Newsletter

Wednesday, December 7, 2011  On sunday december 4th, the Hammondsport Fire Department held its annual meeting and election of officers.    The officers lineup for this year is as follows....

Chief Bill Fries, 1st Assistant Chief Justin Buckley, 2nd Assistant Chief Chris Mcconnell,  3rd Assistant Chief Jason Thompson.  Captain Doug Hamilton, Captain Nate Buckley, Captain Steve Veley, Captain Chris Jenkins, Captain Tony Smolos.

Sunday, November 6, 2011  Its that time of year again!  when changing your clocks be sure to change all of the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. 

Sunday, October 16, 2011  At approximately 2230 hours on october 1st the Hammondsport Fire Department was alerted to a structure fire with people trapped on the second floor.  2101 (asst chief buckley) called on scene with smoke showing from the second floor and reported all of the occupants had made it out of the building.  Engine 24 arrived with a full crew and stratched a 200 foot attack line and made their way to the second floor.  due to heavy smoke conditions they had some trouble finding the seat of the fire.  they soon had the fire out and all units were put into overhaul.  Truck 2 was on scene shortly after engine 24 and went to work ventilating the structure.  Bath Fire department assisted at the scene for a RIT team.  Wayne Fire Department filled in at the Hammondsport Station. There were no injuries reported.

Sunday, August 7, 2011  At approx. 02:30 hrs Hammondsport Volunteers were alerted for an MVA with injuries on County Route 76 in the town of urbana.  2101, 2102 and Rescue 7 responded along with two ambulances from Hammondsport ambulance.  The members found a car into a tree upon arrival with no occupants in or near the car.  It was later determined that the occupants had all left the scene except for the driver who had cuts to his face and head.  The Driver was found at a nearby residence and was treated and transported to IDM hospital.  Hammondsport Volunteers stabilized and de-energized the vehicle and awaited the tow truck. 

The Hammondsport Fire Department will be hosting the inaugural BBQ competition on Saturday August 27th from 11am until 8pm.  The admission is free and is open to the public.  There will be live music,  beverages and food.  and of course lots of BBQ!  Winery tastings and Brewery tasting will be available for a small fee. 

Teams Competing are,  Redneck rampage, big reds bbq, bikers babes &bbq, back alley bbq, smoke and sauce,  team avoca smoka, wanetas wine and swine, caroline shine bbq, larsens, crystal beach grillers, around the corner catering, master basters, bite me bbq, andys bbq shack, cluckin good bbq, club 57 bbq to you. 

brought to you by,  Hammondsport fire dept, steuben county veterans memorial, mercury aircraft, heron hill, fingerlakes brewing, wilkins rv, simmons rockwell, keuka brewing, top dawg studios, champagne bbq.

ATTENTION COMPETITORS!  there will be a cooks meeting at 7pm august 26th.  the meat will be given out at this time. 

There will be a separate sauce competition not a part of the bbq competition.  if you wish to compete please let the staff know at the cooks meeting.  $250 will be the top prize. in that category. 

additional camping will be available for $20.  let the staff know at the cooks meeting. 

Sunday, July 17, 2011  Members of the Hammondsport Fire Department traveled to Hamilton New York to witness the award of FireFighter of the year being given to Captain Nathan Buckley and Chief of the Wayne Fire Department Larry Day! 

On March 19th 2010 at 19:21 hours the Hammondsport Fire Department was dispatched for a boat reportedly taking on water unable to get to shore. It was unseasonably warm, around 52 degrees that day, and calm. Dispatch reported that the vessel was still running but not able to maneuver and that there were two males on the boat. The Caller was able to get to shore but was unable to secure the boat to the dock. The Boat had drifted approximately 75 feet away from the shore. Car 2101 responded at 19:24 hours and was on scene at 19:25.  
Once on scene Assistant Chief Buckley confirmed the dispatch information and spoke to the caller who stated that her husband (age 37) and son (age 12) were still on board attempting to make repairs. She also stated that everything was ok and that they only needed a tow to shore. 
While Asst. Chief Buckley was interviewing the wife Chief Larry Day, of the Wayne Fire Department,   Captain Nathan Buckley and Firefighter Lucas Calafiore, of the Hammondsport Fire Department, had arrived on scene and observed the scene and attempted to make contact with the men onboard. After about 30 sec. of trying to establish contact they noticed that the son started to act distressed and then suddenly disappeared from view falling from the captain’s chair of the boat. 
Noticing this, it was decided that quick action needed to be taken. Without regard for their own safety, Capt. Buckley (in Shorts mind you) and Chief Day secured a paddle boat and started out through the nearly freezing water to board the vessel with one end of a 75’ throw bag and FF Calafiore, along with arriving personnel from Hammondsport Fire Department and Ambulance Corp., on shore with the other end of the rope. Once they reached the boat Chief Day entered the boat he saw that the child had fallen into the engine compartment with the engine still running. Captain Buckley on the outside secured the rope to a cleat on rear of the boat and then immediately got on the boat to assist. Once secured the rescue personnel on shore started to pull the boat to shore. Inside the boat Chief Day and Capt. Buckley proceeded to extract the child, whose head was wedged between the engine block and a large coolant line. Shortly after the boat was secured to the dock the child was freed and removed from the boat. After that the father was immediately removed from the cabin of the boat. 
Once both men were on shore Rescue personnel on scene proceeded with stabilizing the patients for transport.  Once airways were established and the patients came back to consciousness they were transported to Ira Davenport Memorial Hospital. From there they were separately flown out. The father went to a Hyperbaric Chamber in Syracuse and the son was taken to a chamber in Rochester.   Neither the father nor the son suffered any permanent injuries from this incident.
As for Chief Larry Day and Captain Nathan M. Buckley, if it wasn’t for the resourcefulness, quick actions and disregard for their own safety the father and son would not have survived. 

Wednesday, July 13, 2011  Hammondsport Volunteers took on a total of 13 calls in the month of june. 

6/1 bean station road for wires down, 6/1 MVA in mitchelsville, 6/5 MVA county route 76,  6/6 Curtiss school auto alarm,  6/11 fish hatchery road for the tree hazard,  6/11 Brundage road for water in the residence,  6/13 County route 113 for the MVA,  6/16 county route 88 for the MVA,  6/19 winding stair road for the tree hazard, 6/29 bean station road for the structure fire,  6/30 east side of the lake for the plane crash into the water.