Litch March Apr 2015 PDF

8/9/2019 Litch March Apr 2015 PDF

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MARCH/APRIL 2015 ISSUE 2 VOLUME

FEATURING THE FIREFIGHTERS OF LITCHFIELD N.H.

LITCHFIELD FIRE RESCUE

35 Annual Ham And Bean Supper A Great Success

The Litchfield Fire Department held it’s 35th, Annual Ham &

Bean Supper on April 11th, at Campbell High School.Again, this year the dinner was a great success with 224people attending the event which over the years has gonefrom just a fundraiser to a community and family event.

This event is the one fundraiser of year the Association holds to support the Association’s activitiesand support members if there injured in the line of duty.

Much planning and time are put into the event with the

Litchfield firefighters cooking chili on Friday and bright anearly on Saturday preparing the beans with their a secret

recipe. Served at the meal was ham with Warren’s FamouBaked Beans, potato salad, hot dogs and cake for deser

Fire apparatus were on hand for the kids attending to tour and photo opportunities and LFA t-shirts wereavailable for purchase.

It is estimated that between tickets sold and your generodonations we were able to raise close to $3,000.00.

The firefighters have a great time putting the suppertogether and look forward to each year to meet with thetowns residents. A big thanks to the Boy Scouts for

volunteering their time to assist at the supper.

We would like to send out a special thanks once again toin Town of Litchfield for your overwhelming and continuesupport.


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Inside This IssueLitchfield

Firefighter Brian Schofield

Litchfield's Bravest


Snow Weight Collapses Bixby

Lane Home

Crews Assist At Windham Second

Alarm

Partition Fire Causes Minor

Damage to Single Family Home

Brush Fire Quickly Control By

Crews

Crews Handle CBH Vehicle Fire

Providing Medical Care For Those

Who Run The Boston Marathon

Fire Rescue


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Snow Weight Collapses Bixby Lane

Home

A single family homes roof collapsed under the weight of

snow on March 6th. Shortly after noon time Hudson Fire

Alarm toned Engine 4 with a crew of Captain Nicoll and

Firefighter Rea to 20 Bixby Lane for a building collapse. On

arrival Engine 4 the found a large section of the rear of the

1 story home had collapsed into the basement. The crew

completed and exterior evaluation of the building and

requested Chief Fraaizl and the towns building inspector to

the scene. Eversourse was also called to the scene to sh

down the power running to the building.

The resident of the home could not be located and a sea

of the home was needed. At 13:20 Litchfield command

requested assistance from Hudson for a standby crew. O

arrival Hudson’s crew was assigned as a RIT Team asEngine 4 entered the building and completed a search. D

to the collapse firefighters had to use extreme caution

moving around in the building. Firefighters could not loca

the resident and cleared the building. They later learned t

resident was not at home at the time of the collapse.

The building inspector determined the home uninhabitab

and the building was marked and secured.Firefighter Rea and Captain Nicoll leave the home at 20 Bixby Lane after

the building closed on March 6th.

This photo shows the extensive damage caused by the collapse.

working fire assignment quickly brought this blaze under control at 73

ebster Street in Hudson on March 5th.

Heavy fire shoots from a basement window as Nashua firefighters w

to control this 2 alarm fire at 11 Ridge Street on March 12th.


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Run Totals

Mar/Apr - 94

Year Total - 277

rews Assist At Windham Second Alarm

wo story single family home su"ered heavy damage after a

e on the second floor spread to the attic. Windham crews

sponded to the 120 Lowell Road address just after 15:30 on

arch 26th, On arrival heavy smoke was showing and a

cond alarm was struck. Hudson Fire Alarm received a call

m Windham at 15:49 requesting a tanker to the scene.

ned to the scene was Tanker 3 with a crew of Firefighters

a and C Schofield. On arrival Tanker 3 was assigned to

ater supply and staged on the scene.

e fire spread through the second floor before crews could

ng the flames under control. Crews worked at the scene for

out 1 hour before returning to town. Firefighters from

udson, Pelham, Litchfield, Londonderry, Salem and Derry

sponded to the scene to battle the flames.

efighters from six surrounding towns assisted Windham firefighters

tle this fire at 120 Lowell Road on March 26th. Photo by Al Boucher

Partition Fire Causes Minor Damage to

Single Family Home

A home at 16 Laurel Street su"ered minor damage after a

broke put in a basement partition on March 26th. Hudson

Alarm toned a Litchfield companies to the scene at 06:22

arriving units reported nothing showing from the single fahome but once firefighters entered the residence they fou

smoke condition.

Crews found a fire burning in the wall around a chimney i

basement. It is believed the fire was sparked after a chim

fire spread to the surrounding partitions.

Firefighters opened up the wall and found flames burning

the wood studding. One line was stretched and the fire w

quickly knocked down. A small area of additional wall waremoved checking for any further extension none was fou

The fire was placed under control about 45 minutes after

arrival of crews.

