Member's at the TSVFD would like to thank the employees at Rita's Water Ice at Penn Avenue and Route 724 for thier continued support of the Emergency Services and for their hospitality during this past year. We appreciate all that you have done for us and we will miss you during the winter months!

Friday in the 85 House started out with a tour of the new addition at the Wilson Sr. High School, along with witnessing the test of the fire alarm system for the new addition. Following the tour our new college live in was put through some more Probi. Training.  At 1340hrs Co#85 & 79(Wyomissing) were dispatched to Rt. 222 and Broadcasting Rd. for a reported MVA with injuries. Crews stabilized and depowered both vehicles, then treated the fluids down on the roadway.  Western Berks EMS treated and transported two pt’s. Spring Twp. Fire Police assisted with traffic control. Later in the evening the the Company was dispatched to Assist. Co#51(Sinking Spring) for alarm bells sounding in a apartment building. The Crew from E-85-2 assisted with checking for the source, which was unfounded.

At 2055 hours, companies 85, 51 and 67 RIT were dispatched to the 600 block of Wilshire Blvd for a smoke condition in a residence. E852 & L51 responded immediately to the call. Deputy 85-1 (HOSTETTER) arrived on scene and reported a light haze and smoke condition in the laundry room possibly from a dryer. E852 and L51 arrived on scene. The crew from E852 formed a man power pool on side A of the residence while the crew from L51 began to check the residence for the source of the smoke. Deputy 85 (SCHARTEL) and two members from the engine began to check the exterior of the residence to make sure nothing was burning from the outside.
L51's crew narrowed down the location to the washing machine and they began to remove the front panel to discover a burnt rubber drive belt. No fire services were needed and the home was vented naturally.

COMMAND: Deputy 85-1 (HOSTETTER)
APPARATUS ON SCENE: E852, E51, L51
ON STAND BY: 67 RIT, REMAINDER OF 85

At 2033 hours, company 85 and 85 fire police were dispatched for a MVA with fluids down. RE851 already on radio in the township reported to the accident. Crews arrived to find two vehicles involved one with heavy front end damage and in traffic. Fire police shut down the road way for firefighters and police to apply oil dry, cut the battery and remove the vehicle.

On Monday nights members from company 85 have drill, this week's training focused on rescue operations using air bags to lift objects. The drill was headed by Deputy 85-1 (HOSTETTER) who is the head of special operations and rescue for the department. 

Members from company 85 and 79 headed over to the Spring Township Municipal building located at Shillington and Spohn Roads with RE851, R85, E852, A85 and T79. At our disposal, township employees let us lift a backhoe, a dump truck and two large dumpsters. 

During training crews worked on many aspects of rescue operations, one being improving communication skills needed between the airbag controller and the spotter who over sees the perations of lifting the object. The second is the proper uses and deployment of rescue airbags and the third rescue operation focused on was the cribbing aspect. Crews were refreshed on the proper and most effective ways to crib objects and the important of it when lifting them with airbags.

At 1132 hours, companies 85 and 56 were dispatched for a reported vehicle fire on 222 South by the Gouglersville exit. Chief 85 (ROTH) and RE851 responded. Chief 85 arrived on location to find a small fire in the engine compartment and extinguished it with a quick blast from his dry chemical extinguisher prior to apparatus arrival. He held the assignment to RE851 and E56 to continue in to check for extension and overhaul.

ON STANDBY: E853


Company 85 also responded to two false automatic fire alarm's in the evening.

As part of its continuing public outreach program, Company 85 supported the West Lawn Peach Festival at the West Lawn Playground on Saturday afternoon, 8/16.  The Kids Safety House and our Fire Safety Robots, Freddy and Freckles, along with several TSVFD members throughout the day, enterained and educated dozens of children of all ages.  The event lasted from 1500 thru 2200 with TSVFD personnel in attendance at all times.  Also participating were the Spring Twp Police, Exeter Police K9 unit and Western Berks EMS.

On Saturday, Aug 16, Company 85 helped the Borough of Shillington and the Keystone Fire Company celebrate the Borough's100th Anniversary.  Rehab 85 and Car 85-1, manned by Capt Woll, FF Schartel and Rehab members Koehn, Gould and Roemer, participated in the parade.  Congratulations to the citizens of Shillington and our brothers and sisters at Company 67.  Best wishes for another 100!

At 0444 hours, companies 43, 31, 51, and 85 were dispatched to the 3300 block of Harwood Lane in Lower Heidelberg for a residential automatic fire alarm. Volunteers from 85 sleeping in at station along with 85 career staff were able to respond immediately with a crew of four on Engine 85-2. Engine 43 and E852 arrived on scene and met with the homeowners who stated there was no cause for alarm and didn't know why it went off. Lieutenant 43 (BOYSEN) recalled the assignment.

At 1707 hours, company 79 and one engine from 85 were dispatched to  1105 Berkshire Blvd at the Berkshire Building for an automatic fire alarm. RE851 responded with a crew of five from their standby at the Peach Festival. Tower 79 and Assistant 79 (STRAUSE) arrived on scene and discovered a heat detector was set off on the second floor. Assistant 79 had the operation switched over to F-2 and informed RE851 to directly send its crew up to investigate the third floor while the Tower's crew went to the second to investigate. Both crews found no cause for alarm and had the system reset. Companies went available. 

