Welcome to Jackson Station 55

As firefighters were still working on Manhattan Street at this morning’s fire  first responders were summoned to Lancaster Way and Hampshire Blvd for a motor vehicle accident with a car into a swimming pool.  Jackson Police, Quality EMS and Jackson Mills firefighters responded to the accident scene.

The according to a Jackson Police Department release, the car ended up in the swimming pool after clipping an oncoming vehicle on Lancaster Way and swerving off the road and across a lawn into the back yard swimming pool after crashing through the fence.

The driver of the second vehicle in the crash was off-duty Jackson #1 career Firefighter Vincent Schwartz. The police stated that Schwartz dove into the pool and broke the window out to rescue the driver of the partially submerged vehicle.  Firefighter Schwartz is also a NJ licensed Paramedic.

Firefighter Schwartz was able to pull the 64 year-old  female driver from the car and out of the swimming pool before police and fire were on scene with the assistance of the driver’s son-in-law Mark and other bystanders.  The driver was treated on scene by Jackson Mills’ career Firefighter/EMTs, Quality EMS and MONOC Paramedics and transported to Jersey Shore Medical Center for treatment. In breaking out the window Firefighter Schwartz suffered a laceration to his hand.  He was treated and released.

According to Deputy Chief Mike Lubertazzi of Jackson Mills, Firefighters from Jackson Mills assisted the Police Department and the Towing company in removing the vehicle from the pool after the scene had been secured and the police had completed their investigation. Jackson Mills firefighters rigged the vehicle for the towing company so that it could be removed without causing any further damage to the pool.

Photos and story courtesy of Matt Genovese, JacksonNJOnline.com

Tower/Ladder 5505 Provides Roof Access to Determine Cause of Gasoline Fumes

On Saturday morning June 18, 2011 nine persons inside of Just Your Style Salon located at 2275 West County Line Road were affected by fumes from gasoline being used improperly by roofers at the Bennetts Mills Shopping Center.  Jackson Station 55 and Jackson Mills Station 54 were dispatched to that address at 11:33 a.m. Saturday for a gas leak.  On arrival, Incident Commander Assistant Chief Mike Waters 5510 was met by a strong odor of gasoline, and was advised by personnel inside of the hair salon that they were not feeling well due to the adverse effects of exposure to gasoline fumes from roofers using the flammable liquid overhead.  Firefighting crews on Tower Ladder 5505, Engine 5541, Rescue 5503, Engine 5411 helped search each store and confirm that no explosive levels of fumes existed, and Chief Tim Carson 5500, Jackson Mills Assistant Chief Mike Lubertazzi 5410 and Jackson Mills Chief Bob Haskins 5400 each assisted Incident Command in the safe resolution of the emergency.

Station 55 and 54 firefighters immediately evacuated the salon and also utilized Tower Ladder 5505 to gain quick access to the roof.  Crews from 5505 encountered a number of commercial roofers on top of the structure using over 30 gallons of gasoline on the roof near the heating/air conditioning ventilation system (HVAC) as well as having gas-soaked rags strewn across the roof.  Roofers were using gasoline to help clean the rubber membrane of the roof, contrary to manufacturer recommendations and requirements for safe use of commercial roofing cleaners.  A representative from the Ocean County Fire Marshals Office helped document the hazard, while Jackson Police Department officers assisted firefighters in securing the hazards and assisting EMS staff in assessing the patients.

Rescue 5503 and crew served as a mass triage unit helping Quality EMS medical staff in assessing the employees and patrons of the salon.  Additional EMT’s were dispatched to the scene from Quality EMS and Jackson Mills Fire Company/District 4 staff.  A total of nine females were checked by EMT’s.  None required transport to the hospital.

Chief Tim Carson stated “unapproved use of flammable liquid gasoline as a solvent for roof maintenance could have resulted in a much worse outcome that includes the risk of explosion and fire — not to mention exposure to hazardous fumes”.

Stations 55 and 54 cleared the scene almost two hours later at 1:30 p.m.

Stove Top Fire Damages Kitchen of Gomberg Avenue Home

A Gomberg Avenue home was damaged by a fire that started on a stove top range on Wednesday evening, May 25, 2011.  Firefighters from the Jackson Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 Station 55 were in the process of a training drill at the main fire station less than one mile from the home when the fire occurred.  Station 55 fire crews quickly picked up from the drill and responded to the fire.  As per standard protocol for a structure fire in the township, two fire companies were dispatched, in this case Station 55 and the Jackson Mills Fire Company Station 54.  Chief Timothy J. Carson 5500 and Assistant Chief Mike Waters 5510 were the first to arrive.  Fire Command was established and Engine 5541, Engine 5521, and Rescue 5503 were on the scene in minutes. Jackson Mills Engine 5411 stood by at the nearby hydrant position for water supply if needed.

The fire was confined to the stove, an overhead range vent/fan unit, and the adjacent kitchen cabinets.  Firefighters from Stations 55 and 54 checked the entire kitchen for fire extension and any other heat damage.  Fire crews remained on the scene for about 30 minutes clearing the home of the smoke and also carbon monoxide which is produced by fires.

Jackson Mills Fire Official John Burmeister 18407 responded to the scene for the fire investigation.  The Jackson First Aid Squad and Jackson Police Department also responded.  There were no injuries.

Firefighters Advance Hose Lines Into Structure -- Photo Courtesy Dave Weiskopf

A wind-driven, two-alarm fire caused by lightning resulted in substantial damage to a two-story Merion Lane home located in the Westlake section of Jackson late Saturday night, April 16.  Two houses located immediately next to the home struck received minor damage from the adjacent fire.  The fire occurred as a strong storm brought heavy rain and numerous lightning strikes to the area.  There were no injuries sustained to firefighters or residents during the incident.

Firefighters from Jackson Fire Company Station 55 responded to the fire just prior to eleven o’clock p.m. Chief Timothy J. Carson reported on his arrival that the fire was through the roof, requesting a second alarm.  Firefighters searched the home immediately after arriving to make certain that everyone was safely evacuated and began an aggressive hose-line attack to limit the damage.   Assistance was provided by the Whitesville Fire Company Station 57, Jackson Mills Fire Company Station 54 and Cassville Station 56, and the Howell Township Freewood Acres Fire Company.  “We had an extensive volume of fire from the original house, with a serious fire exposure problem which was a real challenge due to high winds.  And, due to the fire department’s rapid application of a large volume of water, the heavy fire condition was knocked down quickly, and other than melted vinyl siding, there was no structural damage to the homes next door” stated Chief Carson.   Stand-by coverage for the Jackson stations during the fire was provided by the Howell Township Southard and Lakewood Fire Departments.

The Jackson First Aid, Jackson Police Department, Jackson Fire District 3 Fire Official and Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office also responded to the scene.