December 28^th - Piscataway Police Officer Jerry Mahoney tragically lost his life during an incident at his home yesterday while off duty. Jerry Mahoney was a 26-year veteran of the Piscataway Police Department, who had helped establish the department's D.A.R.E program fifteen years ago. Some of River Road Fire's members had the privilege of learning the D.A.R.E. program taught by Officer Mahoney. He also had been a member of the township Board of Education since 1995, and most recently was serving as its vice president. Officer Mahoney will be missed by the community of Piscataway and our condolences go out to the Mahoney Family and Piscataway Police Department during this tragic time.

November 24^th - At 1015 hours the River Road Fire Company was dispatched to Blue Ridge Avenue for a smoke condition in the residence. Upon arrival the Holmes Marshall Chief reported a working fire in the residence. River Road Engine 652, Truck 656, and Rescue 655 responded. Heavy smoke was coming from the C side and River Road units assisted Holmes Marshall with a hand line to the C side of the building. The fire was in a sunroom attached to the house and was quickly knocked by units on scene. A Jacuzzi in the sunroom was cut out and extensive overhaul was performed. There was no extension to the rest of the house and units cleared up around 1205 hours.

November 14^th - Today at around 2300 hours the River Road Fire Company was dispatched to 290 River Road, the Mayflower Apartments, for a reported vehicle fire. Unit 658 and Engine 651 responded. Unit 658 arrived and reported two working car fires with exposure problems to other vehicles. Upon arrival Engine 651 stretched a 1 1/2 line and began to knock the fire. Engine 651 remained on scene until about 2340 hours performing overhaul on the two cars. No other vehicles were involved. Other units on scene were Unit 638 and Possumtown 632.

November 10^th - At around 2000 hours River Road Engine 651 and Unit 658 responded to the Marvin Apartments on Rutgers Busch Campus for a heavy smoke condition. Upon arrival Rutgers Emergency Services reported a stove fire with extension into the kitchen area. River Road Unit 658 reported the fire had been knocked by the fire sprinklers. River Road Engine 651 and Holmes Marshall 672 crews checked for extension and found minor extension in the cabinets that was knocked down with a watering can. Nearby apartments were also checked with negative extension and crews began opening windows for ventilation. The main fire apartment had minor water and fire damage. Companies cleared up around 2045 hours.

October 23^rd - At around 1045 hours the River Road Fire Company responded to an car vs. pole MVA at River Road & Mitchell Ave. Rescue 655 & Engine 652 responded and were updated that there was confirmed entrapment. Upon arrival 655 began front driver side door removal in order to gain access to the patient. The patients legs were then observed to be pinned under the dashboard and then relief cuts were made in order to perform a dash roll. Next the medics requested the roof be removed since patient had to be removed from the topside. The roof was than rolled back and the patient was successfully removed and transported with serious injuries. PSE&G was on scene to remove hanging wires from the damaged pole. Other units to assist on scene were North Stelton 625 who provided manpower and additional equipment for the dash roll.

October 18^th - Today Engine 652 with Asst. Chief Florek, 2nd Lt. J. Cercatore, Engineer P. Cercatore, FF/EMT Abraham, FF Wachterhauser, FF Flasser and Unit 658 with Chief Smolko provided Fire Coverage at Rutgers Stadium while the Scarlet Knights took on #2 ranked South Florida. The stadium was filled to capacity with over 44,000 people, setting a new attendance record. The game ended in thrilling fashion with a last minute interception by Rutgers to seal the 30-27 victory over South Florida. For the 2nd year in a row Rutgers knocked off an unbeaten top 5 opponent. And also for the 2nd year in a row fans rushed the field to celebrate a huge upset. River Road Fire also provided a simple assist to two girls who sprained their ankles while rushing the field. If you missed it, click the play button below to view highlights of the game.

October 4^th  - At 0540hrs the River Road Fire Company was requested to respond into District #3 (Arbor Fire) with Rescue 655, to provide mobile air support, to West 7th. St. for a working building fire. Upon arrival Rescue 655 staged on West 7th and began filling bottles for Arbor Fire. The fire was confined to a one story auto shop and was quickly contained by Arbor and Plainfield Fire.

