We are raffling off a leather helmet and a survivor light. The winners will be drawn at the bull roast. You do not need to be present to win. Tickets are $1 each see any member or contact the station to get yours.

For those of you that would like tickets but are unable to make it by the station or are out of the area, here is how you can obtain some. Send a self addressed stamped envelope with a check or money order made out to Ritchie Volunteer Fire Department. Along with the number of tickets wanted. You can mix tickets so you can get either just helmet tickets or Stream light tickets or some of both. Send it to 1415 Ritchie Marlboro Rd. Capitol Heights MD, 20743. Your tickets will be mailed out to you. Again you do not have to be present at the Bull Roast to win. If the winner is not present we will contact them with the information provided as well as being posted on our website at www.ritchie37.com

At 0050 hrs as the company was cleaning up from an earlier fire, a box was dispatched for the truck company, this time to 26's area. Truck 37 went en route with 4 and the Chief with a total of 7 Volunteers.  The truck was dispatched and arrived as the first due special service.  The crew once again split into inside and outside crews.  The inside crews then split into two, two man crews completing searches, along with opening up.  The outside crew was tasked with opening up from the outside as this was a vacant structure that was boarded up.  The truck remained on the scene for about a hour and half.

Around 1130 hours the Engine company was dispatched first due to 6860 Walker Mill Rd. for the report of a worker buried in a trench collapse. Once on the scene, crews found that workers had partially dug out the worker prior to Engine 372's arrival. The crew established a safety zone and assisted the Technical Rescue companies upon their arrival.  The Engine spent over 3 hours on the scene before the patient was finally removed and turned over to awaiting EMS units.

At 1930 hrs the tones dropped for 1003 Whistling Duck Drive for the house on fire. Truck 37 responded with 6 Volunteers and the Chief as the first due truck.  Engine Company 46 arrived to find a 2 story single family dwelling with fire showing from all sides of the structure. Truck 37 arrived and split into two different teams, an inside and outside team. The inside team conducted serches and opened up for the engine companies. The outside team threw ladders to sides alpha and bravo, laddered the roof, and ran lights into the home. Due to the fire load, command evacuated all crews from the building. After placing the ladder pipe in service and knocking the bulk of the fire down, crews were sent back in to mop up and hit all hot spots. Truck 37 and the Chief cleared 3 hours later. 

In the early morning hours Truck 37 was dispatched to 1480 Capital View Drive for the town house fire as the first due truck. The company arrived and went straight to work removing security bars, throwing ladders, conducting searches on divisions 1 & 2, and performing different ventilation tasks. The fire was knocked down in 15 minutes and command scaled it back to two engines and two trucks.  The Truck cleared 2 hours later.

At 0943 Hours Engine 371 was dispatched in the area of Ritchie Marlboro Rd and White House Rd for the MVC with one reported trapped. Engine 371 went with 8 and arrived in the 2000 Blk of Ritchie Marlboro Rd to find a head on collision with one pinned. The crew stretched a hand line for extrication, started patient care, and used some hand tools to gain access to the patient prior to the arrival of Rescue Squad 27 (Morningside). Once the Squad arrived, the Engine Crew assisted with various tasks including stabilization, tool set up, and extrication. After helping remove all 4 doors, the roof, and rolling the dash, the patient was transferred to EMS personnel and was transported to a local Trauma center.

At approximately 0227 hrs the Truck Company was alerted to 13013 Boykin Pl in company 46's area for a reported house fire. The box alarm consisted of Engine Companies 46,20,23 and 43 Truck Companies 37 and 33, Rescue Squad 18. Truck 37 responded with 4 volunteers as the first due special service. Engine Company 46 arrived with a two story single family dwelling with fire showing. Truck 37 arrived just after Engine 461 and performed their duties as the Truck company. Horizontal and vertical ventilation, venting and clearing windows. Performing searches of the first and second floor. The bulk of the fire was knocked down in a matter of minutes and command held Engine companies 46 and 20, Truck company 37 and Tower ladder 33. The truck cleared two hours later. 

At 0310 hrs, the Box was struck for 906 Enterprise Rd in Company 46's area for the house fire. This brought the Engine with 7 as the 2nd due Engine and the Truck with 6 as the 1st due Truck. Engine Company 46 arrived on the scene with fire showing from the roof. Engine 371 arrived to pick up Engine 46's line and stretched a back up line and had the first water on the fire. Truck 37 arrived just behind the Engine going to work splitting into two teams. The outside team threw every ladder off of the truck, vented the roof, cleared windows, and controlled the utilities. The inside team conducted a primary and secondary search of the building, both proving negative, while opening up for the Engine companies. The fire was knocked down in 20 minutes and command scaled it back to two engines and three special services. The company cleared 4 hours later.

At 1620 hrs the box assignment was dropped for 3219 Chester Grove Rd for smoke in the house. This brought the Engine Company with 5 Volunteers and the Truck Company also with 5. Engine Company 23 arrived reporting "Nothing Evident".   Engine and Truck 37 arrived right behind 23, the Truck Company forced the door to find moderate smoke conditions in the house. After further investigation, Company 37 found the fire via the T.I.C. (Thermal Imaging Camera) behind the wall. The power was isolated to the house and the fire was extinguished. Units cleared 30 minutes later.

Just after picking up dinner from Ledo's and clearing the box in District Heights, the box alarm was sounded for 10131 Prince Pl. in Company 46s area. This sent Truck 37 as the first due ladder with 5 VOLUNTEERS. Engine 46 arrived with a 3 story apartment building reporting smoke showing, the truck took a position on side alpha and split into 2 teams. While the exterior team threw multiple ground ladders and ran cord-reels,fans and lights the officer was given interior by command they opened up did a primary of the fire floor and quickly scaled it back to Truck 37 and the engine from 46.