June 2008 News

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June 26^th:

(Part of a recent email sent from Dane County Emergency Management)

Residents and business owners in Dane County are eligible for FEMA disaster aid if they had losses or damage from the severe weather and flooding of the past three weeks. In order to apply, people should contact FEMA directly to start the registration process.

Dane County Emergency Management (DCEM) have received numerous calls from residents wondering if reporting damage to their local government will register them with FEMA. The answer is 'No.' Residents' reporting damage to their local government and registering with FEMA are two entirely different things. DCEM are asking residents to report damage to the local governments so that DCEM can get an understanding of the extent of the losses and make a case to FEMA that aid is needed. Once the aid is made available, it is up to the individual to make contact with FEMA and make their own application for assistance. For individual assistance, once the declaration is made, people deal directly with FEMA, and the county and local governments are generally not involved.

Verona Fire Department has posted a flyer that people can download and post around their area. Click here to get to the flyer.

June 25^th:

Burning Dryer
FITCHBURG – Tanker 8 was paged to respond with the Fitchburg Fire Department today for a report of a clothing dryer that was on fire.

Fitchburg Car 1 was the first unit on location and stated that there was nothing showing, but continued in units to determine what the cause of the possible fire. Car 1 made contact with the building owner and determined that the automatic aide units from Verona and Oregon were not needed.

June 24^th:

Exhaust Fan Malfunction
VERONA – Engine 1 was paged for an alarm sounding at Epic in the training center area. Engine 1 arrived on location and made a quick search and found that there was smoke inside the kitchen area. Engine 1 asked for Engine 2 to be paged to assist in locating the source of the smoke.

While Engine 1 was waiting for Engine 2, the crew found that the smoke was caused by cooking and the exhaust fan above the stove had malfunction and wasn’t getting the cooking smoke out of the building.

Engine 1 then informed the station that Squad 5 was needed instead of the engine to assist with ventilation of the building.

Engine 1 and Squad 5 ventilated the building and returned.

June 23^rd:

CO Alarm
VERONA – Squad 5 was called out to check on a residence that had called the station because their Carbon Monoxide (CO) alarm was sounding.

Squad 5 made entry into the house and used their gas monitoring meters and checked the house to make sure there wasn’t any CO inside the residence. Firefighters determined that the house was safe and then returned.

Broken Gas Line
MADISON – Tanker 8 was paged along with Fitchburg Engine 2 and Tanker 2 to assist with the City of Madison Fire Department (MFD). MFD was paged for a natural gas line that was hit and broken while crews were doing work.

The area that the gas line was broken is an area in Madison that doesn’t have a hydrant or water system yet. So MFD paged for these county units to assist and supply water in the event that there was a fire and units needed water.

Tanker 8 stood by and was eventually returned.

June 20^th:

Reported Fire
FITCHBURG – Engine 1 was paged to respond into the City of Fitchburg along with Fitchburg Fire Units. Reports to the Communications Center were that there was smoke inside the building.

Fitchburg Engine 2 was first on scene and made entry into the building and determined that the cause of the smoke was from the stove being cleaned. The stove had made a lot of smoke and started filling the apartment. Engine 1 was returned.

June 15^th:

Old PB and Whalen or 18/151 & Whalen
TOWN OF VERONA – Engine 1, Oregon Squad 6 and Fitch-Rona 45 were paged to a accident that involved a car and a deer. When units went enroute, the Communications Center stated that the location of Old PB and Whalen Rd was a guess because the caller didn’t know where they were at. The Communications Center used their cell phone GPS tracking equipment to come up with an “area” that the caller was calling from.

Dane County Sheriff’s Department was the first agency on location and found that the accident wasn’t on Old PB at Whalen Rd, but it was on the on ramp to Hwy 18/151 at Old PB.

Verona Ladder 3 was the second Fire/EMS unit to arrive on location behind Fitch-Roan 45 and determined that Oregon Squad 6 was not needed at the scene.

June 12^th:

“You smell that?”
VERONA – Engine 1 was paged to a resident that had called 911 reporting an unusual odor coming from their house.

Engine 1 arrived on location and made a quick search of the house to determine the source of the odor. The crew determined that there wasn’t a potential safety hazard and cleared.

