Hurricane Irene started for many Fairmount members as they staffed the station Saturday night into Sunday morning.  Although there were no calls that night, crews became busy as calls started coming in Sunday morning.  Beginning the day, Fairmount Fire was dispatched to assist Long Valley Fire in the town center for an occupied vehicle stuck in the flood waters.  Schooley’s Mountain Fire was dispatched for Quint 3-9 to make better access to the patient, and Clinton EMS (Hunterdon County) was dispatched for their swift water rescue team.  Schooley’s Mountain was able to make contact to the patient and provide him with a personal flotation device.  Clinton EMS rescuers were able to get to the patient and get him safely to ground.  Also during this time, Schooley’s Mountain’s quint was able remove a subject from the same location out of his second story residence.

While clearing the first water rescue, Fairmount Engine 2-1 was dispatched to West Valley Brook Road for a welfare check on an elderly female whose house was completely surrounded by flood waters.  Firefighters made contact with the subject who wanted to be evacuated from the residence.  High Bridge EMS (Hunterdon County) was dispatched for their water rescue team for the evacuation.  High Bridge was able to deploy their inflatable boat and safely evacuate the patient.

Pump details, wire fires, trees down, and other public service calls continued steadily into Tuesday evening.  In total, Fairmount responded to 29 calls between Sunday morning and Tuesday evening.

Fairmount would like to thank the members that responded, the Ladies Auxiliary for preparing sandwiches and warm meals, and Clinton & High Bridge EMS for quick and safe rescues.

If that wasn’t enough, Tuesday also saw Washington Township’s transition to Morris County Dispatch.  The members of Fairmount would like to thank Jimmy, Ray, Josh, Tom, and the rest of the crew at WTPD Communications for their service to Washington Township, and wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors.