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Commercial Structure Fire in Lawrenceville |
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The Lawrenceville VFD (Dept 8) was dispatched at aproximately 0550 hrs this morning for a reported commercial structure fire on Main St. in the Borough. Upon arrival Chief 8 reported smoke showing and called for a second alarm bringing a full response from Tioga (Dept 7) and Ladder 2-9 out of Mansfield. A special call was made for Ladder 1-9 out of Wellsboro as well as a truck company from Gang Mills, NY.
At this time Rt 15 is closed and traffic is being rerouted around the scene. Osceola (Dept 14) has been moved up to cover Station 8 and Middlebury (Dept 11) has moved an engine to cover Station 7. More details on this incident will be posted as they become available. http://www.stargazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080906/UPDATE/309060012/1192/update LAWRENCEVILLE – A fast-moving fire destroyed the Pizza ‘n’ Go restaurant at 51 Main St. this morning, partially closing Route 15 for several hours. The blaze brought out about 75 firefighters from eight Pennsylvania and New York departments, and some remained on the scene six hours after the 5:45 a.m. alarm. Emergency workers estimated the loss of the building and contents at $200,000. |
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Thursday, 04 September 2008 |
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We are pleased to forward on the following message from our State Fire Commissioner, Ed Mann:
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The electronic grant application for the Fiscal Year 08-09 Volunteer Fire Company Volunteer
Ambulance Service is available at www.osfc.state.pa.us . Additional information regarding the
grant is available at our website too. The application period will run until 4:00 PM (EST) on
October 17th, 2008 this provides a 45 day application period as required by law.
Please forward this to other interested members of the fire and ems communities.
Thank you
Ed Mann
State Fire Commissioner
1-800-670-3473 |
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Wednesday, 03 September 2008 |
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The Knoxville VFD (Dept 6) has been busy this past week. Last night (Sept 3rd) at aproximately 0030hrs they were toned for a reported structure fire (garage). Upon arrival the building was reported to be fully involved and a second alarm was requested. The second alarm brought crews from Dept. 14 Osceola with Engine 14-2 and Westfield Dept 5 with Engine 5-2 and Tanker 5-5. More information on this incident will be posted as it becomes available. It was only 2 days prior that they had a working trailer fire on Butler Hill Rd. that destryed a mobile home. That call came in at aproximately 0250 hrs. That blaze was fought by Knoxville Dept. 6, Osceola Dept 14 and Chatham Dept 17. A visiter in the home awoke to smoke and got everyone out safe. The trailer was destroyed. |
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Firefighters, Family Honor Wonderly |
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Tuesday, 26 August 2008 |
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More than 50 people turned out to honor Frederick E. Wonderly Sr. at a book dedicated ceremony Saturday morning. Pictured (from L to R) are Mel Bliss, Pat Scully, Debbie Imhof, Jan Wonderly, Tom Aiello, Mike Bauer and Lanny Layton.
By Joseph Bell
Friends, family members and fellow firefighters gathered Saturday morning, Aug. 23 at the Knights of Columbus building at 331 Main St.,Ridgway to honor Frederick E. Wonderly Sr., a former firefighter who died April 10, 2003. According to Lanny Layton, the idea to donate a book in memory of a deceased firefighter was conjured up by members of the Northwestern Pennsylvania Chapter of the Amalgamated Association of Fire Service Instructors. "We lost a brother a few years ago and decided to do this for instructors who passed away," Layton said. The book, donated to Ridgway Public Library, is entitled 'Firefighters' by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. According to Frederick's son, Fred Wonderly Jr., his father spent 35 years as an instructor before dying at age 65.
"I'm very proud of my father," Wonderly Jr. said. "For people of this station to honor him and his dedication to the service is incredible." Wonderly Sr. was a member of Second Ward Hose Co. in Ridgway for 37 years and served as a Fire Service Instructor for 35 years. "I miss him a lot," Wonderly Jr. said. "I took a lot of classes from him and, when I show up at a fire, I see these guys and they come up to me and say, 'I know who are,' then they tell me stories about my father." In regards to classes, Wonderly Jr. said his father spent approximately seven months out of a year instructing classes."I'd venture a guess that he probably taught 400 to 500 hours a year," Wonderly Jr. said. "Probably starting in March to around September."
