Sykesville Freedom District Fire Company Rebuild and Expansion Nearly Complete

The Sykesville-Freedom District Fire Company is completing the finishing touches of a three-year long reconstruction project after a roof cave-in and fire in 2010.

On Feb. 11, 2010, the weight of snow from a recent blizzard collapsed the roof of the Sykesville-Freedom District Fire Department. The collapse caused a gas leak, which then ignited into 3-alarm a fire, destroying the habitable portion of the firehouse.  Brian Bowman, the chairman of the Sykesville-Freedom District fire company’s rebuilding committee, explains that there are still a few finishing touches, but everyone is excited as they are finally close to getting back to their house. Despite being confined to a single room where everyone cooked, ate, watched TV and wrote reports, the members of the department have not let an incomplete facility keep them from doing their job.  Even in 2010, when the members were initially sleeping in …

• Photos (4)

Henryton Hospital in Flames Again

The abandoned state facility endures another suspicious fire that required a range of resources, according to the Sykesville Freedom District Fire Department.

Sykesville firefighters spent about 2 1/2 hours Saturday fighting another fire at the abandoned Henryton State Hospital Center, according to the Freedom District Fire Department's website. Fire was through the roof of an administration building when first responders arrived at the scene and called in support from Carroll, Howard, Baltimore and Frederick counties, according to the fire department. It received the report of the fire at about 4:30 p.m. The state owns the property but has not responded to repeated requests to raze the site or build a fence around it, according to the fire department. There has been a history of suspicious fires at the building. More than two dozen engines, tankers and other support vehicles responded to the …

• Photos (3)

Sykesville Fire Department Gets a Visit From the Easter Bunny

The annual "Lunch With Easter Bunny" event was a success.

• Photos (1)

Fire Engine Leaves Sykesville for the Last Time

The Sykesville Fire Department is getting a new fire engine next week.

Engine 123, an 1989 fire engine that served Eldersburg and Sykesville for more than 23 years, left Saturday morning for a new home in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania with the Beaver Township Volunteer Fire Department.  "As sad as it is to see this fire engine go, it is nice to know that it is going to a department that will take care of it and it will serve them well," read a post by Deputy Fire Chief Brett Pearce on the Sykesville Freedom District Fire Department website. As Engine 123 left Sykesville this weekend, the engine committee for the Freedom District Fire Department was preparing to depart for Pierce Manufacturing in Wisconsin to perform final inspection on the new Engine 123, which will be ready next week and in service and responding…

• Photos (1)

Teen Opens Eldersburg Boutique to Give Back to Those Who Saved Her Life

Brittany Ivie, a graduate of Century High School, is opening a boutique in Eldersburg with her mother and grandmother.

Four years ago this month, Brittany Ivie’s future was uncertain. She was 14 and fighting for her life after a truck-car crash on Route 32 near the Chili’s restaurant in Eldersburg. Ivie was riding with two friends in a car driven by an acquaintance when they were "t-boned" by a truck driver on the way to grab a late night snack at Denny's.  "My best friend at the time, Nickie was in the back seat with me. I was behind the passenger seat, and in the passenger seat was my friend David," Ivie said. "He had major injuries like mine because we were on the impact side." The lights were flashing in both directions on Route 32. At the time, Ivie didn't know this would be one of the last things she would see before blacking out. "I have a very …

•  7 Comments
• Photos (1)

Local Volunteer Fire Department Calls Increase Slightly in 2011

The Sykesville Fire Department had more calls in 2011 than it did in 2010, company statistics show.

The Sykesville Freedom District Fire Department saw a slight increase in emergency calls in 2011 while nearby Winfield Volunteer Fire Department saw virtually no change in call volume, according to company statistics.  The call statistics for the two companies show the following changes:  Sykesville Freedom District Fire Department Winfield Volunteer Fire Department

• Photos (1)

Sykesville Fire Department Receives Grant From Department of Homeland Security

The grant was awarded to the local volunteer fire station to purchase firefighting equipment.

United States Senators Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin announced today that the Sykesville Freedom District Fire Department was awarded $47,610 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant.  The grant funds will allow the Sykesville Fire Department to purchase 26 Shore Based First Responder Water Rescue Kits to help respond to water emergencies, including those on the Liberty Reservoir. The funds will also be used to purchase two Rope Rescue Team Kits, which includes equipment to help respond to rope rescues, rappelling and confined space rescue as well as updated power tools in order to respond more quickly and effectively in a fire emergency. "The brave men and women of the …

• Photos (1)

Sprinklers Save Eldersburg Townhouse From Basement Fire

The Sykesville Freedom District Fire Department responded to the scene of a basement fire Tuesday afternoon to find that residential sprinklers were doing their job.

The Sykesville Freedom District Fire Department reminds residents of the importance of residential sprinkler systems following a townhouse fire in Eldersburg Tuesday afternoon.  Sykesville firefighters were alerted to a reported basement fire in the 1200 block of Heathfield Road in Eldersburg Tuesday around 12:50 p.m. The owner came home to find water coming from the front of the house along with smoke and flames visible from a basement window, according to Deputy Fire Chief Brett Pearce.  When firefighters arrived, they found light smoke coming from the front of a home in the middle of a row of townhouses along with fire and smoke visible through the basement window. Once they entered the home, firefighters discovered that the residential…

• Photos (5)

Board Approves $4.5 Million Loan for Sykesville Fire Department Construction

The Sykesville Freedom District Fire Department building requested the funds to help rebuild their building that was destroyed in a fire in February 2010.

After a debate over the Sykesville Freedom District Fire Department's finances, a $4.5 million loan for the fire company's new building construction was approved in a 4-1 vote by the Carroll County Board of Commissioners Thursday. The volunteer fire company's building was destroyed by a fire in February 2010 started by a snow storm that caused the roof to collapse. While phase one of the rebuild project for the new building and fire hall was recently completed and paid for, the fire department looked to the Board for help in financing the next phases of the $7.1 million rebuild while maintaining a balanced budget. The money was approved through the county’s low interest loan program with a 20-year repayment plan. According to County …

•  4 Comments
• Photos (1)