For the second morning in a row the company was awaken for a cover up to Kent County Md. Sta 6 Chestertown.  This time the volunteers from Kent County, Queen Annes County and Cecil County MD. were working a barn fire on MD Rt 291 east of Chestertown.  At 04:54 Sta 45 was dispatched for the engine to transfer to Sta 6.  Engine 45-4 w/7, Asst. Chief Lightcap made the 30 minute trip to Chestertown's station and covered their first due along with a Tanker from Hacks Point and the Quint from Sudlersville Fire Co.  Prior to being released from the transfer units were dispatched to an AFA in a residence in Box 6-1 area.  Engine 45-4 arrived to nothing evident with Asst. Chief Lightcap establishing command.  Crews investigated and found unattended cooking.  The crew from 45-4 was back in quarters at about 08:30.  Clayton had 20 members respond on the call.

Once again this year the company made the 2 hour trip to the lower Eastern Shore of Maryland to Tilghman Island for their annual Seafood Festival.  Quint 45, Engine 45-3 and Utility 45 along with 27 members made the bus trip.  After arrive at Tilghman Island members had time to enjoy the great food and drinks at the festival before the parade started.  During the parade the marching unit lead by Deputy Chief Jeff Hurlock was awarded Best Appearing Marching Unit and Engine 45-3 was awarded Best Appearing 1500 gpm Pumper.  After the parade the company participated in the midnight alarm contest.  Assistant Chief Jeff Lightcap, Operator Jason Durham and Firefighters Mike Harrington and Dylan Chambers again brought home the first place trophy for the quickest time of 1 minute 10 seconds.  This marks the 3rd time the company has won first place in as many years.  Thank you to everyone who made the long trip to Tilghman Island.  The Officers and Members would like to thank the crews from Little Creek Engine 54-2 and Sudlersville Md Engine 6-4 for covering our first due while we were gone.  Thanks guys!

Saturday morning at 05:31 the station was dispatched for the Quint to transfer to Kent County Md Sta 6 Chestertown.  Quint 45 made the response in several minutes with a crew of 6 with Capt. Davis as the officer.  Several minutes after being enroute Quint 45 was directed to the fire scene of a commercial building fire at 621 Morgnec Rd in Chestertowns' first due.  Quint 45 arrived to find Kent County and Queen Annes County MD units on scene with a large building well involved.  The Quint and crew remained on scene until 09:53 assisting with overhaul.  Quint 45 ladder pipe was placed in service for several hours to assist with extinquishment.  Shortly after units arrived on this scene Queen Annes County Church Hill was dispatched for a building fire at the Church Hill Lumber Co on Main St.  Units arrived there to find heavy fire, that alarm went to 3 alarms.  Both alarms were a short distance from eachother.  Companies from Kent County, Queen Anne's County, Cecil County, Talbot County in Md, and Kent and New Castle Counties in Delaware were involved with one or the other of these alarms.  Several crews remained at the station while the Quint was in service.  Those crews along with Engine 54-2 responded to a nature unknown fire at Millington Rd & Longridge Rd at 09:01.  Assistant Chief Masten arrived to find a small trash fire along the roadway and reduced the assignment to Engine 45-3.  Clayton had 41 members respond on the calls.

During the weekend of Saturday June 20th and Sunday June 21st Gator 45 and a it's crew were part over several fire and ems units that assisted the DAFB Fire Department during their annual Air Show.  Approximately 100,000 people per day attend the show each year.  The gator and crew where there from approximately 08:00 until 18:00 each day.  Saturdays crew was firefighter/driver Jason Durham and Past Chief NREMT Harvey Scott III.  The crew on Sunday was firefighter/driver Alex Carrow and Assist. Chief/NREMT Jeff Lightcap.  We would like to thank the members of the DAFB Fire Dept. for giving us the opportunity to assist them during their air show.  

The Ladies Auxiliary of the Clayton Fire Company regrets to announce the passing of Charter Life Member Sadie Voshell 90 of Clayton on Thursday June 18, 2009 at Bayhealth Medical Ctr. in Dover.  Mrs. Voshell was a Charter and Life Member of the Ladies Auxiliary and Past President of the Auxiliary.  Sadie is the sister of Charter Life Member Julia Mast who passed away on May 30, 2009.  Viewing will be Tuesday evening June 23, 2009 for 6:00pm til 9:00pm at the Faries Funeral Home 29 S. Main St. in Smyrna.  services for Mrs Voshell will be Wednesday  June 24, 2009 at 10:30am at Holy Cross Church 631 S. State St. in Dover.  Burial will be private with the family.  Please keep Mrs. Voshell and her family in your hearts and prayers during this difficult time.    

