Recent Calls

Chemical Explosion - Country Line Road

Monday February 25, 2008:  At 11:00 BGVFC was dispatched for a FAST and full response into North Branch's primary for a chemical explosion and fire off of County Line Road in Branchburg Township.  BGVFC stood by with the FAST and an engine available for fire suppression.  21-151 was clear of scene by 1400.  At approximately 20:00 that night BGVFC was requested to return to the scene to standby by while North Branch firefighters were given a well needed break.  21-151 stood by on scene for fire suppression until released by command at 22:00.  21 Fire was dispatched the following day for one engine to standby while the chemical was removed from the building.  Many units from Branchburg, Bridgewater, and other surrounding areas responded or were put on standby for this incident.  County Haz-Mat and County OEM were also on scene.

Structure Fire - Walnut Street

Saturday February 23, 2008:  At approximatly 20:20 BGVFC was dispatched to 88 Walnut Street for a confirmed structure fire.  Upon 21-105's arrival heavy fire and smoke could be seen coming from the front of the house.  105's crew entered the structure with two hand lines and quickly knocked the fire down.  21-103 arrived moments later with a crew and additional pumping capabilities.  21-105 was the last unit on scene and was clear by 00:00 on Febuary 24.  Respnding Units Included: 21 Fire (Bradley Gardens), 24 Fire (County Hills), 34 Fire (Green Knoll), 49 Fire (North Branch FAST), and 39 Rescue (Bradley Gardens).

Structure Fire - Rt. 28 Branchburg

Sunday November 25, 2007: At approximately 1130 BGVFC was dispatched for a F.A.S.T. assignment on Rt. 28 in North Branch Fire Company's Branchburg area for a working structure fire.  21-151 was the first due truck from Braley Gardens.  151 responded with the F.A.S.T. team and upon arrival fire knockdown and ventilation had been started by 49 Fire.  21-103 responded to the scene with extra manpower and tools.  Shortly into the fire all units were ordered to evacuate the building due to structural instability.  At this point the fire was fought completey from the exterior.  Luckily the fire was in an exterior wall on the D side of the house and was able to be contained.  Station 21 and 24 crews were split up and a crew on 21-103 and 24-103 was staged at the Miltown Road Elementary School to cover all Bridgewater District 2 & 3 calls as well as any additional calls in Branchburg Township.  Fire was contained and all units were clear from the Rt. 28 scene by 1330.  Responding Units Included: 21 Fire (Bradley Gardens), 24 Fire (County Hills), 34 Fire (Green Knoll), 49 Fire (North Branch), 32 Fire (Readington), and 48 Fire (Neshanic).

Firefighter Survival & Maze Drill - Hunderdon County Fire Academy

Tuesday November 20, 2007: 21-151, 21-105, and 21-161 headed up to the Hunderdon County Fire Academy for a drill in firefighter survival techniques including the use of the maze.  Firefighters had to get threw small openings by using many different techniques including the "sling" technique where the air pack is taken off the firefighter and "slung" to the side to allow the firefighter to get through skinny openings.  Firefighters also had to get through wires and climb up and down through holes in the floors and ceilings.

Structure Fire - Moorhouse Court

Sunday November 18, 2007: At 1752 BGVFC was dispatched to 9 Moorhouse Ct for a possible structure fire.  Upon 21-10's there was a confirmed working structure fire in the wall.  21-105 was the first engine on scene closely followed by 21-103.  Fire was determined to have been coming from an electrical box on the side of the house.  Power was cut to the house the the fire was extinguished quickly.  Residence was vented and all units were clear from the scene by 1900.  Responding Units Included: 21 Fire (Bradley Gardens), 24 Fire (County Hills), 34 Fire (Green Knoll), 49 Fire (North Branch), and 39 Rescue (Bradley Gardens).

Busy Labor Day Sunday

Sunday September 2, 2007: At approximately 1850 hrs BGVFC was dispatched for a F.A.S.T assignment into district 3 for a possible structure fire on Stella Drive.  21-151 along with 21-103 responded to the call.  Upon arrival the fire was found to have come from an outdoor fire with some minor fire in the rear exterior wall of the house which was quickly contained.  Units Included: 21 Fire (Bradley Gardens), 24 Fire (County Hills), 34 Fire (Green Knoll), 49 Fire (North Branch), and 43 Rescue (Martinsville).

Sunday September 2, 2007: At 1945 hrs BGVFC was dispatched to Home Depot for a smell of smoke (While still on location at Stella Dr.)  21-103 left Stella Drive and rolled to home Depot while 21-151 stayed as the F.A.S.T.  Smoke was found to be coming from an AC unit on the roof.  21-151 arrived at Home Depot after clearing from Stella.  Responding Units Included: 21 Fire (Bradley Gardens), 24 Fire (County Hills), 34 Fire (Green Knoll), 49 Fire (North Branch), and 39 Rescue (Bradley Gardens).

Structure Fire - Boyer Drive

Saturday July 21, 2007: At 1300 hrs the BGVFC F.A.S.T (Firefighter Assistance Search Team) was requested to respond with all of district 3 on a structure fire off of Vanderveer road in 49's primary.  The small fire was found in a corner of the garage and easily controlled. 21-151 responded with the FAST, stood by, and assisted with overhaul.  All units were clear by 1400.  Responding units included: 21 Fire (Bradley Gardens), 49 Fire (North Branch), 34 Fire (Green Knoll), 24 Fire (Country Hills), and 39 Rescue (Bradley Gardens).

