 LAWRENCE ROAD FIRE CO.
NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS |
| ASSIST POLICE |
| Date & Time: Sunday, September 2, 2007 – 1:39 a.m. |
| Location: Lawrence Police Headquarters, 2211 Lawrence Road, Lawrence Township, N.J. |
| Details: Lawrence Road Fire Co. volunteers were dispatched to the township police station to help officers remove faulty handcuffs that were stuck on a prisoner. Rescue 22 responded at 1:44 a.m. and arrived at 1:47 a.m. to find that the cuff attached to the prisoner’s left hand was inoperable and would not open despite several attempts with the key. Firefighters quickly used a set of boltcutters to cut the cuff and remove it from the prisoner’s hand without causing any injury. Rescue 22 was back in quarters by 2 a.m. |
| Responding LRFC Personnel |
| Rescue 22 |
| Officer: Lt. Richard Laird III | Driver: Ff. Shaun Dlabik |
| Crew: Lt. Joseph Dlabik Jr. | Crew: Ff. Brian Laue |
| Crew: Ff. Ryan Dlabik | Crew: Ff. Charles Commini Jr. |
| MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT |
| Date & Time: Sunday, September 2, 2007 – 12:47 p.m. |
| Location: Lawrence Road (Route 206), south of Fairfield Avenue, Lawrence Township, N.J. |
| Details: Lawrence Road Fire Co., Rescue 21 from Slackwood Fire Co., and Rescue 23 from Lawrenceville Fire Co. were all dispatched, along with emergency medical crews, for a motor vehicle accident with possible entrapment. Rescue 22 responded at 12:49 p.m. and arrived one minute later to find that a car had slammed into a utility pole, tearing the pole completely off its base, in the 600 block of Lawrence Road. The car’s 44-year-old driver was injured but not trapped and was already being evaluated by ambulance personnel. As there was no entrapment, all fire department units were recalled with the exception of Rescue 22. The driver, whose injuries were described as minor, was transported by EMS to a hospital in Trenton. Rescue 22’s crew stretched a 1.75-inch hoseline as a precaution and stood by until the damaged vehicle was towed away. During this time, northbound traffic on Lawrence Road was detoured. After the vehicle was removed, Rescue 22 cleared the scene and was back in quarters by 2 p.m. The destroyed pole supported telephone wires and work crews from Verizon spent several hours on scene erecting a new pole and attaching the wires to it. |
| Responding LRFC Personnel |
| Rescue 22 |
| Officer: Capt. Michael Byrd | Driver: Ff. Joseph Dlabik Sr. |
| Crew: Lt. Joseph Dlabik Jr. | Crew: Ff. Steven Hodgdon |
| Crew: Ryan Dlabik | Crew: Ff. Brian Laue |
| Car 22 |
| Chief Richard Farletta |
| Personal Vehicle |
| Fire Police Capt. Robert Hazen |
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| Photo copyright (c) 2007 by Michael Ratcliffe |
| For additional photos from this incident, click here |
| MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT WITH ENTRAPMENT |
| Date & Time: Wednesday, September 5, 2007 – 7:54 a.m. |
| Location: Interstate 95 North near Exit 8, Lawrence Township, N.J. |
| Details: Reports of a multi-vehicle accident with possible entrapment on Interstate 95 resulted in the transmission of Box 23-30 and the dispatch of Lawrenceville Fire Co., Rescue 21 from Slackwood Fire Co., Rescue 22 from Lawrence Road Fire Co., and EMS units. Telesquirt 23 and Rescue 21 arrived at 8:02 a.m., while Rescue 22 reached the scene at 8:04 a.m. Rescuers found at least four vehicles with damage and twp people trapped on the northbound side of the interstate. Rescue 22’s crew manned a protective hoseline as Slackwood and Lawrenceville firefighters performed a quick extrication. Both victims were freed by 8:16 a.m. The accident resulted in a six-mile traffic jam. Rescue 22 cleared the scene at 8:28 a.m. and was in quarters by 8:34 a.m. (While Rescue 22 was responding to the accident scene, Mercer County Central dispatched Engine 22 to respond to the scene of a small fire in the attic of the house at 4 Peck Avenue in Ewing Township for rapid intervention team duties. The fire was quickly knocked down by Ewing firefighters and Engine 22 was recalled prior to responding.) |
| Responding LRFC Personnel |
| Rescue 22 |
| Officer: Assistant Chief John Britton | Driver: Paid Driver Robert Santello |
| Crew: Capt. Michael Byrd | Crew: Lt. Joseph Dlabik Jr. |
| Crew: Ff. Charles Commini Sr. | Crew: Ff. Martin Burch |
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| Photo copyright (c) 2007 by Robert Santello |
| For additional photos from this incident, click here |
| SMOKE SCARE |
| Date & Time: Friday, September 7, 2007 – 10:28 a.m. |
| Location: Lawrence High School, 2525 Princeton Pike, Lawrence Township, N.J. |
