Two Day Course: The name of the game is when the rescue is over you can go home.  No Ice is Safe Ice!

 $150.00 per student
 February 27 & 28, 2010 - 8:30am to 5:00pm   rcherubino@clintonheightsfire.com  
Unfortunately, most teams face ice, contaminated water, fast water, etc., for the first time during a real emergency. With training, you can be prepared with the right equipment, procedures, mutual aid communications, and contingency plans. This can make the difference between life and death on the part of both victim and rescuer.
This will be the best surface Ice course you ever take

DAY ONE - Indoor Lecture Like all of our training programs, the two-day ice seminar is custom designed to meet your department's individual needs; with foundation topics that are always covered. These include:


1. Hypothermia prevention, recognition and pre-hospital care for the rescuer

2. Immersion hypothermia and drowning prevention and pre-hospital care for the rescuer and the victim.


3. Proper ice rescue techniques:

        a. line handling and tethers

        b. ice pole techniques for rescuer and victim

        c. exposure equipment

        d. planned and improvisational flotation devices

        e. ice rescue SOPs

        f. re-warming rescuer and victim

        g. cold water resuscitation and BLS

        h. contingency planning

        i. multiple emergency

        j. unexpected personnel emergency

        k. dehydration and hypothermia

        l. EMS protocol for cold water drowning

        m. what transport devices work (sleds, etc.) and which ones don’t

        n. building a water/ice rescue jump kit

        o. how to avoid wasting money when purchasing ice rescue equipment

        p. guidelines for awareness, operations and technician levels

        q. Hands-on practice sessions - establishing victim buoyancy, use of transport device, etc.

        r. and much more!

 DAY TWO - On-site Hands-on Rescue Training

 No standing around watching manufacturer demonstrations - all students work through 6-8 hands-on drill stations. You learn by doing, not by watching.

Six to eight Stations are set up on the ice and shore where rescuers engage in live action scenarios, using ice poles, surface suits, fire hoses, sleds, rescue throw ropes, roll-up straps, any gear they are currently using, boats, ice crawlers, knives, etc. Participating EMS will constantly be involved in hands-on scenarios using child and infant mannequins as well as staged hypothermic and dive accident live victims. Everyone who wants to get in the water and be on the ice will have the opportunity. The day ends with a written examination and debriefing.

To register go to:  https://secure.mailjol.net/allforms/u/5bfdee41.php

Shortly after 12PM, CHFD pagers were activated for a report of an auto accident with injuries on Barracks Rd. at 3rd Avenue Ext. Police units arrived to find a 4-door sedan with a male patient entrapped in the vehicle. Upon the arrival of Engine Co. 8-5, crews quickly removed the door of the vehicle. Within minutes the patient was removed from the vehicle and prepared for transport.

It was around 4:30 PM, when pagers were activated for Castleton [Sta. 6], Clinton Heights [Sta. 8], East Schodack [Sta. 13], Nassau [Sta. 22], Schodack Landing [Sta. 31] and a special call for Averill Park [Sta. 1] to respond with their boats, when State Police received several reports that a women had jumped of the Berkshire Spur (Castleton Bridge) into the freezing waters of the Hudson River.  CHFD responded quickly and was one of the first departments on scene. Immediately crews began deploying their boats and boat operations was established by CHFD Chief, Randy Cherubino. Members from the area spent the next hour searching the Hudson River for the women body and it was recovered shortly there after by crews from CHFD and Nassau FD. Despite the best efforts of EMTs from CHFD, Nassau FD, and Empire Ambulance, the women was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Shortly before 9AM, East Greenbush Emergency Services received a call from the homeowner at 166 Elliot Rd reporting that the kitchen was on fire. The alarm was transmitted and upon arrival East Greenbush Car 2 found a 1 story home with a fire condition in the kitchen. Immediately a 2nd alarm was struck, bringing in the FAST Team from CHFD. Crews from Engine Co. 11-9 were able to quickly extinguish the fire. CHFD responded with 12 members.

A fire broke out at the City of Rensselaer firehouse on Partition St. bringing in crews from CHFD, the fire started about 10AM, in the kitchen of the building. Firefighters quickly brought the blaze under control which caused extensive damage to the kitchen as well as some extension into the upstair of the building. No injuries were reported. Crew from Rensselaer were assisted by CHFD Engine Co. 8-6 and Truck Co. 8 as well as a FAST Team from Defreestville [Sta. 9]. While operating the city was covered by Engine Co. 8-5 and East Greenbush [Sta. 11] Engine 11-8.

With the sun rising, pagers were activated for Clinton Heights, when East Greenbush Communications received a call from a resident reporting a fire. Crews were dispatched to 11 Connecticut Avenue and upon arrival found a 2 story wood-frame house with nothing showing from the outside. Upon further investigation, a heavy smoke condition was found in a bedroom on the second floor. Crews quickly extinguished the smoldering fire and ventilated the building. The cause of the fire was determined to be a heating blanket. The mattress, blankets, sheets, surrounding carpeting and the heating blanket along with the surge protector were all removed from the home. One resident was taken to the hospital where he was treated for smoke inhalation and burns to his hands. Apparatus operated on scene for a little over one hour.

Shortly after units were in service from a cold, morning fire. CHFD was dispatched for a reported traffic accident with injuries in front of 326 Columbia Trnpk. CHFD Chiefs along with 8-5 and Rescue 8 arrived to find two vehicles in a T-Bone style collision. Crews were able to quickly contain the fluids and battery leak from the vehicles. Members also assisted in removing two patients from their vehicles and securing them for transportation. three chiefs managed eight members.

