The demolition on the Civic Center Firehouse went well.  Within a few days the building was brought to the ground and the debris was cleared from the property.  The construction of the new firehouse is under way and moving ahead quickly.  Check out the Photo Gallery for pictures on the firehouse progress.

On May 29th, all three East Brunswick Fire Departments will be out on a boot drive to benefit Firefighter Tommie Lukowski. FF Lukowski was recently diagnosed with Leukemia, after battling a tumor in his elbow which was discovered in 2007. Through intense chemotherapy from 2007 to 2008, Tommie was cancer free.

Recently it was discovered that the prosthetic elbow joint that Tommie received, was defective and broke. While going in for the replacement, Doctors found Leukemia and traced it back to one of the original chemo-therapies given to wipe out the elbow tumor.

FF Lukowski has spent the last month in Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital recovering from yet another round of chemotherapy after the new elbow prosthetic. We are happy to report as of now, that there are no more Leukemia cells and Tommie is home from the hospital!

Starting in April, the OBVFD began the process of moving and cleaning out the Civic Center firehouse to make way for a new state of the art facility. Two tents were erected to house apparatus while the construction was underway. One tent is on the back of the Civic Center property and the other at the Fern Road firehouse.

E-707 was swapped with E-701 to give the members at the Civic Center tent extrication capability; R-704 was moved to the Fern Road tent and T-709 is occupying a bay at the EBIFC Dunhams Corner firehouse.

The OBVFD has been answering calls from the Civic Center firehouse since 1971. A 4th bay was added in the mid 80's for the arrival of the departments new T-709. The OBVFD expects to be in the new building within 16-18 months of construction start.

The OBVFD was dispatched to tree into house. Upon arrival units found a 70 foot oak tree uprooted, landing on residence.  The tree tore the conduit off the side of house. E-702's crew shut off the main breaker and gas inside as a precaution as roots tore up the sidewalk as well and possibly damaging the curbside shut off and main water valve.

PSE&G was able to shut off the gas at curb. JCP&L disconnected power from the pole to the house.  The structure suffered damage to the soffit and plywood sheathing, and a branch penetration into the attic. Units cleared at 16:35 hours.
 
 

Several Members of the OBVFD have been selected to be members of the newly formed Middlesex County Metro Strike Team.  These members have been donating their time for numerous months training in collapse rescue, trench rescue, and lifting and moving techniques. 

On April 30th, a special detail was needed to move the auxiliary storage shed in the Civic Center firehouse parking lot, to make way for the new firehouse. Through careful and expertise rigging from Logan's, the shed made it safely to its temporary home behind the Fern Road firehouse.

Special thanks go out to Logan's Towing and East Brunswick Police for their assistance in the moving process!

Units from the OBVFD responded into the Township of Monroe on a Mutual Aid request for a structure fire.  While en route E-707's assignment changed from a FAST Team to interior attack.  The crew led by Lieutenant Twomey entered the large structure and assisted the Monroe Fire department with extinguishing the fire. 

Lt's Palmer and O'Donnell attended a Motor Vehicle Extrication class at the Somerset County Fire Academy over the past several weekends. The 32 hour class taught them the various techniques and tools required to effectively remove trapped patients from major motor vehicle accidents. 

The OBVFD was called upon to assist the East Brunswick Independent Fire Company at a Structure Fire on Nenninger Lane in the morning hours.  Fire Fighting operations were hampered due to a water main break in the area.  District #1 was on scene for numerous hours assisting our neighboring department. 

Brush unit 703 responded to assist the Edison Fire Department with a Wildfire in Raritan Center.  Led by Senior Lieutenant O'Donnell the crew was on scene well into the nigh time hour putting out very stubborn spot fires. 

A busy month for the OBVFD, again requested for a mutual aid assignment to the Boro of Sayreville this time.  Dispatched for the large area of wildfire, brush truck 705 and an engine assisted the Sayreville fire department and the NJ Forest Fire Service in the extinguishment of the fire.  The Safety Division provided much needed liquids and technical assistance to the over 50 units operating on the scene. 

At approximately 5:05pm the District #1 Fire Department was dispatched to Rues Lane near the Olive Garden Restaurant for a motor vehicle crash.  Upon arrival Deputy Chief Booke discovered that a van was wedged between a telephone box on the drivers side and thick brush on the passenger side limiting access to the patient.  Rescue 704 was assigned to remove the shrubs while Engines 701 and 706 assisted the paramedics with patient care and extricating the patient.  The patient was removed and treated by the trauma doctor from RWJUH who was dispatched to the scene by the paramedics.    2 Engines, 1 Rescue Truck, and Safety Officers Hoover and Brown assisted Deputy Chief Booke on location.

On Sunday March 28, 2010 the District #1 Fire Department responded to 7 Lincoln Avenue for an activated fire alarm.  Chief Kotora arrived to find a smoke condition on the 1st floor with heavy smoke coming from the basement.  Crews from Engines 706 and 707 found the source of the smoke to be a plastic bucket that was stored against the furnace.  The bucket had melted due to its proximity and caused a large amount of smoke in the structure.  Ventilation was performed and the FD cleared the scene within an hour.  We must stress to all of our residents the importance of keeping combustible material a minimum of 3 feet from and heat and or electrical sources.  The residents of this house were extremely lucky.

Engine 702 arrived first due this morning to a car fire at the Brunswick Square Mall.  Captain Drozdowski's crew made a quick knockdown of the vehicle with FF Pedreiro using his advanced firefighting skills to prevent damage to surrounding vehicles.  Engines 707 and 701 arrived and assisted in the overhaul of the vehicle.  Junior FF Tim Nelsen was on scene lending moral support.

On Saturday March 20, 2010 the District #1 Fire Department participated in a live roof ventilation drill on Old Stage Road.  Utilizing a home that is scheduled for demolition firefighters got a chance to use various saws and ventilation tools during the five hour drill.  The drill was conducted by Captain Drozdowski and Ex-Chief Prinzo.  We would like to thank the homeowner who was very generous in allowing us to utilize his home.