Due to problems with numerous water leaks in the privately owned water system in Elizabethville, citizens were asked to conserve water. But the leaks continued to drain the system. There had been problems finding the leaks. But, finally after several nights of searching, during a streak of good luck, several leaks were repaired. The reservoir was supplied by springs and a few wells. The water level in the reservoirs were dangerously low. A meeting was requested by the water company owners, Elizabethville's fire company, Elizabethville Borough, and the local Elizabethville emergency management officials. The Borough officials of Lykens were contacted and permission was granted to haul water from Lykens to refill the smallest reservoir in Elizabethville. A plan was made and, in the late evening hours of this date, a tanker shuttle was started under supervision of DEP. Tankers from Lykens, Elizabethville, and Leshers Milk Hauling Service of Fisherville hauled water. They were filled at a hydrant at the First Bridge in Lykens and hauled to a point near the reservoir in Elizabethville, where the water was offloaded into a porta-tank and Elizabethville's 1964 Hahn pumper pumped it up the mountain into the reservoir. The shuttle ran for almost eight hours, into the early morning, hauling in excess of 80,000 gallons of water. Water restrictions continued in Elizabethville for weeks after this. It was a cold dry winter and all municipalites were taking some kind of conservation measures. Note: Several years after this, the private water company was purchased by the Borough of Elizabethville and is now managed by a local authority which has improved, upgraded, and expanded the service far into Washington Township.
Tanker 22 was dispatched to the Kocher residence on Grand Avenue in Tower City, Schuylkill County, for a structure fire. Tanker 22 responded with a crew of three, and numerous other members responded POV. At the scene, the crew found a 2?-story wood frame double block residence with heavy smoke coming from the second floor and roof area. In addition to the fire, firefighters also had to battle wind-driven snow and sleet, freezing temperatures, and ice-slick pavement surfaces. A tanker fill site had been set up, and a porta tank was set up on scene for tankers to dump water to supply several engines from Porter Township. Tanker 22 dropped many loads of water throughout the duration of the fire, until released by command. One firefighter from Company 22 sustained a strained back when he slipped on a ladder. A Muir Firefighter, Hilbert J. Reiner, age 67, known as "Wimp", died of a heart attack at this fire. He was the driver of Muir's pumper. Fire companies from Tower City, Sheridan, Muir, Reinerton, Orwin, Valley View, Williamstown, Wiconisco, Lykens, and Elizabethville assisted at the scene. Also, the Tower City Ambulance was at the scene. The Joliett fire company stood by in Tower City's station. Local fire companies later led "Wimpy's" funeral procession with their lights flashing in a silent tribute to a fallen comrade. The funeral procession was led by the Tower City Police and the Muir Pumper which "Wimpy" drove to the fire the night he died. The following fire companies also participated: Tower City, Joliett, Hegins, Williamstown, Reinerton, Sheridan, Tremont, North End of Pine Grove, and Hose, Hook, and Ladder of Pine Grove. Falling snow on the day of the funeral prevented other companies from participating.
Engine-22 was requested to assist EMS with a cardiac arrest call at 223 North Street. Engine-22 responded with a crew of six, POV brought four more crew members to the scene. The crew assisted EMS with delivering medical supplies, oxygen, boards, and straps. The crew also assisted with removing the patient from second floor bedroom to the awaiting ambulance, all while performing CPR. Engine-22 was released from the scene by EMS.
On box 24-3, Engines 24, 23, and 66, Truck 22, Squad 23, and Tankers 24 and 23 were dispatched to 120 Maple Lane for a report of smoke in an apartment. Truck 22 responded with 7, followed later by Tanker 22 which was dispatched when Tanker 24-1 failed to respond. Engine 22 was also dispatched when Engine 24 failed, but was placed in service before response. Chief 24 on scene held the box to Engine 23, Tanker 24, and Truck 22, and moments after the units arrived on scene, held the box to Tanker 24, releasing Truck 22 and Engine 23.