September 28^th  - Today at around 1115hrs the River Road Fire Company responded to 33 Knightsbridge Road for an electrical fire. Engine 651, Rescue 655, and Engine 652 responded. Upon arrival the investigation revealed an electrical box shorted out while a worker was working on it and the worker was seriously injured. A MedEVAC Chopper was immediately requested to the scene. Engine 652 relocated to the Telcordia helipad off of Skiles Ave. near Knightsbridge Road and utilized the crew to secure the landing zone in the event something should happen to the helicopter. The MedEVAC chopper landed, the patient was loaded and the chopper took off without incident. Units cleared up around 1230hrs.

September 26^th  -  The River Road Fire Company was requested to assist Piscataway PD with removing a box truck from a tree on Plainfield Avenue. Rescue 655 and Unit 658 responded and upon arrival a single vehicle mva was found with a box truck into a tree, with no entrpament or driver injuries. Rescue 655 used hydraulic cutters to remove the box truck from the tree. A tow truck was than used to remove the tuck from the lawn. There were no injuries to the tree which is still standing. Units cleared up around 1730hrs.

September 21^st  -  Around 0538hrs the River Road Fire Company was alerted to a car fire on Morris Avenue. Chief Smolko in Unit 658, Asst. Chief Florek, and Engine 652 responded. Upon arrival Unit 658 reported a car vs. pole with a working car fire. Chief Smolko used an extinguisher to extinguish the primary fire. Holmes Marshal Engine 672 arrived next and utilized a hand line to extinguish the remaining hot spots while Engine 652 secured the vehicle's battery. Units cleared up around 0615hrs.

September 2^nd  -  The River Road Fire Company was requested to respond to 1 Centennial Avenue for the occupant trapped in an elevator. Engine 651, Truck 656, and Unit 658 responded. Upon arrival an occupant was confirmed trapped in the #2 elevator on the 3rd floor. Power to the elevator was shutdown and the breaker was locked out. Communication to the trapped occupant was also established and they were alert and oriented without any medical issues. Shortly after the doors were opened and the occupant was removed without incident. Units cleared up around 1513hrs.

August 24^th  - Today at 0419hrs the River Road Fire Company was requested with one engine to respond into Highland Park in the area of  Raritan Avenue for the working apartment fire. Engine 652 responded with Asst. Chief Florek, Captain Maas,  2nd Lt. J. Cercatore, Engineer P. Cercatore and Chief Smolko responded with unit 658. Upon arrival Engine 652's crew was instructed to assist Highland Park FD with ventilation of the building. The fire started from a dryer in the basement and was quickly extinguished by Highland Park FD. Engine 652 and Unit 658 cleared up at around 0540hrs.

August 22^nd  - At around 1245hrs the River Road Fire Company was alerted to a fuel spill on Route 287 North at the weigh station near exit 9. Upon arrival Engine 652 found a tractor trailer leaking about 100 gallons of fuel onto the roadway from the right saddle tank. Middlesex County Haz-Mat was notified while Engine 652 used haz-mat booms and about 100lbs of speedy dry to contain the spill. Units cleared up around 1330hrs.

August 17^th - The River Road Fire Company was requested to respond with one engine to Acmstic Chemicals on South Clinton Avenue in South Plainfield for a Hazardous Materials Spill. Engine 652 responded with Chief Smolko, 2nd Lt. J. Cercatore and Firefighters DelGuidice, Lai, and Portaro. Upon arrival Engine 652's crew was instructed to go with a South Plainfield Captain and escort plant employee to turn off several valves on roof. Once completed, Engine 652's crew stood by with a hand line in  the interior while Middlesex County Hazardous Materials attempted to contain the spill. Engine 652 cleared up around 0145hrs.

