At 0539 hours, as the banquet was winding down, the stand by crews were alerted for a reported Hazmat Box for fire coming from a gas station at 5900 Seat Pleasant Dr. Engine 331, Tower Ladder 33 and Mini Pumper 33 responded on the run with 13 volunteers. Units were advised enroute that there was a report of someone trapped inside the gas station and that a suspect had fled the scene. Units from 8 (Seat Pleasant) and 38 (Chapel Oaks) arrived soon after on the scene of a 1 story gas station with fire showing. Engine 331 arrived 3rd due and stretched a line to the rear of the building as Tower Ladder 33 took their position on the Bravo – Charlie corner. As part of the Tower crew worked to remove a chain link fence to position the Tower, the interior team forced entry on several sides of the reinforced cashier’s office. Once entry was made the crews worked quickly to search for the reported trapped occupant. As conditions deteriorated and became untenable for any victim that may have been present, crews were backed out for a defensive attack. All primary searching proved negative as the Tower Ladder bucket went into service and the Engine Company knocked down fire from the A-alpha side. Soon after the fire was knocked down it was discovered that the missing employee had fled the station as well and finally contacted the owners via telephone. Crews worked for over an hour mopping up and hitting hot spots before returning to service. The Tower repositioned to Side Delta to assist with the last of the hot spots. In all, the Kentland Volunteers on this run accounted for 274 years of combined firefighting experience for an average of 21 years per volunteer. A special thanks to all those members who helped out during the awards banquet.

Around 0900 hours, the box alarm was transmitted for the house on fire at 812 Booker Place in Chapel Oaks, Maryland. Tower Ladder 33 responded on the run with a total of six volunteers. Within minutes, Tower Ladder 33 and Engine Company 38 (Chapel Oaks VFD) arrived with a two-story duplex and fire showing from the second floor sides "C" and "D". The interior team made entry and began searching the fire area as Engine Company 38's crew stretched in. The exterior team placed ladders to sides "A" and "D", performed VES to the front bedrooms, ventilated, and opened-up the roof area. Fire involved a bedroom area, hallway and attic. The bulk of the fire was extinguished within five minutes. All searches proved negative and Command held Companies 33 and 38 for the remainder of the incident. Tower Ladder 33 returned to service within two-hours. Volunteers from Company 33 maintained two additional crews during the incident.

At 2102 hours, box alarm 08-01 was transmitted for the house on fire at 6204 Addison Road in Seat Pleasant, Maryland. The assignment consisted of Engine Companies 8, 5, 38 and 17, Truck Companies 26, 22 and Rescue Squad 33. Rescue Squad 33 responded on the run with a total of six volunteers. Engine Company 8 and Chief 8B arrived a short time after the initial dispatch to find a two-story single family house and smoke showing from the front. Rescue Squad 33 arrived just after Truck Company 26 and was put to work searching division 2. The crew ventilated in the process. After the searches proved negative, Rescue Squad 33 returned to service. Chief 8B had the "Addison Road" Command.

Around 1545 hours, the street alarm (two Engine Companies and one Ladder Company) was transmitted for an odor of smoke at 3028 Brightseat Road in Kentland. Engine Company and Tower Ladder 33 responded on the run with 11 volunteers. Rescue Squad 33 with an additional five volunteers was relocated to Morningside VFD, Company 27 while they operated on a basement fire in Clinton, Maryland. Engine Company 33 arrived on the scene, laid a supply line in from 3040 Brightseat Road and reported a three-story brick apartment house and nothing showing. The crew stretched the 250-foot pre-connect and noticed a strong odor in the common stairwell. Tower Ladder 33 arrived and began laddering side "A" and the interior team proceeded to the Engine's location. Upon making entry into apartment 304, smoke was to the floor and it was apparent that there was a fire located within. The crews proceeded into the apartment and located a bathroom off in the back of the unit. The fire was extinguished quickly. Tower Ladder 33's interior crew began a search and ventilated the apartment. The crew also checked for extension in the attic with negative results. Command held Company 33 units after approx. 10 minutes.

