The Bergenfield Fire Training Center, Inc. will be hosting a 7-on-7 flag football tournament on Sunday, December 9, 2007 from 9 am-2 pm as a fundraiser for the BFTC.

Entries are $200 for a 10 man roster, with teams guaranteed to play a minimum of 2 games. Due to limited space, only the first 16 teams to enter will be accepted.

Trophies will be given to the first 3 places, and food and drinks will be sold at the field. To be e-mailed an entry form, contact Jon Hart at jhart@bergenfieldfd.org or Dave Tedesco at dtedesco@bergenfieldfd.org

The members of the Bergenfield Volunteer Fire Department responded to 15 calls in 12 hours on Sunday. Fire Company No. 2 took a still for an activated alarm and then the entire department responded to 95 W. Clinton Avenue for a reported basement fire.  That call turned out to be an issue with the heating unit.
At 14:55, Prospect was dispatched on a still alarm for a report of a natural gas odor in the vicinity of Pathmark on New Bridge Rd. Deputy Chief Byrnes (DC2) established command in the parking lot of Pathmark and was met by a strong odor of gas. The crews from Engine 745 and the RESCUE began to search for the source.  A preliminary location was found; Deputy Chief Byrnes upgraded the call to a general and ordered all businesses in the area to evacuated.

Chief Polandick (740) arrived on scene and after being briefed on the situation, assumed command. A second alarm assignment was requested so that the borough would have coverage since this was looking to be a prolonged incident. Mid-Bergen Car 2 responded into the scene to assist Bergenfield along with Teaneck Engine 1, Englewood truck, and Dumont Engine 5. New Milford’s F.A.S.T. team was requested along with Bergen County Hazmat.

Public Service Gas arrived quickly and began to search for the leak and once they pinpointed the location, began to rectify the situation. Crews from PSEG were on scene until early morning working on the leak.

Units were all clear from the scene by 20:30 hrs, but were dispatched to additional 12 calls from 21:30 through 23:00. Public Service Gas was investigating all the calls to make sure that no elevated levels were left unchecked.

Chief Polandick said, “A major disaster was averted by the quick work of the initial members that responded to the call.” He went on to praise all of the agencies that assisted the BFD and said that “their cooperation played a key role in the quick and organized evacuation of over 200 people.”

The Bergenfield Fire Department would like to thank the Mayor and Council, Borough Administrator Catherine Navarro-Steinel, Bergenfield Police Department, Bergenfield OEM, New Milford, Dumont, Englewood, Teaneck and Hackensack fire departments, BVAC, Bergen County Hazmat, Bergen County Police and Sheriffs Departments and the Department of Public Works.

At approximately 11:00 hrs, the Bergenfield FD was dispatched on a general alarm assignment for a reported car fire on Laurel Ct. John Pampaloni of Company 2 was passing by in his DPW truck and called it in. FF Ed Gomez was on the road in engine 747 and was first due. Lt, Kirsch was in command while the rest of the career staff extinguished the fire.

At 20:52 hrs, the New Milford FD requested Bergenfield’s FAST team to 185 Oak Street for a working house fire. DC Byrnes responded directly to the scene. The RESCUE responded with Captain Lodato in command and firefighters Arsi, Kirsch, N. Naylis,  Czerny and O’Connor.

Upon their arrival, they set-up in front of the structure and FF’s O’Connor and Naylis began throwing ladders and venting windows while the rest of the crew sized up the structure. Shortly thereafter the team was requested to send two firefighters to the roof to cut a vent hole. Captain Lodato and Firefighter Kirsch completed that assignment and were then ordered down from the roof because of the heavy fire coming through the hole they had just cut. The remaining crew members worked on getting the windows on the upper floors vented for the crews inside the structure.

The RESCUE was back in service by 23:22 hrs. Thanks to Chris Saraceno and the BFD Photograper for the pictures.

Just before 1330, the Tenafly Fire Department requested an engine to respond to 194 Jefferson Avenue for a house fire.  Chief Polandick and Engine 747 with a crew of six responded to the scene.  Upon arrival, firefighters C. Naylis and E Gomez under the direction of Captain Kneisler set up ground ladders to the second floor on the B and D sides of the house. Firefighters N. Naylis, S. Naylis, and Kneisler III deployed as the F.A.S.T. Team.  Soon after, Tenafly command requested the RESCUE for the cascade system to the scene.  The rescue responded with a crew of four and filled SCBA bottles at the scene.  The engine was back in the borough in 60 minutes, while the rescue returned a while later.

At approximately 12:45, Englewood FD requested the Bergen Regional Special Operations team to respond with the trailer to Leonia. A passenger vehicle had smashed into a two car garage and caused extensive damage. The incident commander felt that once the car was removed the garage it may collapse. Lt. Jim Kirsch and FF Jack Janssens responded with the trailer and Deputy Chief Bob Byrnes met them at the scene. They, along with team members from Englewood, assessed the damage and built bracing to support the damaged garage. They remained on scene until the vehicle was removed.  Once they determined that the garage was secure they were released. They were back in town by 15:00.

At 19:42 hrs, the New Milford FD requested Bergenfield’s FAST team to 196 Powel Rd. for a working fire in a two story garden apartment. The RESCUE responded with Captain Lodato in command and firefighters A. McGoldrick, C. Naylis, Rynn, Slossar and Tedesco.

Upon their arrival, they set-up in front of the structure and stood by. The NMFD had the main body of fire knocked down quickly and were beginning overhaul operations and checking for extension.

The RESCUE was back in service by 20:32 hrs. Thanks to Brett Dzadik for the pictures. www.brettsfirephotos.com

At 22:37, Mid-Bergen Mutual Aid requested Bergenfield’s RESCUE to the scene of a multi-alarm fire in Fort Lee to fill air bottles. Deputy Chief Byrnes responded along with RESCUE, Captain Lodato and a crew of four. Once on scene they began to fill 80 empty bottles.

The crew of the RESCUE was then put to work as the FAST team for awhile until they were reassigned to the VFW building. The fire in the stores was threatening to over take the VFW and Bergenfield worked with Englewood to control the fire and keep it in check.

Bergenfield was released from Fort Lee at approximately 04:00 and was back in service by 06:00. The crew on the RESCUE was Captain J. Lodato, Firefighters R. Arsi, C. Naylis, S. Naylis and D. Tedesco.