Spring Street Fire:"A Business Owner's Worst Nightmare"

By Susan Bush - March 29, 2007


Williamstown Fire Chief Craig Pedercini
Williamstown - This morning's pre-dawn Spring Street fire is under investigation and has closed a trio of popular business indefinitely.

Town Fire Chief Craig Pedercini said that no cause has yet been determined for the fire that is believed to have started in a basement beneath the Perfect Blend coffee shop. The building, which also houses a Subway sandwich shop and the Purple Pub on Bank Street, is owned by Paresky family and is managed by Mark Paresky.

Purple Pub, Subway, Perfect Blend Closed

Town police Officer Joe Ross discovered the fire at about 3:38 a.m. while on patrol, said Pedercini. The town fire department was called to battle the blaze and about 10 minutes later, firefighters from the Pownal Protective Fire Association in Pownal, Vt.and the Clarksburg
Volunteer Fire department were called to the scene. The Clarksburg
department was called specifically for its RIT capabilities. RIT is a specially-trained firefighter unit that specializes in firefighter rescue.



Police tape bars access to a Spring Street building burned during a March 29 fire.
A subsequent decision brought Adams firefighters to the scene with a truck capable of refilling firefighter breathing equipment.

"[Purple Pub, Subway, Perfect Blend] are closed indefinitely," said Pedercini. "We're waiting for the building inspector, who will have to see what's going on in the [Subway and Purple Pub] buildings. The structure under the coffee shop is just about burned away. The heavy part of the fire was underneath the [coffee shop]."

Town Health Inspector Jeffrey Kennedy said he completed a preliminary inspection of the businesses' food service capabilities and agreed that the businesses will be closed for the immediate future and possibly beyond, depending on subsequent inspections.

"A Tough Fire"

Pedercini reported no firefighter injuries during the blaze.

"It was a tough fire," he said. "It was in the basement and that's where we encountered the heavy fire. Once we realized that's where all the fire was, we changed our tactics a little bit. We cut vent holes in the floor to let some of the smoke and heat escape."

Pedercini said firefighters brought the blaze under control at about 5:30 a.m..

Purple Pub owner Mary Michel and pub manager Liz Chesbro were at the scene during the mid-morning.

"Devastating"

"This is devastating, it's a business owner's worst nightmare," said Michel, who has operated the pub from the same location for 34 years.

"I have no idea when we can reopen."

The pub interior does not appear to be severely damaged, she noted.
Michel said that she was notified of the fire by an employee who'd been contacted by her father about the fire.

Firefighters and police would not be expected to notify business owners of the blaze, Michael said and added "They were doing what they should be doing; fighting the fire."

Michel said that pub employees ceased daily operations at about 12:30 a.m. and noticed nothing out of the ordinary at that time. Ross should be credited for his police investigation into the smell of smoke some three hours later, she said.

"He's the one that saved the building," Michel said.

Building damage estimates had not been calculated, Pedercini said.

Michel said that the costs to the businesses will be high. All three business will lose revenue for every day they are closed, and employees will lose their daily wages.

Pedercini said the building was insured and Michel said her business is also insured. Pedercini said he believes the coffee shop and the Subway shop also carried insurance.

Two state fire investigators were at the fire scene this morning.

Additional information about the Spring Street fire may be found at www.iberkshires.com/story.php?story_id=22721
Susan Bush may be reached via e-mail at suebush@iberkshires.com or 413-663-3384 ext. 29.

U.S. Army Specialist Travys Rivers: "I Believe In The Mission"

By Susan Bush - January 16, 2007


U.S. Army Specialist Travys Rivers returned home recently from one year in Afghanistan. [Photo by Sue Bush]






North Adams - He's a father and a husband, a volunteer firefighter and an Army specialist who works mostly as a heavy equipment operator for the military.

And after a year stationed in Afghanistan, 26-year-old Travys Rivers is something else, he said.


The Biggest Gift

He is proud of the work done there by U.S. troops and members of the Afghanistan National Army.


"We are trained by the best of the best and the ANA is trained by the best of the best," Rivers said during a Jan. 16 interview. "I believe in the mission. We are helping the people of Afghanistan. Slowly, we are making progress there. The [troops] for the most part, don't like being away from home but they are proud of what they are doing. With the U.S. military and the ANA, we are giving the Afghan people the
biggest gift; their freedom."

Rivers arrived in the U.S. last week along with other 20th Engineer Brigade 37th Engineer Battalion troops. He is very happy to be reunited with his high school sweetheart and wife of almost five years Jennifer [Morris] and his 19-month-old son Connor, he said.

He will be returning to duty at Fort Bragg, North Carolina soon.

