Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue firefighters NOW. Valentine s Day Disaster in Fort Lee PAGE 11

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1 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue jersey firefighters NOW Building Fire in Paterson PAGE 7 Valentine s Day Disaster in Fort Lee PAGE 11 Dash Displacement PAGE 18 Vol. 3 ~ Issue Uniting Firefighters with our Communities Firefighters Battling Marcal Paper Company in Sub-Freezing Temperatures in Elmwood Park One of Bergen Counties Largest Fires By Deputy Chief Peter Danzo Full Story Inside WEIGHT GAIN, FATIGUE, LOW LIBIDIO, SLEEP ISSUES? FIND THE HIDDEN CAUSE! it s not what you eat. it s what you absorb. find out your food sensitivity & VITAMIN DEficiency! M.T. SHAHAB M.D

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4 4 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue A New Jersey police officer and firefighter who retires on an accidental disability retirement pension is entitled to higher pension benefits. Accordingly, it is important to understand the eligibility requirements for securing such a pension. To be eligible,a claimant must establish: (1) that he or she is permanently and totally disabled; (2) as a direct result of a traumatic event that is a. identifiable as to time and place, b. undesigned and unexpected, and c. caused by a circumstance external to the member (not the result of pre-existing disease that is aggravated or accelerated by the work). (3) that the traumatic event occurred during and as a result of the member s regular or assigned duties; (4) that the disability was not the result of the member s willful negligence; and (5) that the member is mentally or physically incapacitated from performing his usual or any other duty. One would need to write a book to explain the ins and outs of all of these requirements. This article focuses on just one: that the injury be undesigned and unexpected. The Editorial Hello and a Happy Spring to Everyone. Welcome back to another issue of Jersey Firefighters Now newspaper. I hope that everybody had a good warm winter. I also hope, that you appreciated Mother Nature not being as cruel to us with the snow this year as she has in years past. Shoveling hydrants, we re definitely a minimum. Ha! I did notice some big jobs though this winter and in some real brutal cold weather too, notably the Marcal Paper Company in Elmwood Park, during sub-freezing temperatures which landed on the front cover of our newspaper. This was arguably one of Bergen County s largest fires and it unanimously received the votes to land the cover. Our writer and photographer Chief Danzo did a tremendous job on Marcal story and photos, so please make sure you check it out. All our writers, photographers, instructors, and sponsors are the best in the business which is what separates us from the rest. During my years on the Newark Fire Department I did see similar jobs like Marcal and they surely are a handful especially in brutal cold conditions. Firefighters did a great job at this fire and I personally want to commend them on their hard work that day and night as well as every day and night they step foot in the firehouse. So now that spring is here and summer approaching, please do not forget to contact me or anyone from our newspaper staff for great deals on advertising in the Jersey Firefighters Now newspaper. Our online version is just as popular to readers as our newspaper is, so please, if you or anyone you know owns a business or recently opened a business that benefits emergency workers please join our family of ads. We here at Jersey Firefighters Now newspaper work harder each issue to reach every firefighter in New Jersey and beyond, as well as their families. If you or someone you know has a story or product regarding the New Jersey Fire Service in need of exposure, please locate my contact information below and contact me anytime. Hope to hear from you soon. Thank you and Stay Safe. F/F Freddy Tenore (Ret.) Newark F.D. Editor-In-Chief (973) JerseyFirefighters@yahoo.com jersey firefighters NOW Michael D. Boll Ret. Capt. James Bonelli Dr. Harry R. Carter, FIFireE, CFO Deputy Chief Peter Danzo Annette DeCeglie Fran DeCeglie Kyle Kwodynski B.C. Tom McGovern NFD Ret. PUBLISHERS Daniel Del Valle John Welsh Editor-In-Chief Freddy Tenore Ret. NFD MANAGING EDITOR Joe Uliano DESIGN EDITOR Dari Izhaky writers Contact Us Jerseyfirefighters@yahoo.com Rob Munson John A. Sahatjian Dennis C. Sharpe Timothy Smith, Esq. Deputy Chief Mike Terpak Bill Tompkins Chris Tompkins Firefighter Justin Watrel photographers Deputy Chief Peter Danzo Dennis C. Sharpe Rob Munson Bill Tompkins Chris Tompkins Know Your Rights: Accidental Disability By Timothy Smith, Esq. meaning of the phrase is not at all self-evident. The best way to understand it is to look at cases that have interpreted it. In one New Jersey Supreme Court case, Richardson v. Board of Trustees, PFRS, the Court gave the following examples of the kinds of accidents that would qualify for accidental disability retirement benefits: A policeman can be shot while pursuing a suspect; a librarian can be hit by a falling bookshelf while re-shelving books; a social worker can catch her hand in the car door while transporting a child to court. The RichardsonCourt said thata police officer who has a heart attack while chasing a suspect would not qualify because Work effort alone or in combination with pre-existing disease, was the cause of the injury. However, the Court explained that The same police officer who was permanently and totally disabled during the chase because of a fall, has suffered a traumatic event. Likewise, the Court stated, a gym teacher who develops arthritis from repetitive effects of his work over the years would not qualify as suffering a traumatic event. But if the same gym teacher trips over a riser and is injured, that injury would satisfy the standard. There are Appellate Division cases that have applied the undesigned and unexpected legal standard to different fact patterns. For example, in one case, the Appellate Division ruled that a fireman who suffered a disabling injury while kicking down the door of a burning building because the tools normally used by firefighters to break down doors had not yet arrived had suffered an undesigned and unexpected event. In a school-employee case, the Appellate Division approved of accidental disability retirement benefits for a school custodian who injured his shoulder moving a 300-pound weight bench into the school. The Court reasoned that the custodian s accident was clearly undesigned and unexpected because he had been confronted with an unusual situation of students attempting to carry the heavy bench into the school, took charge of the activity, and the students suddenly dropped their side of the bench, placing its entire weight on the custodian. In another case, a female corrections officer disabled her wrist while operating a gate that separated access to the prison s tiers. Although the officer had operated the gate many times without incident, on one occasion, the gate suddenly stopped in its tracks. The officer then heard a pop in her wrist. That injury turned out to be a permanent and totally disabling injury. But the Pension Board ruled that the injury was not undesigned and unexpected. The Appellate Division disagreed. It reasoned that absent evidence of known prior malfunctions, employees should be able to expect that equipment supplied to them will not injure them. The Court further stated that such an expectation was especially true in a prison where safety and security concerns are elevated. Hence, the Court concluded that under the particular circumstances of that case, the officer s injury resulted from an undesigned and unexpected event. Reviewing these examples, the one thing that becomes clear is that there is nothing clear about determining if any given situation fits the test of being an injury that is undesigned and unexpected. If an officer s injuryis absolutely identical to one of the examples given above, then that officer s accidental-disability application should be approved of without difficulty. Otherwise, a trip to the Appellate Division may be necessary to decide the matter.

