Welcome to Jackson Station 55

Station 55 was dispatched at 1428 hours on a hot Memorial Day May 28, 2012 for a brush fire off North New Prospect Road caused by high power demand with a spark from overhead high tension power lines.  Arriving Assistant Chief Mike Waters 5510 reported an active fire burning about 1,000 feet off the road in a marshy area of land, directly underneath power lines.  Access to the area burning was difficult due to the soft marshy soil and no access road.  Past Chief Rick Masker operating Brush 5519 was able to get on the the fire by using gated access through a adjacent JCP&L power sub-station.  High heat conditions with resultant demand on the power lines apparently resulted in a power surge problem at pole top that melted metal on the power line equipment dropping down and triggering the brush fire.  Ultimately 3 acres of land were burned, spreading into a hedgerow line in one direction and mossy peat swamp grass cover in the other.  No structures were endangered in the fire due to the knockdown by brush truck crews.  NJ State Forest Fire Warden officials B-9 and B-8, assisted by B-34 were all deployed on scene to extinguish the fire.  Engine 5541 crews provided water fill operations for the brush trucks, as well as additional personnel to assist in extinguishing and overhaul of the fire area.  Rescue 5503 was used as a personnel rehab unit due to the heat.

Jackson Mills Station 54 and Freewood Acres Fire Company provided coverage of Station 55′s local during the fire.

The fire was declared under control within 40 minutes, with extensive mop-up operations taking over two more hours.  There were no injuries sustained by fire fighters at the scene.  All NJ State Forest Fire and Station 55 personnel cleared the fire scene at 1744 hours.

On Saturday May 5, 2012 at 12:41 p.m., Jackson resident Gary Thacker, age 58 was driving his Buick sedan on South New Prospect Road when another Jackson resident Christoph Sukovich, age 32 driving a Chevrolet sedan the opposite direction lost control of his car, veering from a curb on the right side crossing the center line, striking the Buick on the driver’s side doors.  The force of the collision pinned Mr. Thacker in his car when both driver’s side doors were damaged, however his injuries were less serious due to the fact that he was wearing a seat belt.  Mr. Thacker was extricated by fire fighters from Jackson Station 55 and Jackson Mills Station 54, and taken to Kimball Hospital by Quality EMS where he was treated for a shoulder and arm injury.   Sukovich, the driver of the Chevrolet, was not wearing a seat belt, sustained several injuries, and was transported by Quality EMS to Jersey Shore Hospital. According to the Asbury Park Press, Sukovich was charged by the Jackson Police Department for six motor vehicle offenses including DWI.  A link to the APP article is as follows:

http://www.app.com/article/20120505/NJNEWS10/305050049/Jackson-crash-injures-two-leads-DWI-arrest

Just after midnight on Saturday May 5, 2012 a small but smoky electrical fire in a heating / air conditioning unit located in an enclosed walkway between the Vineyards Offices and the Bank of America Branch building on County Line Road filled both buildings with heavy black noxious smoke.
Cleaning contractors working inside the office building noticed smoke coming into the building and went outside to investigate, meanwhile a passing motorist on County Line Road saw the fire and called 9-1-1.  Arriving Jackson Police officers used a dry-chemical fire extinguisher to knock the fire down, shortly thereafter Jackson Mills Engine 5411 crews arrived and stretched a hand line into the building, and used a dry chemical to extinguish the fire.  The fire produced a high volume of smoke which was carried into the adjacent two buildings – one a two-story office and the other a one-story bank.  Numerous firefighters from Jackson Station 54 Jackson Mills and Jackson Station 55 Jackson Fire assisted in ventilation operations of both structures.

Whitesville Station 57 was also dispatched to assist with Ladder 5705, which provided stand-by ladder company coverage in town while the County Line fire operation was underway.  Nearby Southard Fire Company was dispatched for assistance but was recalled as sufficient personnel were on the fire scene. The Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office and District 1*2*3 Fire Official Frank McDonnell are investigating why the heating/air conditioning unit malfunctioned. Jackson First Aid Squad also responded.  There were no injuries to fire fighters or occupants of the building.  The scene was cleared at 3:04 a.m.