On March 7, while crews from 6 and 23 were participating in a RIT drill at Jenkins Lane, Loudoun dropped the tones for the 11 box. Engines 23, 6, Truck 6, and Chief 6 all responded to the call. DC18 arrived on scene with fire showing from a vent hole in the roof and asked for the second alarm. Truck 6 arrived and the 3 man crew quickly had ladders to the second floor, the aerial to the roof, and had forced doors and completed a search of both exposures. Chief 6 upon his arrival took staging officer command for units on the second, which were quickly put in service. The engine from 18 and truck 11 crews put a knock on the fire shortly after arrival. Both Engines from 23 and 6 were put in service; while Truck 6 remained on the scene to overhaul inside and cover the hole in the roof that the driver and bucket man opened. After their work was completed command was released and crews returned to quarters.

At 23:00 hours, while returning to quarters from a gas leak, truck 6 witnessed an auto accident. As soon as they arrived on scene they requested an entrapment assignment and confirmed 1 patient. The assignment brought the engine, medic and ambulance from 6. When the engine arrived on scene they stretched a line and assisted with extrication, while the medics and ambulance crew handled patient care. Extrication was completed within 10 minutes. Units cleared shortly there after. Engine 6 had Ashburn Rd command.

On Sunday February 1st members from throughout the county participated in Ice Rescue training in a pond located at the Loudoun County Training Academy. The training was sponsored by the county and offered in several different sessions over the weekend. Station 6 personnel Captain Kidwell and Firefighter Harting attended the day of training. Although wet and cold from braving the ice and water, all had a great time and received some great training. Special thanks to instructors Captain Stiles, Lt. Snowden, Lt. Jacobs, and Technician Sutherland for the excellent opportunity.

Melvin "Mutt" Partlow, although his military obligations prevented him from the status of "Founding Father" was a vital member of the early development of Ashburn Volunteer Fire Dept. He was a trained firefighter and served as Senior Lieutenant . During his 63 years of service to AVFRD, he was a member of the Board of Directors in many capacities. He held the position of Secretary for 7 years, Treasurer for 10, and was President of the Department for a year. His abilities as a successful business man helped steer the department through the 50's & 60's . His store, established with his brother Calvin (Partlow's store) remains an icon of old Ashburn. He will be missed

Right around shift trade on Friday, January 9th, Truck 6 was dispatched for the Personal Injury (pi) upgrade to entrapment at Belmont Ridge and Cochrans Lock. Engine 6 arrived on scene to find a car on its roof and two people trapped in the back. While waiting for the Truck 6, the crew stabilized the car, laid a line and started to do some cutting of their own. Once Truck 6 arrived extrication was completed and access to the passengers was acheived. The next day right before shift change at around 0500, Truck 6 was alerted to Rivercreek and Route 7 for an entrapment. First in units found a car on its side in the woods with 2 people trapped. It was a smooth operation with the units from Ashburn and Sterling (who was covering for Leesburg while they were at their banquet) collaborating to free the patients, One side was removed and the roof was flapped to gain access. Units were in quarters by 0600.

On December 22 while awaiting the nights first call, a bystander came into the fire house and alerted the boys from 6 of a fire just down the street. The crew immediately jumped on the rig and headed towards the house fire that was very visible from the front ramp. Units from 6 arrived on the scene with heavy fire from the first floor, A/D corner. The wagon crew pulled the crosslay and made an aggressive interior attack while the truck, although a little delayed due to being out doing pre plans, conducted a search and laddered the building. Within minutes the fire was knocked, and units began the overhaul process. Not only is this the first fire for the newly converted truck but it is also the first fire for Probationary firemen Hawley Hansen and Derek Heese, both did an outstanding job.

Monday December 15th marked an end of an era at the Six House. Rescue Engine 6 was officially decomissioned and Truck 6 placed into service. Rescue Engine 6 came to us from Pierce in 1996 and has faithfully run many calls over the years. Affectionately known to many as our only "real" firetruck every member always looked foward to wheeling the Rescue on a call. In it's final year it may have experienced some mechanical issues however she never let you down on a call. I will always have in my mind the sound of the jake brake hitting and Ricky Muth smacking the doghouse and yelling over "10-75 boys". The Rescue will be missed by many but never forgotten by anyone who ever had a chance to run her down the road.

