At approximately 6:00 PM on Friday July 31, 2009,following a severe thunderstorm watch as well as a severe tornado warning, a quick moving storm struck the area causing severe damage and leaving many residents without power throughout the night. While the storm only lasted 20 minutes it packed a punch with torrential downpour, lightening, and gusts of wind up to 59 MPH. This resulted in major flooding, trees uprooted and across roadways, branches down and on houses and cars, and wires down throughout the town. While damage could be found throughout the town, the most severe of the damage was concentrated in the Gilford Park section of the town.


Units 2811, 2801, 2865, and 2807 answered call after call non-stop for 3 hours. The calls ranged from trees blocking roadways, wires down, branches into houses, wires on fire, cars on fire, and possible structure fires. Fire department members responded to the calls and ensured that there were no lives or properties in danger of harm and notified the proper personnel to repair the wires and/or remove the trees. According to Jersey Central Power and Light about 15,000 customers were without power following the storm, some still without power the following day.



Photos: (top left) Storm cloud seen forming over toms river. Photo Courtesy of WABC7. (right) Unit 2865 is seen maneuvering past a downed tree while enroute to a call. Photo Courtesy Asbury Park Press.


News Articles:
Asbury Park Press: Late-day storm brings flooding, lightning
Fox5: Nasty Weather Damage in New Jersey
WPIX11: Storm Creates Big Mess featuring an interview with Capt. Tutela
WABC7: More storms cause more damage
WABC7: Clean up follows storms in NJ

At approximately 20:25 hours on Thursday July twenty-third the members of the East Dover Fire Company were advised via a neighbor that there was a vehicle on fire in the parking lot of the firehouse. Due to the close location, the fire the company was able to make a very quick response with unit 2807, and contain the fire into the dash area of the passenger compartment. Upon arrival firefighters stretched one 1 3/4 inch hand line and utilized foam to quickly knock down the fire while additional firefighters worked to open the hood to secure the vehicle.

The East Dover Fire Company was requested to respond Mutual Aid into the Normandy Beach section of Toms River for a heavily involved structure fire with reported entrapment, located at 256 Kathryn St. Unit 2865 responded. Shortly following the East Dover Fire Company was dispatched again for an engine to respond to setup a landing zone for MONOC-1 medevac to transport a burn victim.



(photo courtesy Asbury Park Press)

Listen to audio from the incident!

Asbury Park Press Article & Video

At 21:18 hours on Wednesday May 5th, 2009 Station 28 was dispatched for a vehicle into a residence located at 3142 Maritime Dr. Upon arrival Chief 2800 advised a vehicle had backed into the house and requested both 2807 and 2801. Members provided lighting and secured the vehicle/structure.

On February 28th 2009 station 28 was requested to respond into Silverton for a structure fire. The fire occurred on Elderberry Court in a private dwelling which was occupied at the time of the fire. Upon arrival command, 2900, advised that he had smoke showing and had requested mutual aid from Pleasant Plains to the scene. Shortly after 2900 advised that he had fire showing from the 2nd floor of the structure and requested that East Dover be dispatched to respond. Upon arrival the East Dover Fire Company assumed the position of the RIT team, but was later put to work during overhaul.