Just before 2100 hours Rescue Squad 33 was alerted for the report of a collapse investigation with a car into a bridge in the area of Kenilworth Ave and Lydell Rd. Rescue Squad 33 responded with 4 volunteer on the run. First arriving units from 22 (Cheverly) and 9 (Bladensburg) reported the corrected location to be in the 3300 Blk of Kenilworth Ave, and they now had a 2 car collision with 3 people trapped and 1 on fire. Rescue Squad 33 arrived shortly after and went to work sizing up the task ahead and stabilizing the vehicles. The passenger and driver of the first car were trapped and the passenger was pinned by the dash. The second vehicles driver was also trapped but with minor injuries. Understanding the amount of entrapment in the first vehicle a second squad was requested to work with the second vehicle while Rescue Squad 33 began working on the first car. The driver of the first car was quickly removed with a door pop to allow the crew better access to the pinned victim. Chief 33 and 33A arrived on the scene and took over the Rescue Group and assisted with the work to be done. The passenger side door was then removed to gain access to the passengers trapped extremities. Crews worked slowly while communicating with the pinned victim as her legs and feet could not be seen due to the wreckage. The volunteers pushed and spread the demolished car with a multitude of tools and techniques as they were careful not to force metal down on the victim. Once the victims leg area was visible it was found that her feet were severely pinned by the front wall and motor area. Crews again worked slowly to lift the mangled wreck from the entangled feet and free the victim. With the dash and motor area lifted from the patient and seat belts cut, the patient was removed to awaiting EMS. While this extrication was taking place Rescue Squad 1 (Hyattsville) removed 2 doors and a b-post on the second vehicle, freeing that victim as well. All companies on the call worked quickly and efficiently together in the face of a very chaotic situation to accomplish the goal. Units returned to service in about 45 minutes. 

At 1547 hours the collapse assignment was dispatched for a report of a car into a home at 2429 Vermont Ave. in the first due. Engine 331, Rescue Squad 33, Chief 33, 33B and President 33 responded on the run with 13 volunteers. Units arrived on the scene to find one vehicle that had run into the front of the brick town home with damage to the structure. All occupants were evacuated from the home, however no injuries were reported. The Rescue Squad controlled the utilities to the building as the Collapse Team from 22 (Cheverly) inspected the building. The building was condemned and Rescue Squad 33 remained on scene to await the Red Cross and the Gas Company. Units returned a short time later.  

Just after returning from another reported house fire, box alarm 08-09 was transmitted for the house on fire at #13 Gentry Lane in Seat Pleasant, Maryland. Tower Ladder 33 responded as the second due special service on the alarm with six volunteers. Engine Company 8 was the first unit to arrive and reported a one-story detached home and smoke showing. Tower Ladder 33 arrived and was assigned the first due special service responsibilities. The interior crew proceeded in with the first due Engine Company and began a search of the fire area. While this was being completed, the fire was located in an addition on the rear of the original home. The exterior team laddered the home, ventilated and controlled utilities. The bulk of the fire was extinguished within minutes and after approx. 15 minutes, Command continued to have Engine Companies 8, 37, Tower Ladder 33 and Truck Company 26 operated. Tower Ladder 33 returned to service within two-hours.

Around 2000 hours, the box alarm was transmitted for the house on fire in the 5900 block of Martin Luther King Highway in Seat Pleasant, Maryland. The assignment consisted of Engine Companies 38, 33, 37, 26 and 17, Truck Companies 22, 9 and Rescue Squad 8. Engine Company 33 arrived just seconds after Engine Company 38, secured their (38's) water supply and stretched a back-up line to side "A". At the front door, Rescue Squad 8 was forcing entry through an iron security door and inward swinging pedestrian doorway. Smoke was showing in the front and fire from the rear. Once entry was made, Engine Company 33 located fire in two back rooms with extension into the attic. The bulk of the fire was extinguished within minutes and companies began to open-up. Chief 33 was assigned as the division one supervisor. Chief 33A was assigned in the same area to assist. Kentland Volunteers operated for approx. one and a half hours before returning to service. Battalion Chief 1 (Ware) had Command.

At 2200 hours, the rescue assignment was transmitted for the vehicle accident with one trapped in the area of Eastern Avenue and 59th Avenue. Units arrived to find one vehicle on its roof and the driver trapped inside. Upon the arrival of Rescue Squad 33, the crew began stabilizing the vehicle utilizing the Paratech Struts and then proceeded to remove the entire driver side. This process took less than 10 minutes and the patient was transported to a local trauma center. Due to the location of this incident, a full box alarm was transmitted by the District of Columbia Fire Department simultaneously. They had received reports that a car had collided with a home and was on fire. As this was not the case those units either assisted units from Prince George's County or returned to service. Rescue Squad 33 returned to service within 30 minutes.

Just after 0800 hours, the box alarm was transmitted for a fire in the building at 4600 Boston Way in Glenn Dale. Engine Company and Tower Ladder 33 responded on the run with eight volunteers. Within minutes, Engine Company 33 arrived with a one-story brick commercial building and smoke showing. The crew stretched the 400-foot pre-connect into the warehouse area to find two large paper recycling machines on fire. Tower Ladder 33 arrived, began to opened up the building, performed a search and opened up the machinery involved. The fire was quickly contained and Command continued to hold Engine Company 33, Rescue Engine 18, Tower Ladder 33 and Quint 22. This was the fourth time in the past several months that a fire occured at this facility. Kentland Volunteers returned to service within an hour and fifteen minutes.

