Firefighters suffer from heat exhaustion at Surf City structure fire

Two firefighters from the High Point Volunteer Fire Co. in Harvey Cedars had to be treated for heat exhaustion after responding to a structure fire in Surf City Thursday, July 21. One of the firefighters was transported to Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin for further evaluation. He was released later that evening.

Photo via Surf City Volunteer Fire Co.
Firefighters cut a hole in the roof to make
conditions safer for the firefighters indoors.

Due to the hot weather conditions that day, Surf City Fire Chief Michael Wolfschmidt requested extra manpower and ambulances to the scene. Wolfschmidt was the first to arrive at the residence at North 16th Street and Central Avenue, just after 2:30 p.m., where he witnessed smoke seeping out of the roof of the attached garage.

“When it’s hot outside, we need to constantly rotate our firefighters to provide adequate rehabilitation and hydration,” he stated. “Wearing full firefighting gear and going into a burning building is like being a baked potato in an oven, plus add on 90-plus degree outside temperature and humidity. Firefighters operate in extreme conditions, and it’s my duty as the chief to make sure everyone is safe. So I made sure we had enough help to keep our firefighters as safe as possible.”

Surf City and Ship Bottom firefighters contained the fire to the garage’s attic and kept it from progressing into the house by stationing a hose line in the attic between the fire and interior wall of the attached home, Wolfschmidt explained, noting access to the fire was challenging because of the the plywood construction of the attic floor and an abundance of flammable storage in the attic. Firefighters from High Point and Stafford Township departments then cut a hole in the attic’s roof to air out the extreme inside heat and smoke, which helped make conditions safer for the firefighters indoors.

“All of the crews did an outstanding job, especially given the hot weather conditions,” said Wolfschmidt, adding that one of Surf City’s firefighters, who did not have his pager with him, arrived on scene after he heard the siren, “once again proving the need for our newly replaced fire siren.”

The fire was contained within an hour, and crews stayed on scene to implement overhaul and to check for fire extension. All units had left the scene by 5 p.m.

Wolfschmidt gave a special thank-you to the Ship Bottom Fire Co. Auxiliary and the citizens who stopped by to provide crews with bottles of drinking water.

Beach Haven, Barnegat Light and Forked River fire companies as well as Surf City EMS and Barnegat Light and Beach Haven first aid squads also responded to the scene. Fire companies from Barnegat and Eagleswood townships each sent apparatus to the Surf City and Ship Bottom firehouses in case of other calls.

“I am very proud to say that all agencies worked together extremely well, and they did an outstanding job in successfully saving the home,” Wolfschmidt said.

Michael Marks, deputy fire marshal at the Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, who led the investigation on the source and cause of the fire, deemed it accidental.

— Kelley Anne Essinger

This article was published in The SandPaper.