The wagon remained on the scene to provide lighting to the PSP accident reconstruction unit returning to service around 23:20 hours. On the incident:  Rescue 75, MP94, Engine 43, Cottage ALS, Waymart EMS and 2 Medivac helicopters.  Read

At 0243 hours on Sunday August 17, Susquehanna County Communications dispatched the 1802 box for a structure fire in the Lenoxville area with the cell call being disconnected.  On the assignment: E24, HE4, R18, R36, R59, L18, T24, HT3, T36 , 18-9 and 24-9.  Communications updated the location to Robinson Road off SR2021.  Chief 18-3 marked on scene with a single story residential with heavy involvement in a substantial section of the structure requesting additional companies into the scene.  L18 arrived and placed the 2 ½” attack line in service while additional crew threw ladders and began opening up.  E24 arrived placing in service an additional line along with supplying L18.  As crews arrived additional lines were deployed to suppress the stubborn blaze which had a strong hold on the structure.  The second alarm was filled out a short time into the incident.

HE4 established a tanker fill site and all water was supplied by a tanker operation.  R18 served as the command post and 18-9 under the direction of Captain 18 handled rehab.  Multiple crews worked through an extensive overhaul project prior to clearing around. 0700.  PSP Fire Marshall was conducting the investigation.  Photolink  Photos from CliffordFire.com! In photo, Chief for S/T Jason Obelenus at command post in Rescue 18. 
Units on the box:
E24, HE4, NE1, HBE, E41, E52, L18,  L58, R18, R36, R59, T24, HT3, HBT, T52, NT, T63, 18-9, 24-9, HAM, C43
 

Probie Days at 43 A few of the newer probies spent Saturday training. A good portion of the day was spent on engine company fundamentals followed by search drills at the station.  Special thanks to Sgt. Ellsworth who coordinated the training. In photo D.J. Yepstrepsky (L) and  Kevin Barnas (R) get instructions on hose line management from Sgt. Ellsworth.Photos Ladder, car due on  18 box Just before midnight on Tuesday, Susquehanna County dispatched an "18" box for a possible structure fire near Lake Idlewild in Clifford Township. Chief 18-1 quickly arrived on scene quickly returning the assignment back in service for "food in the microwave...."

3 box alarms and a crash
Another round of thunderstorms drew three box assignments Monday morning. The first one, in our first due, in the 1100 block of Main Street Browndale results in no FD services required. Chief 43A established command, returning all companies on the box. Photo: Engine 28-1, Car 43, Ladder 43 at 28 Box
Just before 08:00 Wayne County Communications dispatched a 28 box for a structure hit by lightning in the 1500 block of Creamton Drive in Mount Pleasant Township. The ladder ran the box, 13 miles one way, arrived on scene and assisted company 28 with ventilation of the structure. A bit later, a 4101 box was dispatched for the 600 block of Main Street. Chief 41 established command, with no fire department services required, returned all companies back in service.  Just before noon,  a car vs. a truck on S. Main Street in Forest City resulted in another run. With no FD services required, Command 41 placed everyone back in service.
 

Engine responds to frequent spot Another fire in the 400 block of Main Street Vandling drew a response for the Wagon on  Saturday afternoon just before  5 p.m. Wayne County Communications put out the call for a brush fire at 437 Clinton Street with the corrected address at 444 Main Street in Vandling. First arriving engine, Engine 42, requested a box assignment for structure endangered by the blaze. Chief 43 A assumed command, holding Engine 42 and 43 returning the rest of the assignment. Within the past year there has been three fires, two of them working structure fires, in the 400 block.

Ladder gets RIT assignment on 18 Box
Ladder 43 handled RIT duties Friday morning after a nasty thunderstorm tore through the area. Just before 08:00 hours Susquehanna County dispatched an 18 Box for a structure fire after a home on Route 2012 in Clifford Township was struck by lightning.  Command was established by Chief 18-1 ( W.Turner)  reporting a smoke condition in the two story wood frame. All companies on the box were held for about 30 minutes. 
Units on the box: L-18,L-43,E-24,E-52,E-41,HE-3,T-24,HT-3,T-36,18-9,24-9
 

Another Old Home Week comes and goes What has become a signal that the summer season is coming to a close, came to pass as the 2008 Old Home Week festivities concluded on Sunday. The area's two truck companies, 43 and 18 are parked side by side at the OHW Parade line-up. Recently both have worked as the first and second due ladder companies on several recent fires. It's hard to believe that five years ago, neither of  these services existed!

Ladder gets work on 28 box

A working fire in a commercial building on Route 371, literally in the shadow of Station 28, drew a response for Ladder 43 just before 02:00 hours on Tuesday .Ladder 43, first arriving ladder, initially took aposition on Side D of  the large "T" shaped structure.  The truck crew checked the basement reporting a fire in the A/B area. With the fire growing rapidly, Ladder 18 and Ladder 43 were assigned to trench cut the roof in hopes of holding the fire in the main portion of the structure.  The strategy worked allowing engine crews to hold the fire in  main structure. The ladder was eventually repositioned on B of the structure.

