With a winter that continues to find ways of reminding us how long it has been since our area has felt the happiness of a collection of warm days, it is hoped that spring may come sometime soon. There is one reality of a seasonal change is just around the corner.  One seasonal responsibility borne by the Newtown Square Fire Company is a safety reminder that is associated with the March 14, 2010 change to Daylight Savings Time.

 

As the clocks are advanced one hour at the 2 a.m. official early morning time, the local firefighters hope that everyone not only changed their clock before going to bed, they hope fresh batteries were placed in every Smoke Detector in the residence.

 

Firefighters are facing another serious concern.  While these volunteers strive to have Smoke Detectors properly cleaned, maintained, and “fed with fresh battery power,” there is another challenge these unpaid professionals face.  

 

Smoke Detectors do not have an indefinite lifetime.  The concern faced by firefighters is the threat the public will ignore the 10-year lifespan cited by safety experts.  These men and women do act properly and promptly when it comes time to properly discard and replace these trusted safety watchdogs.

 

How can someone tell if his or her Smoke Detector is too old to be safe trusted?  When cleaning and placing fresh batteries inside the family’s Smoke Detectors, look for a manufacture date.   The special date has been used for some years.  

 

Don’t live on borrowed time.  Replace all Smoke Detectors that are more ten years old. Newer models often include a ten-year battery.  In the future, this concept will in documenting a life span.  Never trust your life or the lives of your family to old, out-of-date safety protection from an aged and tired Smoke Detector.

A group of Newtown Square firefighters recently found themselves returning to school.  These visitations were not for academics, but instead these three visits with fire apparatus were for responses to fire dispatches.

 

The first response of this trio of calls to the Marple Newtown High School was a medical assist request by Riddle Hospital paramedic personnel. The boiler room location of the medical emergency resulted in this call for assistance. The stairs, while more than adequate for normal use, became a challenge when used for patient care transport.

 

This first hand familiarity with this lower level of the interior of the High School was beneficial in the second of the collection of dispatches to the Media Line Road campus on Monday, February 22.  This dispatch occurred during a simultaneous fire dispatch to Media. This call also validated the wisdom in the automatic response of the Broomall Fire Company during this morning, rush hour fire dispatch to the High School.  During this joint fire company response, Newtown Square apparatus was released from their Media response. They then diverted to the local emergency.

 

The investigation of the fire alarm activation found smoke in the same boiler , the site of the first of this series of school emergency calls.   Arriving fire apparatus was once more pleased at the site of an evacuated school building.  As Chief Doug Simpson stated following this call, the greatest concern of all emergency providers is always the safety of the occupants.

 

An investigation of the structure found the source of the traceable source of smoke was in the boiler room area.  The specific focus was the in the area providing access to the electrical room.   Contractor employees working on the renovation of the High School occupied this part of the service area. They also were looking for the source of alarm activation.

 

A Broomall hose line was advanced into the basement service area by a crew from Broomall as firefighters looked for the source of fumes that activated the fire alerting system was located. The exhaust fumes were found to be coming from a small diesel-powered excavating machine that was working in the below-grade area of the school loading dock was the source.

 

The machine operator was advised by fire officials to cease their operation until they could provide a method of a proper ventilation.

 

Chief Doug Simpson and Deputy Chief Mike Kenny have jointly commented on the ongoing cooperation demonstrated by school official.  “They are always visible to arriving apparatus and their brief, but informative description of their findings is an appreciated, time-saving help.”

 

The third dispatch to the High School occurred at approximately 1 p.m. on Saturday, February 27.  A collection of diesel fumes that was collecting because of weather condition influences spawned this call. This discovery was made by the response crew of the Newtown Square Fire Company’s Rescue Unit. A check of the schools interior was done as an additional safety precaution. 

 

One of the winter events is to play indoors.  This form of recreation often includes a group of neighborhood or classroom friends. When there are young guests, food often becomes a part of the fun.   The Newtown Square Fire Company’s Emergency Medical Advisor Lisa Migliori Parents reminds parents and grandparents that the American Egg Board’s marketing slogan about the incredible, edible egg is not true for all children.

 

Not all children can tolerate eggs. One of the periodic reminders about egg allergies deals with some, but not all vaccines.  To the unknowing, vaccines can be developed from an egg host. If so, these vaccines are a threat to anyone allergic to eggs and egg products.  

 

Newtown Square Fire Company’s Migliori volunteered, “More common than the topic of eggs and vaccine concerns is the topic of food. The content of home prepared, made from specific ingredients meals is controllable. This is not true of packaged meals. Without the reading of a container’s label, knowledge of egg-based ingredients can be a challenge.”

 

Eating meals that are not home-cooked becomes an important concern for parents of children having an egg allergy.  “Please don’t hesitate to share with the parents of your child or children’s friends if there is a food allergy.  They will understand your concerns, as well as the needs of special food choices for guests,” added Mrs. Migliori as she discussed precautions to take when children visit their friends.

