On Saturday, a good group of QFD members headed to the West Chester Fire Department Training Center in West Chester for a day of live burn evolutions.  WCFDTC has a tremendous training center with two burn buildings for use by anyone who wants to use them.  Once there, members split up into several three or four person teams, and the burning began.

With the makeup of any volunteer fire company, you have varying experience levels.  We strive to teach all newer or less experienced members the correct way to initiate an interior attack, and when there may be other options. 

Crews started out with a thermal layering and smoke behavior demonstration, then went right to interior attacks.  Fires were started on multiple floors, with crews rotating from attack line, backup line, search, RIT stand by and resting.  After about 1 1/2 hours and probably 15 burns, we took a much needed break before more fire attack scenarios.

At about 10:45, we took a lunch break which consisted of hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill, fruit, chips, water and gatorade.

At 12:30, we began basement fire attacks, performing about 8 rotations.  To wrap up the day, crews went over fire attack with a 2 1/2 gallon water extinguisher (the can), and did a mayday evolution with a simulated firefighter down.

A great day was had by all in attendance.  Thanks to all of our burn techs that took care of the fires, and the West Chester Fire Department for allowing us to use the facility.  Thanks to QFD Firefighter Ken Yost who spent many hours setting up this great day of training.

Thanks also to Bart Twp. FC, Christiana FC, Gap FC and West Willow FC for standing by and covering our area while we were out.  Stand by companies handled one vehicle accident.  Incidentally, the crew at training handled a dumpster fire at a strip mall next to the training center.  Fame FC (West Chester 53) was at the center doing a ropes class, and called for our line while we were cleaning up.

At 2:48 pm, the first alarm assignment for a barn fire in the area of Summit Hill Rd. and Springville Rd. in Eden Township was dispatched.  With the location as given, it was dispatched as a Bart Twp. FC (5-1) call.  As soon as the alert was made, Captain 5-7 (Neff) arrived with the corrected address of 1225 May Post Office Road, making it a 5-7 first due, and reported a fully involved barn fire.

Truck 5-7 and Engine 5-1-1 arrived, with Engine 5-1-1 laying 1200' of 4" supply line in the driveway.  Truck 5-7 set up in a barn yard on the "D" side of the barn.  Tanker 5-7 and Engine 5-7-4 arrived, with Engine 5-7-4 stretching a line into the milking parlor and keeping the fire from extending into that area, thus saving ten's of thousand's of dollars for the property owner.  Engine 5-7-2 laid a second 4" line in the driveway, with Engine 5-1-2 laying a 4" line in an alternate driveway to supply the rear of the fire.  Tanker 5-1-1 supplied the scene to Tanker 5-7 utilizing a nurse tanker operation, with very little interruption in the water supply.

Once a good water supply was established utilizing multiple tankers from numerous neighboring companies, the Truck ladder pipe was put into service knocking down a great deal of fire.  Truck 4-2 (Gap) was on the rear side of the barn, and flowed for a short time. 

Throughout this incident, crews worked together in the mid-August heat to bring this incident to a successful completion.  Thanks to all of the numerous companies that assisted at the scene and stood by in the empty firehouses.  Special thanks to Rawlinsville, Po-Mar-Lin (Chester 36) and Refton for helping to get our hoselines washed and hung to dry.

The cause of fire is undetermined at this time.  Command was held by QFD Asst. Chief Mike Ross, who reports an approximate $200,000.00 loss, with the volunteers saving well over $60,000.00 of property.  In fact, the farmer will be milking in the milking parlor tonight.

Congratulations to Firefighter Chris Sharp and wife Kandi on the birth of their daughter Arizona Lee Sharp.  The little girl was born at 2:43 pm and was 6 pounds, 15 ounces at birth.  Mom, dad and big brothers are doing fine.  This is the Sharp's third child.

In case anyone was wondering what all of the people with flashlights walking around the area were doing............

On Thursday evening at 9:35 pm, the QFD Volunteers were dispatched to the Quarryville Memorial Legion Park for a search detail.  The Quarryville Borough Police Department and multiple other municipal police departments, Red Rose K-9 and the PA State Police were searching for a subject with a psychiatric problem.  Members spread out and searched the entire park, woods and all the buildings.  Several other sites in town were checked, with no luck in finding the subject.  The company cleared at 11:00 pm.

The subject was located later by the police.

At 4:42 am, Rescue 5-7 was dispatched to the 2200 block of Beaver Valley Pike in Providence Township for a vehicle accident stand by.  On arrival, a full size pickup was found to be over the embankment, rolled over.  The vehicle also took out about 150' of brand new guard rail.

The Rescue crew searched the area for any occupants, finding none.  The occupant(s) fled the scene.  Null's Towing was notified due to the position of the truck.

