Tonight, Rose Tree Fire Company had the opportunity to train, along with other surrounding fire companies, at the old Value City Store in Springfield. The building is scheduled to be demolished and crews were able to utilize the roof for tactical training, such as ladder truck operations, ventilation techniques, and a review of commercial building structural components. The group from Rose Tree brought Quint 73 and positioned the aerial ladder to access the roof. They used powered saws and basic hand tools to cut ventilation holes and practice forcible entry on metal doors. A special thank you to Springfield Fire Company for the invitation to participate in this event.

Junior Firefighter Lee Thompson was voted into the membership of  Rose Tree Fire Company  during our June 2009 Company Business Meeting.

Lee is 17 years old and will be a Junior at Penncrest High School. When asked why he joined Rose Tree Fire Company, Lee was quick to respond that he wanted to do something to help the community. He also has some friends who are Junior Firefighters and they told Lee about the program.

Welcome aboard Lee, keep learning and stay safe!!

Today Quint 73 was out of service for a few hours while the truck was brought to a local shop to have custom fitted hosebed covers fabricated and installed. The new covers will replace our current covers and will provide a positive method to secure the hose to the truck. These hosebed covers will provide a safe method to reduce the potential for hose to fall off the apparatus, causing personal injury or property damage during travel.

Each of our apparatus are scheduled to have similar secured hosebed covers fabricated and installed.

Tonight the crew divided up and completed various training activities. The Trustees also had an opportunity to meet and work on their planning for the fire company property.

Chief MacCain instructed some of our newer members as well as a candidate member in the types of ground ladders that we carry on our apparatus as well as basic ground ladder use. Another crew worked with the Res-Q-Jack stabilization and lifting system from Rescue 73.

For the weekly drill, Chief William MacCain led the crews to the Media Borough Municipal Parking Garage for a review of the dry standpipe system.

A dry standpipe is a series of pipes designed to help provide a water supply throughout high-risk occupancies. There are hose connections to each floor of the structure and a supply connection (ie fire dept connection) located on the street level. 

Engine 73 put into practice what was discussed. They arrived and hooked up to the fire department connection to pressurize the system with water. The crew from Quint 73 worked with the high-rise pack and connected the hoseline to the outlet on the floor below the fire. They proceed up the stairwell and prepared to enter the simulated fire floor for extinguishment. In this operation it is important to properly lay out the hoseline prior to charging it with water. This reduces the chances of kinks and provides for easier, much safer, and unimpeded advancement out onto the fire floor. We also appreciate the crew from Utility 73 who assisted with the training and provided bottled water for refreshment.
 
There are more pictures to come...

On Sunday, June 14th, Rose Tree Fire Company brought Quint 73 and crews to Rose Tree Park to help support the “Walk for the Wounded” fund raising event. The day’s activities were sponsored by Operation First Response and the proceeds benefit wounded military heroes and their families. http://www.operationfirstresponse.org/index.htm

Early this morning around day break a series of strong thunderstorms moved through the region. At 06:46 Rose Tree Fire Company was dispatched to Colt Rd. for a structure fire, reported to be a house struck by lighting. The response brought Companies 73 (Rose Tree), 23 (Media), Ladder 41 (Newtown Square), RIT 53 (Broomall) and Medic 23 (Riddle Memorial Hospital).

During the response, Delaware County Fireboard advised Quint 73 that the police were on location with a working fire. Quint 73 dropped a 5" line with a Humat Valve at a hydrant and laid 700' of LDH, taking the driveway. The crew made a sizeup and found fire travelling up an exterior wall at the rear of the house. A 200' 1 3/4" handline was stretched as well as a PW which was used to get initial water on the fire by the size-up crew.

Squrt 23 took the interior of the building to confirm no fire extension. Positive Pressure Ventilation was performed.

Ladder 41 set up their aerial to the roof and deployed ground ladders.

Rescue 53 stood by for rapid intervention while crews were determining the extent of any interior fire.

Medic 23 and Ambulance 23 established EMS.

Quick action by the resident limited this fire from developing further. After hearing a loud crash of thunder and smelling smoke, the resident immediately called 911.

Engine 73 and Rescue 73 also made the response to supplement manpower.

Our friends at the Springfield Fire Company (Delaware County Station 44) invited the crew from Rose Tree (Station 73) to the Value City Department Store to hold company drills. The structure is a very large multiple level department store that is slated for demolition this summer. No live fires are permitted, however there is plenty of opportunity for long hoseline deployments, large area searches, RIT operations, simulated roof work (roof cutting will be permitted as they get closer to the demolition date), and a bunch of other drills. This evening was our first drill at the store.
 
