Friday afternoon a powerful Winter Storm pounded the Mid Atlantic region bringing Blizzard Conditions as well as ALLOT OF SNOW. Over 30 inches of snow fell throughout the county and the demands for service brought even new challenges. The majority of alarms put PARAMEDIC 55 on the road all over the county as transport units were tied up for an extended period of time. COMPANY 5 had multiple crews in place staffing ENGINE Co. 51 and 52, PARAMEDIC 55, AMBULANCE 56 and UTILITY 5. Due to the severe conditions the Fifth District Volunteer Fire Department reminds community members that if we cannot see your address on your house we will not be able to find you as well as if you know where a fire hydrant is that is under snow please dig it out, we all have to help each other.

What was originally forcasted as a "dusting of snow" quickly turned into a full blown Winter Storm dumping 6" inches of snow. The surprising conditions lead to a lot of motor vehicle accidents placing a high demand for service in the County. Company 5 maintained two (2) suppression crews and two (2) EMS crews staffing both ambulances.

COMPANY 5 spent the day doing multiple details and training including repairing a damaged Dry Hydrant and conducting a formal drill on HCFR's new General Order 310.02 covering Structure Fires in High Rise Buildings. A good time was had by all and COMPANY 5 maintained dedicated crews for the following units: ENGINE Co. 51 and 52, RESCUE SQUAD 5, PARAMEDIC 55 and AMBULANCE 56.

All members are requested to enter their availability in Code Scheduling for the remainder of the month. Members may refer to the "Staffing" tab on the left hand side for approved Duty Crews. Thanks again for all your activity and support of the FDVFD.

Shortly after 2330 hrs. BOX ALARM 5-5 was struck for a reported BARN ON FIRE in the 14000 blk. of Howard Road bringing ENGINE Co. 51, TANKER 5, RESCUE SQUAD 5, BRUSH 58, and PARAMEDIC 55. First arriving units found a small out building fully involved and partially collapsed with live stock reportedly still inside. The fire was quickly brought under control and contained; not extending to any other structures. The structure was a loss however, civilians on scene were able to evacuate some of the animals prior to arrival. COMPANY 5's units were on scene till just before midnight until returning to service.

Minutes after 2200 hrs. COMPANY 5 was alerted for a reported Motor Vehicle Accident in the 5400 blk. of Shepards Lane with a report of the VEHICLE ON FIRE. COMPANY 5 responded quickly with four (4) crews to discover a single vehicle that had gone Head-On into a large tree and started a fire in the engine compartment. The Single Patient had been removed from the vehicle prior to our arrival and was handled by AMBULANCE 56 and PARAMEDIC 55, RESCUE SQUAD 5 held the fire in check with extinguishers until ENGINE Co. 51 arrived and mopped up the fire. The incident was quickly mitigated and Units were back in service in no time.

Shortly after 0730 hrs. a Mutual Aid Request was placed for TANKER 5 to respond on the WATER SUPPLY TASK FORCE ALARM for a HOUSE ON FIRE in Laytonsville. TANKER 5 responded quickly and supplied units on the scene with three loads of water before being placed in service. Also on the Alarm was Lisbon ENGINE Co. 41 who filled the tanker from an in-ground cistern tank near the incident. COMPANY 5 responded on additional incidents while the Tanker was gone.

Minutes after 0400 hrs. with a HIGH WIND ADVISORY in affect the stage was set for BOX ALARM 5-4 for a REPORTED HOUSE ON FIRE in the 6400 blk. of Richardson Farm Lane. ENGINE Co. 51 arrived on location to find a WIND FED FIRE in a two story, wood frame, detached, single family home with FIRE SHOWING from the SECOND FLOOR and THROUGH THE ROOF. The Fire was so intense it damaged the DELTA EXPOSURE and threatened multiple homes. A SECOND ALARM and TANKER TASK FORCE was quickly struck as this home was not near a municipal hydrant. Crews went to work containing the fire in the original fire building as well as protecting other nearby homes. With extreme cold and treacherous conditions units were forced to work initially with a Nurse Tanker Operation before transitioning to a nearly one mile relay operation from a municipal hydrant. It took a while to bring the incident under control and crews worked through the morning to control the blaze. With Icy Conditions quickly formed a Firefighter was injured in a fall and required to be medavaced to University of Maryland Medical Systems Baltimore Shock Trauma due to their injuries. Thankfully the personnel has been treated and is going to be ok. Units performed above expectations as conditions were in the extreme category with 40(+) mph wind gusts and sustained winds greater than (30) mph and temperatures hovering in the lower teens. COMPANY 5 maintained multiple crews and operated for greater than eight hours on this alarm. Thanks to all companies and personnel for their efforts during this alarm. With the below freezing temperatures it made clean up virtually impossible requiring all lines laid and used to be thawed before being placed back in service. UNITS ON THE ALARM: ENGINE Co. 51, ENGINE Co. 52, TANKER 55, BRUSH 58, UTILITY 5, PARAMEDIC 55, CHIEF 5, CHIEF 5A and CHIEF 5B.

