Minneapolis, Oct. 10, 2024—Minneapolis Fire Department Engine 27 reported a row of garages fully involved and requested a second alarm. Engine 28 laid supply and backup lines, and Ladder 5 began evacuation of a three-story apartment building on the B side. Command requested a third alarm. As crews knocked down much of the fire in the garages, the fire extended into the attic of the apartment building and of a one-story motel. Command requested a fourth alarm. Crews laid several lines into both exposures, but command soon ordered all crews out, and the operation went defensive.
Photo by Paul Barrett
Altadena, CA, Jan. 7—A Los Angeles County Fire Department firefighter directs a hose stream against strong Santa Ana winds in an effort to keep flames from consuming the house next to a burning home and a row of cypress trees after the Eaton Fire roared out of the Angeles National Forest and quickly affected the homes along New York Drive. Several homes that were within the small community were the first to fall victim to the violent firestorm and were heavily involved with fire on arrival.
Photo by Ken Morris
Longport, NJ, Oct. 27, 2024—The Longport Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire. The first-arriving command officer reported smoke showing and requested mutual aid from the Margate City Fire Department and the Somers Point Fire Department. The structure was a wood-frame, multistory, single-family dwelling of 5A construction, meaning that the ceilings were double-inch drywall, the windows were hurricane proof (triple pane) and the roof was terra cotta over steel over plywood, all factors that hindered suppression. The fire grew to multiple alarms and took several hours to bring under control.
Photo by Dennis C. Sharpe
Rochester, NY, Nov. 18, 2024—The Rochester Fire Department received multiple calls that reported that a building was on fire. On arrival, Engine 5 found heavy fire showing from numerous windows on the first floor and out the front door of a four-story vacant mill. A second alarm was struck as crews set up for defensive operations. Firefighters entered the exposure apartment building to evacuate residents and to set up lines to help to knock down the fire and to protect the building from extension. A third and fourth alarm brought extra resources, which included additional ladder trucks.
Photo by Jon Tenca
Rich Dzierwa | Managing Editor, Firehouse Magazine
Rich Dzierwa joined Firehouse Magazine in 2019 after four tenures with other publications. He was editor-in-chief of Consumers Digest/ConsumersDigest.com and of trade magazine Cutting Tool Engineering. He served as the consumer products reporter for BridgeNews and began his publishing career with an 11-year tenure at Appliance magazine, where he rose to managing editor after serving in other roles. Dzierwa's experience with consumer products, including furnishings, appliances, electronics and space design, has transferred to his Firehouse work regarding the magazine's Station Design columns and the Station Design Awards. Previous work also has contributed to his supervision of several surveys of fire service/EMS members, to produce unique reporting for Firehouse's audience. Dzierwa earned a bachelor's degree in English from Columbia College Chicago.
