At 15:14 hours, units were alerted to 6100 Westchester Park Drive (Company 14) for the apartment fire. Truck/Squad 14 arrived on the scene with normal conditions. Engine 94 and Truck 9 (10 Men) arrived behind Engine 35 and were sent to the fire floor to assist. While positioning on side "C" of the building, the crew was met by building representatives reporting a fire in apartment 1017. The 8 man crew climbed the 10 flights and met up with the crews from 14 and 35. Company 14 and Truck 9 gained access and began a search, while Engine 94 stretched there high rise pack to the fire apartment. Crews found a room off in the back and quickly had it knocked down. Command (Chief 14A) after 30 minutes of work, held units from 14, 35 and 9 for overhaul. Units from Bladensburg were ready at 1700 hours.

On Tuesday March 2, 2010 at 1122 hours Mrs. Steve (Angel) Faulkner gave birth to a beautiful baby boy.  Tristan James Faulkner entered this world weighing in at 7 lbs and 13 oz measuring 19" long.

Tristan and his Mother are doing well, as they have been released from the hospital to rest comfortably at home.  We wish Mom the best of luck with two boys to raise, both of which we know will be competing for attention.

Shortly before 2100 hours, units were alerted to the area of Kenilworth Avenue and Lydell Road for the accident. The accident started at Lydell Road and ended up in the 3300 block of Kenilworth Avenue. Units from 22 and 9 arrived on the scene of a two car crash, with one vehicle on fire. After checking the cars, a total of three occupants were found trapped. Rescue Squad's 33 and 1 worked on both of the vehicles, while the Engine and Truck crew assisted on various tasks on the scene. All three patients were taken to local Trauma centers for there injuries.

Units from Company 9 cleared the scene 2140 hours.

The Bladensburg Volunteers along with the Ladies Auxiliary held their 88th annual awards banquet.  This years banquet was dedicated to the Ayres family.  This family combined, has over 300 years in the volunteer service between Bladensburg and Anne Arundel Company 7.  We congratulate their very dedicated, entire family oriented public service to the communities which they serve.  It is this very dedication, which makes us all proud of the brotherhood and sisterhood of which we share.

 We would also like to thank the many guests that attended, among them the Honorable Walter James – Mayor of Bladensburg with his wife and daughter, the Honorable Adam Ortiz – Mayor of Town of Edmonston, House Delegate – Jolene Ivey, Mr. William Smith – President PGCVFRA, Ms. Jennifer Gheen – President LAPGCVFRA, Bladensburg Co-Administrators – Chief John Moss and CEO Tim McNamara, Sheriff – Michael Jackson, Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Fire Chief – Chief Eugene Jones and Lt. Colonel Angela Peden and Mr. Chris Cunningham – representing Police and Firemen’s Insurance Association to present special Valor awards.

AWARDS of VALOR were presented to Fireman Kyle Schultz and Fireman William Jones for their rescues made in July of 2009. 

 UNIT CITATIONS were also presented to the Engine and Truck crews operating on the same call.

FIREFIGHTER of the YEAR award went to Fireman Keith Tickle, ROOKIE of the YEAR – Fireman Kyle Schultz, Most Drills of the Year – Fireman Brad Polizzi, EMS Rookie of the Year – Travis Filmore, EMS Person of the Year – Lt. Dawn Breakall.

Top Runner for Fire was Fireman Brad Polizzi with over 1,600 calls and Top Runner for EMS was EMT Melinda Bell with over 1,100 EMS calls.

We thank the men and women who make it all happen.  Many hours of personal sacrifice coupled with loving devotion and disciplined dedication by those mentioned above and so, so many more, is what makes Bladensburg, an all Volunteer department providing both fire and EMS service over 6000 times per year, in an extremely busy metropolitan urban combination department the greatest company in the Nation.

2009 Video in Media Center

At 0852 hours, Truck 9 and surrounding departments were alerted to 3212 Toledo Place for the apartment fire with people trapped. Units from 1 arrived on the scene with smoke showing and command requested the second alarm. Engine 94 was alerted to the scene first due on the second and assisted the Truck Company. The 9 man crew laddered the building, set up RIC duties and did patient care on two rescued occupants. Engine 1 pulled an adult male and a child from the fire apartment. Both patients were transported to MED-STAR for treatment. Units on the scene had the fire under control in about 15 minutes. Command released the units from 9 around 1000 hours.

Around 2030 hours, units were alerted to the area of Addison Road and Martin Luther King Highway for the house fire. Engine 38 arrived on the scene of a single story with smoke showing. Truck 9 (5 Men) arrived and positioned on side "C" of the house and went to work. Crews threw ladders, opened the roof and completed the secondary search. Interior crews found a kitchen off and quickly had it out. Command held the units from 38, 8, and 9 for overhaul. Truck 9 cleared the scene at 2200 hours.

At 1011 hours, units were alerted to 3209 Rhode Island Avenue for the apartment fire. With all the Career stations at Company 1 for a drill, that put Engine/Truck 9 first due. Units from 9 (with 9 men) arrived on the scene of a three story taxpayer with nothing showing. While stretching a line to the top floor, crews quickly found it to be a working fire. The crew forced entry into apartment 34 and found a fire in a closet and extension to the living room. Additional crews found fire in the floor and walls in the adjacent apartment. It took interior crews about 15 minutes to control the fire.

Crews did pull an elderly man from the second floor. He was packaged up and transported to PG Hospital. Command requested a fire task force to the scene for additional help. D.C.F.D. Truck 4 also got to do a little work on the scene, assisting with overhaul. Company cleared the scene at 1217 hours.

