MAY 5, 2008 - Just after 2300 hours, Truck 812 was alerted to 1167 University Blvd. at the Takoma/Langley Crossroads for the laundromat on fire in a strip mall.  While responding past the University of Maryland campus, the crew of Truck 812 observed a huge cloud of smoke ahead, and quickly arrived and took a position on Side Charlie.  While the OIC (Sgt. Platt) and search crew entered through Side Charlie, the ladders team threw ladders to the roof and the driver (Sgt. Travers) and vent crew ascended to the roof via the aerial.  While the roof crew opened up, the interior crew assisted with forced entry on a rear security door, performed a search of the store in limited visibility, assisted the engine company with extinguishment of the fire and performed overhaul.  Chief 812B (Corrigan) operated on the roof with the crew from Truck 812, Chief 812 (Dickerson) assisted on Side Charlie, and Company 812 units returned to service at approximately 0100 hours.

MAY 4, 2008 - 2008-In addition to two working fires for the suppression crews, the month of May has kept the ambulance crew from Company 12 extremely busy.  The volunteers have run non-stop calls, including a fatal shooting, a Priority 2 head trauma to MedSTAR, and numerous other traumas, assaults, and sick persons from the University of Maryland and surrounding area.  As the weather gets nicer and the semester comes to a close, the CPVFD urges all to use caution and be safe so that we all can enjoy the summer ahead.

MAY 3, 2008 - At approximately 0800 hours, Engine 812 was alerted as second due engine to 5301 Edgewood Rd. in Company 811's first due for the building fire.  Engine 811 arrived on scene with heavy smoke showing from a school.  Engine 812 picked up 811's line and pulled a backup line into the fire room.  While the crew assisted with extinguishment and checking for extension, the engine chauffeur (Engineer Kuebeck) encountered a dead hydrant and quickly repositioned to lay out from a secondary hydrant to supply Engine 811.  The fire was contained to a cooking appliance and a pool of grease below, which was quickly knocked by several dry-chemical extinguishers.  Chief 812A had the Edgewood Rd. Command while Chief 812 assisted at the command post.  Units were held for approximately one hour before being released.

MAY 1, 2008 - Just after 0900 hours, Truck 812 and Engine 809 were alerted as first due truck and engine for the apartment fire at 2629 Nicholson Street, while transferred to Company 801.  Truck 812 responded with 6 (4 career and 2 volunteers), arriving as the first due truck with heavy smoke pushing from Side Alpha and fire showing from the second floor on Side Charlie.  The driver and vent man laddered and ventilated all windows to the fire apartment and exposures on Side Alpha, while the remainder of the crew worked in the fire apartment to perform searches, ventilate and open up for the engine company.  Truck 812 was held until approximately 1100 hours to assist investigators and complete overhaul.

APRIL 20, 2008 - At 2346 Hours on Sunday Truck 812 was alerted as 1st Due Truck to a reported fire on the roof of the Chevy’s Restaurant at 7511 Greenbelt Road in Company 35’s 1st Due. Engine 835 arrived shortly after with smoke showing from the roof area. One crew from Truck 812 made access to the roof using a ladder built into the building while the outside crews placed several ground ladders and positioned the aerial to the fire area. Truck 812’s crew located a fire in the parapet wall and began opening up and extinguishing the fire with two water cans while the crew from E835 stretched a line up the aerial to the roof to mop up the remaining extension. Truck 812 also secured the building utilities. Truck 812 cleared the fireground at 0057 Hours.

APRIL 20, 2008 - Around 0615 on Sunday morning six members mounted up on E123 and headed to Co.25 to provide coverage while they attended a water supply drill. The six members provided coverage for the engine, truck, and ambulance while in Clinton for the next 9 hours. The members were kept busy running the normal ambulance and engine calls with a couple box alarms mixed in. The members also were treated to excellent lunch by Co.25 before leaving for the day. CPVFD appreciated the hospitality from the Clinton VFD and would be more than willing to come back anytime. On a side note, while E123 was in Clinton the crews back at the station maintained multiple crews and were kept busy from thunderstorms moving through the area.

