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LANCASTER FIRE
DEPARTMENT, IN THE NEWS 2007
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December 6, 2007
(Lancaster Bee)
TRAINING TO SAVE LIVES
Steve
Demarzio, a firefighter with the Lancaster Fire
Department, attends training with other firefighters who participated
in a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automatic External Defibrillator
certification class in November.
This
training is part of the 60-hour New York State Certified First Responder
course hosted by the department.
Firefighters from across Erie County participated.
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November 29,
2007 (Lancaster Bee)
Tips, common sense will
prevent fires this holiday season
Tis the season for pine-scented candles, bright
lights and the use of mile-long extension cords to make sure every inch
of the house is so lit up, it can be seen from blocks away.
It’s
also the time of year when we turn on the evening news and inevitably hear
about a home being destroyed by fire because a candle was left burning
near a Christmas tree or an outlet overheated because it was packed
with too many plugs.
The
Lancaster Fire Department is reminding residents to use caution and
common sense when decorating.
“More than 4,000 Americans die
each year in fires and more than 20,000 are injured,” Assistant
Fire Chief Scott M. Kuhlmey said.
“Many of them might be alive today if they had only had
the information they needed to avoid a disaster.”
The
department offers these fire safety tips:
·
Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home. Test smoke
alarm batteries every month and change them at least once a year.
Consider installing a 10-year lithium battery-powered smoke alarm,
which is sealed so it cannot be tampered with or opened.
·
Do not place your tree close to a heat source, including
fireplace or heat vent. The heat will dry out the tree and cause it to
more easily ignite by heat, flame or sparks.
·
Never put Christmas tree branches or needles in a fireplace or
woodburning stove.
·
When the tree becomes dry, discard it promptly. The best way
to dispose of your tree is to take it to a recycling center or have it
collected by a community pick-up service.
·
Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wire, bare spots,
gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive
kinking or wear.
·
Only use UL-approved lighting.
·
Do not overload outlets. Connect strings of lights to an
extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet.
·
Do not leave lit holiday lights unattended.
·
If you light candles, make sure they are in stable holders and
place them where they can not be easily knocked over.
·
Never leave the house with candles burning.
Many
of these tips seem like common sense, but it only takes a moment
– hurry out of the house and forgetting to blow out a candle or
leaving the tree lit and unattended overnight and a spark flies from
the electrical outlet – for tragedy to strike. During these busy times, it’s
worth taking that moment to make sure your family and home are
protected and to see that your hard work doesn’t go up in flames.
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October
25, 2007 (Lancaster Bee)
Lancaster Fire Department
hands out awards
On
Oct. 14, 2007 the Lancaster Fire Department held its annual Communion
Breakfast and awards ceremony.
Winners included: Firefighter of the Year, Scott Kuhlmey and
John Burke; Fireman of the Year, Carl Adolf; Rookie of the Year, Steve
Moore; Explorer of the Year, Timothy Grucella;
Presidents Award, Richard Bonk; Chiefs Award, Line Officers
Association; 50-year Service Award, Robert Snyder; 25-year Service
Award, James Lepard and Mark Stonebraker.
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August
16, 2007 (Lancaster Bee)
Hero Honored
Scott
M. Kuhlmey, assistant chief and public relations officer of the
Lancaster Fire Department, holds the Firefighter of the Year Award,
which he won Friday during the Firefighter of the Year and Firefighter
Service Awards presentation during America’s fair in Hamburg.
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July
12, 2007 (Lancaster/Depew Bee)
Lancaster Fire
Department battles two blazes
The Lancaster Fire
Department responds to a garage fire July 12 at 12 Sherborne
Ave. in the Village of Lancaster.
Photo by John A. Robinson
Jr.
On July 2, the Lancaster Fire
Department responded to the report of a garage fire at 12 Sherborne Avenue in the Village of Lancaster.
Dispatched at 6:58 p.m., fire
units began to arrive at 7:01 p.m. and saw heavy smoke and fire coming
from the detached, 1-1/2 story garage, Assistant Fire Chief Scott M.
Kuhlmey said.
The fire was through the roof as
the first hose lines were stretched.
Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire, protecting nearby
properties from damage, Kuhlmey said.
The Lancaster Fire Department
remained on the scene until 8:01 p.m.
Twin District Fire Co. assisted at the scene, while the Town
Line Fire Department provided an engine for stand-by at the Lancaster
station on Broadway. Lancaster
Volunteer Ambulance Corps provided medical support at the
incident. No injuries were
reported. The cause of the fire
remains under investigation.
