****UPDATE****

After a long year, Justin has returned home and is very glad to be back. He is happy to have gone to Iraq for the experience but again is very ahppy to be home with his family and friends. We are glad you made it home safely Justin...

Justin Kinsey, a member of here at the Goodwill Fire Co #1, left on May 2nd for Iraq. He is working for a private company, Wackenhut Services, as a Contract Fire Fighter at the Abu Ghraib Prison Military base in Baghdad, Iraq. Below is a picture of his department's patch. He has a live journal where you can read about his experiences and see a lot pictures that he has posted. We wish him well and hope he is safe and returns home safely. You can go to his live journal sight by clicking on this link- Justin's Live Journal.

Here are some new pitures of Justin at a fire and at a training. He is definately representing us well in Iraq. Again, keep checking his web-site for more pics.

Stay safe brother Justin...

After a long process of preparing for the Jacobus Borough Insurance Services Office (ISO) public protection classification survey, our rating has gone from a rating of 6 out of 10 to a 5 out of 10 in 2005. The ISO rating is what homeowner's insurance companies use to come up the insurance rates for property owners. This survey is typically completed every 10 years. Only 30% of all Fire Departments in America hold a Class 5 or better rating. With this improvement in our rating, there very well could be an adjustment in property owners' insurance rates. Thanks to everybody who helped with getting ready for this inspection. Check out the ISO web-site for more information, just click here - ISO.

Several members went to a training in North Codorus Township. Station 12 wanted to put together a tanker shuttle and see how well all the departments invovled could work together. According to Chief Hildebrand, the day was a great success. Everybody worked great together and they moved lots of water through out the afternoon. They also took with them out Junior Firefighter Kevin Hoke and help teach him how a tanker shuttle works. As you can see, Kevin looks like he is having lots of fun playing in the water and it also appears that they tried to teach him a thing or two also. Great job guys. Thanks for spending your Sunday at training making a good showing for Station 18.

 This year the county convention parade was held in York City. We took everything from our house to the parade and while we were there, Liberty Fire Company from East Berlin (Adams County Co. #11 / York County Sta. 112) brought an engine and a full crew to cover us. We are very grateful that they were able to cover us so that we could enter all of our equipment. We spent several hours Saturday morning preparing for the event and it paid off. Engine 18-1 won second place in the 1983 and older engine category and we also had a great showing of support from our members who gave their entire day to clean and then go to the parade. There were approximately 100 pieces of apparatus at the parade.

UPDATE

We just found out that Engine 18-2 won 1st place in the 1983 and older engine category. Lincolnway Fire Company had was this with their 1991 Engine and the convention committee found the error and corrected it. So, both of our engines brought home trophies. WOW, what a great feeling.

Engine 112-1 in Station 18                                                     Engine 112-1 crew

Engine 1 in staging                                                     Engine 2 in staging

Brush / Boat in staging

2nd Place Award                                                          Plaque on the award

We spent the weekend with Brad Tracey instructing us on safe boating operations. We utilized our inflatable, the Fish and Game Commissions' john boat, the York County Parks' john boat and the Water Company's pontoon boat. We spent the weekend on Lake Redman practicing rescues and operating all the boats so we can get used to how they all operate and handle differently. We all had a great time and hopefully we all learned something too.

While we were having the Fourth of July celebration at the park in Jacobus, Chief 18 was contacted and requested to pump a basement. When he arrived, he found the neighbor who said that the resident was on vacation and they came over to feed the cats and heard water running in the basement. Well, what a surprise when they opened the door and found water up to the basement ceiling. The Brush and Engine 18-1 were utilized for about an hour to pump it out. There was so much water that a 5" hard sleeve was dropped into the basement window to get it all out. It was found that basically everything in the basement was ruined and the culprit was a broken water line.

Our station responded with both Engines and our brush truck to assist with manpower during this 4th alarm fire that was seen as far south as Glen Rock and as far North as Strinestown. Our crews were on scene for about 10 hours. Tanker 23 covered our station while we were on this job. Thanks to everybody who helped Spring Garden on the fire and thanks to the guys from Union Fire Co, Station 23 for covering us while we played.

Equipment on the box:

County Engines: 13, 15, 1, 18-1, 18-2, 5-2, 19-1, 19-2, 34, 61, 36, 63, 2, 59, 25-2, Attack 35

County Trucks: 1, 2

City Equipment: Engines 1 & 2, Truck A, Service 45

Brush: 18, 9, 59

Special Call Equipment: Mash 16, Foam Trailer 19, Haz-Mat 91, EMA

We had a vehicle rescue training to refresh our rescue skills. We brought in 2 old cars to cut up and Station 19 brought several people and their Rescue / Engine 19-2 with all their rescue equipment. We used their hydraulic rescue tools and our air tools and they showed us how to use their stabilization struts. We want to be better prepared to help when they come to help us on a call or when we go to help them on a call. Thanks to the guys and gals from the 19 house for coming over and training with us.

