Health & Fitness
Blog: Never a Dull Moment at the Westminster Fire House
In the past week, the Westminster fire department saw its steady share of both house fire calls for service and motor vehicle accidents. Along with a few pictures, a sample of the calls are included.
Recently a reader asked if fire and ambulance calls (for service) increase with the warmer weather and if the fire department get more calls in the winter or the summer.
And the answer is yes. The calls never seem to stop--morning, noon, night and day, 365 days out of the year.
Actually I did not know the answer, so I asked someone smarter than me. Jim Bangerd is a longstanding veteran firefighter, past president of the Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Co. No.1 and the current chief of the fire suppression side of the department.
Find out what's happening in Westminsterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Bangerd said, “The calls are pretty consistent throughout the year. They, the numbers that is, do not vary that much. You get some calls that are winter, or weather related. Maybe a sledding accident in the winter…"
“You get calls that are specific to the time of the year. I mean, we’re not going to get too many sledding calls in July,” said Bangerd with a chuckle.
Find out what's happening in Westminsterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
“Then maybe in the summer we’ll get a call for a lawn mower accident, or an ATV (all terrain vehicles) accident. The bulk of our calls remain motor vehicle accidents and unfortunately they remain pretty steady throughout the year.”
Here's just a sampling of the calls that came in during the last week. Check out the related pictures too. This information was taken from the Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Co. No.1 website. The information on the website was reported by Marques for the Fire Department.
On Thursday June 9, Chief 3-1 was the incident commander on the scene of an accident with one person trapped at Route 140 and Center Street in Westminster. Westminster engine 32 and Reese Volunteer Fire Company rescue squad 9 responded to successfully extricate the accident victim.
On Monday June 13, The Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Company No. 1 engine 33, tower 3 and Pleasant Valley Community Fire Company engine 63 responded to a house fire near Westminster. Chief 3 was in command as firefighters “made quick work of a small fire,” as reported by Marques.
On Monday, June 13, The Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Company No. 1 engine 33, medic 38, duty 3; and Pleasant Valley Community Fire Company rescue squad 6 responded to rescue alarm for a vehicle collision with entrapment. Upon arrival, firefighters and EMS personnel found one vehicle partially under another car with one person trapped inside. Engine 33's crew worked to remove the door and turned patient care over to Medic 38.
Last Wednesday, June 15, The Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Company No. 1 engine 33, engine 32, and special unit 3 “were alerted to a building fire,” according to Marques. They were joined by fire suppression units from Pleasant Valley Community Fire Company. Upon arrival on the scene, a fire was found in one of the silos on the property. The fire was quickly extinguished and the firefighters “were cleared a short time later.”
The Westminster Fire Engine and Hose Company No. 1 engine 33 “was once again headed to Pleasant Valley in the early hours,” on Thursday, June 16. “This time for a house fire. Units arrived to find a two-story vacant house well involved (with fire.) Due to a partial roof collapse, units worked from the outside to bring the fire under control.”
Questions and comments are always welcome in the comment section below--or if you must, you can ask me when I am in the checkout line at the grocery store. Just give me enough time to put my groceries down so I can be sure to write your question down. At my advanced age, I want to be sure to remember it later.
Be safe out there.
