Monday night duty crew faced the rain and traveled to Odenton to participate in their annual firemans parade. Members took RE62 and A66.  The members returned with 2 trophies, Best Appearing Ambulance and 2nd Best Appearing Rescue Piece. Thanks to all of the members who helped clean the equipment and take time from your holiday weekend to participate in the parade.

The Savage Volunteer Fire Company has once again been asked by the Savage Community Association to host the Annual Savage Fest Parade.  The parade will be held on June 6, 2009.  If you are interested or know of a group that may be interested in participating please contact the Parade Chairperson at 443-250-5878.  We look forward to seeing everyone at Savage Fest 2009

On Saturday February 28th members were honored at the annual banquet. The banquet was held at the Great Room in the Savage Mill. F/F Mark Thornton and F/F Joel Jones were presented with their life membership cards. 
 
The following awards were awarded:
 
Top 10 Fire Responders
1. Patrick Dreer               
2. Kevin Larkins Sr.         
3. Norman Wines            
4. Tyler Jones                  
5. Dave Rawlings Sr.      
6. Kevin Larkins Jr 
7. Andrew Welch
8. Jeff Hatton
 9. Frances Mowbray
10. Charlie Lombard
 
 
Top 5 EMS Responders
1. Patrick Dreer
2. Kevin Larkins Sr.
3. Dave Rawlings Sr.
4. Andrew Welch
5. Francis Mowbray
 
Career Person of the Year
Lt./P  Rob Smeltzer
A/Lt./P Lisa Smeltzer
 
Donald B. Redmond Rookie of the Year
 Vincent Chen
 
Presidents Award
Maynard Wines
 
Volunteer Officer of the Year
 Ray Wines
 
Volunteer of the Year
 Tyler Jones
 
Past Presidents Award
Derek Bezy
 
Past Chiefs Award
Norman Wines 
 
Mike Petza was also presented with a gift of appreciation for his duty crew attendance.
 
The Officers and Members of the company can also not thank the Ladies Auxiliary enough for  their hard work and a $40,000 gift they presented to the company at the banquet. Over the last several years the auxiliary has presented the department with several hundred thousand dollars. 

Members operated for several hours as the second due truck on a house fire in Laurel.  The call went out just before 8:oo PM for the number 34 Fourth Street.  Units arrived on the scene with fire showing from side "C" of the house.  No injuries were reported.

Photos by Jim Codespote LVFD....

Crews took advantage of the nice weather and conducted a drill on advancing handlines and ladder pipe operation.

Crews worked for several house this morning on a house fire in the 7000 block of Cedar Ave.  One firefighter suffered minor injures.

    There will be a rally/press conference on SB650 and SB764 on March 4, 2009. The rally will start at 11:30 AM. Location is Lawyer's Square (front of State House) in Annapolis. We need your support at this event to show our opposition to these two bills. A hearing for these bills is also scheduled for March 4 starting at 1:00 PM. Fire/Ambulance apparatus is requested.  Please, if possible, be in fire/rescue uniform. Class A uniform is preferred. Parking is limited so consider car pooling.  Parking is available at the Navy/Marie Football stadium. Cost is $5.00 for all day. You can park there and ride (for free) the shuttle to Lawyer's Square. Please pass this request to your department, local departments, association, and anyone else that is interested in defeating these bills. Plan on a long day, just because the hearing is scheduled to start at 1:00 PM does not mean that these bills will be heard then and the Committees have other legislation to
consider. You do not have to testify, your presents at the hearing will show the overall opposition to these bills. Hope to see you on March 4. Will keep
you advised of any changes.

    We need everyone's support in defeating these bills, continue to contact members of the Senate Budget and Taxation and Senate Finance Committee urging them to vote NO on these bills.

Truck 6 and Chief 6A operated for several hours this morning on a building fire in the 7400 block of Van Duesen Road in Laurel.

Please support your Savage Volunteers by participating in this information gathering initiative by the county.... 

Media Contacts:
Kevin Enright, Director, Office of Public Information, 410-313-2022

Rescheduled from January 28 – cancellation due to inclement weather
Department of Fire and Rescue Services Seeks Community Feedback

ELLICOTT CITY, MD – The Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services invites members of the community to participate in one of two community focus groups on Tuesday, March 3. The first focus group will be held from 12 to 1 p.m. at Howard Community College’s Gateway Campus, 6751 Columbia Gateway Drive in Columbia. The second focus group will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Glenwood Community Center, 2400 Route 97 in Cooksville. These sessions are the first step in the Department’s effort to develop a strategic plan to help better meet the needs of citizens.

"Job one for local government is insuring the safety and well-being of our citizens, so it is imperative that we hear from those we serve," said County Executive Ken Ulman. "We need to listen, be responsive and then be held accountable."

The Center for Public Safety Excellence will guide focus group participants through an exercise intended to prioritize emergency and non-emergency services from a “customer” perspective. Additionally, participants will have an opportunity to provide general comments and suggest expectations about the Department’s role and service in Howard County. Previous experience with the Department’s services is not required.

Space is limited to 100 participants for each session and while registration is preferred, it is not required. To register, please contact the Department at 410-313-6000 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Registration may also be made through email to focus@howardcountymd.gov by providing your name, community affiliation and the session you plan to attend.

Shortly after RE62 returned to the station and Truck 6 had returned from the fire, rescue alarm 6-3 was sounded for Rt. 175 and Oceanic Ave for a rescue with unknown injuries.  While responding dispatch updated the call advising there was a roll over with ejection.   RE62 arrived to find two Vehicles with one on its side.  P105 transported 1 priority 2 and P15 was dispatched for a second priority 3.  None of the patients had been ejected from their vehicles.

While T6 and E61 were on a working house fire in Columbia calls continued to be dispatched for station 6. At 1402hrs PG E810, who was transferring to station6, was alerted for a vehicle fire on I-95 near Rt. 175. Dispatch came back and advised that they had received multiple calls and updated the call to a Rescue with fire. Chief 6A responded to the station and completed the crew for RE62.  E810 got on the scene of the car fire and held it with E810. RE62 was flagged down for different call on the ramp to Rt.175 from I-95 north with a single vehicle off the road into the woods.  AA Truck26 and Howard E52 were transferring to station 7 and were placed on the call as well.  P66 transported 1 Priority2.  

On Thursday January 22, 2009 at 1330hrs box alarm 9-6 was alerted for a reported house fire in the area of Waterloo Road and Montgomery Road. County Police arrived on location advising that the house was fully involved. At 1335hrs the task force was alerted, which called for E-61 and T-6.  T-6 crew assisted in overhaul.  The fire is under investigation to determine a cause.

On January 15,  volunteer and C-shift career members went to Guilford Road Park for our annual Water and Ice Rescue Training.  The members practiced extricating victims from the water and performing different rescue techniques.  Special thanks to Lt. R. Smeltzer for organizing and coaching the training.

We would like to welcome firefighter Charles LaGrave back to "The Rock" on C-shift.  This will be firefighter LaGraves third tour of duty here.

We would also like to wish firefighter Josh Zulick the best of luck in his reassignment to the Special Operations Team at Station 10.

At 1807hrs station 6 was alerted for a motor vehicle collision.  A single vehicle had run off the road and struck a tree head on.  The single occupant of the vehicle was transported to Laurel Regional Hospital