Always On Alert

The bonds forged among troops stationed in Afghanistan are extremely strong, Rivers said.

"I've been a firefighter and I know how strong the camaraderie is," he said. "The camaraderie, the brotherhood and sisterhood of the military blows that out of the water. You are always 'on alert,' because you have to make sure your buddy is safe. You have to make sure your buddy gets home to their family."

"You have to always be on your 'aware.'"

Despite a very strong sense of being aware, lives are lost and the losses are felt deeply by the troops, he said.

True Leader, True Courage

Rivers shared the story of Charlie Company 37th Engineer Battalion Sgt. Christopher C. Rafferty, who was killed in action in Afghanistan in July.

Rafferty, who was 37 at the time of his death, had a widely-recognized reputation as being dedicated to keeping his troops alive, safe, and able to return home, Rivers said.

"He was a good guy," he said. "I was told he would back you up all the way if you were doing the right things and if you weren't, he'd bring the wrath. The night he was killed, he was making sure that all his guys were getting to safety. He took the hit, and he took the hit making sure that his guys would be able to get home safely."

Rafferty was married with two daughters. He was a resident of Brownsville, Pennsylvania.

Rivers' company did not suffer any loss of life, and Rivers attributed that to a combination of "good leadership and luck." The military does provide troops with good body armor, Rivers said.

"Our leadership is adamant that the guys are safe," he said.

"We Are Helping The People Of Afghanistan"

Afghanistan is poverty-stricken to the point that "it isn't even considered a Third World country," Rivers said.

But despite the poverty -the likes of which would shock most Americans, he said - the people are very self-reliant, self-sufficient and make the most of the very little that they have. Many Afghan people are very appreciative of the troops and the efforts the troops are making on their behalf, he said.

There are positive interactions between troops and Afghan civilians, he stressed. There are many children affected by injury and illness and sanitary conditions rarely exist. Modern medicines and medical equipment is unheard of in most parts of the country and people most often walk, ride donkeys, or drive very old vehicles left over from a Russian occupation of the country, he said.

"Our medics help out tremendously," he said. "Our medics go out and help these kids. For example, the kids get dirt in their eyes and the medics get the dirt out and give the fathers eye drops to take care of things. They aren't doctors but out there they help a lot. They do what they can. And the kids have this game called hoparound; our medics and some of my friends played hoparound with the kids. And I'm telling you, the kids loved it and my friends loved it."

"Of course you still have to keep you guard up but we are trained for that, trained for what to look out for," he said, and added "And when you let people just be people...."

"Sometimes when we ask for certain care packages it's so we can give stuff to the kids," Rivers said.

"I like the interaction with the people," he said. "I believe in the mission. We are helping the people of Afghanistan."

For instance, while in Afghanistan, Rivers helped build a road that linked rural areas with larger communities and created a much-needed accessway to items such as food and some medicines.

Other U.S.-influenced changes include education for young Afghan girls in the country's schools, Rivers noted.

And It Did Not Taste Like Chicken

There are similarities between U.S. citizens and Afghan citizens, Rivers said.

"They take care of their families. The men protect their children and their wives. The wives do what they can do for their families. They live in homes made from mud and straw, but the homes are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. A lot of the people make their living -what is a living there- from farming."

Rivers has eaten goat meat, which he described as "kind of greasy." The meat did taste good and was prepared in a pot of water and cooked over a fire, he said. Several of his friends sampled camel meat and told Rivers it tasted "sweet."

"And it didn't taste like chicken, like everybody says everything else tastes like," he said with a smile.

Most Afghan civilians respect the troops and their religious beliefs, and the troops respect the beliefs of the Afghan people, he said.

Politics And Religion

Islam's Ramadan is a very significant religious time for most Afghan people and there is inflexible structure about when people may eat, when they must fast, what they may eat, and other specifics, he said.

"People don't always understand a lot about it but really, it isn't so much different from Lent for Catholics," he noted."There's things you are supposed to do and things you aren't supposed to do. Today, you have to learn about other religions and other cultures. If people took more time to find out about things, then people would understand so much more."

"And unfortunately, fighting nowadays is all about politics or religion."

Daily Life In Afghanistan

Even the weather has some likeness to the Northern Berkshires, Rivers said, and referred to an Afghan "mud season."

"Although in the summer it can get between 98 and 112 degrees," he said, and added that during one brief span, he saw a thermometer reading of 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Troops slept primarily in tents equipped with air-conditioning systems that "struggled" Rivers said.

A typical day included physical training before breakfast, the daily task, and an evening meal. In most cases, daily missions went on regardless of weather, Rivers said. Company cooks work from mobile kitchen trailers and put incredible effort into most meal preparations, Rivers said.

