The S. M. Vauclain Fire Company regretfully announces the passing of Past Chief, Charles “Chopper Charlie” Hornberger on Monday, July 12th, 2010 at Taylor Hospital Hospice.  Our deepest sympathy goes out to his daughter, Mary, and son-in-law Tom, their children and the rest of Charlie’s family. 
 

      Charlie also held the ranks of Deputy Chief and Assistant Chief at Station 62.  Charlie will be deeply missed by the members of the Fire Company.  Charlie was a great asset to the company in to many ways to list. As a friend of over thirty years I will always cherish the memories of our time together in the fire service and as a dispatcher for both Ridley Township and Delaware County.  Charlie will be with his loving wife, Maureen, in heaven and will always keep a watchful eye on his family and friends in Ridley Township. 
 
 

Chief Bill Henderson

At 1232 the Rescue was dispatch to assist company 12 (Eddystone FC) at 901 Industrial Hwy with an accident. The rescue crew was advised that the accident involved a tractor-trailer being struck by a train. There was no entrapment or injuries. 12 command requested the Rescue for our spill containment equipment. Upon our arrival we pulled our 1¾-inch bumper line for safety. We assisted in containing the leaking saddle tank on the tractor-trailer using our 100-Gallon spill containment pool. The tank was loaded with approximately 70 gallons of diesel fuel. In addition to the containing the leaking saddle tank, our crew also threw oil dry onto fuel that had already leaked onto the tracks. The crew went available in about an hour and a half.

At 20:55 hrs 62, 70, 12, and RIT 8 were dispatched to 1295 Haverford Road for a gas leak inside the building. Engine 70 was in the area training and was first on location within two minutes reporting a moderate smell of gas inside the building.
 
Pipeline 62 (Greeman, Dewease, Byrne 12, Burk 9B) arrived on location along with E12. Initially it appeared to be coming from the area of the kitchen stove but metering inside the house did not produce any solid hits. The crew from E12 checked the D side exposure and the resident denied any odor  inside the home. E12 opened windows for natural ventilation that cleaed the smell. The assignment was held to PL 62, E70 and E12 for further investigation.   Shortly after, E70 responded to a second call in their local for another gas leak.
 
PECO arrived, at first they also believed the source to be the stove. Further investigation with their instrumentation tracked down several leaks on the main line running into the home. PECO initiated lock out/ tag out on the gas meter and pipes inside the home. The resident at 1293 requested PECO checked their home, while inside several leaks were also found on pipes in the basement.  An exhaust fan was put in service to vent the basement and PECO proceeded with lock out/tag out of their home as well.
 
As Haverford Road was finishing up a second call in 70’s local came in. 70 62 and 8 was dispatched to I 95NB  in the area of Sellers Ave for an accident.  Additional calls to 911 reported car over the embankment.  E70 arrived in the area, Deputy 70 assumed 95 command, and reported car well over the embankment with people still inside.  Rescue 43 was also added to the assignment . The crew from the pipeline switched out trucks and proceeded to the call with R62. On arrival I95 Command requested  R62 to attempt to make access from Sellers Ave. Engine 70 and 8’s crew made access from I 95 through the trees to the patients and vehicle. Thanks to a well-placed gate opening R62 was able to pull within 100ft of the car.
 
The car went down a steep embankment approx 75-100ft and was found on its roof.  Rescue 62 was able to illuminate most of the scene with the light tower and a tripod light. R62 then assisted E70 and E8 crew moving 6 patients from the woods with one in a stokes basket to waiting EMS units. A hand line was pulled from R62 as a precaution until the vehicle was removed from the woods. A crew from 79 had made access through a chain link fence which made extricating the patient from the woods easier. The Stihl rotary saw from R62 was used to cut off an old metal fence post allowing  the tow truck to get access to the car.

On the morning of June 15th Rescue 62 relocated to cover Rescue 47 while they were out on a large  trash fire inside a transfer station in Chester Township.

While covering, Rescue 62 was added to the 47 Box for manpower during yet another brutally hot day.  The crew of Rescue 62, Henderson,Burk and Dewease used a hand line already in place to wet down trash as it was pulled apart by an excavator inside the plant.

Later in the day around 15:20 hrs R62 (Brogan, Dewease, P, Fizzano and Burk)  and E70 were dispatched to Rt 291 at  Stewart Ave for an accident. Engine 70 arrived to find a large truck carrying a 60 yard dumpster overturned. The truck was carrying construction debris which spilled several thousand pounds of debris onto east and west bound Rt. 291.  If the debris was not enough, the crews had to handle the contents of two 25-gallon saddle tanks leaking onto the highway along with the rest of the vehicle fluid. Engine 70’s crew did a great job securing the storm drain that was within 50 feet of the crash.

