The South Plainfield Volunteer Fire Department wishes to congratulate the following members on their years of dedicated service to the department. The individuals listed below have their yearly anniversary on the fire company in the month of May:


John Reed – 20 Years

Saturday May 18 please come out to support South Plainfield Volunteer Fire Department as they Present Beatlemania Now a live Tribute to the Beatles! Tickets are on sale through the their website or by calling (877)840-0457

TAKE A LOOK AT THESE PHOTOS TAKEN FROM OUR ARCHIVES AND SEE HOW MANY NAMES AND JOBS YOU CAN REMEMBER!

ENGINE 6 WAS SPECIAL CALLED BACK INTO METUCHEN THIS MORNING FOR  A FIRE ON THE ROOF OF A DAY CARE CENTER ON NEW DURHAM AVENUE.  THE CREW WAS ASSIGNED TO FAST TEAM DUTIES.  THE FIRE WAS CONFINED TO THE EXTERIOR OF THE ROOF.  ALL OCCUPANTS WERE REMOVED TO AN ADJACENT OCCUPANCY WITH NO REPORTED INJURIES. 

ENGINE 4 RESPONDED TO A 2ND ALARM STRUCTURE FIRE ON LIBERTY PLACE IN METUCHEN TODAY.  UPON ARRIVAL THEY WERE ORDERED TO DROP A FIVE INCH LINE FROM THE PLUG AND TIE INTO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CONNECTION.  THE STRUCTURE WAS THE SCENE OF A PREVIOUS 3RD ALARM STRUCTURE FIRE.  CREW MEMBERS WERE DETAILED TO SEARCH OPERATIONS AS WELL.  THREE HANDLINES WERE STRETCHED AND IN OPERATION ON A FIRE IN A DRYING MACHINE ENCLOSURE. 

FIRE UNITS REPONDED TO A REPORTED FIRE IN THE BASEMENT ON FORD AVENUE.  ARRIVING UNITS LOCATED THE STRUCTURE MID-BLOCK WITH HEAVY SMOKE SHOWING.  ENGINE 4 TOOK THE HYDRANT LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE AND STRETCHED IN WITH THE INITIAL ATTACK LINE.  TRUCK 7 ARRIVED AND SETUP ON SIDE A AND WENT TO WORK ON THE ROOF.  PLAINFIELD ENGINE 4 ARRIVED AND TOOK THE SECOND LINE TO DIVISION ONE.  SEARCHES WERE NEGATIVE.  THE INITIAL ENTRY POINT THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR REVEALED THAT THE FLOOR WAS SPONGY.  THE INTERIOR CREW RETREATED AND WORKED THEIR WAY AROUND TO THE REAR OF THE HOUSE AND MADE ENTRY.  A SUBSTANTIAL BODY OF FIRE WAS PRESENT AND WAS KNOCKED DOWN BY ENGINE 4.  THE FIRE WAS PLACED UNDER CONTROL AND TURNED OVER TO THE BUREAU FOR ORIGIN AND CAUSE. 

Engine 6 and Rescue 1 responded to Route 287 North today for a reported rollover with possible entrapment.  Arriving units located the vehicle under the overpass at Stelton Road.  No entrapment existed, but both units went to work treating the injured and packaging them for transport to local hospitals. 

Fire units responded to a reported fire in the building at 200 Helen Street early this morning.  Central dispatch was receiving numerous 911 calls reporting a structure fire at that location.  A working fire was very evident upon leaving the firehouse as a large smoke cloud was visible. Arriving units were greated with a heavy smoke condition which almost completely obstructed Helen Street.  A second alarm was transmitted along with a special request for an additional truck.  Command was established and Engine 6 and Truck 7 went to work immediately on a body of fire on the roof level.  Inspection of the structure revealed that no fire had as of yet entered the interior of the building.  Truck 7 setup on the Helen Street side and put their master stream into operation.  The stream was affected by a 35 mile per hour wind which was pushing the fire along the roof and the solar panel field.  A 2 1/2 inch attack line was stretched to the interior of the building as a precaution.  Two additional truck companies were put to work due to the extended amout of overhaul on the roof deck.  All searches were negative.  Fire command placed the fire under control and companies were released around 12 noon.  This fire occured in the solar panel field located on half of the roof of the 2.2 million square foot warehouse.  The Bureau of Fire Prevention will be investigating. Chief Scalera in command. 

