QFC OKTOBERFEST contiues to evolve as more exciting aspects are added as well as sponsors to give the  event a chance to be more successful.

The event will run from 4PM to 9PM on Saturday, October 2 with live entertainment throughout.  Clinton Wine and Spirits, located in Wal-Mart Plaza, has signed on to be a major sponsor and has gotten great support in building a large wine/beer tasting.  The food will be of German flavor and a large tricky tray of items and services are being secured and the Big Money Raffle will be going off at 8:30 at the Oktoberfest.

Tickets are available for $30.  Help are some of the sponsors already signed on to support QFC.

Clinton Wine and Spirits, Schultz & Tinnes, Thonet Assocs, Shop-Rite, Fox Lumber, Ace Greenhouses, Magnus Salon, Knowledge Points, Beckage Sealcoating, Clinton Car Care, Matt's Red Rooster,

For additional info on sponsorships, tickets or getting some of the raffle tickets call 908-735-5220 or email feedback@quakertownfire.com.

The hottest weather of the season is upon our community.  Please read the attached memo on some health tips to avoid a health emergency!

Around 00:45 hours, QFC was alerted with Milford, Pattenburg and Lebanon for the reported garage fire on Rick Rd in Alexandria Twp.  The request for QFC was to respond with Engine 91, Water Tender 91-1 and Rescue 91 and they went enroute with 13 volunteers.  First arriving chief officers found a two-story garage/workshop well-involved with a house 25 ft away.

Initial efforts were used to work the exposure side of the structure while additional were stretched and put into service to darken down the fire.  Engine 91 handled the water supply fill engine by filling the 6 water tenders shuttling water to the remote scene.  Tender 91-1 shuttled 4 loads of water while Rescue 91 aided in fire suppression and overhaul.

Companies responding on this alarm were Milford, Quakertown, Pattenburg, Lebanon, Holland Twp, Kingwood, Bloomsbury and Upper Black Eddy as well as Milford-Holland and Pattenburg EMS.  All units were picked up by 4AM.  Thanks to High Bridge Squad 14 for standing by QFC.

Here is the "Run" down for the weekend of July 16-18th-

Friday evening-18:26-Medical Assist-Frontage Rd (Franklin Twp)

Saturday Morning-10:56-CO Alarm-Sidney Rd-(Franklin Twp) Rescue 91 crew found defective CO detector with no reading of gas.  Crew acquired a new detector and returned to the home to install it.

Saturday night-21:54-Motor Vehicle accident/car overturned-Pine Hill Rd (Franklin Twp) Rescue 91 responded and took care of a fluid spill and stood-by for JCP&L.

Sunday morning-07:39-Chemical Spill-Kingwood Twp-Fire units on-scene found a chemical spill in a industrial building.  Requested Haz Mat team and Engine 91.

Sunday morning-08:59-Medical Assist-Pittstown Rd (Franklin Twp)

Sunday morning-11:03-Medical Assist-Wal-Mart Plaza (Franklin Twp)

Sunday evening-18:44-Medical Transport-Oak Grove Rd (Franklin Twp)

QFC Volunteers responded to 3 calls for service and held the weekly training session for fire operations on Monday.  The call was a medical emergency in Franklin Twp at 10:27.  Ambulance 915 transported with 3 volunteer EMTs. At 12:37, again the Ambulance responded to a medical emergency in Franklin Twp.  To end the day, QFC was dispatched to assist at a kitchen fire in Milford but was cancelled before responding.

On Monday night, the crew went over to the Hampton Inn to review standpipe operations.  Companies trained on how to perform fire attack safely and effectively by using different techinques in buildings with standpipe connections.

Thanks to the Hampton Inn staff and management for allowing to get some good training in.

QFC EMS Capt Paul Cortellesi was elected Deputy Chief of Emergency Medical Services last week by the members of QFC.  D/C of EMS is the highest ranking medical position at QFC and was formed last month with the by-law changes.

