- Saturday September 25th
100th Anniversary Celebration - Saturday December 18th
Santa Gift Delivery
FAST Response to 18 Spencer Rd.,
Basking Ridge December
7, 2008
At approximately 17:25 on Sunday, December 7, Liberty Corner Fire Company's FAST (Firefighter Assistance and Search Team) was called to assist Basking Ridge Fire Company at a residential structure fire at 18 Spencer Rd. Fire had extended from the fireplace to the surrounding wall and attic. The fire was extinguished within approximately thirty minutes. Additional companies operating on the scene included Millington and Bernardsville Fire Companies, and Basking Ridge and Liberty Corner First Aid Squads.
FAST Response to 211 Dryden Rd.,
Bernardsville November
18, 2008
Liberty Corner Fire Company's FAST (Firefighter Assistance and Search Team) was requested for a working fire in a residence at 211 Dryden Road, Bernardsville shortly after 11:00 on the morning of November 18. Fire was in a split level residence and was controlled by firefighters from Bernardsville, Mendham, Peapack and Far Hills-Bedminster with support from Liberty Corner Fire Company. Liberty Corner Fire Company's FAST provides rescue services in the event a firefighter becomes trapped or is otherwise disabled during firefighting operations. In addition, Liberty Corner provided post-fire salvage and clean up assistance on scene.
Structure Fire at 70 Queen Anne Drive November
17, 2008
At 10:49 on the morning of Monday, November 17th, Liberty Corner Fire Company responded to 70 Queen Anne Drive for a reported structure fire. Initial reports indicated smoke issuing from the rear of the residence. While responding, Engine 2 requested a ladder company from the Lyons Veterans Administration Fire Department due to reports of smoke beginning to issue from the second floor. Shortly thereafter, Engine 2 arrived and laid a five inch supply line from the nearest hydrant in front of 55 Queen Anne Drive. Upon arrival at the fire building, Scott Kessel, operating Engine 2, assumed command. Heavy smoke was showing; fire was in a rear room adjacent to the kitchen. Firefighters Dave Smart, Landon Zimmerman and Rich Kronengold stretched an inch-and-three-quarter line to the rear, made entry through the kitchen and knocked down the fire. Liberty Corner Fire Company's Engine 4 and the VA Fire Department's Ladder 115 arrived and began search, ventilation and overhaul. Rescue 1 arrived from Liberty Corner Fire Company along with First Assistant Chief Pete Aprahamian and Second Assistant Chief Carl Blanchard. Assistant Chief Aprahamian assumed command of fire operations at 11:15.
The fire was confined to the room of origin; the first and second floors sustained smoke damage and the first floor and basement sustained water damage. A pet cat perished in the fire. Also operating on the scene were Liberty Corner First Aid Squad, Bernards Township Police, Fire Prevention Bureau, Health Department and Construction officials. The building was declared uninhabitable. The fire was under control at 11:37 with units remaining on scene until 12:41.
Liberty Corner Fire Company Responds to
Fatal Crash November
15, 2008
At 06:44 on Saturday, November 15, Liberty Corner Fire Company was dispatched with Liberty Corner First Aid Squad to Route 78 westbound at Exit 33 for a traffic crash with injuries. A commuter van had driven off the road and through a light pole and sign before striking a tree off the right shoulder. Upon arrival, Liberty Corner Fire Chief Robert Pierson established command and reported multiple patients with multiple entrapment. As the Fire Company's rescue truck arrived, three patients had been removed or were in the process of being removed. The two remaining patients were entrapped and required extrication with hydraulic rescue tools.
The first priority was securing the vehicle; while the front end was partially wrapped around the tree, the van was not stable as it was only resting on the two driver's side wheels. Firefighters quickly set up high-lift jacks to provide stabilization of the vehicle. Once the vehicle was stabilized, firefighters could begin extracting the two remaining patients. The driver was heavily entrapped in the driver's seat and was determined to be a fatality. Extrication efforts were focused on the passenger in the seat directly behind the driver. His feet and legs were entangled in the twisted frame of the seat, and one foot was crushed between the frame of the driver's seat and the floor. Prior to the Fire Company's arrival, attempts were made to free this patient via the side window, however the entanglement of his feet and legs prevented this. A hydraulic spreader was used inside the vehicle to free his feet and legs, allowing for his removal. The driver was then removed with the use of several hydraulic spreaders and cutters as well as other power tools.
In addition to Liberty Corner Fire Company and Liberty Corner First Aid Squad, the following units responded: Basking Ridge First Aid Squad, Warren Township First Aid Squad, Atlantic Ambulance Paramedics, Bernards Township Police and New Jersey State Police.
Liberty Corner Fire Company Participates
In Joint Live-Fire Drill With Bernardsville Fire Company November 2, 2008
On Sunday, November 2, 2008, the Liberty Corner Fire Company and Bernardsville Fire Company participated in a joint live-fire training excercise at the live-burn tower in Somerville, NJ. Both companies worked together under live-fire conditions in a variety of excercises including fire behavior and suppression, ventilation, search and rescue and F.A.S.T. (Firefighter Assistance and Search Team) procedures. Also providing on-scene rehabilition support were the Liberty Corner and Bernardsville First Aid Squads.
