Today was another busy one for the Volunteers of Bladensburg. A total of 20 runs were logged in by the Engine and Truck. While another 8 for the Ambulance.

At 1100 hours, Truck 9 was alerted to 5003 Leroy Gorham Drive (38) for the house on fire. Engine 38 arrived on the scene with fire showing. Truck 9 was dispatched 3rd due special service, but arrived on the scene second and positioned in the rear. Crews from 38 and Tower 33 located a stove fire and quickly put it out. Chief 38 held one and one at the 10 minute mark.

At 1645 hours, minutes after putting up a second crew, Truck 9 was alerted 3rd due special service to 7601 Oxman Road (33) for the house fire. Engine and Rescue Engine 33 arrived on the scene with smoke showing. Truck 9 arrived on the scene and was assigned 2nd due duties. The 6 man crew checked the exposure and assisted in various other duties before returning at 1730 hours. The Engine Company transferred to Company 33 and took in 9 runs, including the next fire.

At 1822 hours, the house assignment was sounded for fire in the walls at 7719 Penbrook Place (33). This brought Engine 94 (2nd due) and Truck 9 (3rd due) to the scene with 9 Volunteers. Engine 33 arrived on the scene with nothing showing, but quickly located fire in the master bedroom walls. Engine 94 stretched a back up line and stood fast. The fire was out with-in 3 minutes of arrival, and Command held the units from 33, 9 and 37 for overhaul. Company cleared the scene at 1852 hours.

Bladensburg Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad, Inc. will hold its 90th annual banquet on Saturday February 25th, 2012.  The banquet will be hosted by the Greenbelt Marriott on Ivy Lane, Greenbelt MD.

Happy Hour will be from 6:00 to 7:00 PM, with a buffet style meal served at 7:00 PM.  Our annual awards presentations will be conducted after the meal followed by dancing and socializing.  Members, if you plan to attend you must sign the sign up sheet at the station or email Val Cherrico at cherrico7@msn.com.  Deadline is February 11th, 2012.  If you would like to reserve a room at the Marriott you can do so by calling 1-800-228-9290 and reference the FD banquet.  Hope to see all members there for a great time, celebration and continued support our personnel still handling the day to day operations and responses.

Just before 1800 hours, the 35 box was dispatched for a fire in the basement laundry room of the Greenbelt Marriott. Company 14 arrived on scene shortly after, reporting nothing evident and that they would be investigating. Upon locating the basement laundry room, they located a large industrial dryer in the basement that was on fire. Due to the size of the building, Truck 9 was special called to the scene to assist units. The truck arrived on scene and positioned on side alpha next to Truck 14 and went to work. After completing various tasks, including removing smoke from the large high rise, Truck 9 was released by command just before 1900 hours.

At 1554 hours, Engine 94 and Truck 9 were dispatched on a 55 Box to 3933 Bladensburg Road, the Colmar Manor Burger King, for a building on fire. Units arrived on the scene moments later with nothing evident, but upon further investigation located a moderate smoke condition in the kitchen. Truck Co. 9 began opening up on the inside, locating fire in the duct work and HVAC unit. With Company 55 having a line inside, Engine 94 was directed to stretch a line to the roof via Truck Co. 9 to extinguish the bulk to the fire. Companies continued to open up and extinguish fire until the fire was brought under control. Command held comapnies 9, 55, and 7 to further overhaul until the units cleared at 1633. 

At 1055 hours, Engine 94 was alerted first due to 5802 Annapolis for the apartment fire. Crews arrived on the scene with normal conditions from the exterior. After checking the reported apartment, it was determined to be on the sixth floor. Crews found an odor of food and started to search. Once the apartment was located, the crews found a small kitchen fire, and a priority 4 patient from burns. The fire was quickly extuinguished and Command held Engine 94 and Tower Ladder 33 to assist the 1500 cars. Units cleared the scene at 1342 hours. Chief 9B had the Annapolis Road Command.

Around 1500 hours, units were alerted to 83 Regents Drive for the building fire. Units from 12 arrived on the scene with a room off on the second floor. While the crews were working, Truck 9 was alerted to fill Company 12. While enroute, Command requested an additional special service to assist Engine 7 with the RIC team. The Truck crew arrived on the scene and stood fast for 45 minutes before being released. Company cleared the scene at 1610 hours.

At 0216 hours, the box alarm was sounded for the house on fire at 3616 Gramby Street. Engine's 93, 94 and the Truck Company responded to the call as the Third and Fourth due Engines and Second due Truck Company. Engine and Tower Ladder 33 arrived on the scene with smoke showing. Company 9 arrived on the scene and established water supply on side "A" of the house. The crew stretched two lines in the house backing up Engine 33. Crews found fire in several rooms and had it knocked with-in five minutes. The Truck crew threw several ladders and assisted opening up.

