Author: Patrick Richichi

Meet Dave Phillips! Dave Phillips joined in May of 2016 after being inspired by his father, Erik Phillips, who joined in 1988, and intrigued by the life of a firefighter. Since joining, Dave has turned in his blue junior helmet for a yellow one. He attended Burlington County ESTC during the 2017 spring semester and graduated with his Firefighter I certification that summer. Dave was one of our most active junior members ever and has continued on to be one of our most active firefighters. He is on track to be one of our Top 10 responders for the year as well.

Dave attended Hopewell Valley Central High School and graduated this year with the class of 2018. He enjoyed playing for both the football and baseball teams. This fall he started classes at Rider University in Lawrence and will continue to be an active member with our department. Dave will be taking classes toward a criminal justice degree with hopes to eventually land a position in law enforcement and continue his service as a first responder.

Meet Matt Neubert! Matt joined our department 6 years ago when he was 16 years old. During his first year as a junior member, he won the junior firefighter of the year award in 2014. He attended fire school at Burlington County ESTC a year after joining. Since graduating from the academy he has been one of the most active members of the our department. Matt has previously won the Top 10 responder award as well.

Matt attended the Hun School of Princeton in high school and now takes classes at Rowan University in Glassboro. Matt will begin both an EMT course as well as a fire inspector course this fall at Burlington County ESTC. Matt plans to take the Civil Service test in the coming months as well.

Meet Sai Batchu! Sai has been a member with our department since November of last year. He recently passed his Firefighter 1 course at Morris County Public Safety Academy this summer. We are excited to attend his upcoming graduation ceremony on August 17th. The course was an accelerated version, which required students to attend Monday-Friday from 8:00AM-5:00PM.

Sai attended Montville High School in North Jersey prior to starting at The College of New Jersey as a biology major on a pre-med track. On campus he stays active as well by playing club lacrosse. After TCNJ, he hopes to continue his education and attend medical school. Sai lives in Montville, NJ with his family during the summer months but returns to the area when classes resume in September. On Thursday nights, Sai commutes down to Pennington for our weekly drills and meetings to show his dedication and to remain active. While being a member with our fire company he is also an active member with our neighbors at the Pennington First Aid Squad. He is a certified EMT and adds great value to our responding crews when we are dealing with more complicated EMS calls.

At 12:40 last night, Engine 51 responded mutual aid to a residential structure fire in the 3rd alarm on Hodge Rd. in Princeton. Engine 51 arrived just after 01:00 and staged the apparatus at the corner of Elm Rd. & Hodge Rd while the crew was sent to command for their assignment. The 3rd alarm had been requested by command for the additional manpower. Crews experienced issues controlling the fire due to the building construction. The fire was placed under control around 01:30. Engine 51 assisted with extensive interior overhaul operations and ground ladders. Station 51 members were on scene for 2 hours before command released all 2nd and 3rd alarm companies. Engine 51 was back in quarters by 03:45. 

Pennington Fire Company will not release any additional information regarding this incident. 

Photo Credit – Plainsboro Fire Company

Early this morning, around 5:30AM, Engine 51 was dispatched to respond mutual aid to an apartment fire in the 3rd alarm on Sergeant St. in Princeton. Multiple apartment units were involved with heavy fire conditions. Engine 51 arrived and staged the apparatus down the street and sent manpower to the scene. The fire was placed under control about 2 hours into the incident. Engine 51’s crew assisted with extensive overhaul operations and was released by command after operating on scene for 2-2.5 hours. Companies from across central NJ responded to this incident. No further information regarding the incident will be shared by Pennington Fire Company

Photo Credit- Tay LeClaire

Another Pennington Fire Company member has graduated from high school! Spencer Kincaide Ducharme graduated from The Hun School of Princeton today. Special Services 51 along with Assistant Chief 51 and two other members attended the ceremony. Spencer is currently enrolled in Firefighter I at Burlington County ESTC as well and will be taking his state exam on Sunday. Keep up the good work. Good luck to all of our members who will be testing this weekend!

On June 12th, Uncle Ed’s Creamery will host an all day fundraiser for the Pennington Fire Company. A portion of every customer’s purchase that day will go to our department. Summer may not have officially started yet, but the hot weather has easily convinced our members that there is no better way to deal with hot weather than to relax with a few scoops of ice cream. The fundraiser will be active all day on Tuesday June 12th, from 11:30 AM until 9:00 PM. Uncle Ed’s not only serves some of the best home made ice cream around, but also a delicious selection of assorted chocolates, truffles chocolate covered pretzels, cakes, pies and cookies. A crew will be at Uncle Ed’s for part of the day. If you have any questions that day about our department, please feel free to talk to our members, they will be happy to help. Hope to see you there!

Yesterday, Station 51 was toned out for a brush fire in Washington Crossing State Park in the area of the Church Rd. entrance. A half an acre wooded area was discovered to be on fire and smoldering. Brush 51 and Tanker 51 responded to the incident along with Station 50, Station 52, Station 53, and NJ Forest Fire Service Division A. Tanker 51 stretched 1000 feet of hose and assisted with water supply while Brush 51’s man power extinguished hot spots with portable fire pumps, also known as Indian packs. Brush 51 also overhauled the area using hand tools and saws. Crews experienced slight difficulty in stretching hose lines in the area. Units were on scene for approximately 2 hours.

Photo Credit – Matt Neubert (Pennington Fire Company)

Today, at around 2:30 PM, Station 51 was dispatched to a reported residential structure fire with possible entrapment in Station 52’s response district on Stony Brook Rd. Tower 51 was the first apparatus on the road out of Station 51 followed by Tanker 51 and then Engine 51. First arriving units were aware of the magnitude and seriousness of the conditions they would face as they could visibly see a column of smoke en route to the scene. Upon arrival, it was confirmed that there were no victims entrapped. Heavy smoke and fire was present throughout the structure and the all hands was declared. Chief 51 was delegated as Operations Chief and Tower 51’s crew immediately went to work upon arrival. Tower 51’s crew stretched lines through a haze of smoke up to the structure, operated those lines, set up a Blitzfire monitor for greater water flow, and eventually completed over haul operations. Tanker 51 was assigned to a tanker task force to help ensure adequate water supply throughout the incident. Engine 51’s manpower assisted with various tasks on scene. The fire was placed under control by 3:30 PM.

Mutual aid from Ewing, Princeton, Lawrence, Montgomery, Plainsboro and West Amwell assisted with this incident. Cover assignments were put in place to cover the township while Hopewell companies operated on scene. Some units remained on scene until 6:00 PM. Thank you especially to Station 31 from Ewing for covering Station 51.

Photo Credit – Matt Neubert (Pennington Fire Company)