VOLUNTEER TO BE A LOCAL FIREFIGHTER. STOP AT ANY FIREHOUSE ON A THUR. EVENING 7:30 TO 9, OR SUN AM 9-11
HOPATCONG FIRE DEPARTMENT
FIRE
CHIEF CHRIS STEINMETZ
FIRST
ASSISTANT CHIEF JAMES WINTERMUTE
SECOND
ASSISTANT CHIEF MICHAEL RAHILL
DEPARTMENT ENGINEER
DEPARTMENT SECRETARY MARK BATTY
DEPARTMENT
TREASURER JIM FRANCO
973-770-1200
Ask for the Fire Chief
The
Hopatcong Fire Department is a volunteer fire department consisting of three companies:
Northwood Engine Co. #2 ,LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF MAXIM DRIVE AND INDIAN TRAIL
CAPTAIN:
KEITH KIMBLE
PRESIDENT:
JAMES PASQUALI
MAILING
ADDRESS: P.O. BOX 25, GLASSER, NJ 07837
TELEPHONE
NUMBER: 973-770-1929
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Defiance
Engine Co. #3, LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION
OF HOPATCHUNG RD. AND DURBAN AVE.
CAPTAIN: JOHN McCONNELL LT: WADE CROWLEY
ENGINEER: JOHN WILKERSON
PRESIDENT:
FORREST J. (JIMMY) SUTTON
MAILING
ADDRESS: P.O.BOX 1015, HOPATCONG, NJ 07843
TELEPHONE
NUMBER: 973-398-0030
******************************************************
Hopatcong
Hills Fire and Rescue Co. #4, LOCATED
AT THE INTERSECTION OF Tulane Tr. & Jefferson Tr.
CAPTAIN CHRIS MASON LIEUTENANT JOE MUZZILLO ENGINEER TONY ROSADO
PRESIDENT:
JIM POLAND
MAILING
ADDRESS: P.O. BOX 724, HOPATCONG, NJ 07843
TELEPHONE
NUMBER: 973-398-1612
At
full strength there are 120 firefighters (40 in each company). The fire department
has fire rescue, fire suppression, and ice rescue capabilities. The officers of
the Fire Department are a Fire Chief, 2 Assistant Chief's, and a Chief Engineer
who over sees the maintenance of the fire equipment. There is a departmental secretary
for fire department administrative business. Each fire company has a Captain,
Lieutenant, Engineer and two Assistant Engineers as line officers. A President,
Vice-president, Treasurer, Secretary, and Sgt. at arms make up the administrative
part of the company. The three company's combined have 10 pieces of fire fighting
apparatus among them.
WHEN FIRE STRIKES: SOME SAFETY SUGGESTIONS
1.
GET OUT. Fire grows at amazing speed. If a fire starts, just get out quickly.
Don't stop for anything. Once you are safely outside, call the fire department.
Know two ways out of every room. Smoke or flames may block one way. Stay Out.
Call 911 from a cell phone or from a neighbor.
2.
CRAWL LOW IF YOU ENCOUNTER SMOKE: If you encounter smoke while escaping, use your
second way out. If you must escape through smoke, crawl or get as low as you can.
More breathable air will be near the ground under the smoke.
3.
BEFORE YOU OPEN A DOOR, TEST THE DOOR TO DETERMINE IF THE FIRE IS ON THE OTHER
SIDE: Before opening a door, make sure there is no fire on the other side. Reach
up high, and use the back of your hand to touch the door, the doorknob, and the
space between the door and the frame. If any of these feels hot, use your second
way out. If everything feels cool, open the door carefully so that you can slam
it shut if heat or smoke rushes in.
4. IF YOU ARE TRAPPED: If you cannot get out safely, close all doors between you
and the fire and smoke. Stuff cracks around doors and cover all vents to keep
smoke out. If there is a telephone in the room or you have a cell phone with you,
call 911, report the fire, and tell them exactly where you are trapped. If possible,
signal by waving a light-colored cloth.
5. STOP, DROP, AND ROLL: If your
clothes catch fire, do not run. Drop to the ground, and roll over and over to
smother the flames, covering your face with your hands. If your disability would
prevent you from doing this, then try to keep a fire-resistant blanket or rug
nearby, which, in case of a fire, you or someone else could use to smother the
flames. Do not try to smother flames with your hands. Cool the burn with water
and call for help.
6.
TAKE BURNS SERIOUSLY: Burns are often more serious than they originally appear.
Run cool water over a burn for 10 to 15 minutes. Never apply ice. Never put butter
or any other grease on a burn. They trap the heat in the skin. If the burned skin
blisters or is charred, see a doctor immediately. Inform your doctor about burns
that begin to look infected.
