Serving parts of Ephrata Borough, Ephrata Township and Clay Township

 Year End Service Report 2008 - Fire Chief Summary

 The year 2008 ended with 189 calls for service. In 2007 there were 172 calls for service.  There was a total fire loss of $348,200.00 This is an increase from $94,610.00 in 2007. The total value of property responded to was $2,732,500.00 This value is down from $3,338,910.00 in 2007. Loss per municipality was $207,500.00 in Ephrata Borough, $106.700.00 in Ephrata Township, and $34,000.00 in Clay Township.

 There were 37 calls in Clay Township, an increase from 2007. There were 70 calls in Ephrata Borough.  There were 69 calls in Ephrata Township, an increase.  There were also 13 calls in other municipalities.

 Response time, time of dispatch to responding, was 4:12 minutes on average.  The time from dispatch to on scene was 7:01 minutes on average, a decrease of over a minute.

 2352 members responded to calls for the Lincoln Fire Company in 2008.  Average turnout for fire calls was 13.  Fire Police call average turnout was 3.  

October 2009

Annual Open House Gets Thumbs Up!

On October 10th the Lincoln Fire Co. opened its doors to the residents of the area.   As always, the event included Cinder the Fire Safety Clown, demonstrations of fire extinguishers, equipment, procedures, handouts, door prizes and free ice cream.  This year, a bounce house made in the shape of a Dalmatian was included as were presentations on fire prevention for Home School students.  

National Fire Prevention Week  October 4-10

Check out our Fire Prevention Week Page for details

Lincoln Firefighters visit schools in the area on October 5, 6 and 9th to spread fire safety message.  

Did you see us?

March 2009

            March ended as an incredibly busy month.  Normal calls for the month totaled 17.  This is an average amount of calls for company.  However on the 29^th at approximately 1645 hours a tornado occurred in the area.  The tornado formed near the intersection of Middle Creek Rd and Lincoln Rd.  It struck the ground in that area and traveled for approximately 1.25 miles toward W. Main St. and onto the Denver area where it dissipated.  The damage was most severe in the Lincoln area.  The company received its first call for assistance at 1649hrs. The company would stay on duty for the next 21 hours responding to calls and assisting residents and businesses damaged by the tornado.  The most serious call occurred at a group of mobile homes along Middle Creek Rd.  The mobile homes were destroyed, 3 occupants were injured and 1 occupant was not accounted for.  The fire company responded and took charge of the operations to look for injured, the missing and render the area safe.  The company was assisted at this scene by the Lancaster County Rescue Task Force, Brunnerville Fire Co., Brickerville Fire Co., Ephrata Rescue, Ephrata EMS, Medic 4, Lancaster County Haz Mat, and many fire police agencies. The company also set up the old fire hall for use as a shelter for residents displaced by the tornado and storm.  The Ladies Auxiliary, fire company members and several residents provided food for the responders and approximately 25 residents who stayed at the fire hall temporarily.  No one that was displaced needed to stay the night.  Members of the fire company responded to 20 other calls for assistance in the area.  The Pioneer and Durlach Mt Airy Fire Companies assisted on several calls.  Traffic was closed in many areas due to downed trees and utility poles.  Fire Police from every fire company in Zone #1 responded to assist in the area. Company members stood by at the fire station overnight and went back to Middle Creek Rd on the 30^th to assist in damage assessment and to help retrieve belongings. In all the members were on duty for 21 hours and 19 minutes.

            More photos can be found at www.Lancasteronline.com and  www.wgalchannel.com  and  www.pumpfire.com  

                Also during the month members responded to assist Pioneer with a building fire on the 3^rd.  

            On the 5^th members stood by for Akron and Pioneer Fire Companies while they were at a building fire in West Earl Twp. On the 23^rd, members assisted the Schoeneck Fire Company at a barn fire.  On the 27^th, members assisted Pioneer Fire Company at another building fire. The fire was between State St and Church Ave.

            On the 30^th, while cleaning up from the tornado, members responded to a mobile home fire on Meadow Valley Rd.

