For the period of Sept. 17 to 23, the Niagara Falls Fire Department responded to 106 calls. The total number of service calls for 2012 to date is 4,644.
• FIRE: On Sept. 20, a full assignment from Platoon 2 was dispatched, at 10:45 a.m., to the 700 block of Spruce Avenue for a report of a building fire. Upon arrival, firefighters discovered a fire in the kitchen oven that started when the occupants were pre-heating the oven and forgot there was a pizza box inside. Although the fire damage was minimal, there was significant smoke damage. The occupants had no smoke or carbon monoxide detectors and were issued citations.
• FIRES: On Sept. 20, Engine 4 was sent to a rubbish fire, at 9:37 p.m., in the alley of the 1500 block of Ashland Avenue. After extinguishing bags of garbage that had been set on fire, the crew was told by neighbors that youths were seen running away from the scene. At 9:50 p.m., another rubbish fire was reported in the 1500 block of Pierce Avenue. These fires may be connected and remain under investigation.
• SHOOTING: On Sept. 21, Engine 4's crew, consisting of Captain Gordon Stewart and Firefighters Tom Tedesco, Mike Dorsey and Jeremy Davidson, were the first on the scene, at 8:33 p.m., for a report of a man who suffered two gunshot wounds in the 600 block of Third Street. After performing life sustaining measures on the man, he was transported to the Erie County Medical Center.
• FIRE: On Sept. 22, Platoon 4 sent their crews to the Discovery Center in the 700 block of the Robert Moses Parkway, at 8:08 a.m., for an electrical fire. A component failure in a surge protector unit was the cause of the fire. Damage was estimated at $1,000.
• FIRE: On Sept. 22, another electrical fire required Platoon 3 to go to the 8600 block of Frontier Avenue at 9:31 p.m. The main service panel had shorted out and caught fire due to rain water leaking into the panel. Damage $2,500.
• NOTE: Sooner or later it will probably happen to you. An emergency will occur, and you'll need an ambulance, fire equipment, or a police officer. How do you contact the right person? Just dial 9-1-1 from the nearest telephone. Please remember 9-1-1 is only for emergencies. For routine questions or non-emergency situations in Niagara Falls dial 285-1233. When your call is received, highly trained personnel are ready to respond with assistance and will get you the help you need. Please follow these simple guidelines:
• Stay calm. Dispatchers can't help you if they can't understand you. Think before you talk and speak slowly and clearly.
• State the nature of the emergency and the exact address where the help is needed. Stay on the line to answer further questions the dispatcher may have.
• Send someone to meet the emergency equipment if at all possible. It's hard to find an address on a dimly lit street in the middle of the night.
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