Fire leaves family of four homeless

By Benning W. De La Mater
Updated: 12/22/2009 11:44:59 PM EST


Berkshire Eagle Staff

LENOX -- A family of four is homeless after an intense fire ripped through their two-story house early Monday morning.

Lenox Deputy Fire Chief Christopher O’Brien said Michael and Kathleen Cleary heard noises in the attic of their home at 15 Bracelan Court at around 12:45 a.m. Monday.

When they went to investigate, they discovered smoke, called firefighters and exited the home. The fire engulfed the attic within minutes and punched a hole in the roof.

"The flames were coming out around the chimney by the time we arrived," O’Brien said.

Nearly 30 volunteer firefighters fought the blaze in freezing temperatures and strong winds. It took about an hour to put down the flames. No one was hurt.

The couple’s two children were away at college at the time of the fire and were due back home Monday afternoon. The American Red Cross of Berkshire County provided assistance to the family, including a hotel room.

An investigation by Lenox firefighters and a member of the state fire marshal’s office determined that the fire was due to a malfunction of the fireplace, wood stove or oil burner in an area close to the chimney.

The fire destroyed the roof and caused extensive damage to the first and second floors. O’Brien said a dollar amount had yet to be assigned to the damage, although he believes some portion of the home may be salvageable. House prices range between $300,000 to $600,000



in that neighborhood.
"It’s terrible to see this kind of thing anytime but it’s especially heartbreaking during the holidays," O’Brien said.

To reach Benning W. De La Mater:

bdelamater@berkshireeagle.com,

(413) 496-6243.

Family rallies after fire destroys home | WWLP.com

Family rallies after fire destroys home | WWLP.com

Family homeless after Clarksburg fire

Family homeless after Clarksburg fire
By Meghan Foley
Posted: 12/21/2009 02:39:54 AM EST




CLARKSBURG -- A local family was left homeless after their home was heavily damaged by fire Sunday evening.

Firefighters with the Clarksburg Volunteer Fire Company were called to 38 Wheeler Ave. around 6:30 p.m., and upon arrival, found flames coming out of the attic of the single-family home owned by Keith and Barbara Worthington.

Keith Bush, safety officer for the fire company, said the fire was initially knocked down within a half hour, but the attic, roof and roof eves on the east and west sides of the house are gone.

"The rest of the house mostly sustained water damage," he said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and the family of four is reportedly staying with friends.

Bush said the home is definitely unlivable and will probably be condemned until the homeowners can make repairs.

Clarksburg firefighters were assisted by members of the North Adams and Stamford, Vt., fire departments.

Bush, who lives two houses down the street from the Worthingtons, was the first on the scene after one of the Worthingtons' sons called him on his cell phone.

"I was eating dinner. He said to me, 'we have a fire,' " Bush said.

He said when he got to the house, he could see flames coming out of the west side of the attic, and he then went inside to make sure the family had gotten out.

"They were trying to put out the fire with pails of water," he said.

He said he then helped the



family, whom he has known for 20 years, evacuate the house.
The below freezing temperatures and the location of the fire made it challenging for firefighters battling the blaze.

While water lines didn't freeze, the water rushing down the hill of Wheeler Avenue did.

"Everything was icing up on us. We had to keep throwing sand under guys' feet," Bush said.

In addition, it was difficult to position the pumper trucks and other equipment on the hill, he said.

To reach Meghan Foley, e-mail mfoley@thetranscript.com.

Historic Egremont Inn destroyed by fire

Firefighters from nearly a dozen surrounding communities are battling a fire at the historic Egremont Inn Friday morning. There are reports that the building has partially collapsed. Photo courtesy of Andy Balise

(Courtesy of WWLP 22 Springfield,MA)
Historic Egremont Inn destroyed by fire
Firefighters from Mass, NY, Conn. battle blaze
Updated: Friday, 11 Dec 2009, 12:35 PM EST
Published : Friday, 11 Dec 2009, 6:10 AM EST

Jennifer Colby
Firefighters from nearly a dozen communities in Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut battled a five-alarm fire at the historic Egremont Inn on Friday morning. Residents woke up in shock to find out that the 250-year-old building was burning to the ground.

Fire crews were first called to fire at 10 Old Sheffield Road around 5 a.m. on Friday and by the time they arrived the three-story, wooden building was fully engulfed in flames.

When a 22News crew arrived on scene, flames could be seen shooting from the roof and part of the building had already collapsed.

The Egremont Inn is over 250 years old and grew from a tavern during the American Revolutionary War.

"It's an incredibly old structure. It was stage coach stop back many, many years ago. To lose something so beautiful and to lose all the history and the antiques and everything. It just saddens everybody who looks at it. It's going to sadden us for years to come. You can't bring anything like this back," said Egremont Select Board Chairman Bruce Cumsky.

Egremont Police Chief Reena Bucknell told 22News that firefighters had a tough time battling the blaze because the water kept freezing.

Chief Bucknell said it is too early to comment on the cause of the fire, but said the State Fire Marshal has been called in to investigate. There were no reports of any injuries

New fire station up and ready

The new Great Barrington fire station.(Darren Vanden Berge / Berkshire Eagle Staff

New fire station up and ready
Memories aside, it is time for current crew to move on
By Derek Gentile, Berkshire Eagle Staff
Updated: 10/27/2009 08:32:11 AM EDT



GREAT BARRINGTON -- It was a big night for the Great Barrington Volunteer Fire Dept. Monday night.
With sirens blaring and lights flashing, the department's four fire engines drove from their former home on Castle Street, which they have inhabited since 1899, to their new digs on Stockbridge Road.

"It's a bittersweet night," admitted Deputy Chief Edward G. McCormick. "I think of all the calls we went out on, all the guys I served with who aren't here anymore, it's good and it's sad."

"I think sometimes about the firemen who came before me, and the decisions they made in our meeting room," said Deputy Chief Gary Oggiani. "For more than 100 years, people met here to make those decisions. That's something to consider."

"Yeah, I'll miss it -- a little," conceded Chief Harry Jennings. "But the old building just didn't have enough space for modern firefighting equipment."

The ceilings in the old buildings were a constant problem. They were too low to allow the cabs to be opened and serviced. There was maybe 3 feet of space between trucks, meaning that firefighters had to drive the trucks outside to open the compartmental doors.

In fact, the vehicles spent a lot of time outside, since they had to be driven outside to be washed.

The new station has about 16,500 square feet, and while everything fits, the vehicles have to be carefully parked because a bay at the rear of the building holds the



decontamination unit.
There are offices for Jennings and his deputies. There is a meeting room for the department's auxiliary group, and a dining area. There is storage space for equipment and suits.

There is some controversy from opponents of the new station who believe it is too large. But, Jennings noted, the building seems large because in the old building, the department was trying to accomplish the logistical equivalent of fitting 10 pounds of sausage in a five-pound bag.

"In the old building we were using every inch of space we had," said Jennings. "Counting the attic and the basement, we had almost 15,000 square feet. We had exercise equipment in the attic, we used the basement for storage. This building is a lot more user-friendly."

The department will host an open house on Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. Residents are invited to tour the facility. Refreshments will be served. The town will have a formal dedication ceremony in a few weeks, said Jennings.

In addition, there will be a formal decommission event for the old firehouse, he said. Presently, there are no concrete plans for the building, although some town offices are already there, and other departments plan to use the space for temporary storage.

But Monday, there was an informal decommissioning ceremony. Just before the trucks all left, McCormick gathered the firemen around him and asked for a moment of silence.

"Let's remember the good times we had here, the calls we went on and especially our brothers who have come before us and served this town so well," he said.

The firemen bowed their heads for a moment.

"I declare this station closed," said McCormick.

Hinsdale Fire funds help communication

By Scott Stafford
Updated: 09/17/2009 11:51:53 PM EDT


Berkshire Eagle Staff

HINSDALE -- A state grant for $11,900 will allow the local fire department to upgrade its radio transmitter and antenna to call volunteer firefighters to the scene of emergencies more quickly.

According to Larry Turner, Chief of the Hinsdale Volunteer Fire Department, the taller antenna and new Motorola radio will eliminate delays they are experiencing because of outdated equipment.

The current 36-watt system isn’t powerful enough to get through to some of the firefighters’ homes or workplaces.

When a call comes in, an automated system pages the firefighters and volunteer EMTs, which then gives them a voice message on the nature of the call and a location.

"Some fellows have trouble listening to the voice message depending on where they’re standing in the house," Turner said. "So they’d have to call around to find out where to go."

The new 100-watt system won’t have any trouble punching the signal through, he said.