Shortly before noon time, CHFD was dispatched after Emergency Communications received multiple calls for a report of a vehicle fire in front of 44 Sherwood Av. 8-5 arrived and found a working engine compartment and requested a 2nd engine to the scene. Crews from Rescue Co. 8 and Engine Co. 8-7 assisted in extinguishing of the vehicle.

Around 7PM on Thanksgiving night, the Defreestville and Wynantskill Fire Departments were alerted for a possible hydrogen leak at Verizon building in the Rensselaer Technology Park. Command staff arrived and found a leak, mostly contained to a battery storage room. Immediately a 2nd alarm was transmitted bringing in Clinton Heights [Sta. 8] and East Greenbush [Sta. 11]. Crews from Engine Co. 8-5 and Rescue 8 arrived and assisted with operations on scene. In all, 12 members were on scene for approximately two and a half hours managed by two chiefs.

Early afternoon Wednesday, pagers were activated when calls were received for a shed on fire at 27 Moulds Av in Prospect Heights. Car 2 and Engine Co. 8-5 arrived simultaneously to find a 10x10 shed with heavy fire, threatening ignition of the nearby, two story, raised-ranch home. Two 1 ¾” hand-lines were immediately put into operation, with assistance from Truck Co. 8 while Engine 8-7 secured a hydrant for water supply. Crews made quick work of the fire and operated for a little over one hour.

Around two o’clock in the morning on Thursday 9-1-1 lines lit up at the Rensselaer County Emergency Communication Center when a 1.7 Million Dollar mansion located in the Forest Hills Estates suddenly exploded. Initial callers from the surrounding area reported feeling the ground shake and seeing flames in the nighttime sky. Defreestville Car 2 arrived quickly and found the 7,800+ square foot home completely engulfed in fire. Without hesitation, a 2nd alarm was transmitted. Due to lack of water supply, a special request was put in for tankers and a water relay was quickly established. With the fire growing and threatening a small guest house located about 100 feet off of the 1-2 corner of the building, a 3rd alarm followed by a 4th alarm was transmitted. Over 100 firefighters from Averill Park [Sta. 1], Best Luther [Sta. 3], Clinton Heights [Sta. 8], Defreestville [Sta. 9], Eagle Mills [Sta. 10], East Greenbush [Sta. 11], Hoags Corners [Sta. 15], Mountain View [Sta. 21], Wynantskill [Sta. 42] & West Sand Lake [Sta. 43] Fire Departments operated on scene fire a little over four hours and slowly started getting released. CHFD was represented by 19 members on scene as well as additional crews in the stations. No one was living in the home at the time of the incident. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

Still recovering from an early morning 3 alarm fire, members of CHFD were sent to work when dispatchers were notified of a fire with possible entrapment at 36 Clinton St. Chief officers as well as police patrols arrived to find a moderate smoke condition in an apartment of a 3 story 60x40 6 unit garden style apartment building. Upon investigation it was found to be a small oven fire that was quickly extinguished. Crews from Truck Co. 8 as well as Engines 8-5 & 8-7 setup ventilation operations while Dept. EMTs as well as the Bruen Rescue Squad treated one patient on scene for minor smoke inhalation.

Residents in lower Rensselaer City were awakened early Sunday when fire broke out at 17 Green St. Companies arrived to find a 2 story wood –frame building with a heavy fire condition on the second floor with fire quickly spreading to multiple exposures on both sides of the building. Immediately a 2nd alarm was transmitted bringing in crews from Sta. 8, Sta. 9 & Sta. 11. CHFD Chiefs arrived within minutes to assist and 3rd alarm was transmitted with a request for an additional Engine Co., Truck 8 & Rescue 8 from CHFD. Engine Co. 8-6 arrived with a full crew, established a water supply and began to setup for ladder pipe operations in an alley behind the fire building. Fire quickly spread to adjacent exposures challenging firefighters. Crews were also met with near freezing temperatures while operating on both the interior and exterior of the 4 buildings involved. Shortly after 9AM the fire was finally defeated, not before destroying four homes and causing damage to trucks and nearby vehicles from radiant heat. Over 50 firefighters including 21 from CHFD operated on scene staffing more than 10 pieces of apparatus. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined; families displaced by the fire are being assisted by the American Red Cross.

Mid-afternoon Thursday Rensselaer County Public Safety received calls reporting a fire at 123 North Greenbush Rd. Upon the arrival of Wynantskill [Sta. 42] & Defreestville [Sta. 9] FD, members found a fire condition in a second story apartment located in the rear of a Tailor's Shop. A 2nd alarm was transmitted bringing in Best Luther [Sta. 3] with 1 ETA to standby, Clinton Heights [Sta. 8] with their FAST Team and East Greenbush [Sta. 11] with 1 ETA to the scene. Engine 9-2 arrived swiftly, stretching a hand line and quickly making work of the large room and contents fire. Engine Co. 8-5 and Rescue Co. 8 arrived with a crew of 10 and setup their FAST. Once secured members assisted with overhaul operations and placing apparatus back in service. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. 

Shortly before 3PM, police dispatchers received multiple calls reporting a vehicle traveling on Ridge Rd had driven across Columbia Turnpike, struck a curb and driven down an embankment colliding with a parked vehicle causing it to flip on its side. Services arrived to find a vehicle with four patients all with a range of minor injuries. Fire Dept. crews were quickly on scene as the incident took place only feet from CHFD Station One. Members were able to assist the Bruen Rescue Squad with the stabilization, care & transportation of all four patients to area hospitals giving the departments new EMT’s some hands on experience.