At about 7am, NIH communications alerted Station 51 for the vehicle accident with injuries near the entrance to campus on Center Drive.  The Engine, Ambulance and Assistant Chief Gibson responded.  As units approached the area, the location was updated to Rockville Pike at Jones Bridge Road, in Montgomery County.  AC Gibson arrived on scene and advised Montgomery that he had 2 vehicles, multiple injuries and entrapments.  Rescue Squad 741 from Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Rescue 1 arrived and began the extrication while 3 additional ambulances from BCC would be needed for transports. 

Hose Tender 751 attended the Maryland State Fireman's Association Rural Water Supply drill held in Smithsburg, MD.  The crew laid out a total of 2700 feet of 5 inch hose over 2 different drafting sites.  It was a good opportunity to use the equipment in a more realistic setting, to work out a few bugs and to show off the rig.  The crew consisted of Assistant Chief Gibson, Capt. Dambrosio, Technicians Byard and Leahy and Retired pun-master Kellum (he's retired, the puns aren't). 

Check out the local news coverage HERE , and look for AC Gibson in the video in the right column.  We should have pictures to add shortly.

AT-751 responded to the report of a house fire with people trapped in the 4900 Blk of Jamestown Court in the Glen Echo area. Units arrived on the scene to find the 2 story house with heavy fire showing from the garage and first floor. AT-751 quickly went to work with ladders, search and rescue and vertical ventilation.

While cutting a vent hole on the roof, Captain Forrester received a minor burn to the back of the neck and was transported to a local hospital. He was released that day and is expected to make a full recovery.

Check out the raw video and images courtesy WUSA9.com’s Greg Guise.

Hazmat 751 was dispatched to assist Montgomery County in Company 15's First Due (Burtonsville).  Units were alerted for the unknown powder.  First arriving crews secured the area, Hazmat 751 teams made entry with assistance from County units and deemed the powder to be harmless.

Tower 751 was dispatched second due for the house fire in the Glen Echo section of Montgomery County MD.  The Tower arrived on side Delta and took their assigned positions.  The crew operated on the third floor, above the fire, opening up walls to expose fire.  Crews then remained on the scene for extensive overhaul.  The driver threw ladders and then assisted with overhaul.  In the course of laddering the rear of the house, MFF Mike Gilroy encountered a slippery, wet, wooden deck that initially prevented the ladder from being safely footed.  MFF Gilroy retrieved a sledge hammer, removed a step, and re-nailed it to the deck to foot the ladder.  See the attached photos.

Staion 51 units were alerted for the fire on the roof of our Building 28.  Units arrived to light smoke showing from a portion of the roof.  The Tower laddered the roof while the Engine crew established water supply and advanced attack lines.  The fire was contained to a small portion of roofing material.

At about 6:30am, Tower 751 was alerted, along with the units from the Bethesda area, for the townhouse fire.  First due companies arrived and found a working fire in an end unit townhouse with no direct street access.  Crews from Tower 751 carried ground ladders through the snow and performed their second due ladder truck responsibilities.  The Tower remained on the scene into the afternoon. 

Crew: Driver- MFF James, Officer- Capt. Gotthardt, LB, RB- MFF's Boyle and Smith.

At 1315 hours, Tower 751 was dispatched mutual aid to Montgomery County for an inside odor of gasoline.  Additional info was given that ambulance 726 from Bethesda was on the scene with multiple sick persons from an unknown odor.  The assignment was continually upgraded until the scope of the incident was realized.  In total, 14 patients were treated with six being transported to local hospitals.  The Tower crew arrived and did a primary search of the main building to ensure evacuation was complete.  The crew of 3 Hazmat Technicians also carried monitoring equipment to try and quickly determine a possible cause of the odor.  Nothing was found on the inside, so command requested the crew ladder the roof and check the overhead equipment.  Again, nothing was found.  Health officials and refrigeration contractors were brought in to further investigate the cause. 

As of this writing, no cause has been determined for the odor.  On the day, station 51 ran 20 calls including an appliance fire and smoke in the building resulting from food on the stove.

The firefighters of the Local F-271 would like to thank the Montgomery County Department of Fire and Rescue for loaning us their Reserve Aerial Tower 18 while our Tower was in the shop for several days.  Over the last year, Montgomery County has been very helpfully to us when we've needed back up apparatus for our Tower, Engine and Ambulance.

While returning from a commercial AFA on Rockledge Drive, Tower 751was stopped at a traffic light on Olde Georgetown Road.  Members were patiently waiting the green light when a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle in the opposite lanes.  Captain Forrester called in the incident to communications while Master FF Lowery dismounted the Tower to prevent the fast approaching traffic from striking the victim again.  Master FF Smith positioned the Tower to protect the scene and the crew initiated patient care until the arrival of the Bethesda Chevy Chase Rescue Squad.

During the month of October, The NIH Fire Department participated in several fire prevention activities.  These included static displays at mutual aid stations around our campus in Montgomery County.  Crews also packaged hundreds of goodie bags for NIH employee's children. 

At about 1300hrs on 9/10/2009, Tower 751 was alerted to assist on the dump truck fire, South bound 270.  The Tower arrived and assisted with final extinguishment and clean up.

Tower 751 was alerted as the first due truck on the box alarm for 10401 Grosvenor Place around 0230hrs.  The tower crew reported to the fire floor with Montgomery County Engine 720 and began to search.  They forced their way into 12 apartments, finding 1 victim who was removed through a window by Tower 751's crew, via Truck 706's aerial ladder.

President Obama came on campus to visit some new labs and make a speech at the NIH Main Hospital building.  Members staged hazmat equipment around campus and also deployed decon assets in predetermined locations.  Ambulance 751 was detailed to the Presidential Motorcade.  In all, the President needed three motorcades around campus.  First, when he arrived from the heliport at the Bethesda National Naval Hospital.  Next, from one entrance of Building 10 to another entrance of building 10.  This was because the Secret Service felt the Main Hospital was too large and too confusing to navigate from the inside.  They felt it would be easier and safer to just reload the motorcade and drive from one side of the hospital to the other.  And finally the motorcade returned the President to the helipad at Navy Med.

At about 1745hrs, Tower 751 was alerted on the Box Assignment for Thornden Terrace in Engine 726's first due (North Bethesda).  Engine 726 arrived to find a single family house, with a working fire on the second floor.  Tower 751 arrived and assumed first due Tower responsibilities- throwing ground ladders, performing searches, opening up for the attack line, placing lights and fans and eventually overhaul.  The Tower remained on the scene approximately 2 hours.  The responding crew was- OIC- Capt. Forrester. Dr.- MFF James. Bucket- MFF- Boyle, Tech Leahy.