"That will take care of all the problems we’ve had," Turner noted.

He said the town was notified of the grant on Monday and expects to have the new system working within two months.

"This is a big step for us -- the voice message after the tones is real important," Turner said. "It will help us immensely."

According to Ray Bolduc, Hinsdale’s director of emergency management and volunteer firefighter, the grant comes from the Massachusetts

Security Trust Fund Grant Program administered by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.
"We’ve been using this old system for about 10 years," Bolduc said. "The problem is we live all through the community. But we’ve done a test and 100 watts should hit everywhere."

There are about 30 members of the Hinsdale volunteer fire department and ambulance corps.

To reach Scott Stafford:
sstafford@berkshireeagle.com.

Adams Alerts to hold fundraiser

By Ryan Hutton
Posted: 08/25/2009 01:06:53 AM EDT


North Adams Transcript

ADAMS -- The Adams Alert Hose Company is looking to get better aquainted with members of the public tonight at the Bounti-Fare.

David Nicholas,, owner of the Bounti-Fare, has offered up his resturant’s patio for the Alerts to use for a fundraiser. Tonight from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the Bounti-Fare’s patio there will be a BBQ and a raffle to support the Alert Hose Company.

"I’m excited. It’s a way for [Nicholas’] staff to donate back to the communtiy," Firefighter Anthony Piscioneri said. "They came up with this little idea a few years ago to benefit all sorts of organizations with their own appreciation night."

During the summer months, Nicholas and his staff open up the patio to local organizations where they offer BBQ fare and a 50/50 raffle with the proceeds going back to the organization.

"This is going to be the Alerts’ third year down there," Piscioneri said. "But David has also done it for the Boy Scouts and Adams Ambulance and diffrent organizations. They put together hamburgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob and chicken, and everyone eats outside. Plus there’s a 50/50 raffle and a Chinese auction."

There will also be a cash bar inside and members of the Alerts will be on hand to meet and greet the public. Piscioneri said everyone is welcome and there is no cover charge.

"It’s a good time," he said. "In the past we’ve had good weather and fairly


good crowds. We’re trying to publicize it more becuase it benefits not only the department but also the [Bounti-Fare] and the community."
Procceds from food sales, the 50/50 raffle and the Chinese auction will go toward the department’s public education fund.

"Basically it goes into our expenses that we use for open house activities during things like Fire Prevention Week," Piscioneri said. "It also goes toward public events like our space at the street fair or when we go into the schools. It funds all the handouts that go to the children and it really goes right back to the community."

Piscioneri said the event will be a good way for people to get to know the department better.

"It’s a good way for the community to come out and support not only the fire department but the Bounti-Fare," he said. "They do a great job of lending their time and energy to the community. It’s also a great way to meet the guys on the department."

To reach Ryan Hutton, e-mail rhutton@thetranscript.com.

NARH drill trains personnel for large-scale emergencies

Teddy Meranti, 12, a victim, gets ready to exit the decontamination unit at North Adams Regional Hospital Tuesday afternoon during a drill of the incident command system. The annual drill involved hospital, ambulance and fire personnel. It was intended to train staff in how to handle large emergencies and work in unison with other agencies. (Gillian Jones/North Adams Transcript)

By Jennifer Huberdeau
Posted: 08/05/2009 01:12:14 AM EDT

NORTH ADAMS -- Shannon Benoit was busy preparing wrist bands and admissions intake sheets in the lobby of the North Adams Regional Hospital’s emergency department as teams around the building prepared for the arrival of 14 "victims" of a mock chlorine chemical spill and car wreck.

"Normally we’d input all of the information into the computers," Benoit said. "We’d have two laptops and two regular computers where four admissions department staff members would input critical information, while the others would be banding patients that come through from the triage nursing station." Admissions Clerk Michelle Scarpitto said the annual mock drill allows the department to assess its procedures.

"It’s absolutely worth all the work," she said. "We can tell what we’ve done right and what we did wrong." Outside, members of the North Adams Fire Department were setting up the Massachusetts Decontamination Unit, where those involved or near the scene of the "truck accident and spill" would be scrubbed down and evaluated for injuries.

"Today’s incident happened in a semi-residential area," Sharon Leary, REACH outreach and communications manager, said Tuesday as she stood nearby waiting with a number of victims. "We have a variety of injuries represented, as well as people who would have just been in the area, who may have been exposed to either a chlorine leak or inhaled the gas. In real life, these


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people would be called the ‘walking well’ -- people who aren’t critically injured but need to be checked out. They usually bring themselves to the emergency room."
Sasha Piatczyc, 23, of Williamstown, was anticipating the spray down inside of the decontamination unit.

"My character is a 18-year-old female who lived within a 1Ž2 mile of the accident, opened her door and inhaled the fumes," she said. "I get to act a little bit, because my character is coughing and feels as if she’s going to pass out."

Cousins Matthew Meranti, 12, and Teddy Meranti, 14, thought it would be fun to volunteer to play victims and take a stroll through the decontamination unit.

"It’s a good way to help out," Matthew said.

As firefighters climbed into full-length yellow decontamination jump suits, complete with taped wrists and ankles and purified air packs, Kathy Arabia, vice president of guest services for Northern Berkshire Healthcare, said the mock drill tests the hospital’s incident command system -- a chain of command created for emergency service responders following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks -- and the ability of the hospital staff to work in unison with outside agencies.

"We didn’t let the majority of our employees know about today’s drill," she said. "We wanted it to be as real as possible. These annual drills allow us to test the time it takes to set up the decontamination unit, how well we can respond to the critical care patients and what our response time is overall." She added, "We’re measuring ourselves and critiquing our response through on-site evaluators and even with an evaluation by the victims."

Firefighter David Simon said the annual drill is critical to keep the department "on its toes."

"Like anything else you do, you learn by repetition," he said. "If we keep this stuff packed away and don’t use it, our skills will get rusty. Another big part of this is the teamwork, working with departments outside of our own. There’s a lot of logistical stuff that goes on and a lot of different people involved."

As the drill began, there seemed to be some confusion at the decontamination unit, as hospital staff pushed the victims through the unit several times because of errors being made during the scrubbing process.

"This is why we practice," Leary said.

The three departments jointly responded to a mass casualty accident in July 2006, when 10 people were exposed to chlorine gas at the Northern Berkshire YMCA. No one was critically injured during the accidental exposure.

To reach Jennifer Huberdeau, e-mail jhuberdeau@thetranscript.com.

Firefighters given some recognition

By Conor Berry
Updated: 08/03/2009 12:22:09 AM EDT


Berkshire Eagle Staff

PITTSFIELD -- More than two dozen firefighters from seven Berkshire departments took part in a Saturday afternoon ceremony at the Crowne Plaza to celebrate completion of a rigorous, 10-month training program funded by a federal grant.

The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant -- a four-year award that primarily funds education, training and recruitment for fire-and-rescue efforts -- was awarded to the Cheshire Fire Department in January 2007, with an agreement that part of the $660,000 grant also would be used to help out the Savoy Fire Department.

The grant primarily provides money to recruit and retain volunteer firefighters, which is often a difficult task in many small or rural communities, according to grant coordinator James Pasquini.

The intensive training took place from September 2008 to June 2009. Participating firefighters came from departments in Cheshire, Savoy, Adams Windsor, Lenox, Lee and Richmond.

The Crowne Plaza was decked out with fire paraphernalia for Saturday’s graduation ceremony, which featured a keynote address by Victor Esch, a Homeland Security official who’s also a firefighter.

Pasquini said a little less than half of the $660,000 grant remains, and that money will continue to fund more training, education and recruitment efforts.

After the grant was awarded, some Cheshire officials were concerned it might jeopardize the small town’s



ability to win more vital equipment grants in the future.
Officials also expressed a desire to explore the possibility of flipping the grant, so it could be used to purchase vehicles and equipment instead. That effort was unsuccessful.

"You still can’t buy equipment with it," Pasquini said of the grant, which will continue to pay for fire-prevention, training and education classes.

Cheshire and Savoy fire officials wanted to share the wealth, so to speak, which is why they took a regional approach and invited other Berkshire towns to take part in the 10-month training program -- a nationally recognized firefighter certification program.

Kids are taught to handle trouble

Austin Filiault, 9, of Lanesborough, proceeds with the demeanor of a real firefighter while attending the Lanesborough Volunteer Fire Department’s Fire Safety Camp. (Photo by Holly Pelczynski / Berkshire Eagle Staff Saturday, August 01

By Jenn Smith
Updated: 08/01/2009 07:25:21 AM EDT


LANESBOROUGH -- If you saw children running from smoke, manning fire hoses and donning fire gear at the Lanesborough Volunteer Fire Department recently: Do not be alarmed.
These children won't be responding to the latest house fire or report of a kitten stuck in a tree. But they are now trained to handle emergency situations calmly and safely.