SOUTH PLAINFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS CONDUCTED A "60 MINUTES" STYLE INTERVIEW IN THE FIREHOUSE TODAY AS PART OF AN HONORS STUDENT PROJECT UNDER THE DIRECTION OF MR JOE BLONDO AND MS ELYSE KANALEY TEACHERS AT THE SCHOOL.  MS MEGAN FORSTER AND MS HELEN NGUYEN CONDUCTED THE INTERVIEWS IN A MOST PROFESSIONAL MANOR BY ASKING DIRECT QUESTIONS TO A NUMER OF MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT.  THEIR QUESTIONS ALONG WITH THE ANSWERS WERE RECORDED AND WILL BECOME PART OF THE PROJECT WHICH ALSO  INCLUDES VISITS TO OTHER BOROUGH AGENCIES.  MIDDLE SCHOOL ART TEACHER STEPHEN PHILLIPS, ALSO A MEMBER OF THE DEPARTMENT PARTICIPATED IN THE QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD.  MEGAN FORSTER IS THE DAUGHTER OF DARYL FORSTER, A MEMBER OF THE DEPARTMENT AND SUE FORSTER AN EMT AND EMT INSTRUCTOR. 

TRUCK 7 TOOK IN THE ALL HANDS JOB ON CENTRAL STREET IN PLAINFIELD THIS MORNING.  ARRIVING UNITS HAD A FIRE ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF A TWO STORY BALLOON FRAME CLASS 5 STRUCTURE.  TWO LINES WERE PLACED IN OPERATION AND TRUCK 7 WAS DETAILED TO THE FLOOR ABOVE FOR SEARCH AND OVERHAUL OPERATIONS.  ALL SEARCHES WERE NEGATIVE AND THE FIRE WAS QUICKLY CONTAINED.  DC COURTNEY IN COMMAND. (ADDITIONAL PHOTOS IN GALLERY)

ENGINE 5 OR UNIT 55 AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY KNOW, TOOK IN ITS LAST RUN TODAY AND WAS OFFICIALLY PLACED OUT OF SERVICE.  THE ENGINE WAS PURCHASED IN 1986 BY THEN CHIEF JOHN R. COTONE.  IT WAS OUTFITTED WITH A 1500 GALLON PER MINUTE PUMP AND SERVED AS A FRONT LINE PIECE FOR 28 YEARS.  IT REPLACED A 1969 AMERICAN LAFRANCE ENGINE.  THE ENGINE WILL BE AUTCIONED OFF BY THE BOROUGH. 

FIRE UNITS RESPONDED TO A REPORTED DUMPSTER FIRE AT THE REAR OF HUMMEL CHEMICAL EARLY THIS MORNING.  A WORKING FIRE WAS LOCATED ON ARRIVAL WITH EXPOSURE PROBLEMS.  ENGINE 6 LAYED IN WITH A FIVE INCH LINE AND STRETCHED IN WITH AN 1 3/4 ATTACK LINE.  A BACK UP LINE WAS STRETCHED BY ENGINE 4 MEMBERS.  PLAINFIELD RELOCATED ONE ENGINE IN QUARTERS FOR COVERAGE.  MATERIALS IN THE CONTAINER REACTED WITH THE RAIN WATER AND IGNITED AT SOME POINT PRODUCING A CHEMICAL FIRE.  COUNTY HAZMAT WAS ALSO ON SCENE. 

Central Dispatch was flooded with 911 calls reporting a structure fire on West Avenue late this afternoon.  Arriving fire units located a middle of the block two story class five structure fully involved.  All occupants were reported to be out on arrival.  A second alarm was transmitted and Command was established by DC Mocharski.  Engine 4 grabbed the plug on Peek and West and members stretched in with an 1 3/4 and a 2 1/2 as the initial attack lines.  Truck 7 setup on side A and raised the bucket to the roof.  A Plainfield engine and a Truck Company from New Market Fire assisted on scene.  After knocking down the bulk of the fire, companies advanced inside and continued suppression and overhaul efforts.  There were no immediate exposure issues.  Searches were negative and the fire was placed under control by Chief Scalera. 

CONSTRUCTION CREWS STRUCK A LARGE HIGH PRESSURE GAS MAIN LATE TODAY AT THE CORNER OF PARK AVENUE AND OAK TREE ROAD.  A BACKHOE BEING USED BY CONTRCTORS STRUCK THE MAIN CAUSING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO RESPOND AND DIVERT TRAFFIC AWAY FROM THE AREA.  REPAIRS CONTINUED THROUGH THE NIGHT AND DELAYS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE MORNING COMMUTE. 

Absolute Fire Protection delivered the new Eng5ine to headquarters today as Chief Scalera, Fire Commissioner Bengivenga and Administrator Glenn Cullen took possession of the 2000 gallon per minute engine.  Training will begin shortly and engine is slated to be placed in service shortly.