5 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue At The Box with Rob Munson Two Alarm in Newark On March 1, 2019 Newark Companies arrived at South Orange Avenue with heavy fire on the first and second floors extending into the Cockloft of a 2-story taxpayer. A second alarm was transmitted. By Rob Munson Quick work held the fire to the main store and above. PAR complete and all searches were negative. Serving your Town while Serving Your Country By Michael D. Boll Photo courtesy of Michael D. Boll For nearly twenty years, our combat veterans have been switching roles and becoming first responders! However, some of these veterans have decided to continue defending our nation, part time as military reservists. It should be noted that our New Jersey Military Reserve Units are still being constantly deployed to various combat missions. Sometimes, our military reservists must leave with little notice. The vast majority of our law enforcement and fire departments bend over backward to help their men or women who are leaving on a deployment. However, sadly a few leaders really do not understand their employee s sacrifice and begin to resent the military reserves all together. Some employers will even go out of their way to deter employees from being in the reserves and do whatever they can to make them quit the reserves altogether. Being a first responder, one would think the command would understand and support our military reserves, but time after time, our military reserve brothers and sisters have to deal with some horrible and unnecessary treatment from their bosses. There is enough stress with being a first responder, and we should be praising and rewarding our first responders who actively serve in the military reserves. Recently, according to my brothers and Operation Rebound teammates from the Clifton Police Department, there have been major problems serving in the military reserves. After interviewing a few of my Clifton teammates, I learned that harassment of and discrimination against military reservists at the Clifton Police Department has been rampant for well over a decade, but it was not always this way. Prior to September 11, 2001, training for military reservists was mostly the old one weekend a month and two weeks over the summer standard. After the terrorist attacks on 9-11, the military reserve forces were, and still are, used regularly to supplement active duty forces, and as a result, the training tempo for military reserve forces increased, deployments overseas increased, and other military obligations became more common. This required the military reservists to be absent more often from the Clifton Police Department in order to fulfill those obligations. Unfortunately, the increased necessary military absences to fight the Global War on Terror (GWOT) have reportedly been met with overt disdain by some Clifton police supervisors. There are repeated complaints about the inconvenience of having to modify schedules and derogatory statements made upon returning from military leave, such as You still work here? or Hey, who s the new guy? On one occasion, an officer returning from military leave was ordered to stand in front of patrol lineup and introduce himself as if he was new to the force. When drill schedules were submitted, derogatory remarks would follow, such as How much do you get paid on weekends to drink beer and barbecue? or How much do you make to go camping? Upon submitting notification and orders for an upcoming deployment to Iraq, one officer s superior officer commented, Must be nice to go on vacation. Some officers have even been questioned improperly about their disability ratings for injuries sustained in the service. Most offensive, however, is the repeated pressure placed on reservists to choose between the police department or the military. They have been told, You have to pick one, you can t do both. A high-ranking department official reportedly once told an officer, The military is your mistress and the police department is your wife. You need to treat your wife better than your mistress. This same official was also said to have threatened termination of the officer if he accepted a set of military orders. Because of their strong commitment to serve their country, they endured the years of harassing comments and threats by department supervisors and officials. Service to both the city and the military can, and should, peacefully co-exist. Instead, they have now received threats to reduce their pay unless they reimburse the city all military pay received retroactive to 2011 for military leave that the City had already approved if they fail to turn over seven years of military paystubs. The financial burden this could cause their families could not possibly be lost on City officials. There is not much more of a deterrent to reservists, and those who may be contemplating military service, than this. These uniformed heroes are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for our country. They don t ask for recognition; they don t ask for praise. All they ask is the unfettered ability to serve.

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7 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue Firefighters Battle Marcal Paper Company (Elmwood Park), in Sub-Freezing Temperatures: One of Bergen County s Largest Fires By Deputy Chief Peter Danzo January 30, 2019 was set to go down in the history books as one of the coldest on record with high winds and sub-zero temperatures. It also was to become the night of one of the largest fires in Bergen County history. A little after 17:00 hours, Elmwood Park Fire Department was dispatched to the Marcal Paper Company at 35 Market Street for a report of a fire. This is somewhat routine as the fire department has been there on multiple occasions over the years for fires, many small and a few larger including one that went to five alarms, however, this fire would prove to be different. As the first chief officer arrived, he reported a heavy smoke condition and what appeared to be three buildings involved in fire and immediately requested a third alarm. Companies attempted to locate the seat of the fire, but the heavy smoke made it difficult and within fifteen minutes, command reported heavy fire through the roof and embers landing on buildings and homes across the street, and he requested a fourth alarm. Approximately forty minutes into the fire, command reported a heavy ember problem and had companies chasing embers for several blocks as they were landing on houses, and a small fire started on the roof of borough hall several blocks away, but it was quickly extinguished. In less than an hour, all members were evacuated and switched to an exterior attack. The high winds played havoc with the master streams as the fire was rapidly spreading, command requested multiple ladders to set up around the complex and just over an hour into the fire the fifth alarm was transmitted, with the fire continuing to spread throughout the complex. A drafting site was set up with engines drafting from the Passaic River, additional alarms were sounded bringing fire companies from three counties to the scene. The wind and sub-zero temperatures continued to play havoc, as it helped spread the fire, freeze the water in the hoses, pumps, and on the fire ground, which also resulted in two engines being placed out of service because their pumps froze. Command requested the state Neptune (high volume water) System to the scene, however, it was unable to respond. The fire eventually spread to most of the buildings within the confines of the complex including a large 4-story mill which held the famous Marcal Paper sign on its roof and another 2-story mill building which was over 600 long, however, companies were able to protect the main production building, the complexes power plant, and several other buildings. After 24-hours, companies were being rotated into the fire scene and command reported they still had numerous deep-seated fires in the rubble and a demolition crew was attempting to pull apart the rubble. 48-hours later several companies remained on the scene due to pockets of fire. Miraculously no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is being investigated by the NJ State Fire Marshal s Office, the ATF, and local authorities. Building Fire in Paterson By Deputy Chief Peter Danzo At 1715 hours on January 16th, companies from Paterson Fire Departments 1st battalion were dispatched to 1005 Madison Avenue for calls reporting a building fire. While leaving quarters a few blocks north of the fire, Ladder 1 reported smoke in the area quickly followed by Engine 1 reporting a working fire in a 2-1/2 story frame. Battalion 1 arrived and reported heavy fire on the first and second floors with exposure problems on both sides and requested a second-alarm. Upon arrival of Deputy 1, Chief Del Valle, he reported heavy fire with extension into the B exposure, a 2-1/2 story mixed used frame and shortly after requested a third-alarm bringing all on duty seven engines, three ladders, and the rescue to the scene. Heavy fire broke through the roof of the original fire building and companies reported heavy fire in the attic of the exposure, due to deteriorating conditions, command pulled all members out and set up a defensive attack. As the bulk of the fire was knocked down, companies re-entered the bravo exposure where they found fire running the walls and ceilings, additional lines were stretched into the command reported the fire PWH building and a fourth-alarm was requested bringing mutual aid compa- spots and releasing some companies. with companies continuing to hit hot nies to the scene. Units remained on the scene for several more hours overhauling and hitting At approximately 21:00 hours, hot spots. No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is under investigation by the PFD investigations unit and the county prosecutor s office arson squad.