On Thursday and Friday, the department hosted its first two-day Fire Safety Training Camp, a free program offered for local students ages 8 to 12.

The camp itself was designed for kids, by a kid, Nick Garrity. The 10-year-old son of deputy fire chief Butch Garrity proposed the idea last summer.

"I thought it could be important and I thought people could find it interesting and learn that [being a firefighter] is more than going out on calls," Nick Garrity said.

Nick Garrity being backed up by Devin Truden
After some more arm-twisting, some donations of funding from some local business, and the help of some adult volunteers, young Garrity saw his vision become a reality this week.

"This is the most awesome thing I did this summer," said Jaqi Byrnes, 10, after getting the opportunity to help wash a fire truck and play in the water.

"It's so awesome. I think I might actually be a firefighter when I grow up," said Tessa Christman, 10.

During the two-day experience, the campers took classes on fire safety and responding to an emergency medical situation. They watched educational videos and



used real firefighting equipment to practice putting out simulated fires.
"It was the perfect opportunity to educate the children in the town," said Kirsten Hoffstedt, who helped organize the activities.

Mary Reilly, a firefighter who also teaches at St. Mark School in Pittsfield, taught some of the classes.

"For these older kids, it's reinforcement. They can have fun and learn some new skills too," Reilly said.

On Thursday night, the students had homework: To go home and create a family escape plan for their own homes.

"It's good to know in case you find yourself in a fire situation," said Ori Lazarevic, 10, whose father is also a firefighter.

On Friday, they met with guest presenters who talked to them about drug and alcohol safety, and outdoor, wilderness and water safety. A graduation celebration followed.

Said Butch Garrity, "I hope they come away with an awareness and appreciation of fire safety and what it's really like to be a firefighter."

Boy saved after fall in Tophet Brook

By Ryan Hutton
Posted: 07/31/2009 02:15:30 AM EDT


Click photo to enlargeThe fifth green at The Range’s mini-golf course was... (Ryan Hutton/North Adams Transcript)«1»North Adams Transcript

ADAMS -- Rescuers pulled a 13-year-old boy from Tophet Brook after the recent rain fall turned the stream into a torrent roughly 24 feet wide.

According to police reports, the boy was swimming with friends at the "Big Basin" swimming hole when rain fall caused a "swift rise in the water level" and the boys left. As they were leaving the area, two of the boys fell into the brook. One was able to reach the bank and climb out, but the other remained trapped in the river. The boy was perched on a boulder about 12 feet into the river, which was had water frequently lapping at it.

The Adams Police Department received a call at 5:24 p.m. on Wednesday saying that a boy was trapped in the river. Officers Michael Wandri and Gregory Charon responded in minutes, and Charon managed to toss the boy a rope and had him secure it around his waist.

The Alert Hose Company arrived a few minutes later and began preparing a rescue.

"He was pretty secure at the time we arrived, but it was still very dangerous," said Fire Chief Stephen Brown. "We were able to pass to him a life jacket and a water helmet and had him put those on just in case. We were observing signs of hypothermia, so time was of the essence at that point."

Brown said they managed to extend a 28-foot ladder across to the boulder and prepared to send a rescuer out to the boy.

"The river was swollen to about 24 feet wide," he said. "That 28-foot ladder was just able



to get across. We checked the water depth before we put any rescuers in and at that point it was about two and a half to three feet deep and moving at about 25 miles per hour. That’s when we realized we could not put a rescuer in the water safely."
They had also established a rescue team downstream in the event that the boy fell into the water again, but Assistant Fire Chief Paul Goyette managed to crawl out to the boy using the ladder and managed to bring him back safely. Brown said the firefighters had people ready in cold water rescue suits and life jackets ready to go into the river if the boy slipped, but added that, thankfully, it didn’t come to that.

"Water at that depth and speed exerts hundreds of pounds of pressure per square inch," Brown said. "It would not have been safe to send someone in. But if the situation turned bad, we would have done whatever we had to do."

According to the police reports the boy was carried up a hill back to the road where he was given immediate aid by the Adams Ambulance Company and taken to North Adams Regional Hospital as a precaution.

Both Brown and Adams Police Chief Donald Poirot said all those involved in the rescue acted admirably and bravely.

"I’m very proud of my officers," Poirot said. "Officer Charon took a lot of initiative to make sure the boy was secured until the Alerts arrived and were able to perform a rescue. He really went above and beyond."

Poirot said he is working on a certificate of commendation for the officers for their actions. He also cautioned others to avoid such dangers as the rain continues to fall on Berkshire County.

"It’s really a warning to avoid running water when there’s this much rain," he said. "We’ve had a lot of it and the ground is saturated. What we used to know as streams are now rivers."

To reach Ryan Hutton, e-mail rhutton@thetranscript.com.

Persistent rainfall leads to washouts, flooding in region

Assistant Fire Chief Paul Goyette helps a stranded 13-year-old boy get off a boulder in the middle of Tophet Brook. The boy became stranded after swimming at the Big Basin swimming hole and had to be rescued by members of the Adams Police Department and Alert Hose Company. (Photo submitted by Jean King)

By Meghan Foley
Posted: 07/31/2009 02:15:31 AM EDT


HANCOCK -- A lightning strike and subsequent house fire at approximately 3:20 p.m. Wednesday was only the beginning for the Hancock fire department, as heavy rains battered the area through Thursday morning.

Fire Chief David Rash said Thursday the department hadn’t even cleared the fire on Whitman Road when the calls started coming in about flooded streets and basements in the town’s village area.

"It has just been too much water too quickly," he said, while standing inside the Taylor Memorial Library on Main Street.

The library was one of several buildings along Hancock Road (Route 43) and Main Street with flooded basements as a result of several inches of rain falling within hours.

According to the National Weather Service in Albany, rainfall totals from Wednesday afternoon into Thursday morning in the cities of North Adams and Pittsfield were each less than three inches.

"Some areas of Berkshire County probably got half a foot of rain this week, which is usually more than what it can get in a month," said Hugh Johnson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Albany, N.Y.

Known as a Bermuda High, the high-pressure area over the southeast coast combined with a strong jet stream over the region to keep the area warm, wet and humid.

Rash said that last time a lot of rain was dumped on the town in a small amount of time was in the 1990s, and the damage was similar.

Besides



flooded basements, the heavy rain on Wednesday and Thursday caused creeks and brooks in Hancock to swell and in some cases spill onto Hancock Road by the Jericho Valley Inn, Kittle Road and Madden Road.
"Last night there was standing water in almost every house in town. The culverts can’t handle it, and the water starts backing up and finds other ways to go," Rash said.

One of the places the water went was along the side of Madden Road instead of under it, making the mountain road impassable.

Ernie and Carole LeBarron have lived on Madden Road since 1969, and the only other time they saw similar damage from heavy rains was in 1976.

"We’re use to getting snowed in up here, but we’re not use to getting rained in," Ernie LeBarron said.

He said the brook coming down the mountain was moving so fast it took boulders and other debris with it, which clogged up the culvert near their house sending the brook down the side of the road.

Stephen and Diana Harrington, who live below the LeBarron’s, invited them to park their cars in the Harrington’s driveway.

"They’re getting to be a parking lot down there," Carole LeBarron said.

Work crews from Condron Construction, of Lanesborough, began fixing Madden Road Thursday morning.

Diana Harrington said after about two hours of rain Wednesday afternoon, she and her husband went outside and it was "like Niagra Falls coming off the mountain."

Her husband, Stephen, said the brook next to their property is usually dried up by the end of July, and on Wednesday night, they could hear boulders tumbling down it and hitting against each other.

"I’m quite surprised it rained as much has it did," he said.

While John and Betsy Lynch were able to make it up Madden Road Wednesday to their house, getting there from Westchester County in New York State was challenging.

"We had to ignore all the ‘road closed’ signs to get home," she said.

One road closure sign they couldn’t ignore was a bridge crossing a stream on Route 22 in Stephentown, N.Y.

Mike Gray, construction supervisor with the New York State Department of Transportation, said the temporary bridge crossing the brook was washed out Wednesday night, and work crews were in the process of fixing it Thursday afternoon.

"Hopefully if everything goes right, we’ll have the bridge opened tomorrow [Friday] night," he said.

