Wednesday, April 17, 2013 1:19PM North Branch and Green Knoll Fire Departments were dispatched into the North Branch section of Branchburg to the Taylor Forge Company for the reported fire in a dust collector. First arriving Deputy Chief Mike Russoniello of North Branch reported a large smoke and fire condition to the side of the building. With that, North Branch Chief Hickson struck a 2nd alarm which brought in Bradley Gardens Fire for a FAST Team and Readington Fire for a full response. Due to the nature of the manufacturing process of the facility, Somerset County HazMat, Somerset County Mutual Aid Coordinator and Branchburg Township Fire Official also responded to the scene. Units took precautions to make sure exactly what was in the container prior to starting fire suppression to protect themselves from potential hazardous materials. It was determined that the materials involved were various oils and filters used in the stainless steel manufacturing and fabrication process. Firefighters attacked the blaze from the exterior while a second crew inspected the interior of the structure for extension. Fire crews had the blaze under control within the 15 minute mark and all units were cleared within the 75 minute mark.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013 2:30 Raritan Fire Departments quick response prevented a certain structure fire today at the new 3 story residential buildings under construction on Route 202, North of Quick Avenue by the Ortho Pharmaceutical site. North Branch Fire Chief Dave Hickson reported the fire as he could see the smoke from his office in Raritan. Responding in to assist Raritan, a 30 yard dumpster was found well involved within 20 feet of the new construction. Wind was whipping the flames dangerously close to the new structure. Quick thinking Raritan Firefighter Lou Laine deployed a “Deck Gun” from the fire apparatus to knock down the flames while Hickson and Raritan Firefighter Jeff McBride pulled an 1 ¾” hand line to start extinguishing the blaze. The blaze was deep seated and impossible to extinguish without removing the contents from the dumpster. Incident Commander, Deputy Chief Brian Kredatus summoned a construction worker to bring a back hoe to the dumpster and pull the contents while the Firefighters extinguished them as they were pulled out. The scene was declared under control within the 30 minute mark.
Sunday, April 14, 2013 14:46 North Branch Firefighters were alerted into Readington for the FAST Team to respond to a report of a structure fire. First on scene was North Branch Deputy Chief Mike Russoniello. Russoniello updated responding Readington Deputy Chief Apsley of a well involved shop attached to a three car garage that was detached from a house about 20 feet away. With this information, Deputy Chief Apsley struck out a 3rd alarm for the blaze. With the 3rd alarm, a full response was requested from North Branch. Squad 32 was the first Engine on scene. With a quick attack, the fire was suppressed in about ten minutes. Units on scene included North Branch, Readington and Whitehouse Fire, Whitehouse Rescue and Readington PD.
Friday, April 12, 2013 12:30PM Green Knoll and North Branch Fire Departments were dispatched to 55 Corporate Blvd in the Green Knoll section of Bridgewater for the reported car fire. First arriving Chiefs Vitale of Green Knoll and Hickson of North Branch were greeted with three cars well involved in fire and rapidly spreading down the parking lot.First arriving engine 34-109 from Green Knoll quickly deployed an 1 ¾” hand line to knock down the fire and prevent it from spreading further. North Branch engines 49-108 and 49-102 followed quickly behind and deployed a second 1 ¾” hand line. Realizing that the fire was too large to extinguish with tank water from the responding engine’s, Chief Vitale requested a tanker from the Far Hills Fire company to supply water. Firefighter’s were hampered by burning tires, gasoline and magnesium auto parts, all of which are very difficult to extinguish. Firefighters used a foam line to extinguish the petroleum based fire and had all three cars fully under control within ten minutes. Chief Vitale deployed the Somerset County HazMat Team for the run off of fuel and other hazardous materials that were being sent to the storm sewers due to the high volume of rain during the incident. Units responding included Green Knoll, North Branch and Far Hills Fire, Martinsville Rescue Squad, Bridgewater PD and Somerset County HazMat. Fire units remained on scene for approximately 45 minutes. At the time of this report, HazMat was still on scene.
