RECENT NEWS AND INCIDENTS

OVERTURNED BOX TRUCK.......ON A TRAILER

MARCH 2- AT 15:54 HRS STATION 17 AND SQUAD 8 WERE DISPATCHED TO I-85 NORTHBOUND AT THE 11.5 MILE MARKER FOR AN OVERTURNED VEHICLE.  E-17-1 ARRIVED TO FIND AN OVERTURNED BOX TRUCK STILL ATTACHED TO THE TRAILER IN WHICH IT WAS BEING HAULED UPON. THE TRUCK THAT WAS TOWING THE TRAILER, AS WELL AS ITS' DRIVER WAS UNHARMED. PERSONNEL SECURED THE OVERTURNED VEHICLE, AND ASSISTED WITH TRAFFIC FLOW WHILE THE ACCIDENT WAS CLEARED FROM THE ROADWAY.

EBENEZER VFD FUNDRAISER

MARCH 2 - MT. BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH ON HWY 185 IS SPONSORING A FUNDRAISER EVENT ON APRIL 5TH. THIS FUNDRAISER IS TO BENEFIT EBENEZER VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT AND RELAY FOR LIFE. 

MVA - HICKORY RIDGE RD

FEBRUARY 22- TVFD AND FORK EMS WERE DISPATCHED TO HICKORY RIDGE RD JUST OFF HWY 24 FOR A VEHICLE VERSUS TREE. UNITS ARRIVED ON SCENE TO FIND ONE VEHICLE OF THE ROADWAY HEAD ON INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE HAD MODERATE DAMAGE, BUT NO OCCUPANT WAS FOUND. CREWS SECURED THE VEHICLE, AND CONDUCTED A SEARCH AROUND THE ACCIDENT SCENE, AS WELL AS GAS STATIONS CLOSE BY. UNITS RETURNED TO SERVICE AND LEFT THE SCENE WITH HIGHWAY PATROL.

UNITS RESPONDING: E-17-1, E-17, E-17-2

FORK EMS MEDIC 8-2 AND RESCUE 8

MULTIPLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT WITH ROLLOVER

FEBRUARY 18- AT 1637 HRS TOWNVILLE VFD AND FORK EMS WERE DISPATCHED TO THE I-85 NORTHBOUND ENTRANCE RAMP AT EXIT 11 FOR AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING 3 VEHICLES WITH ONE OVERTURNED. UNITS ARRIVED ON SCENE TO FIND AN OVERTURNED SUV PULLING A CAMPER, AS WELL A DAMAGED VAN AND TRACTOR TRAILER.  MULTIPLE VICTIMS WERE QUICKLY TRIAGED. OTHER PERSONNEL SECURED THE VEHICLES AS WELL AS THE  SCENE. A TOTAL OF 9 INDIVIDUALS WERE INVOLVED, BUT ONLY 3 NEEDED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THEY WERE TRANSPORTED TO ANMED BY FORK EMS WITH NON-LIFE THREATENING INJURIES. TVFD CREWS RETURNED TO SERVICE IN APPROXIMATELY AN HOUR AND A HALF.

