The 4th of July was filled with fire works and fire calls for Company 1. With no career staff for the holiday, Hyattsville Volunteers manned the station for what turned out to be an exciting day. Company 1 responded on 30 emergency calls from the start of the 4th into early morning the next day.

To start the day, Truck 1 and Engine 11 were requested for the second alarm in 22’s area where units were held in staging then later released. Later on in the morning, Truck 1 responded to a kitchen fire in the College Park area. Truck 1 assisted with ventilation and controlled the sprinkler system; which had knocked the majority of the fire.

At 1605 hours, Truck 1 was dispatched to 4207 28th Ave in 55's first due to fill the box for the house fire. Truck 1 arrived and went to work opening up the second floor. The crews from 9 and 55 had a quick knock of the electrical fire in the walls on the first floor. Truck 1 opened up all the knee walls on the second and Engine 9 brought a line in to wet things down. Truck 1 cleared at 1650 hours.

At 0325 hours Engine 11 and Truck 1 were dispatched to the area of Baltimore Ave and Kennedy St for the house fire. Engine 72 arrived with a vacant house with fire showing. Truck 1 arrived as the second due and threw numerous ground ladders while the interior crew searched and opened up the second floor.

The Officers and Members of the HVFD send their thoughts and prayers out to Beltsville VFD Lifemember and PGPD Officer Corporal Richard Findley, a 10-year veteran of the force. He was killed in the line of duty Friday morning in Laurel during an altercation with two men suspected of driving a stolen vehicle. He is survived by a wife and two young daughters. Please keep Corp. Findley's Family and Friends in your prayers.

At 0244 hours Engine 11 and Truck 1 were dispatched for the apartment fire at 1446 Kanawa St in 34's first due. Engine 343 arrived with a room off on the first floor. Engine 11 arrived on side Charlie and stretched a line to the floor above, while the Truck opened up and performed a primary and secondary search. Searches were negative and crew remained on scene for the investigators. Engine 11 and Truck 1 cleared at 0357 hors.

At 0316 hours, RS1 was dispatched to the intersection of Adelphi Road and University Blvd. for one trapped and unresponsive. RS1 responded with 5 members and went to work on arrival.

At 1642 hours, Rescue Squad 1 was dispatched mutual aid to 720 Kennibeck Ave for the house fire with a report of people trapped in Takoma Park. RS1 arrived on scene and performed searches and opened up for the Engine crews. The searches proved negative and RS1 cleared at 1723 hours.

As soon as RS1 marked ready, they were dispatched to 1804 Metzerott Rd for the Apartment Fire. Units arrived on scene with smoke showing and Rescue Squad 1 was put to work doing searches on the fire floor. The searches proved negative and the crews opened up to check for extension. RS1 cleared at 1834 hours.

At 2044 hours, Engine 11 was dispatched as the first due Engine to Company 13’s first due for the building fire while other units were on transfers to the south side and on other calls. While responding, DC810 arrived with a working fire in an auto body shop.

Engine 11 went to work knocking the fire while Truck 9 opened up and preformed the search. Crews worked together and gained a quick knock on the office area of the auto shop. Engine 11 and Truck 9 remained on scene until 2227 hours for the investigators.

At 1235 hours after returning from a wreck in Montgomery County, the Squad was dispatched for the RIT assignment back in Montgomery County for the working house fire. First arriving units found light smoking showing from a split-level home and requested the RIT assignment.

At 2307 hours, Rescue Squad 1 was alerted to respond to 1167 University Blvd. in Montgomery County for the possible building fire. Squad 1 responded with 6 members and was assigned the primary search of the fire building.

During the search members also secured utilities as searches came up negative. After the fire was knocked, members of the Squad were held for overhaul. The fire ultimately went to a Task Force before it was placed under control. The Squad cleared at 0042 hours.