At 11 a.m. July 6, the Lancaster
Fire Department was dispatched to a fire alarm
activation at RMF Printing Technologies, 50 Pearl St. Shortly after receipt of the alarm,
responding units received information of a confirmed fire in the
building.
As the first pieces of apparatus
arrived, firefighters saw smoke coming from the west side of the
building.
Fire crews were able to locate
and confine the fire to an inside loading dock, Kuhlmey said. The fire,
which filled the large structure with smoke, was ventilated by the fire
department.
Firefighters remained on the
scene until 12:58 p.m.
Bowmansville, Depew, Twin District Fire Company assisted at the
scene. Lancaster Volunteer
Ambulance Corps provided medical support. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire appears to have
been caused by a welders torch, Kuhlmey said.
“It has been a busy couple
of months for the Lancaster Fire Department, responding to its fifth
structure fire within the last seven weeks,” Kuhlmey said.
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 July 6, 2007
In-District
Structure Fire, RMF Printing Technologies: 50 Pearl Street
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July 2, 2007
In-District
Structure Fire, 12 Sherborne Avenue: Garage
Fire
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June
30, 2007
Lancaster
Firefighters respond to grass fire at Como Lake Park
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June
14, 2007 (Lancaster/Depew Bee)
Two suspects
questioned after Lancaster garage blaze by Lisa A.
Johnson, Editor
Police questioned two men who
were seen fleeing the site of a garage fire June 6 on Kurtz Avenue.
The Lancaster Police and Fire
departments were called at 4:21 a.m. to 24 Kurtz Ave. for a report of a
blaze.
“Firefighters were
confronted with a fully involved garage fire with multiple properties
threatened,” Lancaster Village Fire Department Third Assistant
Chief Scott Kuhlmey said.
The fire in the two-car, one and
a half story garage caused exposure damage to the rear of the residence
and five separate structures on Kurtz Avenue and Garfield Street due to
the intense heat, officials said.
A wood fence and several trees also sustained fire damage.
After receiving the alarm, crews
received information that acetylene tanks were stored in the
garage. These tanks were found
shortly thereafter and removed without incident, Kuhlmey said.
While firefighters extinguished
the blaze, police received a report of two men fleeing the area around
the time the fire began. Police
found one suspect who said he woke up for work, heard the fire call and
headed to the scene to make sure nobody was in the garage. Several witnesses identified the
suspect as one of the men fleeing the scene.
The second suspect was found at
his place of employment and questioned.
He said he woke up for work, heard the alarm and ran to the
scene with the first suspect to help.
The second suspect told police
he was “stupid” to run to the fire, the police report
said. When an officer asked why,
the suspect replied, “Because I’m a suspect now,
aren’t I?” according to the report.
Depew Fire Department and Twin
District Fire Company assisted at the scene, while the Town Line Fire
Department provided an engine for stand-by at the Lancaster station on
Broadway.
Lancaster Volunteer Ambulance
Corps provided medical support, and one firefighter was treated at the
scene by LVAC for an ankle injury, Kuhlmey said.
Lancaster Fire Department
remained on the scene until 6:58 a.m., to cool hot spots and to assist
the Police.
Damage estimates were
unavailable and the investigation into the origin of the fire had not
been completed as of press time.
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June 5, 2007
In-District Structure
Fire, 24 Kurtz Ave: Fully Involved Garage Fire with Exposures
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May 29, 2007
In-District
Structure Fire, 10 Villa Place: Fully Involved Shed Fire with Exposures
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May
17, 2007 (Lancaster/Depew Bee)
Firefighter
injured while battling blaze by Lisa A. Johnson, Editor
 A garage fire at 7:04p.m.
Saturday at 2109 Como Park Blvd. sent one firefighter to the hospital
with a finger injury.
Police and firefighters responded to the
call and found the garage behind the house engulfed.
“The roof partially collapsed shortly
after the Fire Department’s arrival,” Assistant Fire Chief
Scott Kuhlmey said.
The Lancaster Volunteer Ambulance Corps took
Firefighter Don Sullivan to the Erie County Medical Center, Buffalo,
for treatment of a possible broken finger, according to a Lancaster
Police Department report. He was
treated and released, Kuhlmey said.
Lancaster firefighters were assisted at the
scene by Depew and Twin District Fire departments. The fire’s cause
has not been determined.
Neighbors told police they didn’t see
anything out of the ordinary before the fire started. The case was turned over to the
Police Department’s detective unit.
