Newsletter

Thursday, January 26, 2012  As members from Company 33 were still picking-up from Oxman Road, an additional box alarm for a reported house on fire was transmitted at 7719 Penbrook Place in Palmer Park, MD. The original assignment consisted of units transferred (covering) to Company 33 and surrounding stations. Once the assignment was dispatched Engine Company, Tower Ladder and Chief 33 added to the run. Just moments after the initial dispatch, Engine Company 33 reported a one-story, semi-detached (duplex) and nothing showing. Truck Company 37, Engine Company 9 and Tower Ladder 33 arrived next and simultaneously. As crews moved into place, Chief 33 arrived on the scene and established command. As crews made their way into the home, smoke conditions presented themselves. Outside truck crews began to ventilate and it was found that there was a fire in a back bedroom. Engine Company 33 quickly extinguished the fire and interior truck crews performed searches. Within five minutes, the incident was scaled back to Company 33 and Truck Company 37. At the 10 minute mark Company 33 was held for the duration of the incident. Volunteers returned to service within 45 minutes and responded to a inside gas leak before returning to quarters.

Thursday, January 26, 2012   At approx. 1700 hours, the box alarm was transmitted for the house on fire at 7601 Oxman Road in Palmer Park, Maryland. This brought Engine Company 33 (first due), Rescue Engine 33 (second due), Mini-Pumper 33 and Chief 33 with a total of 14 volunteers. Rescue Engine 33 was clearing the fuel pump in the same area and arrived first to find a one-story, semi-detached (duplex) with smoke showing. Engine Company and Chief 33 arrived seconds later. Chief 33 established the "Oxman Command". Both crews stretched the primary and back-up attack line to encounter fire in the rear rooms with extension to the attic space. The fire was knocked down as additional units began to arrive on the scene. Quint 38 (as a Truck Company) assisted in the fire building as Companies 8, 9 and 38 checked the exposure areas. Truck Company 28 assumed the rapid intervention duties. After all areas proved negative for trapped occupants and extension, Command scaled the incident back to Companies 33 and Quint 38. 

Thursday, January 26, 2012   Just before 1100 hours, the box alarm was transmitted for the house on fire at 5003 Leroy Gorham Drive in Chapel Oaks, Maryland. The assignment consisted of Engine Companies 38, 5, 8 and 17, Quint 38, Tower Ladder 33 and Truck Company 9. Due to companies being out of position, Tower Ladder 33 was advised that they would be assuming the first due truck company duties. WIthin minutes, Engine Company 38 arrived with a one-story, detached house and fire showing. As that engine crew investigated further, it was found that the fire was only in the kitchen area. Tower Ladder 33 arrived and the crew went to work accordingly. The interior crew searched the home and assisted with opening-up for Engine Company 38. The outside team controlled utilities and placed portable ladders. Within 10 minutes, the incident was scaled back to Companies 38 and 33. Tower Ladder 33 returned to service within 40 minutes.

Sunday, January 22, 2012   For the third day straight, volunteers from the Kentland Volunteer Fire Department, Company 33, were on their way to a working fire. This time, the box alarm was transmitted for the house on fire with people trapped at 1001 Kayak Avenue in Capitol Heights, Maryland. Rescue Engine (as the Squad Company) and Chief 33 responded on the alarm with a total of seven volunteers. Leaving twelve additional volunteers in-quarters for other apparatus. First arriving units reported a two-story, detached home with fire throughout. Due to the volume of fire present, units utilized an exterior attack initially and then switched to an interior attack. Rescue Engine 33 was originally tasked with rapid intervention duties, but a portion of the crew was re-asigned to division one and two after the operation went interior. Chief 33 was originally assigned as the side "C" supervisor, but was re-assigned as the division one supervisor. Units operated for just over an hour and a half before the incident was scaled back. All searches proved negative and Company 33 volunteers returned to service within 70 minutes.

