Firefighting News & Site Updates

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Hoopie World Discussed on the Fire Critic

Just a quick note that Hoopie World was mentioned on the Fire Critic website last week during his Monday Morning Shoutout.  The article here discussed state-wide and regional fire news sites, and was focused on TNFireNews.com.  Check them out for fire news and information from Tennessee.

For those who haven’t checked the Fire Critic site out before, take a look.  Thanks for the mention Fire Critic!

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Western Pennsylvania Firefighting History Timeline Project

I’m excited to announce a new project here at Hoopie World that I hope I get a lot of participation from the viewers.

I have started a western Pennsylvania firefighting timeline to give a visual look at some of the rich history from this area in relation to fire departments and firefighting incidents.

This is a work in progress, and I really hope to get a lot of submissions out there.  As you can see there are only a few incidents on there now, most of which I just found by viewing departmental websites.

Please email support@hoopieworld.com to submit more events.  Please include date, (if you don’t have a specific date, please submit the year, the county, and the event).  We want to list significant things, like department establishments, apparatus purchases, LODD deaths, and major incidents (large fires, unique calls).

Pictures are welcome as well, and I plan to create a new album in the photo gallery section of the site for old pictures.

So please take a look at the new Firefighting History timeline page, submit your information, and spread the word.

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Breaking News – Explosion at Clairton Works

July 14th, 2010 – 09:40 – Clairton units have been dispatched to Clairton Works for an explosion in the B Battery with multiple personnel entrapped.  Additional EMS units have been requested to the scene.  Glassport 161 and Jefferson Hills 180 have been placed on standby.

The mill is now reporting whole B battery is on fire.

Update @10:01 – All personnel accounted for and being treated.  Medical helicopter on the way for a 55 year old with burns to the chest, head, and back.  Fire appears to be out.

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National Firefighter Challenge Possibly Coming to Pittsburgh Fire Expo?

While browsing the web, I saw an interesting post on the Watchdesk stating that the National Firefighter Challenge is considering coming to Pittsburgh for the Pittsburgh Fire Expo in October.  This information is per Chris Cerci, who has competed in these events before.  This would be a great event to have come to Pittsburgh, and give the Fire Expo a great boost.

Chris is looking for potential corporate sponsors for the event.  Please contact him at paraff_pit@yahoo.com if you are interested or know any one that may be.

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Finally a New Posting on Hoopie World!

I know, I know, don’t all faint at once.  The heat wave is hot enough, we have enough fainting going on around us.  If you come to Hoopie World with any frequency, you’ve noticed that not much have changed over the last couple months.  I’ve been thinking a lot of what direction to take the site.  Fire buffing is about dead around western PA, or at least its not what it used to be.  Some of that is due to most departments having their own websites and just posting pictures/incidents there.  Some of it is just because it was a cyclical fad and people don’t have the time/money/energy to do it any longer.  So with no pictures coming into the inbox,  its tough to report on fire stories.

For a while I posted teaser pictures and links to fire incidents from other sites, but even the pictures and incident reports are becoming scarce and not very frequent at those sources as well.  As an example, as I write this two local departments near me both let their domain names expired and are currently OOS.

(more…)

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Glassport Copperweld Complex Training

Back on May 22nd, 2010, Glassport Station 161 and county officials organized a training session that involved multiple  concurrent incidents, including an accident with entrapment with haz-mat leak, a hazardous material leak from a vehicle, a missing police officer overcome by fumes and a physical rescue for a unresponsive person on a silo.

The training was a great success as multiple companies worked together to overcome different obstacles thrown at them.  The following companies had units on scene:

161 – Glassport
123 – Clairton
131 – Dravosburg
139 – Elizabeth Boro
140-2 – Elizabeth Twp Blaine Hill
140-7 – Elizabeth Twp Central
180 – Jefferson Hills 885
183 – Liberty
184 – Lincoln
294 – Duquesne Annex
295 – West Mifflin #3
299 – White Oak
440 – Allegheny County Haz-Mat
Clairton Medic Units – 551, 552, 553, 554

Additional units on scene notified – Allegheny Co DEP,  Allegheny Co. EPA, PA Fish & Boat Commission,  Red Cross, Salvation Army,  Allegheny Co. Police,  Glassport; Port Vue, Lincoln Police units,  CSX Authorities, McKeesport F.D. Deputy.

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Rural Water Movement Class

On the weekend of May 15th-16th, area companies attended a Rural Water Movement class hosted at Pittsburgh International Airport’s ARFF training facility.

Here is the report from Lincoln VFRC’s website:

During the weekend of May 15th and 16th 2010, members from Lincoln VFRC attended a class at the Pittsburgh International Airport ARFF Training Center.  Other companies attending included Crescent Twp, Ohio Twp, Jefferson 885, Imperial, and Wilkins Twp #3.  The course was taught by Deputy Chief Brian Colella and assistant instructors Tom Bonura and Brian Nolan from Station 100.

Class members learned about hose relays, drafting, and tanker shuttles.  The training included both classroom and practical sessions.  Over 3000 feet of 5? hose was laid on Saturday putting into practice the use of multiple engines for a long relay.

On Sunday, Imperial’s engine drafted from a dry hydrant connected to a pond, and fed Lincoln’s, Ohio Twp’s, Crescent’s, and Jefferson 885’s tankers which dumped their water into dump tanks.  Tanker 100 drafted from the dump tank and used deluge guns to simulate a fire incident.  During the iterations, the minimum flow was 600 gpm and at times the gpm reached 1500 gpm.  The shuttle practical proved that with a proper setup you are able to move big water.

For a large set of pictures, visit Lincoln VFRC’s website

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Brush Fire in Cook Twp

Another day, another brush fire.  On April 5th, 2010 crews were called to Cook Twp to extinguish a brush fire.  Per Murrysville Medic One:

Support 610, Gator 610, and 610-1 responded with Team 211 to assist with firefighter rehab during a large woods fire in Cooks Twp. Responding agencies: Murrysville Medic One (Support 610, Gator 610, and 610-1), Chestnut Ridge VFD, Whitney – Hostetter VFD, Ligonier Twp VFD, Youngstown VFD, Bakersville VFD, Darlington VFD, and Wilpen VFD.

Please visit Murrysville Medic One’s site for more pictures

photo by murrysvillemedicone.org

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Tarentum Structure Fire

Lower Burrell VFC #3 has pictures and information from an April 5th, 2010 structure fire in Tarentum.  Here is the report from their site:

Around 1330, Station 69 was activated to assist 95-2 w/ our RIT, for a working structure fire, in Tarentum Borough.  Within minutes of dispatch, Engine 69-1 responded with.  When Engine 69-1 arrived on scene, our members assisted 95-2 RIT team, and remained on scene for approx. 3 hours.

For more information and close to 20 pictures, visit Lower Burrell VFC #3

photo lbvfc3.webs.com/

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Easter Morning Fire in Unity Twp

Murrysville Medic One was called to assist with firefighter rehab on Easter morning, April 4th, 2010, in Unity Twp.  Here is the incident report from their site:

Support 610 was dispatched into Unity Twp to assist with firefighter rehab during an Easter morning structure fire. Support 610 personnel deployed rehydrating beverages to on-scene personnel. Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the first floor. Responding agencies: Murrysville Medic One (Support 610, 610-1, 610-T2), Whitney-Hostetter VFD, Pleasant Unity VFD, Youngstown VFD, Lloydsville VFD, and MAAS.

For more pictures and information visit Murrysville Medic One

photo by murrysvillemedicone.org

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