At the height of  the so called "Snowmageddon" storm of 2010, Greenfields and Mount Pleasant Fire Companies were dispatched to a report of an unknown type fire in northern Bern Township. Several residents in the Penn Bern Road and Shady Hill Lane areas called 911 and reported seeing a fire in the distance, but were unable to pin-point its location due to the reduced visibility.

Quint 30, Engine 55, Brush 55 and the Bern Township Police crawled their way along a snow covered Route 183 to Palisades Drive where a minivan sat along side the road fully involved in flames. No one was around the vehicle when Bern Police and firefighters arrived.

Quint 30 began an attack with an 1 3/4"  hand line and Engine 55 supplied water.  Once the attack began, the flames were knocked down quickly.

The 1999 Ford Windstar minivan was reported to be stolen from a location in the City of Reading. The vehicle was destroyed as a result of the fire.

Both companies were in service over two hours due to the dangerous weather conditions.

Congratulations to the 2010 Officers at Greenfields Fire Company. All offices took effect after the general meeting on Tuesday 1/12/2010.

A big THANK YOU to outgoing Deputy Chief Phil Haupt for all your tireless work and dedication to our Fire Company. Also our sincere gratitude to outgoing Lieutenant Kevin Miller for your service to us these past ten years. 

The new Officers for 2010 are:

Fire Chief - Scott Haupt

Deputy Chief - Brian Fisher

2nd Deputy Chief - Steve Keppley

Captain - Matthew Dotter

Chief Engineer - Phil Haupt 

Fire Police Captain - Charles Kerschner

Fire Police Lieutenant - Phil Haupt

Firefighters performed a quick and effective knockdown in a two-story residence after an early morning room and contents fire was reported in the 1200 block of Old Bernville Road in Bern Township.

Bern Township Police arrived first and assisted the resident in evacuating the structure and also shut off the valve to a propane tank located next to the house.

The resident successfully escaped the flames un-injured and was evaluated at the scene by EMS personnel.

The fire destroyed the first floor living room and exterior wall above the fire room. The majority of the structure and resident's belongings were spared from fire damage.

Damage to the structure and contents is estimated at $50,000.

Our thanks to Mount Pleasant, Leesport, Spring Township, Bernville and West Reading Fire Companies, Western Berks Fire Police and Western Berks EMS for all your help at the incident. 

It is with deepest regret that the Greenfields Fire Company announces the passing of Fire Police Sergeant David Braun.

David was an active member of the Greenfields Fire Company for over 15 years serving as a firefighter, engineer, lieutenant, safety officer, fire police patrolman and fire police sergeant. David also served the Fire Company as a trustee.

We are forever grateful for the dedication and volunteer service David Braun provided to the Greenfields Fire Company and the community.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to David's stepson, Firefighter David Steffey and the rest David's family .

Funeral arrangements are pending and will be posted as information becomes available.

The night continued after the Cross Keys Road incident - for while Mount Pleasant Rescue 30 was returning to station from Cross Keys Road, the crew inside noticed a heavy smoke condition in the area of Route 183 and Hilltop Road. As they got closer to Hilltop Road, the odor got stronger. (Uh, Oh!) 

They then saw what they smelled - flames were shooting from windows and the roof of the former Abe Lincoln Restaurant at 3076 Bernville Road.

This is what was so eloquently described as a "pucker factor".

Rescue 30's crew immediately called a priority message to "Berks" reporting a working structure fire and then quickly responded back to the Mount Pleasant Fire Station to pick up Quint 30 and Tanker 30.

As Berks began to dispatch a full first alarm assignment, Greenfields Engine 55 left the accident scene and responded to the structure fire.

Arriving crews found heavy fire emitting from several windows and the roof of the two-story wood framed structure. There was a house only about 40 feet to the south of the fire building that was under extreme threat from the heat and flames. 

Firefighters quickly evacuated all residents from the exposure house and confirmed that the fire building was unoccupied.

With well over 70% involvement and strong northerly winds feeding the fire, Chief 30 declared a defensive attack on the fire building with a priority to protect the exposure buildings.

Since there were no fire hydrants in the area, a water suppy operation capable of handling this large fire took several minutes to organize and required the response of tankers from over 15 different fire companies including the Zone 2 and Zone 4 Tanker Task Forces.