 

Recognizing the signs of reactions to an egg allergy is important.  They include a possible skin reaction of a rash or a reaction similar to the bumps of hives or some other onset rash.  An egg allergy can also result in stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. Another indicator of an egg allergy involves the respiratory tract. Those symptoms can range from sneezing and a runny nose. A severe reaction of this nature is asthma with coughing and wheezing.

 

In concluding this egg allergy warning, the Newtown Square Fire Company’s Emergency Medical Advisor advised, “Any family member or guest that demonstrates these symptoms must be monitored.  If there is even a hint of a breathing problem, immediate medical help is a must. “

 

In describing the needs for medical treatment, Mrs. Migliori cited that driving anyone with this allergy response is not a family event. She stressed, “Call 9 1 1 and never try to transport in a personal vehicle.  Training, procedures, and medical assistance can be home-initiated with professionally trained EMS personnel. This benefit does not exist in family transport. “

While a snow covered landscape can appear as a peaceful picture, the same snow cover is a greatly feared threat to firefighters. In reviewing the recent storm activities, Newtown Square Deputy Fire Chief Mike Kenny stressed, “Fortunately we did not to have any large scale fire hydrant uses.  If we had, the great number of snow-buried hydrants would have been dangerous.”

 

The amount of the two, recent back-to-back snowfalls quickly buried all but a few of the life- and property-saving area fire hydrants.  The amount of snow has unfortunately continued to bury many of these valuable sources of water.  What nature did not cover, the snow plowing required to make streets and roads passable often finished the unwanted disappearance of area fire fighting hydrants.

 

The Newtown Square Fire Company has extended its gratitude to the appreciated, all-but-too-few residents who invested their time and energies to answer the seasonal call to unbury their nearby fire hydrant.   In doing this caring activity, they have help reduce any delays in firefighting.  It is no secret to firefighters that all fires double in size in very short periods of time.  Equally recognized by the Newtown Square firefighters is their desire to begin extinguishing a fire as quickly as possible.

 

As one seasoned firefighting veteran stressed, “The time taken to locate a buried hydrant, remove the snow, and then make the necessary supply hose connection can make the difference between life and death.”

 

The on-board water in fire apparatus is always a welcomed, initial supply of water in firefighting, but the addition of water from a fire hydrant is also necessary. In describing the need for a dependable water source, Chief Doug Simpson added,” we hope that everyone will look for and begin to pay more attention to their nearby fire hydrant.  Having this water available is an essential part of saving lives and property. Please don’t wait for a neighbor; you become the neighborhood hero.”

The Newtown Square Fire Company has noticed an unexpected problem that came with the record-setting snowfalls of February.  In what may sounded like a bit of humor, Chief Doug Simpson volunteered, “Far too many of our residents have lost their identity.”

 

Chief Simpson when on to explain this unusual statement. He cited that the large amount of snowfall has created a problem along many township roadways that have post-mounted, rural-type mailboxes.  This snow, along with the additional roadside snow added with the natural plowing practices has covered two of the traditional address locations.

 

An unsafe, yet common practice that uses metal numbers located on the supporting posts provides no number reference is visible when the post is covered by snow. “With the loss of this type of identity, along with the loss of other neighboring address numbers because of this snow, homes with this type of number identification are really difficult to locate. For some period of time during any emergency response, they are really ‘lost,’ “ added Chief Simpson.

 

Other address problems that have been a long-standing concern for emergency responders is a general, lack of efficient numbering on mailboxes and homes in non-rural areas of Newtown Township.  The Township some time ago established standards for identification.  Numbers are to be a minimum of 4-inches high and 2-1/2 –inches wide. To add one more bit of assistance to police, fire, and EMS responders, these numbers are most noticeable when they are reflective.

 

Newtown Square’s fire chief has also requested that all building mounted addresses be located so they can be easily seen from the street or highway.   Trees, bushes, and other obstacles often hide building numbers. 

 

Chief Simpson has also stressed that emergency responders do not always approach a location from the same direction as postal vehicles.  He acknowledged that far too many people place their addresses on only one side of the post-mounted mailboxes.  For prompt responses, these numbers must be placed on both sides.

 

Calling 9 1 1 is the second step when there is an emergency. The first step is making sure your location can be found day and night, as well as in all kids of weather.  “Proper number is that first step,” added Chief Simpson.  

In looking back to the beginning of the record-setting storms, the Newtown Square Fire Company soon realized the weather and the accompanying activities for Friday, February 5 would provide only a small hint of the activities that would follow.  The volunteer firefighters   soon learned the activities that occurred during the two, back-to-back heavy snowstorms that resembled a winter hurricane would be challenge.  It was a challenge the trained and dedicated volunteers successfully met. 

 

This first day’s activities began with a Willistown, Chester County structural fire at approximately 7 a.m. and ended at 10:18 p.m. with a dispatch for an EMS assist. 

 

Continuing a service responsibility that began when the Emergency Medical services were a part of the overall emergency service activities, Fire Company personnel provide assistance during medical activities.  In describing the Newtown Square Fire Company’s first in a series of busy days, Chief Doug Simpson volunteered, “The five Friday emergency dispatches also included automatic fire alarms dispatches.”