As part of our annual participation in the Fire Services Safety Stand Down the company participated in the 2009 Safety, health and Survival activities.  This years program dealt with structural size up and awareness, safety when responding to emergency scenes, firefighter health, and general safety practices.  As part of the structural size up and awareness members toured a house that is under construction in the Providence Crossing Dev. talking in depth about lite weight construction and the effects fire has on it.  They also discussed fire attack, ventilation and SAR in these types of structures and the challenges they present.  Members got to see first hand the different types of construction materials used across the country today.  Members also discussed firefighter health and fitness, and the importance of responding safely to emergency scenes.  Thirty one members attended this years event.  Thanks to Deputy Chief Hurlock, Safety Officer Whalen and Firefighter Ray Johnson for putting together this years event.   

Early Wednesday morning Quint 45 w/5, Capt. Pase made the 30 minute trip to Chestertown Md to cover their district while they attended the Maryland State Fireman's Convention Parade that was held in Ocean City Md.  Also standing by at Chestertown during the parade was Engine 51-3 from the Hartly Vol. Fire Co. and Engine 44-4 from Citizens Hose Co of Smyrna.  Although the crews did not run any calls during the day they had a great time getting to visit with friends from our mutual aid districts.  The crews even got to get in a couple games of wiffle ball, until stopped by a local police officer.   The crew consisted of Capt. Pase, Deputy Chief Hurlock, driver Jason Durham, and firefighters Alex Carrow, Pat Kelleher, and Skip Demczak.  The crew would like to thank the members of Chestertown for their hospitality while they were there. While the Quint was committed on the cover up the station handled an AFA in a residence at 791 Daisey Rd.  Crews arrived to find unattended cooking and were able to quickly get back in service.  

Tuesday evening just prior to the start of the monthly company meeting a line of severe thunderstorms came thru the area bringing high winds, heavy rains, lightning and nickelsize hail. The first call came in at 18:34 for a large tree down with possible wires downon the 6000 block Underwood’s Corner Rd. Engine 45-4 w/7 Capt. Davis arrived to find the roadway completely blocked but no wires down. Their crew worked for almost an hour to clear the roadway. During the next hour and a half the station responded to 8 more calls ranging from a gas leak, several house with structural damage in the Plantation Crossing Development, 2 trailers with trees into them, wires down and a barn that was completely destroyed by the winds. Units responding on these calls were Brush 45-1 w/4, Firefighter Harrington, Engine 45-3 w/6, Assist Chief Lightcap and Rescue 45 w/5, Asst. Chief Masten. The most serious of the calls was the barn that was destroyed andalso damaged a camper that was parked inside the barn. During the storm the station also hand a crew in the station to man the other equipment should they be needed. All units were back in the station by just after 20:00 hrs. There were 59 members respond on the calls.   

During the regular monthly meeting on Tuesday June 9, Fire Policeman Ron Burnettwas named member of the month for May 2009. During the month of May Ron attended the following; 11 out of 13 Fire Calls, 10 Fund Raiser functions, 2 Misc points,2 uniform functions, the company meeting for a total of 29 points.   Ron has accumulated 138 point so far for the year 2009. The officers and members would like to thank Ron for his dedication and service.

The ladies Auxiliary of the Clayton fire Company regrets to announce the passing of Charter Life Member and Past President Julia Mast.  Past President Mast passed away on today's date after a long illness.  Julia joined the Ladies Auxiliary as a Charter Member in 1959.  She received her life membership from the ladies auxiliary.  She held numerous offices within the Clayton Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary up to and including President on several occasions.  Julia was Past President of the LADVFA, serving a President from 2000-2001.  Services for Past President Mast will be Thursday June 4, 2009 from 2-4 PM and 6-9 PM at the William R. "Ace" Carrow Memorial Hall at the Clayton Fire Company.  A mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday June 5, 2009 at 10:30 am at the Holy Cross Church located at 631 S. State St. in Dover.  Internment will be private with the family.   The Officers and Members of the Ladies Auxiliary and the Clayton Fire Company would like to offer their sincere sympathy to the Mast Family.  