APRIL 16, 2008 - Just before 0700 hours PSC struck the box for a report of an apartment fire at 11342 Cherry Hill Road.  Just after all the units had marked up on the air PSC gave supplemental information informing the units on the box that the call could now see smoke and fire from the third floor.  Within minutes Engine and Truck 712 arrived on scene to find a three story garden style apartment with smoke showing from side charlie.  Upon further investigation it was found that there was a fire in the HVAC closet, balcony area, and some extension into the roof.  Once Truck 812 arrived on scene and gained access to side charlie the crew performed primary searches, checked for extension, handled ventilation on the roof, and threw over one hundred feet of ground ladders.  Chiefs 812A and 812B completed various tasks for command.  The units from Company 12 operated on the scene for just over an hour.

APRIL 15, 2008 - At 1534 Hours on Tuesday, Engine 812 along with Chiefs 812A and 812B were alerted to a reported house fire at 4907 Tuckerman Street in Company 7’s First Due. Engine 807 arrived initially with nothing evident but heavy smoke began issuing from the two-story single family dwelling once the front door was forced. Engine 807 worked to extinguish the fire in the basement while Engine 812 stretched a line to Division 1 and checked for extension. Chief 812B was assigned to the Basement Division and Chief 812A was Division 1. Units cleared the fireground at 1635 Hours.

APRIL 9, 2008 - At 0634 Hours on Wednesday, Engine 812 and Chief 812B were alerted as the 4th Due Engine for a reported apartment fire at 2008 Erie Street in Company 834’s First Due. Engine 834 arrived on the scene with light smoke showing and then advised of a working fire in the basement. Engine 812 established a water supply to Side Charlie and stretched a line into the building through a basement level apartment and stood by. Chief 812B was assigned the Basement Division. The fire was contained to a small storage room in the basement and Engine 812 cleared the scene at 0735 Hours.

APRIL 8, 2008 - At 1715 Hours on Tuesday, Foam Company 812 was alerted as part of the HazMat Box to #5 Tiros Road at the NASA Goddard Space Center for a reported chemical spill and cloud with people unaccounted for. The crew from Company 812 was assigned to work with the HazMat Group and split into two crews. The first crew with Chief 812B was assigned as the HazMat RIC Team and the second crew with Engineer Kuebeck was assigned to set up Decon and perform this task as entry crews exited the structure. Once entry was made it was determined that the source of the cloud was condensation from HVAC equipment and crews began to demobilize. Foam Company 812 cleared the scene at 2029 Hours.

MARCH 17, 2008 - While Engine 812 was operating on a house fire in Co. 7’s First Due, Truck 812 was alerted as the 2nd Due Truck to 2000 Erie St. for a reported apartment fire. TK812 arrived just behind PE 844 with nothing evident. As the engine was stretching a line it was discovered that there was a fire in the terrace level apartment and residents were advising of a child trapped in the bedroom. TK812 entered the apartment and located a fire in the rear bedroom and started the primary search. As the crew from PE 844 was extinguishing the fire they located an unconscious victim, who was removed by PE 844 and TK812. While crews were removing the first victim, FF Sines and Sgt. Zalenski continued searching the apartment and located an unconscious child. The child was removed from the apartment and resuscitative efforts started. Crews worked feverously to revive both victims, who were quickly transported to local hospitals. TK812 worked on scene for just over 2 hours, assisting the investigators. Unfortunately the child had succumbed to injuries sustained from the fire.

MARCH 17, 2008 - At 0554 Hours on Monday Engine 812 and Chief 812B were alerted as the 4th Due Engine to the area of Kenilworth Avenue and East West Highway in Company 13’s First Due for a reported house fire. Units arrived in the 5400 Block of Riverdale Road in Company 7’s First Due a few blocks from the initial reporting address with heavy fire showing from several floors of a very large, very vacant house that has burned numerous times before, as recently as Saturday morning. Chief 812B arrived and established the Riverdale Road Command and ordered exterior operations only with master streams. Numerous ladder pipes and deluge sets operated for several hours as fire eventually consumed all four levels of the structure. The bulk of the visible fire was extinguished by 0900 but units continued to flow heavy duty streams for quite some time for hydraulic overhaul purposes. Unit remained on the scene until shortly after noon to pack up thousands of feet of hose. Ambulance 812 was part of the Working Fire Dispatch and cleared the fireground at 0930 Hours.

MARCH 14, 2008 - At 0501 Hours on Friday Truck 812, Chief 812 and 812B were alerted to 4216 Oglethorpe Street in Company 1’s First Due for smoke in a house. Truck 801 arrived reporting smoke showing from the attic. Truck 812 as the Third Due Special Service established the RIC on Side Alpha. Engines 801 and 807 along with Truck 801 made quick work of a small fire in the knee wall on the second floor. Chief 812B was Interior and Chief 812 worked at the Command Post. Truck 812 cleared at 0520 Hours.

