Our first ever Basket Party was held on October 4th and has been deemed a resounding SUCCESS!! We would like to thank all those who made this a successful fundraiser, either by donating and attending the party. We hope to see you at next year’s party.
Below are a few pictures from the basket party and the fire department open house, which will held in conjunction with each other.
On the evening of October 1st, the local fire departments participated in Conemaugh Valley High School’s Homecoming Parade and Bonfire. The parade began in East Conemaugh and ended at the bonfire which was held at the Franklin Ballfield.
Franklin, Cover Hill, and Conemaugh firefighters were dispatched at 1031 hours on September 30th for a fuel spill. The fuel spill started on Truman Blvd near Frankstown Rd and ended 3-4 miles later on Route 271 in Parkhill. Engine 5-1, Squad 5-1, Rescue 13-3, and 5 Chief all responded. Due to the length of the spill, a PennDOT dump truck was requested to respond with sand to spread on the spill. Rescue 13-3 shut down the downhill lane of Truman Blvd (the only lane affected by the spill) while Engine 5-1 and Squad 5-1 staged at the borough line until PennDOT finished spreading the sand. Firefighters were back in service within an hour. Coincidentally, while refueling in Parkhill, Engine 5-1’s crew found the responsible vehicle which was then reported to police and the PennDOT supervisor.
At 0451 hours on September 20th, a first alarm was dispatched for a house fire on Lexington Avenue in the Bonair section of Conemaugh Township. A minute later the call was upgraded to a working structure fire. An CV EMS unit arrived first to find a fully-involved 2-story single-family residence.
Rescue/Engine 5-1 was the first-arriving fire apparatus and began deploying attack lines to fight the fire on the front and sides of the house. Engine 13-1 arrived next and deployed attack lines to the rear after laying a supply line from a hydrant. Truck 5-1 arrived fourth and provided its water to Engine 5-1 until Engine 13-1 finished establishing a supply line to Engine 5-1.
Due to the large amount of fire, Truck 5-1’s aerial master stream was set up to attack the fire through the partially collapsed roof after Engine 17-1 laid 1000ft of supply line from a hydrant to the truck company.
Rescue 3-1’s crew stood by as the rapid intervention crew while firefighters from additional companies assisted with defensive operations and overhaul. One patient was transported by EMS to the local trauma center and later flowned to a Pittsburgh burn center. The last units from 13 and 5 cleared the scene just before 0900 hours.
At 1048 on September 8th, Engine 5-1 was dispatched in place of Engine 15-4 to investigate an odor of home heating fuel in an East Conemaugh residence. Engine 5-1, Squad 5-1, and Chief 5 all responded with a total of 8 personnel. Having found the presence of an odor, firefighters flushed the drains and naturally ventilated the residence before clearing less than an hour later. This was one of many investigations of a home heating fuel odor that the East Conemaugh FD was dispatched to at several residences in a matter of a few days.
On the afternoon of September 4th, Engine 5-1 responded to a request for assistance from a borough resident. The property owner and neighbors reported that they have been hearing a cat inside a porch roof. The fire department was requested to see if we could find and free the cat. Firefighters created an access hole in the porch ceiling but were unable to see the cat inside. The hole was left open and a few days later the cat was seen escaping from the hole.
The Franklin Borough Fire Department will be holding an Open House on Sunday October 4th from noon till 3:00 PM. Come see our new pumper/rescue which will be on display and learn a little about fire safety while you’re there.
Please join us for a basket party in the auditorium of the fire station on Sunday, October 4th. Doors open at noon. Baskets, door prizes, desserts, and refreshments will be served.
All proceeds benefit the Franklin Borough Volunteer Fire Department to help with equipment, training, & operating expenses.
$5 donation per ticket.
In recognition of National Preparedness Month, the Franklin Borough Fire Department encourages everyone to take the time to prepare for a potential emergency or disaster and ensure that they and their families know how to respond before, during and after such a scenario. Because a disaster or emergency can happen anywhere at any time with little or no warning, it pays to be prepared. It only takes a few simple steps to be prepared: (1) get an emergency supply kit, (2) create an emergency plan, and (3) stay informed.
Several websites (www.ready.gov and www.readypa.org) have been created to provide comprehensive information about what steps people should take before an emergency occurs, what to do once a disaster has occurred, and how to recover from a disaster or emergency. Additional information can be found by reviewing the Pennsylvania emergency preparedness guide, which is available through www.pema.state.pa.us, www.health.state.pa.us, or by calling 1-877-PA-HEALTH.
Citizens are also encouraged to become members of their Community Emergency Response Team or Citizen Corps council and/or obtain preparedness training that is available through the county emergency management agency or local American Red Cross chapter.