Greenfields Firefighters Mahlon Auker and Zach Keppley as well as crews from Temple Fire Company fought a valiant and highly effective battle against the heat, flames and water supply interruptions to save the house. Damage to the house was kept to some singed vinyl siding and heat curled roof shingles.

As the fire raged in the restaurant building, aerial master streams were set up by Quint 30 and West Reading Ladder 64 to safely attack the fire.

Chief 30, now the appointed water supply officer, set up three dump sites to feed the attack at the fire building as well as four different fill sites to fill the tankers. Thoughout the incident, over 100 tanker fill jobs were completed flowing in excess of 350,000 gallons of water.  

Hamburg Engine 61-3 was dispatched to perform "brand partol" duties as large glowing embers from the fire were carried several hundred feet by the strong winds. The embers threatened houses and fields to the south of the fire building.

After about two and a half hours the fire building collapsed as the aerial mater streams contained the remaining fire. Crews flowed water over the fire for over six hours to fully extinguish the flames.

The building, which during its history housed restaurants, night clubs and a church was completely destroyed by the fire. The building had been for sale from a number of years. Preliminary damage estmates are $500,000.

The State Police Fire Marshal and the Bern Township Police Department are investigating the cause of the fire.

Our sincere thanks to Mount Pleasant, Western Berks, Leesport, West Reading, Temple, Bernville, Shartlesville, Strausstown, Hamburg, Rehrersburg, Central Berks, Shoemakersville, Virginville, Robesonia, Adamstown, Gouglersville, Cedar Top, Brecknock, Spring Township, and Port Clinton Fire Departments; as well as Schuylkill Valley EMS and Rehab, Spring Township Rehab and the Red Cross Canteen for all your help.

It was one of "those" nights in Bern Township early Saturday. It all started with a call for a vehicle accident on Cross Keys Road near Rickenbach Lane. Greenfields and Leesport Fire Companies were dispatched for a report of an accident with unknown injuries. As more information arrived at the Berks County Communcations Center, the incident was upgraded to and accident with injuries and entrapment, which added Mount Pleasant and Temple Fire Companies for rescue operations.

Firefighters arrived and found a heavily damaged car that struck a tree off Cross Keys Road after travelling at an apparent high rate of speed. The driver of the car had been ejected and the passenger was heavily trapped and injured badly.

Firefighters and Schuylkill Valley EMS personnel extricated the injured passenger and quickly transported him to the hospital. Tragically, the driver of the vehicle did not survive the impact and ejection.

Cross Keys Road was closed for over three hours until the scene was cleared.

A very ugly reminder of the carnage caused by high speed impact crashes.

And this was only the beginning....

Crews from Greenfields and Mount Pleasant Fire Companies travelled to the Berks County Fire Training Center to practice ladder techniques and work with the site drill tower.

Crews practiced ground ladder raises, climbing and descending  as well as climbing the ladder of Quint 30 to access the upper floors of a building.

Engine 55-1 was detailed to report back to Station 55 early during the drill to provide stand by coverage for Muhelnberg Township while they battled a structure fire at Burger King on Bellevue Avenue.

Thanks to Mount Pleasant for assisting us at this drill.

A dryer fire in the basement of the Riveredge Restaurant caused a major smoke condition affecting the basement and first floors of the establishment. 

Firefighters from Greenfields, Mount Pleasant and West Reading Fire Companies were intitially dispatched for an automatic fire alarm coming from the basment of the building. Upon the arrival of Chief Scott Haupt, heavy smoke was seen emitting from the rear basement and employees were evacuating the first floor of the building. Chief Haupt ordered an upgrade of the alarm to a Structure Assignment which added Goodwill Station 10 and Spring Township Station 85 for their Rapid Intervention Team.

Engine 55 was directed to set up on the rear side of the building and Captian Brian Fisher was sent inside to perform a size-up. Captian Fisher found textiles smoldering inside a commercial dryer, however the fire was contained. A pressurized water extinguisher was utilized to fully extinguish the fire and then the contents of the dryer were removed. 

Mount Pleasant crews assisted Captian Fisher with ventilation and  securing the power to the damaged dryer while crews from West Reading and Goodwill vented the smoke from the first floor of the building.

The incident was borught under control in about 45 minutes and damage was confined to the dryer and its contents.

Damage was limited in large part because the fire was detected during an early stage by the central station monitored fire alarm system. If left to burn, the fire could have easily extended throughout the basement and into the structural part of the building. 

