The 2012 parade schedule for the New Kensington Bureau of Fire has been released. All parades and times listed here are subject to change. Updates and additions will be posted as they arrive.

Memorial Day: Monday, May 28th. New Kensington time TBD, Lower Burrell 11:00AM Start.

Saxonburg: Thursday, June 14. 6:00PM Start.

Mount Pleasant: Tuesday, June 26th. 7:00PM Start.

Springdale: Friday, July 6th. 6:30PM Start.

West Deer: Friday, August 3rd. 6:30PM Start.

Stay tuned for updates, corrections, and departure/meeting times for fire department personnel.

New Kensington Company No. 1 is selling their light and air truck.

Specifications are as follows:

• 1989 Ford F-800/4-Guys  Light & Air truck with a stainless steel box
• Cummins diesel engine with 11,330 original miles.  5 speed transmission with 2 speed rear end
• (6) 6,000 psi D.O.T. cascade system with a 2 bottle explosion proof containment fill station
• 25’ 6,000 watt Wil-Burt light tower
• (2) 500 watt rear mounted quartz lights on tripods
• 12,000 watt Onan diesel generator
• (2) Hannay electric rewind cord reels with wire & junction boxes, one mounted on each side of truck
• (8) Streamlight light boxes pre-wired for auto charge
• Storage for 56 air cylinders
• Pass through compartment for air cylinders
• Command post located in rear box
• Bench seating for up to 8-9 firefighters
• Compartments under rear bench seat
• (2) interior compartments in rear box
• Insta Chains on rear axle
• Rear and officer side entrances to rear box
• Air conditioning & heat in the rear box

More photos and details are available on request. Please email webmaster@newkenfire.org or see the Contact page for information on contacting Company No. 1.

The New Kensington Bureau of Fire honors and remembers Lower Burrell Police Officer Derek Kotecki, killed in the line of duty by a fugitive October 12, 2011.

Officer Kotecki served his community with pride. Being a first responder is a difficult calling for many reasons, but Officer Kotecki had the courage to be out there every day protecting our local communities. We offer our condolences to his family, friends, and fellow officers.

More information: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_761564.html

WPFA Convention Parade in New Kensington, August 2011 from Jonathan Woytek on Vimeo.

The WPFA Convention was hosted by the New Kensington Bureau of Fire in August 2011. Filmed and edited by Dennis Woytek.

Tomorrow at 5pM, registration and shirt sales begin at Company No. 1, located at 785 4th Ave. in New Kensington. The schedule for all events is posted to the calendar here. Be sure to check out Sour Mash playing at 7PM after the fabulous parade on Saturday, and the ever-popular (and highly-competitive!) battle of the barrel on Sunday at 10AM! These events are open to the public, so bring some neighbors, say hello, and have some fun!

Shirts, beer steins, and other souvenir items will be available at Company No. 1 during registration periods and after the parade. There will be food and various types of refreshment offered for sale there, too. We hope to see you there!

At 9:24 PM on Saturday, June 18th, Companies No. 1 and 3 were activated for a report of a house fire at 425 Ridge Ave., in District 3. Police on scene reported heavy smoke showing. As Engines 1 and 3 and Truck 1 arrived on scene, Command 56 called for Company No. 2 for additional manpower and Lower Burrell station 69 for RIT.

During the initial attack on the fire, the interior crew, consisting of 1LT Vince Sekanick, 2LT John Shirey, and FF Garrett Sekanick, made their way to the second floor to check for occupants. Fire conditions changed rapidly, and the crew was ordered to evacuate the structure. On their way out, the crew received 1st and 2nd degree burns. All were wearing full protective gear and breathing apparatus. They were transported by ambulance to Allegheny General Hospital, where they were treated and released. Truck Engineer Todd Mentecki, who was ventilating second-floor windows at the time, suffered minor smoke inhalation and was later transported to Allegheny General Hospital, where he was also treated and released. Arnold station 95 was activated to provide additional manpower to assist in knocking-down the fire and preventing damage to exposures.