MARCH 9, 2008 - At 1250 Hours on Sunday Truck 812 along with Chief 812 and 812B were alerted as 2nd Due Truck for a reported kitchen fire at 2065D University Blvd in Company 34’s First Due. E834 arrived to find smoke showing from the roof of a one-story strip mall. As crews entered the structure they confirmed a working fire in the commercial kitchen of a restaurant. Truck 812 positioned on Side Bravo and assisted with vertical ventilation and checking for extension. The fire was quickly knocked down with minimal extension out of the kitchen area. Chief 812B was Interior and Chief 812 worked with the Command Post. Truck 812 was held on the fireground until 1516 Hours to assist with extensive overhaul and ventilation.

FEBRUARY 29, 2008 - The College Park Volunteer Fire Department is proud announce Matt Machala as the member of the month for February 2008.  Matt started with the department in 2006 and has not looked back since.  Matt has steadily been working to become an engine driver and also has been a huge help to the engineering staff on projects such as placing Engine 123 into service.  Matt currently is attending the University of Maryland University College to earn a bachelors degree in Fire Science while also being a top responder within the station.  Please join the CPVFD in congratulating Matt on a job well done. 

FEBRUARY 27, 2008 - At 2135 Hours on Wednesday February 27, 2008 Engine 812 was alerted as the 2nd Due Engine for a report of smoke coming from a house in the area of 7300 Wells Blvd in Company 1’s First Due. Engine and Truck 801 arrived at the corrected address of 7302 Wells Blvd with heavy smoke showing from a one-story single family dwelling. Engine 801 secured their own water supply so Engine 812 established a secondary water supply and stretched a back-up line. Crews encountered fire in a utility closet with some extension to surrounding rooms as well as a large hole burned through the floor. Engine 812 assisted with opening up, performed hydraulic ventilation and extinguished hot spots in the crawl space area as well as the first floor. Chief 812 established the Wells Blvd Command and Chief 812B was the Interior Officer. Units cleared the fireground at 2248 Hours.

FEBRUARY 27, 2008 - At 0948 Hours on Wednesday February 27, 2008 E812 was alerted to the rear of 5100 College Avenue for a vehicle fire. Despite the valiant efforts of the crew from the fire extinguisher vendor across the street the engine arrived to find a tow truck well involved extending to the car it was towing. The fire had compromised both the hydraulic fluid reservoir and diesel fuel tank prior to the engine’s arrival making complete extinguishment of the fire more time consuming and a lot messier. Engine 812 cleared at 1052 Hours and the cause of the fire was a mechanical failure.

FEBRUARY 26, 2008 - Shortly before midnight on Tuesday February 26, 2007 Engine 807 was alerted for wires down at 4903 Queensbury Road. At 0001 Hours on the 27th, as Engine 807 was pulling up PSC advised the assignment was being upgrading for a house fire bringing Truck 812 and Chief 812B. Chief 807 established Command and advised of a fire in the basement. The fallen power line had caused a power surge in the residence starting several small fires in the basement. These fires were quickly extinguished as crews from Engines 807 and 801, along with Truck 801, checked for further extension in the home. Truck 812 was assigned the RIC and Chief 812B was assigned to the Basement Division. Truck 812 cleared at 0048 Hours.

FEBRUARY 20, 2008 - At 1152 Hours on Wednesday, E812, Truck 812 and Ambulance 812, along with Chief 812B responded on the Street Alarm for a reported odor of smoke on the first floor of Hagerstown Hall. Units arrived shortly after to find nothing evident and the 8-story Dormitory being evacuated. Truck 812 gained access to the lobby and quickly reported smoke conditions on the first floor with a sprinkler activation. A fire was located in Room 1120 that had been fully extinguished by the automatic sprinkler system. Engine 812 stretched a line as a precaution while the Truck crew completed a search, secured utilities and began ventilation. Fire damage was contained to the room of origin with some water damage to surrounding areas. Chief 812B had the Hagerstown Hall Command. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation by the University of Maryland Fire Marshal’s Office.

Ambulance 812 and Ambulance 812B responded back to the scene shortly after clearing the original incident to treat and transport two civilians that had sustained minor injuries during the incident and during the subsequent cleanup activities.