PEARL RIVER, NY – A GoFundMe page has now been set up for Matt VanOrden, a 20-Year-Old Pearl River Volunteer Firefighter who was severely injured while working on a driveway on Dec 5, 2019. VanOrden, would fall over 25 feet into an abandoned well. According to authorities, he was trapped in the well for over […]
By Barry Warner Firefighters are exposed to the most hazardous of situations and greatest risk procedures during emergency scene operations. To ensure that firefighters do not become victims, the Chief Commander must engage in the operations, recognize the hazards and address them in a proactive manner. “I served as a firefighter for 10 years, an […]
By Barry Warner Emergency calls can come in at any time of the day or night and must be dealt with immediately. Firefighters must be experts in getting themselves dressed in the appropriate gear and mounting the emergency vehicles quickly. These emergency calls can involve a host of challenges including structure fires, auto accidents, brush […]
BY BARRY WARNER A growing number of women are climbing tall aerial ladders and rescuing Rockland County residents from smoky rooms as members of volunteer fire companies. People who call 911 are not concerned about the gender of the firefighter who responds and rescues those plagued by a fire emergency. “Megan Zarcone joined in 2010 […]
BY BARRY WARNER Firefighters who fight structure fires have to deal with an additional challenge this week: the excessive heat wave. Firefighters wear heavy turnout gear that makes it difficult to stay cool. They have to be fully encapsulated with no area of skin exposed to blistering temperatures. Through mutual-aid or agreement with other departments, […]
BY BARRY WARNER As the Orangeburg Fire District Chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners, Kenneth Gordon has the obligation of ensuring that the Fire District has the ability to extinguish and prevent fires. He makes decisions with the other commissioners on the board concerning fire safety, including the expenditure of funds to ensure protection […]