It is with deep regret that we announce the passing of East Greenbush Police Officer Edward L. Witko. Officer Witko died Sunday August 15th as a result of injuries sustained from an traffic accident while off duty. Ed was a friend and past member of CHFD, and also a member of the East Greenbush Fire Department. Ed dedicated his life work to law enforcement and public safety, protecting the citizens of East Greenbush and the City of Rensselaer for countless years. He will be truly missed.

Services are as follows:

 
Calling hours will be Thursday, August 19, 2010 4pm to 8pm at the St. Mary’s Church located at 163 Columbia Turnpike, East Greenbush, NY 12061. Parking will be located across the street at K-Mart/Big Lot parking lot at 164 Columbia Turnpike, NY 12061.
 
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, August 20, 2010, at 10am at the St. Mary’s Church located at 163 Columbia Turnpike, East Greenbush, NY 12061. Interment will be at the New Rural Cemetery located on 3rd Avenue Extension in East Greenbush.
 
Lunch will be served following the cemetery services at the East Greenbush Fire Company, Park Station at 68 Phillips Road, East Greenbush, NY 12061.
 
Agencies wishing to send a contingent to the services, Please email Officer Mark Mann at mmann@egpolice.com with a head count and vehicle count.

What was to be an quiet Sunday morning, turned out to be an all day event when motorists noticed heavy flames and smoke coming from the Fort Orange Paper Company located at 1900 River Road, just outside the Village of Castleton, in the Town of Schodack. First in Chiefs found a large warehouse/paper facility which had been abandoned for about 10 years and immediately transmitted a 3rd alarm on arrival. Among the several departments assigned to the box assignment, CHFD responded with Engine Companies 8-5 and 8-7; and also Truck Co. 8 on a special request. Inside crews were met with a heavy fire condition and began to battle the blaze. On arrival, Truck 8 set up ladder pipe operations. Engine members began assisting on hand-lines and master streams. Over 60 firefighters assisted in this effort and operated for over 8 hours. Mutual aid departments included; Clinton Heights [Sta. 8], Defreestville [Sta. 9], East Greenbush [Sta. 11], East Schodack [Sta. 12], Nassau [Sta. 22], Rensselaer City [Sta. 29], Schodack Landing [Sta. 31], Schodack Valley [Sta. 32], South Schodack [Sta. 34] and Stuyvesant out of Columbia County. Several surrounding departments also provided cover assignments. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

While departments battled a 3 alarm paper mill fire in Castleton, crews were dispatched to 21 Huckleberry Drive in the East Greenbush Fire District. On arrival EGFD Car 4 found a large shed containing numerous equipment, combustible items and also a car. 1st due company Rescue 11 arrived and began initial attack. Assisted soon thereafter by Engine Co. 11-8. CHFD 8-6 and BLFD 3-6 each completed a tanker shuttle to assist in battling the fire in the non-hydranted neighborhood. Crews were on scene for about an hour. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

Mid-afternoon on Thursday a request was made for 2 engines from East Greenbush and 2 engines from Clinton Heights to respond to a large barn fire in County Route 21 in the Town of Stuyvesant in Columbia County. CHFD/EGFD responded with 22 members total who assisted in suppression and overhaul, while apparatus preformed water relays. CHFD's soon to be retired, Engine Co. 8-6, with Dept. Safety Officer Ron Stark at the helm, shuttled approximately 9000 gallons of water during this event. Both CHFD and EGFD were well represented and once again did a great job.

Around 01:30 hours on Friday morning, pagers were activated for a reported vehicle fire in the area of 36 Robin Lane. Upon arrival Chief officer's found a Honda Civic with heavily involved in fire. Engine Company crews arrived and quickly extinguished the fire. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

Tuesday afternoon calls began to pour into the Rensselaer City Police Dept. reporting a fire at Renwyck Place at 18 4th Av. Arriving on scene, police officers confirmed a fire on the 2nd floor in a 6 story, multiple occupancy building. A 2nd alarm was transmitted immediately,y upon arrival of the 1st due company who was met with a heavy smoke condition showing from the 2nd floor. Firefighters and police officers began evacuating the 100+ residents as engine companies began the initial attack. Crews inside were met with a heavy fire condition in an apartment on the 2nd story which was quickly knocked down. Crews from CHFD responded with 17 members who assisted with suppression, ventilation, evacuation and overhaul.

Midday July 1st was interrupted when flames broke out at a 2 story home at 1324 2nd Street in the City of Rensselaer. Firemen quickly responded and were met with a heavy fire condition on the 2nd floor, quickly spreading to the cockloft of the structure. Immediately a 2nd alarm was transmitted bringing in companies from Clinton Heights [Station 8], Defreestville [Sta. 9] and East Greenbush [Sta. 11]. Upon their arrival crews went directly to work to assist in bringing the fire under control. CHFD was commanded by Chief Cherubino who led them into battle victoriously. In all 17 members from CHFD responded to the incident. A round of applause goes out to all the companies that responded for making quick work of the fire.

