Amanda Christman
Standard-Speaker, Hazleton, Pa.
(TNS)

Dec. 22—Two firefighters were in a vehicle that was hit by a motorist while responding to a Friday morning crash in Hazle Twp.

Hazle Twp. Fire and Rescue was called out to Route 924 (CAN DO Expressway) at 7:23 a.m. near Oak Ridge Road for a crash with possible entrapment.

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Fire Chief Scott Kostician was driving a 2007 Chevrolet utility with another firefighter inside but, upon arrival, the vehicle was hit in the rear driver’s side by another motorist, according to the fire department. Members were about to exit the vehicle to assess the scene when the truck was hit, firefighters said.

Both firefighters received medical treatment for minor injuries at a local hospital and were released. The operator of the other vehicle was uninjured.

Kostician said their utility truck sustained moderate damage and the aluminum bed will have to be replaced. He encouraged motorists to slow down for weather and road conditions, as it was snowing during the wreck and to be aware of vehicles on the roadside.

Valley Regional EMS and Greater Hazleton EMS assisted on the scene.

State police at Hazleton is investigating.

Firefighters and troopers were responding to a one-vehicle crash at the time.

Troopers said Francisco Rodriguez Hernandez, 31, Hazle Twp., was driving a Toyota RAV 4 west on Route 924 when he lost control of the vehicle and began to slide. The vehicle went onto the right shoulder, traveled up an embankment and rolled onto its driver’s side, troopers said. Rodriguez Hernandez was unharmed but his passenger, Jorge Paulino Cruz, 27, Hazle Twp., sustained a minor injury and was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazleton by Greater Hazleton EMS. The Toyota was towed.

Contact the writer:

achristman@standardspeaker

.com; 570-501-3584

The Central Fire Station in Meridian Township (MI) will be paid off three years early, wilx.com reported.

In 2012, voters approved a 15-year levy to finance the construction of a new Central Fire Station, which was expected to be paid off in 2028, the report said. City officials announced Wednesday that due to higher-than-expected revenue, they will be able to pay off the debt in 2025, which would save taxpayers more than $822,000 in principal and interest costs.

New Ladder Truck

In a Facebook post last week, the Meridian Township Fire Department introduced to the public its new ladder truck, which arrived last month.

The fire division within the Aiken Department of Public Safety purchased three engine pump trucks and one ladder truck recently, the Aiken Standard reported.

More effective fire hoses, as well as front- and rear-facing cameras, will be added to the new trucks, the report said.

A city official said the trucks were purchased with funds collected through the Capital Projects Sales Tax. The total purchase cost for all four trucks was about $3 million, the report said.

The department now has a total of eight fire trucks. Six engine pump trucks will be used daily, while the other two will be held in reserve. Two of the three ladder trucks will be used daily and one will be in reserve, the report said.

A push-in ceremony is scheduled for 5 p.m. January 12.

A push-in ceremony is a fire department tradition that dates back to the 1800s, in which firefighters would physically push a fire truck into the station because a horse was unable to back into the station.

Thermal Imaging Manfred Kihn

In my job, I get to communicate with firefighters from all around the world. This leads to some interesting conversations about how they operate, types of responses, and obviously thermal imaging.

In one conversation, it was explained to me that one department’s thermal imagers (TIs) are used by the lieutenants. The TIs are kept in the office in the firehouse and not carried on the apparatus. The TIs are taken only on house fires. Who am I to judge how a fire department operates and how it carries equipment?

TIs have come a long way in technology and pricing. Many years ago, some departments were lucky to have one. Some departments have TIs mounted in every riding position, while others have them mounted in the back for the crew or just in the front officer’s seat area.

I have challenged firefighters by saying, “Do you think that you can use a TI on every call that you go on”? That answer has prompted some debate. However, the fact that the TI comes from the apparatus regardless of if it gets used or not is a step in the right direction. The mentality that you do not need to have your TI needs to change. A TI is invaluable, and there are so many different applications for it.

Applications

Here are some applications outlined in National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1408, Standard for Training Fire Service Personnel in the Operation, Care, Use and Maintenance of Thermal Imagers: search and rescue, safety officer, explosions, aerial operations, USAR, airborne operations, overhaul, fire attack, size-up, wildland firefighting, hazmat, confined space, overheated machinery, accountability, incident command, ventilation, law enforcement, wildlife enforcement, RIC, exposure protection, electrical emergencies, aircraft emergencies, motor vehicle incidents, scene assessment, rehabilitation, EMS, fire/arson investigations, building construction, training, line placement, and the list can go on if you think outside the box.

Proper Installation

Ensure that your vehicle-mounted powerhouse chargers or in-vehicle chargers are compliant to NFPA 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus. They can be wired to either a 12-volt DC or 120-volt AC. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and use only qualified personnel for this installation. This method ensures that the TI is always fully charged for when you need it.

In some departments, the officer carries the TI; it is attached with a lanyard to his gear at the beginning of the shift and it stays there until the end of the shift. The spare battery is swapped for the next shift, ensuring the TI is always fully charged. Others will leave the TI in the charger until they arrive on scene and then remove it for use.

How long do your batteries last? What are the runtime specifications from the manufacturer? Batteries have improved greatly over the years, giving TIs a longer runtime. However, this is dependent on how old your TI and batteries are.

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