                The fire company is now 32 calls ahead of 2008.  This is almost like adding 2 extra months of calls to the yearly call volume.  With the average call volume of the last several years, a total of over almost 250 calls for service could be reached in 2009.

                Training was also ahead of normal for March.  As noted above several members are taking advantage of the Target Safety Online Training.   Also during the month members toured the new Ephrata Hospital MRI and took a 5.5 hour basic first aid course at the fire station.  Another Joint Drill was held at the Ephrata Rescue Service. Members of Lincoln and Pioneer Fire Companies were show some basic rope rigging set ups and equipment.

February 2009                

February ended with 33 calls for the month.  This brings 2009 to a total of 4 calls ahead of 2008.  Notable events for the month included 3 fires and a vehicle accident.  On the 11^th, a fire destroyed a shed and damaged a garage at 30 Robert Rd.  The fire was put under control in 7 minutes of the company arriving.

  On the 24^th, members assisted the Pioneer Fire Company at a house fire on N State St .. On the 25^th, members assisted the Durlach & Mt Airy Fire Company at a mobile home fire on Molly Dr.  Engine 161 arrived on scene first and quickly knocked down the fire with a 2.5” hose.  On the 6^th, members assisted the Ephrata Ambulance at an accident at Springville and Schoeneck Rds.  The accident was serious and involved numerous occupants of a car and a van.  Members extricated a passenger in the van and assisted the EMS providers in providing care for several other victims.  

 Also during the month, members recertified in CPR and another joint drill between Lincoln, Pioneer and Ephrata Rescue was held.  The joint drill was again held at the Lincoln Station and centered on propane emergencies.  This was a timely drill, as the Lincoln members responded to a propane tanker rollover in January.   Members also completed a Haz Mat operations course at the station.

Total training man hours for the month  and average drill attendance were both increases from January.  The average drill attendance was up from 20 in January to 25 in February.

January 2009

January started 2009 with a higher call volume than the end of 2009.  The company is already 3 calls ahead of 2008.  There were some calls of interest for the month. On the 1^st the company responded to 2 calls, an automatic alarm at Martin’s Market and a vehicle accident on W Main St that involved a downed pole and transformer.   On the 12^th, the company assisted the Schoeneck Fire Company on a house fire.  Members refilled tankers for the firefighting operation and then stood by at the Durlach Fire Station for other calls. On the 21^st, Fire Police assisted with a barricaded subject in Lititz. On the 22^nd, the company responded to a house fire on Clay Rd.  Lincoln members were covering for Durlach & Mt Airy while they were on a fire in Lebanon County. On the 28^th, members responded to an accident involving a propane truck that overturned on Meadow Valley Rd.  The tank did not leak and the vehicle was removed from the scene without incident.

On the 31st, Members also assisted at an MVA in the intersection of Royer and Meadow Valley Rds. 

The company was also notified that it won a training Grant from Target Safety. The grant was awarded thru the International Association of Fire Chiefs. It gives the company a 6 month free trial of the online training program that Target Safety provides. The savings this grant provides for the 40 active members of the company is approximately $2000.00.

December 2008

December ends the year with 189 calls for service.  This is an increase of 17 calls from 2007.  During the month there were 6 days where members responded to multiple calls. Calls of interest for the month included: on the 5^th, members assisted Pioneer Fire Co. with a police incident. On the 8^th members responded to a house fire at 102 Meadow Valley Rd. On the 10^th members responded to an accident with entrapment in the 200 block of Meadow Valley Rd.  On the 17^th the company responded with gas meters to assist the Pioneer Fire Co. On the 22^nd Fire Police assisted the Brickerville Fire Co. at an accident with entrapment.  On the 23^rd members assisted the Pioneer Fire Co. at a car fire in the hospital parking garage. Fire Police assisted with several calls caused by ice over Christmas Eve. On the 27^th members assisted the Durlach and Mt Airy Fire Co. with a search for a lost individual.  Members also participated in the first joint training drill of local emergency services.  The drill was held on the 10^th at the Lincoln Fire Station. The drill was an outcome of the Ephrata Emergency Service Task Force. The drills will be held monthly and will hopefully result in the companies working more closely together. The first drill included introductions of members and officers and then each company showed off apparatus and equipment.  The evening concluded with some refreshments.  Approximately 40 volunteers attended.  Company training grew during the month also.  Average attendance was 22 members with some night reaching 25 or more. The members are concentrating on refreshing essential firefighting skills.