York Twp - Station 18 was dispatched to a chimney fire on Iron Stone hill road at approx 1030 hours. Engine 19-2, Tanker 35 and Truck 34 also responded to assist. Deputy 19 arrived to find nomral conditions initially and almost immediately, he had smoke pushing out the eaves. Crews extinguished the fire and removed the woodstove insert from the basement level and returned after beign on scene for approx 1 hour.

Just after lunch time, Assistant Chief Krichten recieved a call at the sation from the same homeowner who advised that he was starting to have red embers fall from the chimney into his fireplace and coming out of the chimney. Station 18 was dispatched to investigate. Chief 18-1, Chief 18 and Engine 18-2 responded and investigated. The engine crew laddered the roof and found that the chimney had reignited and reported a working chimney fire. Chief 18-1 requested a first alarm assignment and set up command. Engines 19-1 and 18-1 responded and Station 34 and 35 were placed in service. Crews from Engines 18-2 and 19-1 laddered the roof and began to extinguish the fire while Chief 18 and Deputy 19 with assist from 2 engine crew members worked inside. The fire was again extinguished and this time the chimney sweep was called while units were on scene. Once the chimney sweep arrived, units went available.

A great job was done by all personnel. Station 18 thanks everybody for their help and support during both incidents.

This year, some of the members, and even friends and family of the members of The Goodwill Fire Co #1, Jacobus will be attending the St. Baldrick's Day Event on March 13th at the Union Fire Co #1, Manchester, PA.

St. Baldrick’s was dreamt up by a group of business executives in New York City in 2000, who had been observing St. Patrick’s Day in the traditional way---pints at their favorite pub, with music and laughter in great supply. They decided to give their celebration a little twist and help young children diagnosed with cancer by recruiting volunteers to have their heads shaved in public in return for pledges of financial support. What began with a goal of “$17,000 on the 17^th of March,” in five years raised nearly $7,000,000! The primary beneficiary of the event is CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation, the only organization of its kind focused solely on supporting life-saving research and treatment of childhood cancer. The goal this year for the Union Fire Co #1 was $25,000.00 and the total to date is $36,540.00. They are still trying to calculate all of the money raised but WOW, great job by EVERYBODY. Our team set a goal of $1,750.00 and according to the web-site we exceeded our goal and have raised a total of $2,482.00. THANK YOU to everybody who made a donation and helped us raise all this money for such a great cause. 

Here is our team before and after:

Everybody Before

From Left to Right:

Dwain Rosengrant, John Livingston, Chris Krichten, Ted Hake, Joe Hildebrand, Jason Mosebach, Jed Haines

Everybody After

Ted Hake Before and After

Joe Hildebrand Before and After

Chris Krichten before and at the end of the event with Chief 23 Joe Stevens

St. Baldrick's goes live on WGAL News Channel 8 at 6pm. "Just a little off the top" Joe says.

Dwain Rosengrant Before and After

Jed Haines Before and After

Jason Mosebach Before and After

John Livingston Before and After

Ted Hake (Team Leader & President, Goodwill Fire Co #1) - 1st year shavee

Joe Hildebrand (Fire Chief, Goodwill Fire Co #1) - 1st year shavee

Chris Krichten (Asst. Chief, Goodwill Fire Co #1) - 1st year barber & proud to be bald

Dwain Rosengrant (Deputy Chief, Goodwill Fire Co #1, York Twp.) - 1st year shavee

Jedediah Haines (brother of our Asst. Chief) - 2nd year shavee

Jason Mosebach (past member of the Goodwill Fire Co #1) - 1st year shavee

John Livingston (past member of the Goodwill Fire Co #1) - 1st year shavee

Unlike many of these children who face an uncertain future, we are lucky enough to know that our hair will grow back in just a couple of months.  So, if a little off the top will help save the life of a child, it’s a small price to pay.  

We would like to thank each and every person who donated to this great cause and we will be updated this site very soon with all of the pictures from the day of the event. Again, thank you for your doantion and support.

"BE BRAVE... GO BALD"

Engine 18-2 was dispatched to assist York Township Fire Department (Station 19) with a motor vehicle crash involving a tractor trailer on I-83 NB just north of exit 15 in the construction area during a recent snow storm. The crash involved an empty tractor trailer that jack-knifed and then was rear-ended by a small suv. Engine 18-2 crew assisted the crew from Engine 19-2 with extricating the injured truck driver and then remained until the vehicles were removed and the roadway was cleared of snow and ice. The highway was closed for a few hours.

While Engine 18-2 and Station 19 were busy on this crash, Engine 18-1 was dispatched to cover for Station 19, on a head-on crash on Indian Rock Damn Road. Due to the severe road conditions, Engine 63-1 handled the call from the previous I-83 crash and Engine 18-1 was placed in service prior to arriving. Engine 63-1 was standing by on at Exit 14 waiting to assist with the tractor trailer crash when this one came in. 

Engine 18-1 and Brush 18 responded to a 2 vehicle crash at Hess Farm and Iron Stone Hill Roads. Rescue/Enigne 19-2 also responded to assist. Ambulance 18 was on scene and one driver had minor injuries and refused treatment. Station 18 and 19 personnel did spill control and debris removal. All apparatus cleared in 45-50 minutes.

