Sterling Volunteer Fire Company

At approximately 1807 hours on Wednesday March 29th, Engine 611, Tech 25 and DC 18 (Bischoff) responded to an auto accident with reported multiple rollover and entrapment at Pacific Blvd and Business Ct. Engine 611 responded with Master Technician Jason Carlo, D/O Kerri Smith, FF Al Pacifico, FF Aldo Sesserago, and PFF Dawn Parrish. Tech 25 responded with Lt. Dan Ketcham, Technician Scott Maple and D/O Matt Veitas. Both units arrived on scene simultaniously to find 2 vehicles and one patient trapped. Tech 25 and Engine 611 worked together to stabilize the vehicle, provide patient care and extricate one patient by forcing entry of the driver side door using the “JAWS OF LIFE“. E611 personnel also pulled a 1 3/4″ line for fire protection. A total of two patients were transported by Sterling Rescue Squad assisted by FF Sesserago for his interpretation skills and Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority.

At approx. 19:15 hours on Thursday March 16th a house fire was reported on Buckeye Court. Quint 11 arrived shortly after dispatch and advised of fire through the roof of a single familiy home. Quint 11′s crew did a quick soffet sweep of the building and then proceeded inside with the crew from Wagon 18. Captain 18 (Nehls) arrived on scene and established Buckeye command. Tower 11 and Truck 338 handled truck responsibilities while Engine 404 had the secondary water supply. AC 18 (Buchanan) responded and assisted at the command post. Units operated on the scene for about 2 hours.

Each year we like to recognize the outstanding achievements of our members at the annual installation dinner. The award winner for 2005 are as follows:

The tones dropped early Friday morning waking crew 4 from the bunks for an apartment fire in Box 18-6. E618 was out the door with (6) personnel and arrived first on the scene to a four (4) story garden apartment with fire showing from an outside deck on the fourth floor. D/O Lichvar nosed in to a water supply and the rest of the crew immediately went to work. Command was established by the Captain 18 (Nehls) arriving shortly after E618. Captain Opett and his crew deployed an 1 ¾” pre-connect and a high rise pack to the 4th floor and supplemented a back up line connecting to a stand pipe on the involved floor. The crew divided into two teams, team 1 awaking the rest of the neighbors on the 4th floor, and team 2 along with the crew from Q611 forced entry into apartment 403. The tenant of the apartment was asleep and unaware of the fire on his deck and was awaken abruptly by the crews forcing entry. Entry was gained to find a small fire on the deck that was quickly controlled by FF Hiatt with a water can. The fire was contained to the area of origin and crews quickly checked for extension and overhauled the area.

This was Crew 4’s sixth consecutive fire out of the last seven shifts to include: Dryer/laundry room fire, outside fire, well involved building under construction, and (2) car fires with multiple exposures.

On Sunday February 26, 2006 at 23:38, Sterling units were dispatched to assist Company’s 6 & 23 on a working house fire on Golden Meadows Circle in Ashburn (Box 6-10). From Sterling, Quint 611, Engine 611, Chief Short (Battalion 1), Asst Chief Buchanan and Deputy Chief Bischoff responded to the call. Upon arrival, Company 6 units were working on the initial attack and had several hand-lines in service. Quint 611 handled interior truck work, with LT Ketcham in charge. Engine 611, with MT Haddad in charge, was initially assigned to the exterior operations but later operated on the fire spreading in the 1st floor Kitchen. Chief Short assisted Chief Johnson (Chief 6) at the Command post, Asst Chief Buchanan handled exterior operations and Deputy Chief Bischoff was responsible for interior operations.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Loudoun County Fire Marshall’s Office. The home owners safely escaped the fire and were located at a neighbors house.