It is with deep regret that the Pomeroy Volunteer Fire Company announces the passing of Mr. Edward Tracey.

Mr. Tracey invested over 70 years of his life in the volunteer fire service.

Mr. Tracey held many leadership positions during his tenure eventually rising to the rank of Captain for Coatesville Fire Dept. He was a life member of the West End Fire Company No. 3 as well as the, Westwood Fire Company, and Modena Fire Company.

Edward John Tracey, Sr., 87 of Ercildoun, East Fallowfield, died on Sunday, July 25, 2010 at the Coatesville VA Medical Center Hospice Unit.

He was the husband of Emma M. Scott Tracey with whom he shared 67 years of marriage.

Born in Philadelphia, he was the son of the late Edward P. and Gertrude Preston Tracey.

Ed served in the US Army during WWII. He was employed by Acme Markets, the former Lukens Store and Coatesville Auto Supply.

He was an active member of the community and served with the following organizations; Life member of the Pomeroy Fire Co., Modena Fire Co., Brandywine Fire Co., Chester County Fire Police Association, Westwood Fire Co., the West End Fire Co. where he served as Fire Police Captain, President, Vice President, Membership Secretary and Trustee, Coatesville Firemen's Relief Assoc. Vice President, Downingtown VFW Post 845, life member of the Coatesville Moose Lodge #297, Fallowfield Friends Meeting caretaker, Fallowfield Historical Society, Trustee and Secretary of Peoples' Hall in Ercildoun, Polish American Club, Past board member of the Coatesville Area Senior Center, Vice President of the AARP of West Chester, and Brandywine Chapter of the Senior Circle.

He is survived, in addition to his wife, by five children: Edward J. Tracey, Jr., husband of Jade, of Lawton, Ok., Joseph L. Tracy, husband of Mary, of East Fallowfield, Robert F. Tracey, Sr., of East Fallowfield, Daniel G. Tracey, Sr., of East Fallowfield and Esther M. (Tracey) Wientraub, wife of Andrew, of Uwchlan; and his brother, John Joseph Tracey, husband of Noreen, of Sun City, CA. He was predeceased by his son, Bruce P. Tracey and sisters, Rose Ann (Tracey) Riker and Gertrude Tracey and daughters-in-law, Brenda (Groff) Tracey and Lynn (Yoder) Tracey.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, July 30, 2010 at 11:00am from the Fallowfield Friends Meeting, 800 Doe Run Road, East Fallowfield, PA 19320 followed by interment in the adjoining cemetery. Family and friends are also invited to attend the viewing on Thursday evening from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at the Wilde Funeral Home, 434 Main St. Parkesburg, PA and also Friday morning at the meetinghouse from 10:00am to the time of the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Fallowfield Friends Meeting at the above address.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Tracey family during this time.
 

On Tuesday night shortly before midnight on July 28, 2010 the Pomeroy Fire Company and Parkesburg Fire Company for Rescue 28 were dispatched to Old Wilmington Road and Reel Street for a Motor Vehicle Accident.

CCFR advised supplemental information that there was one vehicle overturned with the operator outside the vehicle. Chief 29 responded at 0000 hours and while enroute reported a second Motor Vehicle Accident at Old Wilmington Road and Spruce Street in Pomeroy. The MVA in Pomeroy was property-damage with Sadsbury Police arriving on-scene. Chief 29 continued on to the original dispatched location further north on Old Wilmington Road.
 
Captain 29 (Dalmas) arrived on-scene and confirmed the report. Chief 29 (Tribbett) arrived on-scene and assumed Old Wilmington Road “Command”. The Engine 29-1 and Ambulance 29-2 made the response along with Rescue 28.
 
The Patient was located at a neighboring residence. The Pt had moderate injuries including a possible head-injury and Assistant 29 (Gathercole) recommended ALS, along with a helicopter on stand-by. The Pt was loaded into Ambulance 29-2 and evaluated and treated until the arrival of ALS from Medic 93.
 
Sadsbury Fire Company, Engine 31-2 was dispatched for the Landing Zone across from Station # 31. Ambulance 29-2 and Medic 93 (Paramedic Kreger) went enroute from the scene to the LZ where Skycare landed and was awaiting their arrival.
 
