Collingdale Fire Co. #1 is now accepting applications for EMT's for the paid professional staff on our ambulances.  Applicants are asked to have a minimum of 1 year 911 experience, a current driver's license, EVOC, current CPR and Pa. State Emergency Medical Technician certifications.  Collingdale Fire Co. #1 is proud of the EMS services it provides to our residents, and the residents of our surrounding communities.  If you would like to become part of this long tradition of service, please contact CollingdaleEMS@aol.com. Previous applicants and/or employees need not apply.

For all of you out there who really enjoy country music and dancing, Collingdale Fire Company No.1 is hosting a Country Line Dance on February 20th commencing at 7:00PM and running on to midnight. Tickets are $20 per person.  Come on out and we'll set you up with an evening to remember with the City Slickers/Country Kickers. Get your dancing shoes on and come on out to show your stuff doin' the Boot Scoot Boogey or the Achey-Breaky.You must be 21 years or older to attend. For tickets or more information, contact Erin McGlinchey at 484-494-4610 or call the fire house at 610-583-3040.  As always, thank you for supporting Collingdale Fire Company #1.

Tonight members from Station 06 started off the training for the new year. Back to the basics as we trained on ground ladders. As a Truck Company, ground ladders is one of our bread and butter operations. Under the command of Captain Pascal and Lieutenants Seifert and Boyle, members refreshed their skills on the Basics of Ground ladders going over the various types of ladders on our apparatus and also the different parts, carries and multiple ways to throw and raise ground ladders. Next week members will take the knowledge learned this week and put it into real life scenarios as they will tested in a ground ladder practical.

On Sunday, January 24th, Collingdale Fire Company #1 hosted a winter barbeque courtesy of Nelson’s BBQ Port-a-pit and once again, we SOLD OUT by 2:00PM. This year we offered the luxury of being able to eat your meal inside of Floral Hall or take it to go. We sold approximately 300 total meals due to the continued support of the residents of the communities we proudly serve. Collingdale Fire Company #1 wishes to thank everyone who purchased a meal and send our apologies to the many customers we had to turn away due to selling out. Collingdale Fire Company #1 will be hosting another BBQ in the spring, date to be announced. So you’re guaranteed to get a meal, we suggest that you pre-order in advance. Keep checking back for more details.

Shortly before our weekly crew night was set to take place, a vehicle pulled up on the apron of the fire house. As members were about to walk up to the vehicle to check it out, out stepped Philadelphia Eagles star cornerback Sheldon Brown. A few members that were present gave him a tour of our station and posed for a quick picture in front of Quint 06. Sheldon Brown was generous enough to give every member who was in the station a signed autograph picture. This was an unexpected and unforgettable experience for the members that were present at the station.

The Officers and Members of Collingdale Fire Company #1 would like to send our deepest condolences to the family and fellow officers of Delaware River Port Authority Corporal Christopher Milito who was tragically killed in the Line of Duty early Saturday Morning on the Walt Whitman Bridge. Corporal Milito was a 16-year veteran of the Port Authority and was a resident of Upper Providence, Delaware County.   A story describing Corporal Milito as a “well respected and dignified officer, uncle and friend” has been posted in today's Delco Times.

At approximately 0630 hours, Collingdale Fire Company #1 was dispatched to the 600-block of Clifton Avenue for the clean-up after a three-vehicle accident. Engine 06-1 responded with a crew of four under the command of 06-9A (Asst. Chief Hanly) just as the snowfall was coming to an end. The engine arrived quickly and threw oil dry and were available within minutes. Later in the evening at approximately 1727 hours, the tones sounded for the truck response to 561 S. 4th Street in Colwyn Borough for a possible basement fire. Quint 06 responded with a crew of eight under the command of 06-13A (2nd Lieutenant Boyle). Shortly before arriving on scene, 04-12 (Booth) held the assignment to Company 04 (Darby #1) and recalled the balance of incoming apparatus. Twenty minutes after arriving back at the station, the tones dropped once again to Assist EMS who were on the 300-block of Westmont Drive in Collingdale borough with a Cardiac Arrest. Engine 06-2 with a full crew, quickly hit the street under the command of 06-9 ( Chief McCann). The crew arrived on scene and assisted the medics with CPR and preparing the patient for transport to a nearby facility. The engine was on scene for approximately fifteen minutes before returning available.

