The following is a listing of some of the local calls for service involving the Modesto Fire Department, which staffs Stations 27, 28, 29 and 30 in Oakdale, Knights Ferry and Valley Home as part of Battalion 5; and the Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Department, covering the Riverbank area, as part of Battalion 2.
Calls were logged during the time period of Tuesday, May 20 through Monday, May 26. Days not listed had no reports of significant incidents in this area.
MONDAY, MAY 26
Battalion 2: Engine 26, Deputy Chief Bray, and Director Neal attended a Memorial Day Celebration at the Riverbank Community Center.
10:20 a.m. – Brush 24, Grass 23, and Battalion 2 responded with CalFire to a vegetation fire in the 22000 block of Lake Road near La Grange. The first arriving units reported 10 to 12 acres on fire in grass and oak trees. Access to the fire was challenging and had to be made from Lake Road and from a TID canal on the east side of the fire. The fire burned 28 acres. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Battalion 5: Crews completed weekly apparatus and equipment checks, and completed weekly station maintenance.
Engine 27 trained on Probationary Firefighter sign offs.
6:29 a.m. – Engine 27, Engine 28 and Battalion 5 to Lon Dale and Sawyer for a vehicle accident. Crews arrived on scene and found two vehicles involved with a total of five patients. All five were evaluated by medics, with two being transported to local hospitals for treatment.
SUNDAY, MAY 25
Battalion 2: OES 4618 is now serving at Station 26 as a Type VI engine. The Type VI previously at 26 has been moved to Station 23 and will be Grass 23 until a new Type III arrives.
11:47 p.m. – Brush 24 and Grass 21 were dispatched to Modesto Reservoir for a vegetation fire near the A loop camp sites. B24 was the first to arrive and reported a one-acre fire with a moderate rate of spread. BC2 arrived and assumed IC and requested two additional wildland engines. Brush 1 and Grass 19 responded and assisted in containing the fire. G21 and B24 stopped the fire’s forward progress before any campsites were evacuated. Air 101 from the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s office provided the estimated fire acreage. The fire burned 13.5 acres, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Battalion 5: Crews completed daily apparatus and equipment checks.
Firefighter John Rohrabaugh raised the flag at Station 27 this morning.
Engine 27 trained on hose pulls and pumping evolutions.
Engine 29 trained on Type 6 engine operations.
1138 a.m. – Water Rescue 29 and Battalion 5 to the Honolulu Bar area of the Stanislaus River for a kayaker in distress. WR-29 was able to launch and quickly find the kayaker. They ferried the stranded patient back to the Honolulu Bar Rec area and a Park Ranger was able to take them to their vehicle in Knights Ferry.
12:30 p.m. – Water Rescue 28, 29, Engine 27, Medic 1, and Battalion 5 to Knights Ferry for a water rescue. While returning to their station from the previous call, WR-29 found a patient floating in the Stanislaus River. They were able to quickly remove them from the river and get them to shore behind Station 29. At the same time, SR911 was dispatching the call. WR-29 Firefighter/Paramedics were able to immediately start ALS care for the patient. Within 15 minutes, the patient had regained a heartbeat and was breathing on their own. CellStar 13 was requested to transport the patient. WR-28 and SO Deputies searched the river for any additional patients, finding that two additional patients that had made it to shore with no injuries. The patient was transported by CellStar air ambulance to a local hospital for further treatment.
2:29 p.m. – Water Rescue 28, 29, Engine 9, Medic 1, Battalion 5 and SO Marine 6 to Horseshoe Rec Area for a water rescue. The reporting party indicated that five to six people were stranded on a tree after their raft popped. WR-29 was able to quickly locate and begin removing a total of eight patients, three adults and five children. WR-29 first rescued the five children, bringing them to shore at Horseshoe Rec Area. SO Marine 6 arrived on scene and, through a coordinated effort, rescued the three adults. All parties were evaluated, and no injuries were found.
SATURDAY, MAY 24
Battalion 2: Engine 23, Engine 24, and Quint 22 conducted multi company Saturday drill in Waterford.
Station 26 conducted Saturday training focusing on Type 6 operations with Grass 26.
Battalion 5: Engine 28 pre-fire planned two vacant buildings in their area. The crew identified hazards and reviewed tactics.
10:58 a.m. – Engine 28 was dispatched to Station 30’s area for an EMS call. Engine 28 arrived within seven minutes and upgraded to the call to EMSCPR. Crews initiated high performance CPR and assisted the ambulance crew with ALS cardiac care.
