April 26, 2024

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Around the Firehouse is a listing of basic information on fire department runs in Meigs County, Ohio. The information is a brief summary of the fire deparment response to calls as well as other information such as fundraisers or other firehouse news. Fire departments that would like to have their information listed should contact the Meigs Independent Press. Email [email protected] to have your information included.)

Feb. 12, 2018
Racine Station 2:
Engine 23 and Truck 24 responded to run on Elm Street near the Dollar General for a two car MVC (motor vehicle crash) without injuries. All occupants were evaluated by Meigs EMS personnel and refused treatment. The engine company cleared the scene of hazards and remained on scene until the highway patrol completed their investigation.

Feb. 16, 2018
Pomeroy Station 1: The station was alerted to three calls.
Call #1: at 12:45 a.m.the department was alerted to a possible transformer fire on Union Ave in Salisbury Township. Pumper1 and Rescue 4 responded and found a line broken in two, arching at the bottom of the pole. Pumper 1 remained on scene until AEP arrived and disconnected the line. Crews returned to quarters at 1:45 a.m.
Call #2: At 6:45 a.m. the department was alerted to a fire investigation at a residence on Lasley Street in Pomeroy Village. Pumper 1 and Ladder 2 responded and Crews searched the residence. No fire was found but a power surge in the area had tripped the house breakers and possibly damaged a TV in the upstairs.
Call #3: While on scene of the fire investigation, Ladder 2 was dispatched to trees down on the flood road in Salisbury Township Ladder 2 crews responded and cleared the hazard from the roadway.
Both crews returned to quarters around 8 a.m. with no damage or injuries reported.

Feb.16,2018
Racine Station 2:
At 10:45 a.m. was alerted to assist medic 2 with loading a patient in Portland. Truck 24 responded with 3 personnel and handled the call. While returning to quarters, the crew was alerted to a possible tree blocking Sr 124 near County Road 28 in Apple Grove. A small tree was found and cleared from the roadway and personnel returned to quarters.
Racine Station 2 At 9:30 p.m. was requested to assist the Syracuse Racine regional sewer district with manpower and lighting for preparations for possible flooding in Racine. Four personnel and brush 26 were on scene for approximately 20 minutes and returned to quarters.

Pomeroy Station 1: The station responded to a one car accident on State Route 143 near Lee Road in Salisbury Township. A vehicle slid off-road in the mud from today’s flooding and into the adjacent creek bed. The driver was able to self-extricate from the vehicle prior to the arrival of the fire department.
Responding to the accident was Pumpers 1 & 3 along with Truck 6, Meigs EMS and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Due to the position of the vehicle and the high water, the vehicle will not be towed until water levels recede.

Feb.17,2018
Pomeroy Station 1:
Firefighters responded to numerous calls due to the snow storm and high water in the area. Crews responded to multiple calls for assistance on State Route 7, 124, and 143 in Salisbury Township, along with an accident on Mulberry in Pomeroy village. All occupants were uninjured in the accidents and crews rendered various services including traffic control, calling for wreckers, and taking reports.

Racine Station 2: Station 2 was alerted for two separate occasions of motorists stranded in the water on State Route 124, Antiquity. Crews worked for approximately an hour each call to ensure all occupants were safe and the scenes were turned over to the state highway patrol.

Racine Station 2: Members conducted hazmat awareness and operations training for a total of 8 hours. 16 personnel from Racine attended the training.

Racine Station 2: Firefighters were alerted to two separate vehicle accidents during the day’s snowstorm. No crashed vehicles were found on either incident and crews returned to quarters.

Syracuse Station 3: The station at 2:43 p.m. was dispatched to Roy Jones Rd for a 4 car MVC. While on the scene of Roy Jones Rd accidents we were then dispatched to Minersville Hill Rd for a 5 car MVC. All accidents were weather related and there were no injuries. We also handled accidents at Morning Star and Pine Grove Rd. There were 14 cars total with little or no damage to most. Thank you to Mayor Cunningham for plowing and treating both Roy Jones Rd and Minersville Hill Rd. We responded in Engine-31 and Truck-30 with 11 personal total.

Members of the Pomeroy Fire Department were worked throughout recent flooding to clean up as flood waters receded. Photo by Madalyn Wood.

Feb. 18, 2018
Pomeroy Station 1:
Firefighters responded to a report of a 4-wheeler in high water on State Route 733 in Salisbury Township. Pumpers 1 & 3, Truck 6 and Boat 1 all responded to the scene. Upon arrival, the driver and four wheeler had been removed from the water and left the scene. The Meigs County Sheriff’s office is following up on contacting the operator for driving on a closed roadway.

The department’s FF1 transition class conducted their Emergency Vehicle Operations Course. Students drove Pumpers 1 & 3 and Ladder 2 through various obstacles, while testing their driving skills. The students have four weeks left before competition of classes and practicals.