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 May 12, 2007
In-District Structure
Fire, 2109 Como Park Boulevard: Garage Fire
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Photo by John
A. Robinson Jr.
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Photo by John
A. Robinson Jr.
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April
26, 2007 (Lancaster/Depew Bee)
People in the
news
Scott M. Kuhlmey, assistant chief and public
relations officer of the Lancaster Fire Department, recently was
honored as the Lions Club of Lancaster Firefighter of the Year and
received the Lions Club District 20-N Courageous Hero Award. State Senator Dale Volker also
presented the State Senate Liberty Award and Medal, the highest honor
that it bestows upon a civilian for heroic action, exceptional
achievement and dedication.
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March
8, 2007 (Lancaster Bee)
FIREFIGHTING
WEEKEND
The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial, located
at the National Fire Academy campus in Emmitsburg,
MD., includes plaques encircling the plaza and a list of names of U.S.
firefighters killed in service to their communities since 1981.
Seven members of the Lancaster Fire
Department attended the New York State Weekend at the National Fire
Academy in Emmitsburg. Chief Robert M. Herget, Assistant
Chiefs John Burke and Scott M. Kuhlmey, Captain Rob Nichter,
Lieutenants Kevin Herzog and Jennie Hauser, and Firefighter Bill Huff
participated in the two-day program held Saturday and Sunday.
While participating in the program,
firefighters also attended the annual New York State memorial ceremony
held at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial.
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March
6, 2007 10:54 AM EST (WIVB, Channel 4)
Bravest of
Western New York: John Burke / Scott Kuhlmey
(February 28, 2007) - - In this week's
Bravest of Western New York, we recognize firefighters who risked their
own lives to rescue a man who became trapped in a burning building.
Here's News 4's Lisa Flynn.
Lancaster Volunteer firefighters were
dispatched to a fire on Sawyer Avenue in late December. The call came
out as a mattress fire inside an apartment building.
When they arrived on location, smoke was billowing
from the apartment windows and there was a report of a person trapped
inside.
Assistant Chief John Burke said,
"Anytime you hear a report of a fire and of course a civilian that
needs help, it gets the adrenaline going."
Assistant Chief Scott Kuhlmey crawled
upstairs where he found a door jammed shut. "I was able to force the door
open and found a victim on the floor lying directly behind the
door."
Assistant Chief Scott Kuhlmey said,
"It's a good feeling knowing that we were able to locate him
quickly and quickly extricate him and gave him the proper care he
required."
"We all worked together. We got the job
done, and everyone went home."
Because of that teamwork, everyone made it
out safely. That's why we honor Assistant Chief John Burke and
Assistant Chief Scott Kuhlmey with this week's Bravest of Western New
York.
 
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February 15,
2007
In-District
Structure Fire, 35 Sawyer Avenue: Apartment Fire
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January
4, 2007 (Lancaster Bee) / Winter 2007 (The Fire Fighter Newspaper: WNY)
Lancaster Man
Rescued from Fire
A Sawyer Avenue man was pulled from his
burning apartment after fire ripped through his bedroom and forced four
other residents from their apartments on De. 28.
Assistant Fire Chief Scott Kuhlmey was the
first to arrive at 94 Sawyer Ave. about a minute after the emergency
call came in around 8 a.m. He
saw light smoke from outside the building and entered when a tenant
unlocked the door. Four
residents escaped safely, but a fifth was trapped.
“Our first priority is the safety of
the occupants,” Kuhlmey said.
Kuhlmey went to the second floor to find a
door ajar and fire inside the room.
He had to force the door open because the victim was lying
behind it in a pile of clothing and other items.
Assistant Fire Chiefs John Burke and James
Robinson and crews assisted Kuhlmey in taking the victim to
safety. The Lancaster Volunteer
Ambulance Corps took the victim to Erie County Medical Center, where he
was listed in critical condition after suffering burns and smoke
inhalation. His condition was
later upgraded to serious.
While the fire was contained to one room,
the American red Cross is assisting the five tenants because the
apartment building was condemned because of code violations, Kuhlmey
said.
The investigation continues, but officials
are leaning toward a cigarette falling into a pile of clothing as the
cause of the blaze. The victim
may have had a medical condition and passed out while smoking, causing
the cigarette to fall onto the clothing, Robinson said.
Andrew Collins, a former Lancaster resident
who was passing the apartment at the time of the fire, was impressed
with the fire department’s action.
“There was smoke coming out and one of
the firemen went in,” he said.
“The next thing I saw was the victim being pulled out from
the fire. I was… impressed
with the speed of the firemen.”
Kuhlmey commended the department’s
work and said their training ensures firefighters are ready to act
quickly.
“It’s just part of the job, and
that’s what we do,” he said.
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