Sterling Volunteer Fire Company

On Saturday morning in Lowes Island the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company hosted the 7th annual 10K Fire Chase and 9-1-1 Fun Run. Once again many folks, members of the SVFC and Sterling Rescue, Loudoun County Fire & Rescue, and the Cascades community, were joined by vendors, runners, and those that just came out to watch. Once again the event was enjoyed by many folks, and the SVFC thanks all those who were involved: planners, organizers, runners, and visitors.

Photo by: Jonathan Hickman

About 7:30pm on Thursday May 22 a structure fire was put out in Leesburg. Due to initial reports a second alarm was requested almost immediately, brining TowerLadder 611 and Tanker 618 from Sterling. (As a side note: Quint 611 was already in Leesburg and responded staffed with LVFC personnel.) Due to the amount and speed of the fire a defensive attack was initiated with ladder pipes and hand lines. While this was going on Engine 611 responded to Leesburg for an investigation call and later filled Ashburn, along with Quint 618. More information can be found here, photos here and a writeup with video here. Almost every suppression company in the county was either on scene or moved to fill another station.

Just before 3am on Thursday Engine Company 611 was alerted for an outside fire in the Forest Ridge area of Sterling. Engine 611 responded and found a box spring smoldering by the curb. The fire was quickly extinguished, the engine returned to service, and the crew returned to bed.

Photo by: Tim Duckworth

Around 10:30pm on Friday night Engine Company 611 was alerted along with Medics 615, 625, Rescue Squad 615, Assistant Chief 611 and Battalion 601 for an auto accident with entrapment on N Lincoln in Sterling Park. TowerLadder 611 also responded to provide manpower due to the nature of the call. Medic 623 was also alerted due to the information received from the caller about the number of patients and their injuries. Tanker 618 responded from Cascades to prepare a landing zone for AirCare 3, and was joined by Deputy Chief 618. Units arriving discovered a total of 7 patients, two pinned in the vehicles. Two additional EMS units were requested bringing Medics 404 and 439 from Fairfax county. Units were also transferred from Leesburg to cover the Sterling area should there be additional calls. Units on scene continued attending to the patients and extricating those still trapped. Patients were transported via ground or air to local hospitals.

Every May Loudoun County Fire-Rescue and the Recruitment and Retention Committee host an awards banquet. This ceremony recognizes and honors both career and volunteer personnel from across the county for their significant length of service as well as dedication above and beyond the regular call of duty. Sterling Volunteer Fire Company is proud to announce that the following members were awarded at last night’s ceremony:

Fire Hall of Fame Award
Chief Mickey Buchanan

25 Years of Service
Chief Mickey Buchanan
Chaplain Charlie Grant

20 Years of Service
Andrea Walter

15 Years of Service
Captain Ren Nehls
Lt West Wilder

10 Years of Service
MT Byron Braggs
Dan Cahill
Randall Gillespie
Stephen Gingras
Lt Dan Ketcham
Captain Gary Lam

5 Years of Service
Andy Brown
Jordan Cabo
Jeff Camera
Andrew Fotinos
Mario Gomez
Brent Kochel
Steven Lloyd
Grant Serbousek
Dan Vlach

Sterling Volunteer Fire Company would also like to congratulate Rachel Short of Loudoun County Fire-Rescue who was awarded ALS Instructor of the Year. Rachel is an integral part of the Sterling family by default, due in part to having taught many of our ALS certified members as well as being married to our illustrious President David Short.

Congratulations are also due to Sterling Volunteer Rescue Squad’s Chief Byron Andrews for being presented with entry into the EMS Hall of Fame.

Congratulations to all!

Around 10am on Sunday morning, after equipment check out and breakfast, the Engine and Truck companies at station 11 in Sterling Park were alerted, along with Enignes 623, 606, 609, ToweLadder 606, Ambulance 623, and Battalion Chiefs 601 and 603, for a house fire in Ashburn. Dispatch reported multiple calls. Wagon and TowerLadder 611 responded, along with Captain 611 as a command officer. LCFR Battalion 601 arrived first on the scene reporting a 4-5000 square foot home with heavy fire in the rear and through the roof. Command immediately requested a second alarm assignment, bringing Sterling’s Engine 618 from Cascades. When TowerLadder 611 arrived they were immediately tasked by command to take an attack line to protect the house to the left of the involved structure. Initially Wagon 611 was assigned to take an additional attack line to the rear, but were later reassigned to Division Bravo, under the leadership of TL611. Captain 611 arrived and was assigned Division Alpha, in charge of operations inside the structure. After an initial exterior attack extinguished most of the fire units were assigned to go into the structure to asses it’s stability and to extinguish any remaining fire. When those units were relieved Engines 611 and 618 and TowerLadder 611 assumed those duties. Units remained on scene for a few hours extinguishing remaining fire, attempting to salvage property for the homeowner, and assisting the Fire Mashall’s office with their investigation.

Photos by: Tom M. Robey

Heavy fire conditions found upon arrival

TowerLadder 611

Division Alpha

Preparing to recon the structure

Sunday, May 3: It was a busy night across most of Loudoun County as the boys in Battalion 3 ran a garage fire with extension near South Riding and the crews in Leesburg and Ashburn responded a serious accident with extrication and a patient fly out. Crew 3 from Sterling Fire started it all off, though, with a house fire in Sterling Park around 2:30 am.

Responders from Sterling Volunteer Fire Company, Sterling Volunteer Rescue Squad, and Ashburn Volunteer Fire and Rescue worked together to extinguish a small room and contents fire. The fire caused damage in two rooms and had smoke and water damage in several other rooms of the house. The American Red Cross Disaster Relief Services assisted the occupants with finding alternative lodging for the remainder of the night. There were no injuries and the cause of the fire has not been released at this time.

Once again the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company participated in the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival’s Firefighters’ Parade. Lt Ron Claar Sr., Technicians Billy Barton and Chris Poplar, and Firefighters Ronnie Claar Jr. , Kirk Picou, and Steven Lloyd spent many hours giving Quint 618 a thorough cleaning. Their efforts paid off with Q618 taking an award for best looking aerial. During the events the crew also ran into an old friend, Sterling’s old Wagon 618. The apparatus looked great and apparently has seen a lot of action. On the trip back to Sterling Q618 also filled FS619 while those units were out, along with Engine and TowerLadder 611 on a truck fire near a building.

Engine 7, formerly Wagon 618