Around 1500 hours, a box alarm was transmitted for the building on fire at 13009 Mistletoe Springs Road in Laurel, Maryland. First alarm units arrived on the scene with smoke showing from a three-story, end of the row, garden apartment building. Within minutes, fire began to run the roof line and attic. At the seven minute mark, the second alarm was transmitted, followed by the third alarm. Rescue Squad 33 responded as the Rescue Company on the third alarm with four volunteers. Upon arrival, Command put the crew to work as the rapid intervention group. Truck Company 6 (Savage) from the Howard County Fire/Rescue Department worked with Rescue Squad 33 and began to survey the two buildings involved in fire. Within 15 minutes, Command relieved Rescue Squad 33 of their RIT responsibilities and put them to work on the top floor of the original fire building. The crew opened-up walls and ceilings finding several areas with fire and hot spots. The crew continued to work on extinguishing extension for approx. one-hour. Rescue Squad 33 returned to service at approx. 1800 hours. Company 33 maintained an additional Engine and Tower Ladder crew in quarters to protect the metropolitan Kentland area. Those crews took in an additional box alarm and numerous other local alarm runs.

At 1440 hours, a box alarm was transmitted for the building on fire at 3024 Brightseat Road in Kentland. Engine Company 33, first due on the alarm responded with six volunteers. Upon arrival, Engine Company 33 secured their own water supply and reported smoke showing from the second floor. The crew quickly stretched the 250-foot pre-connect and headed toward the common stairwell. Once on the second floor, the crew located fire in a utility room with a good amount of extension into two adjoining apartments. The lineman extinguished all fire as the other members began opening up the effected area. Other companies began to arrive and were sent to the upper floor and attic area to check for extension. The search proved negative and Command continued to hold Engine Company 33 and the Special Service Units. Kentland Volunteers returned to service at 1632 hours.

At 0152 hours, the rescue assignment was transmitted for a vehicle accident with one trapped on the inner loop of I-495, north of Ritchie-Marlboro Road. Engine Company and Rescue Squad 33 responded on the run with 11 volunteers. Companies arrived to find the same as reported and quickly went to work. Stabilization efforts were completed and then the roof was flapped downward to free the trapped driver. The process took just over five minutes. The patient was transported to a local hospital. Company 33 units returned to service within 25 minutes.

At 1139 hours, a box alarm was transmitted for the house on fire in the 9600 block of Underwood Street in the Seabrook section of Lanham, Maryland. Due to the streets being nearly impassable, it took everything responding companies had to make it to the scene. Most roads in the surrounding neighborhood were still untouched by plows. Tower Ladder 33 and Chief 33 responded on the run with five volunteers, leaving an additional crew in quarters for the Engine Company. Engine Company 48 and Battalion Chief 2 (Keller) arrived on the scene with a two-story, detached, split foyer home and smoke showing from the attic area. Tower Ladder 33 arrived and was assigned the first due special service responsibilities and went to work accordingly. The outside team began to place ladders and ventilate as the inside team began opening up for the Engine Company on divisions 1 and 2. Truck Company 14 also trucked through the deep snow with numerous ladders and placed them in the rear. Their crew also assisted with opening up the numerous void spaces in the home. Fire was found in the first floor kitchen walls and throughout the entire attic. Chief 33 was assigned as the Division 2 supervisor. Units operated for approx. 30 minutes before the incident was scaled back to two engines and Tower Ladder 33.

Starting around the noon hour on February 5th, a snow storm carrying record amounts of precipitation moved into the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. With 10 volunteers staffing Company 33, preparations were made for what was expected to be a busy upcoming days. By Saturday morning February 6th, over a foot of snow was already on the ground and continuing to fall at a rate of one to two inches per-hour. As midnight approached on that same day, over twenty inches of snow had accumulated. But, the storm was far from over, as another storm dumped an equal amount just two days later. During this period of time, the dedicated volunteer membership of Company 33 responded to 229 individual responses. The busiest day was Sunday February 7th, 2010 with a total of 47 individual incidents. Individual incidents meaning the number of times Firehouse 33 was alerted for a response, regardless of how many units went on the call. During the storm, members responded to a wide range of incidents. From working fires to EMS runs and collapsed commercial buildings. At one point the Engine Company was running first due to areas of Prince George's County that they are normally a third alarm company. Because there were so many note worthy incidents a number of photographs were taken to document the conditions members faced. They are attached to this article with descriptions. The Kentland Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. would like to thanks all of the members that gave their time to help the Greater Landover community. RUN TOTALS: Friday February 5th, 2010 - 24 Runs Saturday February 6th, 2010 - 37 Runs Sunday February 7th, 2010 - 47 Runs Monday February 8th, 2010 - 27 Runs Tuesday February 9th, 2010 - 41 Runs Wednesday February 10th, 2010 - 20 Runs Thursday February 11th, 2010 - 33 Runs