Bethesda, MD On Saturday, August 14th, 2010 at 1700hrs, Engine 710 and Ambulance 710 responded to a SUV fire on the Inner Loop of Interstate 495, before the I270 spur. E710 arrived on scene to find a vacant Ford Explorer with fire blowing from the engine compartment. Lt. Bencosme, FF Miller and FF Shim pulled an attack line and quickly extinguished the fire. The driver was uninjured and units cleared the scene shortly afterwards.
Passing of Life Member Raymond Money
The Officers and Members of The Department are saddened by the loss of
Life Member Raymond Money
We wish the Money family peace and our deepest condolences during this most difficult time.
Services are are follows:
Viewing: Friday, August 13, 5:00-8:00 PM
Funeral: Saturday, August 14, 11:00 AM
at Hilton’s Funeral Home, Barnesville, Maryland
Internment: Norbeck Memorial Park, Batchellors Forest Road, Olney, Maryland
We will update this site with more details as they are received.
Airboats Assist Baltimore City FD
Baltimore MD- August 5th: On Thursday August 5, 2010 Cabin John Park VFD’s Airboat 730 running out of station 30 with Sandy Spring VFD’s Airboat 740 were dispatched to Baltimore City to assist with an incident. Air boats are the boats that you seen in the everglades that have large propellers on the back of the boat. This makes the boats capable of running in very little water, on ice, or though terrain not negotiable with a standard prop. When still on the trailer, air boats make excellent fans that can be used to ventilate smoke and other hazardous gases in large scale. Baltimore City contacted the two air boats for this purpose. Baltimore needed assistance in ventilating a railroad tunnel after a CSX freight train apparently derailed. Transportation officials were concerned that track workers were possibly being exposed to hazardous materials during the clean up operations. Thankfully there were no injuries or a release of toxic chemicals. Units operated on the scene for approximately 2 hours. before being released for service by Baltimore City F.D.
Photos by MFF Brubacher, FF Smet & provided compliments of www.ssvfd.com
Cabin John Park VFD goes Paintballing
Fredrick MD- August 1 & 8: Cabin John Park Volunteers have discovered a new passion that is a fun way to boost morale and build team spirit. The past few weekends members and friends of the Cabin John Park VFD have been driving up route 270 into Fredrick Maryland to play paintball. Paintball is a rapid paced team game much like laser-tag, but with air powered markers that send paint flying at opponents. With skill level all about the same (novice) everyone has had a great time and wants to go again. Its a fun activity that gets people out and builds up comradeship. Those who have played with Cabin John would like to thank the generous people at the Fort Detrick MWR Paintball course for letting us come out and have a blast.
On a side note, paintball can be a dangerous sport. So as with any sport, proper safety equipment and knowledge of the game makes everything more fun and enjoyable!
Severe Storm Strikes
Greater Washington DC Area- July 26th: Sunday June 26th storms tore through the greater Washington DC Metro area with great force. Cabin John Park VFD company’s 10 & 30 took the brute of this storm that was capable of creating tornadoes. Within moments of the storm hitting, multiple Cabin John Park VFD members reported to the firehouse so see what help they could provide to the community struck by a violent storm. Many of the volunteers coming in on their own accord responded to wires down calls and to ensure homeowners were safe after trees had fallen to the wind striking homes. Because of the smaller satellite units like Brush Truck 710 and Utility 710 taking on the service calls, the larger pieces of apparatus were able to respond to much higher priority calls. The Swift-Water Rescue Team responded to three rescues during the day. Not only were crews on the river, but the CJPVFD was dispatched to two house fires (luckily they were both false alarms). Montgomery County Fire & Rescue responded to over 650 emergency calls in under seven hours. A grueling feat for any organization. Luckily few injuries occurred during the storm.
Cabin John at the MSFA Convention, Ocean City MD
Ocean City, MD – This past week saw firemen from the entire state converge on Ocean City, MD for the state’s annual Firemen’s Association Convention and Conference. Cabin John was no exception, represented by a delegation of nearly 20 while the other members stayed back to stand post at the firehouse.
