Small fire at Huggins Hospital: No evacuations or impact to expansion project

August 25, 2009 (Group 3) WOLFEBORO — No patients were evacuated and operations at Huggins Hospital continued even as firefighters from seven departments extinguished a second alarm fire on the roof area Monday afternoon.Police, firefighters and emergency personnel responded around 4 p.m. after smoke was spotted pouring out of a vent on the roof. Fire Chief Butch Morrill said a second alarm was struck as a precaution due to the size of the building. He added firefighters contained the fire to the roof, especially "around the exhaust pipe of the electrical generating system."Firefighters from Alton, Central Ossipee, Ossipee Corner, Tuftonboro, Wakefield, West Ossipee assisted local crews and members of Wakefield and Lakeside ambulance also responded to the scene, as a precaution, Morrill said.Chris Strong, vice president of development and marketing at Huggins, credited firefighters with their quick response, which resulted in the flames being extinguished within 20 minutes. "At no time were any of the patients in danger," Strong said, adding as part of its emergency plan, the hospital evacuated administrative staff to coordinate further action, if it became necessary."It was a very small fire," Strong said, adding hospital officials believe some insulation near the vent caught fire.Morrill confirmed that no patients were evacuated and operations continued at the hospital, even as firefighters placed fans to vent part of the building."There was a smoke condition in the lobby," Morrill said.Morrill said investigators will have to determine the cause of the fire.Strong said the incident had no impact on the hospital's $52 million expansion project, which is on schedule to be completed in November 2010. Construction on the 101,000-square-foot facility on a 17.9-acre site adjacent to the existing hospital began in 2008.

Article from Fosters newspaper. http://www.citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090825/GJNEWS_01/708259956/-1/CITNEWS05

3rd Annual New England Fire Fighter Combat Challenge Championship

The Challenge attracts hundreds of U.S. and Canadian municipal fire departments each year at more than 25 locations and is seen by millions of people worldwide. The Challenge seeks to encourage firefighter fitness and demonstrate the profession's rigors to the public. Wearing "full bunker gear" and the SCOTT Air-Pak breathing apparatus, pairs of competitors simulate the physical demands of real-life firefighting by performing a linked series of five tasks including climbing the 5-story tower, hoisting, chopping, dragging hoses and rescuing a life-sized, 175 lb. "victim" as they race against themselves, their opponent and the clock.

Firefighter Chris Stevens competed in the competition for the first time with a time of 2:56:73. He place 72nd out of 83 male competitors. His goal was to finish under 3 minutes.

2 Found Dead In Wolfeboro House

Aug. 19,2009(Group 1)WOLFEBORO, N.H. -- Two people were found dead Wednesday in a Wolfeboro house.
A neighbor found the bodies at about 4 p.m. Wednesday on Anagance Lane and called police.
Authorities said carbon monoxide may have contributed to the unidentified victims' deaths. There were no carbon monoxide detectors in the home and no indications of foul play, officials said.
"The fire department did report to us that they did detect with their meters the presence of carbon monoxide in the structure when they arrived," said Rob Farley, the state's deputy fire marshal. "We're piecing together (a) timeline and trying to put together what may have happened in the house."
While investigators said it appears this was an accident, the exact cause of these deaths remains unknown.
The medical examiner's office is scheduled to conduct autopsies Thursday, which will also determine when the victims died. If carbon monoxide indeed took these lives, the fire marshal's office said the victims were likely unaware, saying the gas has no color and no odor.
The victims' identities were withheld pending family notification.

Article from WMUR. http://www.wmur.com/news/20469617/detail.html

Autopsies have shown that a Wolfeboro couple found dead in their home Wednesday died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
John Clarke, 86, and Ethel Clarke, 87, were pronounced dead at the scene when emergency crews were called to their home. A neighbor discovered the bodies of the couple.
"You couldn't ask for better neighbors," said neighbor Diane Pelletier.
Pelletier said the Clarkes loved golfing and gardening, and they spent time with her children. John Clarke had retired from the FBI, while Ethel Clarke retired from the CIA.
Pelletier said she wasn't home when investigators surrounded the Clarkes' home with yellow police tape, but she watched when they walked near the couple's garage, measuring carbon monoxide levels.
"It's just so sudden," she said. "It doesn't seem like it was their time."
Pelletier said the two were relatively active and engaged with the people around them.
"My daughter would be on the trampoline, so she'd come over here and John, and they'd watch her bounce on the trampoline," she said. "They got a kick out of it."
Neighbors said the Clarkes had endless stories about their travels and their professions. They also shared vegetables from their garden.
"We loved them," Pelletier said. "We miss them, and we'll see them again someday."
Investigators said the carbon monoxide poisoning was accidental, but they are still working to determine the source. They said it's not clear whether the gas came from the home's furnace, a gas fireplace or the car parked in the basement-level garage.

Article from WMUR. http://www.wmur.com/news/20480295/detail.html

Wolfeboro Firefighters Fill Their Boots for the Muscular Dystrophy Association

Wolfeboro Firefighters battled more than fires this past weekend as they collected funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association during their annual Fill-the-Boot campaign. Firefighters held their collections in front of the High School as a “voluntary toll” as well as at the local grocery stores, Harvest Market and Hunters IGA. Proceeds will help MDA provide services to local New Hampshire families, such as expert medical care at the MDA clinic at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, summer camp for youngsters, purchases and repairs of wheelchairs, leg braces or communication devices and other scientific research treatments and cures
Wolfeboro Fire Department Local 3709 is a part of the International Association of Fire Fighters. This is the association’s 55th year dedicating its members’ time and efforts to the MDA. The Fill-the-Boot tradition began in 1952, when a father in desperate need ran to IAFF member George Graney’s Fire Engine Company #1 in South Boston. IAFF Local 718 immediately rounded up 20 firefighters and set in motion a door-to-door canister drive that raised $5,000. Realizing the potential that firefighters had to offer the cause and their excellent image in the community, Graney approached and persuaded other IAFF members to support MDA. In August of 1954, IAFF named MDA as their ‘charity of choice’ and their signature fundraising activity has been the MDA Fill-the-Boot drive. The IAFF has emerged as the single largest sponsor of MDA, contributing nearly $300 million since 1954, all to benefit Jerry’s kids.
MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research. The Association also provides comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy and education. MDA also supports nearly 400 research projects around the world and sponsors 220 hospital-affiliated clinics. For more information, please contact the local MDA office at 603-471-2722.

MDA Boot Drive A Success

Aug. 7-9, 2009- The MDA Boot Drive held this past weekend was a success. We raised almost $2,000. First we would like to thank the residents and vistors of Wolfeboro for their support with this Boot Drive and for their donations. We would like to thank Hunters IGA, Harvest Market, The Governor Wentworth School District, The Post Office, and Three Sisters Gas Station for allowing us to stand on there property's. We would also like to thank 7-11 and the Corner Store for having our "Fill The Boot" Cans at their locations. Donations are still being accepted by mail ( see our contacts page)or may be dropped of at the Fire Station and the Cans are still out at the gas stations.