Skycare was enroute to Lancaster General Hospital and Chief 31 terminated the Landing Zone. The units remained on-scene assisting M&N Towing with lighting and debris clean-up.
 
All units cleared the scene at 0030 hours with one patient being flown to LGH.
 
Unit(s): Ambulance 29-2, Engine 29-1, Chief, Deputy, and Assistant 29
 
Mutual Aid: Rescue 28, Engine and Chief 31, Medic 93 (Kreger), Skycare, Valley and Sadsbury Police
 
Photo(s) courtesy of Deputy Chief Taylor

On Sunday July 25th a rash of severe thunderstorms came through the area causing many fires county wide. Engine 29-1 was initially dispatched to relocate to the Atglen Fire Company then re-directed to the Cochranville Fire Company to cover calls as many companies were battling a house fire caused by a lightning strike.
 
As members of the Pomeroy Fire Company were assisting the Cochranville Fire Company with cleanup from the house fire we were dispatched with the Cochranville Fire Company and the West Grove Fire to Gap-Newport Pike for a building fire. Engine 29-1 was first in taking up a position in the driveway to find a garage with a lean to attachment with light smoke showing.
 
It was found to be that a generator was being used to power a residence without power in the lean to portion of the building was placed to close to combustible materials. These materials began to smolder and smoke causing the smoky conditions noticed by a passer by who activated the 911 system. Fire was out upon arrival with a smoke condition. Units checked for extension and cleared shortly thereafter, returning to the Cochranville Fire Company to assist with the fire cleanup.
 
We would like to thank the Cochranville Fire Company and West Grove Fire Company for all of their hospitality and the opportunity to respond on a rare call in the southern portion of the county.
 
Not only did the Fire personnel have a busy day, the EMS Division of the Pomeroy Fire Company continued to run Sunday evening into Monday early morning hours. EMS personnel responded to four emergencies throughout the storm from West Caln to West Sadsbury. One fire stand-by for Wagontown Fire Company on Mattson Hollow Road, and three medical locals were covered.
 
The Pomeroy EMS Division kept going as Ambulance 29-1 and Ambulance 29-2 were dispatched for two (2) calls in the early morning hours of July 26th, 2010 after 0200 hours.
 
Photo(s) courtesy of John Crowley Career EMS of SCCEMS -
West Grove Incident

On the hottest weekend of the year volunteers from Pomeroy, Modena, Westwood, Wagontown, and Po-Mar-Lin Fire Company's participated in Pump's I training held at the Modena Fire Company.

On Saturday the day was spent in the class room learning the basic' pump operations starting with a history of a fire pump to what they are today, the entire day was spent talking about everything driver/operators need to know to efficiently and safely operate a pump.

On Sunday the class traveled to South Coatesville Borough to the Mittal Steel Arc Building parking lot. Once they arrived trucks positioned around a port-a- tank to start the day teaching drafting. After drafting student broke down the tank and hooked up to a hydrant and ran several different evolutions.

Throughout the day student took several brakes to hydrate themselves as the temperatures outside soared toward 100 degrees. Training in these temperatures ones again shows the dedication and commitment of the Chester County's volunteers.

The Pomeroy Fire Company would like to thank Mittal Steel for use of the property also the instructors for Montgomery County's Fire School that took their time out of their summer to come train Chester County's finest.

Pump's II is scheduled for August 14 and 15th, 2010 again at Modena Fire Company.

 

Story and Pictures Courtesy of Modena Fire Company

Units: Engine 37-1, Engine 37-2, Traffic 37, Ambulance 37-1, Ambulance 37-2 Mutual Aid: Engine 35, Tanker 36

PLEASE BE SURE TO CHECK ON YOUR ELDERLY AND YOUNG NEIGHBORS IN THE EXCESSIVE HEAT WAVE- MAKE SURE EVERYONE DRINKS PLENTY OF FLUIDS AND STAY IN AIR CONDITIONED AREAS IF POSSIBLE. DON'T FORGET TO CHECK ON PETS THEY ARE JUST AS VULNERABLE TO THE HEAT AS WE ARE!!!

EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT SATURDAY 7/24/10.
 
THE EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT SATURDAY.
 
HOT & HUMID CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SAT WITH LITTLE RELIEF TONIGHT AS OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL NOT FALL MUCH BELOW THE UPPER 70S. TEMPS ON SAT WILL BE IN THE MID TO UPPER 90S & COULD APPROACH 100 DEGREES IN SOME AREAS. THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY WILL LEAD TO HIGH HEAT INDEX VALUES OF AROUND 105 TO 110 DEGREES SAT AFTERNOON IN MANY AREAS. WITH HIGHLY URBANIZED AREAS BEING EVEN HOTTER.
 
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS.
 
AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING MEANS THAT A PROLONGED PERIOD OF DANGEROUSLY HOT TEMPS WILL OCCUR. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPS & HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE LIKELY. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS.STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM.STAY OUT OF THE SUN.
AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES & NEIGHBORS. THE ELDERLY.THE INFIRM AND THE VERY YOUNG ARE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE HEAT.
 
AT A MIN.PLEASE BE SURE THAT PETS HAVE ACCESS TO A SHADED AND WELL-VENTILATED AREA & PLENTY OF COOL WATER. THE MOST HUMANE THING TO DO IS TO BRING THEM INTO AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM.
 
NEVER LEAVE ANY PERSON OR ANIMAL IN A PARKED VEHICLE FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME. DEATH CAN OCCUR IN MINUTES.
 
Authority:   National Weather Service Mt. Holly NJ    
Date: 7/23/10  

Emelo (Emmett) Patrick Belmonte Jr., 66, husband of Linda A. Nunemaker Belmonte of Coatesville, died peacefully at his home on Friday, July 9, 2010.

Born in Bryn Mawr on June 23, 1944, he was the son of the late Emelo Patrick Belmonte Sr. and Mildred Graber Belmonte.

A 1962 graduate of Bishop Shanahan High School, Emmett then pursued a position with the Coatesville Police Department, where he worked for 29½ years with 15 of those years as sergeant, and eight years in the codes department.

Emmett was a lifetime member of Pomeroy Fire Company, an avid fisherman, member of the Blue Knights motorcycle club, member of Goddard Lodge F. & A.M. #583 Coatesville, member of FOP Lodge #11 and a member of St. Peter Roman Catholic Church.

In addition to his wife of 30 years, he is survived by a son, Emelo Patrick Belmonte III and wife, Elva, of Mountain Home, Idaho; a daughter, Theresa Carol Honey and husband, David Sr., of Honey Brook; five grandchildren, Eric, Amber, David Jr., Sarah and Emilee; eight brothers, Gary Belmonte of Greenport, N.Y., Kenneth Belmonte of Connecticut, Bernadine Belmonte of Honey Brook, Andrew Belmonte of Thorndale, Brian Belmonte of Cheyenne, Wyo., Kevin Belmonte of Downingtown, Scott Belmonte of Paoli and Jeffrey Belmonte of Charlotte, N.C.; and two sisters, Kathy Caplan of Conway, S.C., and Lori Schenk of Coatesville.

Two brothers, Alan and Nathan; a sister, Christine; and a granddaughter, Nicole, preceded him in death.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend his Mass of Christian Burial at noon Wednesday, July 14, at St. Peter Roman Catholic Church, West Brandywine.

From 10 a.m. to noon, the family will be receiving guests in the Shrine Room of the church.

Interment will be in Upper Octorara Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 1131, Fairfax, VA 22038; or to All God's Creatures (Animal Rescue), 1459 Airport Road, Coatesville, PA 19320.

Arrangements are being handled by the Maclean-Chamberlain Funeral Home Inc., Wagontown, 610-384-7191, www.mcfuneralhome.com.

Engine 29-5 Participates in KME’s 30th Anniversary

On June 10th, 2010 The Pomeroy Volunteer Fire Company, along with other in service KME fire apparatus, participated in KME’s 30th anniversary open house at the KME manufacturing facility in Nesquehoning, Pa.
 
