Rescue 13 Structural Collapse Training

Members of the Cherry Hill Fire Department Rescue Company 13 participated in training on structural collapse, building shoring. The shoring training took place over three days as A Group, B Group and C Group each spent a day training. The training included a morning lecture session where the members learned the necessary information to identify the signs of structural damage to buildings, the steps to prepare to support damaged structures, and how to build the shoring systems needed to support the damaged sections of buildings. The rescue company shores damaged buildings only to serve as protection when someone is trapped within the building. The second part of the training included an afternoon session of practical evolutions. Rescue members constructed three shoring systems including the solid sole raker shore system for supporting damaged walls, a double T-shore used for supporting a damaged floor, and a window shore. The days of training were the first eight hours of the sixteen hour structural collapse technician course being instructed by Rescue Company 13 B Group Firefighter Robert "Mac" MacDermott. Firefighter MacDermott also seves as a Unit Leader on the New Jersey State Police Urban Search and Rescue Team (USAR), NJTF 1.

Cutting the rebar to length

Cherry Hill Fire Department Rescue Company 13 is one of several regional rescue companies tasked with providing technical rescue services to the citizens of Cherry Hill Township and the surrounding region. For that reason, members of the rescue company must constantly train and practice in order to be confident in performing the many rescue skills required of the rescue company.

Collapse Unit 1336

The Palm Nailer speeds up the assembly

Once one raker is built the rest can be quickly assembled right on top, using the 1st as a rough template

Pre-nailing the cleats to save time once the wedges are driven in, setting the raker

Double T Shore

Window Shore

10.10.10 Cherry Hill Firefighters Take on Specialized Training

While it was no Chilean mine rescue, Cherry Hill firefighters recently underwent some highly technical training. The Cherry Hill Fire Department considers itself to be an “all-hazard agency”. This was no more evident than during the first weeks of October when firefighters simulated a building collapse with reported people trapped. The circumstances; workmen in a vacant commercial structure become trapped after utility equipment explodes causing a 2-ton piece of concrete to, not only trap them underneath, but the collapsed debris also prohibited rescuers from gaining easy access; were played out as a live scenario.

Instructors played the roles of the trapped victims and their co-workers. It was up to the incoming firefighting crews to: control the scene, gather information, deploy rescue personnel appropriately, and employ previous education and equipment training to gain access and free the trapped ‘workers’. Rescuers were confronted with several collapse like obstacles and challenges. The training building was completely transformed to mimic a building that had suffered a partial collapse. In the end, each set of rescuers successfully managed the debris and were able to free the victims and extricate them from the building using collapse rescue techniques. Several Cherry Hill firefighters are also members of the NJ Urban Search and Rescue team, and have brought some of that federal training to benefit Cherry Hill.

Family Escapes Early Morning House Fire

At approximately 6:08 a.m. on Friday, October 15, 2010, the Cherry Hill Fire Department received a 9-1-1 call reporting a fire at 52 E. Riding Drive. Battalion Chief 13 (William Stallfort) was first to arrive and discovered they had heavy fire at the front door of the dwelling, extending into the residence.  Squrt 1331 arrived shortly behind the Battalion and deployed a 2½” hand line to the front door and started extinguishing the fire.  Ladder 1344 arrived and assisted with the first hand line then went into dwelling to ventilate and check for any extension of fire to the second floor.  Minor extension was found.  Squad 13 stretched a second 2½” hand line to assist in controlling and extinguishing the fire.  Crews remained on location to perform extensive overhaul and checking for extension.


The homeowners and their son awoke to the sound of their smoke detector and immediately exited the home using the back door. This fire provides a powerful reminder of the importance of working smoke detectors as the residents were faced with a wall of fire cutting off their escape through the front door.

4 Engine Co’s, 2 Ladder Co’s, 1 Rehab Unit, 1 EMS unit and 1 Battalion Chief—a total of 27 firefighters responded to this incident, gaining the upper hand in 30 minutes. The home suffered significant smoke and fire damage from the fire.

The Cherry Hill Fire Department Fire Marshal, Cherry Hill Police Detectives, Camden County Fire Marshal and Camden County Prosecutors Office are jointly investigating this fire.

Second Job for Ladder 24C

During the early morning hours of Friday, October 15, 2010 Ladder 24 was dispatched to a reported dwelling fire at 5 E. Collings Avenue in Collingswood, NJ. Collingswood's Squad 16 arrived on location and reported a 2 story single family dwelling with the front porch well involved in fire. The Squad Company established a water supply and stretched an 1 3/4" hose line. Ladder 24's crew assisted with some minor overhaul and checking for extension before being released. Fortunately, the fire was contained mostly to the porch with minor extension inside the dwelling. This was the second fire for Ladder 24, C Platoon.