RESPONDING UNITS: ENGINE 17-1 & E-17, FORK EMS MEDIC 8-2

2008 ANDERSON COUNTY VFD CHIEF'S BANQUET

FEBRUARY 7 - THE ANNUAL CHIEF'S BANQUET WAS HELD JANUARY 29 AT THE CIVIC CENTER OF ANDERSON. STARR VFD PROVIDED AN EXCELLENT MEAL AS ALWAYS. AFTERWARDS, SEVERAL AWARDS WERE PRESENTED. ANDERSON COUNTY 2007 FIREMAN OF THE YEAR WAS KENASTON NOYES OF PIERCETOWN STATION 13.  TWO LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS WERE PRESENTED TO CALVIN BARNETTE OF PENDLETON STATION 2, AND AL GUNDRY OF STARR STATION 4, FOR THEIR MANY YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO ANDERSON COUNTY. ADDITIONALLY, SEVERAL COURAGE AND LIFESAVING AWARDS WERE PRESENTED INCLUDING ONE  OUR DEPARTMENT RECEIVED. WE WERE RECOGNIZED FOR OUR JOINT EFFORT WITH DOUBLE SPRINGS STATION 5, FOR THE SAFE  EXTRICATION OF A DRIVER OF AN EIGHTEEN WHEELER. THE LARGE FEED TRUCK OVERTURNED, AND WAS HANGING OFF OF THE HATTONS FORD RD BRIDGE OVER LAKE HARTWELL ON DECEMBER 27, ,2007. THE POWDERSVILLE VFD AND WHITEFIELD VFD ALSO RECEIVED THE COURAGE AND LIFESAVING AWARD FOR THEIR WORK IN EFFORTS TO SAVE THE THE LIVES OF SEVERAL PERSONS INVOLVED IN SERIOUS MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS  INVOLVING LIVE WIRES DOWN,( POWDERSVILLE), AND A VEHICLE FIRE (WHITEFIELD).

                           MUTUAL AID TO OCONEE COUNTY FOR                       COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE FIRE

FEBRUARY 3 - AT 0400 HRS STATION 17 WAS REQUESTED BY CROSSROADS VFD COMMAND (OCONEE COUNTY) TO ASSIST WITH A COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE FIRE AT THE CADILLAC RANCH SALOON ON CONEROSS CREEK ROAD.  AT THE TIME OF DISPATCH, THE FIRE WAS ALREADY THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING AND HAD VENTED. THE INFORMATION WAS FROM THE INITIAL SIZE UP FROM THE PORCH OF A FIREFIGHTERS' RESIDENCE JUST UP THE ROAD. ENGINE 17 RESPONDED WITH FOUR PERSONNEL AND ARRIVED ON SCENE TO FIND A HEAVILY  INVOLVED STRUCTURE. DEFENSIVE OPERATIONS WERE ALREADY INITIATED. E-17 AND E-17-1 ASSISTED WITH SUPPLYING CROSSROADS E-13 FOR A SHORT PERIOD.  THEN A WATER SHUTTLE OPERATION WAS SET UP WITH TWO DUMP TANKS AND MULTIPLE APPARATUS. E-17-1 AND TANKER 17-1 SHUTTLED NUMEROUS LOADS OF WATER TO THE SCENE WHILE STATION 17 PERSONNEL COORDINATED THE WATER SUPPLY.  E-17 REPOSITIONED TO SIDE "D" AND ASSISTED WITH LIGHTING UNTIL THE ARRIVAL OF LIGHT TOWER 12. E-17-2 REMAINED AVAILABLE FOR ADDITIONAL CALLS. CREWS REMAINED ON SCENE FOR OVER FOUR HOURS BEFORE RETURNING TO QUARTERS. THE FIRE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION BY OCONEE COUNTY OFFICIALS, AS WELL AS SLED.

STATION 17 AWARDED V-SAFE GRANT

FEBRUARY 1 - STATION 17 HAS LEARNED OUR  APPLICATION FOR EQUIPMENT THROUGH THE VOLUNTEER STRATEGIC ASSISTANCE AND FIRE EQUIPMENT PILOT PROGRAM (V-SAFE) HAS BEEN AWARDED. THIS PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED THIS PAST YEAR BY STATE REPRESENTATIVES TO ASSIST VOLUNTEER DEPARTMENTS WITH NEEDED EQUIPMENT. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES WHO SUPPORTED THIS PROGRAM, AS WELL AS  FIREFIGHTER KEN CHARLES AND HIS WIFE DEBI FOR THEIR HELP WITH WRITING THE GRANT. WE WILL BE RECEIVING SEVERAL VALUABLE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT INCLUDING A THERMAL IMAGING CAMERA AND A MULTI GAS DETECTOR. 

