Donations Pile Up for Adams Fire Victims

By Tammy Daniels - December 29, 2008
iBerkshires Staff

Friday's fire on First Street taken by Linda Haas of Berkshire Studio
ADAMS, Mass. — After a major fire left at least six families homeless Friday night, local Elks 1335 offered their Center Street lodge as a drop-off point for donations on Saturday.

By Sunday evening, they had been inundated with piles of clothing, blankets, food and housewares — filling up two large rooms on the first floor.

"We've not even been open 12 hours," said Anne Kupiec. "This is phenomenal. This is really thanks to the town of Adams and the people of Adams."

The blaze had destroyed a six-unit apartment building on First Street, a narrow road accessed by steep streets along North Summer. Some 50 firefighters from surrounding towns battled the inferno, preventing it from spreading to other homes, including a 23-unit building only a yard away. The cause was reportedly a lit candle.

The residents lost everything in the fire, which occurred the day after Christmas.


Donations are piled up at the Elks Lodge in Adams
Melissa Martin, an officer in the lodge, said on Saturday that the lodge decided to do something because people were calling the fire and police departments looking for ways to help. The Red Cross chapter in Pittsfield had found places for many of the building's occupants to stay on Friday night but there was little information on what was needed and by whom.

The donations began pouring in after the Elks' offer was publicized by local media; much of it came in Sunday.

Both used and new winter clothing, toys, microwaves, small televisions, canned goods and bedding filled tables, counters and racks inside the lodge.

A couple of the tenement's residents had come for supplies but there's plenty left. "Some of the victims aren't going over there," said Andy Wrinn, director of disaster services for the Red Cross. "We're hoping that they will."

Wrinn said 15 people, mostly in their 20s and 30s, were living in the First Street building. There was some confusion about children being among the victims because the apartments next door had to be evacuated that night. There are children living in that building but they all should be home by now, he said. There was also confusion about who was in the building because some people had falsely claimed to the Red Cross and Salvation Army that they had been living there.

A few people are staying at Harrinton's; others, like owner Irene Lamarche, are staying with relatives. Wrinn expected their recovery to be ongoing as they sought out places to live. Little was salvaged from the apartment building, which had to be bulldozed for safety reasons.

Elks officers will continue to accept donations this week from 5 to 7 but say they have enough clothing and electronics. Nonperishable food, toiletries and small gift cards to Wal-Mart and supermarkets are preferred. Turn Hall is also planning a benefit in the next week or so.

The apartment building had to be razed for safety reasons. Scorching can be seen on the apartment house only a yard away.
The lodge will find places to donate the excess items, said Bernard Martin, another officer. "All of it will be put to good use ... It will be distributed to people who need it."

Meanwhile, any of the 15 residents of the destroyed building are welcome to pick up what they need at the Elks from 5 to 7 or by contacting the Martins at 413-743-4164 or the Kupiecs at 413-743-9813.

"This is what the Elks is all about," said Neil Kupiec, also an officer. "Being there for the community."

Candle started Adams inferno

By Benning W. De La Mater, Berkshire Eagle Staff
Updated: 12/28/2008 09:59:03 AM EST

Sunday, December 28
ADAMS — Investigators determined that an unattended burning candle sparked an intense fire in Adams Friday night that destroyed an apartment building and left at least 15 people homeless.

Adams Fire Chief Stephen Brown said Adams Police and state police fire marshals determined that a resident on the first floor of the First Street residence left a candle burning near combustibles.

"It was an accidental fire," Brown said.

Firefighters arrived on the scene to find heavy smoke on the first floor shortly after 6 p.m. By the time they evacuated the building, flames climbed to the second floor and quickly overtook the attic.

The entire structure collapsed by 7 p.m. Firefighters were on scene for at least 12 hours. A neighboring apartment building suffered some damage from the fire.

"We had to bring in an excavator to pull down the rest of the building to make sure it didn't pose a threat to the apartments next door," Brown said.

Both the Holiday Inn in North Adams and Harrington's Restaurant & Inn in Adams offered up rooms to the displaced families.

Harrington's owner Eric Harrington said their spirits were positive.

"Many of them lost everything they owned," he said. "But they're happy just to be alive."

Matthew Soha was staying with Irene Lamarche, the elderly woman who owned the building. He and some friends sifted through the rubble Saturday and found a few of
Advertisement
The American Red Cross
Lamarche's important ID cards and some family photos.

"She's having a tough time dealing with it," he said. "It's hard on all of us. I just lost my luggage, but a lot of people lost everything."

Melissa Martin, an officer of Adams Lodge of Elks, said her group is taking donations for the families. Calls have already been flooding into the headquarters and so have donations, including clothes and toys.

"We'll take anything, food, clothes, toys," she said. "We've been getting a lot of winter stuff, like coats, boots and gloves."

Those wishing to donate can contact Martin at (413) 652-1253 or Anne Kupiec (413) 822-7407 or drop items off at the Elks Club at 63 Center St. today from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Monday through Friday from 5 to 7 p.m.

Adams inferno displaces at least 10 residents

By Benning W. De La Mater, Berkshire Eagle Staff
Updated: 12/27/2008 03:00:52 AM EST
Slide Show of pictures of the First Street Fire by North Adams Transcript /Gillian Jones
Saturday, December 27
ADAMS — More than 50 volunteer firefighters worked in freezing temperatures under a night sky Friday battling a blaze that eventually consumed an apartment building on the eastern hill above town.

No one was hurt in the fire, but at least 10 residents — some children and senior citizens — were displaced, just 24 hours after many spent their day opening presents and reveling in Christmas fun inside their homes.

Adams Fire Chief Stephen Brown said when his department arrived on scene shortly after 6 p.m., firefighters encountered heavy smoke on the first floor of the 1920s-style apartment building on the corner of First and North streets.

They quickly evacuated the residents and began "an offensive."

"But we had several factors working against us," Brown said. "The fire got above us, and there's a common attic up there with a tin roof."

The fire spread to the second and third floors, forcing the firefighters to exit the building. Then the priority shifted to saving the apartment building next door, which sits just 3 feet away.

At least one apartment in the neighboring building suffered heat damage from the intense flames, which could be seen from downtown and along parts of Route 8.

Hundreds of residents walked up the steep streets to watch the blaze. Some snapped photos and recorded movies.

Firefighters from Savoy, Clarksburg, Hinsdale and Cheshire

The American Red Cross
assisted in the fight. Eventually, the fire consumed the building and collapsed the infrastructure.

Cindy White was at home next door when the fire broke out. She woke her husband, Dave, as firefighters were ushering residents out of the apartment complex.

"We looked out our window and that's when we saw it," she said. "There were kids that lived in there."

Brown estimated that between 10 and 15 residents were displaced. Red Cross volunteers arrived on the scene later in the night and assessed the situation.

The Holiday Inn in North Adams and Harrington's Restaurant & Inn in Adams offered rooms for the night to the displaced families.

To reach Benning W. De La Mater: bdelamater@berkshireeagle.com, (413) 496-6243.

WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT...

O.NEW.KALY.WS.A.0013.081219T1300Z-081220T0900Z/ NORTHERN LITCHFIELD-SOUTHERN LITCHFIELD-NORTHERN BERKSHIRE- SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE-NORTHERN HERKIMER-HAMILTON-SOUTHERN HERKIMER- SOUTHERN FULTON-MONTGOMERY-NORTHERN SARATOGA-NORTHERN WARREN- NORTHERN WASHINGTON-SCHOHARIE-WESTERN SCHENECTADY- EASTERN SCHENECTADY-SOUTHERN SARATOGA-WESTERN ALBANY- EASTERN ALBANY-WESTERN RENSSELAER-EASTERN RENSSELAER- WESTERN GREENE-EASTERN GREENE-WESTERN COLUMBIA-EASTERN COLUMBIA- WESTERN ULSTER-EASTERN ULSTER-WESTERN DUTCHESS-EASTERN DUTCHESS- NORTHERN FULTON-SOUTHEAST WARREN-SOUTHERN WASHINGTON-BENNINGTON- WESTERN WINDHAM-EASTERN WINDHAM- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...TORRINGTON...OAKVILLE...NEW MILFORD... TERRYVILLE...PITTSFIELD...NORTH ADAMS...GREAT BARRINGTON...LEE... LENOX...HOUSATONIC...ATWELL...BIG MOOSE...EAGLE BAY...MCKEEVER... NOBLEBORO...NORTHWOOD...OLD FORGE...SPECULATOR...ILION... HERKIMER...LITTLE FALLS...MOHAWK...FRANKFORT...DOLGEVILLE... GLOVERSVILLE...JOHNSTOWN...AMSTERDAM...WELLSVILLE... SARATOGA SPRINGS...WARRENSBURG...WHITEHALL...GRANVILLE... COBLESKILL...MIDDLEBURGH...DELANSON...ESPERANCE...DUANESBURG... SCHENECTADY...ROTTERDAM...BALLSTON SPA...MECHANICVILLE... WATERFORD...ALTAMONT...ALBANY...TROY...HOOSICK FALLS...HUNTER... TANNERSVILLE...WINDHAM...CATSKILL...COXSACKIE...ATHENS...CAIRO... JEFFERSON HEIGHTS...HUDSON...CHATHAM...SUNDOWN...ELLENVILLE... WOODSTOCK...WEST HURLEY...KERHONKSON...NAPANOCH...PHOENICIA... KINGSTON...NEW PALTZ...POUGHKEEPSIE...BEACON...ARLINGTON... PAWLING...DOVER PLAINS...MILLBROOK...PINE PLAINS...AMENIA... MILLERTON...NORTHVILLE...MAYFIELD...GLENS FALLS... WEST GLENS FALLS...HUDSON FALLS...FORT EDWARD...CAMBRIDGE... GREENWICH...BENNINGTON...JACKSONVILLE...NEWFANE...BRATTLEBORO... WEST BRATTLEBORO...BELLOWS FALLS 319 PM EST WED DEC 17 2008

