Cabin John, MD – We at CJPVFD firmly believe that we work in the best combination Volunteer-Career system in the world! We’re lucky to have a great working relationship with the members of IAFF Local 1664, including the many dedicated professionals who we work with every day at Station #10 and Station #30 to provide our community with the premiere FIRE and EMERGENCY MEDICAL services in the business.

Every once in a while it’s important to remind ourselves that we’re lucky to work side-by-side and shoulder-to-shoulder with some great folks who we consider our partners and our friends!

Today begins Fire Prevention Week sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association. This year’s official theme is, “Smoke Alarms: A sound you can live with!” Remember to check your smoke alarms monthly and to change the batteries annually.

Here are some alarming statistics.

• Smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a reported fire in half.
• Most homes (96%) have at least one smoke alarm (according to a 2008 telephone survey.)
• Overall, three-quarters of all U.S. homes have at least one working smoke alarm.
• Each year, nearly 3,000 people die in U.S. home fires.
• In 2003-2006, roughly two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from home fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
• No smoke alarms were present in 40% of the home fire deaths.
• In 23% of the home fire deaths, smoke alarms were present but did not sound.
• In more than half of the reported home fires in which the smoke alarms were present but did not operate even though the fire was large enough, batteries were missing or disconnected. Nuisance alarms were the leading reason for disconnected alarms.

For more information about Fire Prevention Week, visit www.firepreventionweek.org

Remember the Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department is always available to assist with any questions you may have regarding installing or maintenance of your smoke alarms.

September 21, 2010- Victor H. Esch passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of Saturday, September 18th. Dr. Esch served the Cabin John Park VFD faithfully for over 30 years as Department Surgeon, Deputy Fire Chief, and most recently as Surgeon Emeritus.

Doc Esch also served the District of Columbia Board of Police and Fire Surgeons for over twenty-five years, being named the Chief of the Board for his last ten. Following his retirement from the D.C. Board of Police and Fire Surgeons, he worked for the U.S. Department of State, the Metropolitan Medical Strike Team, and also served as a Coroner for Montgomery County, Maryland. In addition, he was an active member of the Friendship Fire Association in D.C.

Dr. Esch will be honored with a vigil at 1000 hours on Friday, September 24th, followed at 1100 hours by a Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, 9200 Kentsdale Drive, Potomac, Maryland 20854. The Internment will be private.

Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department is proud to announce that effective October 1, 2010, six of our own members will be promoted to the in-house administrative rank of ‘Sergeant’. CJPVFD Sergeants will have a wide range of responsibility and will be primarily charged with running a duty shift in a safe and productive manner ensuring that our volunteers receive the best training and guidance possible.

Please join us in congratulating:

Sgt. Mark Livingstone, Monday Night

Sgt. Damien Alexander, Tuesday Night

Sgt. Holly Schaeffer, Wednesday Night

Sgt. Harry Goldman, Thursday Night

Sgt. Gavin Etzel, Friday Night

Sgt. Jonathan Shim, Weekends

We applaud their hard work and dedication, and wish them luck in their new roles!

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.

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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

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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.

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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.”
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