News and Notes from Rockingham County 6th Edition

News and Notes from Rockingham County

By: Firefighter/EMT Taylor Roby

Rockingham County TRT team Water Rescues

Rockingham County TRT team members have made several successful rescues since Memorial Day 2013. Since Memorial Day 2013 the Rockingham County TRT team has been busy with water rescues due to high amounts of rain and high water conditions on local rivers and waterways. The teams have been dispatched on 9 water rescue calls since Memorial Day, 4 of the nine required rescue operations to ensue, all successful. Of these the most severe was a rescue in Grottoes where a canoeist lost control of his canoe going through a section of level 4 rapids on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. The victim’s right leg was trapped under the seat of the canoe after his canoe had crashed into a section of rocks on the river. The swift water rescue team went into the water, extricated the patient from the canoe and then moved him safely to the bank for awaiting EMS crews. The Rockingham County TRT team led the rescue efforts with assistance from Grottoes Fire Department with upstream and downstream safety teams. Fortunately due to the quick work of the Swift Water Team the patient was able to deny transport and all units were able to clear. Other rescues occurred in the Elkton and McGaheysville area of the county, all were successful with the leadership of the Rockingham County TRT teams and the McGaheysville and Elkton Fire Companies providing support and scene safety.

Residential Structure Fire in Grottoes

Crews from Grottoes, Weyers Cave, Rockingham County Fire and Rescue (RCFR), and New Hope make strong quick knockdown of a working fire in Grottoes. On July 16 Companies 20 (Grottoes) and 5 (Weyers Cave) and Rescue 20 (Grottoes) were dispatched to 9347 Black Rock Rd. in the Grottoes area for a report of a residential structure fire. First arriving Captain 20 (Chandler) reported a single story residential structure with fire showing from the ridgeline and roof, Captain 20 established Black Rock Rd Command. On the arrival of Engine 207 (Grottoes) a 200ft 1 ¾ inch front bumper line was deployed to the car port attic access to make a fire attack. The crew off of Engine 207 and RCFR personnel on the Rescue 20 ambulance made entry from that point. A quick knock down of the fire in the attic was then made. A working fire was declared bringing the RCFR Duty Officer, RCFR Fire Marshal, and Engine 182 (New Hope) to the scene. During the fire attack a roof vent was performed on the AB corner to relieve some of the high heat conditions that crews in the attic were encountering. Due to the attic being large and having a plywood floor the crews were able to make entry into the attic for the fire attack. Engine 54 (Weyers Cave) was assigned to the first floor to check for extension and control any hazards that may have been present. Tankers 209 (Grottoes) and 50 (Weyers Cave) provided water supply for the incident. Due to aggressive fire tactics and quick knock down the fire was contained with no extension to the rest of the house beyond the attic.

Fire Rescue Provides Water to the East End of Rockingham County

Rockingham County Fire and Rescue (RCFR) assisted Rockingham County Public Works (RCPW) in providing water to the East End of Rockingham County after a water pump failure. On May 15 a water pump that pumped water from a well into the public water system to supply water to the East End of Rockingham County Failed. RCPW notified RCFR for assistance to pump water into the system. Fire Rescue’s two reserve engines, a 1982 Pirsch and a 1978 CF600 Mack, went to the pump site and began planning on how to make the process work. While the pumps, tanks, hoses and appliances were chlorinated so they could be used to pump clean water to the system a plan was developed to complete the process. Once cleaning was finished 40ft. of hard sleeve were put into service to draft from a 22ft. tall well tank, this was then pumped to a separate engine that was supplying the water system, through a reverse feed on a hydrant, with clean water. Units were pumping over 1800 gpm of water from 11 am to 10 pm that day. It is estimated that over 200,000 gallons of water was supplied to the East End of Rockingham County by RCFR units. This operation allowed for drinking water and water for fire protection to be uninterrupted from the time the operation began at 11 am on May 15.