Crews worked for about five hours on the stubborn blaze. Ladder 43  was recalled to the scene the blaze around 10:30 hours to assist the  PSP Fire Marshal  with aerial photos of the scene.  The cause
Wayne Independent    More photos added
 

New  wagon driver in training Up to this point,  Julie Doyle has kept herself busy with the administrative duties as President.  Now she is stepping up, taking on a new role. She's started training as a Wagon driver last week.  Congratulations on accepting a new challenge! Engine Company Training Despite the humid weather, crews pulled and packed lines and practiced layouts Monday evening. In photo, Chief for Safety and Training Jason Obelenus (l) and Lt. Bob Richards (r) provide instruction to Probationay Firefighter D.J. Yepstrepsky.

Crew makes short work of kitchen fire
Last  Monday, the Wagon drew a trip to Elkview Drive ( Clifford Township) for the reported kitchen fire around 16:00  hours.  Command 41 held Company 41, returning the rest of the assignment with limited fire department services required.

RIDE FOR DIANE: Big draw  Nearly 1000 motorcycles roared through our first due area enroute to Uniondale early Sunday afternoon.The cause, Ride for Diane, hopes to raise over $20000 for families battling cancer. The ladder, car and wagon covered key intersections allowing the bikes to motor through. Ride for Diane Ride for Diane MySpace

New tools for the Ladder New tools were recently added to the arsenal on Ladder 43. A gas powered positive pressure ventilation (PPV) and a electrically power fan were placed in  service.  The RAM FANS add to the two negative pressure fans that remain on the rig.

Ladder, Car on 18 Box Just as we were taking up from a drill at the Forest City Nursing Center, Susquehanna County put out the box for the fully involved barn fire on State Route 2012 in Elkdale just after 19:30 hours on Thursday, July 10. The ladder  crew was initially assigned to the RIT Group but eventually was placed into service doing "hydraulic overhaul" with the tower as hundreds of bales of hay contained within the structure continued to burn.  Companies operated for over 4 hours on the stubborn fire.  Squad 22 transferred to Station 43 while we worked.  New pictures added  CliffordFire.com Earlier pictures

Harley rider hurt Engine 43, Car 43 with Chief 43A, MICU 9, Waymart EMS and the PA State Police responded to a motorcycle crash on Stanton Drive in Clinton Township. The wreck occured just before noon on Thursday. The operator of the bike suffered serious injuries. The crew cleared the scene in 15 minutes.  Radios updated; MAYDAY feature added All handheld radios for eah riding position on the ladder and the wagon have been reprogrammed. In addition to grouping radio channels, the "orange button" on the top of the portables is now the MAYDAY button.  In the event of a MAYDAY event, if the button is pushed, a tone alert is activated on all radios in the field alerting all of the MAYDAY.

Ladder at Ops in Large/Complex Structures program Captain Tony Tricarico, Squad 252 in Brooklyn returned for another weekend of training as Task Force 1, Inc., delivered yet another intense  training program. A Truck crew attended the two day program entitled "Operations in Large /Complex Structures in Old Forge, Lackawanna County.  Captain "Trix" was joined by Battalion Chief Jim Dugan from the District of Columbia Fire and EMS Department. The training was intense as would be expected with Captain "Trix".  Go the the Old Forge Website Photos here!

Last respects paid to former chief Chief officers from Station 43 paid last respects to former fire chief and fire service icon Ted Batzel of the Harford Fire Company in Susquehanna County.  Ted passed away last week after an extended illness.  The funeral drew hundreds of friends, family and fire service Brothers and Sisters to the ordinarily quiet town of Harford.

Arson blaze hits house in Vandling
The Ladder and the engine were due a working house fire early Monday morning at 450 Main Street in Vandling. The blaze tore through the house and threatened the exposure on side D. An aggressive defensive attack held the fire to the building of origin. The truck crew initially went to work in the D exposure, doing a primary search and checking for extension. With the fire contained to 450 Main Street, the truck crew worked opened up with Ladder 58. The engine, arriving third due, supplied Ladder 58. Crews worked over two hours on the stubborn blaze. Thanks to Rescue 27 for Lackawanna County for transferring to Station 43.

On the Box 1st Alarm : Engine 42, 41, 43, 614,  and 52  Rescues 59 and 41, Ladders 43 & 58, Special Unit 42, Forest City EMS 2nd Alarm : Engines 281 and 60, Squad 22,   Ladder 18, Rescue 51,  51-2 Ambulance 51-9 and  51-8 and Rescue 75 to Station 42 Command: Chief 42 ~ Chief's Aide: Rescue Officer 51 Side A/Division 1: Chief 43A ~ Side C/Basement: Chief 18-2 and Chief 42A ~  RIT Officer: Chief 59-3 ~ EMS Command: J. Allison Rehab: Captain 51

AM crash, helping the Brothers
Engine 43 responded to this motor vehicle crash on Sunday, just after 08:00 hours Flat Rock Road in just outside of Browndale to find a pickup over the embankment but not driver was found. After a quick search of the nearby area, the engine returned with no fire department services required.  At 0900 hours, a crew with ladder joined  several other departments in lending a hand to the Brothers and Sisters at Station 42 with some demolition and cleanup follow their devastating fire earlier this week. 
 