While members were enjoying a local community event, pagers were activated for CHFD for a reported traffic accident with injuries on Columbia Turnpike at Old Miller Road in the Town of Schodack. Command staff along with EGFD Rescue 11 arrived to find a 3-car accident with 2 patients. Engine Co. 8-5 arrived on scene shortly thereafter with 3 EMT’s, and began stabilization of both the vehicles involved and the patients. Once on scene, the patients were turned over to Castleton Ambulance and Bruen Rescue Squad where they were transported to area hospitals for evaluation. CHFD/EGFD was also assisted by Best Luther FD.

A hot Memorial Day afternoon was interrupted, when flames broke out at the Fort Crailo Apartments 12 Riverside Avenue. 1st due companies arrived to find a 3 story, 60x40 multiple occupancy dwelling, with a well advanced fire on the first floor as well as the rear of the structure. Initial attack and water supply was setup while a 2nd alarm was transmitted brining in apparatus from Clinton Heights [Sta. 8], Defreestville [Sta. 9] and East Greenbush [Sta. 11]. CHFD crews were able to assist with overhaul and ventilation operations giving new members a good look at the job… In all 17 members responded from CHFD led by Capt. Racine with additional members at the stations.

Late Tuesday night East Greenbush Police received a call reporting a suspicious package on the front lawn of the SUNY East Campus, police responded and on arrival decided haz-mat and forensic teams should respond until it is determined what the package contained. CHFD responded with 2 Chiefs, 1 Utility, 2 Engines and a Rescue Company. Crews stood by wearing Class B haz-mat suits, preparing for the worst. In all about 50 responders were call to the incident from various agencies including; The Albany County Sheriff’s Dept Forensic Team, the Battalion 1 Decontamination Team, Clinton Heights Fire Department, DEC, Troy Police Dept., Rensselaer County Bureau of Public Safety and the East Greenbush Police Dept. The package turned out to be nothing other than a science project left there by a student. Clinton Heights operated with 17 members on scene as well as another 15 standing by at the stations. For more information about this incident visit the attached link to the Times Union story.

Just before 7PM, town communications were getting flooded with calls from Hampton Manor residents regarding a large brush fire on Lakeshore Dr. Car 1 responded and immediately requested additional Engine Companies to respond, when a column of smoke was spotted from several miles away. Crews arrived and quickly established a water supply and began to attack the fire. Crews remained on scene for about 2 hours extinguishing and overhauling the fire. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

The late morning hours were interrupted on Thursday, when crews struck a gas main on Poplar St. in the Prospect Heights section on East Greenbush. Companies took to the street and upon arrival found a broken two inch high pressure gas main. Immediately a request was put in for National Grid to respond to shut the free-flowing gas off. Crews stood by and established a water supply to prepare for the worst case scenario. Within the hour, National Grid arrived and had contained the leak. 15 members staffed three Engine Companies and a Rescue Company.

On the hottest day since the New Year, East Greenbush firemen were dispatched to 157 Elliot Rd. when a passerby noticed smoke and flames pouring out from underneath the porch of the house. Chiefs and apparatus arrived to confirm the report and began initial attack on the fire. Shortly thereafter, a request was made for and Engine Co. from Clinton Heights to respond to the scene. 8-5 responded with a full crew and assisted in overhaul. One firefighter was transported to the hospital for heat exhaustion; the cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

Shortly before CHFD members left for their 4th year attending the Albany St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the department was alerted for a report of a fire with hazardous materials involved at the Albany Molecular Research Inc.(AMRI) 17 University Pl. at the SUNY East Campus. Crews immediately responded and upon arrival established a water supply and began the containment of the unknown chemical. With District Chief Cherubino at the helm of the incident, a request was put in for the Rensselaer County Decontamination Team to respond as a precaution. Within about an hour the all-clear was given and the building was turned over to the facility staff. The cause of the chemical flash fire was determined to be a solvent called diethyl-ether. One staff member was heating the solvent while conducting an experiment, which then resulted in the flash fire. Two AMRI employees were transported by the Bruen Rescue Squad to Albany Medical Center to be treated for chemical exposure and injuries that were believed to be non-life threatening.

Shortly after 11PM on Tuesday night, the Town of East Greenbush Emergency Communication Center received multiple calls reporting a vehicle fire at 24 Neptune Street in Prospect Heights. Several callers reported that they were at least 2 other vehicles and a house being endangered by the fire. Upon the immediate arrival of Car’s 1 & 2, they found a 4-door sedan, fully involved in fire and a full box was transmitted for the incident. Engine Co. 8-5 arrived shortly thereafter and crews made quick work of the vehicle with the assist of Truck Co. 8 & Engine Co. 8-7. In all about 20 members responded, staffing 4 pieces of apparatus and were managed by three chiefs. There was no damage to either vehicle endangered as well as the residence. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.