Storms and Wrecks…

Units from South Sumter departments responded to multiple calls for service Friday evening when severe storms moved through the area.  Cuba Engine 2 responded to the 600 block of County Road 1 for a reported tree down in the road.  Engine 2 arrived on location to find a tree blocking both lanes of travel and wrapped in power lines.  Engine 2 also reported a MVA at the location of the tree.  While Cuba units were working on this incident, units from Whitfield and Siloam responded to a MVA at County Road 42 and Alabama 17.  Units from Siloam cleared a tree from Alabama 17 before they were able to continue responding to the MVA.  There were no major injuries at either location and fire units had to wait for some time for AST to arrive on location.  All units were back in service around 0000 hours…  Just another busy night in South Sumter. 

Traffic Swap at US 80 and AL 17…

The Alabama DOT changed the flow of traffic at US Highway 80 and Alabama Highway 17 this past week.  Traffic was swapped to the newly constructed bridge and lane while the old lane and bridge are repaired before being reopened.  The intersection is well marked, but will be confusing to any who were used to the old intersection.  Caution should be exercised when crossing the highway at this location.

Photos – J. Hughes

Structure Fire…

Cuba, Kinterbish, Ward, and Siloam responded to the scene of a structure fire in the Kinterbish Area on Water Street.  Dispatch advised that the occupants of the structure were out, but one had received injuries and an ambulance was responding as well.  Cuba Police Asst. Chief MacDonald arrived on scene first and advised that the structure was completely involved, all occupants were out, and the exposed structures were in danger.  Cuba Engine 2 arrived on scene and placed a handline in operation to protect an exposure on the D side of the structure.  The Cuba Engine was just running out of water when the Ward Tanker arrived on scene to provide water.  The tight quarters of the street prevented the deployment of the drop tank, but the tankers 2,500 gallons of water was enough to supply the engine until the next tanker could arrive on scene.  The fire was held in check to the original building and no other stuctures for wildland was damaged as a result of the fire.  Unfortunately the family of five lost their home, but all escaped with their lives.  The tankers from Ward and Siloam were more than a lifesaver today with the near drought conditions that exist in the area along with the gusty winds this afternoon. 

 The structure was completely involved prior tot he arrival of the first unit.  The first engine initiated a defensive attack to protect the exposure located next to this side of the structure.

Cuba Firefighter Tony Odom working to cool the structure during overhaul.

Cuba Engineer/Sgt. Scrivner is cooling a hotspot while Chief Vaughan and Captain Culpepper talk.  The high heat of the day caused firefighters to drop the turnout gear once the fire was out. 

Preparing the Ward Tanker to go back in service.

Asst. Chief Fisher is getting the hose ready to go back on Cuba Engine 2.

Two MVA’s on Alabama 17…

Units from South Sumter stations and many other agencies answered a call for help in the City Limits of York.  York Police and Fire arrived on scene at I 20-59 and Alabama 17 to find a patient trapped between two 18 wheelers.  Members from the Sumter County Rescue Squad as well as the Northstar Ambulance Service worked for around and hour to free the trapped victim from the accident.  The extrication was complicated by the fact that the victim’s vehicle was wedged between the other two vehicles and Simmons Wrecker service was required to free the vehicle.  The patient was transferred to MedFlight and flown to a trauma center.  The victim is expected to make a full recovery. 

Preparing to extricate the patient.

 

The tractor from the second 18 wheeler.

MedFlight landing at the scene.

Association Meeting…

South Sumter Fire Stations hosted the Sumter County Firefighters Association meeting on Tuesday, June 14th.  The meeting was supposed to be held at the North Sumter Fire Station, but because of tornado damage they were not able to host the meeting.  Siloam agreed to hose the meeting and other stations in the South Sumter group provided food and drinks for the members from other departments. 