Friday afternoon, the Riverdale Volunteer Fire Department was faced with the same situation many other Departments have seen... the Engine company placed out of service. For the last year, many departments have been placed out of service for days and days, due to no reserve apparatus. After calling around for an hour with no luck, Company 7 called us to see if we had a wagon they could use till the Seagrave was finished at the shop. With Engine 94 and Truck 9 in service, we decided to loan them our own reserve engine (93) for the weekend. These kinds of actions are what keeps the Volunteers going strong.

At 2345 hours, Engine & Truck 9 were alerted to 4508 Russell Avenue for the house fire. With a small fire working in the sixth battalion, some of the closest units were tied up. Engine 9 was running as second due and the Truck second due. Engine 55 and Truck 1 arrived on the scene of a two story single family with fire showing from the rear. Units from 9 arrived shortly after and were assigned to work on side "C" of the house. Interior crews found fire on both divisions of the house. Between Trucks 9 and 1, eight ground ladders and two roof cuts were completed. It took all firefighters on the scene around 45 minutes to bring the fire under control. Units from 9 eventually made it inside and completed secondary searches and 90 minutes of overhaul on the house. Company 9 cleared the scene at 0247 hours.

At 1440 hours, Truck 9 and other units were alerted to 3024 Brightseat Road for the apartment fire. Truck 9 with 6 men responded as the third due special service. Engine Company 33 arrived on the scene of a three story garden apartment with smoke showing. Truck 9 arrived on the scene and were assigned to search and open up division 2. Interior crews completed those tasks, while the vent crew threw 4 ground ladders and placed the stick to the top floor. Interior crews found fire from a utility closet, with extension to the apartment beside and above the fire unit. All crews completed there assigned tasks and command started releasing units at 1530 hours.

Ambulance 98 ran the fire as the "working fire dispatch" ambulance, while Engine 94 was sent to fill Company 33. All units from 9 were back in quarters around 1700 hours.

At 0238 hours, Engine 94 and Ambulance 98 were alerted to the 3500 block of 52nd Avenue for the crash. units arrived on the scene, finding a two car crash with the passenger trapped. Both crews started patient care until the arrival of Squad 22. Ambulance 98 packaged up the second patient and transported to PG Trauma center. Engine 94 and Squad 22 removed the roof and passenger side of the vehicle to free the patient. The extrication took less than 10 minutes and units went in service at 0315 hours.

Shortly after 2200 hours, units were alerted to Rt. 50 near Kenilworth Avenue for the accident. Engine 94 arrived on the scene with a single car on it's side and the two occupants trapped. Engine 94 and Squad 22 used "J" hooks and chains to secure the vehicle to the guard rail. Truck 9 set up a ladder and lowering system to pull the patients up the hill once extricated. Both patients were removed from the vehicle with-in 15 minutes of arrival. Ambulance 98 assisted with patient care and both units cleared the scene at 2300 hours.

It has been four days since snow has fell across the area. The call volume and road conditions are almost back to normal. Besides some of the side streets, all roads are finally passable. From the start of the snow on the 5th until Friday the 12th, Company took in a total of 256 calls for service. Two small fires for the Engine Company. A room off in Hyattsville and a partial roof collapse with fire in Forestville.

Engine Company- 87

Truck Company- 40

Ambulance- 129

Once again, thanks to all the members who assisted getting the rigs out during the storms.

Well the weather forecast was actually correct this time. Between 20 and 30 inches of snow fell across the Washington Metro area this weekend. A total of 12 Volunteers staffed the station from Friday morning until late Sunday night. Crews took in 92 emergency and non-emergency calls during the storm.

The Engine Company handled 34 calls. From wires down, medical locals and a couple box alarms. The furthest run the Engine took in was 4th due on a 29 box on Curtis Drive. Late Saturday night, they responded to a CO emergency with 6 sick occupants. The residents were using a generator inside and the crew found over 200 PPM inside the house. With a EMS task-force and Hummer 26, all occupants were transported to Baltimore for treatment.

The Truck Company handled 18 calls. Seven box alarms and the rest were medical emergencies and wires down. No fires for the Truck Men this weekend, however they enjoyed getting out of the station running calls.

And the Ambulance took in 39 calls. At the start of the storm the call volume was not to bad. By Sunday morning, 11 Ambulances were OOS and our response area grew in size. Ambulance 98 took in calls as far away as Ritchie, Chillum Adelphi and Capitol Heights. The Ambulance did however run two priority 4 patients early Sunday morning. They were believed to be in there car the entire snowstorm.

Crews also used several 4x4 vehicles and two snowmobiles during the storm. Several patients had to be taken by sled and 4x4 to awaiting Ambulances on the main roads.

The Bladensburg Fire Department would like to thank all members who assisted during the storm. Also a big thanks to United Rentals for the usage of a front end loader. The loader worked out alot better than the F-250 did. It didn't loose it's transmission.

Shortly after 1600 hours, Engine and Truck 9 with 10 men were alerted to 6124 54th Avenue for the house. Engine 7 arrived on the scene of a two story single, with smoke showing from the second floor. Engine 94 arrived on the scene and picked up 7's supply line. The crew stretched a back up line to Division 2. Truck 9 arrived on the scene and the interior crew searched, opened up and handled the utilities. While the exterior crew laddered the house and vented. Interior crews from 7 and 9 located a small fire on Division 2 and handled it pretty quick. BC-4 held Engine 7 and Truck 9 for overhaul.

Company cleared the scene at 1715 hours.