Car missed a turn
TOWN OF VERONA – Engine 2, Squad 5 and Fitch-Roan 45 were paged to a single car accident at Fitch-Rona Rd and Lacy Rd. The section of the intersection is part in the City of Fitchburg and part in the Town of Verona. The vehicle ended up in the Town of Verona side when the call was made to 911.

Engine 1 usually is the first engine to these calls, but it was tied up on an alarm call. Squad 5 went responded and Engine 1 cleared from their other call to assist. Once on location, units found a single vehicle in the ditch and a single occupant, the driver.

Verona Fire units assisted Fitch-Rona EMS with stabilizing the vehicle and the patient. Then units returned.

June 10^th:

Oregon Attic Fire
OREGON – Ladder 3 was paged to assist Oregon Fire at a reported smoke in a building. Oregon Fire Engine 1 was first on location and made entry into the building and determined that there was a fire some where in the building.

Oregon Engine 1 took their thermal imaging camera and found that the attic had a small fire in it. Engine quickly deployed a handline into the apartment below the fire source.

The officer in command continued in Ladder 3 to assist with getting into the attic. Once Ladder 3 was on location, the crew set up the aerial and assisted in opening up a section of roof so the engine company could put the fire out.

The building and apartment received minor damage do to the quick actions of Oregon Engine 1.

June 9^th:

Gas leak
VERONA -- Engine 1, Squad 5 and Fitch-Rona 45 were paged today for a reported natural gas leak in the area of Meister Dr. Engine 1 was the first to respond and was informed, by the Communications Center, that they were receiving several calls and that there was a pile of something on fire and it was being fueled by the broken gas line.

Engine 1 arrived quickly on scene to find a large brush pile burning. The crew made a quick assessment of the scene and determined that the fire was being fueled by a gas line break.

Captain Miller established command and had his crew set up fire attack with the TFT (Task Force Tips) Blitz Fire Nozzle (see picture above). The proceeded to put water and foam onto the burning brush pile. Captain Miller then quickly called for MG&E to responded out and shut off the gas line.

Captain Miller then called for an engine to respond from Fitchburg to assist in putting out the fire.

The fire was brought under control and the leak shut off by MG&E, units then returned to clean up all the hose and trucks.

Gas Leak Near Animal Hospital
FITCHBURG – Ladder 3 was paged into Fitchburg again a few hours after the car stuck under the bridge call. The new call was to assist Fitchburg with traffic control because of a gas line that had been hit during the construction of the new Fitchburg Animal Hospital on Nesbitt Rd.

Ladder 3 was there for awhile and their assignment was to stop traffic on Nesbitt on the Fitchrona Rd side of the scene. VFD was also there in case the line did start on fire.

Water Under Bridge Traps Car
FITCHBURG – Ladder 3 was paged to respond with Fitchburg Fire for what was reported as a Car stuck under a bridge because of high water. Fitchburg Engine 2 was first to arrive and did find the car with an occupant stuck under the Hwy 18/151 bridge that runs over Fitchrona Rd. Crews quickly got the driver out and no one was hurt.

Maytag Man Found Working
VERONA – An early wake up for many of the department members today, pagers sounded for the department to respond to a report of a structure fire. The 911/Communications Center received a call from a resident on Maple Rd. saying they smelled something burning and seen smoke in the house.

VFD was paged to respond along with aid from Mt. Horeb Fire and Oregon Fire. Car 1 was the first on location and did a quick size up and had Engine 1 continue in because there was an odor of something burning. Engine 1 arrived on scene and crews searched the house for the cause of the smoke.

It was quickly determined that the 30 year old washing machine was the source of the smoke, but there was no fire.

June 8^th:

Flooded Basement
VERONA – With all the storms that have been coming through the area, the Verona Fire Department has been one of the few fire departments that hasn’t had a lot of calls generated because of the storms.

But, later on in the evening, after all the clean up and firefighters went home from the Pancake Breakfast, a large storm came through, again, and VFD was paged out to assist a citizen with a flooded basement.

The 911/Communications Center received a call from a resident on New Age Circle saying their basement was starting to flood and they were concerned that it my cover their electrical box.