Null's arrived, rigged the vehicle and lifted it up and over the guard rail, onto their roll-back.  QFD members and Null's Towing cleaned up the area around the accident site.  The mailbox to Hess Express was found about 1/2 mile up the roadway from the accident scene, apparently drug by another vehicle.

Thanks to Dain and Jared Null for the coffee and donuts.  The company was in station at 7:00 am.

At 7:46 pm, Quarryville Volunteers were dispatched along with Susquehanna Valley EMS to a vehicle accident involving a tractor trailer in front of 7 South Church Street in downtown Quarryville.  As members were responding to the station, many passed the scene to see a Esbenshade Mills feed truck on its side in front of the Wachovia Bank.

Rescue 5-7 arrived and began to size-up the scene, finding one patient, the driver, self extricated with a hand injury and hydraulic fluid on the ground.  Rescue, Engine 2 and Squad members split up and began patient care, spill control, pulled a protection line and performed traffic control.  The truck was carrying a full load of hog feed.

Once the scene was stabilized, Null's Towing of Cochranville was called, along with EE Shenk Brothers feed to remove the feed by vacuum.  QFD members worked hand in hand with these companies to get the truck unloaded, righted and the roadway cleaned up as soon as possible.  After 4 hours, the truck was towed away, road cleared and units back in station.

Thanks to all of the QFD members and companies that assisted at the scene.  This incident also produced quite a crowd, with a lot of people staying until the end.

On Friday evening at 9:19 pm, the 33.72 pre-alert went out for a barn fire at 358 Bell Road in Colerain Township.  The dispatch consisted of Bart Township FC (5-1, first due), QFD, Union FC (21) and Cochranville FC (27).

Chief 5-1 (Dave King) arrived with the corrected address of 315 Bell Road with a 20' X 20' pole type building, fully involved.  There were also several exposures that were either on fire, or had siding melting off of them.

Engine 5-1-1 arrived and laid a 4" supply line in the driveway and stretched several lines.  Tanker 5-1-1 set up a nurse tanker operation to supply the scene.  Other arriving units assisted with fire attack and overhaul.  Truck 5-7 set up, but did not need to flow any water, and provided lighting.  Engine 5-7-2 set up a draft site at a pond on Shady Road to fill tankers. 

The fire was under control quickly.  Units remained on the scene until after midnight assisting the fire marshall and overhauling.

At 10:16 am, QFD Volunteers were alerted to assist the Rawlinsville FC (5-8) with manpower to a vehicle accident on Rt. 372 in the area of Muddy Run Park.  Rescue 5-7 responded and was advised we would be helping to unload an overturned truck that 5-8 had been out on since about 7:15 am.

On arrival, the crew went to work assisting in the removal of 20,000 pounds of bagged ice from the single axle truck.  With help from the companies on the scene, including 5-8, 5-7, Hazmat 2-9 and Null's Towing, the ice was safely removed from the truck.  However, even with the valiant efforts of the crews, the ice could not be saved.  If you get there quickly, you can scoop up as much as you can carry.

The Rescue and crew were available in 1 hour and 30 minutes.

At 8:44 am, QFD was dispatched for an engine to assist the Rawlinsville FC (5-8) on a woods fire at the Pinnacle Overlook off of Pinnacle Road West in Martic Township.  Engine 5-7-5 responded, and while enroute, Brush 5-8 went on scene with a large column of smoke in the area and a working fire.  Command then requested additional resources which included Tanker 5-7 at 8:55 am.

Once on scene, crew members found a woods fire encompassing several acres.  The crews began attack from the top side, and also from the Port Road along the Nofolk Southern Rail Line.  Many, many more units were dispatched to assist in fighting this fire.  The area is very steep and rugged, and a distance from the nearest roadways and paths.

While on scene, the QFD crews assisted in fire attack with Engine 5-7-5, and water supply with Tanker 5-7.  During the height of the blaze, over 30 fire, ems and wildland units were operating on the scene.  As of this posting at 3:30 pm, most of the units were still operating.

Thanks to Tanker 5-2-1 and crew for standing by and covering a good portion of Southern Lancaster County with water.  QFD also maintained an in-town crew for any additional runs.

On a side note, this is not the only, nor the biggest fire at the Pinnacle.  In 2006 crews fought a large fire there, and in 1998, QFD members spent the good part of several days battling a fire that was said to have been approximately 30-40 acres.

At 3:55 pm, QFD Volunteers were sent to the address of 146 Main Street in Providence Township for a car on fire.  Chief 5-7 arrived and reported a well involved VW Jetta with exposure to the house.  The vehicle was in the garage when it caught fire, but was pushed outside before it became well involved.

Rescue 5-7 arrived with the crew stretching two lines, one for attack and one for backup / exposure protection if needed.  The fire was quickly extinguished with no extension to any other property.