Welcome to Jackson Station 55

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.

Members of the Station 55 and Station 57 Volunteer Fire Companies attack the structure fire at Galassi Court on February 13, 2011.

On Sunday, February 13 at 0817 hours, Whitesville Station 57 and Jackson Fire Co. Station 55 were dispatched to a structure fire on Galassi Court. The fire originating in the basement spread quickly to the first floor, with heavy smoke observed coming from the front, side and rear of the home.  The fire occurred in an area of the Whitesville district that is not protected by hydrants. The homeowners suffered smoke inhalation and were transported to Kimball Hospital for treatment.   No injuries were reported by fire fighters on the scene.

Whitesville Chief Scott Rauch 5700, Whitesville Assistant Chief Dave Johnson 5710, and Jackson Chief Tim Carson all arrived minutes after the alarm and reported a working fire in a 2-story occupied wood frame house, with fire and heavy smoke showing on the first floor.  Ladder 5705 pulled into the long driveway and began the fire attack with a 1 3/4″ hand line stretched to the front door, followed by a 2 1/2″ hand line to back-up the initial line.  Tower Ladder 5505 arrived, setting up on the White Road side; meanwhile Tanker/Engine 5708 laid a 5″ supply line from the intersection of White Road and Galassi Court to the end of the long driveway, and 5705′s crew hand-stretched their 5″ supply line to establish water supply while the tanker relay was being set up on White Road.  A second alarm was transmitted by Command due to the heavy involvement of the structure in fire and the need for tankers for sustained water supply.  Interior fire fighting crews encountered difficult conditions inside the home due to high heat and low visibility.

In addition to the Whitesville and Jackson Fire Companies, crews and apparatus responded to the scene from the following fire departments: Jackson Mills, Cassville, Southard, Pleasant Plains, McGuire/Lakehurst/Ft. Dix, and Manchester Township.  Units from the Lakewood Fire Department covered Station 55; and the New Egypt Station 39 covered Whiteville Station 57 for the duration of the incident.

The home suffered significant fire damage in the basement and a small portion of the first floor, with smoke damage in much of the structure.  However, the aggressive interior fire attack by the departments involved largely kept the fire damage from spreading to the remainder of the house.

Several Ocean County Fire Coordinators were on the scene.  Quality Medical provided EMS to the fire fighters and homeowners, as well as establishing a recovery/medical rehab sector.  The Jackson Police Department and Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating the cause of the fire.

The Cassville Ladies Auxiliary provided food and beverages to the emergency crews on the scene.

The Whitesville and Jackson Fire Companies thank all the agencies involved for their assistance.

Jackson Fire District #3 Firefighters Vincent Schwartz, Jason Zimmerman and Lieutenant Edward Moore receive commendation for life saving actions

On Monday April 20, 2009 Station 57 responded to a serious motor vehicle accident in front of 964 East Veterans Highway. The crew from Engine 5701 consisted of Lieutenant Edward Moore, Firefighter Vincent Schwartz, and Firefighter Jason Zimmerman. Upon their arrival, the crew found a two vehicle MVA in which one person, a teenager, was found pinned in a vehicle and was unconscious.

Firefighters Vincent Schwartz and Jason Zimmerman immediately began patient care on the unconscious female who also had an obstructed airway due to blood and fluids in her mouth. The two firefighters worked together to provide spinal immobilization, suctioning, and patient stabilization while awaiting additional resources to arrive to help remove the victim from the vehicle.

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