Fire in bathroom clears Pittsfield High School

C Group firefighters, led by Deputy Keith Phillips, made quick work of a fire in the bathroom at Pittsfield High School at 1:28PM this afternoon, evacuating all staff and students from the building. Evidence showed someone lit paper towels on fire on a water fountain and it extended up into a plastic paper towel dispenser, triggering the fire alarm system and spreading smoke throughout the front portion of the school. School officials advised they have cameras installed in the area and will review them in an attempt to find out who is responsibe. No injuries were reported and students were allowed to return for their final period classes.

Stubborn blaze guts Dewey Ave home

On February 9th, at 11:31AM, several calls came into Fire Alarm reporting a building fire at 169 Dewey Ave. One caller, the homeowner, reported finding the upstairs fully involved and stated everyone was safely out of the house. First arriving D Group firefighters, led by Deputy Mark Cancilla, found fire showing from several windows on the second floor and initiated an interior attack. Snow-covered hydrants hampered water supply efforts, requiring over 700' of supply hose to be stretched by Engine 5. The main body of fire was knocked down within 30 minutes, but took several hours to extinguish all the remaining hot spots, with fire extending into touch to reach attic and eve spaces. The entire second floor suffered extensive fire and water damage, while the first floor suffered water damage. The owner's pet cat perished in the fire, found in the rear second floor bedroom. One firefighter suffered minor burns to his face while battling the blaze. WMECO and Berkshire Gas were on scene to secure utilities and the American Red Cross assisted the tenants with housing arrangements.

Berkshire Eagle article / photos

Several members participate in the 2011 Race Up Boston Place

The annual Race Up Boston Place Stairclimb, a fundraising event for the American Lung Association, was held on Saturday, Feb. 5th at the Mellon Financial Building in Boston, MA. Team "We'll Take The Stairs," made up of several PFD firefighters and family and friends, helped in raising over $4,000 towards the event total of nearly $300,000. The climb, consisting of ascending 42 floors/85 flights in full turnout gear, was a first for several members of the team and a true eye-opening experience. Several team members set personal records in the timed event, including Dan Aitken and Neil Myers, both taking home the bronze medal in their respective age groups. The team roster nearly doubled since last year as well as their fundraising total. We look forward to next years climb and the continued interest among the members of our department to both stay fit and help in the fight against lung diseases.

2011 PFD Team Members:
Dan Garner - Team Captain
Keith Phillips
Mike Polidoro
Scott Ketcham
Dan Aitken
Josh Healy
Neil Myers
Wayne Ovitt