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To serve, educate and protect our citizens and visitors from
the effects of fire and medical emergencies: to promote a professional
and progressive team approach to emergency response services. |
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DECEMBER 29TH-
Halfway responds to a House Fire on BOX 26-5 |
 On
December 29th at 15:46 hours, firefighters from Halfway,
Funkstown and Hagerstown Departments were alerted on Box 26-5
for a house fire on Burnside Avenue in Greenberry Hills
Subdivision south of Hagerstown. Assistant Chief 26 reported
heavy smoke showing in the area directly after dispatch. Halfway
Fire’s Chief Ed Ernst heard his report and requested the Working
Fire Dispatch struck on the assignment.
Hagerstown Engine 5 arrived on the scene at 17729 Burnside
Avenue to find heavy fire showing from the rear of the house.
Firefighters began an aggressive attack as Chief Ernst arrived
and assumed Burnside Avenue Command. Firefighters battled the
blaze for nearly thirty minutes before bringing it under
control. Firefighters remained on the scene conducting overhaul
operations until shortly before 18:00 hours at which time final
crews were able to clear the scene.
Reports show that a candle left burning in the back of the
residence caused the fire. Several residents were home at the
time of the blaze but were able to safely evacuate the house
without injury. The Hagerstown Chapter of the American Red Cross
was called in to assist three adults at five children displaced.
Over thirty emergency responders from six departments responded
out on Box 26-5 that afternoon. Crews from Halfway Fire & EMS
Company 26 responded with mutual aid from Hagerstown’s South End
Fire Engine 5 and Western Enterprise Truck 4, Funkstown Fire
Co.10, Williamsport Fire & EMS Co.2, Washington County Special
Operations 20, Washington County Emergency Air Unit 25 and
Emergency Rehab 255. |
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See The Story on
1strespondernews.com
by William C. King
Photos Courtesy of WCVFRA PHOTO TEAM |
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DECEMBER 3RD- Halfway responds
to 2 Alarmer on BOX 10-5 |
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 Washington
County- On December 3rd, firefighters were dispatched
out to a reported structure fire at 516 Bentley Court in the
Londontowne Complex east of Hagerstown. Washington County E.C.C.
received multiple calls reporting a fire in the building at
15:14 hours that afternoon. Crews on Box 10-5 were immediately
dispatched out as additional calls continued to come into the
center.
Firefighters responding were able to see a
large column of black smoke coming from the complex as they were
approaching the scene. Deputy Chief Eric Fraley of Funkstown
Company 10 saw the Heavy Smoke from over a mile away and quickly
requested the Working Fire Assignment started.
Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke
and fire coming from the building. Deputy Chief Fraley arrived
at 15:19 hours confirming he had a working fire and requested
the 2nd Alarm struck as he assumed Bentley Court
Command. Crews arrived to find a two story multi-residential
structure with heavy fire showing from the center apartment on
the second floor.
Firefighters from Funkstown and Hagerstown
Departments were the first to arrive. Firefighters were able to
make an aggressive attack on the blaze bringing it under control
in less than thirty minutes of the call being received by 9-1-1.
Over 70 providers responded out to the 2
Alarm Blaze from 16 individual Fire and EMS Departments along
with several support agencies. No one was injured by Saturdays
blaze, but several families were displaced. Command requested
The American Red Cross to the scene to assist those families.
Firefighters remained on the scene well
into the evening hours doing extensive overhaul and assisting
State Fire Marshals Office. The State Fire Marshal’s Office was
called in to assist do to the magnitude of the fire. A cause of
the blaze has not yet been released and is still under
investigation by The State Fire Marshals Office. Final crews
from Funkstown cleared the scene around 20:34 hours that
evening.
