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Hyannis Warehouse & Osterville Mansion TWO MULTIPLE ALARM FIRES HIT THE CAPE

4 Nov 2005 - Hyannis firefighters responded to the Old Harbor Cracker Barrel Factory Outlet on Route 132 at approximately 1700 hours.  On arrival, firefighters found heavy smoke coming the old brick and steel structure (site of at least two other multiple alarm fires).  Since the building has been boarded up and vacant for years, access to the property and to the building itself  is a problem.  The building has been known to be a shelter to homeless in the area.  A second alarm was transmitted bringing assistance from COMM, Yarmouth, Barnstable, and West Barnstable fire departments.  One civilian was transported for smoke inhalation and 4 firefighters sustained minor injuries in the blaze that tookl approximately 3 hours to extinguish.  MORE PHOTOS ...

4 Nov 2005 - COMM Firefighters were dispatched to a reported structure fire at 260 North Bay Road, on the exclusive Oyster Harbors Island in Osterville.  On arrival, a newly constructed and not yet occupied 8,300 sq ft home was heavily involved with fire extending to an attached garage and embers threatening to involve two large homes on the Delta side of the structure.  Two COMM engines and an ambulance were already committed to the Hyannis fire at the time of this fire at approximately 1949 hours.  A second alarm was transmitted, followed later by a third alarm bringing crews from COMM, Cotuit, West Barnstable, Barnstable, Hyannis, Mashpee, Sandwich, and Yarmouth to the scene. Loss estimated several $Millions.  No injuries.  MORE PHOTOS ...

SANDWICH FIRE DEPARTMENT APPOINTS NEW FIRE CHIEF - 10/14/05
	October 13, 2005. The Sandwich Fire Department has a new fire chief.  Captain George Russell has been named to replace retired fire chief Dennis Newman. Chief Russell is a long time member of the SFD and has served as a firefighter, paramedic, Lieutenant and Captain.  Congratulations to Cape Cod's newest chief.

BOURNE OVERRIDE ....Posted 10/13/05
Voters in Bourne approved a Prop. 2-1/2 override vote of some 1.5 million dollars on Wednesday October 12.  The vote which passed by a considerable majority helps to keep Bourne from having to make some difficult cuts in personnel, including 5 positions at the Bourne Fire Department that would have resulted in the closing of one of its staffed fire stations.  Bourne is having a new fire station built in Sagamore (Station 3) as part of the Route 6 Sagamore flyover project eliminating the Sagamore rotary and the fire station located there since 1946.  The new station of Meetinghouse Lane is expected to be occupied in December and the override vote enables that to happen.

WEBSITE NEWS....10/9  
Those who have been following the site will notice some more changes to the Homepage format.  As mentioned before, I am trying to improve the site and make it as easy as possible for visitors to find what they are looking for.  Your comments so far have been helpful and continue to be encouraged.  Thanks.  Britt




 

TOP STORIES

BREWSTER NEW AMBULANCE

RESCUE 243
Brewster has taken delivery of its new Rescue 243.
It is a 2005 Ford E450 / Life Line.
It should be going in place soon.
Nov 4, 2005

WELLFLEET NEW SQUAD

SQUAD 1 - 80
Wellfleet has placed this 2005 Chevy Silverado 2500 / Omaha Utility Body
in service as Squad 1, unit 80.  The vehicle is used for various support
activities in the town. Replaces a 1983 service vehicle.

FALMOUTH DIVE TRUCK

Dive 35A
Falmouth Fire Department has completed conversion of this 1996 Ford former B-Bus
into a new Dive Rescue Vehicle for the department.  It replaces a 1981 Chevy Stepvan.
The new Dive truck is housed at headquarters.  It is equipped with several complete
SCUBA sets, is heated and air conditioned.

FALMOUTH RESCUE BOAT

Falmouth Rescue Boat 2
2005 Achilles 11' rigid hull inflatable rescue boat
with a Yamaha 15 HP outboard. 
Placed in service earlier this year.
 

MASHPEE BOAT

Mashpee Boat
Mashpee has taken delivery of this 2005 Edgewater 18.5' Rescue Boat.
It has a 150 HP Yamaha outboard.
The boat is not yet in service.
Nov 2005

BARNSTABLE'S FIRE DISTRICTS RECEIVE LIGHTING PLANTS

Five of these Magnum diesel 6000w lighting plants have been delivered to the five fire districts
in the Town of Barnstable.  Each of the trailers has an elevating light tower with 4 large lights.
The trailers received by COMM, Cotuit, Hyannis, Barnstable and West Barnstable were
received as part of a federal grant and may be utilized by any of the town or district departments,
including water departments, as needed according to the grant.  

BOURNE STATION 3
 
The new Sagamore Fire Station 3 is taking shape.
Oct 2005 photo

NEWS PAGE
September 19, 2005

RECENT ITEMS

RECENT ITEMS

Centerville House Fire Oct 13, 2005
Chief Peterson Memorial Oct 1, 2005
School Bus Accident Cotuit Sept 22, 2005
Ambulance Accidents & Problems Sept 2005
Kids Day - August 6, 2005
Staffing Issues - July 6, 2005
Hyannis Dalmation C.J. - June 25, 2005
West Barnstable 2nd Alarm Motel June 13, 2005
Sandwich House Fire June 9, 2005
 Marstons Mills Fire April 2005
  Plymouth and Barnstable Brush Fires
Hyannis Structure Fire Barnstable Road April 2005
New Mashpee Breaker 354 April 2005
Nantucket FD Apparatus changes Mar 2005
WBFD Chief Jenkins Retires Mar 2005
Orleans Ambulance Accident Mar 2005
New Mashpee Run Cards Mar 2005
Plymouth Station 5 Shutdown Feb 2005

800 MHz "RE-BANDING" MAY DISABLE SOME SCANNERS
Many of us have spent some pretty big bucks over the years to keep up with
scanner listening.  Just a few years ago when the Cape went to the "800 Mhz
Trunked Radio System" it meant that our older scanners could no longer hear
some of the important radio traffic at major incidents because incidents were
assigned "OPS" (Operations) channels that, unlike each of the fire alarm channels,
is not rebroadcast (Simulcast) over the old low band frequencies so that department
issued pagers can hear dispatched calls.  A variety of scanners, "Trunk Trackers"
have made it possible to follow the action and done so quite nicely.

Now comes some potentially bad news for those of us that have invested in
Trunk Trackers.  Soon some of them will not be able to follow radio traffic
and the only solution may be to buy newer scanners with newer technology.
Its all quite complicated and new to me still, but basically, the 800 Mhz
frequencies shared by public safety and cellular phone / Nextel like systems
has experienced quality problems.  Re-Banding is an attempt to reallign
frequencies and try to make everyone better off someday.  The process of
changing will require all public safety 800 Trunked radios to be reprogrammed
at some expense and us scanner listeners will have to buy new radios to
keep up.  IT'S NOT JUST THE CAPE THAT WILL BE EFFECTED,
ITS ALL 800 RADIO COMMUNICATIONS....

I would not recommend buying any Trunk Tracking radios until it is clear
which ones will work under the new plan.  The lower priced ones on the
market, that work great now, may not soon.

For more information, I recommend reading more on the following sites:
Uniden Info on Re-Banding
Scan Cape Cod Website - Lots of Good Info
800 Radio Info
Caldwell's Antenna for Cape info

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