The temporary bridge was installed earlier this year so the permanent bridge could be replaced. Gray said that work is suppose to be completed in mid-October.

Besides a bridge being washed out, Stephentown also experienced significant flooding at the intersection of Routes 22 and 43 and along Route 43 through the town. A culvert overflowed washing out Route 43 just west of the fire station making it impassable.

"We’ve been working around the clock. Several streams are still swollen. We are still doing pump-outs, which began about 36 hours ago," Rich Burgess, chief of the Stephentown Volunteer Fire Department, said Thursday afternoon.

Rensselaer County declared a state of emergency in Stephentown and Nassau following the rain storm.

Burgess said some families have been displaced from their homes, but are staying with family members.

"It’s just quite a mess," he said.

Brian Baker, a Stephentown attorney, spent Thursday getting three and a half to four feet of water in the basements of three apartment buildings he owns pumped out.

"The water table is so high ... you pump the water out, and it goes right back in," he said.

For the 22 to 23 years Baker has had his law offices in town, this was the worst flooding he had seen.

"It has been absolutely crazy. You drive five miles away and life is wonderful. Here it’s like being in a war zone and nobody knows it," he said.

Waubeeka Golf Links in Williamstown and the Lebanon Valley Speedway in New Lebanon, N.Y. also sustained significant flooding.

The flooding turned the Speedway’s drag racing strip into a lake, and left trailers and other vehicles resting in a few feet of water.

As of Thursday evening no upcoming races had been canceled.

Mark J. Mills, general manager of Waubeeka Golf Links on New Ashford Road in Williamstown, said the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh holes on the golf course got flooded after the Green River breached at the seventh hole.

The gold course was closed Thursday, will be closed Friday, and a decision will be made Friday afternoon whether they will open on Saturday, he said.

Elsewhere in the county, Great Barrington had issues not only with flooding near the Rudolf Steiner School and the area of West Plain Road, but also with mosquitoes.

Aside from standing water, Becket reported some gravel road washouts and a few trees down. Richmond continued to sustain road damage from the latest rains, undermining the existing damage they caused on Monday night.

In Pittsfield, passersby stopped to gawk at the incalculable flooding that occurred in the parking lot and land surrounding Wahconah Park. Though the baseball field itself was relatively dry, the area outside its walls was submerged under several feet of dark, muddy water.

As of Thursday, there were no more baseball games scheduled at Wahconah Park, home of the Pittsfield American Defenders of the New England Collegiate Baseball League.

Sophie Maguire and Jenn Smith of The Berkshire Eagle contributed to this report.

Area volunteers to graduate from firefighters’ course

By Ryan Hutton
Posted: 07/24/2009 02:20:38 AM EDT


North Adams Transcript

CHESHIRE -- In a little over a week, the county will see close to two dozen volunteer firefighters become nationally certified as they graduate from the Firefighter I/II course.

Funded by part of the $666,000 federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant received by Cheshire three years ago, the course trains firefighters to be able to work on a professional level anywhere. In all, 23 volunteer firefighters from Cheshire, Adams, Savoy, Lenox, Lee and Richmond will graduate from the 186-hour course on Aug. 1 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Pittsfield.

According to SAFER grant administrator James Pasquini, the course took 11 months to complete by holding courses one weekend a month and one week night a month.

"I think this graduation shows that the program has been very successful," Pasquini said. "Before, we had one Cheshire firefighter certified, now we have nine. Plus we’ve added 23 better trained volunteer firefighters to the county. Savoy didn’t have any before, and I think this shows very high success."

State Rep. Daniel E. Bosley, D-North Adams, will be at the graduation ceremony and Congressman John Olver has said he will try to be there as well. The Department of Homeland Security, which funds the SAFER grant, will be sending SAFER program specialist Victor Esch to speak to the graduates.

"Hopefully, this will get us the recognition we need and will help us get additional


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funding for future programs throughout the county." Pasquini said.
Pasquini said the local firefighters also participated in six additional two-day training session on subjects like vehicle extrication and ropes courses.

"We really turned that grant around," Pasquini said. "It was originally just for recruitment, but what good is getting additional firefighters if they aren’t well trained? That’s like going to fight a fire without water."

Cheshire firefighters graduating from the Firefighter I/II program include Timothy Audet, Michael Biagini Jr., Chief Tom Framcesconi, Shawn Martin, Kim Martin, Jason Mendonca, Corey Swistak and Trevor Swistak.

From the Alert Hose Company in Adams Jason Godfrey and Mark Therrien Jr. will graduate, and graduating Savoy firefighters include Steven Greenleaf, Peter Miner, Chief Lawrence Ordyna, Scott Sefcik and Jeffrey Ziter.

To reach Ryan Hutton, e-mail rhutton@thetranscript.com.

College makes donation of carbon monoxide detectors

Craig A. Pedercini, Williamstown Fire District chief, shows some carbon monoxide detectors donated by Williams College to the Berkshire County Fire Chiefs Association. (Meghan Foley/North Adams Transcript)


By Meghan Foley

WILLIAMSTOWN -- In the midst of switching over to a hardwire carbon monoxide alarm system, Williams College faced the question of what to do with its over 500 battery-powered detectors.

The answer: Donate them to local fire departments to hand out to residents.

"We figured it was a good avenue to get them used as opposed to throwing them out," Joseph M. Moran, manager of safety and environmental compliance at Williams College, said Thursday.

He said state regulations for carbon monoxide detectors in large residential buildings were clarified to allow for a detector placed near fossil fuel-burning equipment so long as it was on a hard wire. As a result, the college was able to start installing a hardwire detection system this spring. All residential halls were online by June 30.

That left the college with a surplus of 520 battery-powered carbon monoxide detectors, which were installed in 2006 following former Governor Mitt Romney signing Nicole’s Law.

The law, which was signed in November 2005, requires property owners to install and maintain carbon monoxide detectors in all residential buildings.

Moran said in order be in compliance with the legislation, the college had to put a battery-powered carbon monoxide detector 10 feet from every bedroom door in a residence hall.

"It was a huge task for us, not only to install them, but to maintain them," he said.

Moran’s past experiences as a



volunteer firefighter and fire chief aided him in determining the fate of the detectors.
"The first thing I thought of was if there was a way to donate them to the fire chief’s association, and see if there was a way they could use them," he said. "This was an opportunity to put something out there and have it be really well used in houses and apartments lacking it."

Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas resulting from the incomplete burning of fossil fuels such as oil, wood and natural gas. It’s also poisonous and potentially deadly.

Craig A. Pedercini, Williamstown Fire District chief, said Thursday Moran asked him to ask members of the Berkshire County Fire Chiefs Association if they would be interested in receiving some carbon monoxide detectors that were no longer needed.

"That went over big," Pedercini said.

Carbon monoxide detectors average a seven-year life span before needing to be replaced.

Pedercini said several fire chiefs throughout Berkshire County have made requests to receive some of the detectors so they can make them available to residents who otherwise couldn’t afford the devices.

With 32 communities in Berkshire County, 520 carbon monoxide detectors will go fast, and Pedercini is trying to limit 20 to 40 detectors per department, but will distribute more if needed.

He said about 120 detectors were distributed at a Berkshire County Fire Chiefs Association meeting last month and he expected to distribute more at the association’s meeting Thursday night.

In Northern Berkshire, Florida Volunteer Fire Department Chief Mike Bedini has already received some detectors, and fire chiefs from North Adams, Savoy, Adams and Cheshire have made requests, Pedercini said.

"It’s just a matter of hooking up with the chiefs and getting the detectors to them," he said.

In Williamstown, the distribution of the donated carbon monoxide detectors will probably be handled on a case-by-case basis, Pedercini said.

"If we go into a residence that doesn’t have a carbon monoxide detector, install one, and somewhere down the road it alerts us to a carbon monoxide problem, it has done its job," he said.

To reach Meghan Foley, e-mail mfoley@thetranscript.com.

Williamstown Injured hiker rescued

By Ryan Hutton
Posted: 06/26/2009 01:51:04 AM EDT


North Adams Transcript

NORTH ADAMS -- It took city emergency crews roughly six hours to find a hiker who had lost his way on the Appalachian Trail and injured his ankle.

According to Fire Department Lt. Joseph Beverly, they received a 911 call around 11 a.m. from the stranded hiker -- whose name was not available -- that came via the Massachusetts State Police.

"The big thing was that the call came into the state police, and we had trouble getting exact coordinates off of it," he said. "So we set up a command post and began the foot search where he was reported to be, about three miles from Williamstown off the Appalachian Trail."