2008 ELECTION OF OFFICERS

JANUARY 29 - THIRTY TWO TVFD MEMBERS WERE PRESENT FOR THE THE ANNUAL ELECTION FOR 2008.  AFTER A VERY GOOD MEAL FROM OLE' COUNTRY SMOKEHOUSE IN ANDERSON, THE ELECTION TOOK PLACE.  ALL OFFICERS REMAINED THE SAME. THEY ARE AS FOLLOWS:

 TWO CAR ACCIDENT AT HWY 24 & 243

JANUARY 25- 1132HRS - TVFD AND FORK EMS WERE DISPATCHED TO THE INTERSECTION OF HWY 24 AND 243 FOR A TWO VEHICLE ACCIDENT WITH MODERATE DAMAGE.  EMS TRANSPORTED ONE PATIENT AND FIRE PERSONNEL ASSISTED WITH PATIENT CARE, A SMALL FLUID SPILL, AND ASSISTING WITH TRAFFIC. E-17-1 RETURNED TO SERVICE WITHIN ONE HOUR.

REPORTED GRASS FIRE TURNS OUT TO BE STRUCTURE FIRE

JANUARY 24 - AT 0430 HRS, TOWNVILLE FIRE UNITS WERE DISPATCHED TO THE AREA OF HIGHWAY 24 JUST EAST OF I-85 FOR A GRASS FIRE.  AS E-17-1 AND GRASS 17 WENT ENROUTE, FIREFIGHTERS ON SCENE ADVISED THE CALL WAS IN FACT A FULLY INVOLVED VACANT HOME. E-17-1 THEN REQUESTED STATION 17 RESPOND ALL APPARATUS AND STATION 5 FOR THEIR TANKER.  E-17-1 ARRIVED ON SCENE AT 0437 HRS  AND A DEFENSIVE OPERATION WAS INITIATED, AS THE STRUCTURE WAS NEARING COLLAPSE.  THE FIRE WAS AIDED BY A LARGE AMOUNT OF HAY STORED WITHIN THE STRUCTURE. UNITS WORKED ON SCENE FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 HOURS BEFORE RETURNING TO SERVICE. THE CAUSE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION, AND CONSIDERED SUSPICIOUS IN NATURE.

ASSIST STATION 5 WITH STRUCTURE FIRE

JANUARY 22 - STATION 17 WAS DISPATCHED TO ASSIST STATION 5 WITH A STRUCTURE FIRE ON PERRY CIRCLE. UPON ARRIVAL, E-5 REPORTED A WORKING FIRE. ENGINES 17 AND E-17-1 ARRIVED ON SCENE AND ASSISTED IN WATER SUPPLY OPERATIONS TO DOUBLE SPRINGS' ENGINE 5 AND 5-1. TANKERS FROM ZION AND FAIR PLAY ALSO RESPONDED.

INITIAL ALARM- DOUBLE SPRINGS E-5, E-5-1, T-5, S-5, TOWNVILLE E-17-1,E-17                                             

  2ND ALARM - ZION TANKER 14, FAIR PLAY TANKER 8 AND SERVICE TRUCK 8  

TWO CALLS AT THE SAME TIME, AGAIN...

JANUARY 15TH -  AT 1017HRS STATION 17 WAS DISPATCHED TO CEDAR GROVE RD FOR THE GRASS FIRE. E-17-1 ARRIVED TO FIND A SMALL FIRE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AS THE FIRE WAS BEING EXTINGUISHED, FIRE DISPATCH RECEIVED A CALL REPORTING A VEHICLE FIRE ON STELLING DR APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE FROM THE GRASS FIRE. E-17 ARRIVED ON THE SCENE TO FIND A WORKING FIRE. AFTER DISCUSSION WITH THE DRIVER, IT WAS DETERMINED HIS TRUCK WAS ALSO THE CULPRIT OF THE GRASS FIRE ON CEDAR GROVE RD. 