Structure Fire - Neshanic

Thursday July 5, 2007: At about 1500 hrs BGVFC was dispatched for a F.A.S.T. into Neshanic for a structure fire.  21-151 was the second engine on scene.  Heavy smoke and fire were coming from the small personal brick residence. Fire was contained and 21-151 was cleared at 1630.  Responding units included: 21 Fire (Bradley Gardens), 24 Fire (Country Hills), 32 Fire (Readington) 48 Fire (Neshanic), 49 Fire (North Branch), 74 Rescue (Branchburg) and 79 Rescue (Hillsborough).

Medivac - July 4th

Wednesday July 4, 2007:  BGVFC was dispatched at 1700 hrs to Olivetti's on 202 North to set up a landing zone for the NJ State Police medivac helicopter, NorthStar.  The helicopter was requested by the Bradley Gardens Rescue Squad for a patient struck while crossing 202 at Miltown Rd.  21-105 and 21-103 responded from Station 21.  Responding units included: 21 Fire (Bradley Gardens), 39 Rescue (Bradley Gardens), 681 (Somerset Medical Center MICU), and NorthStar Medivac Helicopter (NJ State Police).

Possible Warehouse Fire at Tekni-Plex

At approximately 0030 BGVFC was dispatched for a mutual aid request for a F.A.S.T into Branchburg Township at the Tekni-Plex warehouse.  Within 5 minutes BGVFC was re-dispatched for a full response to a possible warehouse fire.  21-151 was the first out with the F.A.S.T and 21-103 was the second.  Fire was found to be a small electrical fire which created a large amount of smoke.  The fire was controlled, the building was ventilated, and all units were clear by 0300.  Responding units included: 21 Fire (Bradley Gardens), 24 Fire (Country Hills), 49 Fire (North Branch), 32 Fire (Readington), 48 Fire (Neshanic), 57 Fire (Somerville), North County F.A.S.T. (Hunderdon County), and 74 Rescue (Branchburg).

Brush Fire - 202 South Near Wegmans

Wednesday May 23, 2007: At 1830 BGVFC was dispatched for a brush fire on 202 Southbound near Wegmans.  21-141 was the first unit out and 21-103 left shortly after.  The small fire was knocked down quickly and all units were clear and available by 1900.  Responding units included: 21 Fire (Bradley Gardens), 24 Fire (Country Hills), and 39 Rescue (Bradley Gardens).

Structure Fire - Farmers Road

Wednesday May 23, 2007: At 1510 BGVFC was dispatched as part of a full district two and three response to a reported structure fire on Farmers Road in 34's primary.  21-151 was the third engine on scene and assisted with firefighting operations.  The fire began at the back deck and spread to part of the rear exterior wall.  The fire was quickly knocked down and all units were up and available by 1600.  Responding units included: 21 Fire (Bradley Gardens), 49 Fire (North Branch), 34 Fire (Green Knoll), 24 Fire (Country Hills), Unit 500 (BWT EMS), and 39 Rescue (Bradley Gardens).

Live Burn Drill - HCESTC

Sunday May 13, 2007:  BGVFC celebrated Mother's Day by taking 21-151 to the Hunderdon County Emergency Services Training Center  for a live burn drill.  Firefighters cycled through many times to test their skills and get in some good practice.  Thanks to 39-C1 for attending and standing bye for any medical emergencies.

Structure Fire - Raritan Boro

Thursday March 8, 2007: At 1930 hrs BGVFC was requested to standby at the firehouse for a structure fire in Raritan Boro.  Within minutes Station 21 was called to respond to Anderson Street for a working structure fire.  Upon arrival the second floor and attic of a two story single family home next to St Ann's church was completely engulfed with flames and black smoke was pouring from the house.  Smoke was so thick it could be seen from all areas of Raritan, much of Bridgewater, and parts of Hillsborough Township.  21-151 responded with the FAST crew from BGVFC while 21-103 responded for pump operations and firefighting.  21-161 was also on the scene.  The fire was completely out by 2300.  Additional units on scene included 52 Fire (Raritan Boro), 57 Fire (Somerville), 24 Fire (County Hills), 39 Rescue (Bradley Gardens), and 54 Rescue (Somerville).  Stations 34 (Green Knoll) and 49 (North Branch) were covering 21 and 24's primary during the blaze.

FAST Assignment Into 34's Primary - Structure Fire

           

Photos By: A Geschwindner

Saturday March 3, 2007:  BGVFC was dispatched at approximately 1450 hrs for a working structure fire at the Bridgewater Oaks on Tunison Lane.  21-151 responded with a FAST team and was also utilized as an engine.  Upon arrival flames were overtaking the first and second floor apartments.  Flames and heavy smoke could be seen out the roof and windows.  All Bridgewater Fire Companies (24, 30, 34, 43, 49) also responded to the call.  BGRS responded with two ambulances, Finderne Rescue with one, and Martinsville Rescue with an additional BLS unit.  

Motor Vehicle Fire - 202 South

Sunday February 18, 2007: BGVFC was dispatched at about 1600hrs to a car fire on 202 Southbound near Miltown Road.  24-10 was first on scene and reported a fully engaged car fire with no injuries.  21-151, 21-105, and 21-161 responded to the call.  Additional units on scene were Country Hills Fire Company (Station 24) with two engines and the Bradley Gardens Rescue Squad (Rescue 39) with an ambulance and a heavy rescue unit

Brush Fire In District 3

Sunday February 11, 2007: 21-141 was requested to respond to a brush fire off of Van Holten Road.  Within 5 minutes BGVFC was requested full response to the scene.  21-141, 21-105, and 21-161 were on scene.  21-141 was the first brush truck on scene and fought the fire for well over an hour.  21-105 pumped water to the brush trucks and 21-161 established command on Steeplechase Road.  All Bridgewater fire companies responded to the call and many other neighboring companies were requested for brush trucks and tankers.  Bradley Gardens Rescue, Martinsville Rescue, and other neighboring squads were also on the scene.