The department has been busy as the Ohio River recedes into its banks. The department will begin flushing streets as the water goes down. Station 1 has been in contact with Mayor Don Anderson about the extra equipment needed to ensure a quicker-more efficient cleanup. This will be a difficult and time consuming task, but the volunteers have been working to get Pomeroy clean and open for business again.

Racine Station 2: Truck 24 responded to Racine water treatment plant for a transformer explosion/pole fire. Crews remained on scene for approximately two hours until AEP arrived and then returned to quarters.

Racine Station 2: Members were alerted to a resident on front Street in Racine who was stranded by floodwaters in a residence. Boat 20 handled the call, spanning approximately one hour, and moved the resident to dry land.

Feb. 19,2018
Racine Station 2:
Station 2 was alerted to an abandoned vehicle in the water in Letart township and was cancelled en route.

Feb.20,2018
Pomeroy Station 1:
Crews were out working hard through the night to flush Main Street from Nye Avenue to Butternut Avenue. The firemen had been working since early that afternoon to get everything cleaned up and back open for the motoring public. The department thanked the Richland Area, Chester, and Mason Fire Departments for their offers to assist with the cleanup. The department expressed gratitude for support.

Pomeroy Station 1: Firefighters responded to two calls for assistance, while continuing to assist in the clean up of Pomeroy village from the Ohio River flooding.
Call 1: Pumper 1 and Rescue 4 responded to a landing zone assistance call with Mason County EMS in Mason, WV. One patient was flown as a result of injuries in a crash in Hartford, and Mason FD requested Pomeroy FD assist. Crews were out approximately 45 minutes responding to this run.
Call 2: Pumpers 1 & 3 responded to an automobile fire on Kingsbury Road in Bedford Township. Upon arrival, crews found a working fire in the vehicles engine compartment and quickly extinguished the fire using one hand line off of Pumper 1. Crews were released by OSP after the fire was extinguished. No injuries were reported by crews on-scene.

Crews began the morning by flushing Brick Street, 4th Street, East Main and finished by working on the lower end of the Pomeroy Parking Lot.

Pomeroy Fire Department thanks all who dropped off food, water, gatorade and snacks to the fire station and Ewing Swarzel Family Center. State Representative Jay Edwards, The Pomeroy Firemen’s Association Auxiliary, Subway, Jeremiah Francis of Dr. Pepper/Snapple, Ellie Blaettnar and Ken Eblin, Teresa Porter, Meigs Independent Press, Meigs County EMA, Pomeroy Police, Richland Area Fire Department, and numerous other individuals who have given so generously. From the department, “The men of the fire department are lucky to have the support of our community, because like so many of you, we love our peaceful river town. We take care of each other. Know that we are here to serve, and that we will continue to be ‘Committed to Excellence’ and ‘Loyal to our Duty.’”

Racine Station 2: Firefighters were alerted to assist a transport ambulance with moving a patient to their residence in Lebanon township. Crews were on scene only a few minutes and returned to quarters.

Feb. 22,2018
Middleport Station 10:
At 4:31 a.m. the station was alerted to Mill Street near Flood Road for tree on power lines with the tree being on fire. On scene, crews found a tree leaning on power lines. Engine 12 remained on scene until AEP could cut power to the lines. At this time, the tree fell. Engine 12 extinguished the smoldering parts of the tree and went in service.

Racine Station 2: The station was alerted to a residential smoke detector activation in Lebanon township. Engine company discovered faulty alarms caused the issue and returned to quarters after a few minutes on scene.

Pomeroy Station 1 responded to 3 calls for assistance:

Call 1: Members of the department arrived on the scene of a two vehicle accident at the intersection of Union and Mulberry Avenues in Pomeroy Village. There were no injuries, but moderate to disabling vehicle damage reported to both automobiles. Members stayed on-site to conduct traffic control until the tow truck arrived.
Call 2: Station 1 was alerted to a potential EMS assistance call due to the high water on State Route 143 near Humphreys Drive in Salisbury Township. Truck 6 and Boat 1, along with Pumper 1 responded to potentially take the EMS crew to the scene. Upon arrival on scene, Meigs EMS advised the boat wasn’t needed and cancelled Truck 6-Boat 1 and Pumper 1 enroute.
Call 3: Rescue 4 responded to a lifting assistance call on Fox Hill Road in Salisbury Township. Crews responded and assisted with bringing a patient from the basement to the squad via the stair chair. Meigs EMS transported the patient and crews returned to quarters.

Feb. 24, 2018
Station 10:
The station was alerted at 4:26 p.m. for a 2 car MVC at Story’s Run Rd and SR 7. One patient was transported to a local hospital, One patient refused treatment, and the driver of the other vehicle fled on foot. Ohio State Highway Patrol is currently looking for the other driver.

Racine Station 2: Cleanup from last weekend’s flooding has been nearly completed. Seen here are members of the fire department assisting the street department with removal of mud and debris from Village streets. They are hopeful that this week’s rain doesn’t bring the river back into town, but stand ready to assist in the event it does.

Members of Racine Fire Department work to clean the streets following recent flooding. Submitted photo.