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ALBANY HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH LATE FRIDAY NIGHT.

HEAVY SNOW MAY FALL ACROSS ALL OF EAST CENTRAL NEW YORK AND ADJACENT WESTERN NEW ENGLAND FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. SNOW IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ACROSS THE REGION ON FRIDAY BETWEEN SUNRISE AND MIDDAY...AND COULD BE HEAVY AT TIMES FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. LIGHT SNOW MAY PERSIST THROUGH THE REST OF FRIDAY NIGHT.

THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE 7 TO 14 INCHES OF SNOW ACROSS THE REGION. AT THIS POINT IT APPEARS THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL FALL ACROSS THE SCHOHARIE VALLEY...THE CAPITAL DISTRICT... EASTERN CATSKILLS...MID HUDSON VALLEY...SOUTHERN VERMONT...BERKSHIRE COUNTY AND LITCHFIELD COUNTY.

SNOW MAY FALL AT THE RATE OF ONE TO TWO INCHES PER HOUR FRIDAY AFTERNOON...WHICH WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT THE FRIDAY EVENING COMMUTE.

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

Storm's aftermath

Utility workers from throughout the Northeast converge on Berkshire County to repair power lines downed by last week's ice storm. This cluster of trucks rumbles Monday through North Street in Windsor.

Ben Garver / Berkshire Eagle Staff

By Trevor Jones and Kevin Moran, Berkshire Eagle Staff
Updated: 12/16/2008 02:59:57 AM EST


The ice is receding but the damage remains: One of the worst ice storms in decades has left thousands still without power, roads littered with splintered trees and downed power lines throughout the county's higher elevations.
"We've never seen this much damage in an ice storm," said John Tulloch, a Western Mass Electric Co., or WMECO, manager of customer operations for the Pittsfield district. "In some areas, there's more stuff down than there is in the air."

More than 6,700 mostly residential customers were still without power as of Monday, according to Tulloch. The power went out for those customers overnight Thursday when more than an inch of ice covered the hilltowns.

In lower elevations, the ice was a no-show — only rain fell in a swath from North Adams to the south of Great Barrington.

Since then, National Guardsmen have provided assistance clearing roads, residents have worked to assist with the cleanup, and utility crews from as far away as Virginia have arrived to repair power lines.

Tulloch did not have a specific time frame for power to return for most customers, but said the additional crews have helped make "some very good progress."

Tulloch said the clean-up has been particularly difficult because of the widespread damage and the lines needing to be reconnected one street at a time.

Many residents without power are trying to remain positive it will return


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Advertisement

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
soon.
"You're afraid of what may happen," said Connie Wood of Windsor. "But you make do with what you have."

The only source of heat in Wood's home since Thursday has been a space heater plugged into a generator. Because people in Windsor are connected to wells that require electric pumps, Wood said the most difficult thing has been the lack of running water.

But others are concerned not enough is being done.

Tom Speckert, of Pittsfield Road in Hinsdale, has been staying at his daughters' home in Vermont since a fire from overuse of his fireplace left him unable to stay at his home. While his surrounding roads have regained power, his street remains dark, with power lines strewn across the pavement.

'That's not an act of God'

When a WMECO representative told him it was an "act of God" and his power could not be returned until Friday at the earliest, his response was: "That's not an act of God. That's an act of WMECO deciding not to fix our little side street because there is only 10 houses on it."

Peru Fire Chief Eric Autenrieth is also critical of WMECO, and told of problems he had trying to communicate with company officials about the storm damage to electric power in Peru. He also faulted the company for not responding early enough with adequate crews to cut and clear trees surrounding utility wires in town.

"They have not lived up to any of their agreements in terms of 'cut and clear' or calling us back within time frames," Autenrieth said.

Utility crews from Virginia, Pennsylvania and Delaware arrived in Peru mid-morning Sunday, and they have been working hard since, Autenrieth said. However, he said a WMECO official finally returned his phone messages Sunday night, and that the official was not aware those crews had even arrived in town.

Praise for local response

"I understand 100 percent that this entire region got hit by the storm — don't get me wrong," Autenrieth said. "But instead of putting five trucks in one town, they could have spread them around."

Autenrieth praised the town's 14 volunteer firefighters, who have logged more than 500 hours since the storm hit, as well as the cooperation of local police and highway departments.

More than 20 utility poles snapped and 20 transformers were damaged throughout the town, he said late Monday afternoon, and that most of the men have used their personal vehicles and chain saws to clear felled trees from the roads.

"Our firefighters for the town of Peru have gone above and beyond what's expected of them," he said. "They are 100 percent volunteer and have been basically the backbone of this town during this whole mess."

All of the towns are working to help with emergency assistance in the form of food and water as well.

As of Monday afternoon, Becket had approximately 30 residents at the emergency shelter set up at Town Hall on Main Street, according to Ray Tarjick, the town's emergency management director.

If more people continue to arrive at the shelter, Becket officials are considering opening the local YMCA camp to accommodate them, Tarjick said.

In Savoy, where power may not be returned for some for another two to three weeks, the fire department and the Red Cross served more than 250 dinners to residents in need of assistance Monday night at the fire station.

"This has been an awesome community effort," said Billie Bushika, a Savoy Fire Department reserve, of the residents continuing effort to help clear debris. She said many at Monday's dinner were just happy to see a different face "It's kind of nice to have communication with the outside world," she said.

To reach Trevor Jones: tjones@berkshireeagle.com, or (413) 528-3660.

Storm hits hard in Berkshires, New England

Staff reports
Posted: 12/12/2008 12:32:44 PM EST


Dangerous flooding, icing and power outages have been reported throughout Berkshire County, closing or delaying at least nine local school systems.
As for road closings and power outages, "They're everywhere. All over the Berkshires," reported one dispatcher for the Berkshire County Sheriff's Communication Center.

State police from the Cheshire barracks reported that Route 2, Route 116 and Route 9 have been closed. Route 8A was reopened for traffic after 8 a.m. The governors of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine declared states of emergency Friday morning, and more than 1 million people in New England lost power, according to The Associated Press.

The town of Florida declared a state of emergency and opened a temporary shelter in the Florida Senior Center on Route 2. According to local officials, some people may be without power for several days. State police from the Lee barracks reported Route 23 closed from the 24.1 mile marker in Otis into Lee. Also, in Becket, Route 20 has been closed from the four corners area, from Bonnie Rigg Hill Road to Chesterfield. The main causes have been trees and wires down due to icing and flooding. Local media will be notified as these routes reopen.

Several incidents of roads flooding and debris have been reported, making for a challenging commute. Motorists are advised to take plenty of time and precaution during their drive.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for the area until 4:15 p.m., and a flood


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Advertisement

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
watch for the Hoosic River in Williamstown, which had reached 8.4 feet by 5 a.m. today. The flood stage for the river is nine feet. Flooding was reported to Williamstown Police in the basement of the 1896 House Inn, and in the areas of Cold Spring, Green River and Bee Hill roads.
Pittsfield road floods include the areas of upper North Street and the Springside Avenue and Pine Street.

A large coastal storm has brought heavy precipitation to the region, which includes reports of rain and freezing rain. In Eastern Berkshire County, thunderstorms were reported in the area of Sandisfield, bringing some hail and wind gusts of up to 50 miles per hour. The storm had a range of reaching Becket, East Windsor and as far as Savoy and Florida by 7:15 a.m.

