In the early morning hours of August 8th, 2010, a single 911 caller reported a house on fire in the 2000 block of Prichard Rd in downtown Wheaton. The heavy rescue squad, medic unit, and duty chief from the Wheaton Volunteer Rescue squad responded along with numerous other Montgomery County Fire/Rescue units, including engine companies from Kensington and Walter Reed Annex.
As the squad arrived on the scene, they reported fire showing from the roof of the house. The squad crew established command, entered the house with the first-arriving engine and truck, confirmed that searches were completed, and supervised firefighting operations on the second floor, while the driver vented windows from the outside and located the utilities before joining the crew inside. The medic unit established an aid and rehab station across the street, and provided photos and video. The duty chief was assigned to supervise firefighting operations on the first floor. An additional Wheaton ambulance was dispatched as part of the rapid intervention dispatch and assisted with the operation of firefighter rehab.
No one was home at the time of the fire, but one firefighter sustained burns during the fire attack and was transported to a local burn center.
Photo by EMT Avery Liberman
Around 0200 hours on Monday, July 26, 2010, county dispatchers called for the assistance of A742E and A742D for the service call to assist the multiple citizens. With the power being out from the storm earlier Sunday, Company 16 had to evacuate the high rise apartment building on the 1100 block of University Ave West after running a small trash compactor fire. Battalion Chief 701 requested the utilization of stair chairs to help the elderly citizens back up to their apartments on the 7th to 14th floors.
A742E crew: EMT Israel “NuNu” Alfaro, EMT Devon Decarli, Julio Deras
A742D crew: EMT Alicia Carroll, PMIC Vibeka Mikkelsen, EMT RJ Samaroo
Around 2000 hours on Tuesday, December 29, 2009 C742, RS742B and E718 were investigating an AFA in the 11400 block of Georgia Ave. when county dispatchers sounded Box 25-08 for the apartment fire with people trapped on the 14200 block of Georgia Ave. in Aspen Hill. While RS703 was dispatched on the initial assignment, RS742B cleared their call and were added to the run and arrived on scene with RS703.
Both squad crews were assigned to search the three story garden apartment. RS742B searched the fire apartments and luckily everyone had gotten out safely. The crew also searched exposure Delta, hooked walls and ceilings to check for extension. After splitting into two crews they also worked with PEPCO and WGL to cut utilities. As Command requested the evacuation tones for the fire building, the squad crew made their way onto the roof of exposure Delta with saws to assist with the ventilation efforts. Rescue Squad 742B worked with E718 on the roof to cut a trench and open up a large hole to ventilate the fire floor and provide access for the master stream operations.
The incident went to 4 alarms and took two hours of interior and exterior work to bring the fire under control. M742C and A742F were dispatched on the RID and 2nd alarm and subsequently assigned to the rehab sector. Luckily there were only minor civilian and firefighter injuries during the incident. The fire displaced roughly 40 residents from the complex.
C742: Chief Allan Platky
RS742B crew: MFF Adam St. John, FFIII Andrew Young, FFII Matt Jorge, FFII Jeidy Hernandez
M742C crew: PMIC Jason Buc, EMT Vibeka Mikkelsen, EMT Sean Andrews, EMT Matt Rife
A742F crew: EMT Mike Belan, EMT Brie Phillips, EMT Dominic Goodall, Christina Deady
News Coverage: Fox5, Washington Post
