Update: Rockville Volunteer Firefighter Recovering From Burns - October 10, 2008 - Firefighter Joel Rogozinski is continuing his recovery at the Washington Hospital Center Burn Center. Joel’s spirit remains high and attitude positive. He has enjoyed the many emails, letters, phone calls, and visits. This morning Joel was taken to the operating room for his third surgery at 0900 hours. While in the operating room, the Burn Center surgeon grafted the entire length of both of Joel’s lower legs, utilizing donor sites from both of his thighs. The grafting took just under four hours, however Joel remained in the operating room, and then recovery room, until close to 1700 hours while the Burn Center staff assessed the skin grafts on his arms from Monday and allowed him time to recover. Joel’s surgery was reported to have gone well and the skin grafts on his arms are said to be healing nicely. Joel and his family have asked for NO VISITORS UNTIL SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12 so he may have time to rest. (Joel remains in Unit 5E, Room 5A)

Although Joel’s surgery did go well, he did experience some blood loss. The Washington Hospital Center is always in need of blood donor volunteers. Please follow the link below if you are interested in donating blood.

Blood Donor Center: http://www.whcenter.org/body.cfm?id=965

Please continue to check rvfd.org and your email for additional updates. Thank you.

Update: Rockville Volunteer Firefighter Injured In House Fire - October 5, 2008 - Firefighter Joel Rogozinski is continuing to recover at the Washington Hospital Center Burn Unit.  Joel continues to be in good spirits and still maintains his positive attitude.  Friday night around 1900 hours, Joel was moved from the Burn Center ICU to the Burn Center Step Down Unit.  Joel will return to the operating room on Monday to remove his temporary pig skin grafts and begin skin grafts with his own skin. After surgery, Joel will have to remain immobilized for approximately three days. It is expected that following surgery, Joel will remain in the hospital for an additional 10 to 14 days. 

• Joel is in Unit 5E, Room 5A.
• Joel has asked that visitation be limited to the hours of 11 am to 7 pm and that each visitor keep their visits no longer then 10 minutes
• If the door to Joel’s room is closed, please respect his privacy or desire to rest and do not disturb him.
• Please do not ask Joel “What happened?” If he is up to telling you, he will.
• Please keep noise to a minimum when in the Burn Unit, others are resting.
• Please do not congregate in the hallway of the Burn Unit.
• Joel has also asked for everyone to please refrain from calling him on the hospital phone so he will not be disturbed while resting. He is accepting phone calls on his cell phone only.

Related Links

• Live Audio of Incident
• Washington Post
• The Gazette

While performing the primary search operations on the first floor, the floor in Quadrant "D" gave way, sending Firefighter III Joel Rogozinski through the floor and partially into the basement. Firefighter Rogozinski was able to catch himself before falling fully into the basement, however was unable to pull himself up out of the hole in the floor. When Rogozinski had arrived on the scene, he conducted a circle check and noticed a basement window on side "D". When Rogozinski remembered this window, he chose to drop into the basement, then located the window and was able to rescue himself. In the meantime, a mayday had been called by other firefighters on the first floor who witnessed the floor collapse and a firefighter fall through the hole. Actions by crews on the scene mitigated the basement fire prior to the floor collapse, which allowed Rogozinski the opportunity to escape. The area he fell in and the window he climbed out of was heavily involved in fire just a few moments prior to the floor collapse.

During the event, Rogozinski suffered significant burns to his arms and legs. He was transported by Medic 239 to MedSTAR Trauma Center in Washington, DC. Firefighter Rogozinski has now been admitted to the Washington Hospital Burn Center ICU. Until Rogozinski is moved from the ICU to the Burn Center Step Down Unit, no visitors are allowed except immediate family. Once Rogozinski is released to the step down unit, visitors will be allowed. Please check back for updates as they become available. Please call 301.424.0310 with any questions.

House Fire Next To Smoky Glen Farm - August 29, 2008 - While Rockville units were clearing the fatal fire in Rockville Company 33's area, units were dispatched to another house fire, this time in Rockville Company 31's area. At 0808 hours, Engine 311, Engine 33, Truck 31, Tanker 31, and other Montgomery County Fire & Rescue units were dispatched to the 16400 block of Riffle Ford Road, Box Area 31-24, for the house fire. Company 31 units arrived on the scene with fire in the basement and first floor of a house on the grounds of Smoky Glen Farm. A task force was added, bring Tower 3 and other MCFRS units to assist.