COMMAND: ASSISTANT 79 (STRAUSE)
APPARATUS ON SCENE: TOWER 79, RE851, E79, CHIEF 85 (ROTH)

At 1948 hours, companies 51, 43, 31, 85 and 67 RIT were dispatched for a possible structure fire in the first block of Hidden Brook Way. Dispatch stated lightning had struck the residence and the homeowners smell smoke in their family room. Chief 51 arrived on scene and reported nothing showing. Ladder 51 was the first truck on the scene and crews began to investigate the interior to find a light odor in the residence. Chief 51 had arriving units form a man power pool in front of L51 on side A of the residence. L51 began to check the residence with thier thermal imaging cameras, but found nothing. All companies were released with the exception of 51 who remained on scene to investigate further. Command reported that after a thorough investigation no fire was found and cleared the assignment.

COMMAND: CHIEF 51
APPARATUS ON SCENE: E51, E85-2, RE851, E31, LADDER 51
STANDBY: 43, 67 RIT, AIR 85

A massive fire destroyed about 185 apartments yesterday in the 200 block of Washington Street in Conshokocken. It took firefighters five and half hours to get the blaze under control. Firefighters from Montgomery, Lehigh, and Berks Counties were requested to respond to this 8-Alarm blaze.

Berks County Communications put out an request from Mongomery Command for any companies willing to respond to the fire. A special request was sent out for 2 Towers, 2 Heavy Rescues, and 4 Engines.
Tower 7 (Birdsboro), Tower 70 (Grill), Ladder 15 (Boyertown), Engine 2 (Reiffton), Engine 15 (Boyertown), Engine 43 (Lower Heidelberg), Rescue 5 (Oley), Utility 43 (Lower Heidelberg), Utility 18 (Boyertown Canteen), and Rehab 85 all responded from Berks County to assist.

Members from Company 85 supplied rehab to 50+ people and remained on scene for 16 hours. They provided a tent with lighting, KORE-KOOLER chairs, cold-water towels, misting fans, tables, and cold drinks. Rehab 85 returned to quarters at approximately 1100 hrs the following day.

Companies 85, 79, and 67 for RIT standby dispatched for a reported structure fire on the 200 block of Woodside Avenue. Deputy 85-1 (Hostetter) arrived on scene, reporting smoke showing, and assumed Woodside Command. E-852 and Twr-79 placed responding. Spring Twp PD had forced entry prior to FD arrival and found an unattended pot on the stove melted through the bottom which had cooked off with no one home. The police officers placed the pot into an adjacent sink. Deputy 85-1 held E-852 to the scene and recalled the balance of the assignment. E-852's crew secured electric service to the stove, checked for extension and ventilated a medium smoke condition. The property was then turned over to the occupant who returned home midway through the event. 

Command: Deputy 85-1 (Hostetter)
Engines: 85-2
Tower 79
Standby: 67 RIT, RE-851

Company 85 requested for assistance stabilizing an overturned vehicle. PD arrived on scene and found all occupants out of the vehicle without injuries. RE-851 placed on the assignment and assisted with the removal of the vehicle. Fire police controlled the traffic in the area.

Engine: RE-851
EMS Command: 669 (Stemler)
EMS: M-652

Busy night for the A-Platoon starts off assisting Co. 79 (Wyomissing) for an AFA at the Wyomissing Arts Building. Units arrived and investigated a possible faulty detector. Before clearing the scene Companies 85, 51, and 67 for RIT standby were dispatched for a reported kitchen fire in 2500 block of Girard Avenue. E-852 cleared the AFA and responded to the scene along with L-51 and Deputy 85-1 (Hostetter). Deputy 85-1 arrived on scene, reported smoke showing from two floors of an end of row townhouse, and assumed Girard Command. L-51 arrived and went into service on the B side, RE-851 took the A side and deployed an 1 3/4 line to the kitchen area, with E-852 laying a 5" supply line  from McKinley Avenue. Crews found a fire involving a stove, with extension into the overhead cabinets, with a medium/heavy smoke condition throughout the structure. The fire was controlled with a pair of water extinguishers while the 1 3/4 line was being placed into service. L-51 and E-852 crews checked for extension and initiated PPV venting operations. Extension was negative beyond the cabinets and no other service was required beyond routine ventilation. FC-43 (Schach) was special called to the scene to assist with the investigation. 

While crews were engaged in the fire operation, the Co. 85 was dispatched to southern end of the township for a out of control controlled burn. Deputy 85-2 (Strause) along with E-853 responded. E-85 along with Capt 85-2 (Pajski) extinguished the fire and recalled the remainder of the assignment.  During the investigation process E-852 was dispatched to two AFA's assisting Co. 79. 

Engines: 85, 851, 852, 853, 51
Ladder: 51
Air 85

TSVFD Equipment and personnel under the direction of Fire Prev Lt Ron Stoudt supported the annual National Night Out organized by the Spring Twp Police at the Lincoln Park Swimming Assn.  Engine 853 was initially set up inside the pool fence with fire prevention literature and was later supplemented by personnel on Engine 852.  

Also on display were Western Berks EMS, Westside EMA, PA State Police, Berks Crime Alert among others.