Busy Weekend!

The last full weekend of August proved to be a busy one for Westfield Fire. Beyond the various medicals and false alarms, WFD responded 2 motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) - 1 requiring extended extrication - and 1 working structure fire in Cromwell.

Saturday

The 1st of 2 MVAs came in at approximately 2:00 a.m. on Saturday August 29. Connecticut State Police (CSP) on-scene reported 1 car off the road with a tree on top of it on I91 southbound between exits 21 and 20. On arrival, Chief John Lockwood confirmed the 1 car MVA and reported 2 trapped occupants, including 1 possible DOA. The vehicle was lying on its roof. With the arrival of Westfield Rescue 3, Assistant Chief Darrell Ponzio and his crew worked on intial stabilization of the vehicle followed by removal of the fallen tree and then by extrication of the passenger using spreaders, cutters, the omni tool and several rams. Westfield Tanker 4 arrived soon after with Lt. Nick DeJohn and his crew who assisted in extrication efforts on the passenger side. Given the obvious extended timeframe the extrication would take, Chief Lockwood called Rescues from Cromwell and Middletown to assist. He also called Engines from East Berlin and Middletown to Westfield's station for coverage. Cromwell's crew, led by Assistant Chief Don Quick provided additional stabilization of the vehicle and then set to work extricating the driver.

Middletown's crew, led by Assistant Chief Jay Woron aided crews on the passenger side. The extended and technically complicated extrication required a collaborative, well thought out process by all involved and that's extactly what was provided. The driver was extricated in approximately 1/2-hour and the passenger was extricated in approximately 1-hour. With LifeStar grounded due to the weather, patient care and transport was handled by Hunters Ambulance and the Middlesex Hospital paramedic.

While on-scene on I91, Westfield was toned out for another MVA at the corners of Westfield, Ballfall, Country Club and East. Middletown E3 crew responded with Westfield's Deputy Chief Steve Hughes. Poles and wires down required extra caution and resulted in a loss of power to houses in the neighborhood well into Saturday morning.

Sunday

At approximately 18:15 on Sunday afternoon, Westfield Engine 2 and Ladder 6 were called on a mutual aid response to Cromwell for a working structure fire. The house, set with it's backyard against the Connecticut River, was on a dead-end street that forced responding crews from South Fire, Rocky Hill, Westfield and Cromwell to position their apparatus in a line down the street. Westfield crews, led by Deputy Chief Steve Hughes and Assistant Chief Darrell Ponzio assisted with fire extinguishment and overhaul on the second floor of the residence. Photo above courtesy of the Middletown Press. Click here to see the related article by Jeff Mill. However, be warned - there is quite a volume of commentary by very poorly informed individuals below the article. All I can say is that a full structure fire that has extended into the attic, on a warm summer evening does indeed require mutual aid response from multiple towns to prevent firefighter heat exhaustion on scene, to ensure that property and lives (6:00 p.m. = people are probably home) are saved and to ensure that no single department is spread too thin should another call of any kind come in. To Chief Pendl, Assistant Chief Don Quick, the rest of the Cromwell firefighters and support personnel as well as all the mutual aid departments, great job!