Its nothing new to us or any of the other local Fire Departments to be summoned at least a few times each summer for "spill Control." Usually to find piles of greasy liquid leftovers that have been tracked for blocks down the road, from the food making process at Tyson Foods in New Holland. Trucks get loaded up and head towards Valley Protein In Terre Hill to process this  mess into many things including animal feeds.  Unfortunately it doesn't always all make it there.

This call was odd due to it being Winter time when things don't usually get quite so "soupy." This was ok though because it helped keep the smell down while clean up happened.

Only in Lancaster County.........

On Monday evening, members gathered in the meeting room of Station 1 for a classroom power point session on Truck Co. Operations by Lt. Kuenzli. Topics covered included, the 9 functions of a Truck Co, riding assignments, Truck Co. tools, all around fire ground operations of a Truck Co., and the expectations of ours on a fire scene.

In attendance to this training, was FF Matt Boley. This was the first Monday evening Matt got to spend with everyone after returning home from another tour in the middle east with his unit from the Army Reserves. Now home again, Matt plans on spending overdue quality time with his wife and their son, along with getting back into the swing of things around the firehouse. We are grateful for your dedication to your Country and Community! Thank You!

Also in attendance was FF/EMT Anthony Farrell. He decided to spend his last evening at home with us, doing training. Firefighter Farrell shipped out at 5 AM Tuesday morning, for MEPS and made his journey to South Carolina where he will be in Basic until May.  Good luck, and we hope they make a man out of you! On a serious note, we look forward to your return in the the spring! FF/EMT Farrell has been the backbone of our renovations for our old gear room and  has been working on banquet material that he wont even be here to see, Thank you for your dedication as well!

Engine 3-9-1 was requested by our good friends at Gap Fire (Sta. 4-2) to come hang out for a few hours along with an Eng. from Willow Street Fire (Sta. 5-12) while the members of Gap attended their annual Company awards banquet. This year their banquet was held at Shady Maple.

The crews from 3-9 and 5-12 did not run can any calls for service in the 4 hour stan-by event. The stand by crews were very greatful for the free dinner that Gap had set up for us at a local pizza and sub shop though!

Crew photos courtesy: Gap Fire Co. website.

Once the temps. hold steady below freezing and the local ponds freeze over, many of them turn into ice skating rinks. Through out history we have been fortunate with a minimal number of emergencies on the ice. That does not mean we arent equipped or trained to handle these unique emergencies.

Members met at Station 1 to go over all of the water/ice rescue equipment carried on the apparatus, also covered were basic techniques of weight distribution and operations on and around the ice. Once the overview was completed crews loaded up and headed to a local pond to suit up and practice victom removal from a hole in the ice and also self rescue from a hole in the ice.

Just after 18:30 hrs Eng. 3-9-1, Rescue 3-9 and EMS were sent to Brubaker Ave. & Diller Ave. for a 2 vehicle injury crash. Chief 3-9 (Martin) arrived and confirmed a 2 vehicle head-on crash with multiple patients. Engine 3-9-1 arrived behind Amb. 3-9-1 and began de-energizing the vehicles, providing fluid control and assiting EMS. Rescue 3-9's driver set up lighting while the crew assisted Eng. 1 and EMS. Crews cleared the scene in a little over a half hour.

Each year, the members of the Fire Co. meet at Yoders Restaurant for a Steak dinner before conducting our monthly business and relief meetings. This is also the evening when all elected offices take effect for the year. There have been changes in both elected positions on the administrative side and appointed positions on the operations side of the dept.

Administrative Offices for 2010 are as follows:

• President - Stefan A. Kuenzli
• 1st. V.P. - Amador Cruz
• 2nd. V.P. - Tom Helmick
• Secretary - Norm Brower
• Asst. Secretary - Gary Skau
• Treasurer - Brian Johnson
• Asst. Treasurer - Colleen Fryer
• County Delegates - Jack Rutter, Kirk Neidermyer
• Alt. County Delegates - Troy Kauffman, Dennis Gaul
• State Delegate - Jack Rutter
• Alt. State Delegate - Kirk Neidermyer

Board Of Trustees for 2010:

• Jeff Sensenig
• Duane Reynolds
• Irvan Martin
• Darryl Keiser
• Kirk Neidermyer
• Ivan King

Operational Officers for 2010:

• Fire Chief - Larry Martin
• Deputy Chief - Jeff Martin
• Asst. Chief - Ray Harnish
• Chief Engineer - Dave Groff
• Capt. 391 - Mike Fryer
• Capt. 392 - Butch Johnston
• Capt. 393 - Darryl Keiser
• Lt. 391 - Stefan Kuenzli
• Lt. 392 - Earl Witmer
• Fire Police Capt. - Norm Brower
• Fire Police Lt. - Kirk Neidermyer

Very big thank you to all the members stepping down from both elected and appointed positions for the hard work put forth during your time of office to not only maintain but to help keep this dept. progressing forward into the future!

