At 0130 hrs, Prospect Fire Co. was dispatched on a single company assignment to 166 Frederick Pl. for an activated CO alarm.  Deputy Chief Lodato was the first to arrive on scene and after speaking to the homeowners began to check the house with the meter in his vehicle.  The Deputy was also informed that there were four children and two elderly adults asleep in the house. 

The Deputy checked the entire house and had no readings on his meter, but told the homeowners that he wanted the engine crew, under the command of Lt. Naylis to continue in and check the house with their meter.  Upon the arrival of the engine, the Lieutenant and firefighters J. Kirsch and S. Naylis entered the house.  The meter they had immediately went into alarm.  The sleeping residents were awoken and removed from the house and reported feeling fine and were showing no symptoms of CO poisoning. 

With Co readings rapidly increasing to over 76 parts per million, Deputy Chief Lodato requested PSE&G to respond on an expedite.  PSE&G arrived shortly there after.  Captain Buehler and his crew on the RESCUE worked to vent the entire house.  PSE&G determined that the problem was with the hot water heater not venting properly and the central air system taking the CO and distributing it throughout the house. 

Even though the homeowners waited nearly five hours after the CO initially sounded their decision to call at 1:30 in the morning helped save them from a tragic outcome.  We urge residents when their fire alarms or CO alarms activate to call us and don’t feel bad about doing it.  We would rather take in the run and make sure that everything is okay.

The officers and members would like to congratulate Barry Goldstein for successfully completing his probationary period.  Barry is a member of Bergenfield Fire Co. No.2 and is now an active firefighter for the Bergenfield Fire Department.

Best of luck to Barry.

At the May meeting of Prospect Fire Company No. 1, Inc. they regretfully accepted the resignation of Kenneth Pfannen. Kenny joined the Bergenfield Volunteer Fire Department on April 1, 1966 has been active for the last 44 years.  

In the past, he has served as Lieutenant for five years and Captain for three years. In 1980 and 1981 Ken was a Deputy Chief and in 1982 he was Chief of the Department. Ken has spent a good part of his 44 years as a member of the fund drive committee and has given much of his free time to the Bergenfield Fire Training Center. For the 7 years he has been the departments Safety Officer.

Kenny is the former President of the Bergenfield Fireman’s Exempt Association and spent over two decades as Treasurer of the Bergenfield Fireman’s Relief Association.  

The officers and members want to thank him for his many years of dedicated service to the fire department and the residents of Bergenfield and we wish him the very best in the future. 

At 2121 hrs, Mid-Bergen Mutual Aid requested Bergenfield to send their Rescue and Ladder into the scene of a working house fire in the City of Englewood.  The Englewood Fire Department was battling a fire throughout a single family dwelling located at 207 Warren Street.

Chief Kneisler and Deputy Chief Lodato responded along with the Rescue, under the command of Captain Naylis and a crew of six and the Ladder under the command of Captain Lopez and a crew of six.  Captain Lopez took a crew and entered the structure to secure the utilities and check for possible extension in the rear first floor.  Captain Naylis took a crew to the 2^nd floor to continue overhaul operations. 

All units were up from Englewood in just under 2 hours.

At 2006hrs.,  the Dumont Fire Department requested an engine from Bergenfield to respond to Independent firehouse on a cover-up assignment.  Dumont had a fire in a private dwelling located at 125 Berkley Place. 

Engine 743 under the command of Captain Lanzilotti and a crew of 4 along with Deputy Chief Byrnes responded on the run. They took in no runs and were back in the borough in less than 90 minutes.