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By P. Robert Wallace, East Longmeadow Fire Chief I usually don't let "rumors" about the Fire Department bother me because talk is cheap and some people think they have all answers, but the information that is being spread is so far from the truth, I feel it my duty as Chief to print the actual facts about the recent fire we had May 14 on Garland Avenue. To all the town residents who may not know the personnel structure of the Fire Department, we are a combination department with seven career firefighters and myself who man the station Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. unmanned nights, week-ends and holidays. We have a highly trained and very dedicated "Call" force consisting of 27 Call firefighters who are summoned when needed during the day or during unmanned hours via a radio paging system activated by the Police Department. This structure has been in place since 1969. The following are the recorded times of the fire that occurred at 2 Garland Avenue this past Monday evening. Garland Avenue is 2.3 miles from the station via Somers Road, through the center, left at four corners onto Westwood Avenue, right onto Vineland Avenue and left onto Birch Avenue. The original call came in on 911 to the Police department from the homeowner reporting that his garage was on fire. We were dispatched by the Police via our radio alerting system at 5:03:26 p.m., as the station was unmanned. The Deputy Chief signed on at 5:04 p.m. I signed on at 5:04. p.m. Engine # 2 signed on as "Responding" at 5:08 p.m., exactly four minutes and 49 seconds from the initial call. Deputy was on the scene at 5:08 p.m. reporting a fully involved structure. I was on scene at 5:09 p.m. Engine # 2 was on the scene at the hydrant at 5:12:36 p.m. Exactly nine minutes and 10 seconds from the initial call. Engine # 2 was flowing water from the deck gun onto the fire at 5:14:13, exactly 10 minutes and 47 seconds from the initial call. Because of the present department structure, the time when the fire was reported, when many of the "Call" firefighters have not returned to town from their regular jobs, and the route of travel, I feel the response of this Department and the final outcome of the operation went flawlessly. The garage was a total loss due to the construction type and exposed wood frame. The intense radiant heat that was given off melted the siding on a neighbor's house. The flames and heat were impinging on the rear wall of the homeowner's house and starting to enter the eaves of the house. When we applied the water with the deck gun we blackened the fire down, saving the neighbor's house with minimal damage to only the siding and we kept the fire from entering the first floor of the main house with minimal damage to the cellar. The house will be repaired in a few months and the homeowner will move back into a totally renovated home. As the Fire Marshall stated when he arrived on scene, "fantastic stop." The members of this department both career and call, work very hard and are highly trained and dedicated. I want to reassure the residents when we are needed we will respond and operate to the highest standard and to the best of our ability. | ||||||
