The 2013 Junior Firefighter Academy will be held from Monday, July 15th to Friday, July 19th, with graduation on Saturday, July 20th. Registration opens on April 15th by contacting Philipstown Recreation at 845-424-4618 or at www.philipstownrecreation.com. Don’t wait, camp sells out in less than an hour.

At their January 8^th membership meeting, the Cold Spring Fire Company presented Salvatore Baisley with the Firefighter of the Year Award. Throughout the past year, Salvatore exhibited exceptional service and dedication to his community and to the Cold Spring Fire Company. Salvatore has been a top responder to firematic calls, consistently assisted with activities related to the fire company, and overall demonstrated an extraordinary level of commitment to public service.

(Photo by Dawn Baisley – Pictured Chief Matt Steltz, Firefighter Baisley and President Michael Bowman)

It is with great sadness that the Cold Spring Fire Company #1 announces the death of Samuel Sunday, 50 year life-member of the Company.

Mr. Sunday was honored by resolution and a moment of silence at our annual meeting, December 4, 2012.

Before the traumatic events of Hurricane Sandy a few weeks ago, the Cold Spring Fire Company was out in full swing for our 2012 Annual Appeal to the Philipstown Community. In the wake of the storm we have been doing our best to assist folks in our local community, and throughout the tri-state area. Please take a moment to read our appeal letter. To those members of the community who have already donated, we thank you and will be taking an ad out in the local newspapers to acknowledge all of our supporters in the near future.

Donations can be mailed to the Cold spring Fire Company, 154 Main Street, Cold Spring, NY 10516.

Dear Neighbors,

For over one-hundred and sixteen years the men and women of the Cold Spring Fire Company No.1 have provided professional, well trained and fiscally responsible fire protection to the citizens of Cold Spring, Nelsonville and Philipstown. From our humble beginnings in 1896, when 19 civic minded citizens banded together to form the Cold Spring Hose Company, to the approximate 120 volunteer members of today, the CSFC has always been there in times of emergency. In the past year we have responded to over 150 calls for assistance ranging from structure fires, to mountain rescues – including numerous extreme weather events that caused flooding and wide spread power outages. On more than one occasion we opened our doors to those who were displaced, stranded or needed shelter. We never know what your emergency may be, so we must be prepared for everything.

We understand that times are tough. All of our volunteers either live or work in our community. We read the newspapers, we pay taxes. We know that the cost of living has risen. It has for us and our families too. That is the reason why fiscal responsibility has always been at the forefront of everything we do. Throughout our history, the Cold Spring Fire Company has successfully raised and saved funds to buy every new piece of equipment we have purchased, at no additional cost to the taxpayers. For example we recently combined the duties of two outdated fire-trucks into one new apparatus. In doing so we effectively saved approximately half a million dollars in possible tax burden. At a time when other departments are expanding equipment and operating costs, we are looking for ways to provide more cost effective fire protection, doing more with less.

Moving ahead the Cold Spring Fire Company will remain focused on the needs of the taxpayers we protect. Even though we have been fiscally responsible throughout our history, the burden of filling the gap between our operating budget and that money supplied to us by the municipalities that we protect, falls upon our shoulders. We are seeking donations from you, the community we serve and protect, to help us with that burden.

Looking toward the future, we are very excited by the prospect of constructing a new Company headquarters on Main Street. Our membership takes great pride in being in the center of the Village, and we are in the process of assessing the costs of equipping, maintaining and outfitting a new building for the needs of 21st century firefighting. Regardless of quarters, there are also federally mandated laws that govern equipment replacement, and we are currently in the initial phases of replacing all of our turn-out gear and breathing apparatus (SCBA) that are quickly approaching their service limits. This is a process that will reach into the tens of thousands of dollars. Last year your donations helped to equip 8 of our interior fire-fighters with new turnout gear, helmets and boots, a cost in excess of $1200 per volunteer. This is but the first stage of many.
Please give what you can; we see to it that every dollar goes a long way!

Thank you,

The Membership of the Cold Spring Fire Company No.1

*Interested in volunteering? Fill out an application, stop by on one of our drill nights (every Tuesday @ 7:30pm) or give us a call 265-9241

A group of volunteers, assisted by members of the Cold Spring Fire Company, made a journey to Queens today in order to deliver food, water, clothing, and other essentials to those in need after Hurricane Sandy impacted the NYC area. What began as a few independent collection efforts, spread via word of mouth and social media and produced a large amount of donated materials over the past few days.