The 22-1 box was dispatched for a reported structure fire at 301 Market Street in Lykens. Engines 22, 23, 24, Truck 22, Rescue 21, and Air Light 66-60 from Tower City on the initial box. Rescue 27 added when Rescue 23 did not make the 6 minutes mark. Chief 22 responded POV to the scene, and on arrival reported smoke showing. Engine 22 responded with 5 and laid a 5 inch line from 2 doors up the street of the residence, a two story brick 3 unit apartment building with smoke pushing out of the rear upstairs windows. Truck 22 responded with 5 and arrived on side B on North Street, with the crew laddering the building and going to the roof. 22 Crew advanced a line into the structure from side A and took the stairs to the second floor. 23 crew advanced a line up the side D balcony and came in through a side door. 22 crew was met with heavy smoke when they made the second floor landing. Advancing the line into the kitchen area, they discovered fire around the stove, spreading up the walls and advancing across the ceiling. Initial fire on the stove was knocked down, with the extensions to the rear handled with 23's line. A crew from Rescue 21 entered and assisted with pulling the walls and ceilings. The bulk of the fire was knocked down in a few minutes. Chief 22 had command, with Chief 21-3 handling the manpower pool and Rescue 27 taking the RIT assignment. The Truck crew made the roof and were prepared to vent when command advised that it was not needed. They laddered all sides of the building. After knockdown, crews continued with salvage, tarping the first floor and checking for additional hot spots. Command began releasing units, holding companies 22 and 23 while finishing up overhaul, before eventually clearing the box.
First alarm assignment dispatched to 124 West Market Street in Williamstown for a reported structure fire, bringing companies 24, 23, 22, 21 and Schuylkill 647 and 66-10 and EMS. Truck 22 responded with 7 and arrived on scene of a 3 story part commercial, part multiple apartment building with fire from the B/C side exterior corner. The Truck was assigned interior to check for possible occupants and fire extension while Engine 23's crew attacked the fire with Tanker 24's crew from the C side. Rescue 21 took the RIT assignment. Fire was knocked down quickly and confined mostly exterior to the B/C corner. After forcing interior doors and sweeping all 3 floors and the attic, the Truck crew found no extension and all occupants were out of the building. After performing overhaul in the B/C corner, the crew was placed available by command.
Company 22 dispatched class one to assist EMS with removing a patient from his residence to their transport unit. Chiefs 22 and 22-2 responded POV to the scene, and Truck 22 responded with 3. On arrival, crew assisted EMS with packaging the patient on a reeves litter and carried him out to their unit for transport to the hospital. After completing the task, Company 22 went available.
Company 22 dispatched class three to the area near Race street and Machamer avenue in Lykens for a smoke investigation. Chief 22-1 and Lieutenant 22 and one additional firefighter responded POV to the scene while Engine 22 held in quarters with 3. Further investigation found no smoke and command put the box in service.
Still in station from the earlier call the crew received a call from 24 EMS asking for assistance lifting on their EMS call in Williamstown at 435 West Broad street. Utility 22 went enroute with 4 and on arrival assisted with moving the patient to the EMS unit for transport and then went available.
The section of calls we've responded to has been compiled from fire company records, newspapers, and other sources. Listings for years prior to 1981 might be incomplete.
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The listing of local incidents is for incidents that happened around our local area, including some from Lykens for which the fire company was not dispatched. It is certainly not a complete listing, and is not intended to be. It is included here for your entertainment. Incidents listed here have been gathered from public sources.
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The listing of other noteworthy incidents includes incidents from anywhere outside our local area (for which we were not dispatched). Also included in this section are historical events from our fire company, Lykens, or around the world. It is certainly not a complete listing, and is not intended to be. It is included here for your entertainment. Incidents and events listed here have been gathered from public sources.
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These lists can be filtered. Use the control section above to activate or de-activate filtering. Filtering will not affect the list of incidents we've responded to. But, it will be applied to both the other lists.