8 8 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue FIREGROUND AS TRAINING GROUND The Post Fire Critique By Dr. Harry R. Carter, FIFireE, CFO After nearly four decades in the fire and emergency service world, I can state for the records that I have attended literally thousands of fires. These incidents have occurred on three different continents and in a wide range of climatic zones. Each of these fires has one thing in common with all of the others. Each was an educational experience. Sometimes I share my thoughts the scene. Sometimes I have discussed things over coffee in the fire station. There have been problems with this. It stems from the fact that no structured way existed within my departmental system which would allow us all to profit from the knowledge gained at these incidents and sessions. I decided years ago that I could maximize the impact of any event I attended. I have worked to combine my study of fire protection, with an independent reading program. I have compared the events experienced during my career with the facts I have read. Then I consciously adjusted my future actions based on my range of experience, as modified by my studying and my education. It is my wish to lay out an approach to learning from your fireground experience. In that way, you will be able to profit from the periodic exposures to danger that you will face in the emergency service world. What I am suggesting is that you and your fire department develop a Post Operations Critique procedure. This recommended procedure would mandate that you assess your performance while the facts were still fresh in your mind. And you would be required to do it in standard fashion, in a way that could be repeated systematically throughout your department. In this way you could compile a history of lessons learned. The creation of an identifiable history allows you to study it in the future. The post fire critique forms a critical element in any fire department s training program. It allows for a review of procedure. It also allows for a comparison to expected outcomes, based upon existing knowledge (wherever acquired) and guidelines. It allows for a review of any mistakes made, while their lessons are still fresh in everyone s mind. Let us take a look at the values attributed to post-fire critiques. 1. They allow responders to get a clear idea of the effect of their actions on the operation. 2. By comparing expected outcomes, to the actual consequences, fire personnel can make personal and organizational adjustments. 3. By assessing what worked, with what did not, improvements can be made. People will come to understand that their actions can, and do, generate outcomes. They will discover that these outcomes can be good, or they can be bad. They will then come to understand that by changing operational inputs, you can affect change to operational outputs. And your training program, as well as your operational program will be improved by everyone s efforts. Another critical area for improvement comes from the impact of teamwork on an emergency incident. People will come to know whom they can trust. Fortunately, the critique process allows for the identification of problems like these. Team-building training can then be undertaken to improve inter-and intra-unit operations. It is at the skills delivery level that critical changes must be observed. Hoselines need to be stretched, ladders must be raised and water pumped. A post-incident critique allows for the identification of problem areas in the deployment and operational phases of your fireground operation. Remember that it is not just the skills of the firefighters that need to be assessed. Command decisions need to be evaluated. This re-examination should lead to improvements in your delivery of suppression services. Take the case of an un-raised aerial ladder. During the post-fire critique phase of an operation, you discover that your first-due aerial ladder failed to raise its ladder to the roof. You find that critical vertical ventilation by the first-due truck company went undone and the structure suffered severe damage. As a result of this discovery, you decide to take action. Wisely, you choose to discuss this matter with that unit s commander. During the discussion he states that the aerial could not be raised because of problems with overhead wires. You mention that the task could have been done with ground ladders. And the officer responds that he made the decision to go into the building in force on a search and rescue mission. It then becomes obvious during your discussions that the problem was not the un-raised aerial. It was a communications matter. The officer from the aerial should have notified the Incident Commander that one operational task was being substituted for another. Had that information been delivered and acknowledged, alternative actions could have been take to insure a better overall service delivery level. It is in ways such as this that a post-fire critique can refine your overall operation. There are a number of things that can be improved by an immediate post-fire review: 1. Improve individual performance 2. Improve team work and coordination 3. Teach importance of teamwork 4. Use it to avoid accidents 5. Learn how to do things better Now that we have an idea of what post-fire critiques can do, let us take a look at how to perform them. For them to be of value, they must occur immediately after the emergency is fully stabilized. They must occur while the lines are in place, before any breakdown or cleanup takes place. After the incident has been brought under control, the incident commander should gather their personnel at an appropriate location and review the just-completed operation. The team should review their actions. Each member of the team should contribute facts about the tasks they performed and how they did them. Events must be allowed to unfold in a non-threatening environment. Everyone must come to an understanding of what was done and how it done. The object is to be sure that things are done better next time. No yelling, screaming or blame distribution is to be allowed. This is similar to a brainstorming session where a free and open attitude communications and cooperation must be encouraged. It is very important that each member of the team speak openly and honestly. This session is not for blame or apologies. It is a fact-finding session. And if the mood of the group is defensive, nothing positive will happen. It is up to the team leader to maintain the lines of communication. The discussion needs to be upbeat and frank in its reviews of the events that have just occurred. The object is to reach a consensus on the operation and how it might be improved. Once this task is accomplished, the team can return to the task of going back in service for the next alarm. The post-fire critique can be an excellent tool for operational growth and improvement. Let me urge you to begin conducting them as soon as possible. West Orange Uses All Hands Dumpster Extension to House By Rob Munson Feb 5, 2019 West Orange Fire responded to Crestview Drive on a reported fire. On arrival, a construction dumpster was fully involved and extending into a car port attached 1.5-story dwelling. Fast work by the FD held the fire to the car port with minor extension to dwelling.

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10 10 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue st & 2 nd Level Captain & Lieutenant BOOK BREAKDOWN CLASSES April 6th: John Norman's Tactics $200 April 7th: Hazmat Managing the Incident $200 May 1st: Brannigan's Building Construction $200 April 30th: Written Mock Exam #2 $225 Our written mock exams are set up to mimic your actual exam day ORAL PRESENTATION 3-DAY COURSE STARTING IN JUNE Visit website for more details All of our instructors are Chief Officers with Building, Electrical, and Plumbing NJ State Licenses and we have MANY years of experience on the fireground and in administration. We will help you achieve your goal of becoming a 1st or 2nd Level Officer for your city. Firefighter Physical Performance Test (PPT) Check website for June date

11 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue Kearny Blaze Takes Three Hours to Control By BILL Tompkins A THIRD ALARM IN PATERSON AMID LAYOFF THREATS By BILL Tompkins On February 4th, a multiple alarm fire traveled throughout a multi-family building in Kearny leaving all occupants homeless, but causing no serious injuries. The alarm was transmitted at about 9:00 PM and companies from the Midland Ave. Firehouse two blocks With politicians threatening to lay off 89 firefighters, Paterson firefighters successfully controlled a labor intensive blaze that could have easily spread and destroyed a large apartment building on January 27th. Fire units were first dispatched for a fire alarm at about 3:30 AM, but was quickly upgraded as police units reported flames showing at 120 Ward Street, a large four story brick OMD. Heavy fire was showing out of two windows on the third floor as companies arrived. A second alarm was sounded as many residents needed to be evacuated. Lines were stretched to the third and fourth floor. Truck companies went to the roof and vented. Members had a line on the fire quickly and the visible fire was knocked down. Smoke continued to vent from the fire apartment, the fourth floor and from the roof. A third alarm was transmitted for manpower. Companies opened up on all floors and soon had any pockets of fire extinguished. The fire was placed under control in about one hour. One resident was reported injured with non-life threatening injuries. Other occupants of the apartment building were temporarily housed at the YMCA building next door and at the Center City Mall across the street to keep them out of the cold. Hopefully politicians will learn from this incident the need for sufficient manpower at fires. BILL Tompkins away arrived at 576 Devon Street quickly. A fire in the basement was already extending up the walls as members knocked down the visible fire. Mutual aid was called to assist the process of opening up and water supply. Heavy smoke then flames soon vented out upper floor windows and then through the roof. Firefighters were backed out and operations went defensive. Three elevated master streams, a deck gun, and hand lines operated to knock back the fire. The fire was placed under control about 12:00 and mutual aid units began to be released. No exposure buildings were damaged, but the fire building was gutted. Six families were displaced. Valentine s Day Disaster in Fort Lee By Chris Tompkins A valentine s day disaster destroyed a 5-story apartment building and hundreds of people s valentine s day plans. Just before 4:00 P.M., firefighters were dispatched to 3011 Edwin Avenue for a reported fire. Dispatch advised smoke showing from a city surveillance camera as units began to call into service. On arrival, heavy smoke covered the street in the front of the building as companies stretched lines though the front and into the basement. While operating in the basement, fire was located in a crawlspace that caused smoke to rise to the upper floors. Residents began evacuating the building, however several residents had to be rescued from fire escapes via ground ladders upon arriving units. As fire consumed the crawlspace in the basement, fire ran the walls up all fire floors and through the roof as fire consumed all floors and roof of half of the H-Style building. Mutual aid from East Bergen was requested to assist. Evacuation tones were sounded, and exterior lines and ladder pipes were set up to control the fire as embers flew blocks away from the heavy fire. Additional mutual aid was requested to bring the fire under control which was declared just before 9:00 p.m. A few firefighters received minor injuries. The fire remains under investigation Fax So. Washington Ave. Bergenfield, NJ peterscamera@optonline.net peterscamera.com