At Berkshire County's outage peak this morning, according to a spokeswoman from the Western Massachusetts Electric Company close to 10,000 Berkshire County residents were without power. As of 11 a.m., that figure was down to 8,277.

"The Berkshires were one which was hit the hardest," said WMECO spokeswoman Lacey Girard. "Our customer operations manager for Berkshire County said he's never seen anything this bad, and he's been around for at least 30 years."

Complete outages were reported in Becket, Hancock, Otis, Peru, Sandisfield, Savoy, Washington and Windsor. Because of Hancock's outages, Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort is closed today.

Other towns and cities experiencing some power failure include Cheshire, Dalton, Hancock, Hinsdale, Lanesborough, Lee, Lenox, Pittsfield, Richmond and Tyringham.

More than 100,000 customers were without power between western and central Massachusetts, according to the Associated Press.

Icy conditions were particularly bad in central Massachusetts.

"This is a really extreme situation we are experiencing," Jackie Barry, a spokeswoman for National Grid, told The Associated Press. The company had about 100,000 electric customers without power as of 5 a.m., mostly in the Worcester area and Merrimack Valley.

For today, an ice storm warning is in effect until 1 p.m., by the National Weather Service. Precipitation accumulations are expected to be between a half to two-and-a-half inches. Temperatures will continue to fall to about 23 degrees by 5 p.m.

Tonight's forecast is cloudy with a low around 10 degrees. Tomorrow should be sunny with a high of 21. However the wind chill factor for tonight and tomorrow could feel as cold as minus 3 degrees.

Dozens of animals die in fire

By Ryan Hutton and Gillian Jones, North Adams Transcript
Posted: 12/09/2008 10:07:07 AM EST





Tuesday, December 9
CHESHIRE -- A three alarm fire fueled by raging winds claimed the live of dozens of animals, destroyed a barn and severely damaged two others early Monday morning on Wells Road.
The former Toporowski Dairy Farm at 1141 Wells Road burst into flames sometime around 2 a.m. and was soon fully engulfed. The Cheshire Fire Department got the call at 2:11 a.m. and by the time Fire Chief Tom Francesconi arrived on the scene two minutes later, he said the main barn was already almost gone.

"There were three buildings involved. A main wooden barn structure, a metal barn and a milk house," he said. "The fire appeared to have originated in the main barn and by the time I got there it was already 75 percent burnt. It was going pretty good.

"The metal barn and the milk house were involved but on the inside, we managed to save both of those. There's massive interior damage but they're still standing."

There is also a two-story home on the property that escaped major damage, but Francesconi said that by the time he arrived the siding was already buckling from the heat.

Terry Drain said she was in the process of renovating the farm to live there, although she was not on the property at the time of the blaze. She said her father had actually grown up on the farm and it holds much sentimental value to her family.

"I always wanted to live here and I wanted to keep the original character," Drain said.




Fire departments from Cheshire, Adams and Savoy had to battle not only the fire, but also the elements, as winds picked up and the mercury fell.
"The weather conditions were horrible," Francesconi said. "The wind was blowing probably 40 to 50 miles per hour right across where we needed to set up because there were just open fields nearby. The wind was just ripping right through there and with the wind chill we were probably looking at 20 degrees below zero."

The sub-zero temperatures also fouled the fire fighter's equipment, making getting the fire under control much more difficult.

"We ran into trouble with our pumps freezing, it was so cold," Francesconi said. "Some of our nozzles even froze, the pumps froze, not to mention the fire fighters that were covered from head to toe in ice."

The fire was extinguished by 6:05 a.m. and the cause is still under investigation by Francesconi and state Fire Marshall David Percy.

The barn was full of animals at the time of the fire, but none of them escaped. In all, three chickens, a rooster and 16 goats were killed.

"It's so devastating," Drain said. "I was hoping the animals got out, but none of them did."

In addition to the animals that perished, a tractor valued at $30,000, a log splitter, antiques and kayaks were also lost in the blaze.

Because there was no one living on the property, it was not insured.

"There are no words for what happened," Drain said.

Worcester Firefighters' Remembrance Wall Unveiled

The memorial honors the six firefighters killed while fighting a fire at the Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse in 1999.

WBZ

Reporting
Ron Sanders
Watch Video
WORCESTER (WBZ) ― The unveiling of the Remembrance Wall and memorial sculpture honoring the six Worcester firefighters who died nine years ago tonight brought hundreds of firefighters, families and friends to spot where it happened.

Brian Hanlon is the sculptor whose work pays tribute to the Worcester 6: Paul Brotherton, Joseph McGuirk, Timothy Jackson, Jeremiah Lucey, James Lyons and Thomas Spencer.

They died there heroically searching for two homeless people believed to be inside the Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse, but who'd escaped unbeknownst to firefighters. "To say the least, I'm overwhelmed today. I feel the weight of responsibility of making something that is fitting for the firefighters and fitting for the families," said Hanlon who was also commissioned for the Bob Cousy statue at The College of the Holy Cross.

The families cut the ribbon last month for the new fire station that stands behind the Remembrance Wall. Denise Brotherton, widow of one of the Worcester 6, said the moment was, "very bittersweet, very bittersweet. I spent eight days down here in the dead of winter waiting, waiting for word, just hoping Paul would be found. Ultimately, we got the worst news and now I think it's great that they've taken over the property and turned it into something positive."

Special Operations Chief Frank Diliddo said, "and we will go forward from here, being able to look at a tangible item, remembering them and bring other people here to say, 'this is what we mean when we say sacrifice, duty, honor. This is what our men did."

No tax dollars paid for the memorial, only funds raised only by firefighters including those who paid to take part in safety seminars begun after the Worcester Warehouse fire.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

MCVFA DONATES TRAFFIC SAFETY VESTS TO LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS

Picture taken by Paul Vallone
Photo of Florida Fire Chief Michael Bedini showing off one of ten safety vests his department received from The Massachusetts Call/Volunteer Firefighters' Association


The safety vests were distributed to the 17 membership departments at Thursday night’s Berkshire County Fire Chiefs meeting which was held at the Florida Volunteer Fire Department’s station in Florida, Mass on November 20th.


The Massachusetts Call/Volunteer Firefighters' Association is donating 2,000 reflective traffic safety vests to approximately 170 local volunteer and combination fire departments who are members of the association.

Beginning November 24, 2008, new federal regulations require fire department personnel to wear approved reflective apparel when working on or near federally funded highways. This includes most major roadways in Massachusetts. The purpose of the regulation is to increase the safety of personnel working an emergency scene such as a motor vehicle accident by making them more visible to motorists. While current firefighter turnout gear does have reflective strips, it is insufficient to meet this new regulation.

This regulation requires fire departments to purchase vests that cost up to $50 each for each of their firefighters. With many departments' budgets stretched to the breaking point, this unfunded requirement is very difficult for small departments to meet.

The MCVFA purchased 2,000 Lakeland reflective, 5-point breakaway, fire resistant traffic safety vests through Brigham Industries of Paxton, Massachusetts. They will be distributed to member departments at regional meetings in November. The first of these meetings was held in Rehoboth on November 6.

Village Ambulance Service Winter/Spring 2009 - EMT-BASIC PROGRAM

Monday & Thursday Nights
6:00pm – 10:00pm
(Occasional Saturday classes TBA)
Classes Begin
Thursday, February 5th, 2009
To obtain an application packet visit our website
www.villageambulance.com and click on Training
Or
For more information, contact the Program Director,
Shawn Godfrey, at shawngodfrey@villageambulance.com or
by telephone at 413-884-5729
Program Cost: $750.00
($250.00 non-refundable deposit with application,
$500.00 due first night of class)
Cash, Money Order, Bank Check or Agency Check
Accepted
Village Ambulance Service is a Massachusetts OEMS Accredited Training Institution

Got spare time? Local fire departments need volunteers

By Meghan Foley, North Adams Transcript
Article Launched: 11/18/2008 11:08:44 AM EST


Fire chiefs of three North Berkshire communities say they need more manpower for their volunteer and on-call departments. Lanesborough has 22 to 25 volunteer firefighters, New Ashford has 12, and Williamstown has 18 active members of its on-call department, but despite these numbers, the fire chiefs say they need more.
"It's getting tougher and tougher to get people," Philip Rancourt, fire chief of the New Ashford Volunteer Fire Department, said Wednesday.

He said over the last 10 years, it has been more difficult to find members for a department in which he would like to have between 15 and 18 volunteer firefighters.

"It's a lot of free time you have to give," he said, explaining on of the reasons it is difficult to attract people.