Crews responding on the 10-5 Box consisted of Funkstown Co.10,
Independent Juniors Engine 3, Mt. Aetna Co.16, First Hagerstown
Hose Engine 1, Pioneer Hook & Ladder Truck 1, Halfway Fire
Co.26, Washington County Special Operations 20 and Community
Rescue Co.75. Additional assistance was received on the Working
Fire Assignment and the 2nd Alarm Assignment from
Long Meadow Co.27, Fairplay Fire Co.12, Smithsburg Fire Co.7,
Boonsboro Fire Co.6, Antietam Fire Engine 2, Boonsboro Rescue
Co.69, Washington County Air Unit25 and Washington County Rehab
Unit 255. Assistance from County Fire Police, Hagerstown Police
Auxiliary, Hagerstown Fire Marshals Office and Maryland State
Fire Marshals Office along with The Hagerstown Chapter of The
American Red Cross. Transfer crews from Williamsport Fire Co.2,
Maugansville Fire Co.13 and Leitersburg Co.9 were called in to
cover Funkstown, Halfway and the eastern section of Hagerstown
while crews were committed to the scene. |
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See The Story on
1strespondernews.com
by William C. King
Photos Courtesy of WCVFRA PHOTO TEAM |
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NOVEMBER 8TH- Halfway EMS
responds with Funkstown Fire for MVC |
 Three
people were taken to the hospital
Tuesday morning following a wreck at the
intersection of Oak Ridge Drive and
Sharpsburg Pike (Md. 65), Trooper Dave
Thompson of the Maryland State Police
said.
The accident happened when a
Chrysler Town & Country minivan and
a Mitsubishi sedan collided in the
intersection, Thompson said. Both
vehicles were facing the curb at the
northeast corner of the intersection
with damaged front ends.
The driver and two children in the
Chrysler Town & Country minivan were
taken to Meritus Medical Center off
Robinwood Drive with what were believed
to be minor injuries, Thompson said.
Police responded to the accident at 6:35
a.m. Tuesday and began directing traffic
on westbound Oak Ridge Drive east of
Sharpsburg Pike.
Two firetrucks from the Funkstown
Volunteer Fire Co. were on the scene
with Maryland State Police. The
road reopened and police cleared the
scene at 7:22 a.m. after the vehicles
were towed away.
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November 8th, 2011 |
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Story From
www.herald-mail.com |
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By CALEB CALHOUN |
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caleb.calhoun@herald-mail.com |
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OCTOBER 13TH- Halfway responds to
vehicle fire on Virginia Ave |
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 A
Falling Waters, W.Va., man who was pulled from a burning
pickup truck Thursday morning on Virginia Avenue in
Halfway was pronounced dead at the scene, the Washington
County Sheriff’s Office said.
Authorities were trying to determine what caused the
death of George Eugene Koons, 70, Sheriff Douglas W.
Mullendore said Thursday afternoon.
"We don’t have a clue what
caused the death until we talk
to the medical examiner,”
Mullendore said. He
said he wasn’t sure when the
autopsy would be conducted.
Koons’ niece, Kim Bain, said her
uncle was either taking his wife
to work or had just dropped her
off when the incident occurred.
Bain said Koons was a kind man
who remained upbeat despite
being engaged in a battle with
prostate cancer. “He
was doing well,” she said.
Bain said her uncle recently
spent time with his
grandchildren when the family
held a surprise birthday party
for him at an area restaurant.
“He loved it,” she said. “All of
his grandchildren were there. He
was upbeat even though he had
cancer.”
At about 4:57 a.m., police were
dispatched on a call for a
personal injury accident at
16909 Virginia Ave., near the
Interstate 70 overpass.
Washington County sheriff's
deputies and Maryland State
Police found a 1999 Dodge pickup
truck on fire in a ditch,
according to a sheriff’s office
news release.
A good Samaritan was able to
pull Koons from the vehicle and
place him beside the driver’s
side door, but then had to
retreat because the heat and
flames were too intense, the
release said. Koons was
pronounced dead at 5:06 a.m.,
the release said. Police
and emergency personnel remained
on the scene directing traffic
until after 7 a.m., when the
truck was towed away.
