On Tuesday, April 24 at approx. 2:30pm, CHFD Tower Ladder 1324 was requested for mutual aid into the City of Camden. The Camden Fire Department struck a second alarm for heavy fire showing from the second floor of a 2-story, occupied commercial building at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and S. 9th Street.
Upon arrival, Tower Ladder 24 positioned on the division B side of the building and directed its elevated master stream on the division C exposure wall and roof. After repositioning, the ladder main was used to direct a water stream into the second story windows on the division B side. Eventually the fire vented through the roof, and TL 24 used its master stream to suppress the fire above the roof and into the fire building.
Early in the morning on Sunday, February 26, 2012, CHFD firefighters began assembling outside the parking garage of the Cherry Hill Mall.
To any passerby this may have looked like your typical activated fire alarm or even building fire. However, one thing was missing -- the emergency. This same scene has repeated itself every Sunday for the past two months.
This is part of an ongoing training evolution the CHFD is conducting to better prepare its personnel for fighting fires in large commercial buildings. Lt. Charles Meighan of Squrt 51, B Platoon had originally spoke with mall management to secure the building for a small training evolution with the two engine companies, Engine 22 and Squrt 51. The first training was so productive that Capt. Chris Callan of the Training Division and Lt. Meighan decided to discuss future training at the mall for the entire CHFD.
Firefighters prepping the hose for the long stretch ahe
Mall management was more than happy to oblige us with the use of the building before it opened for business each Sunday. So formal training plans were developed and implemented. The result was every Sunday for the past two months and for several more Sundays to come, the firefighters and fire officers of the CHFD will participate in several training drills in the Cherry Hill Mall.
Firefighters stretching hose into the back hallway
This is a great opportunity for the firefighters to fine tune some skills as commercial building fires pose some of the greatest challenges for firefighters. Every building is slightly different, but some key challenges are the overall size of the building, the distance firefighters may have to travel to reach the fire, heavy fire loads of combustible materials, maze like conditions, and the overall operations are man power intensive.
Firefighters have reached their objective and are ready to
start the fire fight
The CHFD would like to thank the Cherry Hill Mall management, staff and security for their continued cooperation. For several years now the Cherry Hill Mall has played a vital role in the training of the Cherry Hill firefighters.
On April 19th and 23rd the East and West side companies of A-platoon were at the CHFD Training Academy for some night-time fire evolutions.
The units were presented with a windowless commercial building with a roll up door that needed to be forced by the ladder company to gain entry.
Engine Company making entry with attack line
After gaining entry the first due engine company stretched a 2 1/2" attack line to attack a well involved first floor fire while the ladder company searched the 1 story commercial building with a loft. The ladder company encountered a civilian, unconscious, on the stairway to the loft. After removing the civilian, they proceeded to the loft and found a well advanced extension of the original fire.
Engine Companies' supply lines
The second due engine company stretched a second attack line to the second floor to extinguish the fire in that location. The crews moped up the hot spots and ventilated the structure and performed the secondary searches.
During the Friday, afternoon, rush hour commute Ladder 24 and Cherry Hill BLS were dispatched to a motor vehicle accident at Route 70, under the Cuthbert Blvd overpass; initial reports were coming in as an mva with a smoking vehicle. As Ladder 24 arrived it was apparent that the car involved had sustained heavy front end and driver's side damage. It appeared that the vehicle had driven over the median and crashed into a support pillar under the overpass. A quick assessment revealed two patients, with the driver still heavily entrapped in the car. The assignment was upgraded to a "Rescue Box" adding Battalion 13 and Rescue 13. Ladder 24 worked quickly to stabilize the automobile, as well as to secure power to the vehicle through use of the hydraulic tools. Battalion 13 arrived on scene, took command and requested an additional medic and BLS unit to the scene. Rescue 13, along with BLS, and the medics arrived on scene shortly there after. Rescue 13 quickly gained access to the patient by removing the driver's side door and displacing the dashboard. BLS and the medics packaged the two patients and transported them to a nearby hospital. Quick coordinated work between Cherry Hill Fire and EMS provided rapid vehicle stabilization, patient assessment, extrication and transport to the hospital.
Firefighters removed the driver's side door utilizing
hydraulic cutters.
The dash of the car had pushed into the seating area pinning
the driver's legs and feet. The Rescue used Hydraulic spreaders
and rams to push the dash off the victim.
Monday April 2, 2012 – Just after midnight on April 2nd, Squrt 51, Engine 22, Squrt 31, Tower Ladder 24, Battalion 13 and BLS 92 were dispatched to 672 Third Avenue for a Dwelling Fire. En route, Battalion 13 received reports from CHPD of visible smoke and fire and transmitted the Working Fire Box bringing a second truck Ladder 44. Squrt 51 arrived and observed fire in the attached one story garage of a two story frame dwelling. Squrt 51 stretched an 1 ¾” hose line while Tower Ladder 24 forced entry to the front door. The fire had extended through the interior door from the garage to the dwelling. Engine 22 and Squrt 31 stretched a second 1 ¾” hose line and operated in tandem with Squrt 51 while Tower Ladder 24 conducted a search and ventilated. Ladder 44 prepared for vertical ventilation and exposed hidden fire with the hose teams. The fire was brought under control in less than 20 minutes. BLS 92 transported one civilian suffering from smoke inhalation. FM 13 is investigating the fire.