November 2008

November was a very busy month for members.  Calls totaled 17 for the month.  The company is still 17 calls ahead of 2007. Training was the important item of the month.  As noted the monthly training man hours total almost 800 hours.  We were very fortunate to have several members complete some lengthy courses.  4 members, Firefighters Zimmerman, Jaquay, Coleman and Showalter, completed the Delmar Essentials of Firefighting course.  The course is the state recognized entry level firefighter course.  The course is taught in 4 modules and totals 166 hours. All of the members started the course in June of this year.  One member, Chief Borry, completed a 40 prep course to take the Fire Officer 2 certification course.  3 Fire Police members, Bouder, Myers and Conner, completed a Legal Concepts course. Notable calls for November were as follows.  There were 2 accidents involving State Police cruisers, one on the 10^th,   and another on the 13th.  There was a dwelling fire at 926 N. State Street on November 15th.  Lincoln members were standing by for the Pioneer Fire Company banquet and responded to this fire from the banquet. On the 24^th, Fire Police responded to Mastersonville to assist at an accident on Route 72 in Rapho Township.  On the 30^th, Fire Police responded to assist Rothsville at 2 alarm apartment building fire.

October 2008

October was a very busy month for members.  Calls totaled 19 for the month, this is a 10 call increase from September.  The company is 17 calls ahead of 2007. October is also National Fire Safety month and includes Fire Prevention Week.  During this month members provide many fire prevention programs including an open house at the fire station.  Members also took part in a lot of training during the month.  Training included 2 members being certified to the Haz Mat Operations level and 1 member taking a 64 hour course for fire department instructors that includes certification at the Fire Instructor 1 and 2 level.  4 members of the company took part in a regional terrorism drill. The drill called Operation Wide Vigilance was held at the Lancaster Airport. The Lincoln Fire Company participated as a component of the county decontamination strike force.  Members also participated in company drills in greater numbers.  An average of 18 members participated in company level drills during the month.  Calls of interest included a cat rescue on the 1^st.  During the rescue the Fire Chief was bitten by the ungrateful cat. 3 car accidents occurred at Meadow Valley and Royer Rds. One accident on the 23^rd was fatal to a driver. On the 4^th a dumpster fire occurred at Dove Christian Fellowship. On the 22^nd, a car fire occurred at the Lincoln Mall. The vehicle was destroyed. On the 27^th a significant chimney fire occurred at 31 N. Market St.  On the 28^th, members assisted Brunnerville Fire Company with a dwelling fire. The fire was mistakenly dispatched in the Lincoln Fire Company district.

September 2008

Lincoln Fire Company adds computer tools to its inventory.

On September 17th, the company took delivery of an Iron Compass Map Software program. The purchase was made through a grant from the State Fire Commissioner's Office.  The software includes On Scene Xplorer.  Emergency responder crews using the On-Scene Xplorer mapping and pre-incident planning system know what they are up against before arriving on scene. Easy to read mapping displays streets, building foot prints, fire hydrants, and more. Map features are intelligently displayed as you zoom in and out. Plus, with On-Scene Xplorer’s Global Position System (GPS) capabilities you can locate the closest fire hydrant even at night and in poor weather.  This system has been installed on Engine 161. 

A second computer package has also been placed in service with the company. This system was received as part of a FEMA CEDAP Grant.  CEDAP helps meet the equipment needs of smaller jurisdictions by providing communications interoperability, information sharing, chemical detection, sensors, personal protective equipment, technology, and training in using the equipment, devices, and technology. Awards are made to law enforcement and emergency responder agencies not currently eligible for funding through the Department’s Urban Areas Security Initiative grant program.  The package received in the grant is a PEAC Incident Command Kit.  The kit consists of a laptop computer and 3 hand held computers.  All the computers have the PEAC WMD software installed on them and the laptop will also be upgraded with the On Scene Xplorer program.

