May 07, 2012   admin
Fairgreen Ave House Fire

Fairgreen Ave Structure Fire Goes to Second Alarm

First arriving units found a split level home well involved after being alerted for a house fire just before midnight.  The first alarm brought three engines and two trucks from Neshannock (100), Mahoning (200), and New Wilmington (1100) fire departments. All the occupants of the house were found to be out of the structure when units arrived.

Engine 152 had it’s own water supply in the front yard and set to work with master streams and 2 1/2″ hose lines to knock down the fire that had already consumed much of the rear and the roof of the structure. Truck 158 laddered the building and assisted with exposure protection and controlling a ruptured natural gas line in the rear of the house.  Engine 202 pulled additional hand lines for exterior operations. After the heavy fire was knocked from the exterior, Engine 1151 made an interior attack to finish off the remaining fire above the bedrooms.

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April 27, 2012   admin
Photo Credit: Mackenzie Summerville, New Castle News

Video: Neshannock High School Mock Accident

Traffic accidents claim the lives of more than 5,000 teenagers each year.  Drunk driving, texting while driving, and other reckless behavior is a major cause of vehicle crashes among teenagers.  Each year student organizations from Neshannock High School present programs that focus on the impacts of dangerous driving.  This year, Neshannock High School teamed up with Noga Ambulance service to present a mock accident involving students as simulated victims of a vehicle crash.  This program gives a unique insight into the reality of vehicle crashes by demonstrating extrication of patients from wreckage, emergency medical treatment of victims, and even a simulated sobriety test and arrest of an intoxicated driver.

 View the video of this event from Mackenzie Summerville of the New Castle News.

This event brings together numerous public safety agencies to convey a serious message to students.   Noga Ambulance Service, the Neshannock Township Police Department, the Neshannock Volunteer Fire Company, the Lawrence County District Attorney’s office, and the Lawrence County Coroner’s office all helped to make this event possible.

Photo and Video:  Mackenzie Summerville, New Castle News

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April 10, 2012   admin

New Pumper Design Finalized

Final Plans for the New Engine 153

The final plans for Neshannock’s new pumper have been approved.  Two officers from Neshannock VFC traveled to the Seagrave apparatus design and fabrication facility in January to review the design and specifications for a new pumper.   After a series of design meetings, the final plans were released and approved by the members of the fire company.   Construction of the new Engine 153 has begun.   Station 100 expects to take delivery of the 2012 Seagrave Custom Pumper before the end of this year.

Click here for previous coverage of the new Engine 153.

 

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March 07, 2012   admin
smokedetector

An Urgent Plea from Neshannock VFC

Smoke detectors in your home are absolutely the simplest and most cost effective method of protecting your life in the event of a fire.  According to the National Fire Protection Association, the risk of dying in a house fire is cut in half simply by having a working smoke detector in your home.  If you do not have a smoke detector in your home, we urge you to install one as promptly as possible.

As we approach the change to Daylight Savings Time, please take a moment to test your smoke detectors and replace the batteries.  If you are a resident of Neshannock Township and need assistance acquiring, installing or testing a smoke detector please call the fire station at 724-654-4800 and we will gladly assist you.

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March 05, 2012   admin
Worthington Fire

One Rescued in Overnight Fire

Firefighters from Neshannock (100), Mahoning (200), and New Wilmington (1100) were dispatched for a residential structure fire with entrapment at 01:18 hours on March 5, 2012.  Upon arrival of Neshannock and New Castle police officers, the residence was found to have smoke and flames visible from the rear and two people were confirmed trapped in the structure.

First arriving Engine 153 laid in from the hydrant and Engine 152 completed the water supply. Engine 153 deployed a 1 3/4″ hose to the front door while Engine 152′s crew split to perform a primary search and ladder the building.  The fire was found in a back bedroom and was immediately knocked as one elderly male victim was located by search crews in the bedroom.

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February 20, 2012   admin

Smoke Detectors Save Lives

Does a smoke detector have a shelf life?   Watch this short video from the National Fire Protection Association to find out.

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February 15, 2012   admin
Photo: wtae.com

Fatal Crash Closes I-376 for Hours

Just before 7:00 AM, Station 100 was summoned to the scene of a multi-vehicle crash near mile marker 6 on Interstate 376 in Pulaski Township.  A Nissan Altima traveling Eastbound first impacted a PennDOT salt truck and was then struck from behind by a tractor-trailer.  First arriving units found the heavily damaged vehicle partially wedged underneath the front of the tractor-trailer.   One patient was found to be heavily entrapped in the vehicle.

Along with units from Pulaski (Station 500) and New Wilmington (Station 1100), Neshannock’s Rescue 150, Truck 157, Squad 159 and Command 100 responded on the rescue assignment in Pulaski Township.  With the highway closed, firefighters used foam to suppress potential vapors from fuel and oil spills while rescue personnel went to work disentangling the patient.

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February 07, 2012   admin
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Cross-State Rescuers Recognized by Governor Corbett

Left to Right: Rick Russo, Gov. Tom Corbett, Robert Spitko

Neshannock VFC’s Firefighter and Water Rescue Technician Rick Russo were honored on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett in his Budget Address.  Rick Russo and Robert Spitko, a captain with the Norristown Fire Department in Montgomery County, collaborated to rescue a woman during severe flooding in August.   High water and fast currents in the wake of Hurricane Irene swept a woman into a wooded area where she was found clinging to a tree.

Russo and Spitko were dispatched to the scene as part of a water rescue contingent that had been deployed to the area in advance of the approaching hurricane. The two had never met before but wasted no time with formal introductions as they forded the swift water to rescue the woman who was seconds away from being swept under again.

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December 29, 2011   admin
Proposed Seagrave Pumper

New Engine Purchase Approved

Seagrave Fire Apparatus of Clintonville, WI was selected to design and build a custom pumper for the Neshannock Township Volunteer Fire Company. The new Seagrave pumper will replace the existing Engine 153, a 1974 Ward LaFrance pumper.

Over the past year, the Neshannock VFC has been refining specifications and reviewing proposals from various fire apparatus manufacturers for the potential replacement of the aging Engine 153. This purchase was scheduled as part of the fire company’s rolling 10-year plan. Seagrave was identified as the manufacturer that could provide the product that most closely matched the fire company’s needs. Last month, a fire company delegation presented the specifications to the Neshannock Township Board of Supervisors and recommended entering into contract with Seagrave before the end of the 2011 in order to get the best pricing.

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December 21, 2011   admin

City of New Castle Commercial Structure Fire

Shad Hanna's Fire

Photo: KDSTV.com

The New Castle Fire Department was dispatched just after 11:00 PM on Tuesday for a commercial structure fire at the former Shad Hanna’s Memories Cafe. Firefighters arrived to find the structure well involved and threatening nearby exposures. The incident commander recalled all off duty firefighters, and initiated a series of station moves that would eventually bring three more pumpers, one truck, and one water tender to the incident scene from Mahoning, Shenango, and Union Townships. Meanwhile, Neshannock moved an engine company into the City of New Castle for station coverage.

Approximately 50 firefighters operated at the scene for more than six hours. While covering the City of New Castle, Neshannock firefighters handled one fire alarm at the Skyview Towers high-rise. No injuries reported.

Shad Hanna’s Memories Cafe has been vacant for more than a year after a fire caused heavy damage in February of 2010. This time, the structure was completely destroyed in what is being called a suspicious fire.

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