12 12 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue new deliveries By Dennis C. Sharpe Dennis C. Sharpe photos Cedarville Volunteer Fire Company, Township of Lawrence, Cumberland County, New Jersey KME Panther, GSO#10672 is equipped with a 4 door 6 seat climate controlled cab, 10 raised roof, full height rear doors, vista interior, Bostrom FF seats, 450HP Cummins L9 Diesel engine, Hale QMAX200-23L single stage pump, FRC Pump Boss, Tank Vision Pro, 1000 gallon poly water tank, TFT deck gun, Kussmaul auto-eject battery conditioner, LED compartment lighting, ROM shutters, Onan 6kW pto / hydraulic generator, Wil-Burt Night Scan, Holmatro extrication tools, swing out tool board, slide out tool trays, saws, fans, tarps, forcible entry tools, Lo-Pro hose bed, rear booster hose reel, twin rear 2 ½ discharges, Zico swing down ladder rack, Hannay electric reel, LDH discharge, front brow light, LED warning lights, front suction & discharge, Federal Q2B mechanical siren. Sold through 1st Priority Emergency Vehicles, Manchester, N.J. The salesman was Fred Hundt, and the cost was $550,000 (approx.). City of Vineland Fire Department, Cumberland County, New Jersey KME Predator Panther, GSO #10762 is equipped with a 4 door 6 seat climate controlled cab, raised roof, full height rear doors, 450HP Cummins L9 Diesel engine, Allison 3000EVS-P automatic transmission, Hale QMAX200-21X single stage pump, 750 gallon United Plastic Fabricators water tank, Bostrom FF seats,ems box in rear crew area, Kussmaul auto-eject battery conditioner, FRC InControl 400 pressure governor, FRC Tank Vision Pro water gauge, ROM shutters, LED compartment lighting, swing out & slide out tool trays, saws, fans, tarps, forcible entry tools, twin rear discharges, booster hose reel, Holmatro extrication tools, Hannay electric reel, front FRC Evolution LED brow light, high rise pack, hydraulic jack, rear LDH suction, Federal Q2B mechanical siren, Federal E-2 electronic siren. Sold through 1st Priority Emergency Vehicles, Manchester, N.J. The salesman was Fred Hundt. Logan Volunteer Fire Company Pedricktown, Oldmans Township Salem County, N.J KME 2500 gallon water tank 2000gpm pump 4 door 6 seat climate controlled cab Dennis C. Sharpe photo It s new to them! City of Linwood Fire Department, Atlantic County, New Jersey Pierce Dash, 2000/500/105 Job #ED616, ex- Ocean City, New Jersey. West Berlin Volunteer Fire Company, Berlin Township, Camden County, New Jersey Pierce Enforcer 100 rear mount aerial, Job #32342 is equipped with a 4 door 6 seat climate controlled cab, 911 seats, flat roof, Detroit Diesel DD13 engine, Allison 4500EVS automatic transmission, Waterous CSU C-20 single stage 2000gpm pump, 500 gallon UPF Poly Tank III water tank, Trident Air Prime, Pierce Pressure Governor, Kussmaul auto-eject battery conditioner, TAK- 4 suspension, 10kW Harrison generator, 2 Hannay electric reels, Amdor shutters, LED compartment lighting, swing out tool boards, slide out tool trays, saws, fans, tarps, forcible entry tools, rope, Milwaukee tools, rear facing camera, Side Stacker hose bed, rear ladder tunnel, Amkus extrication tools, cribbing, short jacking capabilities, prepiped 1250gpm pinable waterway, 750# tip load with water flowing, rear 5 direct ladder pipe feed, Akron Apollo Stream Master II ladder pipe w pre-piped 2 ½ discharge, Federal Q2B mechanical siren, Whelen Power Call sirens, LED warning lights. Logan Volunteer Fire Company, Pedricktown, Oldmans Township, Salem County, New Jersey KME Predator pumper-tender, GSO #10748 is equipped with a 4 door 8 seat climate controlled cab, raised roof, full height rear doors, 600HP Cummins X15 Diesel engine, Allison 4500EVS automatic transmission, Bostrom FF seats, Hale QMAX200-23LK single stage pump, Trident air primer, ENFO IV Class 1 pressure governor, FRC Tank Vision Pro water gauge, 2800 gallon poly water tank, 20 gallon Class A & 30 gallon Class B foam tanks, Kussmaul auto-eject battery conditioner, Wil- Burt Night Scan, LED compartment lighting, slide out tool trays, Onan generator, rear 4 LDH discharge, front suction, 2 Hannay electric reels, saws, fans, tarps, forcible entry tools, ROM shutters, Hurst Strong Arm extrication tools, cameras on all sides, twin 4 rear direct tank fills, FRC LED scene lighting, rear 2 ½ discharge, two 10 side Stock-Newton dump chutes, swing down ladder arm, front discharge, Federal Q2B mechanical siren, front LED brow light.

13 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue Dennis C. Sharpe photos Union Fire Company, Medford Township, Burlington County, New Jersey Pierce Impel, Job #31337 is equipped with a 4 door 5 seat climate controlled cab, raised roof, full height rear doors, Cummins L9 Diesel engine, Allison 3000EVS automatic transmission, Hale QMAX200-21X single stage pump, PS6 seats, TAK-4 suspension, Pierce Command Zone, 2 rear facing EMS compartments in rear of cab with 4 forward facing storage compartments across the back of the cab, gas & CO2 meters, Kussmaul auto-eject battery conditioner, FRC LED scene lights, Amdor shutters, LED compartment lighting, slide out tool trays, swing out tool boards, saws, fans, tarps, forcible entry tools, hard sleeve tunnel, roof top storage compartments, rear ladder tunnel, rear facing camera, Holmatro extrication tools, cribbing, Milwaukee tools, Pro Pack foam kit, front suction, Federal Q2B mechanical siren, twin Whelen Power Call sirens, front discharge. Township of Greenwich Volunteer Fire Department, Cumberland County, New Jersey International / KME water tender, GSO# is equipped with a 2 door 2 seat climate controlled cab, 450HP Cummins L9 Diesel engine, Allison 3000 EVS P automatic transmission, Hale MBP single stage pump, 3000 gallon poly water tank with a stainless steel wrap, 911 seats, Tank Vision Pro, Trident Air Prime, Kussmaul auto-eject battery conditioner, ROM shutters, LED compartment lighting, slide out tool trays, Newton Kwik-Dump with A.H. Stock extended dump chute, rear LDH tank fill, rear 2 ½ tank fill, rear facing camera, front LED brow light, Federal Q2B mechanical siren. Sold through 1st Priority Emergency Vehicles, Manchester, N.J. The salesman was Fred Hundt. Town of Hammonton Volunteer Fire Company #2, Atlantic County, New Jersey Pierce Enforcer, Job #32693 is equipped with a 4 door 6 seat climate controlled cab, raised roof, full height rear doors, 425HP Cummins Diesel engine, Allison 3000EVS automatic transmission, Waterous CSU C20D single stage pump, 1000 gallon UPF Poly Tank III water tank, TAK4 suspension, top mounted pump panel, Akron foam system, Trident Air Prime, Kussmaul auto-eject battery conditioner, Gortite shutters, slide out tool trays, LED compartment lighting, saws, fans, tarps, forcible entry tools, rear Hannay electric reel, rear ladder tunnel, swing out tool boards, Little Giant ladder, front suction, front LED brow light, Federal Q2B mechanical siren, Whelen Power Call siren, LED warning lights. Sold through Fire & Safety, South Plainfield, New Jersey. The salesman was Sam Squire and the cost was $611,000. City of Palmyra Fire Department, Burlington County, New Jersey Pierce Velocity 100 midmount platform, Job #32156 is equipped with a 4 door 6 seat climate controlled cab, raised roof, full height rear doors, Detroit DD13 Diesel engine, Allison 4500EVS automatic transmission, PS6 seats, TAK4 suspension, Kussmaul auto-eject battery conditioner, Amdor shutters, slide out tool trays, LED compartment lighting, saws, fans, tarps, forcible entry tools, Little Giant ladder, 2 Hannay electric reels, full complement of ground ladders, LDH aerial inlet, prepiped waterway, Akron Stream Master II ladder discharge, front brow lights, Federal Q2B mechanical siren, LED warning lights, Whelen Pioneer LED scene lights, short jacking capabilities, pinable waterway. Collings Lakes Volunteer Fire Company, Buena Vista Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey KME Predator Panther, GSO# is equipped with a 4 door 6 man climate controlled cab, Bostrom Firefighter seats, raised roof, full height rear doors, 425HP Cummins L9 Diesel engine, Allison 3000EVS P automatic transmission, Hale QMAX200-21X single stage pump, top mounted controls, Pump Boss pressure governor, 1000 gallon poly water tank, Tank Vision Pro, Akron Apollo deck gun, top mount booster hose reel, Hannay electric reel, FRC LED scene lights, Kussmaul auto-eject battery conditioner, ROM shutters, LED compartment lighting, slide out tool trays, saws, fans, tarps, forcible entry tools, Hurst extrication tools mounted in the front bumper, swing out tool board, Federal Q2B mechanical siren, swing down ladder arm, pull out oil dry hopper. Sold through 1st Priority Emergency Vehicles, Manchester, N.J. The salesman was Skip Stinger.