| Details: Crews from the Lawrence Road, Slackwood and Lawrenceville fire companies, along with a Lawrence ambulance, were dispatched on Box 22-11 after school officials reported a strong odor of burning wood in the auditorium of Lawrence High School. Telesquirt 22, Snorkel 21, Ladder Tower 23 and Ambulance 129-1 arrived to find students and faculty already evacuating the building. While the crew from Telesquirt 22 initiated a search of the interior, the crew from Snorkel 21 went to the roof. At 10:36 a.m., a request was made for mutual aid to the scene from Ewing Township’s Pennington Road Fire Co. for additional apparatus and manpower. Telesquirt 32 and Engine 32 both responded. As a precaution, a supply line was laid and Telesquirt 32 connected to a hydrant on Princeton Pike. An exhaustive search using thermal imaging cameras was made both inside the school and on the roof, however no fire was found. Firefighters eventually concluded that the smoke odor inside the building was from contractors cutting wood for the gymnasium floor. The odor was then spread by the school’s ventilation system. All units were recalled just after noon, and students and faculty allowed back into the school. |
| Responding LRFC Personnel |
| Telesquirt 22 |
| Officer: Capt. Michael Byrd | Driver: Paid Driver Robert Santello |
| Crew: Capt. Edward Kitchen | Crew: Ff. Keith Kent |
| Car 22-1 |
| Deputy Chief John Fleming |
| STRUCTURE FIRE |
| Date & Time: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 – 4:13 a.m. |
| Location: 129 Route 31, Hopewell Township, N.J. |
| Details: At 4:08 a.m. Mercer County Central transmitted Box 51-60 and dispatched Pennington Borough (Station 51) and Hopewell Borough (Station 52) fire companies for a smoke condition in a commercial building. Hopewell Township police then arrived and reported heavy smoke pushing from the eaves of a large building housing a nail salon, a dry cleaners and a Quick Chek convenience store. As a result, the assignment was instantly upgraded to a full first alarm and at 4:13 a.m. Hopewell’s Tanker 52, Telesquirt 53 and Tanker 53 from Union Fire Co. of Titusville, and Rescue 22 from Lawrence Road Fire Co. were all dispatched. First-arriving firefighters from Rescue 51 found heavy smoke in the nail salon. Supply lines were laid and the roof laddered. Crews had difficulty finding the source of the smoke. As a result, at 4:38 a.m. Engine 32 from Pennington Road Fire Co. was special-called to the scene. Then at 4:44 a.m. two additional engines – Engine 33 from West Trenton Fire Co. and Lawrence Road’s Engine 22 – were special-called as extra engines. Ultimately, Engine 22 was unable to respond due to insufficient manpower. Eventually, a small fire was discovered inside the nail salon and contained there. The blaze was officially declared under control by 5:15 a.m. Rescue 22’s crew stood by as the rapid intervention team during the incident, while Ff. Commini used Rescue 22’s cascade system to refill several SCBA bottles used by interior crews. Rescue 22 cleared the scene after the last SCBA bottle was refilled and was back in quarters at Station 22 by 5:50 a.m. Apparatus that operated on scene included: Rescue 51, Ladder Tower 51, Tanker 51, Engine 52, Engine 52-1, Tanker 52, Tanker 53, Telesquirt 53, Rescue 22, Engine 32, and Engine 33. |
| Responding LRFC Personnel |
| Rescue 22 |
| Officer: Assistant Chief John Britton | Driver: Ff. Charles Commini Sr. |
| Crew: Lt. Joseph Dlabik Jr. | Crew: Lt. Evan Kutzin |
| Crew: Ff. Shaun Dlabik | Crew: Ff. Martin Burch. |
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| Photo copyright (c) 2007 by Michael Ratcliffe |
| For additional photos from this incident, click here |
| SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT |
| Date & Time: Thursday, September 20, 2007 |
| Location: Lawrence Road Fire Co. (Station 22), 1252 Lawrence Road, Lawrence Township |
| Details: Volunteers from Lawrence Road Fire Co., along with crews from the Slackwood and Lawrenceville fire companies, turned out to welcome former New York Giants footballs star George Martin as he walked through Lawrence Township on his way from the George Washington Bridge in New York City to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Martin, a star defense end who played for the Giants for 14 seasons and was part of the Giants team that won Super Bowl XXI, decided to walk the more than 3,400 miles from New York to California to raise money to aid firefighters and police officers who were stricken with health problems as a result of the 2001 terrorist attacks. Martin, who said he hopes to raise several million dollars to benefit the heroic first responders of 9/11, planned to stop at firehouses along the way. His visit to the Lawrence Road firehouse was planned in advance in order to allow a TV crew from ABC to interview him. After spending nearly an hour visiting with Lawrence Township firefighters, Martin gave his interview in Station 22’s parking lot, with Rescue 22 and Telesquirt 23 serving as a backdrop. During the interview, Martin wore a Lawrence Road Fire Co. T-shirt that members presented to him as a gift. For more details on Martin’s walk and his efforts to raise money for the heroes of Ground Zero, please visit http://www.ajourneyfor911.info/ |