The search team of mostly Adams Ambulance Service personnel and two firefighters wound up hiking roughly eight miles all over the hillside searching for the man and were aided by a state police helicopter. The North Adams Fire Department also sent in its 4-wheel drive vehicle towing the Wilderness Rescue All-Terrain Transport -- an off-road rescue sled designed and built by members of the department. The Williamstown Forest Warden also chipped in by sending its own 4-wheeler to assist in the search.

According to Commissioner of Public Safety E. John Morocco, the helicopter obtained a visual on the man at about 2 p.m. on a rocky outcropping near Pine Cobble, but had difficulty guiding the rescue team to him. This difficulty was compounded by the helicopter running low on fuel by the end of the operation.

Rescuers


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attempted to contact the man’s cellular phone carrier to get a more exact location by using his cell phone signal. At one point during the rescue, the helicopter reported that the rescue team was within a half-mile of the hiker, but they still could not locate him.
The team finally found the man and brought him off the mountain at about 5 p.m., although the task was difficult because the man weighed a reported 380 pounds. The man was transported to North Adams Regional Hospital and treated.

Morocco said the rescue took so long because they just could not find the hiker.

"It’s difficult terrain and visibility was bad from the air," he said. "We got him though."

The North Adams Fire Department held a meeting immediately after the man was transported to the hospital to discuss what went well and what needed improvement with the rescue.

To reach Ryan Hutton, e-mail rhutton@thetranscript.com.

Firefighter honored

By Jennifer Huberdeau
Posted: 06/19/2009 03:03:38 AM EDT


Click photo to enlarge«1»North Adams Transcript

NORTH ADAMS -- A former city resident who used to travel along with the fire department photographing the blazes they battled has been named 2009 Firefighter of the Year by a Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Nashville, Ga.

Rick Pennock, who currently lives in Georgia and works as a firefighter in Ray City, Ga., was recently honored for "his outstanding dedication to the Ray City Fire Department."

"He has been working with the media such as CNN, WALB Channel 10, The Berrien Press and The Valdosta Daily Times in an effort to help the public gain a better understanding what firefighters face," Ray City Fire Chief Robert Mikell said in a release. "He has also held media nights that actually let TV news crews and reporters train along side firefighters to help give them a feel for how things work." He added, "During the Georgia wildfires in 2007, Pennock was not only on the front lines battling the intense fire, he also documented the conditions that firefighters were up against. His photographs were viewed nation wide and helped our firefighters gain additional support from departments in surrounding states."

While in North Adams, Pennock was well known by area firefighters, having developed a relationship that gave him access to fire scenes that isn’t normally granted.

"A classmate of mine, Bob Costine Jr., mentioned to me our senior year that he was going to job shadow at the North Adams Fire Department," Pennock



said in an e-mail. "He said I should come along with him. So it was arranged and the ball got rolling from there. I did some video taping for the NAFD in 1987 & 1988. With the help of former Transcript photographer Nick Mantello, I purchased my first 33mm camera and began taking photographs for the fire department. At first all I was doing was documenting events and learning my way around the camera. Nick was more or less my mentor with this."
Pennock eventually took a photography course through the New York Institute of Photography, a decision he says he’s never regretted.

"One week after I finished I was contacted by 1st Responder News and was offered to work as a correspondent covering fire department events in its New England Issue," he said. "Working for 1st Responder allowed me to continue to document activities at the NAFD."

In 2003, Pennock and his wife, Sara, moved to Georgia so she could be closer to her ailing parents. He became a member of the Ray City Fire Department and has since started three programs, one of which was directly inspired by the North Adams’ S.A.F.E Program.

"Another mentor I had was NAFD Firefighter David Simon," he said. "He was an extreme believer in the S.A.F.E program for kids. It is his work that inspired me to start one at the Ray City firehouse. I also have to give credit to the rest of the NAFD firefighters who shared their experiences with me." In addition to creating the S.A.F.E Program, Pennock also created the Emergency Team, or E-Team, which is activated when extremely bad weather threatens the area. He also developed the fire department’s first Web site, which provides information about the department, along with updates from various weather services and a section for the S.A.F.E. program to help parents teach their children about fire safety from home.

Pennock credits his success to the influence of retired city firefighter Edward Richer.

"He was like a second father to me," he said. "He pushed and supported me to get out there and make a difference in the world. Without him none of this would have ever happened."

Pennock is the son of the Dorothy and the late John F. Pennock. His mother still resides in North Adams.

To reach Jennifer Huberdeau, e-mail juhuberdeau@thetranscript.com.

Responders express sorrow over EMT's death

NEAL P. GOSWAMI, Staff Writer
Posted: 06/17/2009 02:59:41 AM EDT
(Bennington Banner)


Wednesday, June 17
BENNINGTON — Emergency responders across the Northeast expressed sorrow Tuesday over the tragic death of a local EMT killed Monday afternoon when the ambulance he was driving struck a tree.
Dale R. Long, 48, was killed in the West Road crash that also sent a 60-year-old female patient he was transporting to Albany (N.Y.) Medical Center via helicopter with life-threatening injuries. A male paramedic riding in the back of the ambulance was treated locally and released, and a female paramedic trainee received treatment for serious, but non-life threatening injuries at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center.

Bennington Rescue Squad Executive Director Bill Hathaway said emergency responders across New England expressed sorrow Tuesday over Long's death and offered their condolences to Bennington Rescue and Long's family.

"Dale's death is a profound loss for Bennington Rescue," Hathaway said. "We have been contacted by many EMS and public safety groups from around Vermont and New England, and the network of friends and colleagues who are reaching out to express their sympathies has been remarkable."

Hathaway said Long was well-known in the emergency services community because he "was so ingrained in EMS." "That was his life's work," Hathaway said. Long's colleagues plan to hold a memorial service in his honor, but are waiting for more information on the wishes of his family.

"Due to the outpouring of


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support from numerous fire departments, rescue squads and other emergency services from here and other states, I would imagine it would be a large gathering," Hathaway said.
Meanwhile, a memorial was erected Tuesday at the crash site. A simple, wooden cross surrounded by flower arrangements now marks the point of impact between the 2009 Ford E450 Osage Warrior ambulance and a large pine tree near the intersection of West and Hidden Valley Roads. The vacant, sunny crash site on Tuesday was a stark contrast to the previous afternoon, when many of Long's emergency services colleagues gathered at a chaotic scene under heavy rains, thunder and lightning to try to save him.

An American flag was lowered to half-staff Monday evening at the Bennington Rescue Squad's headquarters on McKinley Street. And an EMS flag at the Vermont Emergency Services Memorial in Pittsford also flew Tuesday at half-staff.

Bennington Police Chief Richard Gauthier said police were unable to determine the cause of the crash Tuesday. An autopsy conducted by the state medical examiner offered no clues, he said.

"The results that we have so far are inconclusive. They still have some toxicology to do," Gauthier said.

Toxicology results could help police determine the crash was caused by a medical condition, Gauthier said. Such tests are routine, and police do not suspect alcohol or drugs to be a factor, according to Gauthier.

The crash occurred when the ambulance veered right, causing the front passenger side of the ambulance to strike the driver's side front quarter panel of a 2008 Toyota pickup driven by William Hill, Police said. Hill was at a complete stop at the intersection of West and Pleasant Valley Roads.

The impact caused the pickup to spin clockwise, and the ambulance continued moving forward off the travel portion of West Road and into a large pine tree, causing "extensive intrusion" to the driver's seat.

Physical evidence collected at the scene could not explain what caused the ambulance to veer right. Bennington Police Sgt. Lloyd Dean, the department's accident reconstruction specialist, said he will be conducting second interviews with witnesses to try and gather more information. "It's a slow process," he said.

Served for a quarter-century

Long had served as an EMT in the area for about 25 years, spending time with both the Bennington and Manchester rescue squads. His dedication to the job was recognized at both the state and national level.

Hathaway said Long was named the Vermont EMS Advanced Rescuer of the Year in 1998. And he was recently honored as the Bennington Rescue Squad's member of the year, and won the American Ambulance Association's "Star of Life" award last month.

Vermont Sens. Bernie Sanders and Patrick Leahy met with Long in Washington, D.C., last month when he received the "Star of Life" award. Both senators on Tuesday called Long's death a tragic loss.

"To his family, to his friends and colleagues on the Bennington Rescue Squad and to the town of Bennington which he served so long and so well, I extend my most sincere condolences," Sanders said.