As part of the grant, President Rich Ritter traveled to Raleigh NC for training on the program and hardware.

August 2008

August call volume is still 14 calls ahead of 2007.  The company held its annual picnic on the 18^th with over 70 members and family attending.  The picnic was held in the park and the pool was opened to members for 2 hours after normal closing time.  On the 23^rd, the annual Decontamination drill was held at Ephrata Hospital. Pioneer Fire Company assisted as several area Boy Scouts were used as mock victims of a chemical attack.  Members of the company and hospital staff set up for decontaminating the victims so they could further treated in the hospital.  

On the 17^th, a vehicle accident caused damage to the gas main in the area of the Ephrata Cancer Center on RT 272.  Natural gas flowed freely from the ground while the driver of the vehicle was stuck inside a pick up truck.  Crews from Lincoln, Pioneer, Ephrata Rescue, Ephrata Ambulance and Ephrata Hospital were able to control the vapors and remove the driver without incident.  On the 22^nd, another gas leak was reported at Ephrata Middle School. This leak was small and required no fire department action prior to UGI arriving.  Also, during the month, members assisted the Ephrata Field Hockey Boosters at the Middle Schools.  Members used an engine to spray water onto field hockey field to prepare it for the season. The field was very dry and in poor condition.

July 2008

Call volume for the month leaves the company 11 calls ahead of the number of calls responded to at the same time in 2007.  Although call volume was low members were busy with public education and training.  On the 2nd,  members provided 2 public education programs for Salem Lutheran Church Vacation Bible School. Members showed off a fire engine and talked about fire safety.  On the 4th, members once again stood by at the annual Ephrata Fireworks.  This year they were assisted by the Pioneer and Durlach & Mt. Airy Fire Companies, as well as Ephrata Ambulance.  Everyone was able to enjoy the show without any emergency calls.  On the 12th, members attended the grand opening of  Graystone Bank on West Main St.  Members, along with Freddy the Fire Truck handed out fire safety information and gave fire engine tours.  On the 25th, members of the Lincoln and Pioneer Fire Companies visited Camp Anchor at Grater Park.  This has been an annual visit for the last several years and the members look forward to seeing our friends every summer.

Members participated in over 155 man hours of fire training during the month also. This included drills on firefighting foams, vehicle rescue practices and some fun in the water practicing some water rescue techniques.  2 members attended the Annual Firehouse Expo in Baltimore, MD.  The members participated in several hands on courses and seminars. The instructors for these programs are nationally known leaders in the fire service.

June 2008

Call volume for the month was high with 24 calls for service. This puts the company 14 calls ahead of the number of calls responded to at the same time in 2007.  There were several calls of interest during the month.  On the 3rd, a large spill of paint was reported on Middle Creek Rd in Clay Township.  Members responded to another rescue of ducklings on Fieldcrest Lane in Ephrata Township on the 7th.  On the 9th, members of the Fire Police were specially requested for their traffic unit to help at an accident on RT 72 in Penn Township. This was an unusually long  response for the members. While the Fire Police were in Penn Township 2 more calls were received for the company. A gas leak at the Ephrata Cancer Center and a vehicle accident on Stevens Road.  On the 13th, a small fire damaged the contents of a truck parked in a lot at 539 Stevens Road. Squad 161 responded to assist  the Pioneer Fire Company at a house fire in the 700 block on East Main Street on the 21st.  Members responded with the Durlach & Mt. Airy Fire Company to a reported mobile home fire on Willow Lane in Clay Township on the 24th.  On the 25th, Fire Police assisted with traffic control for a bike race that ran along RT 322 from West Chester to Harrisburg.  Engine 162 responded to assist the Pioneer Fire Company at a vehicle fire on the grounds of Ephrata Recycling on the 26th. To end the month, members responded to the Rothsville Fire Station to stand by while their members were busy at a house fire.

