April 2008 News

April 30^th:

Workers drive over gas line
Engine 1 was paged today to the construction site of the new Holiday Inn Express. The fire station was called by Verona PD to check the area because they had received calls about natural gas smell coming from there.

Engine 4 went to investigate, once on scene, they found MG&E was already there working on the gas main break. Construction works hit the gas main while working in the area.

Engine 4 canceled Engine 1 and MG&E shut off the gas line.

April 30^th:

April 28^th:

Brush fire started by discarded coals
CITY OF VERONA – Brush 6, ATV 1 and Engine 1 paged for a reported brush near Firemen’s Park. Report was people were around the fire, but unsure if fire was spreading or not.

Fire 5 was the first on scene and determined that the fire was caused by discarded hot coals and that the people around the fire were the one responsible for starting the fire.

Brush 6 went to the scene and put the fire out.

April 28^th:

April 25^th:

Fire department sent twice in 24 hrs
CITY OF VERONA -- VFD was paged twice in 24 hours for the same type of call. At 3am, VFD was paged for reported roof collapse at Verona City Hall where a new building is being built. The initial report was the roof had collapsed and there were wires exposed and in water.

There was heavy rain that night and a strong thunder storm had gone through right before the call came in.

Units were sent later that day to a strip mall construction site on Verona Rd for the same thing. Reports were that a wall on the construction site had collapsed. No one was injured at either scene. All VFD units stayed in quarters for both calls because Fire 3 (Asst Chief Barger) was first on scene and determined that the fire department was not need.

April 24^th:

Cat stuck in tree rescue

CITY OF VERONA -- Fresh off the VFD Grapevine, Friday April 18th, the fire station was called by a citizen saying that she needed help getting her cat out of a tree. Apparently, the cat had been in the tree for about 5 days and the owner was concerned for it's well being. The day staff took a 35 foot ladder out to the area and tried in vain to get the ladder up to the cat and rescue the cat. Once the ladder was in place, Firefighter Alexander climbed the ladder to try to get the cat. The cat proceeded to climb up higher into the tree where it eventually jumped down into the arms of its owner, leaving FF Alexander bewildered on what had happened. Another day in the life of a firefighter.

Ladder 3 mutual aid into Fitchburg

CITY OF FITCHBURG -- Verona Ladder 3 paged today along with Fitchburg Fire and Town of Madison Fire for a fire alarm at 5765 Chapel Valley Rd, Sylvan Crossing in the City of Fitchburg. Calls to the Comm Center indicated smoke coming from a stove that maybe having some electrical problems. Ladder 3 was returned before arriving on scene by Command.

April 23^rd:

Moped "rollover" accident

CITY OF VERONA -- Verona Engine 1, Squad 5 along with Fitch-Rona EMS 45 were paged today for a reported moped/rollover accident at the intersection of Hwy M & Hwy PB just south of the city. Comm Center received a call about a moped rider that crashed and then proceeded to roll with the moped down the road. Verona PD was the first on location and was unable to locate the accident.

FR45 was the first Fire/EMS unit on scene and was told by PD that the patient was on Hwy M just east of Hwy PB. FR45 made contact with patient and determined that fire units were not needed at the scene.

April 22^nd:

Rollover Accident, where's the patient?

TOWN OF VERONA, Wis -- Verona Engine 1, Squad 5 along with Fitch-Rona EMS 45 were paged today for a reported rollover accident at the intersection of Hwy 69 & Riverside Rd in the Town of Verona. FR45 (Fitch-Rona) was the first unit on location and reported back to the Comm Center that there was a vehicle in the ditch on its side and they would be out checking for patients.

Squad 5 was the first to respond for Verona Fire, while responding to the call, FR45 advised that Squad 5 could slow down to non-emergent because there was no one in the vehicle. FR45 made a second sweep of the area and confirmed that there were no fire hazards and no patients. All units then returned to quarters.

April 21^st:

Watch out for those Turkeys!

Assistant Chief Barger was driving Car 1 to a meeting on the 21st, when out of no where came this crazed turkey. Chief Barger said it was just there right in front of him, and he was sure that the turkey had some few choice words.

After the meeting of the turkey and the front hood of Car 1, Chief Barger stopped to check on the vehicle to find that there was minor damage to the hood and that all other pieces of the car were still attached. The turkey made a quick get away before Chief Barger could get his insurance information.

New PDF File
As part of our on going effort to continue keeping the public informed, the Verona Fire Department has added a PDF file for business owners and constructions firms to download. This PDF file is the City of Verona Fire Department Fire Protection System Work Permit/Application. We will have this PDF file in or Permit Section (soon to come) and people will be able to download the file so they don’t have to stop at City Hall or the Fire Station to get a copy.

We will continue to keep people informed of new or update PDF forms as they come across the desk.

April 19^th:

FITCHBURG, Wis -- Verona Ladder 3 responded automatic aid into the City of Fitchburg today to Leopold Way for a possible structure fire. Reports to the Comm Center indicated that there was smoke in the hallway. Fitchburg Engine 1 arrived on location along with Town of Madison Engine 1 with nothing showing from the outside. Town of Madison E1 made a search on the first floor and determined that the smoke in the hallway was the result of burnt food. Verona Ladder 3 was returned to quarters.

April 18^th:

Welcome to the new Verona Fire Department website. The site has been updated to include pictures from years past to today, pictures of our apparatus and pictures of special events held throughout the year. We will also have updates on what is going on with the fire department and important information for the City of Verona, Town of Verona and the Town of Springdale.

Thanks for stopping by and checking out Veronafire.com, please come back often and look for more updates, this site is always updating once a day sometimes 2 or 3 times a day.

April 16^th:

Verona Ladder 3 Responds to Chemical Leak
FITCHBURG, Wis -- Verona Ladder 3 responded automatic aid into the City of Fitchburg shortly before midnight to 6180 Verona Rd, the Wisconsin Community Bank. Reports to the Comm Center (dispatch) indicated that some chemicals were delivered in the morning and had possibly been leaking since they were delivered.

Ladder 3 responded along with Fitchburg Fire units and staged at level 1. Fitchburg Command made contact with Madison Fire Departments Hazardous Materials Team leader and a plan was established on how to handle the possible chemical leak. Command shortly there after returned Ladder 3.

April 15^th:

Welcome Chris and Mike

Two new firefighters were sworn in tonight in front of the Fire Commission at their monthly meet.

Chris Schultz comes to us after being away from firefighting for 2 years., before he left fire fighting, he was a member of the Fitchburg Fire Department for 11 years.

Chris comes to us certified as a Wisconsin State Certified Firefighter 2, a certified driver operator for both engine and ladder. He currently maintains our website and has taken several of the photographs for veronafire.com.

He has been a dispatcher/911 operator for Dane County Public Safety Communications Center since 2001. He is also married and has two daughters.

Mike Stockbridge comes back after a 4 year absence from firefighting, before he left firefighting, he was a member of the Oregon Fire and EMS Department. Mike comes to us as a Wisconsin State Certified Firefighter 2.

He has been a dispatcher/911 Operator for Dane County public Safety Communications Center since 2003. He is married and he and his wife are expecting their first child very soon.

We welcome our new firefighters and glad they are part of the Verona Fire Department family.