Not an ordinary day for “The 4 House” yesterday. Right around 4 pm, District 64, Shenandoah Fire, and the rest of their 1st Alarm were sent to the Dollar General, off the Gold Star Highway, for a building fire. Chief 64-1 (Boris) took command and requested a 2nd alarm and a 1st and 2nd alarm Tanker Task Force.

16:21- As part of the 2nd Alarm, Engine 63-14 was dispatched to Columbia Hose & Steam Fire Engine Company No. 1 to stand by and cover the Borough of Shenandoah for any other incoming calls.

16:59- Roughly 5 minutes after arriving into the borough, County Communications advised Chief 64-1 of a 2nd call to the district. Our Engine was quickly dispatched to 2 Herald Road for an Automatic Fire Alarm.

The crew arrived on the scene and determined it to be a water flow alarm from low water pressure caused by a large amount of water being used from the town hydrants.

18:48- Another call came into County, advising a “large brush fire” near West Poplar and Catherine Streets in Shenandoah. Or, as the locals call it… “The Soggy Bottom.”

Engine 63-14, Aristes Engine, and Shenandoah Heights brush units arrived to find a heavy column of black smoke several hundred feet into the woods. After the trek through the woods, we found several tires, railroad ties, trees, and leaves, to be well involved.

AC 63-4 (Detweiler) took command and decided to deploy 800 feet of 3” off the back of 63-14 and the Hi-Rise pack. Once lines were stretched and in place, all units worked together quickly to control the fire.

* Big thanks to Shenandoah Heights Fire Co. and Aristes Fire Company for helping our crew clean up the hose and tools afterward*

After the Soggy Bottom call, the crew returned to standby detail and spent several hours cleaning and repacking the hose and hand tools. “It’s never boring in Shenandoah.”