Quakertown Fire Co. No. 1

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.

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.

Field 17 was dispatched at 2119 hours on Wednesday, March 11th to assist Milford Township Fire Company and Trumbauersville Fire Company with a large brush fire on Upper Ridge Road in the area of the Finland Lodge.  Battalion 17 and Deputy 87 responded as well.  A 69,000 volt PP&L transmission line had been pulled to the ground by a fallen tree and started a brush fire that quickly spread to a few acres surrounding the PP&L lines.  Field 17 made its way off of Upper Ridge Road into the woods along the East.  Captain 17 took Southeast Operations.  A base line was established along a creek bed between Field 17 and the fire.  Firefighter Jim Mindler stretched a hose line to the East side of the head of the fire, where it was quickly halted.   Captain Erwin went in service with a chainsaw clearing fallen trees and snags that would slow crews down.  Engine 57’s crew used hand tools and indian tanks from Field 17 to work the South end of the Eastern flank, establishing a line directly along the flank and stopping the spread of the fire.  Additional crews from 58 used equipment and a second hose line off of Field 17 to extend the line farther North, supervised by Deputy 87.  Field 36 came in to Field 17’s location to supply water to Field 17.  Battalion 17 handled water supply, crew, and equipment distribution from Field 17.  Lieutenant 17-1 drove Field 17 and operated the pump.

Field 75, Montgomery County Field 65, and Berks County Field 58 were wrapping up after operating a large brush fire in the Upper Perkiomen area.  These three trucks responded and established the West line along Swamp Creek Rd.  The fire was contained while crews awaited the arrival of PP&L.  After PP&L confirmed that both ends of the transmission segment were disconnected, crews extinguished the remaining fire and wet down the entire area to take care of any hot spots.  Field 17 went available around 0130.

Field 17, along with Field 65 from Pennsburg and Engine 57 from Milford, was added to a brush assignment on Canary Road with Station 58 (Trumbauersville) on Thursday, February 19th at 1945 hours.  The truck made its way down a long narrow driveway and through the woods to a 20×20 outbuilding that was fully involved.  The fire was extinguished by Field 75 with Field 17 and Field 65 shuttling water in from the street where Engine 57 and Engine 58 were staged.  Some hand tools and a chainsaw off of Field 17 were also used.

Companies were dispatched on Friday, June 13th at 0919 hours for a dwelling fire on Perkasie Avenue. Bucks County Dispatch informed Engine 17-1 (with Battalion 17 as the officer) that the caller was reporting a window air conditioner to be on fire, spreading to the house. Engine 17-1 informed Dispatch that there was smoke visible from approximately one half mile out and requested that the box be filled. Engine 17-1 arrived on scene and went in service with two 1.75″ handlines. Tower 18 arrived and went in service with ventilation. Battalion 18 had command, reporting heavy fire. Additional companies in service with third handline off of Engine 17-1. A quick knockdown was made.

Field 17 was dispatched to assist Station 58 (Trumbauersville) with a brush fire on Camp Rock Hill Rd on April 19th at 1630 hours. Station 58 units arrived on scene with a fully involved shed several hundred feet from the road with extension into a travel trailer and multiple exposure problems. Field 17 made its way back to the fire and 58 personnel went in service with two of its lines, performing a quick knockdown.

Engine 58 stretched a 3″ line with a wye up the hill and connected and continued stretching an 1.75″ apartment pack and brought it into service. Field 17’s crew stretched a 1.5″ supply line back to the wye and continued operations. Two additional field trucks and a tanker were added.