Sterling Volunteer Fire Company

Just after 8:30pm Engine 618 and Ambulance 625 (SVRS) were alerted for an auto accident near Costco in Sterling. As they were responding Engine 611 was dispatched along with Trauma 625 for a second auto accident near station 618. Tower 611 had just departed station 618 and responded to the initial accident, allowing Engine 618 to take the closer accident. Engine 611 diverted to the initial accident with Tower 611. Both accidents were two vehicle accidents with minor injuries. While Engine and Tower 611 were working the accident near Costco motorists reported another accident a few blocks away. Engine 611 remained with the initial accident and Tower 611 went to investigate the third reported accident. They found a three vehicle accident with minor injuries spread out over 200 feet of roadway. Amblulance 615 was dispatched to the 3rd accident, and additional law enforcement was requested to help safely manage traffic over such a large scene.

Engine 618 on the scene

During a fairly busy Saturday shift for Crew 3, including assorted EMS calls, training, etc. Quint 618 was alerted for an auto accident around 11:30am. They arrived on scene to find that a vehicle had struck a fire hydrant which in turn struck another vehicle.

Just before 3am on Sunday morning Engine 611 was alerted for a pedestrian struck in the area of Routes 28 and 267. Initial reports were for a pedestrian struck and multiple accidents. Units arrived on scene to find a single accident with a pedestrian fatality. The scene was turned over to law enforcement for their investigation. The following morning Engine 611, now staffed by Crew 5, returned to the scene to assist with the final stages of the investigation.

Later that afternoon, Engine 618 was dispatched for a shooting in Countryside, assisting with initial patient care and on standby to provide a landing zone should a flyout be necessary.

Hydrant sheared off and lying in front of the postal truck

On Sunday, October 14th, Engine 624, SERV 611, Engine 618, and Tanker 618 were in Algonkian Park for a reported zombie outbreak. They were participating in a Zombie 5K, where runners wear flag football style flags and are chased by zombies attempting to take their flags through a 5K obstacle course. Crew 3 took this opportunity to train using the new Tanker 618. Since there are no hydrants in the area where they were operating an alternative water source needed to be found. SERV 611 was stationed on the boat ramp and was drafting water from the Potomac River to supply Engine 624. This water source was supplemented by Tanker 618 shuttling water from a hydrant located outside the park.

Tanker 618 dumps water into a drop tank

Members of SVFC and the Zombie Horde

See the rest of the photo set HERE.

During a typical Friday night shift the volunteers of Crew 3 took over from the career staff at 6:00pm. Equipment checkout was followed by dinner. After that the evening was spent on the annual “get ready for open house” activity of focusing on a specific unit, in this case Tower 611, and making sure it’s washed, waxed, all the tools are in good condition, and performing the minor or cosmetic maintenance that gets overlooked throughout the rest of the year. This also serves at a training opportunity, training new members (and reminding old members) on the many tools we carry, where they are stored, and how to use and maintain them. The first call of the shift came just before midnight when Engine 618 was dispatched for an auto accident. Engine 618 also got the second call of the shift, an EMS call at 2:15am. Engine 611 went out for a tree on fire at 4:30am. The volunteers from Crew 4 relieved Crew 3 at 7:00am Saturday morning.

Photos by: Alex Krosse

About 1 hour after the storm calls ceased a citizen called station 611 to report a generator in a parking lot leaking fluid. The citizen was advised to call 911. The 911 dispatchers are trained to ask the proper questions in order to dispatch the proper resources, so it’s better to call 911 to report an emergency, not calling the station directly. Time may be lost while finding the station phone number and it’s possible that the station is empty, further delaying our arrival. Engine 611 proceeded to the scene expecting to be dispatched at any minute. When they arrived they found a backup generator leaking large amounts of diesel fuel into the parking lot. They immediately called for a full Hazmat response (which could have happened sooner had the caller called 911 and not the station), bringing Tower and Captain 611, Rescue 615 from Sterling Rescue, Hazmat and Tower 619 from South Riding (home of the LCFR dedicated hazmat response), and Battalion Chief 603. Engine 611 immediately began taking steps to keep the spill from spreading further with the resources they had on hand. As units arrived better containment was put in place. Once the spread had slowed personnel from Hazmat 619 entered the spill area to determine what had caused the spill, stop any additional spillage, and determine how much diesel fuel had leaked out. Units remained on scene to ensure that the spill was contained while awaiting the arrival of a specialized clean up company to clean up the estimated 600-800 gallons spilled. Due to the extended nature of the incident Canteen 611 was dispatched to the scene. The incident was eventually scaled back and units returned to service. The last units cleared the scene almost 8 hours after the initial call. During that time Engine 618 and Tower 611 responded to 3 more fire alarm calls before ending their 24 hour shift at 7am Sunday morning.

Reinforcing the initial dam built by E611 soon after arrival

Crew from Hazmat 619 investigating and being decomtaminated

Tower and Engind 611 on scene

Photos by: Jeff Brown, Tim Duckworth, David Short

The volunteers of Crew 3 spent Saturday morning training, maintaining equipment, answering calls, visiting the Chick-Fil-A 5K race, and anticipating a busy afternoon due to the severe weather that was predicted. The severe weather eventually arrived, as did the calls, starting in the west end of the county and moving east toward Sterling. Engine 611 was dispatched first for a fire alarm, a common occurrence with severe weather and/or power interruptions. Less than a minute later Engine 618 was dispatched for a fire alarm. Four minutes later (while dispatch continued to dispatch calls throughout the county) Wagon 611, staffed with off duty volunteers who came in specifically for the expected heavy call volume, was dispatched for another fire alarm. As Engine 618 cleared their alarm they were immediately dispatched for a tree down on power lines. 10 minutes after the initial call Engine 622 from Ashburn was dispatched for another fire alarm in Sterling. Captain 611 was already in the area and took the call. Since there were no hazards Engine 622 was returned to service. A few minutes later Tower 611 was dispatched to a local hotel for a person trapped in an elevator. While the tower crew was removing an employee from the elevator Engine 611 was dispatched for an auto accident. They were then dispatched for a “wires down” call. A support wire for a traffic light had blown loose and was blocking the road. Units finally returned to the station around 5:30 and began making plans for dinner.

Twenty minutes after starting a 12 hour shift Engine 618 was alerted for an auto accident near Dulles Town Center mall. A short while later, as they sat down to dinner, Engine 611 was dispatched for an EMS call in Sterling Park. Next Engine 618 was dispatched for a fire alarm in Lowes Island. Eventually Engines 611, 618, and Tower 611 met at Park View High School for some ladder training. After a few evolutions all three units, along with units from Sterling Rescue, Asburn Fire Rescue, and LCFR were dispatched for a townhouse fire in Victoria Station. Engine 611 arrived to find smoke in the townhouse caused by a self cleaning oven. Units from station 611 remained on scene for smoke removal while other units packed up and returned to service. As they were returning to the station Engine 611 was dispatched to a report of a fire on the Claude Moore park property near Church Road. Tower 611 was around the corner so they responded as well. Both units spent the next 2 hours extinguishing a slow burning brush fire. After cleaning mud off 700 feet of hose units returned to the station just before midnight. Engine and Tower 611 started the morning with a fire alarm at a retirement home just after 4:30 on Wednesday morning. Crew 3′s shift ended at 6am when the career staff took over for the next 12 hours.

Just after 6pm on Saturday Engine 618, along with Ambulance 625-3, Trauma 625-2, and Rescue Squad 615 (SVRS), Medic 622 (Ashburn), Rescue 439 (Reston), Captain 601 (Leesburg), and Safety Officer 600 (LCFR) were alerted for an auto accident with a patient trapped on Potomac View road. EMS601 (LCFR) and Captain 611 also responded. Engine 618 arrived on scene to find a single vehicle accident with one patient still in the vehicle. They began to stabilize the vehicle and assess the patient. Once the vehicle was stabilized the patient was removed and transferred to EMS units on scene for further care.

Stabilizing the vehicle to prevent further injury and to protect responders

Extricating the patient

Cleaning up
Photos by: Charles Frey

As crews were finishing the evening equipment check and making plans for dinner Engines 618, 611, and Tower 611 were alerted along with Engines 439, 412, Rescue 439 from Fairfax, Ambulance 625-3 from Sterling Rescue, and Battalion Chiefs 602 and 603 from Loudoun County, for a house fire in Lowes Island. Battalion 401 also responded from Fairfax. Engine 439 came across a traffic accident while en route and was replaced with Engine 606 from Ashburn. Engine 618 arrived to find a small fire in the kitchen of the home which was quickly extinguished. Critical to the good outcome of this fire was that the homeowner had a fire extinguisher in his ketchen and was able to keep the fire small until the arrival of the fire department. Crews went into overhaul and ventilation mode, ensuring that the fire was completely out and had not spread, and removing smoke from the home. A search was done to ensure that everybody was safely out. Most units were placed in service while Sterling units remained on the scene to finish up.

Just as they were preparing to start dinner Crew 3 was alerted for a structure fire near the Sterling/Herndon border. Wagon, TowerLadder, and Captain 611 responded, along with Engine 404 (Herndon), Engine 623 (Moorefield), Engine and TowerLadder 436 (Frying Pan), Engine 303 (Dulles Airport), TowerLadder 619 (South Riding), Ambulance 615-1 (SVRS), and command staff from LCFR. Engine 404 arrived on scene and reported a working fire. Due to the type of building and amount of smoke visible Captain 611 asked for a second alarm to be dispatched. This brought additional units from Loudoun and Fairfax including Reserve Engine 606 (Ashburn), Engine 439 (North Point), Truck 425 (Reston), and various command and support units from Loudoun and Fairfax, including Canteen 611 and Mobile Air Unit 623. Units operated for over two hours extinguishing the fire, checking for fire spread, making sure the fire was out, and assisting with the investigation. During this call volunteers responded from home to staff Quint 618, Quint 611, and Tanker 618. Quint 618 responded non-emergency to the fire to provide additional manpower, while Quint 611 ran an auto accident and a fire alarm.

As soon as communications finished dispatching this call they dispatched a second fire in the Arcola area which also went to two alarms. There were no Sterling units at this fire but there were units from Loudoun, Fairfax, and Prince William counties. Units from four jurisdictions operated at two significant incidents simultaneously keeping communications busy and showing how departments in the Northern Virginia area are able to operate jointly. Units from as far away as Fauquier County were transferred throughout the area to maintain coverage while many units operated on the two scenes.

Just before the end of the shift, at 05:31, TowerLadder 611 was dispatched to Arcola for a townhouse fire. This call also went to two alarms.

Scene in Sterling with smoke from Arcola visible in the background

Crews accessing the roof via TowerLadder 619

Crews operating on the roof

You can see more photos and video here.