Chief Vitale was greeted with lage volume of fire
Chief Vitale points out FF Hudec pointing out "hot spot"
Wednesday, April 10, 2013 8PM From NJ.com: A Bradley Gardens home was destroyed Wednesday night after lightning struck the building's electrical service and sparked a fire that left one family without a home, according to fire officials on the scene."The home suffered major damage and is uninhabitable," said North Branch Volunteer Fire Chief David Hickson. "There was heavy fire to the second floor, and heavy water and smoke damage throughout." Just before 9 p.m. Wednesday night, a fire was reported at 140 Brahma Ave., in Bridgewater. Assistant Chief Frank Ur arrived on the scene first, and saw heavy fire was showing from the second flood, Hickson said. Firefighters from Green Knoll, County Hills and North Branch fire companies were dispatched and made an "aggressive interior attack and had the fire under control within 30 minutes," Hickson said. The cause of the fire is under investigation with the Bridgewater Fire Official's office, but initial reports indicated that the home's electric service may have been hit by lightning, Hickson said. Other responding units included Bradley Gardens Fire and Rescue and Bridgewater Police.
FF Mark Hucec reoports blaze to Deputy Chief Jack Egan
Heavy damage to Division 2, AD Corner
Thursday, April 4, 2013 3:59PM Green Knoll and North Branch Firefighters were dispatched to a report of an overturned cement truck in the area of the Somerville traffic circle. First arriving Chief 49-10 Hickson was greeted with a heavily damaged Cement Truck on its side on 202/206 Northbound in the area of the Hess Gas Station. Knowing that this was out of the Bridgewater jurisdiction, Somerville Fire and Rescue were immediately dispatched. Green Knoll Chief 34-10 Vitale arrived shortly thereafter and started size up. One patient was found on his side, partially ejected but entrapped in the vehicle. The two Chiefs worked together to provide the incoming Somerville units with an initial patient assessment and to remove the windshield for eventual patient extrication. Somerville units worked quickly to remove the patient from the heavily damaged vehicle. Units on scene included Green Knoll, North Branch and Somerville Fire, Somerville Raritan Rescue, Somerset Medical Center MICU, Somerville and Bridgewater PD. +
Green Knoll Firefighter Mark Hudec points out patient to rescuers
Firefighters work on extrication
Monday, April 1, 2013 1600 From Bridgewater Patch: Two cars were destroyed in a fire that engulfed three cars in total in the parking lot outside the California Pizza Kitchen Monday afternoon. According to North Branch Fire Chief David Hickson, three cars were involved in the fire in the parking lot of the Bridgewater Commons Mall around 4 p.m. Hickson said that two of the cars were completely destroyed and the third was badly damaged in the fire. The cause of the fire, Hickson said, is unknown. Hickson said the fire was quickly extinguished by firefighters with the Green Knoll Fire Company, Country Hills Fire Company and North Branch Fire Company.
FF Mark Hudec points out more fire
Country Hills Firefighters extinguish fire pointed out by Hudec
Thursday, March 28, 2013 It is with the deepest sympathy that we report the Line of Duty Death of our Brother Firefighter Jeff Scheurer. Below is the account from NJ.Com: The state Forest Fire Service firefighter struck and killed while conducting a controlled burn near Round Valley Reservoir is Jeffrey Scheuerer, 35. He had deep Hunterdon roots as a longtime resident of Raritan Township and as an active volunteer with the Readington Volunteer Fire Company, possibly since his high school days at Hunterdon Central. Hunterdon County Prosecutor Anthony P. Kearns, III and Clinton Township Police Director Robert Manney released Scheuerer's identity after contacting out-of-state family members. According to Kearns, Scheuerer was hit by a Jeep driven by a woman on Lebanon-Stanton Road (Route 629) at about 11:30 a.m. today. He said that Scheuerer was in the roadway at the time. The accident happened when heavy smoke from the controlled burn shifted, apparently reducing visibility on Lebanon-Stanton Road near an entrance to Round Valley Recreation Area. The driver of the Jeep had not been charged in the accident, but hours later the road remained closed as the investigation continued. A firefighter man was struck and killed today on Stanton-Lebanon Road (Route 629) near Round Valley Reservoir in Clinton Township.Google Maps On Route 31 at the county Parks & Recreation Department headquarters in Clinton Township a large cutout of Smokey the Bear announced to passers-by that the risk of fire today was "low." A sign at the entrance to Round Valley announced that the state park was closed today and inside there was ample evidence of the work being done by the Forest Fire Service. The smell of wood smoke hung in the air. The accident apparently happened after the wind shifted, Kearns said. It happened near the bottom of a hill, north of the park entrance. "The victim was struck by a vehicle and did not survive his injuries,” Kearns said. Kearns said that the man and fellow firefighters with the New Jersey State Forest Fire Service were "conducting a controlled burn along Route 629" at the time of the accident. Kearns said, “Our deepest condolences go out to Mr. Scheuerer’s family, Fire Chief John Rathborne and the Readington Volunteer Fire Company; as well as Mr. Scheuerer’s colleagues in the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.” The accident is also under investigation by the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Collision Team and Clinton Township Police, assisted by Town of Clinton police.
