We have received confirmation of the award of a 2012 PA State Grant in the amount of $12,297.83. This grant will allow the Fire Company to replace the current dilapidated Protective Clothing storage racks. The storage racks are made of wood and provide no ventilation and little protection for the safety of our protective clothing. The new racks will be of metal and portable. When our new station is built the racks will easily be transferred. This grant will improve our storage, protection and donning of our protective clothing.

On this final day of 2011 and as the clock counts down to 2012, we wish everyone a Happy, Prosperous, and Fire Safe New Year.

We have received a shipment of smoke detectors from TV 27 News of which we are grateful for their support of our services.

 To acquire a free smoke detector: Call 717-285-4929 – leave a message if no answer or email request to: firechief@westhempfieldfire.com .

We  remind everyone to change the batteries in your smoke detectors each time of the season when you change your clocks change the battery and test the smoke detector monthly.

“In 2003-2006, roughly two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from home fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
- No smoke alarms were present in 40% of the home fire deaths.
- In 23% of the home fire deaths, smoke alarms were present but did not sound.” (Provided by the National Fire Protection Association

“In more than half of the reported home fires in which the smoke alarms were present but did not operate even though the fire was large enough, batteries were missing or disconnected. Nuisance alarms were the leading reason for disconnected alarms.” (Provided by the National Fire Protection Association

On Tuesday, November 15, the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners and Commissioners from other Counties unveiled South Central Alert.  This is an eight County regional mass notification system to be used to notify the public of serious emergencies.   It will enable Emergency Management officials to get disaster information to the general public in many cases.

The system currently has residential and business phone numbers from the white and yellow pages.  If a resident or business has an unlisted number, Voice over IP service such as Vonage, or does not have a wired line phone, they must register and enter the phone numbers into the system.

Lancaster County Citizens are urged to register their cell phones, texting devices and other communication methods in the secure system.  To do so, citizens should go to

https://www.sctfpa.org/scalert  and click on the link to sign up for alerts.  You can list up to five locations for which you want to be notified and up to 10 different methods for contacting them.  A video has been developed explaining the system and can be seen on YouTube at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6wZUu6fQZE.

The system will provide early warnings and information, but does have some limitation.  For example, a county wide warning such as a Tornado, may take over 90 minutes for messages to be sent out due to the sheer number of calls, however,  a local emergency warning can go out in a matter of seconds,.  The system is another tool to convey clear, accurate information to our citizens in an emergency.

On Tuesday Nov. 1 dispatched at 8:47 PM to a reported unknown type fire at 4448 Miller Drive which is the Bridge Valley Park  located in the Farmdale area of the Township. Upon arrival found a small fire under a kids recreational play set. Fire was quickly extinguished and is under investigation.

On Sunday October 30 dispatched at 6:15 PM to a reported vehicle accident with entrapment on Chickies Hill Road, State Route 441 in the Township. Upon arrival found a 1 vehicle accident and vehicle was overturned on it’s side. Occupant was out of the vehicle. Crews provided fire protection and stabilized the vehicle. Susquehanna Valley EMS provided medical service. Columbia No. 1 Fire Company assisted  on the call. Under investigation by West Hempfield Police.

On October 16, a simulated MCI (Mass Casualty Incident) was conducted at DeSales University near Allentown.  This was a for-credit activity for nursing students from DeSales and nearby Ceder Crest College.  WHFR EMT Sara Wright participated in the MCI as a member of DeSales EMS, which coordinated the event.  DeSales EMS, a certified QRS (Quick Response Service), is run by student volunteers and responds to medical emergencies on the DeSales campus.  The link below is to a video of local news coverage of the MCI.

http://www.wfmz.com/news/news-regional-lehighvalley/Local-college-held-emergency-drill/-/132502/3371520/-/5qlqpi/-/index.html

A Fire Prevention Week / Community Day Program was held on Saturday, October 15^th, 2011 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM  at Silver Spring Park to demonstrate to the public our capabilities and to allow them to interact with our firefighters. This event was also used as a recruitment tool to obtain more members. Fire Truck Rides were provided for Children,  Candy Drop from a Ladder Truck, a visit by WOOFER the Fire Rescue Dog and a landing and demonstration by Life Lion Medical Helicopter from Hershey Medical Center. This event was a great success for both the public and the fire service.

On Saturday October 8th at 11:08 PM dispatched to a reported vehicle accident with entrapment at 4403 Marietta Avenue in the Township. Upon arrival found a vehicle into a structure. No occupants of the house were injured. Driver of vehicle treated by Susquehanna Valley EMS. Secured accident site and under investigation by West Hempfield PD.

On October 2nd at 1:50 AM dispatched to assist Mountville Fire Department on a vehicle accident with entrapment at 1804 Stony Battery Road in the Township. Assisted with a Squad and a Traffic Unit.

Incident involved a vehicle into a house and was a fatal accident.

On Sunday September 11 members participated in the Lancaster County to remember 9-11 at Clipper Magazine Stadium in Lancaster City.

Clipper Magazine Stadium hosted the all day remembrance event “Never Forget 9-11, Spirit of America” to commemorate the 10 years of sacrifice that friends and families of the deceased of the Terror Attacks on this country were forced to endure. The event was sponsored by the Fred F. Groff funeral home.

The day began at 9 a.m. with Lancaster’s first 9-11 Memorial Stair Climb in which 343 volunteers to match the number of firefighters killed on 9-11. Members climbed 110 flights of stairs to recognize the NYFD members who climbed the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center on 9-11.

On Thursday September 8th dispatched to a reported occupants trapped in a flooded house at 4130 Siegrist Road in the Township. Assistant Chief Ney was on scene and the occupants of the house asked for removal due to raising water.

A Boat from the Columbia No. 1 was used to remove the occupants.

Remnants of Tropical Storm Lee came through the County on Wednesday September 7th and dropped any where from 5 – 8 plus inches of rain in a short period of time. This caused numerous water problems including many calls for public assistance with flooding. Our streams overflowed and several bridges were damage along with flooding of the Susquehanna River. It has been a very busy time for this station and all stations throughout Lancaster County. We have many exhausted firefighters. However the job was accomplished. 

On Sunday September 4th at 10:38 PM dispatched to a reported vehicle fire at 1300 Stony Battery Road in the Township. 

Upon arrival found a small automobile with the engine compartment fully involved. The fire was quickly extinguished and the cause is under investigation. 

The Columbia Water Company has rescinded  the  Boil Your Water Before Using. This notice is for all Township residents served by Columbia Water.

For more information you can visit the web site www.columbiawaterco.com or phone 717-684-2188.

On Friday at 5:50 PM dispatched to a reported motorcycle accident at Indian Springs Drive and Corporate Blvd. in the Township. Upon arrival found a motorcycle on the roadway with injured rider and no other vehicles involved. Motorcyclists treated and transported to the hospital by Susquehanna Valley EMS. Fire assisted EMS and provided spill control and clean up. Accident under investigation by West Hempfield Police.