Both fire companies and first aid squads provide mutual aid assistance to each other as well as other surrounding agencies. This drill was a chance for the members of each agency to work together and to become familiar with each other's personnel, equipment and operating procedures.
Liberty Corner Fire Takes Home 5 Trophies
from Annual Firefighter Olympics October
18, 2008
On Saturday, October 18, 2008, the Liberty Corner Fire Company took first place in the 10th Annual Firefighter Olympics. This marks the fourth year in a row the fire company has won the overall event. The Liberty Corner Fire Tag Team, comprised of Mike LaCosta, Eric Murhpy, Pete Aprahamian, Caleb Hough and Glenn Hart also took first place among the 8 companies competing in this category. Liberty Corner firefighter Eric Murphy placed second and First Assistant Chief Pete Aprahamian placed third in the Best Individual category. Pete Aprahamian also placed first in the Best Individual over 40 category. Second Assistant Chief Carl Blanchard and firefighter Joe Friedman completed the team for Liberty Corner.
Firefighter Olympics is sponsored by the Hillsborough Twp. Volunteer Fire Co. No. 2. The event, which is open to all firefighters 18 years of age who have completed Firefighter Level 1 training, is comprised of 5 events. All five events are performed in full turnout gear while breathing air from an SCBA pack. The first event is the high-rise pack carry in which a firefighter must carry 100 feet of 1 3/4" hose to the top of a five story tower. Once at the top, the firefighter must hoist a rope carrying a 45 lb. roll of hose to the top story of the tower. The firefighter then descends down the tower where he uses a 9 lb. shot mallet to drive a 165 lb. steel beam a horizontal distance of 5 feet. The firefighter must then advance 140 feet, where he picks up the nozzle of the 1 3/4" charged hose line and advances it a distance of 75 feet, opens the nozzle and hits a target. The final event is the victim rescue where the firefighter drags a 175 lb. Rescue Randy mannequin a distance of 100 feet.
Award categories for the event included Best Overall Team (average sum of best individual times from the same fire company), Best Tag Team (in which each member of a 5 member team is responsible for one of the five legs of the event), Best Individual, Best Individual Over 40 and Best Individual Over 50.
Dryer Fire at 127 Woodward Lane July 13, 2008
At 18:06 hours on Sunday July 13, Liberty Corner Fire Company was dispatched to 127 Woodward Lane for a dryer fire in a townhouse. Initial reports indicated smoke and fire showing. Under the command of First Assistant Chief Pete Aprahamian, Engine Two established a water supply and stretched an inch-and-three-quarter line. A clothes dryer at the top of the stairs was involved in fire and was beginning to extend to the surrounding utility room and hallway. While two of Liberty Corner Fire Company's newest firefighters, Ron DePasquale and Troy Delorenzo, extinguished the fire, two additional members vented the second floor and checked for extension. Engine Four arrived and continued checking for extension in the attic and began overhaul.
The fire was under control within fifteen minutes. The residence sustained moderate water damage to the first floor and moderate smoke damage to the second floor. All fire and EMS units cleared the scene at approximately 19:30 hours.
Liberty Corner Fire Company is Victorious
in Tri-County Firematics Competition June 14, 2008
On Saturday, June 14th, local fire companies participated in the Annual Tri-County Firematics Competition hosted by the Green Village Volunteer Fire Department. The annual competition is based on a series of simulated fire fighting activities. The goal is to successfully complete each activity, which consists of two hose events and one ladder event, in the least amount of time. Trophies are awarded for each of the three individual events and the team with the lowest time for all three events combined is declared the overall winner. The Liberty Corner Fire Company placed first in the single hose event, second in the ladder event and finished with the lowest combined time for all three events, taking home the first place trophy for the overall competition. The Basking Ridge Fire Company placed first in the double hose event.
Other fire companies participating in this year's event were Bernardsville, Chatham Borough, Far Hills-Bedminster, Martinsville, Mendham, New Vernon and Peapack-Gladstone.
Structure Fire at 168 Annin Rd. May 6, 2008
At 14:41 hours on Tuesday May 6, 2008, Liberty Corner Fire Company responded to a report of a structure fire at 168 Annin Rd. Engine 2 arrived to a heavy smoke condition and working fire in a multiple level private residence. Under the Command of Assistant Chief Carl Blanchard, a water supply was established and fire attack initiated. Due to the extent of the fire and size of the building involved, Chief Blanchard requested mutual aid from surrounding fire companies. The resulting mutual aid response drew additional fire companies from Basking Ridge, Bernardsville, Far Hills-Bedminster and the Lyons Veterans Administration Medical Center. Also responding were Emergency Medical Services from Liberty Corner, Basking Ridge and Bernardsville.
Initial reports of a civilian in the residence were unfounded. All primary and secondary searches of the building were negative. EMS units treated several firefighters on the scene; one firefighter was transported to Morristown Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Damage to the residence was extensive. The fire was declared under control at 15:15 with units remaining on scene extinguishing hot spots and overhauling until 17:46.