Friday, March 15, 2013 3:44PM Bridgewater Police received a 911 call for a report of a women who was trapped underneath the pedestrian bridge in the area of route 22 and Bridgewater Commons Mall. Initial reports we unclear of the nature of the accident and exact location. Upon arrival of Bridgewater PD Officers, a motor vehicle accident underneath the pedestrian walkway, east of Macy’s at the Bridgewater Commons Mall was found. PD Immediately requested Fire and Rescue to be dispatched to the scene. Green Knoll Fire Chief James Vitale was on location within minutes. He found a heavily damaged car upside down, on its roof, underneath the pedestrian bridge with a female patient, heavily entrapped and seriously injured. Vitale requested the services of North Branch Fire for assistance in the rescue and Country Hills Fire to secure a safe landing zone for the NJ State Police Medevac helicopter. Firefighters, working side by side with Bridgewater Police Officers and Somerset Medical Centers Mobil Intensive Care Unit secured and cut the vehicle away from the patient. Firefighters were hampered with several obstacles. The vehicle hit a guard rail and was launched through the air and landed approximately 75 feet off of the roadway and down a 15 foot embankment. The proximity of the vehicle was too far away to reach with truck mounted rescue tools. Green Knoll Firefighters lowered a portable hydraulic generator and “Jaws of Life” to perform the extrication. The Firefighters had the patient safely removed from the vehicle within ten minutes. After removal, the Green Knoll/Martinsville Rescue Squad worked with the Medics to assess the patients injuries. The severity of the injuries warranted transportation to the Robert Wood Johnson Medical center Trauma unit via NJ State Police Medevac helicopter. Country Hills Fire Company had a challenge on their hands handling the medevac landing zone. The Mall was very crowded and filled with onlookers. Deputy Chief Charles Springer working with Bridgewater PD Officers cleared a location within the parking area of the Mall and landed the helicopter. Onlookers witnessed a dramatic and well-coordinated rescue performed with Police, Fire and Rescue personnel. Units on scene included The Fire Departments of Bridgewater District 3 of Green Knoll, North Branch and Country Hills, Bridgewater PD, Green Knoll/Martinsville Rescue Squad, Somerset MICU, NJ State Police Medevac.
GK FF Mark Hudec points out accident
Patient air lifted to trauma center
Monday, March 11, 2013 0411 Green Knoll Firefighters along with the District 3 Fire Companies of North Branch and Country Hills were dispatched to a report of a structure fire at 455 Bayberry Rd. at 4:11AM. First arriving Chief James Vitale of the Green Knoll Fire Company was on location within minutes. The Chief was greeted with a large volume of fire and a report that all occupants had fled the badly burning dwelling. First arriving Firefighters from Green Knoll were met with a daunting task. The large volume of fire was complicated by sparking, live electrical lines that were feeding the home. As the lines continued to spark as a constant reminder of the danger, the Firefighters quickly worked to contain the blaze while staying safely away from the arching wires. Green Knoll Fire set up their platform ladder truck and sent out hand lines around the structure. Green Knoll Engine 109 laid a 1500 foot supply line down Bayberry Road from Foothill Road. The family that was in the home at the time of the fire consisted of a father and two children. All three suffered burns from the fire and were treated at the scene by the Green Knoll/ Martinsville Rescue Squad. All three were transported to St. Barnabus Burn Center. Firefighters remained on scene for approximately 2.5 hours. Units on scene included: Green Knoll, North Branch, Bradley Gardens and Country Hills Fiore Companies, Green Knoll / Martinsville Rescue Squad, Bridgewater PD, Bridgewater Fire Official, Somerset County Mutual Aid Coordinator.
Fire Erupts from Windows
Firefighter Mark Hudec points to area of fire for hose stream
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