Wonderly Sr.'s widow, Jan Wonderly, said he was dedicated to the classes. "He traveled a lot to different classes, back and forth to Lewistown," Jan said. "He traveled quite a bit." Despite an unwavering dedication to the fire department, Jan said Wonderly Sr. cherished his family."He was a very caring and helpful person and his family was first and the fire department was second, but sometimes it was reversed," Jan said. "He really cared about everyone."
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Pump Operations I Training |
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Sunday, 24 August 2008 |
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There will be a Pump Operations I course held at Station 20 in Harrison Valley on Oct. 4th & 5th 2008. This course provides the fire fighter with an introduction to basic pump construction and theory as well as operating techniques. Emphasis is placed on getting water to the pump, getting water from the pump to the fire scene, and prevention of common mistakes in pump operations. Anyone interested in participating can contact either the Potter County EMA office @ 274-8900 or the Tioga County Training Coordinator @
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Time For Our Communities to Help Us |
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Sunday, 24 August 2008 |
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Volunteer Professionals
by Jason Zigmont I recently spent a considerable amount of time explaining to a reporter how volunteer fire departments are funded — and I realized it is all rather silly. Volunteer departments are saving the communities they serve millions of dollars every year, yet we still have to flip pancakes and call bingo numbers to keep the doors open and trucks running. Volunteer departments may have been able to pay for everything decades ago when trucks were thousands of dollars. But now they set you back hundreds of thousands of dollars, that is a lot of pancakes. Some communities have been great and provide everything the fire department needs, and I applaud them. But the issue is with those who haven't. Volunteer departments have provided the lion's share of their funding for hundreds of years in order to help their neighbors, but unfortunately their neighbors, or the community they serve, have not always helped them. This may be due to a misunderstanding on both sides as the neighbors think their taxes pay for the service and the town thinks that the department is funded by donations.
The fire service is a basic public service, which should, and in most cases must, be provided by the local government. Fire departments should have a written contract or enabling legislation that stipulates that they are the primary service provider for the area, and therefore have taken on the burden of providing this basic service. |
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Rural volunteer departments struggle for members |
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Monday, 04 August 2008 |
The Associated Press 
AP Photo/Scott Kingsley
Instructor Todd Brim, left, and volunteer firefighters advance toward a propane 'christmas tree' to practice pushing flames away from a valve during the 71st Annual Nebraska State Fire School in Grand Island, Neb. | BIG SPRINGS, Neb. — Simple numbers were working against the fire and rescue department in this town of 400 along Interstate 80. Unbeknownst to six people in a Suburban that had just wrecked on the busy interstate, the math didn't favor them either. "We only had enough people to run one ambulance," said Adam Hayward, an emergency medical technician with Big Springs Fire & Rescue. "We have two, but a lot of times we don't have enough people to run them." The fire chief called for help from a volunteer department in nearby Julesburg, Colo., and there were no life-threatening injuries. But the 13-mile drive that normally adds 20 to 30 minutes to the response time and highlighted a growing problem that may be compromising public safety, especially in rural areas: Volunteer fire and rescue departments nationwide are struggling with declining membership, increased costs and changing attitudes toward a vocation with roots dating to the early 1700s. State and federal lawmakers are taking action to help reverse the trend because volunteers are often the first responders to events ranging from floods to fires, and some say the shortage presents a looming crisis. "In some communities out there, it's the volunteer fire department or nothing," said U.S. Fire Administrator Gregory Cade. "There's not the economic base to support a career department. So if they can't keep the volunteer fire department viable, then the potential exists that they're not going to have any protection at all." Volunteer fire and rescue personnel represent 72 percent of the nation's 1.1 million firefighters. More than 50 percent of volunteers are associated with departments that cover areas with populations of less than 2,500, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Between 1984 and 2006, the number of volunteers nationwide fell by 8 percent, or nearly 74,000, according to information from the National Fire Protection Association. During the same period, the number of emergency calls to paid and volunteer departments doubled. The statistics don't break down the increase based on department, but volunteer chiefs say they're busier than ever. |
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eWeather |
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Coudersport, PA
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Temp:
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59°F
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Wind Chill:
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59°F
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Humidity:
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82%
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