At 10:12 PM, while still working the fire at 425 Ridge Ave., a second house fire was reported at 300 McCargo St., just blocks away from 425 Ridge Ave. Engine 2 and Station 69 Engine 3 were diverted from 425 Ridge to 300 McCargo. Engine 5 and other Arnold units were activated to assist with overhaul.

Shortly after the 300 McCargo St. fire was reported, a report of a possible fire was received for the area behind the Sheetz gas station at the corner of 7th St. and Constitution Blvd. Stand-by units for New Kensington took the call and determined that the smoke was from the two fires on the hill.

New Kensington Fire units involved: Co.’s No. 1, 2, 3 and 5 (Co. No. 4 on stand-by).

Lower Burrell Fire units involved: Station 69 Engines 1 and 3, Squad 69, Station 54.

Arnold Fire units involved: Station 95 Companies No. 1 and 2.

Other fire units: Eureka Hose Co. Station 281 (Allegheny County)

Stand-by companies: Co. No. 4, along with Stations 54, 102, 115, 160 (Frazer, Alleg. Co.), 235 (Logan’s Ferry, Alleg. Co.), 282 (Summit Hose, Alleg. Co.).

Articles from the media:

• Firefighters Injured in New Kensington House Fire (triblive.com)
• New Kensington Firefighter Feels Lucky to Escape with Minor Injuries (triblive.com)
• Four Firefighters Injured in New Kensington House Fire (post-gazette.com)
• Four Firefighters Hurt in Suspicious New Kensington Fires (post-gazette.com)

Thanks to James Sabulsky of Lower Burrell Station 69 for unit details. Please forward any corrections to the webmaster.

We are being featured as one of the “BOB FM Fire Hall Crawl” events this summer! 96.9 BOB FM will be at Community Days on Saturday, June 25th, from 6-8PM. Stop by their booth for games and giveaways!

A few new photos were added to the stories on the Schreiber Industrial Park Fire and the Engine 3 Push-In. Thanks to the folks who sent the extra photos our way!

Thanks to 96.9 BOB FM and their event sponsor, Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania.

Thanks to all who came for the Engine 3 Push-In today. Congratulations to the members, grant team, and city officials for all of the work on getting the new Engine 3 into the City of New Kensington!

Specs for the fire apparatus aficionados:

• 162″ wheelbase
• 2,000 gpm Waterous 2-stage pump
• 500 gallon “L” shaped booster tank
• Cummins 425 H.P. diesel engine
• Allison 3,000 transmission, 58 M.P.H. max speed
• (4) 1.75″ crosslays and (1) 2.5″ crosslay over the pump.
• (1) 1.75″ trashline plumbed to the front bumper with 3″ piping.
• (1) remote controlled TFT deckgun
• 15,000 watt hydraulic generator
• 6,000 watt 25′ light tower
• Hydraulic ladder rack with
  • (1) 24′ (3) section extension ladder
  • (1) 12′ roof ladder
  • (1) attic ladder
• (2) 3″ rear discharges
  • (1) to a TFT Blitzfire
  • (1) hooked to a 150′ 2.5″ attack line
• The main supply bed holds 1,000′ of 3″ and 1,100′ of 5″ supply line
• 5″ rear suction and officers side 4″ discharge
• (2) rear mounted 500 watt quartz lights
• 200′ electric re-wind cord reel
• 8-man air-conditioned cab

Some photos from today:

Did you know that the 118th Annual Western Pennsylvania Fireman’s Convention is happening right here in New Kensington? This August, the New Kensington Bureau of Fire will host the WPFA convention. Stay tuned for more news and announcements as information becomes available.

Were you at the parade when New Kensington hosted the convention in 1960? This is some of what you may have seen:

(Thanks to 1st Asst. Ed Saliba for the photos)

Companies 1, 2 and 3 responded to a report of an explosion and fire at around 2:00 PM on June 1, 2011 at Schreiber Industrial Park, Building 44. Arriving units found that all employees of the tenant, Ironmaster LLC, had evacuated and were accounted-for. Firefighters entered the building and found a fire in a large dust collector machine. The fire was quickly extinguished and the building was ventilated to clear smoke.

(Thanks to Dan Felack and 1st Asst. Ed Saliba for the photos)

[EDIT: Added an additional photo]