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15 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue Do This Exercise, Help Your Shoulders By Kyle Kwodynski Seeing many first responders with shoulder issues, poor posture, and the lack of time to go to a gym to exercise, I decided to write about a simple yet effective exercise that could be done anytime, anywhere, with minimal equipment. It s one of my personal favorites (for many reasons) that I do DAILY, and it s known as the band pull a part. There s no excuse you can t perform this exercise as you could do it anywhere and anytime. All you need as far as equipment is a band. If you don t own one, you could buy one or more (there are different resistance levels) for a few bucks at stores that sell exercise equipment. If you travel, pack the band. If you re on call at the station, bring the band (or get some for the station). If you belong to a gym, I m sure they will have bands you could use for your workout and if they don t, bring one with you. When do you perform this exercise? Honestly, it could be used anytime during your workouts. Warm ups to get your shoulders and upper back ready. It could be the last exercise of your workout as a burnout set. Or, one of my favorite times which is in between working sets of exercises especially the bench press or shoulder press as it may decrease the risk of shoulder injuries or it may even help decrease shoulder pain while training. Now if you do not belong to a gym, perform this anytime you want throughout the day. Heck try doing it during commercials of your favorite show. You could perform this exercise before training drills to help warm up which may help with injury prevention and improved performance. If you are new to this exercise, try it as a warm up for three sets of fifteen reps. I would use this as a warm up before every workout whether it be lower body or upper body day. You could gradually add it in more like in between your sets of other exercises and count it as an exercise. For in between other exercise sets, aim for ten to fifteen reps. You could do a burnout set at the end where you go all out and try to hit one hundred reps with as minimal rest as possible. You could even just perform straight sets where you perform the exercise until you hit your desired reps then take a break for a minute then repeat for a couple more sets. You could switch it up daily when to perform the band pull apart (always use for warm up) and because this exercise isn t too strenuous and doesn t tax your joints or central nervous system, you could do it DAILY even off days for active recovery. The band pull apart works the muscles of your upper back and the rear part of your shoulders which may improve posture in some. Many don t train their back or the back of their shoulders as much as they do with chest or the front of their shoulders which leads to their shoulders rounding forward looking like an ape. Not only does it look weird, but it could lead to shoulder injuries which you don t want. It could also interfere with your performance on a job. Here s how to perform the band pull a part: 1. Take a shoulder width stance while standing straight 2. With both hands hold a resistance band shoulder width apart with your palms facing down and your arms extended straight out lined up with your nipple line 3. Squeeze your scapula s together (pretend you are holding a pencil in the middle of your upper back) and pull your hands out to your sides while keeping your arms straight 4. Pause for one to three seconds then bring your hands back in front of you slow and controlled 5. If you want to make it more challenging, get a thicker band or hold the band with your hands closer together. To make it easier, get a thinner band or hold the band with your hands farther apart 6. Throughout the entire movement, DO NOT shrug your shoulders up. Always keep them down. There you have it folks. A convenient exercise that could be done anytime or anywhere with a simple resistance band that will help you tremendously. There s NO EXCUS- ES with this exercise. This exercise NEEDS to be in everyone s routine whether they exercise regularly or not. It doesn t matter what your goal is, this exercise will help. Give it a shot and strengthen your upper back, improve your posture, and keep those shoulders healthy and happy. For more helpful fitness tips, please visit and like my Facebook page Newbreedfitness LLC. For information on how I may be able to help your department, visit my website www. newbreedfitness.com. Or if you have any questions or comments, me at kyle@newbreedfitness.com Old Tappan two-alarm fire By Chris Tompkins Thick black smoke filled the sky as dawn broke over Old Tappan during the early morning hours of December 26, 2018, because of a twoalarm house fire. Old Tappan firefighters were dispatched just after 7:00 A.M. for heavy fire coming from 12 Grant Avenue. The fire was called in by the homeowners, who was able to escape with their family just minutes before the fire engulfed the newly renovated home. First arriving units reported a fully involved house fire and requested mutual aid to respond before the first apparatus arrived on scene. Engine 64 was first to arrive, quickly stretching out two lines and hitting the fire with the deck gun. As firefighters attempted to establish a water supply, a broken hydrant was discovered, and additional water supplies had to be established. Harrington Park s ladder set up in the street in the rear and went into service as multiple hand lines surrounded the home to knock down the fire. It took firefighters under one hour to knock down the fire that destroyed the two-story home. Mutual aid from Norwood, Harrington Park, River Vale, and Tappan, NY assisted on scene. No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

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17 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue Official Law Enforcement And Fire Business Directory

18 18 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue Dash Displacement By John A. Sahatjian As First Responders, we all know that no two extrications are the same. What makes rescuers superior at extrications is an understanding of the entire crash, the task at hand (short term and long term), and having multiple plans in place. Having a plan A and B may not work in all scenarios. Having attack plans c-z ready to be implemented at any moment, while having those tools needed may end up saving a life. Having all plans ready and staged is of vital importance. With any extrication, training or incident I have been involved with my practice has always been to bring a spreader and cutter to the car. We as rescuers can achieve almost anything with those tools while beginning our operation, with the rest of the crew staging other tools for our plan B through Z. WE WOULD LOVE TO SHARE YOUR PICTURES AND STO- RIES! If you would like to submit stories, pictures, or suggestions, please send us an at: During extrication, performing a dash displacement has shown to cause more problems for rescuers. Why is this a common occurrence? How do we get better at it? We, as rescuers have to train more frequently in these skills. This is a technical rescue that we want to be 100% - 100% of the time. Just like a RIT deployment, we do not want to be figuring out our supplemental air pack at that time we need to use it. As we know, there are many different ways to complete a dash displacement maneuver. Something I live by in training extrication is the saying I am teaching you methods techniques and options, there are many different ways to accomplish the same thing and we need to know all of them. Therefore, we as rescuers need to know we have the options either to do a dash roll or a dash lift. A dash roll using a hydraulic ram pushing on the lower section of the B post and the extension end of the ram on the A post. There are many variations of this including pushing on the lower steering column instead of the A post. The objective of a dash roll using a ram is to roll the dash toward the front of the vehicle and open space between the driver seat and the steering column. Pros: 1. Using a large ram you gain a large amount of distance to roll the dash and steering column. 2. No need to have cribbing directly under the A post rocker panel like in a dash lift. Cons: 1. Once the dash roll is complete, the ram restricts the passenger compartment access. 2. To do a dash roll is much easier with some integrity left in the lower B post and upper A post. A dash lift using a hydraulic spreader is conducted by creating a gap in the rocker panel, in the lower portion of the a pillar inserting the spreader tips and lifting the dash and steering column creating space between the occupant and the dash / steering column. Pros: 1. When doing a dash roll with a ram, the ram restricts patient access. Compared to a lift when the spreader is positioned perpendicular to the vehicle to leave the passenger compartment very accessible. Think of the idea of raising the bridge or lowering the water Our task of the lift is to create space to remove the patient. Do not get caught up in getting 27 or 32 inches of lift out of the dash. If your cribbing was not positioned properly before the lift (underneath the floor where the spreader tip will be) you can still lower the water (meaning lower the floor section and gain access to the patient s feet. Cons: 1. Once you gain a lift in the dash and the spreader opens you lose surface area contact with the spreader tips creating a possibility of the spreader kicking out causing a hazard to rescuers and the patient. 2. Cribbing must be placed underneath the floor directly underneath the spreader. RELIEF CUTS: The relief cuts for the two operations can be the same, and the most important part of the operation. Cut 1 Take a large cut out of the lower portion of the a pillar at the rocker panel Cut 2 Cut the a post High at the roof line or remove the roof completely. Cut 3 Moving forward to the fender cut a chunk through the fender, cutting between the fire wall and the shock for the front tire. (If possible, remove the front fender to access the frame of the vehicle.) It is important to remember to cut a large chuck out if possible so when the dash rolls forward the two ends of the cut to don t touch and fight one another. When making your relief cuts it is important to make sure these cuts are completely through each section or you will be fighting the mechanics of the vehicle when trying to get a lift or roll. When conducting the actual lift or roll it is imperative to have a cutter standing by ready to assist incase the relief cuts have not been properly done. Another important thing to remember is once you start the lift of a dash roll and begin to gain space you never close the tool and reposition, this may cause the dash pedals and ect to put even more pressure back down on the patient and possibly injuring them further. Since each MVA rescue is going to be different than the last you responded to, members need to be proficient and understand what the task is at that specific incident. Remember to read the wreck and prepare a plan of attack. When that plan fails to work or doesn t go as planned, the Officer running the incident needs to have plan B-Z already prepped to go to work. There is no time to waste in critical incidents such as these.

