The Carbon Fire Department is responsible for operating and maintaining the Hempfield Township salvage unit, designated as Salvage 500. The salvage truck is a special piece of equipment unique to the Greensburg area, yet uncommon to many other parts of the country, as few fire departments operate this type of emergency vehicle. The Carbon Fire Department utilizes the salvage unit for two main purposes. (1) To pump water out of a flooded home or building and (2) to minimize fire/water damage as much as possible at a house/building fire and assist with a general clean up after the fire.

When a home or business floods, the salvage unit may be called to pump the water out of the building using a vacuum-like suction pump mounted inside the truck. In a flood situation, firefighters will also assist with clean up(removing damaged furniture, fixtures. ceiling tile, etc.) as needed.

The second function of the Carbon salvage crew is to respond to any structure fire within the municipality of Hempfield Township. Once on the fire scene, the salvage crew may enter the burning structure and immediately begin salvage operations. This could include but is not limited to removing/protecting furniture and other fixtures in rooms not touched by the fire and removing excess water created by the fire hoses. An advantage to having a salvage crew present at a structural fire is that additional personnel are on hand to provide support to other firefighters battling the fire. This support could come in the form of helping to retrieve tools and equipment for another fire company amongst other things. After the fire is extinguished, the salvage crew will enter the structure to clean out the fire burned areas and attempt to salvage what valuables can be saved by removing them from the structure or by covering them with a tarp or salvage cover. The property is then secured by boarding up any broken doors or windows and cordoning off the property as needed.

 2010 salvage calls to date:

• 1/9/10   House Fire in District 61 (High Park)
• 1/9/10   Residential Flooding in District 61 (High Park)
• 1/15/10 Apartment Fire in District 10 (Adamsburg)
• 1/17/10 Residential Flooding in District 29 (Hempfield No.2)
• 1/17/10 Residential Flooding in District 23 (Carbon)

• 2/16/10 Chimney Fire in District 112 (Jeannette)
• 2/23/10 Residential Flooding in District 61 (High Park)
• 2/27/10 Vehicle into a Building in District 29 (Hempfield No. 2)

• 3/17/10 Mobile Home Fire in District 65 (North Hempfield)

• 4/10/10 Commercial Flooding in District 29 (Hempfield No. 2)
• 4/14/10 House Fire in District 28 (Midway/St. Clair)
• 4/16/10 Structural Damage in District 23 (Carbon)
• 4/16/10 Structural Damage in District 21 (Grapeville)
• 4/16/10 Structural Damage in District 10 (Adamsburg)
• 4/16/10 Structural Damage in District 96 (West Point)
• 4/17/10 Structural Damage in District 21 (Grapeville)
• 4/29/10  House Fire in District 82 (West Newton)

• 5/21/10  Structure Fire in District 61 (High Park)

• 6/26/10   Board up a Window in District 79 (Greensburg)
• 6/27/10   Structure Fire in District 10 (Adamsburg)
• 6/28/10   Fallen Tree into a House in District 21 (Grapeville)

• 7/8/10     House Fire in District 82 (West Newton)
• 7/14/10   Commercial Flooding in District 29 (Hempfield No. 2)
• 7/18/10   House Fire in District 10 (Adamsburg)
• 7/23/10   Residential Flooding in District 104 (Fort Allen)

• 8/3/10   Mobile Home Fire in District 74 (East Huntington Township)
• 8/9/10   Mobile Home Fire in District 61 (High Park)
• 8/12/10 Residential Flooding in District 104 (Fort Allen)
• 8/29/10  Commercial Flooding in District 104 (Fort Allen)

Running Total: 28