In addition, in a town that has only 248 people, according to the 2007 U.S. Census estimate, there isn't a large population pool to draw from. And, Rancourt said, taking courses in firefighting and emergency response takes a lot of time.

While there are dedicated people who have been with the Fire Department for 30 years, he said they are getting "burned out," and it's harder to get younger people because they move out of the town.

Charlie Durfee, chief of the Lanesborough Volunteer Fire Department, said Thursday that 10 to 12 years ago, the department had 40 volunteers, but times have changed - people get married and have children, and with the economy the way it is, both parents have to work to support a family.

"It's
a huge commitment, and it's getting harder and harder to get people to volunteer," Durfee said.
When people joined the Lanesborough department, they used to receive a pager and turnout gear and get some training before they became volunteer firefighters, he said. Now they have to take courses in CPR, first aid and automated external defibrillators, along with learning about blood-borne pathogens and taking hazardous material training, he said.

In addition, Lanesborough requires volunteer firefighters to have Firefighter I and II certified training.

According to the 2007 U.S. Census estimate, the population of Lanesborough is 2,891.

Craig A. Pedercini, fire chief of the Williamstown Fire District, said Thursday that with parents spending more time at home with their children and going to activities their children are involved in, there is less time for volunteering. Williamstown's volunteers are paid, however, whenever they respond to fires or emergencies.

"Volunteerism is almost a thing of the past. We're not getting the same turnout as we used to," Pedercini said. At one time in the district's history, chiefs had to put people wanting to be volunteer firefighters on a waiting list, he said. "Fifteen to 20 years ago, we had as many as 30 members on the department," he said.

Pedercini said it is difficult to determine whether an 18-member fire department is adequate for Williamstown, which has a population of 8,108, according to the 2007 U.S. Census estimate.

"There is no real answer to whether 18 is enough to put out a fire because you would have to ask what size fire?" he said.

In the case of confirmed structure fires, he said, the district always requests mutual aid from other communities until the severity of the fires are determined.

"When we get fires, it has become common practice to get mutual aid from other towns," he said.

The lack of affordable housing in Williamstown is another challenge the fire district has faced in getting members because people have to live in the town to volunteer, he said.

While each fire department has training one night a week, they trade off with each other when it comes to hosting Massachusetts Firefighting Academy courses.

Rancourt said the majority of the time, his New Ashford volunteers go to Lanesborough for academy courses, and the two towns also train together. Durfee said Lanesborough also works with the Cheshire and Hancock volunteer fire departments.

Pedercini said the academy offers classes in Berkshire County in the spring and fall, and different departments will hold different classes.

The Cheshire and Savoy departments are in the midst of at 10-month Firefighter I and II training program funded from a grant received in April 2007 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for recruiting and retaining volunteer firefighters. Besides Cheshire and Savoy, members of five other volunteer or on-call fire departments in Berkshire County are participating in the program.

Pedercini said having more local training would help with the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters, the majority of whom work at other jobs. Durfee said an answer to recruiting and retaining volunteer firefighters may just be to keep applying for grants to use toward advertising and training.

For fiscal 2009, the Lanesborough department has a $70,200 budget.

New Ashford's department has a $7,500 operating budget, and the Williamstown Fire District functions on $446,000, with $92,000 paying to run the town's streetlights.

The Massachusetts Call and Volunteer Firefighters' Association is in the process of putting together a commercial intended to interest people in volunteering for their towns' fire departments.

Lanesborough is one of four Massachusetts towns across the state that will be featured in the commercial.

Pedercini, Rancourt and Durfee all said they are concerned what the future might hold for their departments if the number of volunteers keeps following the pattern over the past decade.

"We're all shorthanded," Durfee said. "I think being a regionalized fire department will happen sooner than you think."

Within the next three to five years, Lanesborough and New Ashford could become one department, he said.

"I don't know how much longer we can keep going, and we may eventually see some sort of regionalization here," Rancourt said.

Pedercini declined to speculate on the future of the Williamstown district.

Whole county to benefit from fire training

Photo by Holly Pelczynski/North Adams Transcript

Jason Mendonca of the Cheshire Volunteer Fire Department was among more than 30 Firefighters getting training on ladders Sunday at Hoosac Valley High School

By Meghan Foley, North Adams Transcript
Article Launched: 11/10/2008 11:19:10 AM EST



Monday, November 10
CHESHIRE -- Firefighters from seven Berkshire County communities responded to Hoosac Valley High School this weekend, not because of a fire but to learn national standards and protocol for dealing with one.
"We're really going to make proficient and efficient firefighters out of them," Joe Nedder of Cross Street Associates of Uxbridge, a consulting company that provides firefighter training, said Sunday.

Thirty-three volunteers from Cheshire, Savoy, Adams, Richmond, Lee, Windsor and Lenox are participating in Firefighter I and II training. The 10-month course has been made possible by the $665,962 SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grant Cheshire and Savoy received last year from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is overseen by the Department of Homeland Security.

The grant, received in April 2007 was for recruiting and retaining volunteer firefighters. However, Jim Pasquini, grant coordinator, said he was able to convince Homeland Security officials to allow some of the grant money to be used toward the training program, after which all participants will have an opportunity to take the Firefighter I and II certification exam.

"There is always a call for training in Northern Berkshire," Pasquini said.

Many volunteer firefighters don't have the opportunity to get training outside of their own departments, according to Nedder.

Pasquini and Nedder agreed that



offering the national training program locally is important for retaining volunteer firefighters.
"Being an on-call firefighter is a job. If you don't know what you're doing, you're not going to stay on the Fire Department," Nedder said.

Mark Therrien Jr., an apprentice with the Adams Volunteer Fire Department, said the skills and training he is learning from the program will help him get more involved with the Fire Department.

"It basically makes it a lot better now, because I understand everything," he said. "You fit in with everybody else better on calls."

Therrien, whose father has been a firefighter with the Alert Hose Co. in Adams for 22 years, said the town does offer firefighter training for two hours at night, once a week, and weekend classes once or twice a year, but it's a slow process.

"It takes a longer period of time to achieve the amount of training you get here (at the 10-month program)," Therrien said. "It just gives you a better opportunity to learn a lot of the equipment faster," he said.

The opportunity to learn also helps with retaining firefighters, Nedder and Pasquini said.

"These kids are excited and enthused because they are being properly trained to do their job," Nedder said. "This is a job where you have to keep learning and stay up to date."

He said prior to Sunday's class, which was about how to raise, climb and use ladders, most of the firefighters had never climbed a ladder, let alone the Adams' aerial ladder.

Because of the mutual aid system, the course will benefit all of Berkshire County, he said.

"It's not only helping us, but other communities," said Peter "P.J." Miner, assistant fire chief for Savoy and a participant in the course.

Cheshire Fire Chief Tom Francesconi, who was also participating, said every town in Berkshire County has mutual aid with other towns, and because of the training, he knows Miner will know how to "throw a 40-foot ladder," if the situation ever arises.

"We're all on the same page," Francesconi said.

By being trained to national standards, Miner said, the Savoy Volunteer Fire Department should technically be able to go anywhere in any state to assist another department.

The training program, which began on Sept. 12, will end in June with live fire training planned in Springfield. In addition to hands-on weekend courses once a month on topics such as motor vehicle extraction, the use of hose, water and foam to knock down a fire, ventilation and safety and survival during a fire, there are also lectures one to two nights per month, Nedder said.

In addition to Nedder, instructors from Northboro, Northbridge, Uxbridge and Douglas were assisting with the ladder training on Sunday. Nedder said other instructors, who include retired firefighters from cities such as Lawrence, Marlboro and Revere, will come out to teach or lecture throughout the 10-month program, which will cost roughly $80,000.

The remainder of the SAFER grant will be put toward buying new uniforms for the Cheshire and Savoy fire departments and scholarships for high school students from Adams and Cheshire interested in pursuing studies in emergency services, Pasquini said.

In addition, he said, grant money has already been used toward an evaluation of the Cheshire Volunteer Fire Department, recruiting volunteers for Cheshire and Savoy and offering CPR, first-responder and first aid courses to students at Hoosac Valley High School.

Trying to attract volunteer firefighters

Trying to attract volunteer firefighters
Ad campaign attacks dwindling numbers
By Jack Dew, Berkshire Eagle Staff
Article Launched: 10/26/2008 02:59:18 AM EDT


Sunday, October 26
LANESBOROUGH — Their numbers dwindling, volunteer firefighters from around the state are turning to the mass media in the hope of luring new recruits.
Yesterday, a video crew spent the morning at the Lanesborough Fire Department, interviewing volunteers and shooting action footage for a statewide ad campaign expected to kick off in the spring. Financed by a federal grant, the effort is being led by the Massachusetts Call & Volunteer Firefighters Association, which is hoping to boost the flagging numbers of men and women willing to take on a tough job.