July 29^th - At around 1330 hours the River Road Fire Company was alerted to smoke coming from the basement of Cook's Deli on Park Ave. Holmes Marshall Engine 672 arrived and immediately requested PSE&G to the scene for a working electrical fire in the basement. River Road Engine 652 arrived second and hit the hydrant. After hitting the hydrant crews from River Road forced the doors to both upstairs apartments and began primary searches along with ventilation. Primary searches were negative. The fire was confined to the basement with minor extension in walls.  PSE&G did not arrive on scene until around 0130hrs. Other units that operated on scene included Possumtown Fire, North Stelton Fire and River Road Rescue.  River Road was released at 1904hrs and Holmes Marshall remained on scene untill the arrival of PSE&G.

July 13^th - Today around 1445 hours the River Road Fire Company was requested to standby at their building with the extrication team while Somerset County District #1 Fire was operating at a building collapse on Worlds Fair Drive in Franklin Township. Four workers were injured, one with serious injuries who had to be extricated by Somerset Fire from underneath the trusses that had given way. River Road was able to clear by 1500hrs.

July 10^th - At approximately 0830 hours a fire was reported at 41 Lincoln Ave, a single family residence. River Road responded with Chief Smolko, Captain Maas, and  Firefighters Barnoski, Flasser, Harding,  Kuenstner, and Mickuki. The arriving crew from Engine 652 determined the fire to be coming from the basement and 1st floor A/B corner. Upon arrival command requested a second alarm, calling for mutual aid companies including Metuchen, New Brunswick, East Franklin, North Stelton, and New Market. The fire was under control by approximately 1030 hours with crews cleaning up by 1200 hours. The structure suffered extensive damage to the basement where the fire was thought to originate from and the first floor collapsed into the basement. Fire and Code officials are investigating and deterring the stability of the structure. Picture courtesy of the Courier news.

May 1^st - At around 0630 hours the River Road Fire Company was dispatched to a reported car fire near the intersection of Metlars Lane and Dunbar Avenue. Unit 658 responded with Chief Smolko and Engine 652 responded with Capt. Maas, 2nd Lt. J. Cercatore and Firefighters Flasser and Portaro. Unit 658 arrived and reported a working car fire with a full involved engine compartment. Engine 652 arrived and pulled a foam line and extinguished the fire. Units cleared up around 0700 hours. Other units on scene included Holmes Marshall 673.

April 27^th -Today at 1330 hours the River Road Fire Company was requested by Rutgers University Emergency Services to standby at the Louis Brown Athletic Center with Engine 651 for Rutgersfest 2007.  Engine 651 headed over to the RAC with 2nd Lt. J. Cercatore and Firefighters Abraham, Barnoski, and N. Recine. While standing by the crew saw performances by The Consequence, Hawthorne Heights, Everclear, and The Legendary Roots. The crew was also given the chance to relax in Everclear's tour bus for awhile. Engine 651 returned to quarters around 2130 hours.

April 15^th - Piscataway Township was slammed with an April Nor'easter that brought several inches of rain. The calls for the River Road Fire Company began around 1200 hours on April 15th and did not stop till around 1900 hours on Sunday April 16th. River Road Fire responded to over eighty emergency calls. The calls ranged from flooded basements, the evacuation of all houses and apartments along the Raritan River, and a water rescue in the area of Possumtown Rd. by 287 with six occupants trapped in a car which was submerged in water, and a mutual aid request into Highland Park for a working structure fire. Due to the evacuations and the amount of simultaneous calls received, County OEM provided River Road with relief from Point Pleasant Beach, Egg Harbor Twp., and Tuckerton. A thank you to all mutual aid companies that assisted and all the members that spent more than 24 hours at the firehouse during the incident.