Members came to the station, but Assistant Chief Barger had been talking on the phone with the property owner, and determined that there was no need for the fire department to assist, but to call back in case the situation did get worse.

Possible Structure Fire
VERONA – Engine 1, Engine 2, Ladder 3, Squad 5 were paged for a report of a possible structure fire on Charter. Units were also sent from Mt. Horeb Fire and Belleville Fire.

Car 1 and Engine 1 were first on location and investigated, and determined that units needed to continue in.

Units were on scene for a short time and then shortly cleared, no fire or damage was done do the residence.

Pancake Breakfast 2008
VERONA – Another Hometown Days has come and gone and another Verona Firefighter’s Association Pancake Breakfast as well. Members of the department started on Saturday prepping food and the station to get ready for the breakfast that started at 7 AM on Sunday.

Everyone had a job and everyone did their job very well, there weren’t any hiccups and the pancakes, eggs and sausage never ran out. Family members of firefighters came and helped out and everyone had a great time.

Firefighter Paul Texidor and Firefighter Robert Doyle had the hardest job, selling raffle tickets and breakfast tickets. They had to make sure the line kept flowing and that if there was a bottle neck; it wasn’t at the beginning of the line.

The table clean up crews worked fast and furious, there wasn’t anyone asking if they could have a place cleaned up, as soon as people left, BAM, table clean.

Firefighters were happy to see the large turnout despite the constant rain and several times there were some heavy downfalls.

Association members figured about 700 people were served.

Congratulations also go out to the raffle winners, enjoy your prizes.

Click here to see pictures

Early Morning Barn Fire
TOWN OF PERRY – Mt. Horeb Fire Department (FDMH) was paged out for barn fire. Initial reports were that the barn had a large amount of fire already coming from the barn.

FDMH arrived on scene to find a barn with heavy fire coming out of it. They quickly called for mutual aide to assist them in putting out the fire. While the Communications Center was paging out the fire, FDMH Chief decided to “surround and drown” the barn fire and save as many buildings as they could. He then also requested additional help from area departments to supply them with water.

Tanker 8 along with Engine 1 responded to the scene. Engine 1 was the first on the scene for Verona Fire, and they proceeded to pump water up to FDMH’s first in Engine. Tanker 8 then hooked up to them so Engine 1 could use the water off Tanker 8.

Units then returned to quarters where the firefighters started preparing for the Pancake Breakfast.

June 7^th:

Whalen Rd/Old PB Accident
VERONA – Engine 1, Squad 5 and Fitch-Rona 45 were paged for a car accident at Whalen Rd and Old PB. Calls to the Communications Center were stating at least 2 vehicles were involved and that there were injuries.

Car 1 was the first fire unit to respond and also the first fire unit on the scene. Car 1 surveyed that scene and determined that fire units were not needed.

June 6^th:

Fire in the Old Amherst Warehouse
FITCHBURG – Ladder 3 was paged again to assist the Fitchburg Fire Department, for a report of a possible structure fire at the older lumber yard on McKee Rd. Reports to the Communications Center was that the caller could smell smoke.

Ladder 3 responded along with Fitchburg Fire and arrived on scene. Fitchburg Engine 2 was first on location and sized up the situation and determined that all units on scene needed to stay because they had not determined what had caused the smoke.

Ladder 3 assisted with Fitchburg and was released an hour later.

June 4^th:

Car vs. Bicycle Rider
VERONA – Squad 5, Engine 1 and Fitch-Rona 45 responded to a car vs. bicycle rider on W. Verona Ave. near Main St. Squad 5 and Car 1 were the first units on scene and assisted with Fitch-Rona 45 (EMS). EMS transported the bicycle rider to a local ER and fire units returned.

Burnt food sets off alarm
FITCHBURG – Ladder 3 was paged along with Fitchburg Fire for a possible structure fire in the City of Fitchburg. Phone calls to the Communications Center stated that the fire alarm was sounding in a building on Mickelson Parkway and that there may have been some smoke inside.

Ladder 3 responded quickly but was soon turned around after Fitchburg Engine 1 determined that the smoke in the building was the result of burnt food.