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12-27-15

Police Department UTV Mired in Stream

While operating on a call deep into the wooded area of Fort Dix the Joint Base Police Department got a Polaris UTV stuck in a stream bed after the 4 wheel drive failed.  Fire Station 3 crews used an 1800 pound portable gasoline powered chainsaw winch and a snatch block as well as recovery straps to remove the mired vehicle.  The operation took about 2 hours to complete with no damage to the UTV and no injuries.

10-24-15

Ranges 30 – 32

Ranges 30 through 32 were reporting a large column of smoke that was interfering with training.  Brush trucks 36, 37 and 56 went down into the impact area via Range 30 Access road and pushed in on a 7-acre fire.  Crews used Range 30 Access road and DC Rock to gain access to the fire and then worked there way around the fire.

8-29-15

Crews on Brush 36, 37 and 38 worked a small fire at Artillery Firing Point 6 (APF 6).   The small fire was used as a training tool for Airman Moore who was working at Station 3 for the day.  The fire was isolated to a hill with a road around the perimeter, crews backfired the hill to burn off the remaining fuel and mopped it up with several tanks of water.

8-15-15

Brush 38 was restriped in black Scotchlite to match the other brush trucks.  Chevrons were added to the tailgate and a blackout panel was added to the hood.

 

8-12-15

E-31 with tennis balls between the mirrors and walls…it’s a tight squeeze

 

8-7-15

 Brush 36 and Brush 37 were dispatched to a small fire at the Mobile MOUT Site.  Crews operating near the site spotted the smoke and called it in.  Brush 36 and 37 went in service with the reel lines on about a 1/4 acre fire.  Cause was unknown but  several unidentified metallic objects were found in the area.

MOUT (Military Operations in Urban Terrain)

8-5-15

Brush 36 and 37 were dispatched to a brush fire on Range 59C.  The fire was located between Mulraney’s Way, DC Rock and Chuck’s Own Road.  Approximately 200 acres were involved.  Chief 4 responded to the scene and added Brush 56 to the assignment. Crews conducted backfiring operations for approximately 4 hours and monitored the fire through out the night.

 

7-27-15

Brush 36, 37 and 56 were dispatched for a large brush fire near Range 55.  Brush 37 was located at Range 53 when the call was dispatched and found a brush fire between Range 55 and Range 59E.  Brush 37 performed a direct attack while Brush 36 and 56 responded.  Chief 4 was requested to respond to the scene.  10 acres of brush burned and was controlled after an hour of operations.  Aerial flares were found to have started the fire.

6-14-15

Gaw’s Gulley Fire

Early Sunday morning crews checked a fire from Saturday near Range 28 and Gaw’s Gulley.  Several small areas in the center of the black were burning but not doing much.  By 11:30 am Range Control got a call from Range 59C reporting that the smoke on Range 28 changed from light grey to dark black and was spreading out.  Brush 36 &  37 responded on the initial assignment and Brush 56, and 77 were added to the assignment. Crews fired off of Gaw’s Gulley Road and tied two fingers together then let it burn into the center peninsula.  The fire was contained in the Gaw’s Gulley area but had potential to spread into the Gasoline Alley block and crews were prepared to make an aggressive firing operation.  The fire was contained to 23 acres.

5-21-15

Brush 36 Delivered

5-19-15

Brush 36 Final Inspection

Patriot Marine Fabricating is almost complete with 6736, one of the two white 2014 F-350 brush trucks.  The pump was tested and the only remaining item is installing the radios which will be completed this week.  Delivery of the vehicle will take place at the end of this week.  A few minor upgrades were incorporated into the two white trucks including extending the bumper 3 inches for easier maintenance and fluid checks. 

5-3-15

Range 47-59 Fire

Range 47-59 Complex. Late Sunday afternoon fires on Range 47 reacted to the decreased humidity and increased wind and errupted into a rapid moving crown fire.  A sustained crown fire went from Range 47 FUBAR Alley all the way to the Range 59 complex and down Mulraney’s Way to Range 59B.  Several back fires were lit along 2 House Road, FUBAR Alley, Mulraney’s Way, EOD Break and Paragon Trail to try and get ahead of the fire.  Several structures were at risk and personnel on the ranges needed to be evacuated.  Aggressive backfire operations and team work by the experienced crew stopped the fire from damaging any structures. Deep torn up sugar sand and thick smoke hampered driving conditions and contributed to several apparatus needing to be pulled out of certain areas. All Joint Base Brush trucks, Tender 16, New Egypt’s Tender and NJFFS trucks responded to the call.  The State trucks stood bye in the 59 complex and the two tenders refilled at Range 59E.

