Quakertown Fire Co. No. 1

The officers and members of Quakertown Fire Company No. 1 mourn the passing of past Chief Ray Stever, Sr.  Ray joined the fire company in 1962 at the age of 16, following in the footsteps of his father Charles O. Stever.

During his 40 years as an active firefighter, Ray served in numerous officer positions, including Lieutenant, Battalion Chief, and Department Chief, as well as Trustee and Safety Officer.  In addition to a lifetime dedication to the fire service, Ray served his country in the Vietnam War, serving as a Navy medic assigned to a Marine Battalion.

Ray was a lifetime member of the Bucks County Fire Chiefs and Firefighters Association.  Ray was a state-certified fire instructor, as well as a Bucks County fire instructor.  Ray’s son, Ray Stever, Jr., was also a firefighter with Quakertown Fire Company No. 1 for many years.

Ray remained actively involved with the fire company, even as an exempt member, up until his death.  Even after his time as an active firefighter, Ray was often asked back to teach drills, focusing on various areas of his expertise, including water supply and fire extinguishers.  He often attended business meetings and social events, and was a member of the current Chemical 17 Replacement Committee.

Ray was an invaluable asset to the Quakertown Fire Company No. 1 and the Quakertown Fire Department, and will be greatly missed by all officers and members.

Calling hours for Ray will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church on North Hellertown Avenue in Quakertown, from 7-9pm on Friday, March 5th, and 9-10:30am on Saturday, March 6th.  Services will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church at 11am on Saturday, March 6th.

The new Chemical 17

At 31 years old, Chemical 17 is well beyond its 25 year scheduled replacement.  Built in 1979, the R-model Mack has served tirelessly to provide much needed compressed breathing air, electricity, chemical firefighting agents, and hazmat support at thousands of emergencies.

Built in 1990, the 20-year-old Utility 17 pickup truck tows the 22-year-old hazmat trailer to hazardous materials emergencies; the combination carrying the designation of Hazmat 17.
The time has come to replace Chemical 17.  Beginning two years ago, a committee was formed to design the replacement truck and the decision was made to combine the equipment on the current Chemical 17 with the equipment on Hazmat 17.  In order to so, the committee chose Spartan Motor Corporation’s largest heavy rescue chassis on which to build a custom-designed body.

Lots of room to combine equipment

The new Chemical 17 will carry equipment for many roles, including filling SCBA cylinders with breathing air, generating electricity, lighting and ventilation, hazmat and spill control, decontamination, chemical fire supression, trapped firefighter rescue – known as rapid intervention, vehicle rescue support, and of course structure fire support.

Completion of the new truck is expected to be mid-summer.

New Chemical stats:

• 2009 Spartan heavy rescue chassis
• 500 HP Cummins Diesel motor
• 6-speed Allison transmission
• 40′ 3″ overall length
• Dual rear axle with air-ride suspension and switchable axle interlock
• Custom-designed Swab aluminum body
• Seating for 6 firefighters
• 75 kW PTO generator
• On-board air compressor with supplied air reels and high-pressure reel for filling other cascade trucks
• 4-cylinder 6000 psi cascade system
• Over 15,000 watts of lighting

More pictures here

The Quakertown Fire Department was dispatched for a “truck” fire on Tollgate Road in Richland Township.  Chief 87 arrived on scene with a camper in the rear of a dwelling with the house as an exposure.  Squirt 18 went in service with two lines.  Engine 17-1 supplied Squirt 18.  Crews checked the house for extension.

The Quakertown Fire Department was dispatched to a kitchen fire at a residence in Richland Township.  The fire was extinguished upon arrival but had damaged the cabinets and wall.  Crews checked for extension and ventilated the dwelling.

The Quakertown Fire Department was dispatched to a dwelling fire in Richland Township.  Battalion 18 reported medium smoke from the second floor.  Engine 17-1, newly in service, arrived on scene and pulled a 1.75″ line to the interior.  Tower 18 in service with ventilation.  Squirt 18 pulled a backup line.  Engine 17 supplied Engine 17-1.  Crews extinguished a bathroom fire on the second floor.

Station 49 was operating at a dwelling fire in Bedminster Township and requested Chemical 17 a few hours in to relieve the RIT team and assist with overhaul.