D/C Cortellesi has been a volunteer FF/EMT with QFC for over 10 years and lives in Pittstown.  His wife, Deb, is also an EMT with QFC EMS.

This past weekend, the volunteer firefighters and EMTs of QFC were kept busy doing many different activities.  On Friday night, members of QFC EMS paid their respects to Howard Barnes by attending his viewing in Phillipsburg.  Howard was past Capt of Pattenburg Rescue Squad and was tragedically killed in motorcycle accident in Bethlehem Twp.

On Saturday, QFC answered an EMS run at Shop-Rite in Franklin Twp around lunchtime.  Then, after dinner, QFC  investigated a CO alarm on Upper Kingtown Rd in Franklin Twp.  The problem was determined to be a faulty stove.

On Sunday, shortly after midnight, QFC was sent to a head-on car crash on Rt 513 by the Pumping Station.  Squad 91 handled the traffic detail while the accident was cleared.  Around 10AM, QFC handled another 2-car accident at Hogback Rd and Sidney Rd in Franklin Twp.  1 patient was transported to HMC while the crews handled traffic and hazards.

In the afternoon, Squad 91 stopped over a birthday party in Franklin Twp to hose down the kids for a treat.  This assignment was a blast with great hopsitality provided by the family.  Shortly after clearing the wet down, QFC was sent on a "reported fire" off Alton Place in the Town of Clinton.  While enroute, all units were cancelled as this was an "honest mistake".

To end the weekend, Team QFC participated in the Sprintin Clinton 5 K on Sunday night. Congrats to Bobby, Tyler, Kate, Deb, Ali and Gavin on completing the event!

Every year, Life Member John McPherson Sr travels to area grave yards and marks the resting place of those past QFC members who have passed before us and decorates their graves.  Its simple reminder to the families and the community of their dedication to QFC and the community and that we have not forgot them.

Thanks to John and his helpers for all they do to support the families of past QFC volunteers. 

Fire and rescue incidents many times can be hectic scenes that require resources from numerous communities.  To aid our crews as well as neighboring companies all QFC vehicles with medical equipment and AEDs have been clearly marked to allow for the quick deployment of these lifesaving devices.

The location of medical bags carrying Oxygen and other basic life support equipment is now marked with a blue Star of Life.  The location of AEDs has been clearly marked with the reflective AED lettering.

At 18:50 hours, Quakertown Fire Co and its Division of EMS as well as Hunterdon Medical Center Paramedics were sent to Pine Hill Rd in Franklin Twp for a go-cart over a cliff with two patients unresponsive.  QFC Ambulance responded with the in-station duty crew and realizing the need for additional rescue personnel and a boat due to the location being near the South Branch of the Raritan requested Clinton First Aid and Rescue Squad.

QFC Rescue 91, Squad 91, QRU 91, Engine 91-2 and FP 91 responded with 19 additional volunteers and arrived to find two patients near the river just north of the Camp Carr bridge.  Rescuers waded across the river to start treatment immediately while the Clinton Rescue boat was brought up from Camp Carr to help transport the injured patients to awaiting Clinton and Quakertown ambulances.

Due to the severity of the injuries, 2 medical helicopters were requested and landed off Pine Hill Rd.  Patients were packaged and transported to the ambulances within 45 minutes of the first 911 call.  Both helicopters were loaded and transported to Morristown Memorial Hospital.

A Clinton Fire Department Engine covered the empty Quakertown Fire Station until units were available around 20:30. About 30 rescue personnel were  working the scene of the incident

Agencies responding on the alarm were QFC, QFC EMS, Clinton First Aid and Rescue Squad, Franklin Twp Police, Clinton Twp Police, Town of Clinton Police, Hunterdon County Park Rangers, and HMC Paramedics.

Tender 91-2 was dispatched this afternoon on a working fire in a chemical warehouse fire in Bucks County, PA.  QFC is one of at least 11 companies from Hunterdon that has been activated on this job. 