Photos by J. Hughes

Busy Weekend…

Units from South Sumter Stations responded to various calls for service over the past weekend.  The calls ranged from trees down on the road, to medical calls, to an accident, to two weather related fires, and a jack-knifed truck on US Highway 80.  The weekend started off with a few thunderstorms moving through the area that brought down several trees on area roads.  One of the trees in the Whitfield area caught fire and was extinguished by Whitfield Fire once the power was turned off.  Last that evening Siloam unit responded to a motor vehicle accident at Alabama Highway 17 and County Road 15.  The area received another round of thunderstorms on Saturday afternoon that caused more trouble.  Whitfield Firefighter J. Steele was on the way home from Siloam Station when she spotted a fire at the rear of Lindley Chapel Cemetery.  She turned around and alerted the units that were at the Siloam Station and Siloam Tanker 1 was rolling within seconds.  Cuba Chief Vaughan and Ward Asst. Chief Bragg arrived on scene and found a small fire at the rear of the cemetery in what appeared to be a storage area.  Siloam Tanker 1 arrived and a line was put on the fire bringing it quickly under control.  It appeared that lightening striking the trees in the area was the cause of the small fire.  While units were mopping up, Chief Pendergrass was alerted of a road hazard at the intersection of US80 and Alabama 17.  He arrived on location to find a tractor and trailer hung up and blocking the entire highway.  Traffic was backing up and units from Cuba and Siloam remained on scene until the vehicle was removed by Simmons Wrecker service. 

While this weekend didn’t contain any boats in the middle of the interstate or alligators involved in accidents, it was still busy.  Who knows what we will see next.

 SIloam Tanker 1 leaving for the fire behind Lindley Chapel. 

Area burned after the lightening strike.

US 80 blocked by transfer truck on Saturday afternoon.

Boat that was lost in the middle of I 20-59 on Memorial Day weekend.  The driver was quite  a way up the interstate before they realized that the vessel was no longer on the trailer.  Fire units removed the vehicle from the highway.

A nine foot aligator was struck by a motorist on Sumter County Road 1 just outside of the Cuba City limits.  The animal was killed and was removed from the scene.  This incident also occurred on Memorial Day weekend at the same time as the boat in the middle of the interstate.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning…

WUUS54 KBMX 082245
SVRBMX
ALC119-082330-
/O.NEW.KBMX.SV.W.0260.110608T2245Z-110608T2330Z/

BULLETIN – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
545 PM CDT WED JUN 8 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…
  SOUTHWESTERN SUMTER COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA…

* UNTIL 630 PM CDT

* AT 543 PM CDT…THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL…AND DAMAGING
  WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR
  KINTERBISH…OR 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CUBA…AND MOVING NORTH AT 25
  MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…
  CUBA…YORK…BOYD…I 20 WELCOME CENTER AT CUBA AND PAYNEVILLE.

THIS INCLUDES…
INTERSTATE 20 EXIT NUMBERS 1 THROUGH 8…

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

FOR YOUR PROTECTION…MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF
YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.

&&

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER…
CALL 1-800-856-0758.

LAT…LON 3243 8841 3273 8838 3274 8834 3255 8820
      3231 8812 3231 8842 3234 8843
TIME…MOT…LOC 2245Z 161DEG 20KT 3239 8829

Burn Ban

Office of the Governor

ROBERT BENTLEY
Governor

STATE OF ALABAMA Press Office

 

June 7, 2011

Governor Bentley Signs Emergency Drought Condition Declaration

Outdoor Burning Ban in Place Across the State
 

MONTGOMERY— Because extremely dry conditions have created an atmosphere where the probability of catastrophic wildfire activity is high, Governor Robert Bentley today signed an Emergency Drought Condition Declaration prohibiting outdoor burning in all 67 counties in Alabama.

Since January, 1,808 wildfires have burned over 41,000 acres in Alabama, according to the Alabama Forestry Commission.

“The lack of rain and unseasonably high temperatures have left much of the state extremely dry, creating high risk potential for devastating wildfires,” said Governor Robert Bentley. “As Alabamians are recovering from the tornados that moved through the state in April, it is important that debris not be burned. We must take every precaution necessary to avoid the start of a wildfire.”

According to State Forester Linda S. Casey, “The reduced availability of suppression resources, combined with the large amount of timber that was downed by the recent tornados, extremely high temperatures, and low relative humidity increase the risk for catastrophic wildfires.”

Pursuant to the emergency rule, it is illegal for a person to set fire to any forest, grass, woods, wildlands or marshes, to build a campfire or bonfire, or to burn trash or other material that may cause a forest, grass, or woods fire.  The fine for violating the No Burn Order is up to a $500 fine and up to six months in jail.

The order is effective immediately.