This morning, at 2:50 AM, our volunteers were dispatched to a working structure fire in the 200 block of White Horse Road in Londonderry Township. Engine 1, Rescue, Tanker, Squad, and Traffic all made the response. Upon arrival, crews assisted with fire suppression and over-haul. Crews cleared around 5:30 AM.

Around 5:20 PM, severe storms rolled through the area bringing strong winds, heavy rain, and lightning.
At 5:37PM, crews responded to Shinnecock Hill in Hartefeld for an Automatic Fire Alarm activation. Engine 23-1 and Deputy 23 made the response. While en route to the alarm, Engine 23-1 was diverted to Laurel Heights Rd for wires and trees down on the roadway smoking. Upon arrival, Engine 23-1's officer submitted a PECO notification via the apparatus's MDC to alert them to the situation.

Engine 23-1 was standing by blocking the road and was dispatched out to the area of McCue Rd in West Marlborough Township for an occupied vehicle stuck in flood waters. Chief, Deputy, Assistant, Rescue, Engine 1 and EMS made the response to the scene. Engine 23-1 staged on the scene to assist with the water rescue if needed, or to be ready to respond to any additional calls.

While on scene of the McCue Rd water rescue, Southern Chester County PD officer Mario Raimato requested the fire department respond to the Avondale Apartments to evacuate the building due to the threat of severe flooding. All units cleared the McCue Rd. call and responded to the apartments. Upon arrival, water was already beginning to flood the rear of the apartment complex. Crews cleared all apartment buildings and secured the building ensuring no other occupants reentered the building.

Right as crews completed the evacuation, station 23 was toned out to assist station 24 (Kennett) on East Hillendale Rd for a house fire with flames reported in the basement. Both Rescue 23 and Engine 23-1 made the response to the scene.

While on location at the House Fire, 23's water rescue technicians responded in the Assistant and Deputy chief vehicles to West South Street in the area of Kaolin Mushrooms for another water rescue involving a vehicle stuck in flood waters.

Upon clearing the house fire and water rescue at Kaolin Mushrooms, 23 units were requested onto the RT 1 Bypass to standby downstream from a flood with water rescue technicians in case any rescue personnel or rescue patients were to be carried downstream. The right lane was temporarily shut down for the safety of personnel standing by the flood.

Engine 23-1 then responded to the area of 107 Mercer Mill Rd for trees on wires.

While en route to get fuel after putting in a PECO notification for Mercer Mill Rd, Engine 23-1 came upon wires down in the roadway in the area of 1818 North Clay Creek Rd. A PECO notification was made and Traffic 23 placed cones closing the roads.

Engine 23-1 and Rescue 23 finally returned to the station and crews enjoyed a few bites of pizza before getting dispatched to the Avondale Borough for a Residential Gas Leak.

Volunteers returned to the firehouse and headed home after a long evening out, just in enough time to be once again dispatched out for a Mobile Home Fire at midnight.

In total, Avondale Fire/Rescue Volunteers and Avondale Fire Police Volunteers responded to 14 calls over a 13 hour period of time.

As always, Avondale Fire Company would like to remind everyone that flooded roadways are unsafe and getting your vehicle stuck in flood waters with strong currents can potentially become fatal.

We appreciate your cooperation with us as we closed down roadways for your safety.