Deputy Shawn Marvich said the
sheriff's office was
investigating the cause of the
fire.
According to his obituary, Koons
was a 20-year military veteran
who served in the
U.S. Air Force. Eight of
his years of military service
were spent with the
White House Communications
Agency traveling around the
nation with presidents
Lyndon B. Johnson and
Richard M. Nixon, the
obituary said.
After retiring from the
military, he worked for 18 years
at
Hagerstown Book Binding and
12 years at Dover Inlay in
Williamsport, the obituary said.
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Story From
www.herald-mail.com |
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By DAN DEARTHStaff
Writer Kate S. Alexander contributed to this story.
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dan.dearth@herald-mail.com |
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OCTOBER 4TH- P.I.C. at I-70 near
Downsville Pike |
 A
Martinsburg, W.Va., woman
suffered minor injuries Tuesday
after the 2004 Dodge Caravan she
was driving west on I-70 at
Downsville Pike struck a tire
that had come loose from another
vehicle, said
Maryland State
Police.
Rosemarie Ann Smith, 41, was
taken to Meritus Medical Center
with minor injuires, state
police said.
The tire came off
a 2004 Ford van, state police
said.
The driver of the van, Felipe
Ayala of Ashtabula, Ohio, was
cited for operating an unsafe
motor
vehicle, state
police said.
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Story from: www.herald-mail.com
Reported by: Caleb
Calhoun
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OCTOBER 1ST- P.I.C. at I-81 North
Bound at the 5 mile marker |
 Halfway-
On October 1st, Fire and EMS Crews from Halfway were
dispatched at 17:18 hours for a vehicle collision on
Interstate 81 just north of Halfway Boulevard.
Halfway responded with additional assistance from
Maugansville, Williamsport and Community Rescue Service.
Washington County Dispatch had reports of a serious
accident with multiple vehicles involved including a
tractor-trailer with one entrapped.
Emergency crews arrived to find several passenger
vehicles scatter along the interstate with a
tractor-trailer over an embankment. Crews had reports
that the driver in the tractor-trailer was entrapped.
After investigation it was found he was able to self
extricate himself from the wreckage and safely climbed
down to the bottom of the embankment.
 Firefighters
worked to control fluids spilled from the accident while
making access to the driver at the bottom of the
embankment. Three people were transported to Meritus
Medical Center. No serious injuries were reported. The
statuses of all patients transported are unknown at this
time.
North bound traffic was shut down for nearly an hour
until most hazards could be removed. Fire and EMS crews
cleared the scene around 18:30 hours turning the scene
over to Maryland State Police. The cause of the accident
is still under investigation by MSP.
Halfway Fire and EMS Co.26 responded out with assistance
from Williamsport Fire Co.2, Maugansville Fire Co.13,
Community Rescue Co.75 and Washington County Special
Operations 20.
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See The Story on
1strespondernews.com
by William C. King
Photos Courtesy of WCVFRA PHOTO TEAM |
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SEPTEMBER 13TH- Remembrance In The
Park |
 Washington
County- On September 13th, a large group of people
gathered in Hagerstown’s City Park at the Emergency
Services Tribute Garden once again to pay their respects
to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. With the
combined efforts of the Washington County Citizen Corp
with the City of Hagerstown and Washington County
Division of Emergency Services, the Tuesday night
ceremony would be one to remember. Washington County and
the City of Hagerstown were proud to accept a steel
beam, which once belonged to one of the Twin Towers and
was to be dedicated that evening.
 Many
Police, Fire and EMS members in Washington County were
prepared to do what ever was needed on that fateful day
ten years ago. Multiple stations everywhere from Hancock
to Potomac Valley were manned with personnel preparing
for the worst. From organizing the crews that were ready
to head to New York if called upon; to planning a
strategy for anything that could happen in there own
area. They all had a heightened sense of preparedness as
events unfolded on that day. As time went on,
communities began to recognize how much the everyday
responders are taken for granted. Especially with a
large amount of the responders in Washington County
being volunteers.