"Food is one of the things for morale and the cooks really try to whip up some good stuff, with what they have available," he said. "They do a pretty good job, too, you'd be surprised."

Berkshires Cuisine Can't Be Beat

s good as the food could be, Rivers admitted cravings specific products that could not be duplicated by the best military cooks.

"Jack's hot dogs, Angelina's, and Village Pizza, I talked about that to all the guys," he said. "And when I got back to the States, I said the first place I'm going is one of those three. I bragged to everybody about how nice it is here and I've actually got guys who want to come here just to try Jack's, Angelina's and Village Pizza."

Homeland Support

Support from U.S. citizens is a huge morale boost, Rivers said, and he emphasized that supporting a war isn't necessary to support the troops.

"When we get care packages, that really is good for morale," he said. "A couple private contractors made a good point while I was over there. They said that for every one soldier in Afghanistan, there are probably 20 people standing behind them in support, and it's the same for the troops in Iraq. That means a lot. When it comes to people who don't agree with the war, when it comes to protestors, do what you gotta do. It's because of my brothers and sisters that you can do that. So do it, but show us some respect. Respect the job we are doing. Whether you support President Bush or not, we are doing a job."

The Afghanistan terrain is extremely rugged and that does add to troop risks, Rivers said. Mail may be held up for weeks and the transportation of needed items, such as vehicle parts, is often delayed because of the country's geography.

"And there are weather extremes. One day it can be 51 degrees and the next day it can be 10 below [zero]."

There were a few opportunities to relax and socialize, Rivers said.

"People Make Sacrifices All The Time"

"And some of our guys are very, very musically talented," he said.
"One of the guys would break out a guitar and we'd make up songs. We'd sit around and sing and talk, we'd joke; we'd all look at pictures we'd seen about a million times. It was all 'hey, look at my kid' or 'hey, look at when I played this gig,' and everybody takes a look. Even if guys aren't real friendly at first, the camaraderie is fostered. You gotta think, our personal space was about two feet apart, so eventually, someone next to you is going to break down and cry with you or joke and laugh with you. It has to happen."

Rivers emphasized that when he enlisted in 2003, he was not under any delusions of cushy assignments.

Rivers began basic training on Oct. 29, 2003 and then went on to complete airborne training.

"Of course my family was worried [when he was deployed to Afghanistan] and of course I am happy to be back," he said. "But, you know, everybody makes sacrifices. Firefighters make sacrifices, families make sacrifices, people make sacrifices all the time. The guys and girls in the military miss out on a lot of anniversaries, birthdays, but everybody in the military volunteered to do this. There is no draft. People have volunteered and yes, there are sacrifices but I believe it is for a good cause."

"For me, the most important thing is that people support us. My wife and I knew exactly what was going on when I volunteered. My wife is a very strong supporter. In a relationship it has to be 50/50, no, it has to be 100/100 and she supports me all the time. My mother [Sandy Carson Rivers, who is deceased], my brother [Michael Rivers] and my wife always, always said that you can do whatever you want to do, just do it. And I did."

Service For The People Here

"When I first got to Afghanistan, it was 'Wow!'," he said. "For me, personally, I can say that being in the [Clarksburg] fire department helped me grow up a lot, having my son helped me grow up a lot, being in the military helped me grow up a lot. Being in Afghanistan made me realize just exactly how much we Americans take for granted, and it's a lot."

After he is discharged from the military, Rivers said he plans to live in the North Adams area. His goal is to bring his experiences, skills and desire to serve community to a job as a paid firefighter.

"I have learned so many things and I understand the value of community service, of being a contributor," he said. "And I would love to bring all that to the city and do what I can for the people here."

And while the traditional family unit is separated during a soldier's tour of overseas duty, a military family does evolve and those ties are very, very strong, Rivers said.

"They say that there isn't anything like the love between a mother and child," Rivers said. "For us, Uncle Sam is our mother and we are the children who protect."

Susan Bush may be reached via e-mail at suebush@iberkshires.com or at 413-663-3384 ext. 29.

November Fire Company of the Month

The Clarksburg Fire Company has been chosen Fire Company of the Month for November 2006. The $500 award will go to purchasing new turnout gear. Once again it was a difficult choice between four excellent applications. The remaining three applicants will be reviewed again in December along with any new submittals.
For more information Click Here

Airport Plane Crash Drill Delivers Hands-On Practice

Emergency medical technicians delivered emergency assistance to "victims" of a staged Harriman-West Airport plane crash

By Susan Bush - November 30, 2006
Emergency medical technicians delivered emergency assistance to "victims" of a staged Harriman-West Airport plane crash. View Slide ShowNorth Adams - The scene appeared grim; a small passenger airplane made a mid-afternoon "emergency landing" and "crashed" into the side of the Mohawk Soaring Club building at the Harriman-West Airport. Assess And AssistNumerous incident "victims" were strewn about the ground, impacted by multiple and, in most cases, severe injuries. An emergency response was rapid and complete; North Adams and Village ambulance services ambulances and emergency medical technicians burst onto the scene followed by city fire trucks and police cruisers. EMTs, police officers and firefighters were seen assessing the situation and assisting "victims."