Lanesborough Chief Charlie Durfee said his department had 44 volunteers a dozen years ago. Now, its down to 20.

"The guys got older, their kids got older, they don't have the time anymore and the time requirements (for firefighter training) are getting worse," Durfee said. "Now the problem is that a guy works days, he has to hustle home so his wife can go to work at night. They can't afford to volunteer time."

Williamstown Fire Chief Craig Pedercini said he has similar manpower problems, with only 18 volunteers. Ideally, he said, the town would have 35.

"It's harder to find people now who are willing to give up their time, their daily schedule, going to their kids soccer or football games," Pedercini said. "And it's only going to get worse with the economy the way it is. People need to work two jobs just to pay the mortgage."

While the
work, training and hours may be rigorous, the reward is great, said Paul Vallone, a 12-year volunteer firefighter in Clarksburg.
"I like to help my community, give it good service and be there in a time of need," he said.

The commercial is being made by VidBoston. Producer and Director Steve Melzer said the plan calls for shooting in four towns — Lanesborough, Shelburne Falls, Lakeville and West Barnstable. The concept is to capture the volunteers in action and let them describe their experience in their own words.


"They are so passionate about what they do, so we have been concentrating on just talking to the volunteers, finding out why they do it, what they get out of it, and how the need is there for more volunteers," Melzer said. "What will really make it work, form my perspective, is having people tell their heartfelt stories."



The chiefs said that anyone interested in volunteering should contact their local department.

To reach Jack Dew: jdew@berkshireeagle.com (413) 496-6241

Course teaches students fire safety

Course teaches students fire safety
By Ryan Hutton, North Adams Transcript
Article Launched: 10/18/2008 03:05:06 AM EDT



Saturday, October 18
CHESHIRE -- A darkened, smoke-filled corridor to navigate, a rocking, debris filled tunnel to shimmy through, a 165-pound body to haul and a baby to catch from a 20-foot drop -- these were just a few of the things students at Hoosac Valley High School had to deal with this week as the Cheshire Volunteer Fire Department set up their simulated fire training obstacle course.
The course is part of the community outreach and recruitment program funded by the $665,962 Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Staffing for Adequate Fire Safety & Emergency Response (SAFER) grant the town received in December 2006.

"The whole point of everything here was trying to spark interest in the youth," said fire fighter and EMT Corey McGrath. "We've had a great response and we've signed up a few junior fire fighters. We started our junior fire department last year and we've gotten some more kids interest. We're just trying to start a live forum. At the end of the class, I open it up for questions and we can talk with them."

Starting on Wednesday and ending Friday, the students took their gym class to go through an obstacle course that simulated a number of the different situations that fire fighters can encounter -- with the option of doing it in full turnout gear and oxygen tank. In teams of two, the first stop was hauling a coiled fire hose to the roof of the gym with a rope. Next was a closed off



trailer filled with harmless fog that simulated the lack of visibility in a smoke-filled building. After that, they had to drag a uncoiled fire hose 50 feet to a fire truck and use a connected hose to shoot a bucket on a line, always advancing to make sure it got to the top of the baseball field's backstop.
Next, they had to form a two-person bucket brigade to put out wooden flames on a fake house front and then it was target practice with water fire extinguishers. Then there was the tunnel crawl where they had to navigate a narrow plastic tunnel filled with cardboard and old clothing to get to the 165-pound "Rescue Randy" doll and drag the dead weight another 50 feet. At the end, they had to safely catch a weighted baby doll and raise an American flag to the gym roof. All the while making sure you didn't leave your partner behind.

"It was exhilarating," said 18-year-old Jason Duval said as he stripped off the Nomex/Kevlar turnout jacket. "I've never done this before, so I thought it was pretty cool. The stuff's pretty heavy though. It gets hot in there and it's hard to breathe when you first get the hit of that bottled air."

His partner on the course was 17-year-old Justin Clairmont. Justin said he had run the course last year during the event, but added that the smoked-filled trailer gave him trouble he wasn't expecting.

"Oh man, you can't see anything in there," he said panting after completing the course. "You're crawling on your hands and knees and you can barely see your hands."

Jared Gale, 17, took the opportunity to douse his partner with water at both the bucket brigade and the fire extinguisher stops but said seriously that the course was an eye-opener to what is to be a fire fighter.

"It was definitely a different experience," he said. "It's good to know what they go through every time they get a call. This wasn't even all of it and it's tough."

McGrath said the point of the course was two-fold -- it gives the students a taste of what being a fire fighter is like and it works as a fire safety refresher.

"At the same time we're working on fire prevention," He said. "Crawling low through smoke, using a fire extinguisher, stuff they may not remember form elementary school and it's been a huge success. Every year we get a little better at it and the program gets a little bit bigger. Other than that, it's just fun.

"It's definitely an eye opener and we try to use that. In my speech to the kids before we start, I tell them we're all fathers sitting at home and as much as we train, we don't want to fight a fire. We're prepared to do it, we're willing to go out and do whatever we have to, but it all starts with prevention. If we don't have to go fight a fire because it never starts, it's better that way."

So far, the department has recruited three new members for it's junior fire fighter program and had certified 16 students in its first responder classes, with another 20 signed up to take the next course. McGrath said the surprise of the week was seeing how the first-time students reacted to the program.

"They love the smoke trailer and wearing the gear," he said. "They really get excited about getting to wear the turnout gear. Especially the girls. The girls have been more receptive to this than the guys will ever be, I think. They're just ready to go, almost everyone of them. Now we just need to get them into the fire department when they're older -- either as a fire fighter or an EMT or both."

For Chelsea Tarsa, 17, and Jenna Laughlin, 17, going through the course just once wasn't enough, they came back later in the week to try it out with the turnout gear on.

"It was scary. It was really scary but it was fun," Tarsa said. "I did it earlier in the week without the gear on, definitely a lot easier than now. But I give fire fighters all the credit in the world. I could never be a fire fighter.

"Breathing was hard. With that mask on it was tough and you had, like, 20 pounds on your back and you're hauling all this weight when you're trying to do all these things that are hard normally."

McGrath said the next step is trying to establish an EMT program at the school and that the SAFER grant was going to be a huge help.

"It's working. We're getting kids," he said. "Our numbers are higher than they have been in a while. We've got about three or four kids that joined in the junior fire department and more want to join but they're not old enough yet, they're not quite 16."

Lanesborough store buys fire apparatus

Photo's taken by Butch Garrity - Lanesboro Fire Department

By Jenn Smith, Berkshire Eagle Staff

Article Last Updated: 10/11/2008 03:01:26 AM EDT

Saturday, October 11

LANESBOROUGH — The town of Lanesborough has been cashing in to save lives.

Several years ago, Lanesborough Supermarket initiated a bottle and can donation program called "Cans for Lives" with the Lanesborough Fire Department, with all proceeds going to purchase rescue equipment.

The department recently completed its training with a newly acquired Res-Q-Jack system, thanks to the fund.



Using rams and straps, the system will be able to help emergency responders stabilize a vehicle in any position following a collision or involvement with heavy debris.

"A lot of times, a vehicle in a precarious position can rock back and forth and could roll over rescuers," said Deputy Fire Chief Charles Garrity III.

Once the Res-Q-Jack stabilizes a vehicle, rescuers will be able to manually remove the person or utilize the Jaws of Life for a quicker extrication.

The department was able to purchase the new equipment and attachments for approximately $3,000.

Since the Cans for Lives program began, the fire department has been able to purchase nearly $10,000 worth of extrication equipment and other rescue tools that it otherwise would not have been able to obtain.

The other equipment includes cold-water rescue gear, an ATV and multi-seasonal rescue sled used primarily in mountainous terrain, all which have been instrumental in saving a significant number of lives.

"Every time someone




brings in a can or two, it helps," said Garrity. "The Lanesborough Fire Department is deeply indebted to the Lanesborough Supermarket and its owners Mike and Nancy Gomes and Mike Zaccaria, as well as to the residents of the town who make donations."

Local departments plan events for Fire PreventionWeek

and Meghan Foley
By Ryan Hutton, North Adams Transcript
Article Launched: 10/04/2008 03:06:58 AM EDT


Saturday, October 4
Next week is National Fire Prevention Week, and fire departments in North Berkshire are preparing for this year's theme "Prevent Home Fires."
In Williamstown, Chief Craig A. Pedercini said his department will have its annual open house on Saturday, Oct. 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The main area of the station behind where the trucks are kept will be where training videos will be shown for children, including "Smoke Detectives," which is about identifying and fixing fire hazards in the home.

