In the last two months, War Town has gotten its fair share of cut-jobs but no house fires. Three of the cut-jobs have resulted in a total of four fatalities. Two months ago, War Town responded to the Warrenton Lakes subdivision for a wreck with entrapment. Engine 1 arrived and found a two door vehicle had slammed through a fence and into a tree, with one occupant trapped/pinned. Engine 1 crew began initial extrication, running its' two Hurst tools in series. The sole occupant of the vehicle was pronounced dead during the extrication, which was halted so the Police could do an investigation. After the investigation was done, Engine 1 and Rescue 1 completed the extrication and removed the occupant of the vehicle.

About two weeks ago, Engine 1, Rescue 1, Command 1, Medic 1-2 and Medic 19 responded to a vehicle roll over with entrapment. Engine 1 arrived to a four door car, with its roof and entire passenger side ripped off, one occupant trapped/pinned and one ejected. Engine 1 crew determined that neither teenager had survived the crash, and the Medic crews confirmed the same. Engine 1 and Rescue 1 stood by as the Police did an investigation. Engine 1 crew assisted Rescue 1 with the extrication and removal of the occupant. Engine 1 returned to War Town while Rescue 1 remained on scene to assist the Police with lighting for an extended period of time.

Less than one week ago, with Engine 1 out and about on the air, Rescue 1 was toned out for a roll over in Co. 10s' first due. While Rescue 1 was responding, units from Co. 10 arrived and found a two door vehicle had rolled multiple times and landed on its roof against a utility pole, ejected both occupants, with one pinned under the car, as well knocking down power lines across the car. Engine 1 dropped off personnel at the scene, then left to establish an LZ to fly out the first occupant. Rescue 1 arrived and staged equipment while waiting for the power company. After crews were assured the power was off, Rescue 1 went to work, lifting and cutting to gain access to the second occupant. After the occupant was assessed and determined to be deceased, crews stood by as the Police investigated. Once complete, Rescue 1 went back to work, removing most of the interior and roof of the car to free the occupant. After the occupant was removed, Engine 1 and Rescue 1 took up and returned to War Town.

Speed was a factor in all three of the fatal wrecks.

2008 kick off to a busy start in War-Town. Three major Cut Jobs in six days (a fourth minor door pop makes it 4 cut jobs in 10 days, but I missed that one), a first due single family House Fire (two pervious second due House Fires, again I missed those), and and fifth major Cut Job, and January isin't even over yet.

Cut Job 1: James Madison Highway

A tractor trailer pulled a U-turn in front of a passanger vehicle, the vehicle slammed into the trailer (loaded down with paving equipment) and was drug about 150 feet. The car rolled under the trailer, severly trapping and pinning the young driver. Engine 1 and Rescue 1 arrived on scene and went to work. Engine 2 was added for a landing zone so the patient could be flown to fairfax hospital, Rescue 2 was added to winch the car from underneath the trailer sine Rescue 1 could not be position to both extricate the patient and winch the vehicle, Wagon 1 and Command 1 also responded with additional personnel and a Chief Officer. The rear doors of the car and several posts were cut while crews on scene waited for rescue 2 winch operation to be set up. The trailer was lifted using box cribbing and airbags from Rescue 1. The car was winched from underneath the trailer, the front doors were removed along with the roof. Relief cuts were made, and the dash was lifted to free the patient from the vehicle, as the steering wheel had been pushed down past the patients knees. The patient was then flown to Fairfax Hospital.

Cut Job 2: Vint Hill Rd

Rescue 1 was dispatched along with Co. 10 to a reported car into a wall. rescue 1 arrived on scene, found 1 car off the road into a block wall, the driver was trapped and pinned. Engine 10, Ambulance 10, and Medic 1 arrived and started patient care. The drivers door and the roof were removed, and crews made relief cuts for a dash lift. Wagon 1 and Command 1 arrived on scene with additional personnel, since a landing zone was not need due to the weather prohibiting a helicopter. The dash was lifted and the pateint was ground transported to Fauquier Hospital.

Cut Job 3: Georgetown Rd.