MVA WITH ENTRAPMENT

JANUARY 14TH - 0029 TVFD AND FORK EMS WERE DISPATCHED TO THE 200 BLOCK OF HATTONS FORD RD FOR AN ACCIDENT WITH POSSIBLE ENTRAPMENT. SHORTLY AFTER DISPATCH, ADDITIONAL CALLERS ADVISED THE CORRECTED ADDRESS TO BE ON HATTONS FORD RD JUST BEFORE OLD DOBBINS BRIDGE RD IN STATION 5'S CALL AREA. STATION 5 WAS THEN DISPATCHED TO THE CALL. PERSONNEL FROM STATION 17, STATION 5, AND EMS 8 ARRIVED ON SCENE TO FIND A PICK UP WITH HEAVY DAMAGE ON ITS SIDE, DOWN AN EMBANKMENT, IN A CREEK.  CREWS WENT TO WORK STABILIZING THE TRUCK WITH THE KODIAK STABILIZATION KIT. THE  BACK WINDOW WAS THEN REMOVED FOR SAFE EXTRICATION OF THE DRIVER. THE PATIENT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY FORK EMS. CREWS RETURNED TO SERVICE IN APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES.

TWO CALLS AT THE SAME TIME IN TOWNVILLE?

JANUARY 12TH - AT 2129 HRS, TVFD AND FORK EMS WERE ALERTED TO HWY 24 AT O'NEAL FERRY ROAD FOR A TWO VEHICLE ACCIDENT WITH ONE OVERTURNED. ENGINE 17, 17-1, AND  FORK MEDIC 8-2 RESPONDED WITH 16 PERSONNEL. AS UNITS WERE ARRIVING ON SCENE, THE NATURAL GAS LEAK WAS DISPATCHED TO HWY 24 IN THE AREA OF TOWNVILLE SCHOOL ROAD. ENGINE 17-1 RESPONDED FROM THE ACCIDENT SCENE ALONG WITH E-17-2 FROM THE STATION. BACK AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE, ENGINE 17 AND MEDIC 8-2 FOUND 1 VEHICLE ON ITS ROOF, AND ANOTHER VEHICLE WITH MODERATE DAMAGE TO THE REAR.  ONE PATIENT WAS TRANSPORTED BY EMS. ADDITIONALLY, NO GAS LEAK WAS LOCATED. IT IS VERY RARE THAT OUR DEPARTMENT HAVE TWO INCIDENTS OF ANY TYPE AT THE SAME TIME........ 

       CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEWEST STATE CERTIFIED FIREFIGHTERS

JANUARY 10TH - WE WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE OUR NEWEST CERTIFIED FIREFIGHTERS. THESE 5 INDIVIDUALS HAVE COMPLETED THE STATE 1152 FIREFIGHTING CLASS CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY 80 HOURS OF TRAINING. THANKS FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO OUR DEPARTMENT, AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.

ANOTHER TRACTOR TRAILER ROLLOVER AT EXIT 11

JANUARY 8TH - AT 1218 HRS, THE REPORTED TRACTOR TRAILER ROLLOVER WAS DISPATCHED TO THE EXIT 11 SOUTHBOUND ENTRANCE RAMP (THE SITE OF SEVERAL ROLLOVER ACCIDENTS YEARLY). ENGINE 17, 17-2, MEDIC 8-2 AND 8-0 RESPONDED WITH 10 PERSONNEL. UPON  ARRIVAL, AN EIGHTEEN WHEELER WAS FOUND ON ITS SIDE, WITH THE CONTENTS THROWN ALONG THE ROADWAY. THE OCCUPANT HAD SELF EXTRICATED HIMSELF AND WAS TRANSPORTED BY EMS. THE COUNTY HAZ MAT TEAM WAS CALLED TO ASSIST WITH A DAMAGED DIESEL TANK. FIRE UNITS ALSO CONTAINED A SMALL OIL SPILL WHILE OPERATING ON SCENE. THANKS TO OUR FELLOW FIREFIGHTERS FROM STATION 3 WHO WERE IN THE AREA, AND ASSISTED US ON THIS CALL.

