Car Crashes into Morris Ave. Home

Two members of family sent to hospital following accident.

A car crashed into a Morris Avenue home, sending two people to the hospital, including a small child. Emergency responders said that some time around 4 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 1, an elderly driver of a town car lost control of his vehicle. Reportedly swaying the vehicle as he drove the one-way street, the driver—described by neighbors and emergency responders as in his 70s or older—lost control of his vehicle and spun into a single family home set set back from the road.  His car was lodged into the home up to the windshield and required firefighters and emergency responders from Springfield and neighboring towns to perform emergency carpentry to extract the vehicle. Neighbors said the man was not injured in the accident.  The car slammed …

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Letters to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Save Fire Engine No. 1

Second graders at Washington School want to save a piece of Summit history.

Dear Editor, We are trying to save the old chemical fire truck in Summit, NJ.  We are doing a penny drive at Washington School in Ms. Madden’s class.  It is important because Chemical Engine No. 1 has seen a lot of Summit history.  It is from 1927.  We need to help because if nobody helps the fire truck it won’t be here anymore. The penny drive will be held from January 9th to January 20th. Please send all donations to Washington School attention 2M.  In order to save the fire truck the town needs to raise $75,000. This would cover the costs of a garage at the Carter House plus money to finance to restore the fire truck so it can run again. Every penny counts!! Checks could be made out to “Summit Historical Society” attention “Friends of …

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Report: Merging the Millburn and Summit Fire Departments Is Feasible

Just-released study explores the pros and cons of expanding the range of fire services shared by the two communities.

Could the fire departments of Millburn and Summit be merged into one? On March 21, officials from the neighboring communities heard the findings of a study conducted by Emergency Services Consulting International during a meeting at Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School. No decision was made–in fact, none is expected for quite some time–but it appears such a move could be on the horizon. ECSI's 209-page Shared Fire Services Feasibility Study, highlights of which were presented by consultant Phil Kouwe, shows that both municipalities have many things in common, among them, population, department response time, and staffing levels. These similarities make a number of collaborative strategies–including a merging of their fire departments–…

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Fire Department Sees 29% Increase in Calls

An activity report for 2010 shows the number of fire calls was up significantly in 2010.

The Summit Fire Department responded to 58 more fire calls in 2010, an increase of 29 percent over 2009. Of the 200 fires, 103 were structure fires, one fire outside a structure, 13 vehicle fires, 23 brush fires, 19 other types of fires and 41 calls for mutual aid. The fire department also responded to 267 more calls for emergencies in 2010, an increase in 21.8 percent. One area where calls decreased was for rescues, down slightly at 4.6 percent. The number of alarm activations, whether real, false or malfunctions, increased 6.6 percent in 2010, an increase of 44 alarms.

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Summit Police, Fire and First Aid Engage with Community at National Night Out

The men and women of the Summit Emergency Services teamed and spent time with Summit residents at the annual National Night Out Against Crime event.

The three branches of the Summit Emergency Services were on the scene at the Village Green Tuesday evening. Accompanied by emergency vehicles, flashing lights and blaring sirens, they arrived on the scene to address a situation downtown: Celebrating National Night Out Against Crime. The annual event, sponsored in part by the Summit Police Department, Fire Department and First Aid Squad, aimed to introduce the families and children of Summit to emergency service workers in a friendly environment. The three departments provided refreshments, doughnuts and more than 60 pizzas from all of Summit's pizzerias to a crowd of approximately 450 families. Summit Soundz provided music and Tae Kwon Do students from Master Yoo's Martial Arts showed off …

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Fire Department Assisted in Fatal Chatham Blaze

One killed in car fire that broke out in a residential garage.

The Morris County Prosecutor's Office is investigating the burning death of a person in a fire in an automobile Monday afternoon on River Road in Chatham. Summit fire fighters were on the scene for 90 minutes assisting with overhaul and RIT team. RIT is when firefighters standby to assist a firefighter in distress, Battalion Chief Joseph Wurtzbacher said. Overhaul is where the firefighters pull down ceilings and sheetrock to search for fire extension. Summit fire also requested assistance for coverage at the fire house while units were on the scene in Chatham. Firefighters from multiple towns rushed to a garage at 550 River Road around 1:15 p.m. and extinguished the flames. A nearby worker said he heard someone in the car screaming. …

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Millburn Joint Fire Agreement 'Not In Jeopardy'

Summit Fire Chief Joe Houck said at a council budget workshop that staff cuts could compromise relationship with Millburn but now says the departments will work through it.

Fire Chief Joseph Houck says that the relationship the Summit Fire Department has with Millburn is not in jeopardy. Houck had previously reported at an earlier council budget workshop that cuts in the department would mean staff reductions that could severe ties with Millburn, including the combined dispatch center. Millburn shares the cost of the dispatch center, which is based in Summit, at a cost of $170,000 per year. Additionally, the two departments have an automatic aid agreement. When there are reports of smoke or fires in either community, both departments automatically respond. But Houck says he spoke with Millburn Fire Chief Michael Roberts last week and he is confident the relationship is not in jeopardy. "We're going to work …

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Fire Department Gets Council OK to Study Sharing More Services with Millburn

Oregon-based Emergency Services Consulting International awarded bid.

Common Council approved a recommendation from the Safety Committee to award a bid to Emergency Services Consulting International of Wilsonville, Oregon, to conduct a shared services feasibility study between the Summit Fire Department and the Millburn Fire Department. The project would cost $48,870 to conduct. However, Fire Chief Joseph Houck said Summit and Millburn will be applying for a SHARE grant from the state once both municipalities approve the awarding of the bid "This is the time, this is the place and I think we need to move forward," Houck said. The resolution does state that the city's share of this study would not exceed $2,443.50. So if the two municipalities are not awarded the grant, council would have to pass a new …

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Fire Department Extinguishes Small Electrical Fire at Liss Pharmacy

Minimal damage to building as fire department had to cut a hole in the front wall to put out fire.

A small electrical fire was discovered around 4 p.m. Monday afternoon at Liss Pharmacy on Springfield Avenue. Battalion Chief Joe Wurtzbacher said the store's owner called in an odor of smoke and when the Summit Fire Department arrived on scene the found a small electrical fire behind the letter "a" in pharmacy on the building's exterior. Wurtzbacher said there was minimal damage to the building as the fire fighters cut a hold in the wall, first from the inside, and then from the outside in order to extinguish the fire. The fire is still under investigation, but Wurtzbacher said it does not appear to be suspicious. However the wall had what Wurtzbacher called a "good char." "It's been burning for a while," he said.

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Mail Carrier Saved Blackburn Road Home From Fire

Fire Department offers tips for home heating this winter.

A mail carrier from the Summit Post Office who called 911 last week saved a Blackburn Road home from serious damage when a fire started near the home's heating unit, a Summit Fire Department press release states. Combustible materials placed too closely to the boiler, which overheated, caused the small fire, the release said. Fire fighters were able to remove the burning material outside preventing further damage to the home. But in the winter, home heating safety is critical. According to a Summit Fire Department press release, heating equipment is the leading cause nationally of winter home fires and those fires are a major threat here in Summit. It is estimated that 2,865 people died in home fires in 2007. More than 80 percent of fatal …

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