Boeing Fire Department SS 79 responded to provide additional absorbent and assisted during the operations. The companies were on location for about two hours handling the spill while Triangle Towing and Recovery rigged the truck and dumpster so it could be righted. The driver luckily escaped uninjured and self extricated himself prior to the fire companies arrival.
 
The highway was closed west bound for three hours, backing up the already congested area. A contractor with front-end loaders was brought in to clean the debris off the road and Penn Dot dropped several tons of sand to finish the clean up.  

On June 5th and 6th five members from Vauclain traveled to the Bucks County Community Collage(spelling) Public Safety Training Center, Doylestown for training.
 
The members successfully completed the Pennsylvania Department of Health Special Vehicle Rescue Technician Program along with certification. With the heat index riding above 100°F and brutal humidity with? members really earned their certifications. The training revolved around heavy vehicle extrication and coordinated rescue with heavy wrecker companies. Penndel Towing and Recovery www.penndeltowing.com demonstrated low-pressure air bag vehicle lifts along with large truck cable lifting.
 
The crew later learned that the owner of Penndel Towing will be seem(spelling) in an up coming Discovery Channel show. In 2006 they traveled to Papua New Guinea with their airbag systems and removed a World War II B-17 from a swamp.
 
The crew would like to thank the officers and members of Plumsteadville Fire Company Bucks County Station 24 (www.pvfc2420.org) for allowing the class to use Rescue 24. 
 
This year the members from Vauclain have continued their professional development by attending several State and National certification programs. Vauclain Fire Company now has 99% of its active membership certified at the Pa Department of Heath Basic Vehicle Rescue Technician level. The additional  members certified at the states Special Vehicle Rescue Technician level Vauclain has 96% of its members trained at the SVRT .
 
The officers would like to say congratulations to the following
 
Asst.Chief Burk
Lt. Cheezum
FF/EMT Bennett
FF/EMT Baxter
FF Dewease

This Memorial Day weekend was a busy one for Vauclain. Crews responded to multiple calls and had a number of holiday related events.  Friday morning started off with an accident with injuries reported, on Industrial Hwy at the entrance to the Boeing Company. Crews from 62, 70 (Leedom FC), and 79 (Boeing FC) along with Medic Ridley 7 responded to find a 3 vehicle crash blocking the main entrance into Boeing. Crew from the 3 companies cleared debris from the roadway and were available within a half hour. Later Friday evening a building fire was dispatch to Eddystone borough, Pipeline 62 was recalled while responding. Sunday morning we took part in Eddystone's annual Memorial Day parade. Later Sunday afternoon our building response was dispatched to 1313 Holland Street for a building fire, reported to be a kitchen fire. Upon our arrival we found a small fire in the kitchen and a light smoke condition inside the building. Crews from 62, 12 (Eddystone FC) and 48 (Tinicum FC), checked for extension and ventilated, the companies were available within an hour. Sunday night crews in Rescue 62 and Ambulance 62 went back to Eddystone, this time for their annual fireworks display. Monday we took part in the American Legion Post 777 annual Memorial Day parade and ceremony. The officers of  the fire company would like to thank all the members who took time and assisted us this weekend.

The Officers and Members of the Fire Company would like to congratulate our four newest Pennsylvania Department of Health certified Basic Vehicle Rescue Technicians. Bill Henderson, Diane Paton, Dave Bennett and Mike Dewease worked hard through the three levels of DOH vehicle rescue training over the pass few months, and successfully passed written and practical testing. In addition to congratulation the four we would also like to THANK them for taking the time and training to better themselves and the Fire Company.  

Monday night's drill brought the Vauclain Firefighters to the Prospect Park Fire Company to train on their "Multi Forcible Entry Door Simulator".  In addition to Vauclain's RIT Truck, Vauclain's Truck Company 48 and Mutual Aid Engine 12 were also present for the very informative drill. Vauclain would like to thank Chief Signora for the invite and we look forward to our next Mutual Aid training session.

Pictures courtesy www.station08.com

The officer and members would like to congratulate Lt. Steven Cheezum on his continued professional development. Over the last three weeks Lt. Cheezum has, successfully  completed two  NFPA 1006 Pro Board certifications. The end of April he completed Rope Rescue Technician Level 1 and Level 2. 

 
Today Lt. Cheezum completed the very challenging NFPA 1006 Trench Rescue Technician Level 1 and Level 2 program. As a member of the Training Membership Program (TMP) with the Bucks County Community College Public Safety Training Center, Vauclain members are able to attend training free of charge. 
 
At the end of April five members from Vauclain Fire Company completed the last series in the PA Department of Health’s Basic Vehicle Rescue Technician Level and are now waiting test results.

The officers and members of Vauclain would like to congratulate Steve Ciekaway on his 90th birthday today. Mr. Ciekaway joined the S.M. Vauclain Fire Company in January 1945 and has been a great asset to the fire company  for the last 65 years.