Busy Day Sends NWFD to Frederick County Twice for House Fires
 
By Chief Tom Coe
November 26, 2016
 

November 26th proved to be a very busy day for the New Windsor Volunteers as they responded to two separate working house fires in Frederick County within 12 hours.

Just after 5:00am units from Frederick and Carroll Counties were sent to the 13100 Block of Hiney Road for a report of a house fire. Initial arriving companies arrived to find a 2 1/2 story farm house well involved. Frederick County BC902 (T. Grossnickle) arrived and established Hiney Road Command and a Rapid Intervention Dispatch and Tanker Task Force was added to the call. Initially New Windsor was dispatched to transfer an Engine to the Union Bridge Fire Station as all of their units were committed to the house fire. Just minutes after being dispatched on the Engine Transfer, New Windsor was sent to assist at the scene of the House Fire. Engine 101 arrived and assisted with the set up of the rural water supply operation and then their crew was sent to enter the rear of the house to "open up" and stop the fire from spreading into the unburned section of the structure. The structure ended up being a complete loss and the cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Frederick County Fire Marshal's Office. Engine 101 operated for over 2 1/2 hours prior to being returned to service.

NWFD Unit: E101

Other Departments on the scene: New Midway, Woodsboro, Walkersville, Walkersville Rescue, Rocky Ridge, Thurmont, Thurmont Ambulance, Lewistown, Emmitsburg, Union Bridge, Taneytown

Then at around 4:00pm units from the Mt Airy Fire Department were dispatched for a field fire in the 14600 Block of Peddiciord Road. As Brush 15 approached the scene the they noted a large column of black smoke and requested an Engine and Tanker be added to the call. Brush 15 arrived to find a fire that encompassed brush, woods, vehicles an out building and was extending into the house. Carroll County Chief 1 (K. Stull) established command and requested the Box Alarm Assignment be filled bringing additional apparatus and manpower to the scene. As the incident progressed a Rapid Intervention Dispatch, Fire Task Force and a Tanker Task Force was requested bringing apparatus from Frederick, Carroll, Howard and Montgomery Counties to the scene. Engine 101 was added to the call and their units assisted in providing a water supply to an attack engine from New Market while their crew reported to the scene to assist with extinguishment. Reserve Engine 102 was added to the call a little later and served as a "Fill Site" unit drafting water from a pond on Woodville Road to fill tankers. RE102 filled 16 tankers with over 46,000 gallons of water to assist in fighting the fire. Paramedic 109 was also added to the call and staged prior to being placed in service. The home, several out buildings and vehicles ended up being complete losses and the cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Frederick County Fire Marshal's Office. The New Windsor units operated for 4 1/2 hours prior to returning to service.

NWFD Units: E101, RE102, P109

Other Departments on the scene: Libertytown, New Market, Woodsboro, Rocky Ridge, Walkersville, Green Valley, Union Bridge, Taneytown, Winfield, Sykesville, Gamber, Lisbon, West Friendship, Damascus