Rapid Intervention Crew Responds To Richland

At 1213 hours, the Franklin Fire Department was dispatched (as the rapid intervention crew) to assist the Richland Township Fire Department with a working structure fire on Solomon Run Road. Engine 5-1 and Squad 5-1 responded with seven personnel (while Truck 5-1 remained in station with a small crew). First arriving crews from Richland encountered heavy fire coming from one side of a ranch-style house. Upon arrival, Engine 5-1’s rapid intervention crew sized up the house and stoodby in front of it until the fire was extinguished, at which time the crew was released. Two crewmembers from Engine 5-1 also used a chainsaw to remove a large bush that was obstructing egress from a window. Engine 5-1 and Squad 5-1 were back in service one hour after dispatch.

High Rise Fire – Engine 5-1’s 1st Response

Engine 5-1’s first response came at 1030 hours after Assistant 4 (and police) quickly upgraded a fire alarm to a working structure fire on the 8^th floor of the Garden Terrace Apartments in Dale Borough. Engine 5-1 was due on the “working structure fire assignment”. Assistant 4 found a working fire contained to one apartment with heavy smoke banked down nearly to the floor.

Engine 5-1 was the fourth-arriving engine and its crew proceeded to the fire floor along with personnel from Truck 28-6. Upon arrival on the fire floor, Engine 5-1’s crew assisted firefighters from Engines 7-1 and 6-1 with extinguishing the fire. This crew later assisted with multiple tasks, including salvage and overhaul, refilling breathing air (SCBA) cylinders, and standby as the rapid intervention crew. Truck 5-1 also responded to assist and its crew assisted with performing searches on the lower seven floors.

After two hours of operating at the fire, Engine 5-1 and Truck 5-1 were sent to stand by in the Oakland fire station to cover any additional incidents in that area. Franklin firefighters finally returned home at 1513 hours. Residents from the three upper floors were safely evacuated and most were able to return to their apartments later that night. Crews from 11 fire departments and 3 ambulance services operated at the fire.