Rescue 1 was dispatched along with Co.10 to a reported entrapment. Medic 10 arrived and confirmed the entrapment. Engine 1 responded to provide a landing zone. All four doors were removed, the windshield and roof were also removed. The patients legs were twisted under the dash, a lift was attempted, which caused the driver extreme pain. The patients legs were re-assessed, and crews attempted to lean the seat back and pull the patient straight back, which also failed. The patient was then pulled sideways out of the vehicle and onto a waiting cot, and taken to the helicopter and flown to Fairfax hospital.

House Fire: Honeysuckle Ct.

Co.1, 10, 19 and 2 responded to a reported working house fire in Co.1 first due. Engine arrived to find heavy fire in the attached garage, heavy fire on the first floor, and fire making its way to the attic via exterior siding. E-1 crew pulled a hand line and proceeded with a quick exterior attack. Medic 1 crew pulled a second handline, which Tower 1 crew took inside, followed by half of E-1 crew. The other half of E-1 crew proceeded to do a primary search of the house, which proved negative. Crews made a rapid stop of the fire on the first floor, and found little extension in the attic an none on the second floor. E-10 crew knocked down the fire in the garage before proceeding to the second floor while E-2 had the RIT assignment. Crews rotated in for overhauk after the fire was knocked down. AC 1100 handled the investigation of the fire, which caused one firefighter to be transported to Fauquier hospital with minor burns, and was released the same night. The injured firefighter is doind well and will make a full recovery.

Cut Job 4: Lee Highway

Rescue 1 was dispatched along with Co.10 for a reported entrapment, minivan versus a tractor trailer. E-10 arrived, found the minivan driver to be trapped and pinned. Rescue 1 arrived and went to work. The driver's and passanger's front doors were removed, alond with the windshield. The front half of the roof was removed. Relief cuts were made on both sides of the vehicle to prep for a dask lift. After the dash was lifted the driver was freed and placed in Medic 10 and was ground transported to Fauquier Hospital.

I managed to catch five good calls in less than three weeks time her in War-Town. Stay posted for what happens next week when I will be up in '33'....

So, apparently I am too crazy to work for DCFD. Kinda sucks, still waiting for the final ruling, but as its seems now, it will not change. Any comments? Anyone see this coming  ? Me? Crazy? Noooooooo...

Found out yesterday, 12/20 that my appeal was denied, so I won't be working for DCFD anytime soon. I need a beer.

Last week was a sad week for the Brotherhood of fire fighters. An LODD loss of even one fire fighter is hard to take, and last week, tragically, our family is mourning the loss of eleven brave fire fighters who made the supreme sacrafice.

Monday June 18 - Nine fire fighters gave their lives while battling a blaze in Charleston, S.C. Captain Mike Benke, Captain Billy Hutchinson, Captain Louis Mulkey, Engineer Bradford Baily, Engineer Mark Kelsey, Assistant Engineer Michael French, Fire Fighter Melvin Champaign, Fire Fighter James Drayton, and Fire Fighter Brandon Thompson were killed when the building collapsed and trapped them inside.

Thursday June 21 - FDNY Fire Fighter Daniel Pujdak died after he fell from the roof while operating at the scene of a building fire.

Friday June 22 - Fire Fighter Tim Sanborn, Clinton M.I. died of a heart attack while operating at the scene of a house fire.

Keep these eleven brave fire fighters, their families, and the fellow Brothers they left behind in your prayers.

Where to start? Two recent first due fires, multiple cut jobs, too many flyouts to count. A whack job running over people with his SUV and then beating them with a bat, or the fight with multiple stabbings, or the self-inflicted gun shot wound.

The calls have picked up recently, too many to write about in detail like I have before. From the 'don't see this every day' to the really fucked up ones, WAR-TOWN has stayed pretty busy recently.