3:52 p.m. – OES4615 (Station 29), Brush 28, Engine 27, WT 27, Grass 26, BC5 and CalFire TCU responded to a vegetation fire on Rodden Road at Rancheria Drive. Brush 28 was first on scene with vegetation on fire on the south side of Rodden Road. Crews contained the fire to one-eighth of an acre. CalFire’s response was cancelled. Crews remained on scene for one hour mopping up.
4:49 p.m. – Engine 23, Engine 24, Quint 22 and BC2 were dispatched to Highway 108/120 at Atlas Road for a vehicle off the roadway with possible entrapment. Crews returning from the vegetation fire on Rodden Road were first on scene. OES4615 confirmed one vehicle off the roadway, negative entrapment. Brush 28 and BC5 arrived on scene and assisted with manpower, additional units were cancelled. One patient was transported by AMR to a local hospital.
FRIDAY, MAY 23
Battalion 2: Congratulations to firefighters Roger Guerra and Garrett Richey, raising the flags at their respective stations on day one on the line.
Battalion 2 hosted training at M and ET Railroad.
Battalion 5: Engine 28 and 29 conducted boat operator training.
4:25 p.m. – Engine 27, E29 and BC5 responded to an injury vehicle accident at Highway 120 and 26-Mile Road. Engine 29 arrived to find two vehicles involved, and one patient was treated and transported to a local hospital.
THURSDAY, MAY 22
Battalion 2: Companies completed daily apparatus and equipment checks.
Crews completed their annual wildland refresher training at Woodword Reservoir.
Brush 24, Grass 26, and Battalion 2 assisted MST resources with a vegetation fire in Ceres.
Battalion 5: Crews performed daily apparatus checks and station maintenance.
Crews performed company level training in their respective FMA’s.
Crews completed Target Solutions assignments.
Battalion 5 companies rotated through RT-130 training at Woodward Reservoir.
Boat 29 conducted Water Rescue training in Knights Ferry to prepare for the upcoming busy weekend. Flows are going to remain high for the next few weeks.
Engine 27 went back to the Crane Road fire to check and extinguish any hot spots from yesterday’s fire.
3:14 p.m. – Engine 27, Water Rescue 28, Water Rescue 26, and Battalion 5 responded to Horseshoe Recreation area for a report of four people stranded on the Stanislaus River between 2 Bluff and Russian Rapids. Boat 28 and 26 launched from the rec area and responded upriver. Crews located all four rafters and safely brought them back down river to Horseshoe Rec. All the rafters denied any medical care.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 21
Battalion 2: Quint trained on commercial roof anatomy and construction with recruit firefighters.
Battalion 5: Crews performed daily apparatus checks and station maintenance, company level training in their respective FMA’s and completed Target Solutions assignments.
12:12 p.m. – Engine 27, Engine 28 and Battalion 5 responded to the report of a vegetation fire in the 8200 block of Crane Road. Engine 27 arrived on scene to find a quarter-acre grass fire behind the residence. Crews were able to quickly contain the fire to just under an acre and out of any nearby structures. Crews remained on scene for roughly 90 minutes for mop up.
2:30 p.m. – Engine 28, Grass 29, Brush 24, Grass 23, Grass 26, Engine and WT 21, and Battalion 5 responded to the report of a vegetation fire in the 8200 block of Rodden Road. Battalion 5 arrived on scene to find approximately 1.5 acres of grass in an abandoned orchard on fire. Crews were able to quickly contain the fire at 3.5 acres and prevent the spread to any structures. Crews remained on scene for roughly one hour for mop up.
TUESDAY, MAY 20
Crews rotated through the RFTC for quarterly Engineer training.
A ceremony was held for the opening of the MFD 150th anniversary exhibit at the McHenry Museum.
Battalion 2: Crews completed mopping up the Mariposa Fire and removed 4800 feet of hose and appliances. The hose will be washed and redistributed to the stations where it is needed.
Battalion 5: Crews completed daily apparatus and equipment checks.
Station 27 welcomed Firefighter John Rohrabaugh to A shift.
Engine 29 trained on boat operations and water rescue techniques.
12:58 p.m. – Engine 27 and Battalion 5 to Valley Home Road for an EMSCPR call. Engine 27 arrived on scene to find the patient in cardiac arrest, with family members performing CPR. Crews began ALS treatment and pit crew CPR.