Tonight, while other companies were doing RIT training inside, the crew from Rose Tree "took the rear of the building". Quint 73 positioned at the B-Bravo / C-Charlie corner of the building. The 200 ft 2-1/2" Leader line was deployed to the rear of the structure. A 200 ft 1-3/4" attack line was then carried on the shoulders of the crew, disconnected from the apparatus, and brought to the end of the leader line where it was connected to the gated wye applicance and deployed into the rear of the structure. Rescue 73 was used to lay a supply line from the Quint and provide water.
 
This evolution was repeated multiple times. The crews rotated positions.
 
This was a "hand-on" drill that gave our members good insight and practical experience deploying a "Long Hoseline".
 
We are looking forward to continued use of this building.

A Parade was held Monday, May 25th on State Street in Media PA. to honor and remember those who have fought for our nation's freedom.

Congratulations to Jennifer Griglione and Patrick Dougherty, both RTFC members, who were married on Saturday, May 16, 2009. The reception was held at the RTFC hall.

On Saturday, May 9, 2009, Rose Tree Fire Company participated in Rose Tree Elementary School's Strawberry Festival.  This event is the year's biggest fundraiser for the students at Rose Tree Elementary.  The crew set up Quint 73 for all the kids to check out the equipment. We also had a fire prevention table with literature to be taken home.  With the hot weather, the crew decided to place the ladder pipe in service to let the kids cool down and have some fun.  Three lucky students won the "Ride To School On A Fire Truck" contest by correctly completing the fire safety quiz we had at the table. These lucky students will be driven to school on Engine 73 this week.

RT1 (as it was called back in 1953) is Rose Tree Fire Company's first piece of apparatus. RT1 is a 1953 International Harvester Chassis with an American LaFrance body and pump. RT1 has a water tank with a 500 gallon capacity. The fire pump is rated at 500 GPM.

While RT1 has been out of firefighting service for a number of years, in 2003 we sent it back to American LaFrance and had body repairs made. At that time we also had the truck repainted. A few years ago, some of our talented members took on the labor intensive project of restoring the motor and entire electrical system in our station. This 5 year project is nearing completion. Today RT1 is running like new (or maybe even better....). Members had RT1 outside today operating the pump and putting hours on the newly refurbished motor.

While there is still a good amount of work to be done, we are much closer to completion.

As a side note, RT1 is our oldest piece of fire apparatus and exactly 50 years later, Engine 73, a 2003 American LaFrance Engine is our newest piece of fire apparatus. Engine 73 has a 750 gallon water tank, 30 gallon Class A foam tank and it has a 2000 GPM pump.

The crew took advantage of the warm weather tonight and worked outside. We conducted a training evolution to simulate master water stream operations. Quint 73 was used as the first-in truck and its orders were to setup and operate the aerial waterway. Engine 73 was called in to provide the water supply and they reverse laid out from the Quint to the hydrant. Multiple drivers had a chance to operate the pumps and the crews were rotated throughout the scenarios.

FYI. Adequate water supply during fire attack operations has a critical impact on fire control outcomes. Master streams are used when large amouts of water are required and in most cases this changes the attack from offensive to defensive. 

The crew drill this Tuesday was Engine Company Ops using Quint 73 and Engine 73. We conducted the training at the Rose Tree Corporate Center Office Complex.

For the first scenario, Quint 73 laid in from a hydrant dropping the Humat Valve and 5" LDH supply line. The crew lead off with the front bumper 1 3/4" handline.

Engine 73 hooked up to the hydrant and supplied the 5".

Other evolutions included Engine 73 reversing out from Quint 73 to the hydrant while the Quints crew placed a handline in service.

One, two, three strikes you're out!!

That's where the crew was today - outside for Opening Day Ceremonies of the Media Little League. A parade was held with all of the ball players marching. Our fire apparatus along with police department vehicles lead the way. Each team was represented as all of the ball players marched from the front of Springton Lake Middle School, to the Media Little League Complex which is located on the Middle School property.

Rose Tree Fire Company is a proud supporter of the Media Little League. Like our 100% volunteer fire company, the Little League is comprised 100% of volunteers. Both organizations are very much community oriented. Members of Rose Tree Fire Company voted unanimously again this year to sponsor a team for the Media Little League organization. This years fire company team is the Rose Tree Fire Company Angels - see photo.

We also had three father / son teams at the parade today: Firefighter Randy Hespenheide was in Rescue 73 as his son Spencer marched in the parade; Firefighter Robert Brown was on Quint 73 as his son Rob marched and Firefighter / Coach Mike Cosgrove marched with his son Owen in the parade - see photo.

Good Luck to all teams and all players.

LET'S PLAY BALL!!!!!!