An EMT and a North Adams firefighter aid an injured "victim" while another firefighter replaces an oxygen supply tank during a Nov. 29 mass casualty drill.Adams emergency services workers were called at the airport scene after the first group pf responders arrived and at the North Adams Regional Hospital, members of the Clarksburg Volunteer Fire department erected a decontamination unit outside the hospital emergency department doors. NARH medical personnel were called to the hospital from their homes and some of those at work were called from different hospital units to assist at the ER.First Mass Casualty Drill At AirportThe Nov. 29 mass casualty drill benefited every participating agency, according to drill planning committee members John Meaney of the North Adams Ambulance Service and Shawn Godfrey of the Village Ambulance Service.

"I believe this is the first time we've drilled a mass casualty situation at the airport and we've reached out to a lot of agencies," Meaney said as the staged drama unfolded at about 3 p.m.. The drill was concluded at about 5:30 p.m.."It looks like it's going very well," said Godfrey from the airport site.The emergency response was set to be critiqued by numerous emergency services professionals once the exercise was completed, said Godfrey and Meaney.Additional drill planners were Daniel LaPlante of the Adams Ambulance Service, Paul Donovan, physician director of the NARH Emergency Department, and city Fire Director Stephen Meranti.Identify And Solve Potential ProblemsMassachusetts College of Liberal Arts Fine and Performing Arts curriculum students acted as "victims," and delivered extremely believable performances as individuals who sustained serious injuries, experienced shock and hysteria, or were among the drill's four "fatalities." Many of the "injured" sustained facial burns, respiratory difficulties, and one "patient" was scripted as a paralyzed person.

EMTs remove a "victim" from a mass casualty drill scene.Clarksburg Fire Chief Carlyle Chesbro Jr. evaluated drill benefits as he participated at the NARH site."We all get to experience how we work together, how to communicate, how to work out issues before there is an actual incident," Chesbro said. "We get to see who we are working with."For example, a hand-held radio communication issue was identified at the hospital between the exterior decontamination unit and the interior emergency room during the drill. The matter was resolved as the drill progressed and is unlikely to present a problem in the future, Chesbro said."Code Red"One side of the emergency department was dedicated to assist the drill "victims" and legitimate ER patients were assessed and treated on the opposite side of the recently-renovated unit. Donovan and Dr. Ronald Durning were part of the drill response team as was NARH Physician's Assistant Vicky Maxwell.

Clarksburg Volunteer Fire Department firefighters erected a patient decontamination area at the North Adams Regional Hospital and donned protective attire.Drills prepare hospital staff for worst-case scenarios, Maxwell said."It gets staff used to the idea that this could happen," she said.The hospital identified the situation as a "Code Red," said Community Relations Director Paul Hopkins. NARH has issued "code red" designations to real-life situations, including fires and other incidents, he said.Change Of ScriptThe drill was not staged as an easy exercise; traffic was significant during the late afternoon and the access road to the airport is also an entrance and exit for a Stop & Shop supermarket, a liquor store, and a video rental store. City elementary schools had dismissed students moments before the drill launched, as did the Charles H. McCann Technical School, and school busses traveled city streets during the drill.

North Adams Ambulance Service EMT-Intermediate Scott Spring is a 16-year veteran of the NAAS and numerous drills. The airport drill introduced a different scenario than many drill situations, he said."I've participated in about 20 drills and usually,it's a bus-vehicle type of thing," he said. "This time, the incident was different and the casualties were different. That is a good thing, it gets people involved in some different responses."
A "victim" is treated at the NARH Emergency Department by ER staff member John Ciuk.Good

To Be InvolvedMCLA student Jeremy Kerr was among the 16 incident "victims." Kerr participated throughout the entire drill and was among the participants transported via ambulance to the hospital. "There are a whole bunch of [MCLA performing arts students] that are part of this and it feels good to be involved," Kerr said. "It's been good working with the EMTs and the people at the hospital."The hospital must perform various types of drill on a regular basis to meet accreditation requirements, said Community relations Director Paul Hopkins. Participating emergency services providers drill within their own agencies and participate in group drills regularly.Susan Bush may be reached via e-mail at suebush@iberkshires.com or at 802-823-9367.