The month of October has always been a busy month for the members of the YHFD. Like ever year our volunteers were out in full force performing numerous fire prevention details at a number of local pre-schools, elementary schools and daycare centers during fire prevention week and hosting our annual open house in conjunction with the Yorktown Festival and street fair with our members educating hundreds of children, adults and teachers on important aspects of fire safety such as the importance of having working smoke detectors, EDITH (Exit Drills in the Home),establishing meeting places with family during an emergency, when and how to call 911, what to do when smoke is in your home, Stop, Drop, and Roll and interacting with a firefighter in full PPE and SCBA. Aside from the special details members still took part in weekly department drills as well as responding to 47 calls for service that included multiple mutual aid requests.

Below are a couple highlights from the month of October.

-Water Rescue Training

The morning of Thursday October 9th, multiple members of the YHFD’s Dive/ Water Rescue Unit took to Sparkle Lake to assist the Town of Yorktown by taking depth measurements for the installation of a dock. YHFD provided divers and boats to secure these measurements. Upon completing the depth survey, YHFD members practiced boat operations and continued training with the side scan sonar.

-Mutual Aid Ladder to Mahopac

On Saturday October 11th, at approximately 1500hrs Ladder Co. 51 was requested mutual aid to the Mahopac Volunteer Fire Department for a structure fire at the Olympic dinner on route 6. Car 2535 and Ladder Co. 51 with a crew of 7 operated. The crew was split into two teams with one team of members assisting with roof operations while the remainder operated on the interior. The interior crew assisted with opening the walls to access the fire located in the walls. YHFD operated until released at approximately 1700Hrs.

-Annual Open House

On Sunday October 12th, the YHFD hosted our annual Open House in conjunction with the Yorktown Street Fair and & Festival from 11am-5pm, YHFD volunteers provided tours of our apparatus, the Lake Mohegan Volunteer Fire Association smoke trailer was on hand to teach children how to escape from a smoke filled home. Members taught countless numbers of children and adults about the importance of smoke detectors and other fire prevention information and activities and handed out plastic fire helmets and packets for children as well as interacting with the public and recruiting multiple prospective members to join the YHFD.

-First Due MVA/ Extrication on Rt. 35

On October 23rd at approximately 1500hrs Car 2531, Rescue-Engine 270 and Rescue Co. 16 responded to Rt 35 between Willoway St and Greenwood St for the MVA/Rollover with entrapment. YHFD crews stabilized the vehicle and performed a sidewall removal with the patient extricated and in care of EMS in about 10 minutes.

-Mutual Aid Tanker to Mahopac

In the early morning hours of October 24th YHFD units were alerted to respond Mutual Aid to the Mahopac Volunteer Fire Protection District for a working fire in a commercial strip mall at 160 Route 6. Car 2534, 2535 and Tanker 14 responded on the run. Tanker 14 was utilized for water supply until a relay pump was put in place. YHFD manpower was then reassigned by Mahopac Command to assist with roof operations due to fire extension under the membrane roof. Members remained on scene for a few hours assisting with overhaul and packing hose.

-Fatal Motorcycle MVA on the Taconic State Parkway

At approx. 17:00hrs on October 25th. Car 2532, Rescue Co. 16, Rescue-Engine 270 and Engine Co. 272 were dispatched to a MVA involving a motorcycle at the Taconic State Parkway NB in the area of Rt 202. YHFD units arrived with 34Medic1 and NYSP to find a serious MVA involving a motorcycle on the TSP NB at the Bear Mountain Extension exit ramp in the Lake Mohegan Fire District. YHFD units operated on scene for some time assisting EMS units with patient care before turning over the scene and command to the Lake Mohegan FD units also operating on scene.

-First Due Carbon Monoxide Incident

At 1217Hrs on Friday October 31s Halloween morning YHFD units were dispatched to a Carbon Monoxide Incident with symptom’s. Car 2531, Rescue 16, Engine 271, and Engine 272 operated on White Hill Road in Yorktown. Units encountered an employee that was using a gasoline powered forklift in a building for a lengthy period of time. The employee began not feeling well and was transported by Yorktown EMS units to a local hospital. YHFD Units operated for over an hour venting to mitigate CO readings that reached 2000ppm.