The fire trucks will be on display outside the station, and there will be a fire extinguisher display where trucks are usually kept, with someone there to answer questions for those interested in getting extinguishers for their homes. Firefighters will also be available to meet with children in local day care centers and to show them fire equipment. The children can try on and touch the turnout gear, so they won't be afraid of it in a real emergency.

"Our primary concern when we have little kids is to teach them not to be afraid of firefighters," Pedercini said. "It's hands-on and the best training we can give them."

Cheshire Fire Chief Tom Francesconi said his department will focus on older kids.

"We're up at the high school all week," he said. "We do fire drills with the kids, then the rest of the week we do a firefighter obstacle course. We have the kids dress in full turnout gear and breathers, and they do


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Advertisement

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
different activities simulating firefighting -- stuff like spraying fire extinguishers at bottles to knock them down, a hose drag, going through a smoke trailer and crawling through a tunnel in full gear. It's a lot of fun."
Cheshire will also have programs in the elementary school.

"We're having a firefighter go in and talk about fire safety and fire prevention in the home, what to do when you hear the smoke detectors, having an escape plan, stuff like that," Francesconi said.

The North Adams Fire Department will host an open house at its station on American Legion Drive on Sunday, Oct. 12, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. That's one day after Fire Prevention Week officially ends, but the Fall Foliage Parade is this Sunday. The event will feature fire-safety activities and likely cookies and punch.

Lorraine Carli, spokesperson for the National Fire Protection Association, said the premise behind this year's theme is that roughly 3,000 people die in home fires every year, and the majority of them can be easily prevented by taking simple steps.

"The leading cause of home fires is cooking, and the majority of those fires result from people leaving the food unattended," Carli said. "The easiest thing people can do is stay in the kitchen when they have food on the stove top."

Another major fire concern for both chiefs this winter is people finding alternative ways to heat their homes, with the price of oil and gas still fairly high.

"People may buy a wood pellet stove, and the biggest fear we have is that it's not installed properly," Pedercini said. "Stoves need to be installed to manufacturer specifications, and permits need to be pulled from the inspector's office, and devices need to be inspected after installation."

Francesconi said Cheshire does not get a lot of house fires typically, but he is worried that the increased heating costs may lead people to use more plug-in space heaters.

"I just get nervous when people misuse space heaters, don't get their chimneys and furnaces cleaned to save money and then start using them," he said. "That's how you get furnace blowback."

Carli said people should always be sure to get their chimneys inspected and cleaned because failing to do so is the leading cause of chimney fires. She also cautioned against using space heaters.

"Space heaters are particularly dangerous," she said. "They cause about three quarters of the heating-fire deaths, usually because people place them too close to things that can burn."

Francesconi reiterated the dangers of space heaters being left unattended and used improperly. He said he has been to numerous calls where sleeping people have left them plugged in and they have ignited something.

"I say don't use them, but if you do, don't leave anything close to them -- don't plug them into an overloaded outlet, don't put them near anything combustible," he said. "Don't leave them running for any length of time and certainly not when you're sleeping. That's what scares me the most."

More information can be found at the National Fire Protection Association Web site, www. firepreventionweek.org

LOWERING THE FLAG THIS COMING SUNDAY:

The law requires the American flag be lowered in tribute on only a few days each year. One of these days is the observance of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service.
On October 16, 2001, President Bush approved legislation requiring the American flag to be lowered to half-staff on all Federal buildings to memorialize fallen firefighters. Public Law 107-51 requires this action to occur annually in conjunction with observance of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service.
Let your local media know that American flags across the country will be lowered on Sunday, October 5, 2008. This includes the U.S. Capitol and the White House, as well as buildings in your local community

2008 ANTIQUE FIRE APPARATUS SHOW

Berkshire Chapter of
SPAAMFAA's
2008 ANTIQUE FIRE APPARATUS SHOW
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2008
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
STOCKBRIDGE TRAIN STATION STOCKBRIDGE, MA
For information you can click here:
http://www.berkshirespaamfaa.org/

FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING...

/O.CON.KALY.FA.A.0012.000000T0000Z-080907T1200Z/ /00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/ NORTHERN LITCHFIELD-SOUTHERN LITCHFIELD-NORTHERN BERKSHIRE- SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE-WESTERN GREENE-EASTERN GREENE-WESTERN COLUMBIA- EASTERN COLUMBIA-WESTERN ULSTER-EASTERN ULSTER-WESTERN DUTCHESS- EASTERN DUTCHESS-WESTERN WINDHAM-EASTERN WINDHAM- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...TORRINGTON...OAKVILLE...NEW MILFORD... TERRYVILLE...PITTSFIELD...NORTH ADAMS...GREAT BARRINGTON...LEE... LENOX...HOUSATONIC...HUNTER...TANNERSVILLE...WINDHAM...CATSKILL... COXSACKIE...ATHENS...CAIRO...JEFFERSON HEIGHTS...HUDSON... CHATHAM...SUNDOWN...ELLENVILLE...WOODSTOCK...WEST HURLEY... KERHONKSON...NAPANOCH...PHOENICIA...KINGSTON...NEW PALTZ... POUGHKEEPSIE...BEACON...ARLINGTON...PAWLING...DOVER PLAINS... MILLBROOK...PINE PLAINS...AMENIA...MILLERTON...JACKSONVILLE... NEWFANE...BRATTLEBORO...WEST BRATTLEBORO...BELLOWS FALLS 1140 AM EDT SAT SEP 6 2008

...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING...

THE FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* PORTIONS OF NORTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT...WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS... EAST CENTRAL NEW YORK AND SOUTHERN VERMONT...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN NORTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT...NORTHERN LITCHFIELD AND SOUTHERN LITCHFIELD. IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS... NORTHERN BERKSHIRE AND SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE. IN EAST CENTRAL NEW YORK...EASTERN COLUMBIA...EASTERN DUTCHESS...EASTERN GREENE... EASTERN ULSTER...WESTERN COLUMBIA...WESTERN DUTCHESS...WESTERN GREENE AND WESTERN ULSTER. IN SOUTHERN VERMONT...EASTERN WINDHAM AND WESTERN WINDHAM.

* THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING

* TROPICAL STORM HANNA CONTINUES TO MOVE NORTHEAST ALONG THE EAST COAST AND WILL SPREAD HEAVY RAIN INTO THE WATCH AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL WILL LIKELY OCCUR LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. BY THE TIME THE RAIN ENDS ON SUNDAY...THREE TO SEVEN INCHES OF RAIN ARE EXPECTED IN THE WATCH AREA.

* FLOODING COULD BE ENHANCED BY THE UPSLOPE FLOW ALONG THE HIGHER TERRAIN...ESPECIALLY THE EASTERN SLOPES OF THE CATSKILLS...BERKSHIRES...SOUTHERN GREENS AND LITCHFIELD HILLS. ALSO POTENTIAL FLOODING MAY INCREASE WHERE THERE ARE LARGE PAVED AREAS SUCH AS PARKING LOTS IN BUSINESS AND INDUSTRIAL AREAS. RIVERS THAT ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE INCLUDE THE HOUSATONIC RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES...RIVERS IN SOUTHEASTERN VERMONT...AND TRIBUTARIES TO THE HUDSON RIVER IN SOUTHEASTERN NEW YORK. TIDAL FLOODING MAY OCCUR ON THE HUDSON RIVER SOUTH OF ALBANY.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE FLOOD WARNINGS FROM YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP.

MA Firefighters' Memorial Annual Ceremony

Please turn out and be represented! We had a decent turn out last year at the dedication. We can always do better!



Massachusetts Fallen Firefighters Annual Memorial Ceremony



When: Thursday, September 11, 2008

6:00 PM



Where: Site of the Memorial in Ashburton Park

Bowdoin Street side of MA State House in Boston



What: Annual Firefighter Remembrance Ceremony

Ring of Honor will be available for viewing following

the Ceremony



This is an outside event and will take place rain or shine.



On Thursday September 11th, 2008 The Massachusetts Fallen Firefighters Memorial will be held at 6 p.m. from the site of The Fallen Firefighters Memorial Statue in Ashburton Park at the State House.



We are asking all off duty members, Honor guards and Gallic Bands to attend this annual event. We will assemble at the corner of Beacon Street and Charles Street at 5 p.m. and march to the memorial site for the ceremony.



Dress: Class A Uniform.



