Welcome to The Blue Ridge Rescue Squad
Covering 125 square miles of Sussex County, NJ, the Blue Ridge Rescue Squad serves the largest response area in the State of New Jersey.
Feel free to browse our site, check out our pictures, and fill out an application on our contact page!
06/02/2011 - RV Fire in Frankford
On Thursday June 2, the Frankford Fire Department, Branchville Fire Department and Blue Ridge Rescue Squad were dispatched to a reported motor home fire. Upon the arrival of Frankford units, a fully involved vehicle fire was confirmed. Blue Ridge Rescue Squad responded with EMS 1 and EMS 2, and established a firefighter rehab site.
The fire was extinguished in about twenty minutes with the assistance of Beemerville Fire and Sussex Fire Department who provided tankers.
02/10/2011 - Structure Fire in Newton
At 1250 on February 10th, the Newton Fire Department and First Aid Squad were requested to 219 Woodside Avenue for a reported basement fire. Upon the arrival of Newton Police, onscene reports given confirmed a working structure fire. Four additional fire departments were requested to the scene with Branchville FD sent to standby at NFD Station 1.
For firefighter rehab, Newton FAS requested Lakeland Emergency Squad for their rehab supplies as well as additional manpower from Fredon EMS and Blue Ridge Rescue. Blue Ridge EMS 2 responded with a crew of three including CT1, LT1, and CFR Pruitt.
Onscene operations lasted for two hours. A total of twenty-eight firefighters were evaluated and rehabilitated without a need for additional care or transport.
In 1991, the residents were faced with another fire which totally destroyed the house and was rebuilt shortly thereafter.
Additional responding agencies included: Andover Boro Fire Police, Andover Township Fire, Andover Township Police, Branchville Fire, Fredon Fire, Fredon EMS, Hampton Fire, Lakeland Emergency Squad, Newton DPW, Newton FAS, Newton Fire, Newton Police, Sparta Fire FAST, and the Sussex County Fire Marshall.
11/12/2010 - Wilderness Evacuation in Wantage
Shortly after noon on January 13th, Blue Ridge was requested to respond with its ranger to Roy and Spreen Roads in Wantage for a wilderness evacuation.
Upon arrival, under the command of Wantage Captain Mike Puskas Jr., Blue Ridge assisted in the packaging and transport of a 69 year-old Kearny man who fell from a tree stand. The patient was approximately 0.75 miles into woods and was complained of back and leg pain.
Upon evacuation, the patient was transferred to Wantage FAS and Medic 54, who transported to Sussex.
11/12/2010 - Rollover in Hampton Township
At approximately 18:00 on Nov 12, Blue Ridge Rescue, Frankford Fire, and Branchville Fire were dispatched to a reported rollover motor vehicle accident. First due units arrived and determined that the accident was in Hampton Township. Hampton Fire/Rescue was dispatched and, upon their arrival, assumed patient care.
All injuries were minor.
10/31/2010 - Rt. 565 Head-on Collision
FRANKFORD TOWNSHIP – A female driver was airlifted to Morristown Memorial Hospital after colliding head-on with another vehicle on Route 565 just after noon.
Driving a red Mazda south on Route 565, the female crossed into oncoming traffic for unknown reasons at about 12:30 p.m., and collided with a black Mercury Mountaineer SUV, heading northbound near Winding Brook Farms.
The female driving the Mercury and male passenger were taken to Newton Memorial Hospital and treated for injuries. The road was shutdown for approximately two hours.
Assisting agencies included: Wantage Township First Aid Squad and the New Jersey State Police.
10/02/2010 - BRRS Marches in County Fire Parade
The 90th Annual Sussex County Fireman Inspection Parade was held over the weekend in Branchville, commemorating the department's 100th anniversary.
BRRS members marched in the parade, displaying its fleet - including the recently added 2010 Polaris Ranger. Special thanks is extended to the Wantage Township First Aid Squad, Atlantic Ambulance Corperation, and St. Clare's MICU for their assistance in EMS coverage during the event.
09/02/2010 - Rt. 23 Pile-up
MONTAGUE TOWNSHIP – Around 1500hrs, a tractor trailer, heading north on state Route 23, lost its brakes, resulting in a multiple-car pileup.
Unable to stop, the driver crossed the empty lane of oncoming traffic, in an attempt to avoid hitting the vehicles in front of him, and crashed through the Citgo employee parking lot, demolishing a white 1996 Ford Taurus.
Before the truck veered into the southbound lane of Route 23, it set off a chain reaction, striking a red Ford Tundra, which collided with a white Chevy Suburban towing a camper, which rear-ended a gray Mazda 6 that rammed into a green Honda Accord.
