The nation will once again come together this Monday to remember those who died serving in our country's military to protect our country.  While you go about your day on Memorial Day please take a moment to remember those that served and continue to serve in our nations military.  Once again this year the company will be attending the annual Smyrna/Clayton Memorial Day Parade being held in Smyrna starting at 10:00am on Monday May 27th.  Immediately following the parade the members will be attending the annual Memorial Service that will be held at the Smyrna/Clayton Military Memorial at the Smyrna Park on N. Main St.  At the Memorial Service several members will be serving in a Honor Guard that will be raising our nations flag along with flags from each branch of the military.  God Bless America and those who perished while defending our freedom.   

The Ladies Auxiliary and the company are mourning the passing of Ladies Auxiliary Life Member Florence Timmons.  Ms. Timmons 98 passed away on Monday May 20, 2013.  Florence was a very active member of the ladies auxiliary always seen helping in the kitchen or doing whatever asked of her.  Ms. Timmons worked at several businesses in the area.  Ms. Timmons is survived by six children; sons Earl, Tommy, Roland, Billy & Paul and daughter Betty Jolly, 27 grand children, 36 great grand children & 12 great great grand children, Roland is the current Chief Engineer and is a Life Member, Billy is a Past Chief and Life Member of the fire company.  She was preceeded in death by her husband Earl Sr., three daughters Mary Phyllis Timmons, Virginia Heverin and Sally Hewes, three sons; Pete Brown, Ralph Timmons, James Timmons a Daughter in Law Pat Timmons Rouse, grandson Brantley Heverin and a grand daughter Dolly Heverin.  Services are as follows; viewing is Thursday evening May 23 from 7pm-9pm at the Daniel & Hutchinson Funeral Home 212 N. Broad st in Middletown.  Funeral services will be Friday May 24 at 1pm also at Daniel & Hutchinson with internment immediately folowing at Townsend Cemetery.  All company members planning on attending either service are to wear their Class A uniforms.  The officers & members of the fire company and its ladies auxiliary would like to extend the sympathy to the Timmons family.  

The Kindergarden class from Clayton Elementery School visited the firehouse on Friday morning as part of their field trip to several businesses in town to learn about government and what each business does.  While there the children had a chance to learn about the fire company and what they do in the community.  They also got a chance to look over the equipment and spent a few minutes interacting with the members.  Thank you to the children for spending the morning with us and a special thank you to future firefighter Kolby Davis for his help with the tour.

During the May Kent County Firefighters Association meeting, hosted by Ambulance 64, county President John Pridemore recognized the past county presidents that were in attendance.  Pres. Pridemore noted their years of dedicated service to the Kent County Fire Service.  Past County President in attendance from Clayton were Past President J. Wallace Hudson and Past President Kevin L. Wilson.   

During the May monthly meeting Vice President Shaner on behalf of Pres. sawyer and Chief Johnson named Will Kinsey as member of the month for April 2013.  During the month of April 2013 will attended the folowing;  11 out of 22 emergency calls, 4 fund raiser events, 10 misc events, 1 in service drill, and the company meeting.  He accumilated 29 points for the month and has 157 for the point year 2013.  Congratulation will on his award. 

Sunday afternoon at 16:03 sta 45 and Amb 64 was dispatched for the MVC with a vehicle reported on fire at 1669 Longridge Rd.  Command 45 w/Capt. Carrow arrived a short time later and reported a 2 car mvc with one vehicle fully involved.  Rescue 45 w/7, Chief Johnson arrived placed its bumper line in service and made quick work of the pickup truck on fire.  Engine 45-4 w/6, Past Chief Carrow arrived behind the rescue, supplied the rescue and secured the other vehicle.  Brush 45 w/3, Past Chief Whalen arrived and assisted unts on scene.  One child was transported from the scene to Smyrna/Clayton ER by B-64.  One of the operators fled prior to arrival of emergency services.   Command placed the scene under control and returned the engine, brush and second bls unit.  Units were back in quarters around 5pm.  Units on scene Command 45, Rescue 45, engine 45-4, Brush 45, A&B 64, Sta 45 Fire Police, DSP CPD.  Clayton had 28 members respond on the call.  Capt Carrow had the Longridge Road Command.

The company had what turned out to be a fairly busy Saturday.  About 25 members on Engine 3 & the Quint left the station at 7:00am to make the 90 minute trip to West Chester PA to hold one of our annual structural in service training.  The facility at West Chester gives the members the chance to train in a different envitonment then they usually do at the DSFS facilities.  The members covered engine company and ladder company operation.  The members were back from training around 2:30pm.  

While members were at West Chester the station was dispatched at 09:17am  to assist Sta 44 with a AFA at DHCI 100 sunnyside Rd.  Rescue 45 w/6, Past Chief Whalen and Engine 45-4 w/2, Firefighter S. Hudson responded.  Those units were cleared after checking the building with CHC crews.  Units that responded Engines 44-2, 44-3, 45-4, 53-5, 54-2, Ladder 44, Rescues 45 & 53, A& B 64, KM6.  Chief Hankins had command. 

Finally later on around dinner time the station along with Amb 64 were dispatched at 18:09 for MVC with injuries at Sunnyside Rd & Hillyard Rd.  Coomand 45 w/Capt Carrow arrived to find a 2 vehicle MVC in the intersection.  Rescue 45 w/8, Chief Johnson, Engine 45-4 w/6, D/C Davis and Brush 45 w/4, Firefighter Joey Rigney responded and assisted with patient care and securing the vehicle.  Two victims were transported to Smyrna/Clayton ER one each onboard  A & B 64.  Units cleared and were back in quarters shortly before 7pm.  Units responding Command 45, Rescue 45, 45-4, Brush 45, A & B 64, Sta 45 Fire Police.  Clayton had 33 members respond on this call.  Capt. Carrow had the Sunnyside Road Command.