There is parking available at the Boston Common underground garage



RSVP: RSVP by September 4th

Indicate Name, Dept. and Number Attending

Email: mailto:melissa@mafirememorial.org

Phone: 1 (888) ASK FIRE (275-3473)

Great Barrington fire station breaks ground

The project becomes reality after more than a decade of debate.
By Trevor Jones, Berkshire Eagle Staff
Article Last Updated: 08/19/2008 08:36:41 AM EDT


Tuesday, August 19
GREAT BARRINGTON — After 10 years of contentious debate, they dug in their shovels with a sense of pride and a sigh of relief.
It was all part of the ceremonial groundbreaking of the new Great Barrington fire station on State Road yesterday. The $9.48 million project has taken many different shapes over the past decade, but town officials expressed elation that construction on a modern facility was set to begin.

"It's been a real long haul, but it's all worth it," said Anthony Blair, co-chairman of the project's finance committee.

The station, which will be located between Mechanic and North streets, will replace the 109-year-old facility on Castle Street. The current station, deemed untenable several years ago, is in serious disrepair and does not meet the needs of the Fire Department.

The new station will feature several added amenities — such as sleeping quarters and a kitchen — with the intention of some day adding full-time firefighters. Also, response-time studies have shown the location to be ideal for servicing the area.

"This is a big step forward," said Richard Coons, finance committee co-chairman. "It will be much safer and better ... not just for today, but for 30 to 40 years down the road."

There was a crowd of more than 50 spectators on hand to celebrate the moment. A large group of firefighters, state legislators, designers and current and former town officials


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Advertisement

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
in the ceremony spoke to the large swath of people involved in the project's history.
In April 2007, the town approved the new station and the $9.48 million loan. Later that year, the companies Clark and Green, of Great Barrington, and Pacheco-Ross, of Voorheesville, N.Y., were chosen to design the facility. This July, Fontaine Bros. Inc., of Springfield, was chosen to build the station for $5 million.

Prior to the final approval, the facility was widely debated in the community since it was first considered more than a decade ago. Early plans included repairing the currently facility and building a new facility at an estimated $1 million.

Several town-owned locations were later discussed, but some were not centrally located and others, like the Gilmore Avenue land, drew criticism because they were in a heavily residential areas.

To help garner more support, later changes included a 2,000 square feet smaller building proposal and as much as a million dollars less in funds. The final addition came before the town vote, when officials decided to purchase the current parcel for $2.45 million. Formerly known as the Broverman buildings, the buildings were then razed so construction could begin.

Despite the many changes, the final proposal drew a consensus from town officials and residents for its lower costs and for improving the Fire Department's ability to service the community.

"This really needed to happen," said Harry Jennings, Great Barrington fire chief. "And it happened at the right time and in the right place."

At a glance ...


Estimated cost: $9.48 million

Scheduled completion date: November 2009

Size: One floor, with more than 16,000 square feet of usable space

Features: Six fire truck bays; training facilities, including a repelling tower, a confined-space rescue area and exercise space; male and female bunk rooms; a computer network; a full-sized kitchen; a traffic light; increased storage space; and a large parking lot.

Williamstown Barn Burns After Lightning Strike

WILLIAMSTOWN — A barn at Bonnie Lea Farm went up in flames after being hit by lightning earlier this evening.

No one was injured and no animals harmed but the barn is a total
Click Here for the full story

Gusts, rains topple trees, tents, power lines

Gusts, rains topple trees, tents, power lines
By Jessica Willis, Berkshire Eagle Staff
Article Last Updated: 07/19/2008 03:01:51 AM EDT


Click photo to enlargeVolunteers work to fix damage to about 30 tents set up for the Pittsfield Art Show, which...«1»Sunday, July 20
PITTSFIELD — A brief but intense thunderstorm tore through Central and Northern Berkshire last night, downing trees and power lines with wind gusts up to 70 miles an hour.
About 1,420 Western Massachusetts Electric Co. customers in the county were without power after the storm, according to WMECO spokesman Frank Poirot.

Power was expected to be returned to 99 percent of WMECO's Berkshire customers by noon today, Poirot said.

Starting at about 6:30 p.m., police and fire crews responded a barrage of calls about trees and wires down on West Street, Tor Court, Lenox Avenue, Williams Street, Division Road, Crane Avenue, Brown Street, Hancock Road, Bradford Street, Partridge Avenue and Pomeroy Avenue, to name a few.

Auxilliary officers, along with plainclothes officers, detectives, and supervisors went out on the scene to help with the backlog of calls, according to Sgt. Mark Trapani of the Pittsfield Police Department.

Downed trees were also reported on Balance Rock Road and Bailey Road in Lanesborough, and on Windsor Road and Route 8 in Cheshire.

The sudden storm also damaged about 30 tents set up for the Pittsfield Art Show, which opens at 10 a.m. today at Palace Park on North Street.

Despite the 40-pound sandbags that were used to hold the tents in place, the high winds easily knocked over the tents and left them in a twisted pile.

After the rain dissipated and the sun


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Advertisement

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
cracked through the clouds, event co-chair Carolyn Koch surveyed the wreckage and kept a light mood.
"We had just finished setting up and went inside (the Lichtenstein Art Center) for pizza," Koch sighed. "Everything was too easy. We should have been suspicious at that point."

The important thing was that no one got hurt, she said, and no artwork had been damaged by the storm.

"We're just going to have to start from scratch," Koch said.

According to Megan Whilden, Pittsfield's director of cultural development, the organizers would rent, borrow, and buy new tents and open in time today. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and tomorrow.

The thunderstorm was caused by two separate systems: A storm that formed over New York's Mohawk Valley, and another storm that formed to the east, over Columbia County, according to Brian Montgomery, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Albany, N.Y.

Those two systems merged in Berkshire County, Montgomery said, and the newly-formed storm produced some "very impressive" straight line wind gusts reaching 60 miles per hour in Pittsfield and 70 miles per hour in North County's higher elevations.

Montgomery said there was no evidence of tornadic activity in the storm.

To reach Jessica Willis: jwillis@berkshireeagle.com, (413) 528-3660.

July 24 drill will test emergency response

City
Article Last Updated: 07/17/2008 10:19:07 AM EDT


Thursday, July 17
PITTSFIELD — The three hospitals in Berkshire County, in collaboration with several emergency service providers at the local and state level, will hold an emergency operations drill later this month in Pittsfield.
The drill will be conducted Thursday, July 24, at Reid Middle School in Pittsfield. It is designed to test the response to a major event that results in numerous injuries, requiring a large-scale response and the resources of several emergency-service providers in the region.

Participants in the drill include Berkshire Medical Center, Fairview Hospital, North Adams Regional Hospital, the Pittsfield Fire and Police departments, the Berkshire County Sheriff's Department, Massachusetts State Police, local ambulance services, the Berkshire County boards of health, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and other emergency service organizations. The drill will take place during the daylight hours.

The drill will simulate an incident causing dozens of injuries, resulting in a mass response and numerous mock-injured being transported to or reporting on their own to the three hospitals. This will not impact the normal operations of the hospitals or fire or police departments, but visitors to the hospitals and hospital patients may see an increase in activity.

The drill is an important tool for the hospitals and other emergency responders to assess the response to an actual incident, should it



occur, and helps these various agencies to better serve the community.

Richmond Fire Dept's annual Chicken BBQ (Fundraiser)

Richmond Fire Dept's annual Chicken
BBQ (Fundraiser) would be held on: Thursday August 14,2008 from 6
pm-7 pm. Tickets are $10.00 a piece.

Tickets can be purchased from Me or any other Member of Richmond Fire Dept.
Anyone interested in purchasing tickets can reach Frank M Speth III at:
(413) 446-3627 or contact the RFD Station @: (413) 698-3366.

Happy 4th Of July

From The Berkshire County Fire Network!

Village Ambulance gets laptops

By Jennifer Huberdeau, North Adams Transcript
Article Launched: 07/03/2008 10:48:54 AM EDT



Thursday, July 3
WILLIAMSTOWN -- Emergen-cy medical technicians have a new tool to aid them at the scene of an accident or during a routine medical call -- laptop computers are replacing the pink carbon-copy patient care records that once had to be filled out.
Village Ambulance Service in Williamstown took its new wireless Panasonic Toughbook laptops online June 16, allowing EMTs and paramedics the ability to fill out electronic patient care records on the lap-size computers and transmit the records to both the ambulance headquarters on Water Street and the fax machines of emergency departments at local hospitals in a matter of minutes.

"Each of our three ambulances are equipped with a wireless router which allows the laptops to connect to the Internet while still on the road," Cara Miller, office manager for Village Ambulance, said Wednesday. "We're connecting through Verizon and haven't had any problems yet."