With no extension, Command scaled the incident back and the units from 9 were ready for service at 0310 hours.

At 1031 hours, Communications dropped the box for the apartment fire at 4313 57th Avenue. Engine 94 (7 Men) arrived on the scene with nothing evident from the street. After gaining entry into the building, the men were greeted by heavy smoke from apartment 5. The crew stretched the crosslay in and found a kitchen off with extension. Rescue Engine 33 was the first arriving special service and assisted in the fire apartment. Engine 28 checked the floor above for extension, which was negative. Engine 94 had the fire knocked with-in 5 minutes and with all the searches coming up negative, Command (Chief 9) held the units from Bladensburg and Kentland for overhaul. Company cleared the scene at 1137 hours.

At 0442 hours, Engines 94 and 93(372) were alerted to 5322 Taylor Road for the house on fire. Both Engines with 11 Men arrived behind Engine 7 with a garage off in the rear. Engine 7 started an attack on the fire, while Engine 94 checked exposures. With no extension, Engine 94 worked the back up line, assisting in hitting hot spots. After 20 minutes of work, Command (Chief 7B) held two and two for overhaul. Engine Company cleared the scene at 0545 hours.

At 0153 hours, Engine 93 was alerted to EB Rt. 50 near Kenilworth Avenue for the accident with one trapped. Units arrived on the scene of a two car crash with people trapped in both cars. The Engine crew assisted with operations and stretched a protection line for the Squads.  Rescue Engine 33 worked on one car, while Rescue Squad 1 worked on the other. All occupants were transported to local Trauma centers. Engine 93 cleared the scene at 0259 hours.

James "Barney" Grusholt is called to answer the highest alarm.  Barney, as he was know to all of us, was born on October 26, 1936 at Sibley Hospital in Washington DC.  In August of 1955 he married the love of his life, Mary Ann.  They moved to Bladensburg, buying a house on Edmonston Road.

Barney joined the Bladensburg Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad, Inc. in 1960.  He enjoyed volunteering and the comradity  of his friends.  Over the years he served faithfully as a driver and respectfully as the fire departments President and Vice President. 

He became a life member at Bladensburg, where he remained in good standings and attended all the meetings faithfully up till about a year ago, when health issues started to catch up.  Our prayers are with Family and Friends.

There will be a memorial service at Brinsfield-Echols Funeral Home located at 30195 Three Notch Rd in Charlotte Hall, MD on Saturday December 17, 2011.  General Visitation will be from 1pm to 3pm with a small service at 3pm.  For more information:

http://www.brinsfieldfuneral.com/obituaries/dsp_files/dsp_viewobit.cfm?obit_ID=4175

With two of our three pumpers out of service for repairs, we contacted Company 37 to see if we could borrow a pumper until we got one back. The Volunteers at Ritchie loaned us Engine 372 until our pumper is repaired. The Officers and Members would like to thank Company 37.

With a house fire working in Takoma Park, Engine 93 was alerted at 0217 hours to fill Station 2. The crew filled for three hours before being released. During the fill, the Engine crew was alerted to 116 University Blvd. for the building fire. The crew arrived on the scene with a fire on the roof. The 5 man crew established the RIC team and stood fast for 40 minutes before being released.

At 2057 hours, the box was sounded for fire coming from the house at 5015 54th Avenue in the "Rogers Heights" section of the first due. Engine's 93 and 94, the Ambulance and Chief responded to the scene with 14 Volunteers. Engine 93 arrived on the scene of a two story single, with fire showing from the top floor.

The Wagon crew forced entry and stretched a crosslay up the steps. The Pumper stretched a back-up line behind them and both crews were met with fire at the top of the steps. Crews started a primary search and knocking the fire. With-in 5 minutes, the Engine's had the room and hallway knocked down and the primary was negative. At the 30 minute mark, Command started releasing units. Engine Company 9 and Trucks 1 and 7 finished up overhaul.

Ambulance 99 ran the fire on the working fire dispatch. Chief 9 had the "54th Avenue" Command. Company cleared the scene at midnight.

At 1330 hours, Engines 93 and 94 were alerted to 2917 52nd Avenue for the investigation of the train. Both Engines and the A-Chief arrived on the scene of a single train car off the tracks, leaking diesel fuel. A box alarm was sounded to the scene, until all hazards could be checked out.

The crew checked on injuries and the fuel leaking. With only a small leak, Command scaled the incident back to Company 9 and the haz-mat companies. Company 9 cleared the scene in an hour.