Cinnaminson Fire Dept. Responded to 106 Local Sandy Incidents

Cinnaminson Fire Chief William Kramer said the township's fire department had one of its busiest months in October after responding to 213 emergency incidents, more than 100 in the 36-hour span of Hurricane Sandy.

The breakdown is as follows:

73 — Wires down and/or arcing and transformer fires

21 — Trees down into dwellings or blocking roadways

6 — Other emergency incidents

4 — Medical emergencies

2 — Structure fires

The rest of October:

59 — Medical emergencies

22 — Other emergencies

19 — Fire alarm/CO alarm activiates

4 — Motor vehicle collisions

3 — Structure fires

During Hurricane Sandy, the Cinnaminson Fire Department was able to staff both fire stations with career and volunteer members to handle the influx of emergency incidents.

With more than 30 members assisting, seven pieces of apparatus were used to handle all of the incidents. An emergency operations center was established at the Cinnaminson Avenue Fire Station where the township's emergency management coordinator and representatives of the Cinnaminson Police Department, Palmyra-Cinnaminson-Riverton EMS and Cinnaminson Department of Public Works worked together during the storm to handle incidents of all types in the quickest and safest ways possible. Fortunately, even with the excessive amounts of emergency incidents, Cinnaminson and surrounding areas were spared from the wrath of the storm.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for towns along the Jersey Shore. The Cinnaminson Fire Department deployed an Engine Company consisting of four firefighters and the Deputy Chief as part of a Burlington County Task Force to Toms River to cover the area for a 24-hour period. The members were able to handle emergency calls for the fire companies that had been depleted and overwhelmed by the effects of the storm. As the Jersey Shore continues to recover and rebuild, these task forces may be enacted again.

October included Fire Prevention Week. The Cinnaminson Fire Department visited all of the local schools to provide fire prevention training to students and faculty. Students learned the importance of fire safety and were given handouts to take home to review with their families. This year’s program also included a puppet show for the younger students.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer with the Cinnaminson Fire Department, there are programs available for residents age 14 and up. Those interested can visit cinnaminsonfire.org for more information.

If you have any questions or concerns, or would like to arrange for a tour of one of the stations, call our business office at 856-829-5220 during normal business hours.

—Submitted by the Cinnaminson Fire Department