From the Winchester Community Facebook Page:
Around 2230 hours last night, we received a dispatch that no firefighter ever expects: a reported structure fire at our own station. A member driving by noticed smoke in the vicinity and alerted Adams County Dispatch.
Members responded from home within minutes and found heavy smoke coming from the building. Conditions made it extremely difficult to assess the situation or enter the station. Our rescue pumper was on fire, threatening to spread to the building. Members were able to remove a brush unit and protect the structure until mutual aid crews arrived to help finish extinguishing the fire.
My heart breaks for our members, both current and retired, who have dedicated so much of their lives to securing this equipment and protecting our community. This loss carries the weight of years of hard work, sacrifice, and pride.
I also want to express my deepest gratitude to the men and women of our neighboring fire departments. Without your compassion, dedication, and hard work, we could have lost our firehouse last night. There are too many of you to thank individually, but please know that your efforts are deeply appreciated and will never be taken for granted.
Although our rescue pumper was a total loss, we will continue operating out of Station 19 with an engine loaned to us by Wayne Township. They deserve a special thank-you for their generosity and support. You stayed with us last night until that engine was in service and ready to respond to calls. I hope you never find yourselves needing the same help, but if you do, we will be there. We will never forget what you did for us.
This is the brotherhood that people talk about in the fire service. Last night, we experienced it firsthand.
To our community: thank you for your continued support over the years and through this difficult time. You may see us responding in a different engine than you are accustomed to, but we are still here, still operational, and still ready to answer the call.
Chief
Travis Baker 1901
