Honeoye Falls Fire Department
Honeoye Falls firefighters are volunteering to help in whatever way they can following the severe rain and flooding throughout the state.
Honeoye Falls firefighters help out Broome County
6/29/06
A second string of local firefighters could be deployed as early as this weekend to offer relief to those already helping in the southern tier. Chief Joel Taylor said his team is ready to do whatever is needed. He's especially proud of that because the firefighters in his department are all using vacation time, sick days or just volunteering their time to help.
Taylor said New York State Fire Officials called the Monroe County Fire Bureau Wednesday requesting the help be available as early as Thursday morning.
The state chose Honeoye Falls because it's part of Monroe County's 5th Battalion Ice Cold Water Rescue Team, which, as the name suggests, has first responders with a lot of experience with water rescue.
One volunteer firefighter also works as a teacher.
“We've practiced so we're used to doing that kind of thing. I’m also involved with the EMS side so I've come across a body that's not conscious or alive. It's not something you enjoy seeing, but it's also something that needs to get done,” said Mike Bonadonna.
Chief Taylor said the firefighters who left Thursday morning will be back late Friday afternoon. If the state requests more help a second group will be sent as soon as the call comes in.
State police believe excessive speed led to a fatal crash Sunday morning in the town of Mendon just outside the village of Honeoye Falls.
Investigators say Christopher Martin, 38, lost control on a feeder ramp from Route 15A to West Main Street just before 9:30 a.m. The car then hit a utility pole and flipped, partially ejecting Martin, who died at the scene.
Honeoye Falls Fire Chief Joel Taylor said it was a difficult scene for him and his firefighters.
"Whenever you have a fatal, you always worry about your crews. The firefighters. One, to make sure nobody knows the victim. And provide counseling afterward for anyone who needs it and make sure everybody's OK."
The crash knocked out power to the village of Honeoye Falls for much of the morning.
A crew from National Grid worked to restore service.
One Killed in Mendon Crash
by Dan Smith
Published Oct 08, 2006
by Dan Smith
Published Oct 08, 2006
Fire damages Mendon town garage, equipment
Victoria E. Freile
Staff writer
Published Feb 27, 2008
February 26, 2008 12:16 pm — A garage and workshop owned by the Mendon Highway Department this morning sustained heavy fire damage, according to department officials.
Firefighters and Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies were called to 101 Semmel Road, which is town-owned property, about 10:30 a.m., dispatchers said. The structure was a five-bay garage used by the Mendon Highway Department for cold-weather storage, said deputy highway superintendent Gary Loope.
No injuries were reported.
As of 11:45 a.m., the structure was smoldering. A portion of the garage had collapsed and the roof was no longer intact.
Firefighters had pulled a large backhoe/excavator from the building, which was still burning.
Loope said the excavatorand a pickup truck were heavily damaged in the fire. The structure was used to store equipment and other items used by the department in the summer months. Some damaged items included charred chainsaws and portable radios, he said.
Loope emphasized that the blaze will not effect the department’s winter plowing operations, particularly in the coming days with about a foot of snow is expected to fall by midday tomorrow.
Snow plows, salting trucks and other winter equipment are stored in a separate building about 200 feet from the burnt structure “and were never in danger,” Loope said.
Further details of the blaze were not immediately available. Loope said firefighters and highway officials did not know what caused the fire. He said it appeared that the blaze sparked on the heated side of the garage.
Semmel Road connects Quaker Meeting House Road and Chamberlin Road in Mendon.
At the scene were firefighters from Honeoye Falls, Mendon, Rush, Pittsford and East Avon.
VFREILE@DemocratandChronicle.com
Includes reporting by staff writer Jeffrey Blackwell
Friends Gather to Watch Local Man on American Idol
By: Mike Hedeen
Many in Honeoye Falls were glued to their television sets Wednesday night to see one of their own. Jonathan Stills, a bus driver for the Honeoye Falls-Lima School District, had gone to Orlando, Florida to audition for American Idol.
A large group of Stills’ friends got together at the firehouse to watch him sing on national television.
"For being such a small town it's just really exciting,” said Meaghan McGory. “Everyone's just in a tizzy, we're all excited."
Jonathan has been a member of the Honeoye Falls Volunteer Fire Department for nearly four years. His fellow firefighters say he has a great voice and sings at different events.
Having one of their neighbors on American Idol has become the talk of the town.
"Everyone around town has been speaking about Jonathan now that it's out, now that Idol's out on the street,” said Joe Germanto, a lieutenant with the fire department. “Everyone knows that Jonathan's a great singer and everywhere you go someone's talking about Jonathan."
They watched other performers, some good and others not so much, get air time during the hour-long show, but they only saw quick glimpses of Stills and didn't get to hear him sing.
"It was disappointing, but at least we got a little clip at the end so we know he's moving on,” explained firefighter Brandon Mustardo. “None of us have really talked to him because I guess we can't. We're hoping for the best for him and we'll be supporting him the entire way."
Jonathan has been cleared from work through March and that is a strong indication that he's still in contention.
The firefighters say they will get together again next week hoping this time Jonathan will make the show.
Story Curtosy of YNN Rochester
Photos of Jonathan during Firefighter 1 class
Catch Honeoye Falls Fire Fighter Jonathan Stills on American Idol as he makes it to Hollywood!
Photo curtosy of Americanidol.com
