How many times have you left the house in the morning and wondered, “Did I turn off the stove?” With our busy lives, the safety of our homes and families are sometimes relegated to the back of our minds; any after thought as we drive away in our car to start our day.

Fire Prevention Week is October 5th through the 11th and this year’s theme is “Prevent Home Fires.” It is intended to help everyone focus on preventing the leading cause of house fires; cooking, heating and electrical equipment and smoking products.

While the Richland Township Fire Department wants you to make sure that your home is safe from fire year round, we’re taking advantage of the increased public awareness during this period and urge you to take a close look at your home, in an effort to “Prevent Home Fires.”

The Richland Township Fire Department will be making their yearly visits to local businesses and childcare facilities for the annual fire prevention classes this year. If you are interested in a fire prevention class or would like a tour at the firehouse, please feel free to contact the Richland Township Fire Department @ 266-4331.

Today as the call volume was light, Fire Fighter Bicko, Kapelewski and Pietron decided to head down the strip to Advance Auto Parts. Advance Auto Parts held their yearly car show for the public and the Truck was on display for the community and “hot rods”. The next tour for the Truck will be the Detroit Auto Show!

Fire Fighter Jim Melius: International Superstar, heartthrob; designer clotheshorse; and American fashion icon.

But does he have what it takes to influence the looks of that notoriously stodgy species known as the European man; David Beckham? For the brave few, maybe.

For the others, maybe Fire Fighter Jim Melius can give them what he is best known for – a good stand by crew- to at least try some new things that could take him out of the baggy-pants big-shirt rut, men’s fashion experts say….shave the head!

RTFD Hat to hide the mop……..$10.00.

Complete set of razors………….$75.00

Battalion Chief Ellsworth and Captain Kabler shave your head ……Priceless

We wanted to hear from you on what you think about a news event or certain incident. Feel free to leave a comment at the end of each event or incident narrative that is posted to the site. Click the comment section and speak your mind. We will monitor comments before we do post them on the website for everyone to review….yes positive or negative! Enjoy

The evening of September 9th the RTFD headed to Payless Shoes located on the strip of Scalp Avenue for our weekly in-house training program. The RTFD was giving the opportunity to utilize this facility until it is demolished for other opportunities. Tonight we focused on throwing ladders as well as stabalization while working with the air struts inside the building. Two groups where split up as one practiced throwing ladders and placing roof ladders in place. Along with the ladders operations we also reviewed operations on HVAC units. On the inside, we set up box cribbing and air struts to work with a building collapse scenario. As we finished up, we had the complete group discuss and review our lockout and tag out tools and procedures. Good job to everyone who attended the training.

As we say…fires come in three’s. Well they did for the RTFD in the early morning of Tuesday the 9th. It started at 0430 hours and finished off around 0830 hours. Pretty good work out for all crews who where involved for that short period of time. Everyone who was involved did an outstanding job at all three…good job! See below for narratives..

Still at our second fire of the early morning, the RTFD went out to assist Windber Fire for a well off building fire located on Louella Drive in Paint Township. Engine 2 (R. Heffelfinger) responded, just as Engine 1 clearing the automatic fire alarm, they went on the air as well. Engine 1 arrived with Engine 2 just directly behind them to a two story building with heavy fire on the second and first floor. With the amount of fire and age of the building command made the decision to start working the fire from the outside. Engine 1 handled the water supply to Windber’s engine to start putting the bulk of the fire out from the exterior end with placing two 1-3/4″ and a 2-1/2″ line in service. Engine 1 stayed on scene until majority of the fire was extinguished while working with Windber’s engine and Central City’s tanker. All RTFD units where placed back into service with the exception of Engine 1 who remained on the scene.

Just after all units where just backed in at 1321 Scalp Ave. communications gave us a second working fire located at Old Wallsal Road with a report of a garage on fire. Again, Car 3-1 and the Truck, Engine 1 & 2 went out within mere seconds of the call. Car 3-1 arrived with a working fire with the Truck and Engine 2 directly behind command. The Truck pulled a line with Engine 2 pulling a secondline to put a good knock on the fire. Engine 1 was to tag the plug and bring in the water supply. As crews just started to go to work, a third call came in for an automatic fire alarm located at Ponderosa Steakhouse (a location known when heavy storms hit the area). Command placed Company 8 (Geistown) on the call along with Engine 1, once they finished their operations on the garage fire. Just as crews from the Truck and Engine 2 started to handle overhaul, communications sent out a third fire to company 611 (Windber). See above narrative

In the early morning of September 9th at 0430 hours the RTFD went out to a report of a building fire located at the Arbutus Manor apartments located on Ottawa Street. The Duty Chief (Ellsworth) and Truck 3-1 (Lt T. Shaffer) went out within minutes of the call with communications giving the update as a working fire in the roof area. A full house response went out bringing both Engine 1 & 2, Rescue 3-1, Tower 3-1 as well as Squad 3-1 just behind the Truck’s response. Car 3-1 arrived on the scene with the report of a working fire and had Truck 3-1 postion at the address to start the evacuation process. Between the maintence employee and the crew from the Truck, evacuation was completed within seconds. Engine 1 arrived shortly after and handled the water supply to Truck 3-1. Crews placed one line in service to put a quick knock on the fire with a second line being pulled as a backup. The roof was opened up to gain access to the cockloft area to check for any extension. Company 84 (St. Micheal) handled RIT operations and set up at side Alpha near the Truck. Rescue handled lighting and the utilites as well as the overhaul of the facility. All RTFD units went back to service with the exception of Squad 3-1 who assisted the Fire Marshal with the investigation.

At 1642 hours the RTFD went out for a report of an auto on fire in the area of Scalp Ave. and Eisenhower Blvd. Engine 1 (Lt. Shaffer) went out within seconds for the report and the update was given by communications that the correct address was 1390 Eisenhower Blvd. with Richland PD arriving on the scene with a well off older style Z28 Camero on fire. The engine placed the front bumper line in service to put a quick knock on the fire. The Engine and the Rescue stayed on scene for traffic control and debris cleanup while Richland PD handled their investigation.