Fires: 6

1^st Responder calls: 18

Hazardous Condition: 5

Service calls: 1

False/Malfunction: 6

Ambulance Runs: 62

The Belleville Fire Department responded to thirty-six (36) fire incidents and sixty-two (62) EMS incidents during the calendar week of February 6 to February 12, 2002. Here are some of the highlights:

• On February 7, at 1:44 p.m., Engine 2 and EMS 1 responded to a business on Washington Avenue for a reported unconscious person. Firefighters arrived on scene and found a man in cardiac arrest. They used an external defibrillator and CPR, and the patient was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
• On February 8, at 8:00 a.m., Engine 2 and EMS 1 responded to Route 21 Northbound for a motor vehicle accident. Engine 2 arrived on scene and reported several cars involved with one overturned. Truck 1 and Battalion 1 were dispatched to the highway to assist. Firefighters had to extricate two persons from one of the vehicles involved, which was heavily damaged. A total of seven patients were treated for injuries and transported to area hospitals. One mutual aid ambulance came from N. Arlington, and EMS 2 was manned with one firefighter from Fire Prevention and one firefighter from Engine 2. This was due to the fact no other mutual aid ambulances were available. The highway was shutdown for over an hour while the scene was cleared, a police investigation was conducted, and firefighters and State DOT workers attended to an oil spill.
• On February 10, at 11:51 p.m., Engine 2 responded to an address on Quinton Street for a tree fire. Firefighters found a primary high-voltage wire arcing, which had set fire to the treetop. PSE&G was notified, and after utility workers made the scene safe, firefighters used a pre-connected hoseline to extinguish the fire.
• On February 11, at 10:21 a.m., Engine 3, Truck 1 and EMS 1 responded to a medical building on Franklin Avenue for a reported stuck elevator with people trapped. Firefighters shut down the systems controlling the elevator, located the car and opened the doors with specialty tools. After several minutes, four persons were removed unharmed.
• On February 11, at 12:44 p.m., all units responded to an apartment building on Brighton Avenue for a reported natural gas leak. A high volume of natural gas was detected in the building and the residents were evacuated. Firefighters shut down the main gas meter and notified PSE&G to respond to check for the source of the leak. The residents were allowed to return to their apartments.
• On February 12, at 6:32 p.m., all units responded to a group home on Maple Avenue for a reported fire. Firefighters found plastic containers had caught fire in the dishwasher's drying element, causing a heavy smoke condition. Ventilation fans were used to clear the smoke, and the residents were allowed to return after it was declared safe.

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