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At 4:18 AM on Monday, July 27, Fire Associates was requested by Santa Clara County Fire. A structure fire was burning at 13179 Shadow Mountain Drive in Saratoga. Responding in Support Unit 1 was FASCV member, Jerry Haag. Jerry was met on scene by John Whitaker. Jerry has submitted the following account of the incident:
Date: 27 July 2009
Time: 0418 Sonitrol dispatch; 0515 arrival; released at 0700.
Type: Structure fire
Size: Second alarm
Jurisdiction: County Fire (Saratoga's Area)
Location: 13179 Shadow Mountain Dr., Saratoga
Details: Ranch style, single-story, single-family dwelling. Fire most-likely started in a bedroom then spread to attic space. CNT Engine 17 first in, deployed several 1-3/4 and 1-1/2" lines, provided own 5" water supply line from hydrant across the street. Roof was tough to open due to metal, simulated-tile roof covering - but good stop was made. House is repairable. Three adults were displaced.
Units in attendance:
CNT: E-8, E-9, E-17, T-1, T-5, R-17, P-1, P-5, BS-2, HM-2, Batt. 2, Batt. 14
Responding Members: Jerry Haag (driver), John Whitaker Fire Support Unit Responding: FSU-1
Remarks: Donut-run made by Whitaker.
John's photos from the event can be viewed at: CNT - Saratoga House Fire
SJ Merc-News story can be read at: 2-Alarm Fire Controlled
The Fire Associates monthly meeting for July was held at Santa Clara City Fire Department's Station 2. Located at 1900 Walsh Ave., the station features a large training ground, tower and associated classrooms, making it an ideal site for our group meetings.
Our new Support Unit 2 was in attendance for this meeting, as it has for the last several meetings. This is part of our "Thank You Tour" to let all the firefighters in Santa Clara County know how much their donations towards the purchase of the rig were appreciated. The Station 2 crew had a walk-around of the new rig and seemed very impressed with it's capabilities.
Photos from the evening can be viewed at this link: FASCV July Mtg.
At 4:30 AM on Monday, July 13, Santa Clara County Fire requested Fire Associates' assistance at a 2nd-alarm blaze in Cupertino. Jerry Haag responded and has written this account:
Date: 13 July 2009
Time: 0430 Sonitrol dispatch, 0515 arrival, released at 0900.
Type: Structure fire
Size: Second alarm
Jurisdiction: SC County Fire (Cupertino's Area)
Location: 10620 Johansen Ave., Cupertino
Details: Single-story, single-family dwelling. Substantially involved upon arrival of first engine. SJS Engine 15 (first-due, auto-aid) arrived first, deployed two 1-3/4 and one 2-1/2 inch lines. CNT Engine 1, second-due, arrived almost at the same time, dropped a 5" supply line coming in and connected it to Engine 15. Each then stretched an additional 2-1/2 to cover exposures. The house was totally burned out. One elderly X made it out without serious injury. The other victim, a male, did not get out.
Units in attendance:
SJS: E-13
CNT: E-1, E-2, E-7, T-1, T-14, R-17, P-1, BS-2, HM-2, Batt. 2 (B/C Vega) (IC), Batt. 14
Responding FASCV Members: Haag (driver)
Fire Support Unit Responding: FSU-1
Remarks: One firefighter remarked that we are the unit he most likes to see at a fire (other than chopper 106, if it's a grass fire)
A SJ Merc-News story can be read at this link: Paralyzed Veteran Dies In Fire
On Wednesday, July 8, Fire Associates was paged to Mountain View for a third-alarm fire. The following account was submitted by Jerry Haag:
Date: Wed., 08 July 2009
Time: 1010 Sonitrol dispatch, 1030 arrival, released at 1400.
Type: Structure fire
Size: Third alarm
Jurisdiction: Mountain View
Location: 400 Ortega Ave., Mountain View
Details: Three-story apartment building. Fire started on the first floor caused by plumber’s soldering torch. Fire got into vertical, concealed space and spread to third floor and roof space. Engine 1, first-in, took hand-paks to fire location and used the building standpipe. Engine 2, second-due, stretched two 2-1/2" lines to the FDC. Water supply was from a hydrant directly in front of the complex. Sprinklers did not activate because fire was confined to the unsprinklered concealed spaces. Three apartments, vertically stacked, were damaged. Only the apartment on the second floor had a tenant.
Fire units in attendance:
MTV: E-1,2,4,5, T-1, R-1, Batt. 18 (Acting B/C Trammel)
CNT: T-14, Batt. 14 (B/C Vega)
PAF: E-6, E-5, R-2, BS-2, Batt. 6 (B/C Broussard)
MOF: T-6
Overhead Support Team: Canceled enroute, but SJS D/C Dana Reid continued.
Responding FASCV Members: Larry Carr (driver), Jerry Haag; Guest: Bruce Dembecki
Fire Support Unit Responding: FSU-4
Remarks: Tea cup full of fire -- but hard to get at.
Submitted by: Jerry Haag
Photos by Bruce Dembecki at this link: Ortega Fire Photos
A news article from the Mountain View Voice can be viewed at this link: Ortega Building Evacuated
It was 5:20 AM on July 5th, when Fire Associates was paged to a 2nd-alarm fire in San Jose's Almaden Valley. Located at 6484 Cranbrook Court, the fire fully involved a split-level house being rented by the occupants. Arriving on scene with Support Unit 2 was Don Gilbert. He was met on scene by FASCV President, John Whitaker and his son Jeff. Jeff was in town visiting over the Holiday weekend.
Coffee and donuts were the order of the day on a foggy morning. Setting up in Rehab with Med 30 and AMR, Support Unit 2 was located amongst a variety of firefighting equipment midway down the L-shaped cul-de-sac. As usual, FASCV's services were well-received.
The fire began in a lower-level laundry room and quickly spread throughout the entire structure. Just about every room in the large home was affected by fire. However, all occupants were able to escape the inferno.
John Whitaker's photos can be seen at: SJS - Almaden Valley House Fire
A news story from the SJ Merc-News can be viewed at: Two-alarm House Fire
On Thursday, June 25, Fire Associates was paged by San Jose Fire at 3:20 PM to a tier fire in the southeast portion of the city. The fire was located near the intersection of Silver Creek Valley Road and Coyote Road. The command post was set up in a parking lot for the Coyote Creek Trail.
Responding in Support Unit 2 were Don Gilbert and John Whiteside. Also on scene for FASCV were members John Whitaker, Mike Chappell and George Hoyt. Fire Associates' primary responsibility at this event was to order and deliver meals to the weary firefighters. San Jose Asst. Chief Dana Reed handed John Whitaker a credit card and basically said,"There's a Baja Fresh nearby; we need 100 burritos; make it happen." As it turned out, as soon as John and Mike arrived with the burritos, a request was made to return and order 50 more -- making a total of 150 burritos! The meals were delivered to crews in the field by S.J. Battalion Chief Cliff Hubbard and by Fire Associates with the assistance of Spring Valley Volunteer, Ken Cooper. Water and ice were also in demand on a warm summer afternoon. The fire was declared under control at 4:15 PM.
A news story in the Gilroy Dispatch can be viewed at this link: Grass Fire Contained
The KTVU TV webpage has a story and photos at this link: Firefighters Contain Grass Fire