"Dale Long represented much of what is best about Vermont, much what we most honor in our communities. A quarter of a century ago he discovered not only that he could serve his community by working as an Emergency Medical Technician, but that such service could and did enrich his life immeasurably. Assisting others in need, serving the community, dedicating his life to the well-being of others: Dale's commitment mirrors the spirit that has always sustained our towns and our entire state."

Leahy, too, credited Long as being a representative of the best Vermont has to offer.

"As a Vermonter, I have always thought that members of our first-responder community represent the best of our state's tradition of service to others. Dale Long was a solid example of that tradition," Leahy said. "Dale Long had a superb 25-year career as a Vermont EMT, and I encourage all Vermonters to keep his family and colleagues in their thoughts and prayers at this difficult time."

Contact Neal P. Goswami at ngoswami@benningtonbanner.com

Accidental Education

(Monday, June 8,2009) Students at Hoosac Valley High School recently witnessed a mock accident at the school to encourage awareness of the dangers of drunk driving. Members of the Adams and Cheshire Fire Departments,North Adams and Adams ambulance services and a Life Flight helicopter participated in the drill. All photo's taken by Gillian Jones / North Adams Transcript.

Sheffield starts fire house expansion

By Derek Gentile, Berkshire Eagle Staff
Updated: 05/25/2009 09:04:59 AM EDT


Monday, May 25
SHEFFIELD — The expansion of the town's fire house on Route 7 began last week, according to Town Administrator Joseph Kellogg.
"This is the culmination of a couple of years of fundraising," said Kellogg. "And I want to emphasize that this has all been done by fundraising. There has been no cost to the taxpayers for this."

Fire Chief Richard A. Boardman Jr. declined comment on the work. However, in a previous Eagle story, he stated that the membership of Sheffield Volunteer Hose Co. No. 1 opted to fund the project independently because they did not want to see the town's taxes increase as a result. The effort has been lauded by town officials.

Kellogg said plans call for the construction of two more bays onto the existing fire house. One of those bays will house a new $350,000 fire truck approved by town meeting vote last year.

The work calls for extending the east wall of the fire house by about 30 feet into an open area in front of the building.

Kellogg said the town attached a proviso to the appropriation that stipulated that the town would not order the new truck until the fire department had completed the expansion.

"We just wanted to make sure the fire department wouldn't have to park one of its trucks in the street," said Kellogg.

In light of the commencement of the expansion, said Kellogg, the town has ordered the truck.

"It will take the company from whom we ordered

it between six and seven months to outfit the truck the way the fire department specified," said Kellogg. "By then, the new bays will be completed."
The initial fundraising goal of the department was $300,000, according to Eagle files. But in his report to the town, Boardman noted that the department, in light of economic conditions, scaled back that goal, as well as the overall scale of the project.

The firehouse, with three truck bays, was originally constructed in 1948. It was renovated in 1971 and again in 1995, when a communications room was added.

Both times, the hose company raised money for the work privately.

While the all-volunteer force is considered a town department with its members appointed by the Select Board, the firehouse itself is privately owned by Volunteer Hose Co. No. 1. The town pays the department's annual budget, about $39,000 for equipment and fuel.

There are presently 31 members on the force with an average term of service of 13 years, according to the town report.

2009 National EMS Memorial Bike Ride

2009 National EMS Memorial Bike Ride (NEMSMBR)
Team “ Charles”
The National EMS Memorial Bike Ride, Inc. honors Emergency Medical Services personnel by organizing and implementing long distance cycling events that memorialize and celebrate the lives of those who serve every day, those who have become sick or injured while performing their duties, and those who have died in the line of duty.

Starting Wednesday, May 20th , Charles Spirydowski will be taking part in the NEMSMBR on behalf of the Southern Berkshire Ambulance. His bike ride continues on Thursday, May 21st and Friday, May 22nd, which will complete his 200 miles of the 600-mile ride.

For more information, please contact Charles at C.Spirydowski @ Verizon.net or mail support (a straight contribution) to Southern Berkshire Ambulance, 31 Lewis Ave., Great Barrington, MA 01230

Checks should be made out to the National EMS Memorial Bike Ride. Please write the name of Charles Spirydowski on the memo line.

Interesting Web Links:
Muddy Angels National EMS Memorial Bike Ride – www.muddyangels.com
National EMS Memorial – www.nemsms.org




Muddy Angels

A little history:
The National EMS Memorial Bike Ride is a National ride to honor the lives of EMS heroes. The ride was established in 2001 and began in Boston, MA and ended in Roanoke, VA, the current home of the EMS National Memorial. Today the ride begins in New York City, NY, or Lexington, KY and concludes seven days & 600 miles later in Roanoke, VA.



THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Brush fires break out in the hilltowns Fires in Russell and Blandford were hard to reach

Updated: Thursday, 30 Apr 2009, 6:06 PM EDT
Published : Thursday, 30 Apr 2009, 5:28 PM EDT

Adam Strzempko
BLANDFORD, Mass. (WWLP) - Our stretch of warm dry weather has increased our fire danger. Brush fires in some of the hilltowns have been burning for days and have posed quite a challenge for fire fighters to reach.

In the last couple of days some large brush fires have broken out in the towns of Russell and Blandford.

The location and terrain made it difficult for firefighters to get to the fires. "Well it's just the terrain, the hilliness of the terrain the rockiness. It's remote getting people in and out. It's tough because we're shuffling water. This morning we had a bulldozer cut some of the road so we could get to where we are now. It just wears you out when your carrying chainsaws, rakes, water on your back. It wears you out quick," said Otis Fire Captain Chris Bouchard.

Firefighters from 8 to 10 different communities and three different counties helped to fight both brush fires.

The firefighters also got some help from the air. “Yes the air drops were used considerably yesterday. We have such steep terrain the Blackhawk helicopters out of the Army National Guard out of Westfield were used. They have a bucket that has 660 gallons of water and they're able to do a contained drop and without their help we wouldn't have 95 percent containment today,” said Russell Fire Chief Michael Morrisey.

The brush fire in Russell scorched around 65 acres of land and the brush fire in Blandford burned around 20 acres of land.

The fires were difficult to get to but were fortunately not a threat to any homes. Both fires have been put out.

The brush fire in Russell did destroy two electric line towers that have to be replaced.

There were also brush fires reported in Westhampton and East Brookfield Thursday afternoon.

Brush fire battle continues in Russell, MA

Brush fire battle
continues in Russell
Crews have battled flames for more
than 24 hours
Updated: Wednesday, 29 Apr 2009, 10:31 PM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 29 Apr 2009, 10:30 PM EDT

Barry Kriger
RUSSELL, Mass. (WWLP) - The fire fight in Russell will extend into a third day where a 60 acre brush fire's about 70 percent contained Wednesday night.

Russell Fire Chief Michael Morrissey told 22News the blaze scorched 60 acres at the end of South Quarter Road near Cobble Mountain Reservoir, which provides Springfield's drinking water.

Chief Morrissey said a National Guard Helicopter out of Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield was scooping up water from Russell Pond, and making water drops.

At least 30 firefighters battled that 60 acre blaze since Tuesday night. Firefighters plan to go back in first thing Thursday morning.

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM

$$

CTZ001-013-MAZ001-025-NYZ041>043-053-054-060-061-083-084-
VTZ013>015-302300-
/O.UPG.KALY.FW.A.0004.090430T1800Z-090501T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KALY.FW.W.0002.090430T1700Z-090430T2300Z/
NORTHERN LITCHFIELD-SOUTHERN LITCHFIELD-NORTHERN BERKSHIRE-
SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE-NORTHERN SARATOGA-NORTHERN WARREN-
NORTHERN WASHINGTON-WESTERN RENSSELAER-EASTERN RENSSELAER-
WESTERN COLUMBIA-EASTERN COLUMBIA-SOUTHEAST WARREN-
SOUTHERN WASHINGTON-BENNINGTON-WESTERN WINDHAM-EASTERN WINDHAM-
416 AM EDT THU APR 30 2009

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM
EDT THIS EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ALBANY HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM EDT
THIS EVENING FOR THE LAKE GEORGE SARATOGA REGION...THE UPPER
HUDSON VALLEY...CENTRAL TACONICS...SOUTHERN VERMONT...THE
BERKSHIRES...AND LITCHFIELD HILLS. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO
LONGER IN EFFECT.

AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER...ALONG WITH VERY LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITIES DROPPING TO UNDER 30 PERCENT...AND SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST
WINDS OF 15 TO 20 MPH...GUSTING TO 25 TO 30 MPH THIS AFTERNOON...WILL
COMBINE TO PRODUCE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS INTO THIS
EARLY THIS EVENING.