This morning two heavy duty pickup trucks, towing a private 12 foot trailer and the Cold Spring Fire Company Special Ops trailer, departed the Cold Spring Fire Company en route to a shelter in Far Rockaway, Queens. Upon arrival our volunteers were asked if they would instead push further towards the shore, crossing the bridge onto Rockaway Beach where food and clothing were in need. Arriving they joined in with members of FEMA, the NYPD, NYFD and numerous volunteers to distribute the collected materials to residents.

We would like to thank Christine Peterson, Kristin DeMarco and family, Steve Burke Electric (who donated his truck and trailer to the effort), Laurie Marigliano, Tara Quinn and the Membership of the Cold Spring Fire Company for their efforts.

There are still many people in need, and the devastation that we witnessed today was staggering. We are currently assessing the viability of another run of supplies into the City or surrounding area, and are still accepting donations at the Fire Company for a future effort – or we will route the materials to the proper agencies / drop areas. For more information call the firehouse (845)265-9241 or Company President Michael Bowman (845)476-4373.

It is with great sadness that the Cold Spring Fire Company #1 announces the death of Milt Hustis, 50 year life-member of the Company.

Members are urged to attend a prayer service at 7pm, Friday 11/2 at Clintons. Dress uniform.

 

The Cold Spring Fire Company No.1 is ready and prepared for Hurricane Sandy.  Our Headquarters will be manned throughout the event, and our Chief has been in regular contact with County Executive O’Dell, and the Putnam County Bureau of Emergency Services.  As of right now we are hoping for the best but prepared for the worst.

Hurricane Sandy is an extremely powerful storm and we want to remind you to keep away from downed trees and power lines. There is a high risk of significant flooding in our area and you should avoid these areas at all costs. Be extremely cautious of fast moving water, it can move a car with as little as 6 inches of water and sweep your feet from out under you. If possible avoid the use of candles and if you leave a room with a candle make sure you blow it out. Never use outdoor cooking equipment indoors such as gas or charcoal grills. They pose an extreme fire hazard and can give off deadly carbon monoxide gas.If using a generator, make sure it is away from your home and the exhaust is away from open windows. This too can produce deadly carbon monoxide gas.Some helpful preparation tips:• Pay close attention to weather advisories and storm warnings;• Have a telephone that does not require an electric outlet to operate;• Charge cell phones, or have a car cell phone charger;• Keep a flashlight and fresh batteries handy; • Have a battery-powered radio to keep informed of restoration efforts;• Stock water and packaged or canned foods that do not require refrigeration or cooking. Be sure to have a non-electric can opener;• Ensure adequate supplies of prescription medications, cash and other necessities;• Refuel vehicles and ensure that they are in good working condition; • Know how to manually open automatic garage doors; • Have a plan to check on vulnerable neighbors or family members;Please stay safe. Firefighters will be manning the firehouse during the storm. If you have any questions, please contact the firehouse at 845-265-9241.

As of now Cold Spring is expected to be impacted by a multi-day wind and rain event.  There currently is minor flooding along the Hudson River with high tide occurring at 12:35pm.  We expect there to be further flooding, possibly severe, occurring throughout the event.  For full high tide schedules click here.

Be prepared and stay safe.

It is with great sadness that the Cold Spring Fire Company #1 announces the death of George Tompkins, 36 year life-member, ex-President and Treasurer of the Company.

Funeral arrangements will be announced when they are finalized.

On Friday 7/27 our recruits boarded a charter bus for our yearly trip north to the NYS Firefighter’s Museum in Hudson, NY. Here they were lead through the history of firefighting in America, and got to see first hand the progression of firefighting equipment, trucks and tactics throughout history. The museum in Hudson houses a large collection of historic items, including dozens of antique firefighting carts and trucks, which were the subject of a scavenger hunt as well. Afterwards the recruits were allowed to visit the gift shop before eating lunch on the grounds of the New York State Fireman’s home.

On Saturday 7/28 our recruits reached the culmination of the week, as Cold Spring celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the Junior Firefighter Academy with a parade down Main Street and graduation banquet at Incredible Caterers. This year 54 children graduated the Junior Academy, joining approximately 400 others who have graduated over the past decade. Congresswoman Nan Hayworth, joined other local dignitaries in congratulating our graduates and highlighting the self sacrifice of everyone involved during the week.

A special congratulations to Chief Dan Valentine on 10 years of the Academy – here’s to 10 more!