19 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue Nicholas J. Tedesco Jr. GSL President & CEO Retired Assistant Fire Chief Totowa, NJ Fire Department SPECIAL RATES FOR THOSE WHO SERVE! GSL Savings Bank is offering special rate considerations for active or retired New Jersey Firefighters, Fire Departments, and Police Officers. CD SPECIAL Increase the rate on any CD by 25 basis points (.25%)* MORTGAGE SPECIAL Decrease the rate on any conventional mortgage by 25 basis points (.25%)** To learn more about these offerings, visit your local branch or call GSLSavingsBank.com * Proof of eligibility required. **Offers may be modified or discontinued at any time without notice. Mortgage rate reductions for primary residences only.

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21 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue The Brothers of the Bergen County Firemen s Home Association opens 2019 with a Concert and Fundraiser By Firefighter Justin Watrel, Hasbrouck Heights Fire Dept. The Brothers of the Bergen County On February 17th, 2019, the members of the Bergen County Firemen s Home Association met at the Firemen s Home in Boonton, NJ for our first meeting of the year. We discussed our Annual Fundraiser to raise money for the Association. The flyer was sent out in January to all Bergen County Fire Departments and we are asking that everyone respond by making a donation to sustain our efforts. The fundraiser assists in buying food for our parties for guests at the home, items that some of the guests of the home might need in their daily living, gifts for the residents at Christmas and other essentials. Other items discussed for the 2019 schedule were the Annual Picnic at the facility on June 9th and the Annual Christmas Party & Entertainment on December 1st. These events are much anticipated by the residents and their families. Our future meetings will be on April 14th, June 9th, August 18th, October 20th and December 1st. It is a great way to give back to the fire service. We opened the 2019 activities with a concert by the Denville String Band from Denville, NJ and they entertained to a full house of residents and their guests. The mix of Jazz, Dixie and Contemporary music was enjoyed by all. It was followed by a break where the members of the Association served refreshments to all the guests. We are always looking for new members to join The Bergen County Firemen s Home Association. Please join us at our next meeting on April 14th at the Firemen s Home in Boonton, NJ. Coffee is at 12:30pm, the meeting is at 1:00pm and the entertainment starts at 2:00pm. We hope to see you there! Cooking at the Firehouse By Firefighter Justin Watrel, Hasbrouck Heights Fire Dept. I have been cooking at the firehouse now for fourteen years. What started as a batch of brownies before we participated in the town s Holiday Parade grew into a Summer Barbecue, a Chicken Parmesan Dinner, cooking meals after Drill nights with other members of my Company and ended this Christmas with a holiday brunch for members of my Engine Company, our Honorary members and all of their families. I want to share with other fire companies a dish that is perfect for the firehouse in that it can prepared ahead and put in the fridge in case of a busy night and when coming out of the oven can be served at room temperature in case of a last minute call. This full proof recipe is always popular at every function I bring it to and even the morning of the brunch I didn t get any. Sausage, Egg & Cheese Morning Casserole: Prep Time: 10 Minutes Total Time: 60 min. Ingredients: 6 Slices of White Bread (or any type of bread), coarsely torn 1 Pound of Sweet Italian Sausage, out of the case, fried out and drained 1 Cup of Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese 6 Jumbo Eggs, Scrambled 2 Cups of Milk 1 Tsp of Salt ¼ Tsp of Pepper A Dash of both Onion & Garlic Powder Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 inch baking pan or oven proof casserole. Place the bread in the bottom of the pan; sprinkle with the sausage and shredded Cheddar. Mix it all together in the pan. Beat the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder in a medium bowl with a wire whisk. Pour this over the bread mixture in the pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the mixture is set in the center and lightly browned on top. It makes about 8 servings. You can also substitute the sausage for bacon. I made both the morning of our brunch. They were both gone by the end of breakfast.

22 22 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue PEAK ROOF VENTILATION To Vent or Not to Vent Not Every Time By Ret. Capt. James Bonelli, Passaic FD As we all know; coordinated ventilation with fire attack is paramount for a successful operation. It provides improved conditions to our members operating on the interior of the building. It releases products of combustion built up from the fire burning within a structure. Heat and smoke are released through our vent openings increasing survivability to any occupants trapped inside. There are many studies in past few years providing technical information on how fires react when firefighters vent top side. This is not one of them! I would like to focus on peak roof ventilation operations. Sending members to operate on a roof is a high risk operation. Risk verses gain analysis must be done. As an incident commander giving the order to vent the roof; many considerations must be made. Location and extent of the fire is critical. At what stage is the fire in? Fire that has consumed much of the roof structure and is already in the free burning stage is NOT the time to send members to the roof. Many publications show well involved roof structures about to collapse and firefighters ascending ground ladders to start a vent hole. You have to ask; what do they hope to gain? The risk is too high with nothing to gain. The building is most likely a loss. Building size up is critical. Are lightweight trusses present? If so the presence of a ridge beam is missing; creating no place to hook our roof ladder. Operating off an aerial device or horizontal ventilation is our only options. No firefighter should operate on a lightweight truss roof system. The number of firefighter assigned to vent the roof should be kept to a minimum. Two to three firefighters on the roof will be plenty to perform the task. Do not overload an already compromised roof. If operating off a roof ladder maintain contact with the ladder. Do not leave the safety of the roof ladder. A backup firefighter should maintain hand contact with the member making the cut; as to signal the firefighter operating the saw with a slap on the back in case danger is present. With Members operating off the safety of an aerial ladder Firefighter operating without the safety of a roof ladder partially falls through roof the saw running communications will be difficult. The backup firefighter is the eyes and ears of the member cutting. When making the vent hole; consider the reach of the pike pole you re using to push down the ceiling. The vent hole is usually placed close to the ridge; a six foot pike pole may not reach the ceiling below. Consider moving your vent hole down the roof. When attempting to push down the ceiling you may encounter plywood on the attic floor; making it impossible to vent the top floor effectively. Roof ventilation is performed on top floor fires only. Balloon frame homes are the one time that roof ventilation is acceptable when fires involve basements. Due to the open vertical void spaces running from basement to attic area. Well involved fire conditions in the basement will extend quickly to the attic bypassing the first and second floors. Roof ventilation will help relieve conditions in the basement and smoke in the attic. Platform frame structures involving fire conditions on the top floor or attic would warrant roof operations. Although aggressive interior attack on the top floor and good truck work (pulling ceilings) would have positive results in conjunction with an outside vent firefighter performing horizontal ventilation. When pulling ceilings on the top floor; work in conjunction with the hose line. Do not pull too far ahead of the hose team. This should be and orchestrated effort. Many times it seems roof ventilation is performed when all else has failed! And other times it s a knee jerk reaction because the incident commander is out of ideas to gain control of a well involved fire. It may seem firefighters operating on the roof are highly visible to the public and it gives the impression the fire department is doing something. Do not send members to the roof unnecessarily. When the fire has been extinguished and residual smoke is in the structure; this is Not the time for roof venting operations. As mentioned earlier; roof ventilation should be well thought out and many considerations must be calculated before commencing roof vent operations. Some departments prohibit peak roof venting altogether. Sometimes roof ventilation is not an option. Knowing when Not to vent the roof is as important as knowing when to vent!