Thursday, January 19, 2012  Just before 1000 hours, box alarm 05-10 was transmitted for the building fire. This assignment brought Rescue Engine (as the Squad Company) and Chief 33A with a total of six volunteers. First arriving units found fire in the schools ventilation system. Upon Squad Company 33's arrival, the crew assumed the rapid intervention duties. Members surveyed the entire structure, insured egress points, developed a "rescue" plan and staged miscellaneous tools/equipment. Crews extinguished all visible fire quickly and Squad Company 33 returned to service within 40 minutes.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012   At 1055 hours, the box alarm was transmitted for smoke in the building at 5802 Annapolis Road. This assignment brought Tower Ladder and Chief 33 with seven volunteers. Engine Company 9 arrived to find a 10-story, residential high-rise and nothing showing. As their crew advanced to the sixth floor, they found a moderate smoke condition. Tower Ladder 33 arrived as the first due truck company and was put to work by Command as the same. The crew on Tower Ladder 33, along with Chief 33, proceeded to the sixth floor to assist the members of Company 9. As the engine crew investigated one of the sixth floor apartments, it was found that a small fire was out on arrival and had unfortunately claimed the life of a civilian. The press release from this incident read as follows:

At around 11:00 am, Wednesday, January 18, firefighters in the Bladensburg area discovered an adult male deceased from thermal injuries. He was found in his apartment on the 6th floor at 5802 Annapolis Road where firefighters had been dispatched to investigate smoke in the hallway.  The location, Phoenix Apartments, is a 10-story high-rise apartment building.

Fire Investigators believe that the man accidentally ignited his clothing while cooking. The male sustained critical burn injuries and was pronounced deceased on the scene.

Fire Investigators found evidence of a relatively small fire on the stove top, however, damage was minimal.

The cause of the fire is accidental and attributed to cooking with fire loss estimated at $5,000.

The identity of the deceased is not yet confirmed as autopsy results will be required to do so. It is believed that the victim is the occupant that normally resides in the apartment of origin.

This is the first fire fatality in Prince George's County in 2012

Saturday, January 14, 2012   At 1058 hours, the box alarm was dispatched for the house on fire at 6102 Elder Street in Seat Pleasant, Maryland. Engine Company and Rescue Engine 33 were alerted to the run as the third and fourth due engine companies. The units from Kentland responded with a total of eleven volunteers. Engine Company No. 8 was the first unit to arrive and reported a single-family home and smoke showing. Engine Company 33 arrived and laid a secondary supply line to side "C" of the home and reported smoke showing as well. Company 33 units stretched two attack lines to the rear, checked the basement area and proceeded to back-up companies on the first floor. Engine Company 8 extinguished a fire involving the kitchen area of the home. Company 33 returned to service within one-hour.

Thursday, January 12, 2012  On Thursday January 12th, 2012, the Morningside Volunteer Fire Department, Company 27, held a memorial service at their engine house (Suitland, MD) in remembrance of the 20th anniversary of Fireman Kenny Hedricks' line of duty death. The following is an excerpt from the ceremonies program:

On January 12th 1992, Engine Company 27 was dispatched for a first due house fire at 3807 Walls Lane in Suitland. Kenny had been in the structure and made a rescue of the family's seven year old son. Kenny reentered the house to search for additional victims. While searching the basement, he became trapped under debris and perished. 

Kenny had been a member of the department for about two years. Les Hedrick, his father, was Fire Chief at the time but was not on the call. Kenny attended LaPlata High School and had his sights set on becoming a career firefighter in the Washington DC area. Kenny's uncle, Ford Gallagher, at the time was a 12 year veteran of the Prince George's County Fire Department (PGFD). 




At Kenny's funeral, PGFD Fire Chief Steve Edwards made Kenny a honorary career firefighter in the PGFD. The new Rescue Squad 27 is dedicated to Kenny. Kenny's parents are still active in the department today; Les serves on the Board of Directors as well as being Vice President and his mother Cathy is still active in the Ladies Auxiliary. Both Les and Cathy are active members in the Fallen Firefighters Foundation and are counselors for families of other fallen firefighters across the Nation. Kenny will be missed by his family both in and out of the fire station. His love and devotion to the fire service will live on as an inspiration to all. 

Several members from the Kentland Volunteer FIre Department, Inc. have close ties with the Morningside Volunteer Fire Department and attended the service. A crew from Kentland also filled-in with Rescue Engine 33 to cover Company 27 during the event. The Officers and Membership of the Kentland Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. ask that everyone continue to keep the family and friends of the Hedrick family in their thoughts and prayers.