LVRS - April 2007

April 2007

Overturned on 198

On April 29, 2007 RS49, A498, Ch49 and Ch49A were alerted for the overturned vehicle at 198 and 197. One to trauma and one to LRH.

Funeral for George Linnell

Buckets get ready

April 28th - Members of LVRS paid respects to a great volunteer, George Linnell, Life Member of Landover Hills Volunteer Fire Department - Station 30 and the County Volunteer EMS Coordinator.

Rocky Gorge Brush Fire

On Saturday April 21, 2007. Rescue Engine 49 was alerted to smoke in the area of the boat ramp at the Rocky Gorge Reservoir in West Laurel. Upon arrival the crew was unable to locate the exact location of the fire due to the density of the forest. Luckily, the police helicopter unit from Howard County was in the area, landed in the ball field at the park and took the officer from the engine over the fire area, so that he could locate the fire area and assess the need for additional resources. Once size up was completed, it was determined that the approximately half acre fire was not accessible by land with an engine or brush truck. The crew from RE49 was sent in to start control of the fire with rakes, while an additional engine, special service and Boat 49 with fire pump was requested. RE49, SQ49, E931, Boat 49 and Chief 49A worked for approximately 2 hours extinguishing the fire. It should be noted that our company just recently obtained the floating gas operated fire pump to assist in brush fires along Rocky Gorge and it was the first time it has been put into operation.

Howard County Brush Fire

On Saturday April 21, 2007 RE49 was alerted for the Brush Fire in Howard County. RE49 having special service equipment allowed the crew to gain rapid access to the fire, thus preventing the flames from spreading to an nearby building.

Water Rescue - Govenor's Bridge Road

On the evening of Friday April 20, 2007 the water rescue team was alerted to the Governors Bridge area for a grounded small boat with three persons in the river. DU49, RE49, CH49A and CH49B responded with 9 staff, 6 of which were swift water certified. Working with units from the Bowie Area, Anne Arundel County and a MSP helicopter the boaters were found and safety delivered to land. All three of the victims were evaluated by the medic and ambulance crews on the scene, although cold and thirsty, all three were evaluated and released from the scene.

Harley Davidson Open House

On Saturday April 14, 2007 the Squad, Rescue Engine and Ambulance participated in our neighborhood Harley Davidson Dealerships open house. Our members provided equipment tours, an extrication demonstration and competed in the karaoke singing competition.

http://www.oldgloryhd.com/

Two 2-Alarm Fires in 6 Hours

On 4-4-07 at 2316 Squad 49 was alerted for 2721 Technology Dr. (NSA) in Jessup for the building fire. First arriving units found fire in a room which also created a lot of smoke throughout the building. Command called for the second alarm bringing Co.10. Squad 49 cleared a little over an hour.

The second was 0505 in the morning for 3406 Holly Creek Dr. in Russett. Squad 49 was second arriving unit just behind Maryland City Co.27. Fire was found in all three floors of the apartment. Squad 49 performed a primary search and controlled the electric in the fire apartments. Units cleared at 0828.

LVRS Secures Grant Funds for New Equipment

Over the fall and winter, LVRS’s efforts in applying for grant funding to supplement our regular sources of income and operational funding paid off. In the early fall we were notified that LVRS had been awarded a Matching Fund Fire & Rescue Grant through the state of Maryland’s Waterway Improvement Program. This program is run by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and is designed to provide fire, rescue and public safety improvements to Maryland waterways and for the boating public. LVRS’s Water Rescue Team regularly responds to waterways used by the general public, from Rocky Gorge Reservoir and the Patuxent River down to Jug Bay, the Anacostia River from Bladensburg down through DC, and Potomac River from the Woodrow Wilson Bridge on south, and thus was deemed a worthy recipient.

Additionally, LVRS was able to secure much needed additional funding via the recent announcement and grant process run by the City of Laurel’s Emergency Services Commission. This body, composed of members appointed by the Mayor, oversees, amongst other responsibilities, a competitive annual fund that for the third year supported various emergency services activities and equipment acquisitions by LVRS and other City organizations. These very important funds allowed us last year to complete the purchase and implementation of the mutual aid radios, so this funding has proven critical to helping meet our equipment needs in an era of limited budgets and funding sources.

Together, these two grant awards allowed LVRS to acquire:

Pulse oximeters to allow better evaluation of a patient’s status;
New trauma bags for all first run units;
GPS Navigation units for the ambulances and Chief’s vehicles;
Higher powered portable power tools for the Squad and Rescue Engine;
New Rescue litter/stokes basket for technical rescues;
Additional ice rescue suits and ropes to fully outfit the Squad and Rescue Engine;
Knives and lights for swiftwater rescue response lifevests;
Surface rescue/immersion suits for Boat-based operations;
A small fir pump and appliances in order for the current rescue boat to meet the minimum suppression requirements for inland boats;

LVRS is deeply appreciative of this additional support, which allows us to upgrade to provide faster, safer, and more effective services to the public. We look forward over the coming months to putting this new equipment in service, which otherwise would not have been possible given the other needs in our overall operational budget.