4-17-15

Water Fill Points

All water fill points except Bivouac 22A are operational

4-13-15

Water Fill Points

As of April 13, 2015 the only active water points are Range Control and Time Square.  Bivouac 20 (Tank Park) can be used by hooking an 1 1/2 line to either the 1 1/2 pump discharge or the 2 1/2 direct tank valves, the over head fill is not yet hooked up .  Range Control hydrant at the base of the tank in the parking lot works if the overhead fill is inaccessible.

4-3-15

Range 8 Fire

2-23-15 

6756 Delivered

2-21-15

6756 will be picked up 2-23-15

6756 was completed and will be picked up from Patriot Marine Fabricators Monday 2-23-15.  New equipment will be mounted on the truck in the following weeks and will then be sent to Station 5. Work on the new 6736 and 6737 will begin and will be completed in a much faster time frame since all of the metal is cut and the engineering was completed on 6756.  When 6736 and 6737 are completed work will  begin on the current 6777 the 1996 H-1 Hummer assigned to Station 3.  The Hummer is getting a brush cage, bumpers, new front & rear winches and side reinforcements.  The upgrades also include new sound deadening insulation and heat shielding.  New front and rear shocks and springs and a 220 amp alternator were already installed.  Patriot Marine Fabricators will supply new tires.

2-11-15

6756 Update

Update: The majority of the electrical work is completed on the truck and the pump is plumbed and ready to be installed in the truck.  The Havis Shields Console came in this week and will allow the crew to install the siren, cup holders, radio chargers and wire everything for the radios.  The radios still haven’t been shipped from Motorola so they will be installed by Wireless when they finally arrive.  Patriot prepped the console by adding an ignition lug, battery lug and ground lug for the radios and any future add-ons.  This will save us from running wire through the fire wall and routing to the batteries.  4 antennas will be installed and run to the console to save installation time when the radios finally arrive.  A heat shield was added to the right rear compartment at the exhaust pipe to cut down on heat during re-gen mode and reinforcement hoops will be added to prevent damage to the tail pipe.  Delivery should occur within the next week.

2-5-15

Brush Cage Completed

The Brush Cage and steps are back on 6756.  The winches are mounted in recessed cut-outs and are being wired. The rear push bar is designed to protect the recessed winches from impact damage if the truck needs to be pushed with a plow, heavy equipment or another brush truck.  These rear push bars will also serve as a anchor points for the screw type clevis hooks and can be used to lift or pull the truck.

2-5-15

Line-X is completed on First Truck

The red brush truck will be designated Brush 6756. All walking surfaces and the well and bed were sprayed with Line-X slip resistant coating to help prevent injuries.  The cage was painted and reinstalled and electrical work is being completed.

 

1-26-15 

UXO Clean-Up Almost Completed

UXO personnel are almost done clearing the old EOD area off of Range 39 near Fisher’s Corner Road.  Depending on weather conditions this week the UXO clean up phase could be completed by Saturday.  The found ordinance will be destroyed on site and then the construction clearing phase of the 50 caliber Range Project can start.  If going out to the area where UXO personnel are working keep at least a 360 feet from the work site.  Numerous ordinance finds are marked with red markers and will be removed.  UXO Site Supervisor and Safety personnel can be found in the old Mobile M.O.U.T. building off of Time Square. In 1983 An EOD team was killed working in the same area.  Fort Dix EOD Incident March 1983

 Paint Work Completed on First Truck

Patriot Marine Fabricators completed the paint work on the first new brush truck.  The side steps will be welded back onto the truck and the cage will be bolted back on.  Electrical work is next and then radio installation.

1-21-15

Reel Protection

Due to the mounting configuration and reel design the factory rollers would not have held up. The bearings of the factory rollers are made of nylon and any hard impact would have broken the rollers. Our primary concern was keeping the hose on the reel and not allowing it to wrap around the outside of the reel.  Patriot Marine Fabricators were able to build a cage around the reel and step it into the hose passage to prevent the hose from coming off of the sides.  The design also reinforces the reel frame and makes it modular.

1-21-15

New Skid Plate Design

Patriot Marine Fabricators has completed the design for the skid plate on the new F-350 brush trucks.  They decided to go with a full belly pan type skid plate due to the amount of emissions hoses, tanks and very expensive exhaust components.  The design allows for air circulation around the components while still protecting them from impact damage and getting caught on tree stumps.  The smooth under surface should help prevent the truck from getting hung up on stumps and rocks.