Fire On Roof of Apartment Building - June 6,, 2008 - At 1622 hours, Engine 311, Engine 31, Truck 31, Tower 3, and other Montgomery County Fire & Rescue units responded to 300 High Gables Drive, Company 31's area, for the apartment building on fire. Company 31 arrived on scene with fire showing from the roof of a four story apartment building.

Three Rockville Firefighters Injured In Blaze, One Civilian Dies - May 3, 2008 - At 0050 hours, Engine 231, Engine 31, Tower 23, Tower 3, Rescue Squad 3, Ambulance 238 and other Montgomery County Fire and Rescue units responded to the 12800 block of Twinbrook Parkway, Box Area 23-05, for the apartment fire. Units went on scene with heavy fire conditions on the terrace level and second floor, along with people trapped in a garden apartment. Unit 2, former RVFD Fire Chief and now Division Chief Alan Hinde established command and immediately requested a second alarm.

Crews found multiple people trapped on balconies and their apartments. Tower 3 used a 28 foot ladder to rescue an adult female from a second floor balcony, while Rescue Squad 3 rescued an additional three occupants from another second floor balcony. Upon entering the terrace level, Rescue Squad 3 also assisted a family of eight from their apartment.

As Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service spokesman Pete Piringer wrote in a press release Saturday morning: Within the first 5-10 minutes of arriving, and during firefighting and initial rescue operations, it is believed that a catastrophic floor collapse occurred sending two of three firefighting crew members from the second floor into the seat of the fire on the terrace level(the area of origin). A ’Mayday’ distress (firefighter down) signal was immediately activated while the two firefighters immediately sought refuge by jumping through a terrace level window, falling approximately 12-15 feet, and landing on the ground below. In doing so they sustained serious injuries. The third firefighter was able to self-rescue through the interior to the outside.

Captain R. Dwayne Dutrow, age 38, a 17 year veteran of MCFRS, was flown to the MedStar Burn Unit at Washington Hospital Center. His injuries are serious, but not life threatening. Firefighter James Heikka, age 31, an 8 year veteran of MCFRS was also flown to the MedStar Burn Unit. His injuries were serious, but not life threatening. Firefighters Mark Mechlin, age 23, has been with the MCFRS for about one year. He was transported by a medic unit to the MedStar Burn Unit. His injuries were less serious and he has been treated and released.

At about the same time as the 'Mayday,' Rescue Squad 3 removed a victim from the terrace level apartment that the fire originated from. The victim was located near the front door of his apartment and removed via the interior stairwell, and the through a basement apartment. The victim, a 50 year old man, succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead on the scene.

The members and officers of the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department wish all three MCFRS firefighters a speedy recovery. Please check back for additional updates.

Vacant Building Set For Demo Burns In Gaithersburg - April 30, 2008 - At 1555 hrs, Engine 31, Engine 231, Engine 311, Engine 331, Tower 3, Truck 31, Rescue Squad 3, and other Montgomery County Fire & Rescue units responded to a three alarm apartment fire in the 300 block of E. Diamond Avenue in Gaithersburg. Units arrived on scene to find a vacant garden apartment building, set to be demolished, with heavy fire showing on all three floors and through the roof.

Auto Body Shop Burns In Lincoln Park - February 10, 2008 - At 1920 hours, Engine 31, Engine 331, Truck 3, Aerial Tower 23, Rescue Squad 3, and other Montgomery County units responded to the 100 block of N. Stonestreet Avenue for the auto body shop on fire. Company 3 arrived on the scene with smoke showing from all sides. Truck 3 cut several roll up doors to open up the structure, while Engine 33 stretched a 2" line to extinguish the fire. Rescue Squad 3 conducted a search and controlled utilities. Engine 331 pulled a back up line and assisted in extinguishing the fire.

Car vs Pole Causes Three Traumas- February 8, 2008 - At 2320 hours, Ambulance 38, Medic 39, Rescue Squad 3, and Engine 33 responded to Hungerford Drive and Ivy league Lane for the auto into a pole. Company 3 arrived on the scene with a single car into a telephone pole, with three multi system traumas, and one trapped. Rescue Squad 3 stabilized the vehicle and then removed the drivers door. Ambulance 38, with a paramedic from Engine 33, transported one trauma to Suburban Hospital Trauma Center. Medic 39 transported a pediatric trauma to Children's Hospital and an adult trauma to Medstar Trauma Center, both hospitals next to each other in Washington, DC.