The Quakertown Fire Department was dispatched for a working dwelling fire on Thursday, November 19th.  Chief 87 arrived on location with a 2 1/2 story dwelling with heavy fire in the rear.  Engine 36 laid in and pulled a line to the interior.  Tower 18 went in service with ventilation and crews from Engine 17 and Squirt 18 pulled a backup lines.  Rescue 18 and Chemical 17 assisted with overhaul.  Rescue 58 and Montgomery County Ladder 65 were RIT.

The new Engine 17-1

The new engine to replace the 1986 Mack CF engine has arrived and has been outfitted with all of its equipment.  The officers are in the process of qualifying the company’s drivers on the new truck and will soon place it in service as Engine 17-1.

The new engine is the result of a two year process of research, planning, and design by the Engine Replacement Committee.  The committee has spent two years meeting, traveling to area fire companies, and traveling to Swab in Elizabethville, PA in order to bring the project together.  The committee members are Deputy Chief Brian Guenst, Battalion Chief David Reinhart, Captain Chris Erwin, Lieutenant Mike Hellyer, Lieutenant David Erwin, Chief Engineer Brian Fluck, and firefighters Greg McDermott, Bill Weber, and Matt Kershes.

Spacious compartments on the new engine

The specifications of the new engine are as follows:

• Spartan Gladiator chassis
• 33′ 9″ overall length
• Cummins diesel motor
• 2000 GPM Waterous two-stage pump
• 750 gallons of water
• 20 gallon foam tank
• Inline foam inductor system
• 150′ 1.75″ bumper line
• 2x 200′ 1.75″ crosslays
• 200′ 2.5″ crosslay
  

  Loading equipment onto the new engine

• 200′ 1.75″ rear handline
• remote control TFT deck gun
• Blitzfire mobile ground monitor
• 10kW hydraulic generator
• All LED emergency lighting
• LED brow flood lights
• LED compartment lighting
• Bostrom SecureAll seating for 6
• 35″ extension ladder

Heavy fire on the second floor

At around 2045 hours on November 10th, 2009, the box alarm was struck on box 17-5 for a fire on Richlandtown Pike.  Firefighter Jim Mindler jumped in the driver’s seat of Engine 17-1, the aging Mack CF-600 whose replacement was already in the station being gold-leafed and lettered, and started her up.  The air brake supply may have taken a little longer to fill up than it used to, but otherwise Engine 17-1 was ready to go.

Chief 87 arrived on scene with heavy fire from the second floor of a welding shop.  Engine 17-1 hit a hydrant for the last time and laid the entire bed of 5″ supply line.  Firefighters Bill Weber and Brad Thomas, accompanied by Captain Chris Erwin, stretched a 2.5″ handline to the second floor.  Firefighter John Moyer and Deputy Chief Brian Guenst charged the hydrant.  Crews from Squirt 18 pulled a backup line from Engine 17-1.

“The truck’s first call was a working fire as well,” recalled Battalion Chief David Reinhart as crews stood at the side of Engine 17-1 waiting for

Lines and ladders in service

the fire marshal to finish his investigation.  “We had just put it in service in November of ‘86 when we were dispatched to a rubbish fire at the Quakertown Senior High School.  Crews at the station wanted to take the new engine, but I told them they had to take Engine 17-2, the truck that was due on the call.”

Minutes later Engine 17-1 was dispatched to the Bergey’s Tire fire in Perkasie.  “We drove down main street, lights and sirens, and we beeped and waved to the crew on Engine 17-2.”

Back in 2009, as the fire marshal wrapped up his work at the fire on Richlandtown Pike, the decision was made to take Engine 17-1 out of service since it had laid all of its 5″ hose.  The next day crews packed the 5″ hose onto the new engine.

For 23 years Engine 17-1 has served as the first-due engine to structure fires in the Quakertown Fire Department’s response area.  It will be put up for sale in the coming months.

Quakertown Fire Company No. 1 will be hosting a Holiday craft show on November 14th, 2009 from 9am until 2pm.  Admission and parking is free.  Food will be sold from the kitchen.  Tables available, call 215-536-3743 for more information.