As you know Engine 29-5 is the oldest in service KME fire engine in the area, manufactured in August of 1988. Since then KME has come a long way in becoming one of the premier fire apparatus manufacturers in the United States. Accruing contracts to manufacture fire apparatus for the City of Philadelphia, San Diego Fire Department and Los Angeles County Fire Department, to name a few.
 
President Campbell and Captain Dalmas braved the dreary weather conditions to drive Engine 29-5 to the KME factory for display for their anniversary celebration. While at the factory President Campbell and Captain Dalmas enjoyed a tour of the factory viewing every aspect of what it takes to build modern day fire apparatus. Equipment manufacturers were on hand to display the latest equipment innovations; including a new high pressure firefighting pump being tested by KME, the first of its kind in the fire service.
 
Lunch provided by KME which gave us the opportunity to talk with the management and sales people as we awarded with chalk board plaque for our participation in the event.
 
We would like to thank KME for their generosity through out the years and for the commitment they have made to many small communities across the nation.
Unit(s): Engine 29-5

Photo(s) by Captain Dalmas

On Tuesday morning July 6th, 2010 the Pomeroy Fire Company and Sadsbury Fire Company for Engine 31-2 were dispatched to Old Wilmington Road and Green Belt Drive for a Motor Vehicle Accident shortly before 0800 hours.  

Deputy Chief Taylor arrived on-scene and advised one-vehicle bus accident with no injuries under the tunnel and assumed Old Wilmington Road Command.

Ambulance 29-2 made the response and arrived on-scene to check the operator who was uninjured, and obtain a refusal. Command requested Fire Police assistance from Station 44, and Station 28 to shut-down Old Wilmington Road to assist the State Police.

Engine 31-2 and Engine 29-1 made the responses and were not utilized on-scene however remained on-scene till released by Command.

State Police Embreeville investigated the incident, and had the buses removed from the tunnel. The roadway was re-opened and all units cleared.

Unit(s): Deputy 29, Ambulance 29-2, Engine 29-1

Mutual Aid: Engine 31-2, State Police Embreeville, Westwood Fire Police, Parkesburg Fire Police

Photos by Dave Madonna

On the hot evening of July 4th, 2010 the Pomeroy Fire Company was dispatched for Engine 29-5 to relocate to the Glen Moore Fire Company. Glenmore Station # 48 along with many others were working at the scene of a two- alarm house fire in the 100 block of Indian Run Road in Wallace Township. Engine 29-5 was on stand-by with Engine 46-2 (Minquas) at Station # 48 into the early morning hours. Engine 29-5 cleared at 0115 hours.

Unit(s): Engine 29-5 (Campbell, Dalmas, Happy Swick, Madonna), Squad/Command (Tribbett, Gathercole)
Mutual Aid: Station # 48

Pomeroy Fire Company assisted Parkesburg Fire Company with Fire Works Stand-by during their Annual Parkesburg Fireman's Fair.

On Friday evening July 2nd, 2010 the crews from Pomeroy headed to Parkesburg Fire Company to have a meet and greet with Parkesburg Officers and receive orders for the evening.

On stand-by at Station # 28 was Sadsbury Engine 31-2, Gap Ladder 4-2, and Ambulance 41-2. Crews had dinner provided by Parkesburg Fire Company and hung around catching up with other stations on stand-by.

Once it started to get dark assignments were given and units took position for the spectacular display of fireworks.

Brush 29 (Chief Tribbett, Happy Swick) and Ambulance 29-2 (Campbell, Roy) assisted at the fireworks site as Engine 29-1 (Dalmas, Gathercole, Trainor), and Squad (Taylor and wife) set-up at E. Second Ave and Route 10.

Once the fireworks were done, crews assisted with checking the area for any potential concerns with the fireworks. Crews gathered back at the fireworks site and assisted Parkesburg personnel with clean-up. Crews returned after 2230 hours.

Also on June 30th, 2010 the Ambulance 29-2 provided coverage for Parkesburg EMS with Station # 44 as Parkesbrug personnel staffed the fair grounds.

Unit(s): Squad, Ambulance 29-2, Brush 29, Engine 29-1

MAA: Station # 28