Our 125th Anniversary Banquet was held on July 17th 2004 at our station. It was a well organized event that included a catered meal and many speakers. The President, Theodore Hake, spoke briefly and then presented a wonderful historical power point presentation about our department that included an array of pictures from the last 125 years. There was also several speakers from the municipalities that we serve that spoke and awarded the department with plaques and resolutions. Our guest speaker for the evening was Timothy Dunkle, the Director of the PA State Fire Academy. He gave a wonderful presentation. The evening ended with several awards being given out, one of which was to Earl "Foxy" Lehman for his 65 years of active service to our department and the community. Again, it was a wonderful evening for all that attended and a special thanks to the volunteers of the Union Fire Co. Station 23 from Manchester, PA for manning our station with their engine and a full crew. We appreciate there generosity in helping us celebrate our service to our community by covering our response area. Thanks.

As you can see from the pics below, we had our apparatus on display and you can see our banquet area which is set up. The first pic though is of our new patch which was designed for our 125th anniversary. We didn't include any dates or anything about our anniversary because it would be out of date at the end of the year but it was made and produced this year. Also, there was a presentation that was set up of old fire department memorabilia. The following pics then are of the people who gathered as they socialized prior to the meal and presentations. The last pic is of our President starting the presentations. Thanks to all of the members who helped with this large undertaking and helped put this celebration together.

Engine 18-1 was on dispay at the Union Fire Company #1, Manchester, PA (York County Station 23) for the housing of their new 2003 American LaFrance Rescue Truck. The housing was held on November 29, 2003. York City Service 45 was also in attendance to honor their new purchase. As you can see in the pictures, we compared old ALF with new and then we decided to have a little fun and took a few pictures of our engine sitting in the eingine bay at Station 23. We are proud of the Union Fire Company #1 of Manchester, PA on their accomplish of being able to provide this new service to their community. Prior to this purchase, their rescue services were provided by mutual aid departments. Their Fire Chief, Joseph Stevens, worked very hard to make sure all of their members were trained to be able to properly handle a rescue incident. Again, CONGRATULATIONS Union Fire Company #1 on your purchase and your new accomplishments. Follow the link below to go to Midlantic American LaFrance's recent delivery article of Rescue 23.

http://www.midlanticalf.com/recent_view.asp?delivery_id=17

York County Rescue 23

From Left to Right: Engine 18-1, York City Service 45 and Rescue 23

From Left to Right: Engine 18-1, York City Service 45 and Rescue 23

Engine 18-1 parked in the engine bay at Station 23

This training was held at the York County Fire School in Emigsville, PA on May 17th 2003 and started around 8am and lasted basically the entire day. This was an important day for the entire department as it was the first fire encounter that our, at that time, Captain was allowed to be involved in since his house explosion/fire that he was in February 12, 2003.

JACOBUS BORO -Gas explosion. 6 Circle Drive. Many fire and EMS units responded for the explosion and fire caused by a natural gas leak. The home was that of Jacobus Fire Capt 18 Chris Krichten. Many of you know Chris and his family from their involvement in the emergency services. Chris and Amy and their children along with Ted Hake, president of Jacobus Fire Dept were in the home at the time of the explosion. Chris and Amy were the most severely injured, however they are both recovering well at the Bayview Burn Center in Baltimore MD.  Please take a moment of your time to say a prayer for the Krichten Family and donate to the relief fun. 

This fire was the worst fire that Jacobus Fire Dept has seen in possibly 20 years in Jacobus boro. Update on our Captain, he is doing fine and back to work and back to being an active member. As for his wife, she also is back to work and still working through the healing process of being burned. Their kids and Ted are all also doing well.

Photos courtesy of: http://www.groundzerofirephotos.com/

Click on a photo to see a larger version...

UPDATE: As you can see by the picture below, we rebuilt their house on the same site after lots of clean-up, with the help of many friends and family members. We have all healed very well and life is starting to rebuild itself. We moved back into our house on February 26, 2004. Exactly 1 year and 2 weeks to the day of the accident. We are very, very happy to be home again and very thankful to all of our friends and family, especially Ted Hake (president and friend involved) and his wife Amy, Jason Mosebach (housing relief) and Bryan Ream (construction expertise), for their on-going support through our tragic life altering event.

Photos courtesy of: www.groundzerofirephotos.com 

Click on a picture to see a larger version...

Engine 18-1 at work...

As you can see by the pictures below, several of our members took the Water Rescue Phase III / Ice Rescue Safety class on February 12th & 13th. It was a 2 day class that was sponsored by the Washington Boro Fire Company in lancaster County. It was held at their station on Saturday and then at our station and Lake Williams on Sunday. We had a great time and everybody got through all of the pratical evalutions without any incidents. The class was instructed by Brad Tracey and he had help from Todd (forgot last name) and our Chief Joe Hildebrand. Thanks for all your help and encouragement guys, we appreciate it.