Chief Allen is happy to announce that on May 1st, 2012 at 7pm at the Erlanger City Council meeting, the following personnel will receive what is believed the first ever Meritorious Service Awards. Everyone is invited to attend this historical moment and honor our own for their services on Sunday morning June 26, 2024 at a mobile home fire in the City of Elsmere that prolonged the life of a 9 year old boy.
Those personnel from Elsmere Fire District and the Elsmere Police department where recognized previously by their respective departments. Special thanks to everyone involved for their Team work on this incident and your desire to make a difference. Read the Incident summary below written by Elsmere Fire Chief Paul LaFontaine.
Details of event:
At 10:14 hours on Sunday morning June 26, 2024 the Elsmere and Erlanger Fire Department units were dispatched for a Working Fire in a Mobile Home with Entrapment at 1659 Comanche Trail in Elsmere. (The joint response of both departments is routine and automatic) This incident is located in the Heartland Pointe Mobile Home Community, which has approximately 203 mobile homes. This is a well established community with homes of various ages and a diverse population.
While enroute the responding units were advised by dispatch (Erlanger PSCC) of 911 callers advising of flames visible and people on scene are trying to get someone out of the residence. This was confirmed by the first arriving Elsmere Police Officers Mike Wright (Officer Wright is also a Firefighter/EMT with Independence and Florence Fire Departments) and Tony Embry. Officer Embry was is the process of trying to enter the burning structure to attempt a rescue, but did not due to the arrival of E-401.
Upon the arrival of Elsmere Engine 401 and Elsmere Assistant Chief, Car 426, a report was given of a working fire in a single wide mobile home with a child trapped. Engine 401deployed an advanced a 1.75” 200’ attack line to the front porch were they encountered heavy fire conditions along with heavy dark smoke conditions banking down to the ground. The crew quickly knocked down the fire making entry into the home, continuing to extinguish flames as they worked their way through the home to make the rescue. As this was occurring, Engine 401’s A/O and Officer Wright hand jacked 300 feet of 5”supply line to a hydrant and secured a permanent water supply.
The Incident Commander ordered Erlanger Engine 51 crew to deploy a second 1.75” attack line from Engine 401 to advance and enter the rear side door to assist with the primary search. As both crews entered the hallway, a hoseline protected the hallway, and a search was conducted of a bedroom, where a 9 year old victim was located and quickly removed to the ambulance. Erlanger 64 Ambulance crew and Erlanger Medic 98 quickly provided Advanced Life Support and rapidly transported to St. E. Edgewood. Confirmation was made after completing both primary and secondary searches that no additional occupants were in the home. Two adults and one child were able to escape, suffered serious injuries while trying to get back into the home to rescue the trapped boy.
This outstanding team arrived on the scene quickly, established command, performed size up, initiated fire control, established a water supply, and rescued the trapped occupant. In all, from the time of dispatch to the time of the rescue 8 minutes had elapsed. The patient remained in critical condition at Shriners Hospital; he died from his injuries on July 5, 2011. While the patient ultimately succumbed to his injuries he and his family were offered a chance to reach attempted life saving procedures at St Elizabeth Medical Center, then Children’s Hospital and ultimately Shriners Hospital. Had not these fine Fire and EMS Crews performed at the best of their abilities this patient would have had no chance at all.
Award of Honor
Elsmere Fire Department
Assistant Chief Doug Brefeld
FF/EMT Jeremy Sheehan
FF/EMT Brian Meyer
FF/EMT David Dennis
FF/Medic Gary Knight
Erlanger Fire Department
Captain Dave McQuerry
FF/EMT Josh Corry
FF/EMT Kyle Kilby
FF/Medic Scott Lewis
Emergency Medical Service Award
Erlanger Fire Department
FF/Medic Tim Ford
FF/Medic Marcus Muench
FF/EMT Greg Vogel
Meritorious Service Award
Elsmere Police Department
Officer Mike Wright
Officer Tony Embry
Erlanger PSCC
Dispatcher Manager Matt Allen
Dispatcher Kyle Thornberry
Dispatcher Dave Polly