Paul L. Eberly
2009-12-25

Paul L. Eberly of East Earl, PA died on Christmas Day at the age of 66 at
Lancaster General Hospital. Born July 5, 1943, he was the oldest surviving
son of Norman and Ruth Eberly. He was receiving treatment for cancer since
2007 at Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Philadelphia. He was a member
of Groffdale Mennonite Church and most recently attended Christian
Fellowship in New Holland, PA. Paul retired from Case North America (CNA)
after working 36 years in the welding department. He worked for J.B.
Zimmerman & Sons in Blue Ball for 8 years and most recently provided Amish
Taxi services with Jan's Vans. Paul was active in both New Holland Volunteer
Fire Company and Blue Ball Volunteer Fire Company for the past 50 years. He
served in numerous capacities including Chief Engineer at both Companies as
well as serving as Trustee and County Delegate at Blue Ball. Paul was
preceded in death by his parents, Norman and Ruth Eberly; a brother, Leon;
and a sister, Roseanne. Surviving in addition to his wife Janet (Landis)
Eberly are three children: Paul Michael married to Mary Farmer of Brighton,
Michigan; Dawn Marie married to David L. Wampler of Bowie, MD; Frederick Lee
married to Tonya Zehr of Lititz, PA; and also seven grandchildren. Paul is
also survived by a brother, Glenn married to Sharon Frankhouser; and his
sisters: Marian married to George Eisenberger, Joyce married to Gene Nolt,
Darlene married to Ronald Lapp, Karen married to Robert Frank and Thelma
Eberly. Public viewings will be held on Tuesday evening, December 29th from
6-9 pm and Wednesday morning, December 30th from 9-10 am at Christian
Fellowship Church, 758 Spruce Road, New Holland. A funeral service will
begin at 10:00am on Wednesday, December 30th at Christian Fellowship Church.
Interment will follow the funeral service at Groffdale Mennonite Church 168
N. Groffdale Road, Leola. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to
Blue Ball Fire Company, PO Box 250, Blue Ball, PA 17506. To send the family
condolences visit us at www.groffeckenroth.com. Arrangements by Groff-High
Funeral Home, New Holland.
 

Just after 16:30 hrs. Station 3-9, Eng. 3-2-2 (Blue Ball), Truck 4-2 (Gap), Rescue 4-8 (Ronks) and EMS were dispatched to 146 E. Franklin St. to the New Holland Apartments for the reported building on fire. As units went en route county advised of a Christmas tree on fire in apartment 215. Truck 3-9 arrived and accessed the courtyard and had smoke showing from apartment 218. The crew entered the apartment and encountered heavy smoke and no heat with multiple sprinkler heads off in the apartment. The crew conducted a quick search and located the burnt Christmas tree and pulled it from the apartment. Meanwhile Eng. 3-9-2 advanced a line to the fire apartment and assisted with wedging sprinklers.

The incident was placed under control with all units operating. Crews from 3-9 began removing belongings from the fire apartment while crews from 3-2, 4-2, and 4-8 began salvage operations in the adjoining apartment and the community room. All units cleared the scene at 18:22. The incident was turned over to Maintenance, Complete Restorations & Commonwealth fire protection. Red Cross was notified for the tenants of the apartment.

While Crews were operating at the fire, Eng. 3-1-1 (Bareville) and Rescue 4-2 were dispatched to 312 W. Main St. for a Vehicle accident. Chief 3-9 left the fire and checked with PD who deemed no fire services needed and those units were recalled.

As members were spending a good Christmas evening with their families Air 3-9 was dispatched as part of the 2nd Alarm assignment for the working barn fire on Conestoga Creek Rd. in West Earl Twp. assisting Sta. 3-5 (Farmersville).  Air 3-9 assisted at the scene with filling air cylinders and also with suppression efforts. The Air truck operated on the scene for a little over 2 hours before being released by command.

While the Air was operating at the scene Engine 3-9-2 took the Eng. Co. transfer to Sta. 3-5 while they worked the fire.

At 17:08 Engine 3-9-1, Rescue 3-9, two ambulances from 3-9 EMS and Medic-9 were dispatch to the intersection of Peters and New Holland for a motor vehicle accident with possible entrapment. Deputy 3-9 (Martin) arrived on scene and reported two vehicles involved, one on its roof with one confined. The engine and rescue crews stabilized the vehicle, popped the driver's door and removed the "C" post and rear door. The medium and high pressure air bags were set up in case the vehicle needed to be lifted. The patient was removed from the vehicle. Units cleared the scene at 18:21.