At a recent Aldan Borough council meeting, Collingdale #1’s own Fred Howell Sr. was presented a special proclamation by Mayor James Hopely, on behalf of the borough, for recognition of his more than 63 years with Collingdale Fire Company No. 1. Fred Howell Sr. is the company’s longest serving member in its history and still continues to be very active in the Fire Company currently serving as a Trustee on the Board of Directors and on the Relief Association. A story was printed in today’s Delco Times of Fred’s award ceremony. The fire company would like to congratulate Mr. Howell Sr.  and we look forward to having him around for many many years to come.

 Audio available (click link).  At approximately 22:53 hours, companies were dispatched to 9 E Lynbrook Road in Collingdale Borough for a building fire with possible entrapment. Collingdale police arrived on location and reported a working fire with heavy smoking showing with animals trapped. Chief 42-9 (Moors) arrived on location and assumed Lynbrook Road command and reported a two-story end of the row with heavy smoke showing and heavy fire in the basement and on the first floor. Quint 06 and Engine 06-1 responded simultaneously under the command of Chief 06-9 (McCann). Engine 04-1 and Engine 42-1 arrived on location first and went in service with numerous hand lines. Quint 06 arrived on location and were given the order to ladder the building. Crews from Quint 06 and Engine 06-1 also went to the rear of the building and to the second floor and assisted crews already inside with fire suppression. Crews working inside were dealt with a hazard of live wires sparking and requested PECO respond at a priority response before they could make more of an attack on the fire. Crews worked well together at the 40-minute mark, Chief 42-9 placed the fire under control at 23:42 hours. Crews remained on scene until approximately 0115 hours doing extensive overhaul. Two firefighters were transported to local hospitals for minor injuries and have since been released and are recovering. Companies operating on scene were Collingdale Fire Company #1 (Station 06), Collingdale Fire Company #2 (Station 42), Darby Fire Company #1 (Station 04), Lansdowne Fire Company (Station 19) and EMS units from Collingdale Fire Company #1 and Taylor Hospital. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Audio courtesy of John Colden. Pictures courtesy of Brian Feeney.  More pictures available by visiting Feeney Fire Films.  There is a short video clip (click link) available as well from this fire courtesy of Collingdale Fire Company #2.

The Officers for the year 2010 are;

Executive Officers                                                             Board of Trustees

President - Stynor Carter                                     Chairman - George Barbine

Vice President - John Cleary                              Vice Chairman - Mark Loftus

Secretary – Erin McGlinchy                                    Secretary - W. Scott Lefferts

Treasure – Carl Hildenbrand                                           Fred Howell, Sr.

Asst. Treasure – Tom Heckman                                 Merrit V. Herr-Neckar

Financial Secretary – Bernadette Murphy                            Lin Seidel

Asst. Fin. Secretary – William Jackson                           Roy V.E. Rogers

Ambulance Captain – Joanne Barbine

Line Officers

Chief – Colin McCann

Asst. Chief – Marc Hanly

Captain – Fran Pascal

1st Lieutenant – Dave Seifert

2nd Lieutenant – Mike Boyle

Chief Engineer – Joe Dolan

Asst. Engineers - Gerald Boyle, Fred Howell Jr, Craig McAllister, John Ellis

Safety Officer – George Kaiser

Fire Prevention Officers - Mrs. Jean Peterson and Stynor Carter

Collingdale No.1 did some major in-house rescue training this past week. Under Lieut. Dave Seifert, the company present was taught some of the techniques involved with rigging and pulling a Stokes uphill to rigging and lowering off a rooftop. Also inattendance were members of station 09 and 42 in a Friday night training session.

Collingdale Fire Companies No.1 and No.2 had their hands full with a working job on Nov. 27th on Hanson Place in the borough of Collingdale.The call came in at 19:15 hours as a kitchen fire and was quickly upgraded to a working fire with flames shooting out of the rear of the dwelling. Engines 42-1 and 06-1 provided the water supply and Quint 6  Ladderd the building. Fire fighters put up additional ladders for egress while Quint 6's crew opened up the roof.  Firefighters from all responding companies kept the majority of the damage confined to the original dwelling with some extention to the  attached dwelling on the D side of he building and on the B side of the building  across a narrow breezeway between rows. No injuries were reported and the fire was declared under control by 21:45 hours. 06-9A McCann had incident Command. Darby Fire Co.1 Station 04 was added for additional man power. Special thanks to Holmes Fire Co. Station 43 for Covering our first due Local.

