Station 44 reports to a fire in Ortley Beach…

Seaside Heights firefighters responded to this call in Ortley Beach on the chilly evening of Friday January 25, 2008.

Station 44 reports to a fire in Ortley Beach: On the chilly evening of Friday January 25, 2008, Station 44, The Seaside Heights Volunteer Fire Department responded to the report of a potential structure fire at a condominium complex near 1st Avenue and Bay Boulevard in the Ortley Beach section of the Township of Toms River. The unit is occupied by summer-and-weekend-only residents, who fired up their heating system this cold first night of the weekend. Shortly thereafter, the distinct smell of smoke permeated the unit, and authorities were alerted. Upon arrival, a team from Station 44, led by Chief James Samarelli, isolated the smell, which was determined to be from burning wood under the furnace. The smoldering material was extinguished in short order. In addition to Station 44, fire squads from East Dover and Ocean Beach were dispatched, but were canceled before arrival.

Station 45 has dramatic dog rescue from icy bay in Seaside Park…

This was the dramatic scene off of the bayfront at “C” Street in Seaside Park on the morning of January 26, 2008, when this runaway dog fell through thin ice and had to be rescued.

Brothers Kevin and Wes Gorman, relative newcomers to the SPFD, were the pair who actually waded out and got the dog.

Seaside Park Asst. Chief Paul Wrobleski is seen with Seaside Heights Asst. Chief William Rumbolo. Chief Rumbolo, who is the Animal Control Officer in Seaside Heights, assisted with the call of a dog that needed to be rescued after falling through the ice at “C” Street and the Bayfront in Seaside Park.

Station 45 has dramatic dog rescue from icy bay in Seaside Park: It was a life or death situation for a frightened black Lab that had fallen through the very thin off the bayfront in Seaside Park just past noon of Saturday January 26th. The runaway dog had been missing from its Seaside Heights home on Dupont Avenue, near the border of the two neighboring municipalities since the previous night, according to sources. The frightened dog was seen trying to stay afloat, clearly having fell through the thin ice that had formed during the recent cold snap. A team from Station 45, The Seaside Park Volunteer Fire Department responded to the call. Commanding the scene was SPFD Asst. Chief Paul Wrobleski, leading a team that included brothers Kevin and Wes Gorman, John Wrobleski, Dave Hansen, Mike Tumolo, Paul Barna, Donald McLaughlin and also Station 44 Asst. Chief William Rumbolo from Seaside Heights, who also responded to the call. After putting on special gear, the Gorman brothers broke through the slushy ice in tandem, slowly making their way to the dog. The pair were assisted in the water by John Wrobleski, who helped feed a rope line from shore and was awaiting with a kayak. Using a snare, the dog was plucked from where it was stuck, and was very cooperative to its rescuers. The dazed and confused dog was quickly loaded aboard the kayak, and then it was reeled back to shore making a dramatic return to land, admit a cheering crowd of on-lookers. Once on the beach, the dog was covered with blankets, and quickly placed inside an awaiting warm vehicle. The dog was put in the care of the Seaside Park Animal Control officer, and later examined by Dr. Fritz McHugh, of Coastal Veterinary. The dog’s owners had been looking for their pet, and were notified of the event via telephone by a friend who recognized the dog at the scene, sources said. The dog was also said to be unharmed, and has been returned to its owner.

CLICK THE ARROW BELOW TO BE CONNECTED TO A VIDEO NOW POSTED ON youtube.com OF THE DRAMATIC DOG RESCUE OFF OF “C” STREET AND THE BAY IN SEASIDE PARK…

Station 44 responds to fuel leak and Haz-Mat call…

This SUV vs. Box Truck MVA on the Boulevard in Seaside Heights required a Haz-Mat team to respond after the truck’s fuel tank was ruptured, pouring its contents onto the roadway.

What may otherwise have not been a very interesting motor vehicle accident turned into a dramatic episode on the morning of Monday January 21, 2008. On a day when temperatures reached no higher than the mid-20’s and a brisk wind made it feel even colder, Station 44, The Seaside Heights Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to a call where a vehicle was leaking gas. Upon arrival at the scene, it was determined that a green Jeep Cherokee had somehow collided with what appeared to be a parked box truck. (There was no immediate explanation of what caused the accident, which appears to have happened at a very odd angle. Seaside Heights Police Patrolman Tony Molinaro is investigating). Had the Cherokee struck the large vehicle at any other location, it probably would have been far less serious. However, the box truck was hit dead on to its gas tank, with a resulting spillage of fuel all over the roadway. This box truck’s tank must have been quite full, as fuel was pouring out of tank, easily visible from a block away. Concern was not only for the potential inflammability of the fuel, but also for the environment. The tank’s contents could have potentially leaked into the storm drain, an environmental issue that is well-known in this watershed area. Station 44 members were soon on the scene, and later the Berkeley Haz-Mat team and Meridian clean-up also arrived. A special dry substance called “Speedi-Dry” was placed on the puddle to contain the spill. The whole event took about an hour from start to finish.