Lowell Mass firefighters struck 4 alarms for this fire involving 2 bui

at 70 Varney Street on March 17th. Photo by Brian Alley


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MARCH/APRIL 2015 ISSUE 2 VOLUME 2

Brush Fire Quickly Control By Crews

brush fire on River View Drive on April 19th, was quickly

nocked down by firefighters. Hudson Fire Alarm tonedngine 4, Tanker 3 and Forestry 3 to the fire located behind 9

ver View Circle at 17:16.

rst arriving crews reported a brush 50 feet by 50 feet in size

nd stretched a line to knockdown the flames. A light wind

ontinued to spread the flames to the size of a quarter acer

efore firefighters could get hose lines around the fire. Crews

orked for about one hour to bring the flames under control

nd overhaul the fire area.

refighters overhaul the fire area after a brush fire broke out o! of River

ew Circle on April 19th.

Crews Handle CBH Vehicle Fire

A car ignited will being towed for repairs on April 13th. En

4 was toned to the area of Charles Bancroft Highway in tharea of Wilson Farms by Hudson Fire Alarm. On arrival En

4 reported a smoldering fire under the vehicle.

One lines was stretched and crews had to get under the

vehicle to wet down the burning area. The fire was under

control in a short time. Firefighters remained on the scene

about a half hours making sure the flames did not reignite

Firefighters spray water onto a smoldering fire under this vehicle th

was being towed for repairs.

hree alarms were needed to control this fully involved home at 4-6

rouard Ave in Nashua claimed one life on April 13th. Photo by Al Boucher.


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MARCH/APRIL 2015 ISSUE 2 VOLUM

chfield firefighters participated in their annual Ice Rescue Training on

arch 25th. Members wear specialized suits that protect them from the

ld water, keep them dry and allow them to float on the water. When a

rson falls through thin ice there are special technics and tools that are

eded to make the rescue and the firefighters must stay proficient so

hen needed they are ready.

Providing Medical Care For Those

Who Run The Boston Marathon

By Pat Mason

Pat Mason a long time member of the department

provides those who run the Boston Marathon with theexcellent medical care during the race. These

volunteers are know nationally for their work and their

professionalism and skill were highlighted during the

2013 bombings. The following is Pat’s experiences

during this years race. A big thanks goes out to Pat to

take the time to write down her experiences of this

years race for us.

I was asked to write about my experience of being a

volunteer for The Boston Marathon. I had been asked

several times to volunteer. I am a member of the

Disaster Medical Assistance Team out of Worcester,

Mass and one of the members on the team is the

Medical Leader at the station on the top of

Heartbreak Hill. She relentlessly hounded me until I

joined.

This year at the 119th Boston Marathon, there were

27,165 runners and 9,000 volunteers. The race is a

total of 26 miles with Heartbreak Hill at the 21 mile

marker. Teams at stations consist of Nurses, an MD,

EMT’s, Psychological Support and lay people. For

many teams, you will see the same people return yearafter year. There are teams stationed all along the

course. At the top of the Heartbreak Hill, the runners

find us at mile 26. This is a place in the race where

muscle stores are most likely to be depleted and

runners may not be able to continue. Most of the

1300 runners treated this year were treated for

hypothermia. When we are not in the tent with

runners, we stand by the road and cheer them to go

on. Many do not realize that they are at the top and

it’s only downhill after that. Sometimes that is all they

need to go on to finish the race. I cannot classify anyof the runners disabled - actually quite the opposite.

People with not one but two prosthetics legs run the

complete race. To watch these runners at various

levels of ability is simply amazing and humbling.

See Marathon continued on page 7


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Marathon continued from page 6

Over the last few years, the feel of the marathon

has changed as have the rules for volunteers,

bystanders and runners. Some of the changes

were for the better but some just made logistics

harder to accomplish.

I have always felt the need to give back to the

community in one way or another. The 23 years I

spent as a Firefighter/EMT with the Hudson Fire

Department and my nursing background gave me

the experience that was needed to react and treat

the runners who become patients. Each year you

encounter something that you have not seen

before.

I was not sure that I would return the year after the

bombing but I was determined that I should not

give in to the careless acts that took place in 2013

nor give up something I had such passion for. So

this year, like the last 7, I returned to the tent at thetop of Heartbreak Hill.

Times Past

This month we go back to January 2, 1998, to cover a

house fire on Woodbury Road.

Firefighters responded to the 10 Woodbury home at 08:45.On arrival heavy smoke was showing from the left side

apartments front windows. As firefighters stretched their

attack line heavy fire could be seen in the basement

windows.

Fire traveled up the basement stairs greeting firefighters as

they entered the home. The fire in the kitchen was quickly

knocked down. As crews went down the basement stairs

the electrical panel at the bottom of the stairs was arcing

and shooting sparks and flames across the stairway

blocking firefighters access to the basement. Public serv

was called to the scene but were delayed to arrive. Chain

saws were brought into the first floor and holes were cut

the floor opening a space for water to be sprayed into the

basement holding the fire until the power could be shut

down. The fire was placed under control 45 minutes after

the arrival of the first crews.

The building housed two families and both were left

homeless after the fire. Firefighters from Hudson and

Londonderry assisted at the scene.Firefighters work at 10 Woodbury Drive after a basement fire cause

heavy damage to the 2 family duplex on January 2, 1998.


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Litch March Apr 2015 PDF