Friday, June 27, 2014

Early Planning by FASCV Members Resuilts In Quick Response

   
Photo By John Whiteside
On Thursday, June 26, Don Gilbert and John Whiteside discussed the fact they would be the only drivers available for the southern portion of the county until Sunday morning and agreed to a response plan if dispatched.
   
The next afternoon, at 2:05 P.M., San Jose Fire dispatched a full first alarm to a four-plex located at 778 Warring Drive, with a cross street of Playa Del Rey. Included with the dispatch was a report of possibly one person still inside the mostly two-story structure. A second alarm from San Jose was quickly requested and eventually a third alarm was dispatched. The third alarm request was filled by Santa Clara County Fire Department’s Los Gatos fire stations due to other calls being worked by San Jose fire crews.
    
Don had been monitoring the call and alerted John, who was doing his Friday volunteer work at the Cal Fire's Morgan Hill Emergency Command Center. With both FASCV members listening to the radio traffic, the fire sounded like it would escalate in alarm level. When John heard the third alarm being struck, he began the drive back to San Jose to pick up Fire Support Unit 3 from Station 35. Don drove to Station 6 to get FSU-2. 
   
Photo By 111th Aerial & Architectural Photography
They were met on scene by FASCV member Dan Wong and guest, Ken Needham. Benches were set up in the shade for Rehab and with the hot weather, lots of cold bottled water, Gatorade, lemonade, and CLIF Bars were dispensed during the 3 hours that the FSUs were on scene.
    
Elevated master streams from Trucks 9 and 13 were used extensively as well as multiple ground hose lines to extinguish and prevent spread of the fire to adjacent four-plexs. A steel roof made access and extinguishment difficult, especially after the roof collapsed. Eleven people were displaced and provided assistance by the Red Cross.
    
The FSUs were released around 1800 and returned to their quarters. Don had to replenish the depleted ice supply at Station 6 before he could clear the call and return home.
 -- Report Submitted by John Whiteside