Warm Weather Means New Challenges For Hudson Valley Firefighters

GOLDEN'S BRIDGE, NY — As spring turns to summer weather, inviting more outdoor activity, the firefighters of the Golden’s Bridge Fire Department have been ramping up training exercises at locations around town to sharpen critical emergency response skills.

For most of us, warmer weather means boating, hiking and swimming - for the firefighters at Golden’s Bridge Fire Department, it can mean boating, hiking and swimming emergencies. Emergencies they intend to be ready to handle.

“Our picturesque lakes, reservoirs and trails are used recreationally for hiking, boating, fishing and swimming by local residents and others who come to Northern Westchester from New York City – especially more so now during the pandemic when everyone is looking to spend more time outdoors,” said Golden's Bridge Fire Chief Al Melillo. “But even the most experienced swimmers and physically-fit individuals occasionally get into trouble in the water and on hiking trails because these activities can sometimes pose unanticipated hazards and challenges. All you need to do is twist an ankle or become disoriented from dehydration while on a nature walk, or your boat capsizes because your gear exceeds the weight capacity or you’re too exhausted to climb back in the vessel after a swim – and before you know it, that relaxing and adventurous day outdoors becomes an emergency.”

Members of the marine unit of the Golden’s Bridge Fire Department sharpened their skills in water rescue procedures and deployment and operation of Marine 25, the department’s rescue boat, and other equipment. The training exercises on the reservoir included simulated water rescue of boaters and swimmers in distress. (Stephen Mangione)

In one recent drill, the department’s marine unit trained at one of those picturesque local reservoirs to sharpen their skills in water rescue procedures. The firefighters worked with the Marine 25 rescue boat and other live-saving equipment. The drills included simulated water rescue of boaters and swimmers in distress.

Fire crews also took part in simulated rescues of distressed hikers. Utility 38 is the department’s all-terrain vehicle. The specialized equipment is critical to reaching individuals who have a medical episode or sustain an injury on isolated trails. The trails can be incredibly difficult to navigate with large fire vehicles.

Last year, Golden’s Bridge firefighters responded to medical emergencies within days of each other. The incident occured at the Mt. Holly Sanctuary and Muscoot Reservoir. In both cases, the Marine 25 boat and Utility 38 ATV were each deployed.

While the many lakes under the fire department’s purview can make for challenging rescues, the static water sources offer benefits as well. The numerous lakes and ponds are key to fire-fighting in communities with no fire hydrants.

“Drafting is the first step in bringing water to another location,” the chief explained. “If we were drafting for a real fire, it would mean filling the tanker for transport to the scene. That’s why you typically see multiple tanker engines, including those from mutual aid fire departments, staging at a static water source. If a fire escalates, or if a fire is already considered a major event, tankers rotate between the fire scene and the static drafting source.”

Members of the Golden’s Bridge Fire Department recently trained in drafting – the process of filling pumper trucks by suctioning water from a static source, such as a pond, lake or reservoir. Drafting is essential to suppressing structure fires in rural communities like the Golden’s Bridge Fire District that don’t have pressurized water distribution systems and hydrants. (Stephen Mangione)

Firefighters took advantage of the break in the weather to practice suctioning water from a local pond to fill pumper trucks. Although the scene looked ominous, there was not an actual emergency (this time).

In addition to participating in a comprehensive checklist of drafting and pumping operations – which included shooting the water back into the pond with a master stream deck gun – the exercises also covered a range of other drills such as driver training, inspection of fire apparatus and all equipment on the trucks, and testing the capacity of the draft source. The drills are designed to make certain Golden’s Bridge firefighters are able to pump between 800 and 1,200 gallons of water per minute, according to officials.

The fire chief also offered a few tips to help keep summer recreation activities safe and accident-free.

Just because the water in area lakes is often still, safety measures still apply, such as being mindful of the boat’s weight capacity, knowing your physical limitations when you cool off for a swim, wearing a life jacket, and refraining from alcoholic beverages while on the water.

The Golden’s Bridge fire chief also cautioned that when hiking, bring enough water to stay hydrated, carry a first-aid kit to treat minor injuries and insect bites, and stay on marked trails to make it easier for first-responders to find you in the event of an accident.

“Most importantly, never venture out alone on water or trails,” Melillo said. “Every second counts in an emergency, so if someone is injured or has a medical episode, the other person can call 911.”