Fight for Air Climb 2011

Team Cherry Hill Fire

On Saturday, March 19, 2011 Cherry Hill Firefighters, Cherry Hill EMS Personnel and a twelve year old son of a firefighter set out to climb and conquer the American Lung Associations Fight For Air Climb.  The stair climb takes place at Three Logan Square in Center City, Philadelphia and consists of competitors climbing 50 floors and 1088 steps.  This is the third year that Cherry Hill Fire Department has competed in the annual stair climb.  The climb raises money and awareness for the fight against lung disease.  This year the Cherry Hill Fire Department team consisted of 15 firefighters, 2 EMTs and 1 firefighter's son.  The team set a fundraising goal of $2500 this year but managed to raise $3,047 with the largest fund raising efforts coming from one of its smallest teammates. Twelve year old Sean Ball, son of FF Brian Ball, raised $525 alone and completed the climb in an impressive 10 minutes 24 seconds.

Fit for the climb

Stretching before the First Responder Challenge in plain clothes

Eight of the firefighters first competed in an all out team race with other firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical technicians during the First Responders' Challenge.  This climb was completed in t-shirts, shorts and sneakers.  A 4th place and 6th place finish were the outcomes of the 2 - four man Cherry Hill teams.  After a short break these eight competitors returned to the 1st floor, joined the rest of the team and geared up in full firefighting PPE (coat, bunker pants, boots, helmets and SCBA pack) to climb the tower a second time.  Firefighter Phil Cook (Engine 22) and Captain Timothy McGeady (Ladder 44) both added an extra edge of difficulty by carrying a 2 1/2" Hose pack up the 50 flights of stairs.  The last hose pack was shared amongst a group of firefighters who passed it off every 5 floors.  All in all it was a successful day for the American Lung Association and a proud showing by all the members and family of the Cherry Hill Fire Department who participated or supported the team.


Father & Son Team



A firefighter in full PPE w/ SCBA and a hose pack is
carrying roughly an additional 80 - 90 lbs



Solid showing from Ladder 4



The helmets of every company represented in the climb

The view from the top!

Fire Damages Northwood Avenue Home

Companies quickly extinguished a house fire on Northwood Avenue on Tuesday afternoon. Companies arrived to find smoke and fire showing from the basement area of the dwelling. Squrt Co. 51 secured their own water supply and operated the first handline in the basement of the dwelling.  Ladder Co. 24 searched and ventilated the dwelling. Engine Co. 22 operated the second handline on the first floor of the dwelling. EMS 13 and one BLS unit stood by for medical support. The fire was commanded by Battalion Chief Harris.  There were no injuries reported. The fire was under control in about twenty minutes. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

1st engine entered basement in  Div C., 2nd engine entered first floor in Div. A

Div. D

Line operating in basement as truck is opening up

Rush hour traffic results in one trapped

At 1648 hrs. on March 24th, Ladder 24, Rescue 13 & Battalion 13 were dispatched to the intersection of Brace Road and Connector Road for a Motor Vehicle Accident Rescue Assignment. Ladder 24 arrived and confirmed Fire Radios reports of one driver trapped. Ladder 24's crew stabilized the vehicle with speed chocks, secured power and staged hydraulic tools. Rescue 13 arrived and worked with Ladder 24's crew to free the trapped driver that was extricated in under 10 minutes. BLS 96 transported the patient with ALS in tow.

Hazmat 13 works another "Pump off" on Route 295

  On 3/20/11 at

13:12 hrs Hazmat 13 was special called to assist Bellmawr FD at a Tractor Trailer accident on Route 295 Northbound at Exit 28.  The accident involved a tractor trailer carrying a non-hazardous load that struck the bridge supports and jack knifed. The passenger side saddle tan was leaking due to the axle being pushed into the tank.  Crews stopped

the leak using their vacuum leak kit, while they set up for a product transfer. Approximately 120 gallons of product was off loaded.  The Hazmat Unit went available within an hour.

Engine 22 Handles Vehicle Fire on Route 70

At approx. 1534 hours on March 15, 2011, Cherry Hill Engine 1322's A-Platoon was dispatched to a report of a vehicle fire in the area of the McDonald's on Route 70. Engine 22 arrived on scene in the McDonald's parking lot and found a well-involved fire in the passenger compartment of a late model Audi. The fire was also extending into two wooden clothing donation bins adjacent to the vehicle. The crew of Engine 1322, under the command of Lt. Cranmer, quickly knocked down the fire. The fire extensively damaged the passenger compartment of the vehicle and slightly damaged the exterior of the clothing bins. There were no injuries reported during the incident.