For the past couple weeks the company has been holding in service RIT training as part of the companies annual training.  Members have refreshed their knowledge and skills in Columbus Drill, and several other ways of removing a firefighter in distress.  The classes have been taught  by the line officers and have taken place at an acquired house in the first due.  

Sunday afternoon just before dinner at 17:45 the station was dispatched for the engine to assist NCC sta 26 Townsend with a woods fire at 500 Blackbird Landing Rd.  Engine 45-4 w/8, D/C Davis arrived to find Townsend and Smyrna units working a 2-3 acre woods fire.  Crews had problems making access to the fire.  The crew from 45-4 manpower using indian tanks and rakes assisted crews with containing the fire.  The state forestry service responded and put a fire break around the fire.  The engine was back in quarters at 19:15.  Clayton had 22 members respond on the call.  Units on scene brush units 26-0, 26-1, 44-0, Ranger 44, Engines 26-3 45-4.  Past Chief Ide had the Townsend Command.

Several members spent their Saturday working on a MAYDAY prop for the firefighters to use in training.  The prop is being built in one of the storage building the company owns on the old Mastens Property.  The project was overseen by D/C Davis.  He was assisted by Capt Carrow, Lt Chambers, Past Chief Tom Ruppert, A/C Lucas and Firefighter Will Kinsey.  Deputy Chief Davis advises this wil the be the first of several other training props that will be built for the members to train on.

Several younger members of the company enjoyed their prom this past weekend.  Traditionally as part of the evening couples get together to take pictures of their dates for family.  Several of the members made a special trip to the station to have their pictures taken with the apparatus.  We are sure that many happy memories were made during the evening that will stay with them forever!

Monday evening just prior to dinner at 17;44 Sta 45, Amb 64, KM6A, KM19A, KM5 and Trooper 4 were dispatched for the MVC with a subject reported trapped at Clayton Delaney Rd & Blackbird Forest Rd.  Command 45 w/ D/C Davis, B-64 and KM6A quickly marked up.  Command 45 arrived confirmed a subject trapped.  Rescue 45w/7, Chief Johnson, arrived at 17:54 and handled the door pop while Engine 45-4 w/8, A/C Lucas and Brush 45 w/4, A/C Hurlock arrived and secured the other vehicles.  Extrication was completed at 18:01.  The patient was transported to Smyrna/Clayton ED with minor injuries, ALS units were cleared.  The last Clayton unit was back in quarters at 18;18.  Clayton had 38 members respond on the call.  Chief Johnson had the Clayton Delaney Road Command.  Units responding Command 45, Rescue 45, Engine 45-4, Brush 45, A & B 64, KM6A, KM19A, Trooper 4, Sta 45 Fire Police, DSP.

Monday afternoon at 13:57 Sta 45 was dispatched for the gas odor outside the residence in the area of 459 E. Radison Run in the Huntington Mills Dev.  Command 45 w/Chief Johnson and Engine 45-3 w/6, D/C Davis arrived and confirmed a strong gas odor in the area.  Rescue 45 w/4, Firefighter D.J. Rigney was directed by command to respond into the Smyrna Industrial Park which is just east of the development to check that area.  Crews located a leak in a value on the high pressure gas line along the railroad tracks that seperates the industrial park and the development.  The crew from 45-3 secured a water supply and stretched lines to the area.  engine 45-4 w/2, Firefighter Hudson established a second water supply.  With the leak being located in Sta 44's first due, command requested a ladder company from sta 44 to respond to the industrial park.  Norfolk southern was also contacted to shut down the rail service in the area.  Officals from the gas company arrived and secured the leak by isolating the leak at nearby values but it would take several hours for the gas to clear the line.  Upon arrival of CHC units command was passed from Chief Johnson to 44-17 (Jarrell).  Sta 44 units stood by til cleared by Eastern Shore Energy.  The last Clayton unit was back in quarters at 15:24.  Clayton had 18 members respond on the call.  Units responding engine 45-3, 45-4, 44-2, 44-3, Rescue 45, Ladder 44, 44-0. 

Sunday evening at 20:57 Sta 45 and NCC Sta 26 (Townsend) for the tanker company were dispacthed for the residental structure fire 2705 Clayton Delaney Rd.  Command 45 w/ Capt. Harrington arrived and found a 2 1/2 story SFD with nothing evident and established Clayton Delaney Command.  Engine 45-3 w/5, D/C Davis arrived stretched a line and began checking the interior.  Quint 45 w/6, firefighter Durham arrived and threw ladders around the structure and laddered the roof.  Rescue 45 w/7, Past Chief Lightcap, Engine 45-4 w/4, Firefighter Kelleher and tanker company 26 stanged on the roadway.  Crews found no extension after checking both floors, the attic and basement.  Command placed the scene under control at 21:28.  All units were back in te station by 21:55.  Clayton had 34 members respond on the call.  Units responding; Command 45, Engines 45-3,45-4,26-2, quint 45, Rescue 45, Tanker 26.

Rescue 45 w/9, Capt. Carrow covered the 41 Local for their annual banquet on Saturday night April 13 while their membership enjoyed their annual appreciation banquet.  The rescue stood by from 5pm Saturday until Sunday morning at 7am.  While covering the 41 local the rescue handled 3 calls; an outside fire on Lockmeath Way, a gas leak in the residence in Rodney Village, and a MVC on S Dupont Hwy.