The Tender operated in Plumstead Twp for about 8 hours returning to town around 22:30 hours.  About 25,000 gallons were hauled from water sources to the fire scene.

Other Hunterdon County Fire Companies responding into Bucks County or covering empty fire stations on this alarm included Holland Twp, Kingwood, City of Lambertville, Lebanon Boro, Stockton, West Amwell, Bloomsbury, Sergeantsville, Amwell Valley, Milford.

Rescue workers from numerous agencies worked side-by-side in a training exercise in a wing of the Franklin Twp School that is being demolished.  The scenario for the drill planned by the Franklin Twp Office of Emergency Management and the Quakertown Fire Company centered on a tornado hitting the school with numerous victims being injuried or trapped.

Volunteer fire and EMS personnel worked for 3 hours using equipment and techinques not frequently used on everyday assignments to breach concrete walls and break open walls and roofs.  A triage area was manned by members of the Township CERT as victims were brought out of the school.  This type of training in buildings like the Franklin School is valuable in the fact that it gives rescuers "real" conditions to drill in.

Units participating in the drill were Quakertown Fire and Division of EMS, Frenchtown Fire, Clinton Fire Department, Clinton First Aid and Rescue Squad, Flemington-Raritan First Aid and Rescue Squad, High Bridge Fire Department, Franklin Twp CERT and OEM, Franklin Twp Police, NJ State Police and Homeland Security.

Thanks to the Boy Scouts of Troop 108 for playing "victims" as well as Franklin Twp residents for playing the part of "parents responding to the scene".  The entire exercise was possible due to the cooperation and consideration of the Franklin Twp Board of Education.

QFC FF Bill Iden returned to the station tonight just 20 days after suffering a cardiac arrest at a fire scene in Hillsborough Twp while operating as the Chief of the Neshanic Fire Company.  Bill gave a 30-minute talk on what happened to him including a statement from the Deputy Chief of Hillborough No.1 who found Bill and started CPR on him.  In addition, Bill also discussed some of the lessons learned and the value of Automated External Defibs on every vehicle. 

Following Bill's talk, Instructors Sharon Burham and Linda Rifino from Hunterdon County led a skills session on CPR and AED use with scenarios included.  Thanks to all who got involved and worked the scenarios.

During the training session, QFC responded with Clinton EMS for a man down at Walmart Plaza.  QRU 91 and Safety 91(Nye) responded and assisted in patient care.

Its great to see Bill and the success story of him surviving the incident is incredible.  Congrads to all on the scene and in the hospitals that made it possible.

At 11:27 hours, Clinton First Aid And Rescue Squad and QFC EMS were dispatched for the "male who jumped from the car" on Pittstown Rd in front of Walmart.  EMS crews arrived and confirmed the dispatch and upon further evaluation revealed a possible traumatic injury requiring paramedics and medical helicopter.  Engine 91-2 and Engine 45-1 (Clinton) were added to the assignment and established a landing zone at the South Ridge Church.  Upon the arrival of the helicopter, it was cancelled and the patient was transported to HMC for treatment.

Shortly before 4PM, QFC units were dispatched to Cherryville Stanton Rd in Franklin Twp for the hay wagon fire.  A minute later, a second call was dispatched for a field fire on Cherryville Rd near the AT&T Tower. Chief 91 (Patkochis) immediately requested an engine from Raritan Twp Fire Sta 2 to respond.

Brush 91 and Engine 21 (RTFC) responded on the field fire while Engine 91-2, Tender 91-2 responded on the hay wagon fire.  With air temperatures near 90, Ambulance 91 also responded for precautionary reasons.

Brush 91 extinguished a small fire probably due to hay coming off the wagon while the Engine 91-2 crew quickly deployed 1.75 smooth bore line and knocked down the hay and wagon fire.  Once the fire was extinguished, crews followed the farmer home and completed the removal of the hay from the wagon.  In all 17 QFC volunteers responded to the late afternoon fire.