The Rescue Engine was replaced by our Quint now known as Truck 6. Truck 6 was recently retrofitted with a transverse compartment set in place after the removal of the tank and pump. This compartment contains twin Hurst SIMO pumps, 2 40" Hurst Spreaders, O-cutters, Combi Tools, full compliment of cribbing and Rescue 42 strut system. Truck 6 operates off of a 25kw pto generator feeding all the equipment and 4000 watts of light on the body as well as 2000 watts of lights on the tip of the 75' ladder. An entire compliment of rescue rope, stokes rigging and all the everyday truck tools can also be found on the Truck. Truck 6 has been certified by the County to run as a medium duty squad due on all extrication calls within the first dueand calls in the surrounding areas. Truck 6 will run structural calls however be second out behind Tower 6.The company looks foward to many good years of service from Truck 6 and I personally can't wait to take her on her first trap job.

Thursday the 27th units were dispatched to Ashburn Village Blvd. and Farmwell Rd. for the auto accident. Command 6 arrived on scene advising Loudoun of a two vehicle collision with one needing extrication. The Rescue Engine crew removed the passenger side front and rear doors along with the b post to gain access to the patient. Total extrication time was 13 minutes.

Units: Rescue Engine 6, Ambulance 6, Engine 23, Command 6, Medic 15, Air Care 3

On the night of October 2nd units from ashburn, sterling and arcola were alerted for a house fire in 23's first due. 23 arrived on scene to find smoke showing from side charlie. when crews from 6 and 23 made entry they encountered heavy smoke conditions and a fire in the kitchen. A good stop was made as well as a rapid search and good ventilation. Units remained on scene doing overhaul for a while before command decided to hold ashburn units for the remainder of the clean up. Units cleared the scene shortly thereafter.

Rev. Myers is a volunteer Chaplain for Loudoun County Fire & Rescue Department Station 6 in Ashburn, VA. He has been ministering to the volunteer and career staff here for many years, in addition to holding down a full time job with the Department of Homeland Security, in Washington, DC.

Chaplain Myers (Chaplain 601) regularly responds to 911 emergency calls involving accident entrapments, suicide attempts, cardiac arrests, and situations involving deaths of individuals. Responding to these situations has caused him to travel several hours at times to be present when it counted. There are two recent instances when his readiness to make himself available to those in need was exemplary, which were an example of the high quality of care and concern he provides on a regular basis to the first responders and citizens of Loudoun County.

In May 2008, Chaplain Myers was on the Chesapeake Bay, enjoying a day on the water with his family when five of our fire fighters were injured in an early afternoon house fire. Three sustained significant injuries, requiring Burn Center visits. One fire fighters injuries were so significant, his stay at the burn center lasted several months.

Upon hearing the call, Chaplain Myers immediately cut his boating trip short, taking his family ashore. He then proceeded immediately to the Burn Center in Washington, DC, where he was able to minister to the victims and their families. Very few Chaplains would cut short a hard to come family vacation day to go and respond to a Chaplain call. For Chaplain Myers it was not a sacrifice, but a duty.

In September 2008, one of the fire fighters from Station 6 was vacationing at a resort community near Richmond, VA, when he was involved in a tragic vehicle accident. The accident resulted in multiple broken ribs, a collapsed lung, broken collar bone, broken pelvis, and ruptured spleen, amidst other injuries. This was an extremely serious accident. The victim was immediately taken to the nearby Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Hospital. Within fifteen minutes of hearing of the accident, Chaplain Myers was in his vehicle, heading for VCU, where he ministered to the downed station member. This was to be a several hour trip by car, in heavy rush hour traffic, along Rte 95 which is known for significant backups. This was immediately after he had just arrived home from his hour long commute from his Washington DC office, to his home in Ashburn, VA. An average Chaplain would have simply called him by phone, or waited until the next day to visit, but Chaplain Myers has never been one to go only when it is convenient.

Quickly responding to station calls is only one of the many desirable traits possessed by Chaplain Myers. Chaplain Myers exemplifies what the position of Chaplain is all about. He is always willing to minister to first responders and members of the public alike, without showing partiality. He is well respected in his position of Chaplain, being voted to a position of Board Member multiple times for Station 6 by the station members. He has performed weddings and funerals when asked. Chaplain Myers is an asset to Loudoun County, and seeks to honor the Lord in all he does.

In light of the above it gives us great pleasure to recognize Chaplain Gary Myers as Northern Virginia's ICM Chaplain of the Year.