frame, one significant incident was located in the 20 block of Manchester Place - tree into apartment building with major gas leak.  The gas was isolated at the meter and shut off quickly.  14 adults and 5 children displaced and there were no injuries.

There were 3 dispatches for cars in the water with people trapped.  In each instance, all occupants were out and safe before arrival of MCFRS personnel.  A number of dispatches were for wires and/or trees down.

No other real significant incidents occurred during this time frame.

Media update (video) from duty PIO

Chief Goldstein Provides An Update On MCFRS Operations

This video update was done at 2055 hours on 10/29/2012

News Advisory: County Executive Leggett & Fire Chief Bowers Invite Community to Briefing on Darnestown/Germantown Brush Fire

BrushfireCommunityMtg

NEWS ADVISORY: Fire Day at the PSTA

Fire Day 2011

Washington-Metro Area Fire Chief’s Warn of Fire Danger With Impending Colder Weather

News Advisory Cog Tips 120320101

Media Advisory: Toys for the Holidays ……Help Us Help Others Kickoff

Media Advisory from MCFRS for Press Event today at 11:30.


AdvisoryTFT2010

Media Advisory - Press Conference Today at 11 AM

LEGGETT TO JOIN REGIONAL OFFICIALS BEFORE JULY 4 HOLIDAY TO WARN OF DROWNING DANGERS IN POTOMAC RIVER

Thursday, July 1, 2010, 11 a.m.

Potomac River Overlook at Great Falls Tavern, 11710 MacArthur Boulevard., Potomac

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett will join regional officials to highlight the ever-present dangers in the Potomac River Gorge in light of the two drownings on Memorial Day. Many out-of-town visitors, who may not be aware of the risks, are expected in the Washington area for the July 4 holiday weekend.

Officials will emphasize that swimming in the Potomac River is both deadly and illegal, that citations will continue to be issued for violations, and that entering the Potomac River to swim or cool off can result in death.

National Park Service and U.S. Park Police will release an updated DVD about the hazards of the Potomac River Gorge. The video is also available in Spanish and Vietnamese. These communities have had the highest number of recent drownings.

In additino to Leggett, speakers will include Kevin Brandt, superintendent, C &O Canal National Historical Park; Jon G. James, deputy superintendent, George Washington Memorial Parkway; William Lynch, assistant chief, United States Park Police; Richard Bowers, chief, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service; John Caussin, assistant fire chief, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department; and Sgt. Jeffrey Blevins, Metropolitan Police Department Harbor Patrol Unit

NOTE TO EDITORS: Spanish and Vietnamese speakers will be available onsite for news media interviews.

News photographers and reporters are strongly advised to wear appropriate footwear, rain gear and clothing for wet and muddy conditions.

Directions and Parking: The Potomac River Overlook at Great Falls Tavern is located at the corner of MacArthur Boulevard and Falls Road in Potomac. Parking will be available in the Great Falls Tavern parking lot. News media microwave trucks or satellite trucks may drive across the bridge at Lock #19 (at Great Falls Tavern). All other crew cars must remain parked in the main parking lot at the Great Falls Tavern.

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Media Contacts: National Park Service, Bill Line/Toni Braxton, 202-619-7400 or
U.S. Park Police, Sgt. David Schlosser, 202-619-7163

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Press Conference Today

National Park Service, United States Park Police, Montgomery and Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Departments, D. C. Police Harbor Patrol, and Partner Organizations Renew Effort to Eliminate Potomac Gorge Preventable Drowning and Increase Hiking Trail Safety Awareness

• WHAT: Press conference to provide context and background for wide-spread effort to prevent incidents of drowning in the Potomac River Gorge and to reduce the number of hiking accidents on the Billy Goat Trail before the height of the recreational boating, kayaking and hiking seasons begin.

News photographers will have a photo opportunity with Montgomery and Fairfax County Fire & Rescue swift water rescue boats providing access onto the river to show the hazards of the Potomac River Gorge and of the Billy Goat Trail, part of the C&O Canal National Historical Park.

National Park Service and U.S. Park Police will unveil a new video product designed to show all visitors the hazards and dangers of the Potomac River Gorge. Besides English, the video has been translated into Spanish and Vietnamese, as these communities have provided the largest number of persons recently lost to drowning. Copies in all three languages will be made available.

• WHEN: Thursday, April 29, 2010. 11:00 a.m.

• WHERE: Old Angler’s Inn, 10800-block of MacArthur Blvd., Potomac, MD. Park in C &O Canal parking lot, walk downhill and across the C&O Canal’s Tow Path down to the Potomac River to press conference site at River’s edge. News media will board the rescue boats after the press conference.

• WHO: Representatives from the National Park Service, United States Park Police, Montgomery County, MD, Fairfax County, VA and District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department’s Harbor Patrol Unit.

NOTE: The NPS, U.S. Park Police, Montgomery County Fire & Rescue and Fairfax County Fire & Rescue will have Spanish language personnel available onsite, and the U.S. Park Police will also have Vietnamese language personnel available and on-site for news media interviews.

BACKGROUND: Rescue boats will be available providing photographer and reporter access onto the river to show the danger and hazards of the Potomac River Gorge and of the hiking challenges with the C&O Canal’s Billy Goat Trail. The NPS, the USPP and Montgomery County have recorded an increase in the number of preventable hiking accidents in this area resulting in broken and sprained ankles, broken legs, head injuries including concussions and other serious injuries that result in governmental agency efforts to treat and airlift injured hikers out of the river and from the Billy Goat Trail.

Sadly and regrettably, six (6) persons drown accidentally in the Potomac River Gorge in 2009. Between 2005 and 2008, there had been no accidental drownings in the Potomac River Gorge. Prior to 2005, between two and six persons accidentally drown, on average, in the Potomac River Gorge annually. The Potomac River Gorge is a 14-mile stretch of the Potomac River defined as immediately north of Key Bridge to just north of Great Falls on the Potomac.

Federal, county, city agencies and partner organizations play a large role in helping to ensure river and trail safety and want to remind all visitors of the dangerous conditions present, and to have visitors take necessary measures to prevent hiking accidents and to prevent drowning.

NOTE: News photographers and reporters are strongly advised to wear appropriate footwear, rain gear and clothing for wet and muddy conditions!

From the National Park Service Media Advisory

-NPS-

Help Your Fire Department – Adopt-a-Hydrant

Please help the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service by “adopting” the fire hydrant closest to your home or business and keeping it free of snow, leaves and other debris. Recent snow storms, combined with the after-effects of plowing roads and parking lots, have left many fire hydrants partially or completely buried in snow.

Please take a couple of minutes to uncover your fire hydrant after each and every snowfall. Clear a path approximately 3 feet around the hydrant and shovel a path from the street or roadway up to the fire hydrant. By keeping fire hydrants clear of snow, the public can help firefighters to easily locate them and access water quickly, preserving valuable time during an emergency.

Please consider helping a neighbor with a medical condition or who is elderly by shoveling out a hydrant in front of their home. Remember, quick access to fire hydrants benefits everyone.

The “adopt-a-hydrant” program in Montgomery County is an informal program and therefore it is not necessary to advise the fire department which fire hydrants you will be clearing snow from. Thank you for helping keep Montgomery County safe!

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