 

1-16-15

Patriot Marine Fabricating Completes first Skid Load The first Skid Load set-up for the new trucks is almost complete.  All of the plumbing is complete with the exception of a rear fill which is a change requested by the fire department.  The priming unit will stay intact and be functional.  All plumbing except the manifold is done with flexible reinforced hose and stainless steel swivel fittings. The remote throttle and choke cables will be mounted in the tank near the manifold.  Protection for the reel will also serve as hose guide and will be fabricated on site.

1-15-15

Patriot Marine Fabricating Completes first Brush Cage

Fabrication of the first brush cage for the new trucks is completed. The other 2 cages will be duplicated and fabricated off of the truck and assembled as a unit.  The cages will be sand blasted, primed and painted off of the truck and then rolled onto each truck.  Patriot Marine Fabricating will then complete the extensive under carriage protection required with the new Diesel Particulate Filter and Urea tank.  The entire exhaust system will be protected with extruded metal to allow heat dissipation while providing protection from impact and obstacles.  A heat shield system is being fabricated to prevent problems when the truck goes into re-gen mode. Patriot Marine Fabricating

1-15-15

Cheat Sheet for calculating acres burned

1000 Meter Grid Map to Acres Conversion 1:25,000 1 Grid Square equals 1,000,000 Square Meters 1 Grid Square equals 247.1 acres (250 acres) ½ Grid Square equals 123.5 acres ¼ Grid Square equals 61.7 acres 1/8 Grid Square equals 38.5 acres 1/10 of a mile equals 528 feet

Get this Calculator

1-11-15

 

Turkey Run Road Barricade

We’ve added a barricade and signs at the end of Turkey Run Road before the drop off. The road had been cleared of most of the debris and was burned over the summer. Use caution ⚠ at the end of the road.  Trees that were blocking the road have been removed.  The drop off is a steep hill lined with jagged rocks that dumps into a lake.

12-27-14

New Gate Installed at Skunk Ridge Entrance

A new gate was installed at Skunk Ridge and will be kept locked.  The gate has a standard range control lock. The key is carried on the key ring in the brush trucks.

 

12-16-14

Patriot Marine Starts Fabrication on New Brush Trucks

Patriot Marine Fabricators of Forked River, NJ has begun fabrication on the first of the 3 new Ford F-350s.  The first truck is expected to be completed around the end of January with the following two being completed in February/March time frame.  The 1996 Hummer H-1 Brush 77 will be refurbished and upgraded around April or May. 

12-15-2014

Numerous Roads in the impact area are flooded

Numerous roads in the impact area are flooded out and some are not passable.   A combination of a beaver problem as well as heavy rain and recent road work have contributed to areas being completely under water.  Costello’s near 115 Street is washed out and impassible.  Klinger’s Bog’s Road near the foundation is completely under water as well as at the 90 near the bogs.  Chucks Own Street is passable but under water and Popes Road to Nowhere near ARDC Lane 1 bridge is being eroded away, though passable.

 

12-14-2014

Driving Dangers at Range 61

Range 61 has been renovated and the new layout can present driving dangers to unfamiliar drivers.  The range has open trenches and an optical illusion on the main road.  When traveling down the center of the range the road appears to be going up hill, but it actually has an 8 foot drop off. The hill is actually 20 feet from the trench so drivers need to be familiar with the range.

12-14-2014

Tow Missile Wire

Use caution when operating in the impact area near Never Never Land, Range 59C, 59D and 85.  We recently found TOW missile wire on the ground.  In the past this wire would get strung between trees and could potentially injury someone riding in the back of a brush truck.  TOW missile wire is approximately the diameter of smaller fishing string and can be difficult to see.

 

12-3-2014

Head On Collision Route 68 & Fort Dix Road, Fort Dix, NJ

Engine 31, R-49 and L-25 responded with Chief 4 to Route 68 near Fort Dix Road for a head-on collision.  Heavy entrapment with multiple victims in 2 vehicles resulting in one victim getting flown to a trauma center.  

12-2-2014

Brindle Lake Spillway Completed

The reconstructed spillway at Brindle Lake is completed and flowing water.  This project involved reconstructing the gates and walls with concrete.  Accessibility for drafting has been improved.

November 23, 2014

Fires on Ranges 3a, 9 and Costello’s Way

Sunday November 23 crews were called for multiple fires near Cooks Corner Road.  They found a 24 acre fire on Range 3a the hand grenade range moving towards Cooks Corner Road as well as a 35 acre fire at Range  9 and Fires in the vicinity of Costello’ Way, 115 Street and Klinger’s Bog Road.  Crews worked on the fires for several hours using direct attack and back fire operations to burn out fuel sources. 59 acres total burned.