 FIRST CALL OF 2008

JANUARY 1 - THE FIRST CALL OF 2008 WAS DISPATCHED TO BROYLES POINT RD FOR A BRUSH FIRE. ENGINE 17-1, ENGINE 17, AND GRASS 17 RESPONDED WITH 14 PERSONNEL, TO FIND A SMALL FIRE BEHIND A RESIDENCE. THE FIRE APPARENTLY WAS A RESULT OF A DEBRIS PILE FROM THE PREVIOUS EVENING. TVFD UNITS CLEARED WITHIN 30 MINUTES.

"THE BIG ONE"

(TRACTOR TRAILER OVERTURNED TRAPPING DRIVER, HANGING OVER LAKE HARTWELL,.....WITH DIESEL SPILL)

DECEMBER 27TH - AT 0630 HOURS, FORK RESCUE SQUAD AND DOUBLE SPRINGS VFD WERE DISPATCHED TO HATTON'S FORD RD FOR THE REPORT OF A TRACTOR TRAILER OVERTURNED. UPON THE ARRIVAL OF EMS AND FIRE, AN EIGHTEEN WHEELER TRANSPORTING CHICKEN FEED WAS FOUND OVERTURNED HANGING BETWEEN THE BRIDGE OVER LAKE HARTWELL, AND THE SHORE. STATION 5 LT. COBB ESTABLISHED THE OVERALL INCIDENT COMMAND WITH MEDIC 8-2 HAVING MEDICAL COMMAND. COMMAND UNITS QUICKLY REQUESTED AN ADDITIONAL ALARM BRINGING TOWNVILLE VFD, ADDITIONAL RESCUE TRUCKS FROM OAKWAY RESCUE SQUAD AND MEDSHORE, AS WELL AS THE ANDERSON COUNTY HAZ-MAT TEAM TO THE SCENE. A SPECIAL CALL WAS ALSO PLACED FOR FOR A HEAVY DUTY WRECKER AND CRANE FOR STABILIZATION OF THE BIG RIG. PERSONNEL INITIALLY STABILIZED THE CAB WITH ALL AVAILABLE CRIBBING AND EQUIPMENT INCLUDING WINCHES FROM EMERGENCY VEHICLES ON SCENE. THE PASSENGER DOOR WAS THEN REMOVED TO GAIN MINIMUM ACCESS TO THE PATIENT. AFTER THE ARRIVAL OF A LARGE CRANE AND WRECKER, THE CAB OF THE TRACTOR TRAILER WAS SECURED SO THERE WAS NO FURTHER THREAT OF THE VEHICLE FALLING IN THE WATER. THE CRANE THEN RAISED THE CAB SEVERAL INCHES TO ALLOW THE SAFE EXTRICATION OF THE VICTIM WHICH INCLUDED PUSHING THE DASH, REMOVING THE DRIVERS SEAT, AND CUTTING THE STEERING WHEEL. NUMEROUS HYDRAULIC TOOLS, SAW ZAWS, AND ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT WERE USED IN THIS  EXTRICATION. AFTER REMOVAL, THE PATIENT WAS ASSESSED BY SQUAD 8 PERSONNEL AND PATIENT CARE TURNED OVER TO MEDTRANS FOR FLIGHT TO GREENVILLE MEMORIAL. AS THE EXTRICATION WAS BEING COMPLETED, ANDERSON COUNTY HAZ MAT CREWS WERE ALSO BUSY CONTAINING A DIESEL SPILL INTO THE LAKE.  ALL AGENCIES INVOLVED WORKED VERY WELL TOGETHER TO BRING THIS INCIDENT TO A POSITIVE OUTCOME. A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE CRANE AND WRECKER OPERATORS, WHOSE ASSISTANCE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN SECURING THE RIG, SO A SAFE EXTRICATION COULD TAKE PLACE.