 Citizens
walking by City Park on that Tuesday were concerned at
first as they witnessed two Ladder Trucks from
Hagerstown Fire Department and The Volunteer Fire
Company of Halfway parked at the front entrance to City
Park. Many were relieved and had a sense of wonder as
they saw the American flag being draped from the center
of the arch made by both ladders. Soon the street was
filled with nearly forty emergency units as they came
down Walnut Street and turned into City Park passing
beneath the flag. Well over 50 first responders from
Washington County attended Tuesday’s event along with
nearly 200 citizens.
The Remembrance In The Park has turned in to an annual
event. Each year a tree is planted in the Tribute Garden
in memory of someone lost. This year’s tree was planted
in memory of U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Maung “Sam” Htaik of
Hagerstown who was killed in combat in Afghanistan.
Htaik’s family was at the event to take part with the
tree planting in his memory.
  After
the tree planting everyone’s attention was turned to the
unveiling of a piece of history. Everyone was silent as
the steel beam was unwrapped for all to see. There it
stood; the five-foot tall steel beam that once held up
one of the tallest buildings in the world. Now it is
here in Hagerstown for all to come look at to admire and
reflect upon. Once unveiled, Director Lewis continued on
as night fell upon the park. Those lost in the line of
duty in Washington County were recognized as Director
Lewis read out the sixteen names of Police, Fire, EMS,
Military and Correctional Officers lost as Blaine Snyder
of The First Hagerstown Hose Company rang the ceremonial
bell once for each name read.
Ceremony proceedings came to a close as the sun fell.
Many were moved by the nights events in recognition of
the nearly 3,000 lives lost because of 9/11. From the
reading of the names of our own lost to the sound of
Amazing Grace being played by Firefighter Rick Conrad on
the bagpipes; very few were able to walk away that
evening with out a tear in their eye. The first
responders as well as the citizens of Washington County
will never forget the sacrifice made on that day by so
many. |
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See The Story on
1strespondernews.com
by William C. King
Photos Courtesy of WCVFRA PHOTO TEAM |
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SEPTEMBER 4TH-
Ride for 9/11 make a stop in Halfway |
HALFWAY, MD. - Some Los Angeles firefighters are
honoring the victims of 9/11 by riding their bicycles to
New York City for the 10th anniversary of the terrorist
attacks.
But wish they could have done more 10 years ago.
"For us being in la and seeing what happened on the east
there was a sense of helplessness, we had no other
choice but to sit there and stare at the television,"
says Jim Prabhu, Los Angeles fiire fighter paramedic.
The trip from Los Angeles to New York City is about 3000
miles away and for these bike riders it means away from
home for over 30 days.
During the long trip, they have encountered a variety of
climates that have made it tough for them to ride.
"From dry heat out in Los Angeles and Arizona deserts we
had 125 temp the first couple of days to thunderstorms
and rain and 35 mile per hour winds in Oklahoma," says
Prabhu. But those tough times only motivate them
to keep on pedaling.
"When people call for help it doesn't matter what the
weather is what the conditions are over seas, men and
women still respond," says Jorge Ostrovski, Los Angeles
firefighter paramedic. They will be stopping by
the pentagon and Philadelphia before making it to the
big apple.
Story from:
www.your4state.com
Reported by: Jessica Reyes
www.ridefor9-11.org |
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AUGUST 19TH- Halfway
Welcomes AMERICAS 9/11 RIDE! |
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 Washington
County- On August 19th Emergency
crews took time to recognized those riding to
remember those lost ten years ago on September
11th. This years 10th
annual 9/11 Ride from Shanksville Pennsylvania
where the brave passengers brought down Flight
93 to the Pentagon where Flight 77 was
intentionally flown into the building that
fateful morning. A ride that began in November
of 2001 with a large group of riders has grown
into an annual event with more then 2600
participants. Riders make the trek every August
to all three sites to help raise money as well
as remembering those fallen on that day.