March 31^st - Today the River Road Fire Company was invited to participate in a live burn drill with the North Stelton Fire Company at the Middlesex County Fire Academy.  Asst. Chief S. Florek, Captain E. Maas, 2nd Lt.  J. Cercatore, Engineer P. Cercatore, and Firefighters N. Recine, Wachterhauser, and Wiklanski were among those who participated in the drill with Engine 652. North Stelton and River Road conducted their live burn in the Fire Academy's recently designed taxpayer building. Both companies worked together in two different evolutions that involved engine company, truck company, and fast team operations. Other units at the drill included North Stelton truck 627, North Stelton Engine 622, North Stelton 625, and the North Stelton Rescue Squad. Both companies cleared from the academy at 1200 hours and returned to North Stelton's firehouse for lunch. A special thank you to North Stelton Fire & Rescue for allowing us the opportunity to be a part of today's live burn.

March 27^th - Around 1730 hours the River Road Fire Company was dispatchedd to a reported motor vehicle accident with possible entrapment and injuries on River Road just past the deer pens near the border with Highland Park. Upon arrival Chief Smolko confirmed a head on collision with entrapment.  Rescue 655 and Engine 652 responded.  River Road's extrication team did a driver's side door and roof removal in order for EMS to remove the patient from the car. River Road Fire was assisted by the Highland Park Fire Department, and the Possumtown and Holmes Marshall Fire companies.  All units cleared up around 1800hrs.

March 22^nd - The River Road Fire Company was dispatched to Chesterfield Drive for a hazardous material incident. Unit 658 arrived and Chief Smolko confirmed he had large amounts of heating oil in a stream. Rescue 655 responded and upon further investigation found additional quantities of heating oil a few miles away on Rutgers Busch Campus. Middlesex County Hazmat was notified while Rescue 655 and Possumtown Fire utilized  hazmat booms to contain the spill. Middlesex County Hazmat arrived and provided further spill control and cleanup. 

March 21^st - Around 0800 hours the River Road Fire Company was dispatched to River Road beneath the Route 18 overpass for the reported bus fire.  Engine 652 responded and prior to arrival a update by Possumtown Unit 638 detailed a Rutgers University Bus with its brakes on fire. Engine 652 pulled its booster line and extinguished the fire.  All units cleared up around 0812 hours.

March 13^th - Today around 0444 hours the River Road Fire Company was requested for their ladder truck into District 4 by the North Stelton Fire Company for a working structure fire. Truck 656 responded with Asst. Chief Florek, Captain Maas, 2nd Lt. J. Cercatore, and Firefighters Barnoski, N. Recine, and Wiklanski. Unit 658 responded with Chief Smolko. Truck 656 arrived and was ordered to the back of the house by North Stelton Asst. Chief McDermott. With the primary fire knocked, truck 656's crew was than asked by Lt. Calvo to begin overhaul on the first floor. Several hotspots were discovered and extinguished. Other River Road units operated on the second floor checking for extension.  Other units on scene included, North Stelton Truck 627, Rescue 625, Engine 621, Highland Park Engine Four, and New Market FD.  All units cleared up around 0800 hours.

February 28^th - The River Road Fire Company was requested into Rutgers University Busch Campus on Bowser Road for the reported fire. Engine 652, Truck 656, and Unit 658 responded. Upon arrival Unit 658 reported a fire in a laboratory. The fire was contained by the smoke hood. Rutgers Emergency Services and River Road Units checked for extension and provided ventilation to remove the remaining smoke from the building.  All units cleared up around 2150 hours.

February 26^th - Around 1650 hours the River Road Fire Company was requested into Johnson Park, Grove 5 to assist Piscataway Police with a search for a missing person. Rescue 655, Engine 652, and Unit 658 responded.  After about 2 hours of searching the park and area woods, creeks, tunnels, the missing person was found by Piscataway Police. Other units involved included North Stelton Fire who stood by at Station 650 and Piscataway OEM. All units cleared up around 1930 hours.

February 25^th - At 2005 hours the River Road Fire Company was dispatched to River Road and Ellis Parkway for a motor vehicle accident with entrapment.  Rescue 655 responded with 1st Lt. Harding, 2nd Lt. J. Cercatore, and  Firefighter Wojtowicz. Unit 658 arrived and Chief Smolko confirmed a one car accident with entrapment.  Rescue 655 arrived and began stabilization of the vehicle.  The patient was extricated and all units cleared up around 2027 hours. River Road Fire was assisted by the Holmes Marshall Fire Company.