THE RELATIVE HUMIDITY IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE BY THIS EVENING...IN
ADDITION TO THE EXPECTATION FOR RAIN SHOWERS...REDUCING THE
CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS
ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF
STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL
CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.

&&

MCLA displays the dangers of dorm fires

Click to watch When Candles Go Bad Video

By Jennifer Huberdeau
Posted: 04/28/2009 02:41:30 AM EDT

NORTH ADAMS -- The potential danger of a single, unattended lit candle is the subject of a new video being produced by the MCLA Department of Public Safety and the North Adams Fire Department.

"Most dorm fires are started by a candle or by a careless smoker," Joseph Charron, MCLA director of public safety, said Monday morning as firefighters set up a "mock dorm room" at the college’s athletic complex. "Just last year we had a fire in a townhouse [dorm room] that was started by a candle. I think fires on campuses remain a concern nationwide. That’s the reason we’re developing a fire safety video and education plan."

The video and Monday’s fire simulation were funded through an Assistance to Fire Fighters Grant awarded to the college by the United States Department of Homeland Security. "The room we’re using here today in the simulation is obviously a dorm room, but it could be any bedroom in the city, especially that of a teenager," North Adams Public Safety Commissioner E. John Morocco said. "We had a fire just up the road from here, on West Shaft Road that was accidentally started by a candle. We’re hoping to use this video for our fire safety programs as well."

For the simulation, the college’s Facilities Department built an 8-foot by 10-foot room. The room, which sported three walls made from sheetrock and a tile floor, was filled with a desk, dresser, and a dorm bed that had a metal

frame and fire-resistant mattress. Posters were hung on the walls and a cloth tapestry hung from the ceiling. A flat-screen computer monitor along with a nylon scarf, papers and a plastic St. Patrick’s Day party favor hat sat on the desk with a lit pillar candle.
"We tried to make this as realistic as possible," Charron said. "One of the reasons for the tapestry hanging from the ceiling is that it’s something we see in the dorm rooms all of the time. The students either hang them on the walls or from the ceiling, often covering their smoke detectors."

After several false starts, firefighters were able to ignite the papers and a nylon scarf on the desk with the heat generated by the pillar candle. "We’re trying to push it," Fire Director Stephen Meranti said. "In reality, we’re simulating a room where a candle was left lit and unattended while a student went to class. I don’t think any fire like this would start immediately, like we want it to in front on the candles." Within minutes of starting, the fire crept along the top of the student desk and began devouring the computer monitor, which began melting and sending out thick plumes of toxic smoke.

"The smoke will actually kill people before the fire gets to them," Meranti said. "Almost everything is made with plastic and those fumes are toxic."

As thick black smoke poured out of the open side of the room, flames began licking the walls and curtains, which immediately began disintegrating as the fire jumped to the ceiling tapestry and walls. Within seconds, the flame resistant mattress was smoldering and eventually caught fire.

Meranti said a real room, with four solid walls, would burn much faster because both the smoke and heat would be trapped.

"The fire would have escalated much faster and the furniture would have ignited much quicker," he said. "A smoke detector would alert us to a fire like this one early, we’d be able to contain it to just the contents of the room." Charron said he thinks "anyone would be surprised to see how fast a fire can spread."

"It would have been even worse if we had paint on the walls or some kind of paneling or wood finish," he said.

Meranti said he hopes the video, which was filmed by Peter Gentile, director of the college’s television studio, and his senior intern, Coady Ward, will not only be used at the college but also as part of his department’s fire and smoke detector safety programs.

To reach Jennifer Huberdeau, e-mail jhuberdeau@thetranscript.com.

Local organizations braced for H1N1

By Jennifer Huberdeau
Posted: 04/28/2009 02:41:30 AM EDT


North Adams Transcript

NORTH ADAMS -- As the number of laboratory confirmed cases of swine influenza A (H1NI) virus infections continue to rise in the United States and around the world, local hospitals and health care organizations are taking steps to keep the public aware of how to avoid infection and what to do in case of an outbreak

"We’ve been planning this for at least three years now," said Kathy Arabia, vice president of guest services for Northern Berkshire Healthcare, who has been leading the organization’s emergency and pandemic preparedness initiatives.

"We’re in constant contact with the state Department of Public Health and immediately placed links to the Center Disease Control Web site’s swine flu pages on www.nbhealthcare.org. We believe it’s very important for people to have accurate information."

On Monday, the CDC had 40 confirmed cases of swine flu in five states, including seven cases in California, two in Kansas, one in Ohio, two in Texas and 28 in New York City.

An outbreak of the avian flu a few years ago killed 250 people worldwide and pushed emergency and health care organizations to begin planning for a pandemic outbreak, which reports estimated would affect about 2 million Baystaters, with about 80,000 people in need of hospital care.

Officials at North Adams Regional Hospital and Berkshire Medical Center said contingency plans are in place should a pandemic breakout. Each


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hospital has identified a source to locate about 50 extra beds in "influenza specialty care units."
"We have identified our Hillcrest campus as our emergency site," Michael Leary, BMC spokesman, said Monday. "We have been in meetings all day concerning a possible pandemic, which the county has been planning for over the last three years. We also have information for the public on our Web site."

North Adams Regional Hospital would locate its alternate care facility at the St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish Center.

"If it got to the point where we would need to limit the strain on the emergency department, we would set up triage sites in the community to keep from over crowding the hospital," Arabia said.

"Part of the whole process is a group of professionals who form the Emergency Planning Committee which will coordinate services and provide oversight for any programs put into place. The plans that will be put into place really depend on what news we hear from the CDC."

Potential plans also include the closure of schools, should infections be detected among school-age children, as has happened in New York City, which had 28 confirmed cases of swine flu Monday afternoon.

Dr. Paul Donovan, director of the NARH’s emergency department, said that preventing the spread of the swine flu is dependent on good hygiene practices and detection.

"The best thing a person can do is wash their hands often," he said.

"Unlike the avian flu, which required a person come into contact with an infected bird, this flu is spread person-to-person through water droplets. It has the potential to spread."

While the 40 confirmed cases in the United States all involved the infected person having recently visited Mexico or coming into contact with someone who had recently visited Mexico, Donovan said the flu would not be contained if certain precautions are not taken.

"This flu strain is spread by droplets from the respiratory tract and becomes airborne when someone sneezes or coughs," he said. "People should cough into their sleeves or the crook of their elbows, not their hands. They should also cover their sneezes. Hand washing is very important." He said anyone who is sick with flu symptoms -- cough, sore throat, fever, runny nose -- should stay home from work or work-at-home and avoid public places as much as possible.

"The good thing is that this flu strain is treatable with several anti-viral medications, which shorten the course of the infection," Donovan said.

He said the virus can be detected by a simple swab of the nasal passage for a viral culture.

"We can detect if a person has influenza A or B," he said. "If a person has influenza A, we’d do another culture and send it to the state to be tested for swine flu." While the results for the swine flu culture wouldn’t be available from the state for 24 to 48 hours, Donovan said the patient would be treated with anti-viral medications as a precaution and told to stay away from public places.

"It’s a matter of taking common sense measures and using good hygiene to keep this virus from spreading," he said.

As of Monday afternoon, the CDC was recommending hand washing and hygiene tips and had gone as far as suggesting the wearing of surgical-grade masks for people living in high-population areas that had confirmed cases of the flu.

"It makes sense from an epidemiological point of view," Donovan said of the masks.

For more information:

Northern Berkshire Healthcare: www.nbhealth.org

Berkshire Medical Center: www.berkshirehealthsystems.org

Center for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov/swineflu.

FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING

Issued by The National Weather Service
Albany, NY
4:11 pm EDT, Mon., Apr. 27, 2009

... FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ALBANY HAS ISSUED A FIRE WEATHER WATCH... WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING FOR THE MID HUDSON VALLEY... THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN TACONICS... THE BERKSHIRES AND LITCHFIELD COUNTY.

SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE ON TUESDAY... REACHING SPEEDS OF 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. IN ADDITION... THE RELATIVE HUMIDITY IS EXPECTED TO DROP TO JUST BELOW 30 PERCENT DURING THE AFTERNOON... AND MEASURABLE RAIN HAS NOT OCCURRED IN THIS AREA SINCE LAST WEDNESDAY. THIS COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS... LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND LACK OF RECENT RAINFALL WILL INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE RED FLAG WARNINGS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE RED FLAG WARNINGS.

&&

Florida Fire sparks group effort

By Meghan Foley
Posted: 04/27/2009 02:10:54 AM EDT


North Adams Transcript

FLORIDA -- Firefighters and forest wardens from towns across Northern Berkshire and Southern Vermont battled a brush fire Saturday afternoon off Central Shaft Road.