Highlights of the week included Chief Jim Seavey Sr. being named to a second consecutive term on the organization’s executive board, FF Jason Goldberg presenting to a packed house on the benefits of strategic recruitment efforts in the fire service, and of course the Parade of Fire Apparatus on Wednesday. Cabin John always makes a respectable showing, and this year was no different. CJPVFD brings home honors including 2nd Best Appearing Antique in the state for our 1930 Brockway Pumper, one of the first engines we ever owned, but that wasn’t it. Chief Colton Wilkins, our Jr. Fire Chief and Great-Grandson of Mary Morgal, our 50-years-running Ladies Auxiliary President, took home the top prize is his category and a trophy that was nearly twice his size!
All in all, it was a great convention for Cabin John, and we come back rested and ready to serve more effectively!
The Potomac River: A Beautiful But Dangerous Place
Even though the rippling waters of the Potomac River may look inviting, anyone that ventures outdoors should know that it can be a very dangerous place. In 2009 there were six drownings on the river in the Washington area alone. Sadly, the river took two more lives just a few weeks ago. A mother and her daughter were on the Virginia side of the Potomac near Difficult Run, during the Memorial Day weekend at a gathering when, the accident occurred. By the end of the week both women were found about a mile and a half downriver from where they were last seen.
This horrible event should be a vivid reminder of several precautions that we all must adhere to whenever we are near that great expanse of water, the Potomac River. Of course, all the usual water and boating safety rules apply and just as important to remember is to never underestimate the river’s power. The river is full of under currents that can grab you and pull you along, way before you realize what has happened. Also, even though the rocks that jut out into the water may give you a closer view of the river, they are also very slippery when wet and they could spill you right into those currents in a split second. Washington Post staff writer Dan Morse said in a June 2nd article that, “While it is against the law to swim in the river, as pronounced by signs in the area, people get in trouble by wading into what seem to be calm waters to cool down, or by walking along the many rocky edges and falling in.”
Read more »
Cabin John Park Trains with US Park Police
Anacostia DC- May 19th, 2010: Cabin John Park Volunteers and Montgomery County Firefighters went to visit the US Park Police Aviation’s Division in Anacostia DC. This training session is for both the Park Police as well as the River RATS so that they can work in perfect unison when there is a rescue that needs to be made.
It’s summer time and a beautiful time to visit the river, but remember not to go into the water. That CURRENT KILLS. Have fun on the river without going in the water.
CJP Volunteers Visit Brother Firefighter, Wounded in Afghanistan
Bethesda MD- May 13th 2010: Cabin John Park VFD members visited with HM-3 Jake Emmott, a U.S. Navy Corpsman wounded during combat operations in Afghanistan while saving the lives of two Marines. HM-3 Emmott is a fellow firefighter with the Union Fire District of South Kingstown, in Rhode Island. The members of the Cabin John Park VFD would like to wish HM-3 Emmott and all wounded service men and women a speedy recovery.
Remember our troops and their families who sacrifice so much to keep us free!
Montgomery County Police Tactical Medic Program Is Honored After 30 Years of Service
On Wednesday, April 28, 2010, the Montgomery County Police Tactical Medic Program celebrated the completion of 30 years of service. The event took place at Flanagan’s Harp & Fiddle on Cordell Avenue in Bethesda, and was attended by both current and former members of the Emergency Response Team, allied agency Tactical Emergency Medical Support (TEMS) providers, and their guests. The first TEMS in Montgomery County was formally established in August of 1979 by two now-retired Officers Karl Plitt and Paul Sterling.
Retired Officer Karl Plitt, one of the architects of the program, proposed the need after a bank robbery occurred at Blair Plaza in Silver Spring in 1979. At that time, there was not a police emergency response team with negotiators and technical support. The Assistant Chief and Director of the Field Services Bureau Thomas McDonald, supported the concept of emergency response beyond SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics). Officer Plitt proposed incorporating a medical component, knowing that the military didn’t respond to emergency missions without medic support. McDonald agreed and Plitt sought out Officer Paul Sterling who was, at the time, not only a police officer, but an active member of the Wheaton Rescue Squad. Sterling was one of the first certified EMT’s in the state of Maryland. They worked with Fire Rescue personnel and the fire department protocol to develop what would work best for incorporating Emergency Medical Support (EMS) into Tactical Emergency Medical Support. The Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 35, also supported the program and provided funds to purchase equipment for the fledgling unit.