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24 24 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue Fire Ground Size-Up and Operations in Churches Part 2 Engine and Ladder Company Operations By Deputy Chief Mike Terpak As mentioned in our Part 1 article regarding churches, a fire in one of these large, older churches will tax the resources of even the biggest fire departments. Fires of any significant size will require multiple alarms, bringing in many firefighters and their equipment. If there is any opportunity to control a fire in a large church, it will be in the early stages of the fire. Responding and attempting to control a fire with a skeleton crew of firefighters and their equipment will likely result in the loss of the building. Heavy fire loads in a building with large open areas that also contains numerous concealed spaces and voids will support rapid fire spread. Underestimating the speed and size of a fire in these buildings can prove to be disastrous. You need to call for help early if you want to control a fire in this type of structure. Offensive considerations Committing resources to an offensive fire attack on a church of this style will require a calculated and measured approach from the fireground commander. Only with a significant number of firefighters to mount the attack can any attempt be made to control the fire. The strategic decision of whether to launch an offensive or defensive attack will be based on your ability to obtain immediate information on the fire s location and extent. With large area buildings, high ceilings, and numerous concealed spaces and voids, this can be extremely difficult. As difficult as this may seem, thermal imaging may provide quick and useful information about the fire s location and extent. Being able to scan vital areas of the building, interpret the image, and then inform the incident commander of the observations will help determine whether the chief officer reinforces the initial attack or withdraws forces from the building. Thermal imaging is just an early step, however. The next consideration is the speed at which you can access the space and apply water. This will be influenced by the amount of resources you can quickly assign to the necessary tasks. It is for this reason that Jersey City automatically sends a full or heavy box alarm assignment to a fire incident at a church. This consists of four engine companies, two ladder companies, a rescue company, and a battalion chief. Even if the initial call is from an activated fire alarm (AFA), buildings of this size and scope require you to start moving a large number of resources to the incident early. If it turns out to be nothing, you can always send them home. But if it does turn out to be something, you are going to wish you had more staff and resources responding. Engine Company Operations Hose line selection, stretch, and placement considerations When the decision is made to commit arriving engine companies to an offensive attack, actions must focus on establishing a sufficient water supply in order to stretch and operate big hose lines. The next requirements will be speed and access to the fire. Hose lines of adequate size, preferably either 2 or 2½, must be given early consideration when arriving at a church fire. The amount of fuel present in this type of building, combined with the size and location of the void spaces, will require the capabilities of a large hose line. There is no doubt that the movement of a large hose line in and around all the friction points in this type of building will require an increased number of firefighters. But if we simply take the resources that we were going to assign to the two smaller hose lines and instead team them up to stretch one large hose line capable of delivering a more effective stream, the ability to not only slow the fire spread but to extinguish it would greatly improve. Based on this concept, upon immediate recognition of a difficult hose stretch, the engine company officer must request additional help to stretch the first hose line. There cannot be any second-guessing here. As much as we all want to stretch and operate our own hose lines, there is an immediate need for speed and efficiency. With this in mind, the chief officer must also assume that stretching the backup hose line, as well as any additional hose lines, will require the same logistics and must plan accordingly. Photo by Ron Jeffers This once again goes back to having enough firefighters and equipment there or already on the way. Until the rest of the troops arrive, pool your resources to deliver the biggest punch to what is likely to be a very challenging fire. As understandable as the above concept may be, your punch or delivery of water should also be as smart as possible. Depending on the fire s location, options may be limited when it comes to the path of the hose line stretch to the seat of the fire and your ability to apply water into the void spaces. We have talked about this several times in previous articles. The point I am trying to make is do not limit yourself here. Some of the old equipment we still carry may make a difference. Piercing nozzles can be used to get water into a void space quickly as the walls and ceilings are further opened. Even the modified high-rise nozzle for cellars and cocklofts that we talked about in a previous article has a place here. Cellar nozzles or distributors may warrant consideration as well. As much as we would all like to hit a fire head on, rooms, voids, and accessibility challenges may force us to be a little more creative. Ladder Company Operations Apparatus placement A consideration that must come early in the operation is the placement and position of the apparatus. Company officers must direct apparatus drivers/ chauffeurs to place the apparatus with both offensive and defensive modes in mind. Keeping the flanks and front of the building open for the placement of the truck company will be an initial consideration. The front of a heavy timber and wood frame church will offer openings for ventilation and stream placement. Most churches of this con- photo by M.Terpak JCFD struction will contain a large oval window called a rose window in the front of the building. This decorative window allows light to shine through the stained glass into the church auditorium. Many were shaped and designed to look like the petals of a rose, thus inspiring the name. This window, regardless of its appearance, can present a few options for the incident commander to consider. At a fire incident, this window can be penetrated to vent the church proper. It can also allow access for a strong stream from a tower ladder into the church auditorium, or it can be used by a tower ladder to penetrate the ornamental ceiling in an attempt to get water into the attic space. As with any opening created in a fire building, you must be prepared for the amount of air and energy you will be introducing into the space. The vent window is another window that is much smaller and often higher in the gable. This louvered opening allows direct access into the attic space over the church auditorium. The vent window will give the ladder company another opportunity to vent or direct a stream into the attic space. When available, this opening will be much smaller than the rose window. Its small size will limit the maneuverability of an elevated stream, but it must be considered nevertheless. A failed rose window permits a large inflow of air that could create a volatile situation. Photo by T. Knee