Thanks to Mount Pleasant, West Reading, Goodwill and Spring Township FD's for all your help. 

The driver of a car travelling east on West Leesport Road lost control while  rounding a curve near Peach Blossom Court. The hybrid car slid off the wet roadway and careened down a steep embankment coming to rest against a tree. The driver was initially reported to be trapped in the vehicle, but he was able to free himself prior to the arrival of rescue crews. Firefighters and EMS personnel assisted the male driver as he exited his vehicle and walked up the steep bank to the awaiting ambulance.

West Leesport Road was closed between McCoy Lane and Rickenbach Road for over an hour until the scene was cleared.

Greenfields, Leesport, Mount Pleasant  and Temple Fire Companies, as well as Schuylkill Valley and Western Berks EMS were dispatched to the scene.

A restored Rolls Royce, sitting on the parking lot of Berks Leisure Living on Fairview Drive, caught fire after idling for an extended period of time.

Firefighters from Greenfields and Leesport Fire Companies arrived and found the engine compartment of the car well involved. An attack was initiated using a combination of water and foam and the fire was quickly knocked down.

The vehicle owner stated to firefighters that he had jump started the car after discovering a dead battery and then left the car idle for an extended period of time to charge the battery.

The car was destroyed as a result of the fire.

Greenfields fire personnel participated in a school bus emergency rescue drill held at the Reading Fairgrounds. The drill was set up by the Berks County Intermediate Unit to test their emergency plan in the case of a school bus crash.

Firefighters arrived on scene to find 20 victims inside the bus suffering from various mock injuries. Firefighters and EMS personnel carefully removed each victim from the bus and placed them in the triage areas corresponding to their injury status. An aeromedical landing zone was also established and one victim was loaded into the PennStar 4 helicopter.

All fire personnel found the exercise to be a vivid reminder of the method and effort required to handle a school bus emergency.

Our thanks to BCIU, RFD Training Lt. Ron Wentzel, Mount Pleasant, Spring Township and the Reading Fire Departments for your help during this drill. 

Greenfields and Mount Pleasant Fire Companies were disptached to stand by while the Bern Township Police and Reading Police Bomb Squad investigated a suspicious package along Route 183 near Werleys Garage.

A mail vehicle was tavelling north on Route 183 when the driver of the vehicle noticed a strange odor emiitting from one of the packages on board. The driver stopped, removed the package from the mail vehicle and called authorities.

Postal Inspectors, Police and Bomb Squad personnel responded to the scene and determined the package to be suspicious. Safety pre-cautions were taken as Bomb Squad technicians used a robot to neutralize the package.

Fire apparatus stood by on the parking lot at T&C's Market approximately one half mile away. Fire Police closed Route 183 in both directions between West Leesport Road and Palisades Drive.

Bernville Fire Police also assisted.

The package was delcared stabilized at approximately 17:00 hours and the highway was re-opened.

The package apparently contained a small amount of a black powder and other suspicious devices. Police and postal officials are investigating.

Greenfields Fire Company was dispatched as part of the Intital Structure Assignment to the 5600 block of Mount Pleasant Road to assist the Mount Pleasant Fire Company on a dryer fire inside a residence.

Mount Pleasant's Quint 30 was flagged down by the homowner as they were returning from a parade. Company 30 firefighters made a quick knockdown of the fire and removed the damaged dryer from the house. Mutual Aid fire companies arrived and assisted with ventilation and overhaul.

No one was injured and damage to the residence was minimal. Firefighters were on the scene for approximately 45 minutes.

Bernville, Spring Township and Sinking Spring Fire Companies also assisted.

Congratulations and a big THANK YOU to Matt Dotter who just passed his certification test for Firefighter 1.

Matt recently completed an intense three-week program at Bucks County Fire Training Center which trained him in basic firefighting skills and prepared him to pass the national certification test.

Great Job Matt!

Greenfields Firefighters held our annual Tanker Drill on Monday evening July 20th. Tankers from Mount Pleasant, Leesport and Bernville assisted  as we worked on fill site and dump site operations.

Captian Brian Fisher organized the drill which is held annually to review rural water supply operations as well as our duties as a fill site pumper for the Zone 2 Tanker Task Force.

Thanks to Companies 30, 37 & 29 for your help at the drill.