Tractor Trailer Uh-Oh

Tractor Trailer accident on I-80 West

Yesterday I was driving back to SU from New Jerey because I had to go home for the weekend and everyhting was going well until I hit some major traffic. After sitting in about an hour of traffic, I finally saw what was causing it. I saw a tractor trailer that had driven onto the median and the front half of the truck had fallen down into the road below the bridge. While drivng by I was able to take a quick picture.

Always Wear A Seatbelt

Early Friday morning Selinsgrove Fire Department was called to an accident out by Weis close to SU. A driver of a small sedan had suffered a medical condition while driving and crashed head on into an oncoming van. The driver of the sedan and her son needed to be extricated from their vehicle. We cut the entire roof off, popped open the doors, and used a ram to push the dash away from the driver. The driver was then removed from the vehicle then brought to a Medical Helicopter to transport her to Geisinger Hospital. The son and also the driver of the van were taken by ambulance to local hospitals. Luckily all of them were wearing their seat belts and major injuries were prevented. It only takes a few seconds to put it on and can keep you alive in an accident.

Firematics

Every year over the summer in Northern NJ a group of 12 selected Fire Departments par take in an event called Firematics. The competition consists of 3  main events and a special event that test the abilites of the firefighters. Each department will send a team of 5-6 of their best fireifghters. The past 2 years I have had the privilege of being on my departments team. In the past 2 years my department has come in 2nd and in 3rd. This event is very competitive and there is a lot of trash talking during the even, but in the end we're all "Brothers" and help eachother. I encourage other areas to have a similar event, becuase we always look forward to particpating and we train a lot with hoselaying and hooking up to hydrants and what not.

FF Davies during Firematics

FF Davies & Asst. Chief Denicola attaching a nozzle to hose

Mendham FD during Firematics

Not The Normal Call

Early this morning around 1 a.m. we got dispatched for an animal rescue. On the way to the house we were dispatched to we got confirmation that we will be rescueing a cat off a roof, yes thats right a cat on the roof. When we got there we could see the cat on the edge of the roof meowing to get down. We knocked on the front door of the house it was on and asked to enter to get access to the window that leads to the roof. We got onto the roof and the cat ran right to us and jumped into our arms. We got back into the house and returned the cat to its owner.

Yes, we are firefighters, but we dont just fight fires or help people in accidents. We also save animals.

Wintry Weather

For those of us living here in the Northeast right now, you're sick of the wintry weather. Remember when this weather comes you need to be prepared. Remember to shovel the snow away from the fire hydrants near your house and stay off the roads if they are in bad condition.

Just recently in NJ a town over from where I live, a family lost their whole house due to not having enough water to fight the fire because firefighters could not get to the hydrants fast enough because they were covered in snow.

When driving in the bad weather, be smart. Last night we got dispatched into Union Twp. for a car that had lost control and flipped over a few times and the driver of the car was trapped inside. When this happens we need to break widows, cut doors or the roof off, or a combination of both to get you out. Is it worth the risk and the money to go drive in the bad conditions?