For the period of Friday August 22, 2008 to Thursday August 28, 2008 the Niagara Falls Fire Department responded to 126 calls for assistance.
Friday August 22 - At 9:21 PM firefighters from the downtown companies were alerted to respond to a report of people trapped in an elevator. Units arrived at the multi-story residential apartment building and found that the elevator had somehow malfunctioned causing it to stop between floors. While some of the firefighters made verbal contact with those trapped, others began the task of securing the electrical service so that the rescue could be accomplished. Using specialized elevator rescue equipment firefighters were able to open both the hoistway doors as well as those on the elevator car itself and safely remove the victims.
Saturday August 23 – While thousands of people filled the area around the Hard Rock, falls firefighters were once again alerted to respond to the area of Whirlpool Park for reports of multiple people in distress. Numerous reports were being received that indicated that some type of accident may have occurred that involved personal watercraft in the lower river. Firefighters continued to receive reports of at least 3 people in the water and began their decent using the Whirlpool steps into the gorge. Telephone calls indicated that on person had made their way to the Canadian side, one was retrieved by a commercial vessel, and one was still unaccounted for. Fortunately the third party was located by Niagara county responders safely on the American shore with none of the parties suffering significant injury.
Sunday August 24 – The 1700 block of Elmwood Avenue was the scene of an early morning vehicle fire. At 6:19 AM Central Alarm received reports of a vehicle fire and dispatched Engine 4 and Truck 1 from the 10th Street fire hall. Units arrived to find a 1995 Chevy fully involved in fire. Hoselines were quickly deployed to both extinguish the fire and stop it from spreading to other nearby combustible materials. The fire was quickly extinguished but not before it consumed the vehicle.
Monday August 25 – A series of late night fires kept the LaSalle companies busy. At 10:05 PM firefighters responded to the rear of a motel in the 6500 block of Niagara Falls Blvd for an unknown type fire. Firefighters arrived and found a dumpster well involved that had been intentionally set on fire. The fire was quickly extinguished before it could spread to other materials. At 10:28 PM firefighters were again alerted to a dumpster fire in the 1300 block of 95th Street. Again firefighters arrived to find flames shooting from the dumpster. Both of these incidents are currently under investigation by members of the Fire Prevention Bureau.
Thousands of city school age children will be returning to the classroom next week. This means that once again children will not only be waiting for and traveling on school busses but many will be walking as well. Please keep this in mind when operating you vehicle both in the early morning as well as during the afternoon. Each your hundreds of children are injured and/or killed when they are inadvertently struck by a vehicle while they are on their way to school. Please take a few extra seconds when backing out of you driveway to make sure that the way is clear and no children may be in the way.
