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BITS AND PIECES - 5/11/2008
(by Howard Ball - OpEd Columnist - May 11, 2008)
Times to duck and cover
It seems as though Riverdale has been marked for accidents with toxic fumes. The recent tanker incident reminded me of the night the gas line blew a gasket. I'll talk about that later.
The entire community of Riverdale should be commended for their rapid response to the trailer incident. The brave young police officers Sgt. Chris Biro, Patrolman Charles Quant, Jr. and Patrolman Anthony LaPorta, who faced an unknown peril to save the lives of the truck driver and passenger, are real heroes. If you asked them though, they would tell you it is all part of "the job."
They live their lives to protect and serve and when you come upon a damaged semi spewing fumes, you save lives first and think of your own safety second.
Mayor Bill Budesheim, wearing one of his many borough hats, was on the scene for many hours once again showing his real concern for the people of Riverdale. The men and women of the Riverdale Volunteer Fire Department must have been exhausted after their many hours of duties as were the borough employees who took part in the HAZMAT operation.
The people of Riverdale must feel secure after seeing their first responders do such an admirable job. The hours of drill and planning paid off big time.
In late October of 1957, the natural gas line, which runs through the quarry, ruptured and gave the area a big scare. It was the time when we were all focused on the possibility of atomic attack, so the sound of the gas from the pipeline scared the bejabbers out of us.
We were living on Passaic Avenue in Pompton Lakes at the time. Daughter Diane was wearing a Pocahontas outfit for Halloween and the wife was pregnant with Patti. When I heard the noise, I first ushered the family into the basement. Wife Diane had tried to get under the bed, but her condition would not permit it. I got them all in the basement and ventured out onto Passaic Avenue, where I found my mother-in-law Flo and the neighbors looking down the road toward Riverdale.
Just then the old fire horn blasted three times and I was called to duty at the fire house., It was pretty obvious by now that it was not atomic, so I let everyone out of the basement before I went to the firehouse. I climbed aboard the old 1926 Hook and Ladder and we went to Riverdale Code 3. We parked at Richard's corner and shut our vehicles down.
There were fears that the auto ignition might ignite the fog of natural gas that blanketed the area. We went from house to house warning the residents and extinguishing pilot lights. It took several hourhours for the gas company to shut the valves and for the gas to dissipate. We were on duty to until the wee hours of the morning. There was no explosion. We reprimanded a few idiot motorists who insisted on throwing lighted cigarettes out the window. A similar break in South Jersey years later incinerated homes and cars. But God was watching over Riverdale that night.
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