The Latest Round of Winter Weather started early in the morning setting the stage for a busy rush hour and challenging road conditions. COMPANY 5 was prepared with multiple crews and maintained them throughout the day. Shortly after 1100 hrs. RESCUE ALARM 5-4 was sounded for a single vehicle that had run off the road and over turned near the woods with a Person Trapped Inside. The incident was in the area of Brighton Dam Rd. and Highland Rd. Units from COMPANY 5 arrived on location to find a single vehicle on its side with a person inside the vehicle complaining of no injuries but unable to get out. The Rescue Squad went to work stabilizing the vehicle and removed the windshield to assist the patient with getting out. PARAMEDIC 55 was held to obtain the refusal and the assignment was placed in service. UNITS ON THE ABOVE ALARM: ENGINE Co. 51, RESCUE SQUAD 5, PARAMEDIC 55, CHIEF 5A and CHIEF 5B. Throughout the day crews responded on alarms, cleaned the station and conducted the usual apparatus / equipment checks. The weather passed quickly and a quiet NEW YEARS EVE was in the works.

Shortly before 1000 hrs. TANKER 5 was alerted to respond on the MONTGOMERY COUNTY 17 BOX for a reported HOUSE ON FIRE in the 2700 blk. of Triadelphia Lake Drive. First arriving units arrived to find a two story, single family, wood frame, detached dwelling with SMOKE AND FIRE SHOWING. A TANKER TASK FORCE and FIRE TASK FORCE was alerted bringing ENGINE Co. 51, Howard County Tankers 3 and 11, Engine Tanker 44 and Engine Co. 111 to the scene. ENGINE Co. 51 was put to work in DIVISION I of the structure as TANKER 5 hauled multiple loads of water. COMPANY 5 maintained additional crews while crews worked in Montgomery County and units cleared within two hours.

Shortly after 1200 hrs. BOX ALARM 5-2 was transmitted for a reported HOUSE FIRE in the 6800 blk. of Rosyln Court. ENGINE Co. 51 arrived on location to find a two (2) story wood frame, detached, single family home with FIRE SHOWING from the garage. The Companies quickly went to work placing a line on the fire and quickly controlling the fire in the Garage. With no further extension command held ENGINE Co. 51 and TOWER Co. 7 for the wrap up.

www.FDVFD.com is excited to announce that now you can view RESCUE SQUAD 5 up close in the GALLERY section of the website.

Around 1745 hours while members were preparing for the Department's Annual Banquet a RESCUE ALARM was sounded for an accident with one trapped on Scaggsville Rd in the area of Pindell School Road. ENGINE Co. 51, RESCUE SQUAD 5, PARAMEDIC 56 and CHIEF 5A all responded on the call and arrived to find a two vehicle accident with one victim trapped in their car. The extrication process had been already been started by COMPANY 11 and was finished up with the Spreaders and Cutters from COMPANY 5.

In the early morning hours of November 1st COMPANY 5 was alerted for a shooting in the 11500 blk. of Manorstone Lane. Units arrived to find one Priority 4 victim and one Priority 1 patient. See the Official Police Statement for further. NEWS RELEASE HOWARD COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF POLICE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS For release: Nov. 2, 2009 Contact: Sherry Llewellyn sllewellyn@howardcountymd.gov Police arrest two involved in homicide at Halloween party Howard County police arrested two men overnight and charged them in the shooting death of a man at a Halloween party in Columbia early Sunday morning. Devin, a.k.a. “Devon,” O’Brian Dixon, 22, of 8014 Paul Martin Drive in Elkridge, was charged with the murder of Aaron Brice and the attempted murder of Nathaniel Quick,who may be paralyzed as a result of his injury. Dean Schroyer, 21, also of 8014 Paul Martin Drive in Elkridge, was charged as an accessory to the murder after the fact and a drug violation. Police received multiple calls from partygoers at a home in the 11500 block of Manorstone Lane around 1:15 a.m. Nov. 1 indicating that shots had been fired at the residence. Police responded to the scene and found more than 100 people at the house. They located Brice deceased in the driveway and Quick suffering from a gunshot wound in the basement. Investigators spent hours talking to partygoers and gathering information about the incident. Through investigation, detectives received information that identified Dixon as the shooter and Schroyer as the driver of the car in which Dixon fled from the party after the shooting. Detectives believe an unknown altercation may have lead to the shooting. Investigators served a search warrant at the suspects’ home and seized a handgun that may have been used in the shooting. Police also seized approximately three pounds of marijuana, leading to a drug possession charge for Schroyer. Dixon was charged with murder, attempted murder, and assault, and is being held at the Howard County Detention Center on no bond. Schroyer was charged with being an accessory to murder after the fact and drug possession, and is being held at the same detention center on $50,000 bond.

At 1600 hours Box Alarm 5-4 was sounded for a reported HOUSE ON FIRE in the 13000 blk. of Isle of Mann Way bringing ENGINE COMPANIES 51, 52, TANKER 5, and PARAMEDIC 55.

ENGINE Co. 52 arrived on location to find a two story, wood frame, detached single family home with SMOKE SHOWING from SIDE-A and FIRE SHOWING from SIDE-C.  The crews from COMPANY 5, 7, 11 and 3 worked well together to knock down the fire and bring it under control.  Water supply was established via relay and tanker shuttle operations and units operated on the Fire Scene for approximately 3 hrs. before returning to service.