Thirty four members of the fire company attended the annual Smyrna/Clayton Memorial Day Parade and Services that were held in Smyrna on Monday May 25.  The parade began at 10:00am at Market St Plaza in front of the Smyrna Town Hall.  Preceding from there the parade ended at the Smyrna Municipal Park on N. Main St. were the memorial service was held.  During the memorial service flags from each branch of the military were raised by representatives of the Smyrna & Clayton Fire Co. and several other organizations as the branches song was played.   The honorary speaker for the event  Staff Sergeant Gerald E. Kirby III USMC called upon residents to remember and pay tribute to the sacrifices of American veterans during the Memorial Day.  The day began at 09:00 am with a Memorial Service at Smyrna"s Lake Como to honor those that lost their lives during the war at sea.  The members of the Clayton Fire Company would like to say thank you to all the men and women who served and continue to serve in our nations military.  

The nation will once again come together to remember those that served in our nations military to protect our country.  While you go about your day today please take a moment to remember those that served and continue to serve in our nations military.  The company will be attending the annual Smyrna/Clayton Memorial Day Parade in Smyrna starting at 10:00 on Monday May 25.  Immediately following the parade we will also be attending the annual Memorial Service that will be held at the military memorial at the Smyrna Municipal Park on N. Main St..  At the Memorial Service several members will be serving in a Honor Guard that will be raising our nations flag along with the flags with each branch of our military.  God Bless America and all those who serve our country.      

During the monthly meeting held on Tuesday May 12th Assistant Chief Jeff Lightcap was named member of the month for April 2009.  During the month of April Jeff responded to 17 out of 19 alarms, attended 6 fund raising function, 6 misc events, 2 in service drills, 2 uniform functions and the company meeting.  Jeff accumulated 39 points for the month of April and has accumulated a total of 179 points so far for 2009.  The officers and members would like to congratulate Jeff for his award.

Saturday evening May 9 at 22:47 Sta 51 and Sta 45 were dispatched for the trailer fire at 3611 Sudlersville Rd approximately 3 miles west of Kenton.  Command 51, Assist Chief Bill Kelly arrived to find a single wide mobile home with smoke showing, At that time the fire was upgraded to a working alarm adding QAC Sta 6 for the RIT.  Engine 51-3 with Chief Frank Ballek Jr. arrived and their crew placed a 1 3/4" hand line in service through the front door on side A. Quint 45 w/5, Capt. Lucas arrived a couple minutes behind 51-3 at 22:58 and was assigned the RIT duties until the arrival of QAC Eng. 6-4.  The crew from Q-45 setup RIT on side A and its crew began ventilating the windows on the A/B and B/C corners of the trailer, and secured the utilities.  After the windows had been taken out heavy fire began venting from that area.  Tanker 51 with Deputy Chief Ray Morris arrived right behind Q-45 and established a water supply.  Engine 45-3 w/8, Firefighter Mike Harrington arrived and was assigned to place a second 1 3/4" hand line in service.  Both hand lines were able to knock the fire down within a few minutes.  Engine 6-4 took over RIT duties upon their arrival.  Crews remained on scene to assist with overhaul.  The State Fire Marshal Office is investigating.  The last Clayton unit was back in quarters at 00:29.  Clayton had 41 members respond on the call.  Engine 56-2 covered Sta 51's district while they were at the scene.  Damage was extensive to the trailer.  Units responding on the call; Command 51, 51-3, 51-5, T-51, 51-6, A-51, Q-45, 45-3, QAC 6-4, Sta 51 & 45 Fire Police, FM13, Red Cross, DSP, SPCA. 56-2 (cover Sta 51)     

This past Saturday May 9 the Clayton Fire Co. softball team took part in the 1st annual Michelle Smith Memorial Softball Tournament. The team made up of all Clayton Fire Co members finished 2nd to the team playing under the name of Felton Fire Co.. The fire company team lost its opening game to Tallyville Fire Co. 14 to 4 and than rolled out wins against Claymont 16 to 11, Christiana 17-10, Holloway Terrace 29-18. The team than played Claymont again in the semi final game and won 15-6. In the final game Clayton led throughout the game until falling in the bottom of the 6th inning 19-18 for the 2nd place finish. During the tournament Clayton scored 100 runs in 6 games and gave up 78 runs. The members on the team were; Coach- Vernon Berghorn, Players- Robbie Johnson, Robert Davis, Ken Rife, Brian Johnson, Brian Mast, Gary Everage, Wade McNatt, Travis Warren, Ray Johnson, Mike Lucas, Alex Carrow, Jeff Hurlock.