May 2008

 The May call volume still keeps the company ahead of the call responses from this time in 2007.  Members  were busy with several events Including the Mothers Day Make A Wish Convoy and taking part in a mock vehicle accident held at the Ephrata High School to show the danger of drinking and driving.   Calls of interest were a mobile home fire at 2002 W Main St.  A bird nest on top of a porch light caused a small fire.  On the 30^th, members assisted Pioneer Fire Co. at an Ammonia leak at Spring Glen Foods.  Also during the month, members responded to 3 calls involving animal rescues.  2 were rescues of ducklings from storm drains and one rescue of a deer that fell into a new basement foundation on Hoover Dr. 

April 2008

 The month of April was very busy.  Call volume doubled from the 10 calls responded to in March. The company is now 5 calls ahead of 2007.  Members responded to a serious kitchen fire on Reagan Dr on 2^nd, This fire caused $20,000 in damage and injured 2 occupants.  On the 3^rd , members assisted the Durlach & Mt. Airy Fire Company at a large fire on Hopeland Rd.   Members were on scene for over 6 hours.  On these calls attendance was very high.  28 members responded to the call on Reagan and 39 responded to the fire on Hopeland Rd.  There were several other calls that attendance was 17 or more for the month.   Members trained very hard for the month also.  The company refreshed its Haz Mat Operations training on the 15^th and 29^th. 

 23 members attended that training.  The company also hosted a course on Extreme Fire Behaviors at the station on the 22^nd.  Several departments attended along with 19 members of the company.

March 2008

  The month of March was very busy.  All categories in this monthly report show great increases in activity.  4 major calls caused a great increase in time in service, turnout, property loss, hose used and water used.  All these calls occurred within 1 block of each other. 

3/8  Wind blew down a utility pole at 1686 W Main St. Members were on scene for over 5 hours.

3/12  A dump truck burned in a building on the property of Agway, 1731 West Main St .

3/19  A feed truck overturned in front of 1731 West Main St. Crews were on scene for 7 hours.

3/31 A structure fire occurred at 1665 West Main St damaging a cycle repair shop.

             Members also completed 2 courses held in station. A State Certified Special Vehicle Rescue Course that was 16 hours in length  

            and a Fire Scene Risk Management course.  Members also completed several other courses held outside the station including a Fire Inspector 2 certification prep course.

February 2008

 The month of February continued to keep the members busy.  The 14 calls for the month bring the yearly total to 29 calls. This is 9 ahead of 2007 at the same time.  Members responded to the following calls of interest for the month.  On the 6^th, crews responded to 3 calls for the day. These included 2 vehicle accidents and automatic alarm.  On the 12^th, members responded to a dwelling fire on Middle Creek Rd in Clay Twp. The fire caused $5000 damage.  On the 16^th, a kitchen fire caused $7500 damage to an apartment at Cloister Gardens. On the 26^th, members responded to 2 calls almost at same time.  The first call at 1142 hrs was for an auto accident at Grandview and Rt 272. 

The second call was to assist Pioneer Fire Co. at a building fire at Denver Cold Storage on Mohler Church Rd.  1 engine from Lincoln responded from the accident scene to assist at the fire.  Members assisted the other Ephrata emergency services at the Lions Club Marathon Bingo, held on the 16^th.  Later that evening members enjoyed themselves at the Annual Lincoln Fire Co. Awards Banquet.  The banquet was held at Shady Maple and the Pioneer Fire Company provided crews to cover for the Lincoln Fire Co.

January 2008

   January started 2008 with a higher call volume than the end of 2007.  The company is already 4 calls ahead of 2007.  There were some calls of interest for the month. On the 10^th the company responded to assist the Upper Leacock Fire Co.  Fire Police provided traffic control at a large fire at the Dart Container Company and the firefighters moved an engine to the Upper Leacock Fire Station to standby for them.  On the 25^th, members assisted the Ephrata PD at an accident involving a State Police Cruiser.  There were also several multiple call days.  On the 10^th, 3 calls. On the 25^th, 3 calls and on the 29^th, 2 calls.

Click on the flyer for info on our fund drive