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| Photo copyright (c) 2007 by Michael Ratcliffe |
| For additional photos from this incident, click here |
| OVERTURNED VEHICLE |
| Date & Time: Thursday, September 20, 2007 – 11:18 p.m. |
| Location: Darrah Lane near Millbrook Lane, Lawrence Township, N.J. |
| Details: Lawrence Road volunteers, dispatched for an overturned vehicle with no entrapment, arrived to find a 2003 BMW 318i resting on its roof in the middle of the road. According to police, the car’s female driver looked away from the road for a moment and hit a parked pickup truck. That impact caused her car to overturn and land on its roof. The woman suffered minor injuries and was transported by ambulance to a hospital in Trenton. Rescue 22’s light tower was used to illuminate the scene for police and for the tow truck operator. Air bags from Rescue 22 were also used to help flip the car back onto its wheels so it could be towed away. Speedie dry was used to absorb oil and other fluids that spilled onto the roadway from the vehicle when it flipped. Rescue 22 was back in quarters by 12:10 a.m. |
| Responding LRFC Personnel |
| Rescue 22 |
| Officer: Deputy Chief John Fleming | Driver: Ff. Shaun Dlabik |
| Crew: Capt. Michael Byrd | Crew: Ff. Michael Guala |
| Crew: Ff. Keith Kent |
| Car 22 |
| Chief Richard Farletta |
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| Photo copyright (c) 2007 by Michael Ratcliffe |
| For additional photos from this incident, click here |
| MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT |
| Date & Time: Friday, September 28, 2007 – 5:25 p.m. |
| Location: Interstate 295 South near Route 1, Lawrence Township, N.J. |
| Details: Mercer County Central transmitted Box 23-50 and dispatched Lawrenceville Fire Co., Rescue 22 from Lawrence Road Fire Co., and Rescue 21 from Slackwood Fire Co. after receiving reports that a vehicle had crashed off I-295 into the woods. Because of conflicting reports indicating the accident might be in Hamilton Township, Mercerville’s Engine 12 and Rusling Hose’s Ladder 13 were also toned out. Ultimately, Slackwood Deputy Chief Robert Santello, Lawrenceville Deputy Chief Dave Burns and Rescue 22 arrived to find that the accident was in Lawrence Township and there was no entrapment. All units were thus recalled with the exception of Rescue 22, which remained on scene long enough to disconnect the battery and render the vehicle safe. Rescue 22 was back in quarters by 5:54 p.m. |
| Responding LRFC Personnel |
| Rescue 22 |
| Officer: Capt. Michael Byrd | Driver: Ff. Shaun Dlabik |
| Crew: Lt. Joseph Dlabik Jr. | Crew: Lt. Richard Laird III |
| Crew: Ff. Ryan Dlabik | Crew: Ff. Charles Commini Jr. |
| Car 22-1 |
| Deputy Chief John Fleming |
| LIGHTING ASSIGNMENT (FATAL ACCIDENT) |
| Date & Time: Saturday, September 29, 2007 – 9:35 p.m. |
| Location: Lawrence Road (Route 206) at Darrah Lane, Lawrence Township, N.J. |
| Details: Lawrence Road’s Rescue 22 was special-called to the scene of an accident in which a bicyclist was critically hurt in a fall off his bike. The 50-year-old man was reportedly riding north on Route 206 when he fell from his bike near Darrah Lane and struck his head on the curb about 9:30 p.m. At first, police believed the man had been hit by a passing vehicle, but that theory was later discounted after no evidence of a collision could be found. The injured man was rushed by ambulance to the trauma center at Capital Health System at Fuld hospital in Trenton, where he unfortunately died from his injuries the following day. Dispatched at 9:35 p.m., Rescue 22’s crew arrived on the scene at 9:42 p.m. and raised their light tower to illuminate the accident scene for township police and a detective from the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office. After authorities had completed their investigation, Rescue 22’s crew hosed down the accident scene at the request of the police. Rescue 22 was back in quarters by 11:32 p.m. |
| Responding LRFC Personnel |
| Rescue 22 |
| Officer: Lt. Richard Laird III | Driver: Ff. Joseph Dlabik Sr. |
| Crew: Ff. Keith Kent | Crew: Ff. Steven Hodgdon |
| Crew: Ff. Michael Ratcliffe |
| Car 22-1 |
| Deputy Chief John Fleming |
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| Photo copyright (c) 2007 by Michael Ratcliffe |
| For additional photos from this incident, click here |
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