Saturday, April 27, 2013
Before Quality Catering is razed, it gives Strongsville Fire Department a chance to practice their techniques
The former Quality Catering on Pearl Road at Whitney Road is slated to be demolished next week, but the vacant building was just what the Strongsville Fire Department needed for some intensive training. The department spent all week on drills at the building, which is being torn down to make way for an as-yet-unnamed fast food restaurant. "The first part of the week we spent on hose line advance and attack, and then we moved on to search and rescue," Assistant Chief Jack Draves said. Lt. AJ Aljabi said the training focused on new techniques on handling a 250-foot hose, including getting it around 90-degree corners. "We went back to the basics and reinforced what we first learned when we became firefighters," Aljabi said. Strongsville …
Friday, April 19, 2013
Watch for rusty water when maintenance is done in your neighborhood
The Strongsville Fire Department has started its spring hydrant maintnance program this week. With nearly 3,500 fire hydrants in Strongsville, the program is expected to run until the end of June. Fire crews will place signs at the entrances of developments to warn residents that testing will be occurring that week in their neighborhood. If residents encounter rusty or discolored water flowing from the home faucets following this maintenance, they should run only the cold water for a few minutes until it clears. Maintenance of fire hydrants involves visual inspection for any damage, removing and checking of caps, cleaning and lubrication of all threaded outlets, checking for adequate water pressure and flowing water to clear out debris …
Monday, February 4, 2013
Damage estimated at $50,000 after blaze starts behind fireplace
A Hollo Oval resident smelled smoke shortly before 3 a.m. Monday and was able to evacuate the house and call for help before the blaze got out of control. Still the fire, which started near the fireplace, caused an estimated $50,000 in damage, Assistant Fire Chief Jack Draves said. Draves said the residents at 13279 Hollo Oval had a fire in their fireplace around 3 p.m. and kept it going as they watched the Super Bowl. They went to bed about 12:30 a.m. Just before 3 a.m., the homeowner said he smelled smoke and found a fire between the fireplace and the sandstone hearth. He alerted his wife and called 911, then tried to attack the fire with a small extinguisher, but the blaze had made too much headway within the wall, ceiling and roof. …
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Deal calls for 7 percent raises over three years
Strongsville firefighters and the city have reached a deal on a new contract. The agreement, approved by City Council Tuesday night, calls for firemedics to receive a 3 percent raise this year, followed by 2 percent hikes in 2014 and 2015. It's the same 7 percent over three years that employees in two other bargaining groups -- the Service Department workers and building inspectors -- already reached, but the firefighters will be taking the raises in slightly different increments. The two groups represented by the Teamsters are receiving increases of 2.25 percent this year, 2.5 percent next year and 2.25 the following year. Human Resources Director Steve Kilo said the firefighters wanted the larger increase this year because …
Friday, December 14, 2012
'We Care' takes truck full of clothes, food, books, shoes and toys to kids in West Virginia
"We Care," the Strongsville-based organization that delivers Christmas gifts and meals to a depressed area in the Appalachians, left for Boone County, WV Friday morning with a truck filled with clothes, food, shoes, books and toys. This is the 23rd year Terry Evans and a crew of volunteers have provided a Christmas holiday to the community. The families in the coal-mining area are so destitute, many kids literally don't eat between the time school lets out on Friday and starts again on Monday "They're most excited about the shoes," Evans said. "The teachers say they play Christmas music when they pass out the shoes, and the kids are just laughing and singing." Fire Chief Jeff Branic and his wife, Neomia, are driving the truck down this …
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Crossroads Animal Hospital donates pet oxygen masks to Strongsville Fire Department
Dr. Jeffrey Peacock of Crossroads Animal Hospital has donated four sets of pet oxygen masks to the Strongsville Fire Department to help revive dogs, cats, rabbits and other small animals rescued from a blaze. "We value our animal lives, as we do human lives," Fire Chief Jeff Branic said. The specially designed masks fit secuely over an animal's snout, allowing firefighters to deliver 100 percent oxygen to a pet that has been overcome by smoke during a fire. The masks will be carried on the rescue squad from each of the city's four fire stations. Peacock, whose practice already takes care of Murphy, the arson dog, as well as the Strongsville police dogs, said he learned that the Ohio Veterinary Medical Program will split the cost of the …
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Rewards bring in tips, but no arrests yet
A reward of up to $7,000 has not resulted in arrests in three arson fires this summer on Collier Drive and Priem Road. "We were hoping, but it hasn't brought in any leads that led to an arrest," Detective Lt. John Janowski said. Police and fire officials believe a fire that detroyed a Priem Road house on July 27, as well as two fires on Collier Drive Aug. 17 were all intentionally set. In late August, the Strongsville Fire Department secured up to $5,000 in reward money from the Blue Ribbon Arson Committee for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the fires. The Strongsville Police Department got Crime Stoppers of Cuyahoga County to offer a cash reward of up to $2,000. Anyone with information about …
Monday, October 8, 2012
Firefighters confine blaze to basement
A basement fire caused an estimated $30,000 damage to a house on Admiralty Drive Saturday. Assistant Fire Chief Jack Draves said the fire started when the homeowner, who was working on the breakers, left a trouble light on a cardboard box and went to the store for a part. When he returned, the fire department was on the scene and smoke was pouring from his house. Draves said 13 firefighters from all four stations responded to the call to 18457 Admiralty about 12:30 p.m. On arrival, firefighters found heavy smoke coming from the second floor windows, but could not tell where the fire was located. One crew started a search of the house to look for any possible victims, while other firefighters found the blaze in the basement and went to …
Monday, September 10, 2012
Public is invited to attend short remembrance
The Strongsville fire and police departments will conduct a 9/11 remembrance ceremony on Tuesday, Sept. 11. Fire Chief Jeff Branic said the ceremony will honor the 2,974 people killed in the terrorist attacks. The number includes 343 firefighters and 73 law enforcement personnel. The ceremony starts at 9:45 a.m. and will last about 15 minutes. The central location for the event will be Fire Station No. 4 on Prospect Road. But all the Strongsville fire stations will take part in the ceremony by staging apparatus and personnel on station aprons, participating in flag protocols and listening to the “Tolling of the Bells” and "Taps," which will be broadcast on the Strongsville Tactical Fire Channel. Available police officers, firefighters and …
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
It's not too late to register for this week's session
The Strongsville Fire Department is offering a first aid class and a CPR class at the Ehrnfelt Senior Center. The first aid class is set for Thursday, Aug. 23 at 6 p.m. The CPR session will be Thursday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. The classes are free. The are open to people 45 and older, but the restriction will be relaxed if the student wants to work with seniors. To register, call the senior center at 440-580-3275.
James Murphy
7:21 pm on Saturday, April 27, 2013
I watched them this afternoon they came out of that building exhausted, whatever they were practicing it beat them down more ›