Today we had a private ceremony at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens for the unveiling of Gene’s head stone.  As part of the Jewish faith, the unveiling is held a year after the funeral.  This marks the next step of the grieving process.  Several of the surrounding companies were represented along with 61 members from RVFC came to support Gene’s family for the unveiling.  After the unveiling everyone came back to our fire station for a meal.  After the meal, Gene’s family members moved Gene’s personal items from his gear rack into the new memorial in our day room.

Gene, we will never forget you….

Reisterstown was requested to transfer an engine into Baltimore City due to a 2 alarm fire they were handling.  E413 transferred to 46 Engine House on Reisterstown road.  From there we ran two calls, one of them for a grill fire and a second one for a medical investigation.  Many thanks to T27 for their hospitality for time we were there.

Pictures courtesy of J Jeffers.

At 01:09:04 on April 24, 2013 a fire rescue box with people trapped was dispatched for a house fire in Reisterstown.

Firefighters responded from our station in an attempt to save those trapped.

Unfortunately, we lost one of our own, Gene Kirchner (LODD: May 2, 2013).

Gene was doing his duty… and he will never be forgotten.

Duty     Honor    Tradition

U419 has now been striped and we are in the midst of installing the lights and siren.  It will likely be another week or two before you see it on the road around Reisterstown.

Each year we must test the pump on our Engines.  Baltimore Co. Fire Department has a pump testing tank set up in Jacksonville.  Both pumpers have passed their annual test.  Next test is the annual hose test.

Last night was our Life Member Banquet.  Approximately 80 members came to enjoy a great evening and recognize those at the station who have done so much.

Two members were officially inducted as life members: Craig Hewitt (current Assistant Chief) and Gene Kirchner (LODD this past year).

The firefighter of the year was Ian Timpson for his commitment to get FF1 done and his time around the firestation especially as he lives far from the station and does not have a vehicle.

The administrative people of the year were Jimmy Carter and Robert Murray Jr for their leadership and self-sacrifice in particular immediately after Gene Kirchner was rescued from the fire and his subsequent passing.

This afternoon E56 and E412 were alerted for a brush fire in E56’s area based on multiple calls of smoke in the area.  E56 arrived in the area and found a large shed or garage in fire.  A Maryland State Trooper was flying overhead and was able to guide E56 and E412 to the correct address.  There was a 20′ by 20′ shed fully involved in flames.  Several more engines were requested as it was a non-hydrant area and then shortly after that a firebox was requested due to the proximity of the house and the need for water.  It took several hours to put the fire out and the house was unscathed.

Tonight we move our clocks ahead one hour.

When you do, don’t forget to change the batteries in your smoke detector AND your carbon monoxide detector.

It appears that we are going to get more ice and snow coming in the next 24 hours:

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING
TO 6 PM EST MONDAY...

* PRECIPITATION TYPE...FREEZING RAIN...SLEET...AND HEAVY SNOW.

* ACCUMULATIONS...UP TO ONE TENTH INCH OF ICE...FOLLOWED BY 4 TO
  8 INCHES OF SNOW.

* TIMING...RAIN CHANGES TO FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET FROM NORTH TO
  SOUTH THIS EVENING THEN BECOMES HEAVY SNOW LATE TONIGHT THROUGH
  MONDAY.

* TEMPERATURES...FALLING INTO THE LOWER 30S THIS EVENING...THEN
  DROPPING INTO THE LOWER 20S OVERNIGHT AND MONDAY.

* WINDS...NORTH 10 TO 15 MPH. GUSTS TO 25 MPH LATE TONIGHT AND
  MONDAY.

* IMPACTS...HAZARDOUS TRAVEL DUE TO ICE AND SNOW THROUGH MONDAY.
  BOTH THE MONDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON RUSH HOURS WILL BE
  AFFECTED. POWER OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE COMBINATION OF
  ICE AND HEAVY SNOW.

Please be safe over the next few days, do not travel if at all possible and clear a 3 foot area around the closest fire hydrant to your house.

Please come and support your community by giving blood at the Community Blood Drive on March 1.

*** Note:  The Blood Donor Clinic has been changed to Northminister Presbyterian Church at 705 Main Street, Reisterstown, MD. ***