She said the laptops, which are equipped with a touch screen, stylus writing instrument and keyboard, have fully eliminated the company's need for the carbon copy patient care forms, which were supplied to the local hospitals, the service, it's billing company and the doctor overseeing quality assurance.

"Now, with the push of a button, it's sent in a PDF (portable document format) file to office, billing and quality assurance through e-mail and sent as a fax to the hospitals," Miller said. "North Adams Regional



will eventually have a system that we can integrate with to send the PDF to them as well. The transmission is almost instantaneous."
Shawn Godfrey, operations manager, said the laptops would have a learning curve for staff members, but the were sure to improve overall patient care.

"The screens all have prompts on them, which make sure you've completed a certain part of the report before moving on," he said. "In the long run, it's going to make a vast improvement."

Tom Bleezarde, president of the service's board of directors, said the laptops are already eliminating a "lot of extra key stroking."

"A lot of forms were filled in by hand, then someone had to type those forms in here, at the billing office, at the hospital," he said.

The system cost a little over $20,000, Bleezarde said, which was paid for through annual fundraising efforts and two donations that were not earmarked for specific items.

While Village was the first to implement the system in the county, it isn't the only one to make use of the new technology. The North Adams Ambulance Service took its system "live" on Tuesday, making it the second service in the county to have the laptop technology.

"We have the same system in our three ambulances and our supervisor's vehicle," John Meaney, director of the ambulance service, said Wednesday. "We knew this technology was going to be needed, so we included it in our annual fundraiser that kicked off last October."

He said the laptops are going to be need for a statewide reporting system that will require all ambulance services to electronically submit certain information from their patient care records to the commonwealth.

"They'll be using the information to compile statistics -- for trending purposes -- for example, to see if a certain area has had a lot of difficulty breathing calls," Meaney said. "The data might indicate there is something with the air quality or maybe that a pandemic is starting."

He said one of the benefits of changing over to the paperless system is the elimination of paper records being stored on-site.

"We'll be able to burn the reports to disc for our record keeping, which will eliminate the 12 to 13 boxes per year that we are required to store for seven years," Meaney said.

Daniel LaPlante, manager of the Adams Ambulance Service, said the company wouldn't be far behind with the installation of its own system.

"Our goal is to have our two ambulances up by September," he said. "We are using money we have set aside and money from our fundraiser to put the system in place. It's something the state is looking to require by November, I believe, but in the long run it will be well worth the investment."

2008 Block Dance & Muster

Hinsdale Volunteer Fireman's Association's 2008 Block Dance & Muster
For more information Click Here.

NVFC Announces Winners of National Junior Firefighter Scholarships

NVFC Announces Winners of National Junior Firefighter Scholarships

Program Supported by the Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation
The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), in partnership with the Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation, has selected 10 outstanding junior firefighters to receive a $5,000 scholarship through the National Junior Firefighter Scholarship and Grant Program. The departments of each of the scholarship recipients will also receive a $5,000 grant to support their junior firefighter programs. In total, the program has awarded $100,000, thanks to support from the Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation.

“We are thrilled with the number of high quality applications we received,” said NVFC Executive Director Heather Schafer. “The Scholarship Review Committee faced a difficult task, but ultimately selected 10 applicants who serve as truly inspirational and outstanding examples of what it means to be a junior firefighter. These 10 individuals have gone above and beyond in their commitment and dedication to their programs, and they exemplify the future of the fire and emergency services. We are proud to partner with the Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation to award these scholarships.”

Currently in its inaugural year, the scholarship and grant program has been an enormous success, and hundreds of junior firefighters applied for the competitive scholarships. In addition, the number of juniors and departments registered for the National Junior Firefighter Program has more than doubled since the scholarship application period opened.

“Throughout the country, Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins stores are great supporters of the fire departments that protect our communities,” said Paul Leech, co-chair of the Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation. “With these scholarships, the Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation is recognizing 10 youths who have shown amazing dedication to serving their communities and being part of the next generation of fire service leaders.”

Winning junior firefighters and their departments will be honored during Firehouse Expo on July 24 at the Baltimore (MD) Convention Center at 1:30 p.m. in the Ballroom. Recipients will receive travel to the event courtesy of the Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation, along with complimentary admission courtesy of Firehouse Expo. The ceremony is open to all Firehouse Expo attendees.

The recipients of the scholarships in alphabetical order are as follows:

Natasha Boger
Gold Hill, NC
East Gold Hill Volunteer Fire Department
A junior firefighter for over two years, Natasha has completed 15 fire-related courses and is only seven courses away from being a certified level 2 firefighter. She has logged over 400 hours as a junior. Natasha plans on attending North Carolina State University majoring in Civil Engineering.

Ethan Goodman
Dixon, MO
Dixon Rural Fire Protection District
A junior firefighter for over two years, Ethan has completed over 486 hours of training. He was named Firefighter of the Year twice. Ethan plans on attending Rolla Technical Institute with a major in vocational heating and cooling.

Elias Klar
Juda, WI
Juda Community Fire Department
A junior firefighter for over four years, Elias is a recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award. He is an Eagle Scout and plans on attending Abilene Christian University in Abilene, TX, majoring in Business.

Jennifer Krawetzky
Manchester, CT
Coventry Volunteer Fire Association
Jennifer has been a junior firefighter for four years and served as a Medical Response Technician with over 300 response hours. Jennifer recently completed her EMT certification and plans on attending the University of Connecticut with a major in Biology.

Andrew Livingston
Fletcher, NC
Mills River Volunteer Fire & Rescue
Andrew has been a junior firefighter for almost four years and serves as Fire Chief of the Junior Fire Brigade. Andrew plans on attending North Carolina State University with a double major of Business Management and Fire Science.

Brittany Philpott
Johnsonville, NY
Johnsonville Volunteer Fire Company
Brittany was a junior member of the Explorer Post for four years and has served as its President. She has been an active firefighter for two years. Brittany continued her membership in the Explorer Post and remains a role model and mentor to the Post Officers and new younger members. She plans on attending Hudson Valley Community College and majoring in Business Administration.

Steven Reeves
Theodosia, MO
Theodosia Area Volunteer Fire Department
A junior firefighter for over three years, Steven was the first junior in his program and was instrumental in the recruitment of the remainder of the juniors. Steven plans on attending the University of Missouri-Columbia and majoring in Engineering.

Kayla Sulla
Great Neck, NY
Great Neck Alert Fire Company
A junior firefighter for close to five years, Kayla has been an active firefighter for two and half years. Kayla attained the rank of Captain, the highest in the junior program. She started a volunteer organization called Preserve America, based on her view that volunteering is one of America’s core values and is important to preserve. She remains active in the junior department as an advisor. Kayla will be entering her junior year at Long Island University and is majoring in Public Relations.

Kelsey Tripp
Fairview Heights, IL
Fairview Fire Department
A junior firefighter for four years, Kelsey serves as the Chief of her junior program. According to the laws of Illinois, she must wait until she is 20 years old to apply to become an active firefighter and to complete her level II certification. Kelsey will be attending Southwestern Illinois College and majoring in Fire Science.

Ashley Wilson
Clayton, DE
Clayton Fire Company, No. 1
A junior firefighter for three years, Ashley was named Junior Firefighter of the Year in 2006 and won the Governor’s Youth Service Award in 2007 for her dedication to the Clayton Fire Company. In addition to the completion of numerous fire related courses, Ashley is certified in CPR/AED. She will be attending Alderson Broaddus College in Philippi, WV, and majoring in Nursing.

The NVFC and Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation extend a heartfelt congratulations to each of these deserving scholarship recipients, and a thank you to all who applied. Learn more about the National Junior Firefighter Program at www.nvfc.org/juniors.


About the National Junior Firefighter Program
The NVFC National Junior Firefighter Program provides resources and tools to fire and EMS departments to help them establish, expand, and manage a local youth participation program. It also motivate youth participants by helping them locate a local program, track their participation hours, earn incentive rewards, and makes them eligible for the National Junior Firefighter Scholarships. The program addresses retention and recruitment challenges by getting youth involved in the fire and emergency services, thus fostering a lifelong connection with the emergency services that will continue throughout their adulthood. The National Junior Firefighter Program is supported by the Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation and Spartan Motors, Inc. Learn more at www.nvfc.org/juniors.

About The Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation The Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation brings together a wide network of stakeholders, including Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins franchisees, crew members and employees, to support the service and leadership of emergency response organizations – especially in times of crisis. The Foundation supports emergency responders by providing financial assistance, building capacity, developing partnerships, encouraging volunteerism and honoring local heroes. To learn more about the Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation please visit www.dunkinbrands.com/foundation.