The firefighters from Collingdale No.1 and No.2 have had a very busy fire prevention month. The firefighters from both companies were well attended at presentations at the local schools and day care facilities, and the training trailer from No.1 made appearances at the Upper Darby Fire Prevention Parade and the open houses at Glenolden, Upland, Folsom, Ridley Park, Norwood, Lansdowne and Clifton Heights Fire Companies to teach the area kids and adults alike fire prevention and escape from a smoke filled room. Still on their schedule is the Collingdale joint open house on October 25th, an appearance at Rose Tree Fire Company and the Darby Township Kindergarten. This company extends its thanks to everyone who participated in this busy month's activities.

At approximately 0845 hours, Collingdale Fire Company #1 & #2 along with Medic 06-7 were dispatched to 1038 Springfield Road for an Accident with entrapment. Chief 42-9 (Moors) arrived on scene and reported a single vehicle on its roof into the house with one subject trapped and established command. Rescue 42 and Engine 06-1 made the initial response and went to work to begin extrication. Chief Moors requested additional rescue units to respond to help with extrication which brought in Rescue 01 (Folcroft) and Rescue 19 (Lansdowne). Additional EMS units were also requested bringing in Medic 04-7A (Darby) and Medic 103 (DCMH). All units on-scene worked well together after a long but successful extrication and returned available. Shortly after returning available, Collingdale Fire Company #1 & #2 were dispatched to 520 Pusey Avenue at approx. 1210 hours for an automatic fire alarm. Units arrived on scene and reported smoke in the building which upgraded the assignment to a building fire. Crews found a transformer on fire on the first floor. Crews secured power to the building and ventilated the first and second floors. Upon clearing Pusey Avenue, Fireboard instructed Engine 06-1 to respond with Medic 06-7 & 06-7B to Providence Road & Jeffrey Avenue in Aldan Borough for a pedestrian struck. Engine 06-1 arrived on scene and assisted EMS crews with patient care and returned available at 1330 hours. Ambulance 06-7B handled the transport of the patient to the hospital for further evaluation. Finally, at approximately 1940 hours the fire companies were dispatched to 914 Bartram Avenue in Collingdale Borough for a Natural Gas Leak outside. Engine 06-1 and Engine 42 arrived on scene with a strong odor of gas outside being caused by a high pressure gas line leaking and requested PECO Gas to make an emergency response. Safety Officer Kilroy (42-10) established command and upgraded the assignment to building fire bringing in additional pieces of apparatus and RIT 44 (Springfield). Crews from Engine 06-1 and Engine 42 secured the gas to the building and pulled a 1 ¾ hose line for safety precautions until PECO arrived on scene. PECO arrived on scene and determined the scene to be under control at 2039 hours and the companies became available.

At approximately 2020 hours, Collingdale Fire Company #1 was dispatched to 1640 Delmar Drive (The Bullens Chemical Company) in Folcroft Borough to assist on a two-alarm working building fire. Chief 01-9 (Matthews) had command and gave Quint 06 the order to go to the “D” side of the building and put our ladder pipe in service for all companies were in master stream operations. There was a partial collapse of the rear wall and partial roof collapse which did enable companies operating of the “C” side of the building to start getting control of the blaze. Crews eventually were able to enter the building and brought the fire under control at 0114 hours. With over ten fire companies operating on scene, everybody worked well together and brought a stubborn fire under control that could have been potentially worse. Companies operating on scene were Company 01 (Folcroft), Company 02 (Norwood), Company 05 (Glenolden), Company 09 (Sharon Hill), Company 19 (Lansdowne), Company 42 (Collingdale #2), Company 43 (Holmes), Canteen 47 (Chester Township), Company 75 (Briarcliffe), County HAZMAT and numerous EMS agencies. The cause of the fire is under investigation.  Pictures courtesy of Brian Feeney of  Feeney Fire Films.