Station 44’s new 100-foot ladder truck “towers” over the rest

The new American LaFrance 100-foot ladder truck, which has a capacity of 2,000 gallons of water per minute, was delivered on Tuesday January 8, 2008.

Station 44’s new 100-foot ladder truck “towers” over the rest: Station 44, The Seaside Heights Volunteer Fire Department is extremely proud of their new 100-foot ladder truck that was delivered Tuesday January 8, 2008. The new truck is dedicated to the late Dell Hopson, who served as Station 44’s Chief for 32 years. This is long-awaited replacement for a 20-year old ladder truck, which was sold to raise funds to go towards the new 100 foot model. The truck, called 4405 like its predecessor, was built by American LaFrance, and is 12 feet higher than the old 4405, which reached 88 feet. Price tag on this new beauty is $790,000, and all parties involved spent along time comparing trucks and prices before making the final purchasing decision. The new truck was purchased in response to the age of the old model, and also to service all the new tall buildings that have been constructed around the Borough since the early-2000’s building boom that continues to this day. Many buildings, like several of the condo projects clustered in the area between Blaine and Webster Avenues along Ocean Terrace, are built to the current maximum allowable height of 40 feet. Easily towering over the highest buildings in town, the basket of mechanical arm of the ladder fits at least two more firefighters, and elevates much faster and smoother than the old 4405. The long arm also has a far reach over things, allowing easier access to hard-to-get locations, such as the rear building of a deep property, or the buildings along the boardwalk. Extremely proud of the new 4405 is SHFD Engineer Rich Tompkins, who is not only a member of the department, but also a Borough Councilman. Rich was in attendance when the new truck was delivered and demostrated by American LaFrance reps. Proud of all the features of the truck, Rich explained that the truck holds 300 gallons of water, and has a 2,000 gallon per minute capacity. In addition to its large payload of water, the new 4405 also has a Global Positioning System installed, an example of how fire truck manufacturers are including the very latest technologies in their products.

The new truck is dedicated to the late Dell Hopson, who served as Station 44’s Chief for 32 years.

FROM THE 100-FOOT PERCH OF THE NEW 4405 are seen some of the properties the new ladder fire truck was purchased to protect. Many of the recent additions to Seaside Heights can be seen from the photo, including many condo projects, Jenkinson’s Breakwater Beach, and Hemingway’s, to name just a few.

SOME MORE 4405 AERIAL SHOTS…

Kohr’s Water Leak Call VIDEO, January 4, 2008….

Broken pipes and a water leak threatened one of the largest buildings on the Seaside Heights boardwalk during the early evening hours of Friday January 4, 2008. 1st Assistant Chief Billy Rumbolo of Station 44, The Seaside Heights Volunteer Fire Department knew of the call a few minutes before the fire department was actually dispatched, having been altered to the situation in his capacity as the Supervisor of Public Works. Fortunately, Asst. Chief Rumbolo was already in the company of Chief James Samarelli at local restaurant On Top of Spaghetti, and both responded immediately responded to the Kohr’s location at Dupont Avenue and the Boardwalk, meeting up with Seaside Heights Police Chief Tommy Boyd and Patrolman Douglas Roemmele. Upon arrival at the building, a massive amount of water could be seen pouring out from the side of the building and directly through the electrified and operating lighting system that illuminates Kohr’s signs and artwork on the outside of the building. The Kohr’s stand is located at the southwest corner of the large Belle Freeman building, which houses many other businesses, such as the Carousel Arcade and one of the locations of the Berkeley Sweet Shop. With so much at stake, the building needed to be forcibly entered, which was done by Asst. Chief Rumbolo, assisted by Station 44 member John Praznic, setting off an alarm. Upon entry, Chief Rumbolo, 2nd Lt. Lou Nardone, along with Firefighters John Praznic and Umberto Esposito investigated the building and had to negotiate a thick and slippery sheet of ice that had formed on the hard tile floor of the ice cream stand. The water to the property needed to be cut, and a great team was assembled to achieve this task, including Public Works Superintendent and Station 44 member Lou DiGuilio, the former Water Department Supervisor, and SHFD 2nd Assistant Chief Lou Urcinole, who works in the Borough Water Department currently. After the electricity and water were cut to the property, the location was turned back over to Kohr’s management. Some readers may know that Station 44 has Greg Kohr of Kohr’s Frozen Custard The Original as one of its active members, but the location with the water issue is not one of Greg’s three stands in Seaside Heights. The Dupont Avenue Kohr’s location is owned by his cousin, who operates this stand and another at Stockton Avenue and The Boardwalk in Seaside Park. A video of the entire incident has been produced, and can be seen at by clicking the ARROW BELOW!