In the very early morning hours of 3/20/07, Co.1, 3, and 11 were dispatched for a house fire with possible entrapment in Co.11's first due. E-1, K-1, CM-1 and Amb 1-4 responded from War-Town. The first pumper arrived and reported everyone clear of the structure, and heavy fire conditions from an attached two story garage. Due to the distance from Warrenton, E-1 was the fourth pumper on scene (behind two from 11 and one from 3) but was the first pumper to lay out. E-1 did a reverse lay from halfway down the driveway back to the road, and AC-1 hand jacked about 500 ft. of line to complete the lay as the crews from E-1, K-1 and Amb 1-4 walked to the house. Upon arriving, K-1 and Amb 1-4 formed one team (Sgt. Koglin and Sgt Latham), taking over hoselines that were being used on the outside of the garage (and threatning to push the fire further into the house) and along with AC-1, stopped the fire at the breezeway, cutting off its pathway to the rest of the house. E-1 crew (Sgt. Hayes and FF. Demaree) laddered the breezeway roof, and after having two chainsaws from the first and second due companies fail due to running out of gas (unfortunatly our saw was a half mile away) E-1 crew vented the old fashioned way, using an axe. Meanwhile, out on the road, Lt. Koglin (chauffeuring E-1)was having his own problems with water supply, with at least one tanker 'driver' saying he could not operate the pump on his truck. With the assistance of K-1 and K-10 chauffeurs, this unexpected problem was negated. The gargae fire was rapidly knocked down and crews overhauled the garage and vented the structure before taking up and returning to Warrenton.

At about 1430 hours on 1/12/07, Tanker 1 (Kyle, BJ, Chris, and Pope) and Rescue 1 (Brett, Rodney, myself, Mitch and Kelly) responded to the southern end of Fauquier county for a reported working fire. First arriving units found a huge single family dwelling, with fire in one of the garages, with extension into the second floor office. Units initiated a quick attack on the second floor, and then found the bulk of the fire in the garage. Rapid vertical ventilation was used to ensure the fire did not take control of the entire house through the attic. Once extinguished, extensive overhaul of the involved rooms was done. Warrenton Fire units cleared after several hours....did somebody say Countywide! ?

A little after 0100 hours on Jan 8, units from Warrenton Fire responded to a reported house fire in the northern end of Faquier county. (Even though we were not on the initial alarm, the Rescue was the fourth unit on scene, with the Tanker and Wagon arriving a few minutes later.) First arriving units found a two story, balloon frame house with just about every room off. Rodney rode in on Marshall's pumper and took the first line in and knocked down a lot of the fire. The Rescue crew took a line in upstairs and continued to attack the fire. With the Tanker crew tied up in water supply initally, the Wagon crew (Kyle, me, and Emily) threw several ladders. I made the roof, and with a chainsaw borrowed from the first due company, I started to make a vent hole. When the chainsaw gave up halfway through, roof operations were terminated due to the interior crews progress. Units from Warrenton Fire remained on the scene for an additional hour, assisting with the extensive overhaul. Cause of the fire is undetermined at this time.

On Tuesday night, 12/12/06, about 2230 hours a car with two occupants wrecked on the 17 SB spur, flying off the 29 NB ramp. The car had been stolen in Luray, and became involved in a police pursuit in Warren county. The occupants, two members of the Bloods gang, made their way to 66 EB, and then 17 SB into Warrenton. W-1 (Mike driving, myself riding seat, and Lance riding in the back) and AMB 1 responded. Upon the report of a possible ejection, R-1 responded with four, and M-19 and AMB 10-2 were added. W-1 arrived, found numerous cops (parked in our way, of course) and two ejected occupants. W-1 crew split, so both patients could recieve immediate medical attention. The vehicle was secured, and command was established. A helicopter was called for one patient, bringing E-1 to the scene. E-10 responded, and filled in at FS1. The patients were loaded into seperate ambulances, one was transported to Fauquier ER. The 17 SB spur was shut down by E-1 and VSP, and the helicopter was landed on the highway. The second patient was flown to INOVA Fairfaz with severe injuries. While the helicopter was loading its patient, a combined fire/police ground search was being conducted using flashlights and thermal imaging cameras for a possible third occupant. No occupant was found, and after the helicopter left and the highway was re-opened, the accident scene was turned over to VSP and Warren county Sheriffs.