The fire was reported around noon and burned for about three hours torching multiple acres in the area of Busby Trail in Savoy Mountain State Forest.

"We probably had about 70 people up in the woods knocking down 10 acres, which is a big fire," Florida Fire Chief Mike Bedini said Sunday.

He said amazingly there were no injuries.

Fire and forest warden departments from Florida, Savoy, Williamstown, Clarksburg, Lanesborough, Cheshire and Pownal, Vt. were called throughout the afternoon to help extinguish the fire, and the state sent four people from the Department of Conservation and Recreation to assist, Bedini said.

He said a county coordinator was on the scene, as well as about a half dozen town residents who volunteered their all-terrain vehicles to get firefighters into the woods.

In addition, North Adams Ambulance Service provided water and medical personnel.

"If we didn’t have the manpower we did yesterday (Saturday), the fire would probably still be burning into today," Bedini said.

He said he and Mike Gleason, captain of the Florida Volunteer Fire Department, were listening to the radio around noon when they heard a report that someone at one of the state’s fire towers spotted a fire in the area of Busby Trail.


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Bedini said he then called Berkshire Sheriff’s Control and told them he and Gleason would go up to the area to investigate. Bedini and Gleason then met a person from the Department of Conservation and Recreation near the area, and went up into the woods where they found two acres of land were already burning, Bedini said.

He said the fire was spreading east and west, and at that point he not only dispatched his own fire department, but began calling for mutual aid from every town in the area that had all-terrain vehicles.

"ATVs and manpower were what we were looking for," Bedini said.

He said the fire was sparked by a high-tension line that was leaning against a tree.

Besides using all-terrain vehicles to get teams of firefighters into the woods, firefighters used Indian tanks (water-carrying backpacks with a hose attached) to carry water into the woods, and made use of rakes, shovels, chainsaws and portable pumps to fight the fire. Bedini said they also pumped water from Beaver Pond, which was nearby.

While temperatures on Saturday were between 80 and 90 degrees, the wind was calm most of the day.

"If we had a lot higher winds up here, it would have probably been worse,’ Bedini said.

He said the brush fire on Saturday was the fourth the town has had within a week and a half.

"We just lost all our snow up here two weeks ago, and that is why they’re starting," she said.

He said a fire early last week was also caused by a high tension line. Two other fires were the result of people burning brush and the wind picking up carrying the embers.

Besides the woods being dry, the December 2008 ice storm toppled hundreds of trees, which are now drying out.

"Every thing is down in the woods, and once a spark goes, it catches," Bedini said.

He said the town has had brush fires bigger than the one on Saturday including one about 15 to 20 years ago that burned for two days on the mountain side between Florida and Rowe.

The Florida Volunteer Fire Department, as well as those across the state, will be on guard on the next few days for brush fires as temperatures continue to hang around 80 degrees and conditions remain mostly dry.

"This year really has been so dry, and I don’t think it (brush fire season) is over yet because the woods are so dry," Bedini said.

Besides the brush fire, the Florida Volunteer Fire Department responded to a motorcycle accident on Route 2 in Savoy Saturday afternoon and a call involving a kayak overturned in the Deerfield River.

State police said four people from Ludlow were traveling west near the Florida and Savoy line when the lead motorcycle got into an accident. A separate accident involving the other three motorcycles happened at the same time, according to police. Police said the four riders sustained minor injuries and were taken to North Adams Regional Hospital.

Additional information wasn’t available Sunday about the overturned kayak.

To reach Meghan Foley, e-mail mfoley@thetranscript.com.

Early morning blaze causes $150K in damages

By Jennifer Huberdeau
Posted: 04/23/2009 12:12:37 AM EDT




NORTH ADAMS -- A pile of charred sports trophies and swimming medals that once adorned the bedroom of Drury High School athlete David Button are all that’s left of his room after an early morning fire ripped through a portion of his family’s Foucher Avenue home on Wednesday.

The blaze destroyed the contents of his room and heavily damaged the rest of the house.

"We’re still investigating the cause of the fire, but there’s about $150,000 worth of damage at least," Fire Director Stephen Meranti said. "It’s going to take months and massive renovations to bring this house back. What wasn’t damaged by the fire was damaged by smoke and water. They are only going to be able to salvage a few of their possessions. The son’s room was completely destroyed."

No one was hurt in the fire, thanks to an alert neighbor, he said.

Transcript City Editor Margaret Button and her son, David, 18, a senior and star athlete at Drury, were asleep when the fire broke out. Button’s husband, Guy, had headed out to work at 5:30 a.m., about 40 minutes prior to the fire, Meranti said.

"Their neighbor, Dick Belini, saw the fire on the back porch and woke Maggy and her son up and got them out of the building," he said. "When he called the fire in, at 6:10 a.m., it was on the back porch. As we were en route, we received multiple calls that the fire had moved inside the house."

He said the fire had


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quickly spread into the house, making its way into the living room through a sliding glass door and into David Button’s bedroom through a window on the side of the house.
Firefighters were able to contain the fire and extinguish it quickly once on the scene, he said.

"We’re very lucky the neighbor saw the fire," Meranti said. "The fire spread through the window right onto David’s bed. Had he been asleep Š I’d hate to think what would have happened."

The blackened mattress sat outside the house in the back yard, next to a fire-damaged snowmobile, charred remnants of video games and other melted and blackened items, as an inspector from the state fire marshal’s office walked through debris on the back porch Wednesday afternoon.

The Buttons, who were at the house speaking to the fire inspector, declined to comment.

Meranti said he had not yet interviewed Belini but assumed the neighbor had been getting ready for work when he saw the fire.

"We were able to knock out the fire pretty quickly," Meranti said. "It’s pretty devastating. They’ve lost a majority of their personal possessions."

He said the Red Cross was called to the scene, but the family is temporarily staying with friends.

To reach Jennifer Huberdeau, e-mail jhuberdeau@thetranscript.com.

Fire at a Great Barrington landmark

WWLP 22 News
Updated: Monday, 20 Apr 2009, 11:49 PM EDT
Published : Monday, 20 Apr 2009, 5:24 PM EDT
Click to View the Video
Matt Feato
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. (WWLP) - A popular Great Barrington eatery won't be serving pizza until the owners figure out what caused a blaze to break out there.



The fire broke out this afternoon at the Baba Louie's Pizzeria and started above the smoke detection and sprinkler system. It also gave dozens of residents and business owners quite the scare as nearby shops were forced to close early.

Great Barrington Fire chief Harry Jennings told 22news that because the alarm system wasn't tripped, the fire came as a surprise. Jennings said the pizza shop will not re-open until the problem is found and fixed. He says Baba Louie's is now working with an architect to speed that process along.

Firefighters save multi-family home in Pittsfield

By Dick Lindsay, Berkshire Eagle Staff
Updated: 04/20/2009 05:36:47 AM EDT


Monday, April 20
PITTSFIELD — Numerous 9-1-1 phone calls, quick work by firefighters and the city's new 100-foot aerial truck all contributed to saving a multi-family home in Pittsfield over the weekend — but the fire still left four families temporarily homeless, according to fire officials.
Deputy Fire Chief Robert Czerwinski said "the multiple calls" from citizens reporting the fire around 7:20 p.m. on Saturday indicated a serious situation at 68-70 Boylston St. Upon arrival, firefighters found flames showing at the rear of the building with smoke billowing from the attic of the two-and-half story wood frame.

Czerwinski said the firefighters knocking down the fast-moving blaze and containing it within an hour probably saved the building.

"Structurally, the building appears sound," said Czerwinski.

Nevertheless, officials reported heavy fire damage to the northwest corner of the building where the fire began. In addition, flames damaged the attic, while smoke and water damaged the second floor apartments.

Czerwinski said what caused the fire remains under investigation.

While the tenants home at the time escaped injury, the unknown total number of residents at 68-70 Boylston will need to live elsewhere for now, according to fire officials.

Saturday's fire was also the Pittsfield debut of the city's new 100 foot ladder/platform truck. The $750,000 vehicle, which replaced a 75-foot,


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35-year old ladder truck, allows firefighters to gain better access to fires from up above.
Czerwinski said the new fire truck enabled firefighters to reach the attic and stop the blaze from spreading.

"It's a lot safer truck, having the platform to work from," noted Czerwinski. "It's better than leaning into a ladder."

To reach Dick Lindsay: rlindsay@berkshireeagle.com, or (413) 496-6233.