Another fire, another Cherrydale response

Last night at 9:19 p.m., ACFD and Fairfax County fire units were sent to 4514 North 41st Street for the House Fire. Cherrydale volunteer Lowry was aboard Engine 103, which arrived second due with a career crew of Captain Higgins and Firefighters Barb, Jaquays and Waterfall. Engine 103 advanced an attack line along with Engine 108's crew and was able to knock down the fire in short order.

Also on the call was Cherrydale's Light and Air unit, staffed with a crew from the Falls Church VFD. Firefighters Schomburg and Greear along with Recruits Deven Hessler and Addy Hessler, Frey and Weckstien assisted for seven hours packing hose, refilling air bottles, and assisting the fire marshal's office with their investigation.

Going to work

At 2118 on Monday, April 30, Arlington County's Emergency Communications Center put out a call for a house fire in Engine 103's second due area. The career crew of Captain Higgins, Firefighters Jaquays and Reeve, Fire Trainee Waterfall with Cherrydale Volunteer Firefighter Lowry responded to 1210 North Taylor Street. The engine crew stretched a hose line from Engine 102 and entered the basement on the Baker Side. With Waterfall on the nozzle, the fire was quickly contained to the area of origin. There was little extension and Engine 103 cleared within an hour.

Water and fire

The Cherrydale VFD has been busy with both fire and water. CVFD Recruit Firefighter Joe Lowry caught a job while on Engine 103 recently. A fire broke out at just past 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 17, 2007 at an apartment complex at 4385 Lee Highway. Engine 103 arrived to find smoke showing from the top floor of the three story complex. After taking in a line, they extinguished a kitchen fire which had extended into some duct work. With some roof work by the crews of Tower 104 and Truck 106, the fire was brought under control quickly. This was the first fire for ACFD Trainee Ned Waterfall, 103-C. Lowry worked with the career crew of Captain Steve McCoy, FF Jesse Reeve, FF/Medic Glenn Smith, and Fire Trainee Ned Waterfall.



The Light and Air unit has also been busy with winter storm activity, having been staffed several times in the last few weeks to run wires down and other public service calls. Members of the Cherrydale VFD and the Falls Church VFD have assisted in staffing the unit. Running public service calls is not exciting but it provides significant value to the County as it keeps an engine company in service for other work.

Station 103 Gets a New Engine

On Thursday, December 14, 2006, Engine 103 placed a new engine in service. This new 2006 E-One 2006 Cyclone II has a Detroit Diesel 60 series engine, an Allison 4060 World Transmission, a 1250 gpm Hale pump, a 750 gallon poly-tank and a 30 gallon foam cell and of course, a roto-ray. This engine replaces a similar 2002 E-One Cyclone which served our station well for over four years.

The old truck went out of service in style the night before, catching a small vehicle accident which resulted in a car fire. Volunteer Firefighter Lowry was also on the old unit's last structure fire which occured just one week before on December 7th. The career crew of Captain Randy Higgins and Firefighters Doug Barb, Jesse Reeves and Kris Aspen and Lowry caught the fire on Washington Blvd. See the story below.

For the new trucks first call, Volunteer Firefighter Eric Lekus was riding with the same career crew as above and went out for a malfunctioning appliance, the only call for their 24-hour shift.

The new Engine 103. Photo by Dee Allen.

With the new Engine 103 in the bay, Battalion 112 and Utility 103 sit out front on the apron. Photo by Dee Allen.

New E103 on the way...

The County will soon take delivery of a new engine for the Cherrydale Fire Station. Special considerations had to be made so that the rig would fit into the apparatus bay, which has a door that is lower than other County fire stations. While this piece is purchased by the County and not the volunteers, this is still the primary engine we operate from at Station #3. This picture was taken by Battalion Chief Joe Reshetar.