For the middle of June the Ancram Fire Company members practiced raising, lowering and carrying ladders. The use of ladders are a very important part of firefighter safety, helping make a rescue or to get into position to find the fire. There are different types of ladders, and members brought out roof ladders and an extension ladder to test out and practice with. If you are interested in becoming ... (Full Story & Photos)

The Ancram Fire Company practiced large area search at the SWM paper mill, able to use a darkened warehouse. Members used ropes and thermal imaging cameras to locate targets and objects within the building working together as a team and communicating to not become seperated in a large structure. This skill is a specialty skill and isnt used often but can also be a life and death situation if not practiced.... (Full Story & Photos)

The fire company practiced stretching and flaking out a hose line from a crosslay to a door like they would in the event of a fire. After members continued to use our new self contained breathing apparatuses that are a larger size air bottle allowing us to get more work done when at an emergency. Once all the lines were out and on the ground, members used them to clean the parking lot from the salt ... (Full Story & Photos)

When a vehicle with flashing lights is stopped on or next to a roadway, drivers approaching the vehicle should:

change into a lane not immediately adjacent to the vehicle, or
slow down to a reasonable speed if you’re unable to safely make a lane change.
Move Over – It's the Law
All 50 states have "Move Over" laws to protect law enforcement officers and other first responders stopped on roadways, ... (Full Story & Photos)

Members of the Ancram Fire Company joined with members of Taghkanic Fire Company to practice search and rescue techniques in rural wooden areas where hikers and hunters may become lost, injured or in trouble. Groups hiked a short distance at a local farm to locate two victims, package them and escort them out of the area to safety.

As the weather turns nice and members of the community are encouraged ... (Full Story & Photos)

Taghkanic Fire Company joined the Ancram Fire Company for some drafting and pump operations Sunday morning. Members attached hard suction into the stream and truck operators used it to draft water up into their trucks. 79-20 and 79-30 were used for Ancram drafting and 56-20 and 56-30 were used for Taghkanics operations. An incredibly important role involved with emergency events, the truck operator ... (Full Story & Photos)

The burn ban is in full effect, the area is still extremely dry and two different brush fires got started in town. The first brush fire started along the side of the road possible from a cigarette that spread to a field, at approximately 14:00, Thursday afternoon. 79-20 and 79-30 were on scene to extinguish the blaze.
The second brush fire came later at approximately 16:30 when a pile of debris was ... (Full Story & Photos)

A state of emergency has been declared for Columbia County effective at 16:00 hours today. No open burning for the remainder of the time till the end of the normal burn ban. Just today alone the Ancram Fire Company has responded to three different brush fires in neighboring districts within a 4 hour time span. Strong winds and extremely dry conditions are a recipe for disaster for open burning. Please ... (Full Story & Photos)