Natrona Heights Village Green Apartments Fire

3-11-2009 at 21:00 Stations 167, 168, 169, and 110 EMS were dispatched to a working structure fire at The Village Green Apartments Harrison Twp, Natrona Heights, PA.  169 Chief first onscene advised a light smoke condition in the 2nd floor apartment.  Station 281 RIT dispatched to the scene.  Crew found a working structure fire in the apartments bedroom.  Crew had a good knock down in the fire within 10 minutes of orrigional dispatch.  County Maintenance was called to the scene due to the apartments being run by Allegheny county.  The fire marshall was also called to the scene.  No injuries were reported.  The family was being assisted by Salvation Army and Red Cross.

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Irwin Hotel Fire

Here are a few pictures submitted by Alan Harff of a large fire that occurred on March 5th, 2009 at 211 Main Street in Irwin Boro at the Irwin Hotel.

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New Contributing Editor

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen. Thank You for stopping by to read my first post here at Hoopieworld.com.  I hope everyone takes the opportunity to read the information discussed here and pass it on to your fellow Fire, Rescue, EMS, and Law Enforcement brothers and sisters.  That is truly what we are.

For the regulars here at the site you may see a lot of bickering, whining and just outright being nasty but if we all think of our own families and lives , it happens to all of us at some point and time.  No one here is above human nature and there fore better than any one.  So lets take the information that’s shared and listen to it.  If you disagree do so politely. Do not think your way is the ONLYway. We all know that in this line of work things change and they do so quickly.  The way I was taught or learned a skill may not be the same as some one in another department, line of work, or county for that matter. This web site  has a base that spans several counties. I am from Butler County. I am sure that if I could read minds many of you thought to your selves that the only fire we see are barns and tractors. Although this, in my case does have some truth to it  it in no way decreases what I do.  If your community is primarily residential you are as important to that home owner as I am to the farmer I protect.

I believe wholeheartedly in the theory that one must take “Ownership” of his or her organization. Ownership doesn’t mean that you gain control of your department as a dictator.  It doesn’t even mean you have to be an officer. It does mean that you have a sense that you make a difference to your department AND your community .  Everyone in this business of Public Safety is here because they want to help or they want to make a difference.  We’ve all been to our departments business meetings and heard the membership committees read why a  prospective candidate wants to join the department. Don’t laugh or make fun of the new member. It’s getting hard to find people that will stick it out there for free anymore .  Let’s make them feel welcome.  Let’s encourage each other and let everyone know that we’ll be there for that member weather it be on a scene or in his or her home if need be. 18 years ago when I joined my first department I  was called all kind of names for the new member.  I’m sure we’ve all heard if not used them.  I was a probie, a newb, a plebe, or a puke.  I was wet behind the ears or some times even my fathers ugly “daughter”.  But it was the guys and gals that were calling me these things that saw no matter what, I wasn’t going to quit.  I wanted to be there to learn and do the job.  I respected those folks and do to this day.  I was going to do what it took to get them to respect me even if  it meant being  a junior.  I rolled and racked countless thousands of feet of hose.  I mopped endless square feet of floors.  I washed, waxed, and polished every square inch of apparatus that ever set foot in that station (sometimes it didn’t belong to our department). And today I feel that most of those people do indeed respect me for my skills and abilities.  We’ve all been through this is some form or another.   We should refrain from using this time as a weeding out period. We should use it as a bonding time.

To get to my point  this site is like the group of older experienced persons in the department.  We should be using the gift of HOOPIEWORLD to share our skills and knowledge with the younger generation and the experienced who may not  know .  We shouldn’t ridicule, degrade, or harass any one.    I can not say I have any knowledge of the radio system in Westmoreland County.  I can’t say I understand why Allegheny county Station ___   uses a company further away for mutual aid.   I don’t  know much of anything about Armstrong county. I am reasonably sure  that if  I asked a member who may have posted on the subject they may be able to explain or at least find out why. So rather than jump the gun and assume I know more, let’s be adult and ask  for the explanation.  If given the opportunity to reply then offer your suggestions to improve the subject.  It maybe some thing that member hasn’t encountered that often.  It may be a new or not frequently used skill  or subject. We all have areas we aren’t “the best ” at.  It may be the worst cliche in the history of the English language  but  it’s fitting.  BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION NOT THE PROBLEM!!

Now with that said I’ll step down from my soap box.  I’m not here to lecture. I’m not your father or mother.  Goodness knows I’m not your Pastor.  I have been given the chance to share my opinions on subjects that face us all.    I will try all I can to provide the most accurate  and safe information I can weekly .  But please keep in mind I am human too.  I’m sure there will be times there are folks on that are more knowledgeable than me.  I will not be offended to be corrected .  I’m here to learn too.  Please feel free to reccomend any subject you may have concerns about.

STAY SAFE

*** next week’s topic  seating assignments ***