 

November 22, 2014

Night Fires on Range 16 & 32

About 5 1/2 total acres burned on Range 16 and 32 Saturday night.  Crews went in behind the berm on Range 16 and used direct attack methods to extinguish the fire.  Range 32 was in the center of the range behind the berm.  Station 3 crews worked from 13:00 until 0200 on fires on Ranges 7, 9, 11, 16 and 32.  Crews will evaluate the fires in the morning and see if a plow line will be put it.

 

November 13, 2014

High Angle Extrication Route 68 & High Bridge Road Fort Dix, NJ

 

November 12, 2014

Brindle Lake Log Cabin

 

October 4, 2014

Trailer Fire on Route 68

When not on the ranges Station 3 is responsible for about half of the Fort Dix base area. Trailer

On October 4th @ 16:15 Stations 3 & 4 were dispatched for a car fire on Route 68 near Fort Dix Street.  Conflicting reports also had it as a truck fire and a trailer fire. Engine 31 responded and was first-in and found a 40 foot 5th wheel trailer on fire. E-31 went in service with an 1 3/4, E-41 pulled a back-up line and gave E-31 there water.  L-25 responded and assisted with forcible entry. E-2111 provided manpower and assisted with the initial attack.

Thursday September 11, 2014

2014 JBMDL Mud Run

Station 3 used Brush Trucks 36, 37 and 38 along with E-32 and Tender 16 to deliver a quarter of a million gallons of a course of three days to make the mud run possible.

Wednesday August 13, 2014

Accident on Hockamick Rd

Engines 31, 41, R-49 and Brush 38 responded to an accident on Hockamick Road involving 1 vehicle.  An F-150 traveling on Hockamick Rd lost control and ran into a pile of dirt causing the vehicle to go airborne.

Saturday August 9, 2014

New Mortar Observation Point @ Range 59C

The area between Range 59C and Range 59D has been cleared from the access road by the tower all the way to Mulraney’s Way. The new mortar observation point @ Range 59C will allow mortar teams to fire further into the impact area while being observed and directed from the tower.  This is actually an old tower that was in poor condition and overgrown.  The area was cleared out and the tower was updated to get more life out of it.

Friday, July 18, 2014

New outbreak of tick-borne disease reported in Ocean County

OCEAN COUNTY (WABC) — Chances are you have heard of Lyme Disease, but the deer tick that causes it can also have Babesiosis. With a new cluster of cases on Ocean County, health officials want people to know about it.

“We do have 7 cases, 5 of which are under investigation,” said Victoria Miragliotta, the Director of Administration at the Ocean County Health Department, “in past years, we have had deaths due to this disease, we would like to avoid them if at all possible.”

Babesiosis usually causes flu-like symptoms – fever, chills and body aches. If the microscopic parasites attack the red blood cells, it can cause anemia, organ failure and even death.

“Babesiosis, which can be dangerous, even life-threatening in those that are elderly, those without a spleen, and those with compromised immune systems,” Miragliotta adds.

Anyone bitten by a tick in the Tri-State Area is at risk. Babesiosis is tricky for two reasons. First, it is often caused by ticks in the tiny nymph stage, which are tough to see. This means that prevention is key. In wooden areas, tuck your pants into socks and use repellant.

It is important to keep in mind, that unlike Lyme Disease, Babesiosis does not cause the bulls-eye rash. It is also important to keep in mind for doctors to test for it, because it can be treated.

As for the 7 people in Ocean County, 6 of them were hospitalized, but all are expected to recover.

Link to Channel 7 Story

July 7, 2014

Brindle Lake Spillway Drained

July 2, 2014

Welcome to the new Range Fire website. 

This is a work in progress and will continue to improve as I become more comfortable with Word Press.

This site is intended to help out the Fire Fighters of the Joint Base MDL with wildland fire reports.

My goal was to standardize and expedite the flow of information needed for the new wildland fire reporting.  By using the online report the OIC will be able to send all the data necessary to everyone involved with ACES and Eastern Area Coordination reports.  Photos may be attached and sent with the reports.

The site will feature tools, weather data, forms , maps and information to help out anyone riding on a Joint Base brush truck.

It has a section for photos and videos and I welcome any new photos.  Photos and videos will be screened before posting and any photo or video deemed offensive or controversial will not end up on this site. 

Thank you,

Howard McGoldrick

Webmaster

 

Eastern Area Coordination Center