25 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue Ventilation Ventilation options for a fire in a church of this construction will come with limitations as well as with some hesitations. Stained glass windows as mentioned earlier are expensive and often difficult to replace. There is often a hesitation to break them because of this. Their removal will definitely create a large opening, but it will also introduce a large volume of air into what could be a volatile space. What helps here again is knowing where the fire is located, and then making an assessment based on whether the removal of a window or the opening of a wall will assist or hinder the operation. With that said, you should only consider creating openings in a church if the following tasks have been accomplished: Identify the location and extent of the fire. This can come from visual observations around and in the building, as well as images from your TIC(s). Ensure that there is water nearby. There must be charged hose lines flowing or ready to flow water. Ensure adequate staffing. You need to have members assigned to open up and attempt to get ahead of the fire. This is not going to be easy. You will need to know the building s construction as well as the techniques and tactics necessary to get ahead of the fire. For example, if the fire is extending up from the basement/ cellar through the wall enclosures, you need to be able to aggressively get through the plaster and lath or masonry covering to expose the wall spaces. A flathead axe or a halligan will be a waste of time. Assign a few members with mauls or sledge hammers to open up the walls as water is applied. Prepare a plan B for egress. You need to establish alternate ways to get out of the building in the event that conditions deteriorate. If the above is in play, additional openings can be made. It is also important to note that depending on window size and location, window panes can be removed singly or a few at a time to see if conditions improve before all the glass is taken out. Even when orders are given to remove a stained-glass window, efforts may still be delayed by wire mesh, metal grates, or protective plastic coverings that were installed in an attempt to protect the window. Once again this must be a calculated and a closely monitored approach. Ventilation efforts by a ladder company to open the roof of a gothic style church are going to be extremely difficult and dangerous, if not impossible. Architecture of this period was not only decorative and ornamental but also commanded great presence by constructing buildings of great height. Firefighters will encounter towering steeples and roof heights of eight or more stories designed with steep roof pitches and valleys. A roof pitch of 45 or more is a common sight on a heavy timber designed church. Any ventilation must be attempted from a well-placed elevating platform. Natural roof ventilation options for the ladder company may be accomplished through roof turbines, louvers, or scuttle hatch openings that run along the roof deck. Depending on their design within the roof space, they may only provide ventilation of the attic space and not the church auditorium. Any natural openings that are placed high on the roof deck close to the ridge or directly on top of the peak will most likely vent the attic space. The only way to be sure of what your options are and what they will directly affect is to get out and take a look well before an incident occurs. Information associated with a roof ventilation option should be part of the incident preplan. Knowing what you can and cannot do prior to the actual incident will affect the outcome. There are three main reasons why fires cannot always be controlled in large, old churches. Failure to control the fire may stem from any of the following: Inability to ventilate the roof Inability to quickly open up concealed spaces and voids Inability to apply water directly onto the fire When conditions allow, great efforts must be made to create openings ahead of the advancing fire. Whether it is by the removal of stained-glass windows or the aggressive opening of ornamental plaster walls and wainscoting, our objective is to save the building. Search Any effort to conduct a search in a large building will require search ropes, thermal imaging equipment, and air management. Before you attempt this, you must have a disciplined search rope procedure already in place. Many departments use rope bags with 200 of rope with pretied knots every 25. This common tool is valuable when attempting to search in a large mazelike area. As useful as this tool can be, however, it has limitations. Training in its use must focus on technique, travel distance, and SCBA air monitoring. It requires a lot of training before you can actually consider using it. Salvage As mentioned earlier, there may be expensive or irreplaceable items within the church that must be given early attention. When conditions and resources allow, information from a preplan or direction from a priest or parishioner may be used to locate and remove items from the building. It is important to know exactly where these items are located before you commit anyone to retrieve them. Many will agree when I say that a structure fire that involves a heavy timber church will be one of the most difficult, resource-intensive, and challenging fires anyone will ever encounter. There is nothing easy about a fire that involves one of these large structures. When we take into consideration the age of the building, its size, the class of construction, and the large unreachable void spaces, it should not surprise anyone that fire can gain possession of the entire building in a short period of time spreading flying brands throughout the neighborhood. (Fig.7) The important point to remember when attempting to control a fire in one of these buildings is knowing what you can and cannot do in the short time that you have. Options may be limited, and dangers escalate quickly. It is important for a fire officer to recognize them. Large heavy timber churches with tall bell and steeple towers will allow flying brands to spread extended distances. The above is an excerpt of the soon to be released book, Fire Ground Size Up, 2nd. Edition. For seminar information you can contact Chief Terpak at firegroundsizeupmt@gmail.com or , or you can also follow him on face book at Mike Terpak Fire Service Training and Consulting

26 26 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue wwii Tribute By B.C. Tom McGovern NFD Ret. About 10 years ago, members of the Newark FD wanted to pay tribute to the many Firefighters of Newark that served in WW 2. A committee was formed to erect a monument recognizing the greatest generation of Newark Firefighters. The next problem was to raise money and research the many names, many of who were deceased. We spent almost two years trying to contact family members and raise funds for the project (no easy task). The city did not contribute money but did allow us to erect the monument in Washington Park opposite the Veteran Administration Building on Washington Pl..(see attached photo) Almost 30 thousand dollars was raised to erect a red granite monument all through firefighter donations with the help of a raffle. Our advice to any department wanting to do this, is start researching the history of your members now as time goes by their stories are lost. NOW ON for the full schedule of all our shows go to DDVradio.com diverse uncensored opinionated Comedian Mike Marino Live From His Mother s Basement Thursday Nights 8-9 pm Uncle Floyd Uncle Floyd Radio Monday Nights 7 PM THE WISEGUYZ SHOW Wednesdays 8-10 pm replays Saturdays 8-10 pm TALK RADIO ddvradio.com Jersey firefighter now Preferred Dealer Our Customers are family, and that s a BIG deal! The Ford Fusion Sport 444 Route 46 Wayne, NJ

27 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue YOU DON T NEED A REASON TO HELP OTHERS. W W W. M O M E N T O F S I L E N C E I N C. O R G

28 28 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue Famous Music Groups By Annette DeCeglie BLUR BUSTED COLDPLAY ELBOW GREEN DA KISS LAWSON LINKIN PARK LITTLE MIX MADNESS MCFLY MUSE ONE DIRECTION PINK PSY QUEEN THE KILLERS THE WHO WANTED Celebrity Spotlight: Look Who s Reading Jersey Firefighters Now: Randy DeOrio Writer, Actor and Fighter born in Chicago, Ill but raised in Paterson, NJ. Attracted to athletics - most notably to martial arts. Randy was a full-contact Karate tournament fighter with a respectable record of He would eventually turn to boxing and win the Diamond Gloves. Following a brief pro boxing career he decided his fighting days were reaching an end so he developed an interest in acting. Watching films rigorously he learned the craft and began doing community theater to eventually star in a string of independent films such as The Right to Live, Fight the Panda Syndicate and its upcoming sequel Revenge of the Panda Syndicate, Hangman s Noose and Scars of a Predator. His most current Film The Brawler is Currently in theaters and on Demand. The Paterson museum Honored Randy with his own exhibit called Paterson s Renaissance Man. Most Recently the International Boxing Federation Presented him with an Honorary Title Belt. Randy and Ruben Hurricane Carter are the only 2 Paterson natives to be awarded the belt! From Fran s Kitchen to the Firehouse By Fran DeCeglie Potato Kielbasa Skillet Ingredients 1 pound red potatoes (3-4 medium), cut into 1-inch pieces 3 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 3/4 pound smoked kielbasa or Polish sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices 4 cups fresh baby spinach 5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled Directions Place potatoes and water in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave, covered, on high until potatoes are tender, 3-4 minutes; drain. Meanwhile, mix brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, thyme and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; saute onion and kielbasa until onion is tender. Add potatoes; cook and stir until lightly browned, 3-5 minutes. Stir in brown sugar mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in spinach until wilted. Stir in bacon. If you would like to submit stories, pictures, or suggestions, please send us an at: jerseyfirefighters@yahoo.com

29 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue MORTGAGES FOR EVERYDAY UP TO 100% FINANCING WIDE RANGE OF CREDIT SCORES ACCEPTED LOW FIXED RATE MORTGAGES PRIMARY & INVESTMENT LOANS PURCHASE & REFINANCE LOANS TO FIND OUT WHAT YOU QUALIFY FOR CALL NOW! michele hendershot NJ mortgage loan originator nmls #89891 (973) ENZO GENCARELLI 136 RIFLE CAMP RD WOODLAND PARK, NJ mhendershot@homebridge.com (973) ENZOGENCARELLI@REALTYEXECUTIVES.COM 100% financing up to county loan limits available on purchase loans. Minimum FICO score requirements apply. **To be eligible, law enforcement officers must be employed full-time by a law enforcement agency of the federal government, a state, a unit of general local government or an Indian tribal government; and must be sworn to uphold, and make arrest for violations of federal, state, tribal, county, township or municipal laws. HomeBridge Financial Services, Inc. Corporate NMLS ID #6521 ( 194 Wood Avenue South, 9th Floor, Iselin, NJ 08830; (866) Licensed by the N.J. Department of Banking and Insurance Branch Address: 1700 Route 23 North, Suite 125, Wayne, NJ This is not an offer for extension of credit or a commitment to lend. LR

30 30 Jersey firefighters NOW Vol. 3 ~ Issue the OFFICIAL ORTHOPAEDIC of JERSEY FIREFIGHTERS NOW Official Orthopaedic Surgeon of Jersey Firefighters Now

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