February 23^rd - Today around 2313 hours the River Road Fire Company responded to River Road near the Highland Park border for a motor vehicle accident.  Rescue 655 responded with Asst. Chief Florek, 2nd Lt. J. Cercatore, and Firefighter Barnoski and N. Recine. Engine 652 responded with Captain E. Maas and Firefighters  Simon, Wachterhauser, Wiklanski, Winkler, and Wojtowicz.  Unit  658 arrived first, and Chief Smolko alerted responding units of no entrapment.  Chief Smolko reported a minivan that had hit a fire hydrant, telephone pole and went into a tree with wires down.  Rescue 655 secured the vehicle battery and PSE&G cut power to the wires.  River Road fire cleared up around 0030 hours.  Highland Park Fire also assisted on scene.

February 17^th - Around 2322 hours the River Road Fire Company was requested into Highland Park to provide a Cascade Truck for a working structure fire. Rescue 655 responded with Chief J.  Smolko, 1st Lt. G. Harding, and Firefighters Barnoski and R. Recine. Upon arrival  655's crew was requested to perform salvage and overhaul operations on the 2nd floor and attic.  In addition Rescue 655 filled multiple SCBA bottles for the Highland Park and Metuchen Fire Departments. Rescue 655 cleared up at 0144 hours.

February 16^th - Today at 1108 hours the River Road Fire Company was dispatched to 287 North for a motor vehicle accident with entrapment. Rescue 655 and Engine 652 responded. Chief Smolko arrived in Unit 658 and found an overturned vehicle into a ravine with the patient entangled by foot. New Market Fire Company was requested to respond for additional manpower and rescue equipment. Rescue 655 utilized cribbing to stabilize the vehicle and the patient was removed. All units cleared up around 1215 hours. Additional units on scene included the Holmes Marshall and Possumtown Fire Companies.

February 12^th - At around 1500 hours the River Road Fire Company was requested to standby at the New Market Firehouse with one engine company. River Road Engine 651 responded with Chauffeur Barnoski, Capt. Maas, 2nd Lt. J. Cercatore, and Firefighter P. Cercatore. Engine 651 stood by with Middlesex Truck 24 while New Market Fire operated at a structure fire located on Carlton Club Drive. Engine 651 cleared up around 1730 hours.

February 2^nd - At 1130 hours the River Road Fire Company was dispatched into the area of River Road and Park Avenue for the reported motor vehicle accident. Rescue 655 responded with Chauffeur J. Cercatore, 1st Lt. Harding, Engineer P. Cercatore, and Firefighter Winkler and Engine 651 responded with Asst. Chief Florek and Firefighter Simon. While en-route, 655 was informed by dispatch that there was a confirmed entrapment with a truck on top of a car.  Upon arrival 655 found a large tow truck that struck a car on the driver's side and pushed it into a telephone pole with wires down on top of both vehicles. Rescue 655 was updated on the patient status in the car and told to standby while Piscataway Police began their investigation. PSE&G was called to begin securing the power lines so the car and truck could be removed from the pole.  Crews extricated the driver and cleared up around 1700hrs.  River Road remained closed until the next day while PSE&G completed their repairs.

January 24^th - At around 1800 hours the River Road Fire Company was requested to respond into North Stelton Fire District 4 with one engine for a working structure fire.  Unit 658 responded with Chief Smolko and Engine 651 responded with  Chauffeur Wiklanski, Asst. Chief Florek, Capt. Maas, Lt. Cercatore, and Firefighters Winkler and Wachterhauser. Upon arrival, Capt. Maas and Lt. Cercatore performed roof ventilation and Firefighters Winkler and Wachterhauser performed interior operations, assisting crews from North Stelton. Other units on scene included North Stelton Engine 622, Unit 624,  Rescue 625, Truck 627, Unit 628 and one engine from New Market Fire. The Engine 651 crew cleared up around 2145 hours.