PREVENT FIRES:
1. INSTALL ALARMS: In the event of fire smoke alarms are your best early
warning system. About two-thirds of the U.S, residential fire deaths occur in
the 18% of homes without smoke alarms. Install smoke alarms on every level of
your home, including the basement, and outside each sleeping area. If you sleep
with the door closed, install one inside your sleeping area as well. Most fatal
fires at home occur while people sleep.
Properly maintain your alarms. Test
the alarms every month and replace batteries once a year, or whenever an alarm
begins to "chirp", signaling low battery power. Pick a day that is easily remembered
like your birthday or January first, as the day for battery replacement. Don’t
remove a smoke alarm's battery for another use – an inoperative alarm won't save
your life. Replace alarms that are more than 10 years old. For more complete home
protection, consider installing carbon monoxide detectors or an automatic fire
sprinkler system.
2. PLAN AND PRACTICE YOUR ESCAPE; If a fire occurs in your home, you have to get out fast. Sit down now with your family and work out an escape plan in advance. Be sure that everyone knows at least two unobstructed exits – including windows – in every room. (If you live in an apartment building, use the stairs, not the elevator to escape from fire.) Decide on a meeting place outside. Have your entire household practice your escape plan at least twice a year.
3. MATCHES – LIGHTER – SMOKING : Matches and lighters are for adults, not children. Store them in places not accessible to children – up high out of sight and reach, or in locked areas. Use only child-resistant lighters. Teach children that matches and lighters aren’t toys. They are tools, for grown-ups only. Ask young children to tell a grown-up when they find matches or lighters. Ask older children who find matches and lighters to bring them to an adult immediately.
In the United States careless smoking is the leading
cause of fire deaths. Smoking when you are drowsy or in bed could lead to a fire
and be fatal. Be particularly cautious if you take a medication that will produce
drowsiness. If you smoke, provide large, deep, non-tip ashtrays. Empty the ashtray
in a safe container, such as a metal can. Soaking butts with water before discarding
them will provide added protection. Before going to sleep or leaving home after
someone has been smoking, check your home, especially under cushions and around
upholstered furniture for smoldering cigarettes.
4. COOK SAFELY – INSIDE AND OUTSIDE: Never leave cooking unattended. NEVER. Stay near cooking
so you can monitor it closely. Frying foods can be especially hazardous. Keep
cooking areas clear of combustibles. Stoves are not for storage. Items placed
on adjacent counter areas should be free of items that might start or contribute
to a fire. Things do get knocked over or spilled. When cooking wear clothing with
short, rolled-up, or tight fitting sleeves. Loose sleeves, and flowing robes or
aprons could touch a burner, catching fire. Turn pot handles inward on the stove
so you won't bump them and so children can't grab them. Severe burns can result
when pots are tipped over, even if a fire does not result. Establish a "kid-free"
area around your kitchen range or outside grill. In the event of a "grease fire"
in a pan, slide a lid over the pan. That will smother the flames. Turn off the
heat source. Leave the lid on the pan until the pan is cool. Do not put aluminum
foil or other metals in a microwave oven.
5. SPACE HEATERS: Keep portable heaters and space heaters at least three feet away from anything that can burn, including your clothing. When clothing comes in contact with some heaters, the clothing may ignite. Establish a "kid-free" area around the heater. Keep pets away from heaters. Turn heaters off when you leave home or go to sleep. Follow the manufacturers' instructions for installing, operating, refueling, and cleaning your space heater.
6. ELECTRIC DEVICES: Electric devices that are smoking or producing an unusual smell should be unplugged immediately. Have the device serviced before you try to use it again. Cracked or frayed electric cords should be replaced. Don’t overload extension cords. Keep extension cords out of trafficked areas and avoid running any cords under rugs. Some buildings still have fuse boxes. The ratings for fuses and circuit breakers are designed based on the wiring in the building. Tampering with them such as using an improper fuse size could result in wires overheating and cause a fire. Don’t tamper with them nor use improper-size fuses.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
ON FIRE PREVENTION VISIT THE LINKS TO WEBSITES LISTED AT THE "FIRE PREVENTION
BUREAU"
AFTER THE FIRE! RETURNING TO NORMAL A very thorough booklet developed by the U.S. Fire Administration covering many aspects of your personal situation after a fire. Click to open the booklet.
U.S. FIRE ADMINISTRATION KID’S PAGE. Interesting website for children. http://www.usfa.fema.gov/kids/
There
are numerous children’s websites listed under ORGANIZATIONS in the horizontal
menu.