 

As the snowfall continued into Saturday, February 6, there was no relaxation in activities for the Newtown Square Fire Company.  All but one of the four emergency calls during this ongoing snowfall were assist activities to emergency medical providers. That one exception was an assist to the Radnor Fire Company for a dwelling fire in the 800 block of Newtown Road in their community.

 

While residents were actively focused on their personal snow removal on Sunday, February 7, Newtown Square firefighters began their busy day of activities with a 6:45 a.m. response to assist neighboring Edgmont for a vehicle accident.  While the local firefighters were awakened by this dispatch, their response was shortened thanks to the sleepover crews that provided over-night availability on that day and throughout the storms.

 

The seven Sunday emergency activities were shared by EMS assists, automatic fire alarms, and two alerts for out-of-town fire dispatches. The day’s service responses ended at 11:30 p.m.

 

While Monday is normally a back-to-work standard for most, the February 8 duties for the Newtown Square Fire Company continued a no-relaxation weekend.  The sole emergency dispatch on Monday was for a structural fire on Smedley Lane, Newtown Township.

 

Newtown Square firefighters were expecting activities on Tuesday, February 9.  With no dispatches, the local volunteers were able to perform maintenance duties.  This lull also provided the local volunteers with false expectations for future activities.  The activities on following day, Wednesday, February 10 made up for this no-call day.

 

A Wednesday, 10:30 a.m. wake up dispatch for both the in-stations core crew and the responding volunteers began a day that produced 16 emergency dispatches.  This call, along with a call of a similar nature began the chain of EMS alerts for Newtown Square firefighters. 

 

The nature of the storm also added a new element to the nature and the volume of that day’s emergency responses.  The wind, approaching that associated with the hurricane season spawned a series of wires and transformer dispatches.   Also adding to the busy activities was a structure fire dispatch for the Media Inn. 

 

Answering a declaration made by Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, the severity of the storm’s    promised snowfall prompted the closing of all area Interstate Highways with the exceptions of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Interstate 95.  The Newtown Square Fire Company’s Fire Police Vehicle was summoned by Delaware County officials to a duty station at the Mac Dade Boulevard – Blue Route (I-476) junction.  Their mission was simple: no one was to enter the county-bisecting roadway.

 

Thursday, February 11 was another day with an unusually busy set of activities. The first dispatch, 4:57 a.m. was an EMS assist.  This type of emergency activity was followed by three additional medical assist dispatches f.

 

A 9:26 a.m. fire alarm dispatch proved to be “close to home.”  The hungry and snow-tired firefighters were in the midst of cooking a large and welcomed late breakfast when their pagers were joined by the fire detection alarm bells sounding throughout the aging fire station.  This fire call was for a Smoke Detector activation at the fire station.

 

Following this alarm, one firefighter commented with a bit of embarrassment, “We always understand that cooking fires can activate fire alarms.  It was our cooking that caused the fire station’s smoke detection system to help tell us we are better at firefighting than cooking.  This lesson will help all of us to gain a new understanding the next time we respond to someone else’s kitchen activation.”

 

During the balance of the Newtown Square Fire Company’s Wednesday’s snow-influenced activities, responded to an additional type of emergency calls.  In addition to the large number of EMS dispatches, the local volunteers responded to a collection of snow and wind prompted wires and transformer calls dispatches.

 

When the sleep-in crewmembers woke up on Friday morning, February 12, they collectively acknowledge the rewards of a full night of uninterrupted sleep.  They began reflecting upon the busy activities fostered by this record-setting snow season. 

 

When asked what was the most challenging call during this compact, busy period, Deputy Chief Mike Kenny had no hesitation in describing this specific emergency call.   The cited call was to a residence in the Wyola section of Newtown Township. 

 

The heavy snowfall provided a challenge to the Riddle Memorial Hospital medical call.   The vehicle found the snow was so hindering that it could not proceed to this emergency.

 

In an attempt to provide a backup EMS treatment and transport, the 9 1 1 Dispatch center was directed to dispatch a Radnor EMS unit to the Newtown Township address.   This unit also found that it could not go through the heavy snow and drifts.  While a third EMS unit was being summoned from Chester County’s Berwyn Fire Company, a local gas-service station operator family member came to the rescue.   Deputy Chief Kenny chief praised Donald Kelley III and firefighter Mary McDonald for their creativity and skills in freeing the snow-blocked Riddle Memorial Hospital Ambulance.  It was able to complete its EMS assignment.

 

In reviewing the collection of active calls, Deputy Chief Kenny expressed, “We were busy in a way like never before.  Our firefighters performed like true professionals.”

 

When Kenny commented about the level of activity he had not yet added up the collection of storm-spawned calls. This month’s, two storm call volume of 42 responses tied the monthly total of February 2009.  In making their early winter snow predictions, the area television forecasters foretold heavy February snowfalls. This month is not over.  The local firefighters hope snowfalls are done, however.