Wreck, two boxes Engine 43 along with 41 Rescue, 42 Engine and Forest City EMS and Cottage ALS ran the crash in the 200 block of Main Street (Route 171) with just after 16:00 hours on Friday.  The patient was transported by Forest City EMS to Carbondale  to an awaiting helicopter that would transport the patient to a trauma center.  Chief 43A had the Route 171 Command. Earlier in the day, 43 ran a 41 and 18  box with the ladder and the engine.

Arson fire hits Station 42

Photo courtesy of  B. Kuruts A devastating fire tore through a 150' x 30' picnic pavilion, kitchen and storage shed at Vandling Hose Company in the 500 Block of Clinton Street in Vanding.  The blaze, which hit just after 02:00 hours on Tuesday, presented tense moments  for firefighters when they were greeted by a 500 pound propane tank venting a vertical flame in the midst of the inferno with a second tank being impinged by flames.  Initial reports from the scene suggest some sort of an "explosion" but that was not confirmed.

Chief Hollis and his crew focused on removing his apparatus for the station, a mere twenty five feet from the structure. The fire station suffered minor damage on Side C from radiant heat. Crews operated  for about 90 minutes before returning to service.  One firefighter was injured but refused medical treatment. A PSP Fire Marshal  determined the fire was  arson.  On the Box:  E 42, 41, 43, 61, 60,  52, R 41, 59, L 43, 58, Car 43, FC and Cottage EMS. Chief Hollis had the Clinton Street Command.  WNEP TV

43 runs fatal ATV crash
A 26 year old male was killed in an ATV crash on Flat Rock Road in Clinton Township last Wednesday evening. 
Wayne County Communications dispatched Engine 43, Forest City EMS, Cottage ALS to the incident just before 19:00 hours.  The engine company remained on the scene providing lighting for the PSP Forensic Unit and the Wayne County Coroner's Office. Command was terminated at 22:01 hours.  Scranton Times
 

43 responds to Clifford  A two alarm plus fire tore through a one hundred year old home on Main Street in Clifford.  The four occupants of the dwelling safely escaped the blaze as firefighters were greeted by a  wall of fire on side C of the structure.  Crews operated for nearly 4 hours clearing the scene just before 06:00 hours.  Chief 43A with Car 43 was on the second alarm working with Chief 18 (T.Turner) in command. Photos here!

Electical fire draws box A box assignment was sent to the 1200 block of the Belmont Turnpike in Clinton Township Wednesday night, May 7, just after 20:00 hours for the reported structure fire.With nothing  evident on arrival, the source of the fire pinpointed as a refrigerator in the two story wood frame dwelling. Chief 43A established the 296 Command, holding companies 75 and 43, returning the rest of the assignment.\On the box: Companies 43, 75, 28, 41, 94, 13, 59 and Waymart EMS.

	Crew from Delaware trains with ladder A crew from the Newark, DE,  Fire Department  spent Friday evening and Saturday as guests of Station 43.  The crew bunked in Friday evening and spent Saturday training with the ladder in various locations in first due area and look forward to a return trip to Wayne County!
	Another crash on Ravnikar Road No one was injured in this rollover wreck on Ravnikar Road in Clinton Township on  Sunday afternooon.  The crash, which occurred around 14:15 hours, drew a response from Rescues 75 and 41, Engine 43 and Forest City EMS.  43 Command held Engine 43 and Forest City EMS returning the remainder of the assignment.

Wreck with entrapment draws response Photo courtesy of 28 Fire An SUV ended up on it roof with the driver entrapped on Tuesday, April 15. The crash, on Route 170 near Creamton corners in Clinton Township occurred just before 13:00 hours. Rescue 41 was returned to service. Chief 28 held  Chief 43A  and Engine 43 along with the apparatus from Station 28.   On the assignment: Engines 43, 281, Rescue 41, Ambulance 283 and an ALS unit from Honesdale EMS.

Truck crew spends  2 days training
Neither cold or snow stopped two days of training. On Saturday and Sunday, March 1 and 2,  a crew and the ladder participated in the "Coordinated Attack" program presented by Task Force 1, Inc. at Jefferson Township Volunteer Fire Company (29).  Check out the photos

Our  Probies

D.J. Yespstrepsky	Tom Brozdinski	Reva Rumford	John  Barnas	Kevin Barnas	Kristian Short	Jim Long

D.J. Yespstrepsky from Browndale and Tom Brozdinski from Greenfield Township recently joined the proby ranks at Station 43. D.J. is a student at Forest City Regional. Tom has prior fire services experience and works as a Communications Officers for the PA State Police. They join Reva Rumford  who hails from Forest City and is a student at Forest City Regional and  Jim Long, a native of Cookeville, TN, a Sergeant in the U.S. Army, stationed at Fort Drum near Watertown, NY. Jim has served two tours in Iraq. Other probies include John Barnas, Kevin  Barnas and Kristian Short,  all who have prior fire department experience and NFPA Firefighter certifications.