 Saturday
mornings ride entered Washington County shortly
after 10:00 hours that morning. As the
procession made it’s way down Interstate 70,
ordinary citizens cheering them on along with
local Police, Firefighters and Emergency Medical
Technicians greeted the riders along the way.
Bridges crossing overtop the interstate in
Washington County were lined with people and
Fire and EMS Apparatus as the riders rode
through sounding their horns and sirens to show
their appreciation for the support showed by our
county. Crews from Hancock, Clear Spring,
Williamsport and Washington County Rehab 255
lined different parts of I70 from the State Line
down to Downsville Pike to help show their
support.
Over 2,000 riders came
through Washington County that day stopping off
at the Premium Outlet Mall in Hagerstown for a
short break during their ride. There they were
greeted by crews from Funkstown and Halfway Fire
Companies as an American Flag flew high from
atop of Halfway’s Tower. Riders took a lunch
break while spectators stopped to admire some of
the bikes viewing some of the memorials on some
of them. Another show of support was shown with
a Pink Fire Truck which was also out at the
Outlets during the event. The Western Maryland
Chapter of Guardians of The Ribbon had the Pink
Fire Truck named Mary on hand to show their
support as well as promoting their Cancer
Awareness cause.
 Organizers
were assisted by local County Sheriff Deputies
and State Police as well as local Fire Police
who handled traffic control shutting down the
Interstate as well as local roads to keep the
fifteen mile long procession running smoothly.
Later Friday afternoon riders mounted up and
continued on their way to the Pentagon where the
days event would end. They would later start
back out that Saturday for New York for the
final leg of their ride. More information on
the Americas 9/11 Ride can be found at
americas911ride.org. |
| See The Story on
1strespondernews.com
by William C. King
Photos Courtesy of WCVFRA PHOTO TEAM |
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JULY 11- Halfway responds to
an 18 wheeler off the road... |
 Washington
County- Crews from Halfway Fire & EMS along with
Maugansville Fire Company responded out for a personal
injury collision on Interstate 81 j ust
north of Halfway Boulevard. Crews arrived to find
an 18 wheeler that was traveling south bound and left
the roadway. Crews had to work through trees and
brush to get to the cab of the rig to access the
patients. Both occupants were transported to
Meritus Medical Center. Halfway and Maugansville
were on the scene for an extended period with Special
Operations and Washington County Rehab who were called
in to assist on the incident. |
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JUNE 9- Halfway
responds on the 10-6 Box with
Funkstown |
 Washington
County- In the late evening of June 9th, severe storms
blew through the Hagerstown area with severe lightning
awakening residents late that evening. Shortly after the
storm, Washington County 911 began receiving calls
reporting a house on fire on Splendor View Terrace. Fire
crews were dispatched out on Box 10-6 to 20377 Splendor
View Terrace at 22:59 hours.
Washington County took multiple calls reporting the
fire. Support 10-0 from Funkstown reported seeing heavy
fire on the horizon as he was approaching the scene.
Additional crews were immediately started on the Working
Fire Assignment as Support 10-0 arrived on the scene to
find a two-story structure with heavy fire engulfing the
roof of the house. Crews arrived beginning their
defensive attack from the exterior of the structure.
Chief Fraley of Funkstown later arrived assuming
Splendor View Command.
 Over
sixty-five firefighters worked in defensive mode for
over an hour working to bring the blaze under control.
Crews were utilizing everything from hand lines to
ladder pipe operations to battle the blaze. Firefighters
were on the scene well into the next morning as State
Fire Marshals were called in for the incident.
The State FM Ed Ernst is investigating the blaze. No
cause has been released yet but they are looking into
the weather event that went through just prior to the
blaze. No one was home at the time of the blaze and no
injuries were reported. The house is reported to be a
total loss with estimated damages ranging around
$250.000.
1strespondernews.com
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