From the Firehouse by Jack Halchak, Past Chief HFD
July 2022
The Hurleyville Fire Department is always looking for help, to fight fire or support those that do. We even supply all the gear and provide all the training needed, for free. Stop by any Monday night and find out how you can help or get an application.
I have run into a situation several times that I would like to bring to your attention. When you need emergency first responders (police, fire, or ambulance), your first call should be to 911.
Several people in need of emergency services have call a loved one, friend or relative first. In one instance, the relative was out of county and when the relative called 911 it was not the Sullivan County 911 dispatch center. A transfer was made but now it became a third-party call. Another time, when the friend called 911 the friend did not have enough information for the dispatcher to get emergency service to the accident scene. All of these so-called third-party calls add time to the dispatch of help for you.
When you call 911 direct, the highly trained, skilled dispatcher not only will the send the appropriate help you need, but can help you with first aid advice and what you should do in your emergency needs. On a landline, the dispatcher will be able to see your address and then who the appropriate first responders are, and get them going. If they lose connection, they already have your address. On a cell phone, they may be able to ping your phone to see your location. This is like using the apple app “find my phone.” When you do call 911, stay on the line with the dispatcher until they tell you to hang up. You may be on the line until help arrives.
So, if you call your best friend first, who then calls 911, vital information may not reach the dispatcher ,who in turn cannot give the information to the first responders. There are a lot of First Streets out there. What town are you in? Does your best friend know what First Street you are on?
What happens if your call gets cut off while talking to your wife, and she does not have all the information to pass on to the 911 Center? Know what?
The fire service has had lost hikers where the 911 Center was able to ping the hiker’s phone before it went dead, and give the first responders a good location to start their search & rescue operation. If you are lost and your phone’s battery is low and about to die, change your voice mail information as to where you are, if you are injured, etc. This way when your phone is called, it will give the search and rescue teams some valuable information before it goes to voice mail. That information will be there even when your phone dies.
At the recent 2022 Hudson Valley Volunteer Firefighter’s Association Convention held in Wallkill, Hurleyville Chief Charlie Payne was elected Sullivan County Vice President. Each county in the Association has a Vice President and it is their job to contribute a news article on what is happening in their county for the association’s bimonthly paper.
This year, the Hurleyville Fire Department is celebrating 100 Years of service to the community. On Saturday, July 23, there will be a reception at the Sullivan County Museum on Main Street in Hurleyville at 2 p.m. We dug into out closets to dig out the past and it will be on display, so come on out and join us in celebrating out 100th Anniversary.
The 21st Annual Morningside Fishing Classic is in the books, and what a day it was. The day before the contest on Friday was 80 plus degrees, calm, hot and humid. At sunset, it was still warm at 70 degrees.
Saturday morning at four in the morning as registration opened, it was 60 degrees and dropping, windy, and cloudy. At the start of the contest at five it was down into the mid-fifties in temperature. The temperature continued to drop through the day and the wind picked up as the day wore on.
The wind put a strain on and tested every boat battery out there. So there was a heavy chop on the water, the water was 72 degrees and tea stained in color. A white rig gave a little bit of a glow.
Despite the weather conditions, the 48 fishermen brought a number of quality bass to the scale. There were over 14 two-pounders, a few three-pounders, a four-pounder, and the lunker was 5.22 lbs. All of the fish were released after they were weighed.
The winner was Alex Hasche from Downsville, with a total of five bass weighing in at 11.30 lbs. Alex had a four-pounder and a few two-pounders.
Second place went to Bill Orr of Youngsville, with a total of 9.24 lbs. Bill had a three-pounder in his bag with a couple of two-pounders. Bill has fished this contest for many years, and usually gives the rest of the field a run for their money.
Third place went to another long-time contestant, Avery Conklin from Loch Sheldrake.
This may have been the first time he placed. Avery brought 8.33 lbs. to the scale. He had a number of fish close to two pounds.
The lunker of the day was a 5.22 pounder caught by Rocky Loyce. Rocky caught him on a mud-colored creature bait.
Most fish were caught on dark colored rigs with some on a white colored rig. Not many were on the assorted colors that most anglers usually use.
Two pickerel were brought to the scale. Earl Ivory had a 21 incher with a weight of 2.12 pounds for a total score of 23.10. Bill Hall of Loch Sheldrake had a 19 incher that weighed 1.51 pounds for a total score of 20.51.
Next up is the 11th Annual Bill Carlson Golf Classic on Saturday, August 20, See you there.
BE Safe Out there.