FASCV Called to Milpitas for Gas Line Break

 
Date and Time: 03-24-2013, 1514 hours
Agency: Milpitas Fire
Incident Address: 1226 Lassen Ave., Milpitas
Type: First alarm, special call
 
Agency Responders:
MLP: E-1, 2; T-1, 4; USAR-1; XSC Medic-35; IC-Batt 19 (B/C Fraley)
SJS responded for station coverage
 
Details: Gas line break at single-family dwelling. Nearby dwellings evacuated, including a home for physically impaired persons. VTA provided a bus for removal of individuals to a temporary shelter. Red Cross also responded.
 
FASCV Responding Units: FSU-1. Arrived: 1537, released: 1658 hours.
FASCV Responders: Ron Green, Jerry Haag, George Hoyt, Mike Wagner (driver) and Dan Wong.
 
-- Report submitted by Jerry Haag
 

Sunnyvale Firefighters Tackle Blaze In Light Industrial Building

    
Date and Time: 03-16-2013, 1120 hours
Agency: Sunnyvale Fire
Incident Address: 285 Sobrante Way, Sunnyvale
Type: Second alarm
   
Agency Responders:
SNY: E-1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 30, 60; T-1, 2; R-2; XSC Medic-14; IC-Batt 30 (Andrade)
SNC and MTV responded for station coverage
   
Details: Multiple-occupant, light-industrial building, tilt-up walls, with a wood roof on glulam. One unit substantially involved upon arrival of first fire crew. Two elevated streams and several ground lines applied. Three hydrants used. Surrounding units saved.
  
FASCV Responding Units: FSU-1. Arrived: 1140, released: 1400 hours.
FASCV Responders: Larry Carr, Ron Green, Bob Gundrum (driver), Jerry Haag, Dan Wong and Walter Huber (guest).
   
-- Report submitted by Jerry Haag
    

Los Altos Hills Location Proves Difficult for Responding Fire Crews

  
Date and Time: 03-05-2013, 1216 hours
Agency: County Fire
Incident Address: 26890 Alejandro Drive, Los Altos Hills
Type: Second alarm equivalent
    
Agency Responders:
CNT: E-2, 15, 16; R-14, 17; HM-2; U-6, 22; Batt. 2 (IC- B/C Miller), Batt. 14
PAF: E-5, 6; T-6; R-2; Medic-1, Batt. 6
    
Details: Large, two-story, single-family, frame dwelling. Well-involved upon arrival of first fire company. PAF Batt. 6 was first chief on the scene, followed by CNT R-14 and E-16 which dropped a long 5" supply line up the steep street and driveway and made initial fire attack. Batt 2 soon arrived after a long response up I-280 from Los Gatos and commanded the fire from Batt. 6 vehicle while Batt. 6 assumed Fire Attack. Great interagency cooperation.
  
The usual problems of access and narrow roads and driveway -- common in the hills. Building was extensively damaged. John Whiteside and Jerry Haag were both monitoring CNT Primary and Command 22 and noted full first alarm response by both CNT and PAF and report of working fire. John called dispatch and asked if Fire Associates Rehab needed. Answer was an enthusiastic, "Yes". Jerry was already heading to SNC Station 9 to stand by in case of a second alarm. Jerry was joined by Dan Wong at the station. Response was prompt and timely despite long run. Sandwiches were ordered by IC and picked up from Togo's by Larry Carr.
   
FASCV Responding Units: FSU-1. Arrived: 1245, released: 1615 hours.
FASCV Responders: Larry Carr, Jerry Haag (driver), George Hoyt, and Dan Wong.

• ABC7 news story can be read at:  Los Altos Hills Fire
    
•  A Los Altos Patch news story is at:  2-Alarm Fire

   -- Report submitted by Jerry Haag
 

Small Fire Results in Third Alarm

  



Photo By John Whitaker



Santa Clara County Fire responded to a small kitchen fire in Campbell on Saturday night, March 2. Located at 1655 S. Winchester Blvd., the fire was on the 12th floor of Wesley Manor. But, the fire was not the main problem. The blaze was doused by the senior living facility's fire sprinkler system and it was that system that caused the third alarm and the main workload for responding emergency crews.

Arriving firefighters found the blaze extinguished...and water flowing all the way down into the ground floor lobby. With the building's elevators forced out of commission by the water, firefighters had to be dispatched to all 12 floors to assess damage and evacuate "victims" down many flights of stairs.

Fire Associates was paged at 11:00 P.M. and John Whiteside and Don Gilbert responded in Fire Support Unit 2. Rehab was set up in a nearby parking lot with several Rural/Metro EMS units and supervisors on standby to assist residents and tired fire crews. Assisting in Rehab were FASCV members Jerry Haag, George Hoyt, Dan Wong, John Whitaker, and guest, Walter Huber.

Rehab attendance was slow until all the water had been "moped up" and displaced residents had been attended to. Then, the flood gates of people descended on Rehab and the place got very busy. Several pots of coffee were quickly consumed along with cold water, Gatorade and the several dozen donuts brought to the fire scene.  Once all the crews were through Rehab, FSU-2 packed up and was en route back to quarters shortly after 1:00 A.M.

• John's photos can be viewed at:  Wesley Manor
    
• An ABC7 news story can be read at:  Fire Results in 3rd Alarm

-- Report submitted by John Whitaker