Past News Events

Some just live to be spoilers

By Darts & Laurel 2/5/08

LAUREL: There are so many people in our community who provide volunteer services so that others may have better lives, be more protected from danger or simply have a friendly person to take the edge off of their loneliness.

And we can never tell all of the many volunteers — who fill so many vital roles —often enough how much they are appreciated by the community.

This week we want to underscore that recognition again, and highlight two recent occurrences that have helped prompt this.

The first falls into the category of “we just can’t believe it.”

You may have noticed a Police Log item on Friday that detailed how someone had stolen a firefighter’s truck from where he had parked it near the Hatfield Firehouse when he was responding to a reported gas leak.

Yes, someone had the nerve — and complete lack of conscience — to steal a volunteer firefighter’s truck while he was serving the community.

That’s about as low as you can go.

Police are hoping that someone will come forward with information about the theft. If you do, please call the Hatfield Police at (215) 855-0903.

Help to bring this low life to justice.

The other “prompt” was of the positive sort.

In Saturday’s paper, we reported on the Telford Diving Unit of Upper Salford being called upon to help look for the body of a man, believed to be in an abandoned quarry in Northampton County.

It’s a dangerous mission, to be sure; and those in the diving unit have to undergo rigorous training.

We just want to salute this team for their commitment to what often are perilous assignments.

DART: To all of those “fine” people who are wreaking havoc in the White’s

Mill Road
open space area of Salford Township.

Drug use, littering and vandalism has been occurring in that area, spurring the Tylersport Crime Alert and the township supervisors to work together to stem the problems being caused.

The township is considering installing lights in that area to help discourage those who think the open space area was designed for their illegal activities.

It’s a shame that time and money has to be spent cleaning up and protecting an area that is designed to be a benefit for township residents.

We’re sure taxpayers are less than pleased to think that their money may have to be spent to help ward off these lawbreakers.

We’re glad residents of that area are willing to help patrol and clean up after these vile creatures; but we’d rather see the perpetrators be caught and punished.

Cleaning up even filthier areas seems an appropriate punishment.

 

As reported online at: The Reporter Online

Telford diving unit headed to Northampton County

DIVING AND RESCUE TEAM TO ASSIST OFFICIALS IN RECOVERY MISSION

By Bradley Schlegel, Staff Writer 2/1/08

UPPER SALFORD — Divers from the Telford Volunteer Diving and Rescue unit are prepared to rappel 100-foot cliffs, then immerse themselves into the chilling water of an abandoned quarry.

And beginning this morning, the unit will help Northampton County officials search for the body of a man who died last weekend.

Neil Rivel, the unit’s president and captain, says the recovery mission could be fraught with danger.

“I’d love to say we’re going to accomplish our mission,” Rivel said. “But there’s no guarantee.”

Relying on a hard helmet diving system, the divers can stay submerged at 100 feet for up to 15 minutes and at 30 feet indefinitely, he said.

Compressed air from a two-axle tractor-trailer pumps continuously into an airtight helmet. Two other lines fed into the helmet allow for surface communication and depth measurement.

The diving unit, which responds to between seven and 12 incidents annually for swift-water rescue and evidence recovery, accepted a request from the Northampton County coroner’s office to help locate a body in a quarry in the Borough of Chapman.

Inclement weather and frozen water shortened three separate searches last week for the body of an unidentified man who died last Sunday.

Accessing the quarry’s northwest corner, where officials estimate the body settled, could be a challenge. Though the unit has trained at the quarry, Rivel said none of his divers is familiar with that section, where the depths measure 150 feet.

Divers may have to traverse 100-foot cliffs just to reach the water, then contend with a 100-foot drop to the water surface, Rivel said.

The quarry’s unforgiving underwater walls are equally dangerous, he said.

“There are a lot of sharp walls,” he said. “Scraping a wall can tear open a dry suit or cut a diver’s (air line).”

Since its creation in 1947, the unit’s members have avoided serious injury, despite responding to move than 600 drownings and 1,000 recovery operations.

Consisting of recreational divers who have their open-water scuba certification and surface supporters, the 40-person unit trains once a month at the Indian Valley Family YMCA or local quarries.

“The training helps keep us safe,” Rivel said.

Six primary divers utilize three helmets, which are sealed to create a self-contained breathing unit. The unit purchased the helmets, which cost each $6,000, through fund raising and grants.

“(Rivel) is quite the grant writer,” said unit spokesperson Brad Lewis.

As reported online at: The Reporter Online

(There are a few mistakes in this article, but that is no fault of the reporter.  We are extremely appreciative to him and the Reporter for writing this article).

 

Texas Equusearch Reports Finding Missing Plane In Lake Erie (DICKINSON, TX)


(2005)
At the Regal family's request, TES Founder and Director Tim Miller, Director of Diving Operations Ted Tarver, and TES volunteers Ralph Baird and Doug Pernnod flew to Buffalo, New York September 13 to assist in the search efforts. TES coordinated with members of the US Coast Guard, the NYSP Dive Team, Buffalo PD and Capt. Dick Spoth of Lake Erie Towing to narrow the search area where the plane was thought to have crashed. TES also enlisted the assistance of members of the St. Louis Sheriffs Department Dive Team, as well as members of the Telford Volunteer Diving and Rescue Unit from Harleysville, Pennsylvania.

According to sources close to the couple, Jesteadt, a 2000 graduate of Slippery Rock High School (PA), planned to propose to Myers, 24, as they flew over Niagara Falls. An investigation is pending to determine the cause for the crash. Regal, a flight instructor with more than 4000 flight hours to his credit, was recently notified that he had been promoted as Northwest Airlines' youngest captain in the airline's history.

TES expresses it gratitude to the many companies and individuals who participated in and sponsored the search efforts, without whose help this search would not have been possible.

Sergeants Al Garcia and Karl Bloom - New York State Police Dive Team

Detective Sergeant Kevin Maloney - Buffalo Police Department
Capt. Dick Spoth and Rick Spoth - Lake Erie Towing & Salvage

Lt. Chris Sweeney and CPO Ralph Kring - US Coast Guard - Buffalo Sector

Jeanne Macko - Lake Erie Diving Center, Angola, NY

Ms. Sally Took

Robert Ziehm - Marion Hill Associates, New Brighton, PA

Under Sheriff Dave Phillips, Capt. Tom Crossmon and Officer Mike Gates - St. Louis County Sheriff's Volunteer Rescue Squad of Minnesota

Capt. Neil Rivel, Diver Johnny Hartzell and Boat operator Ronnie Miner - Telford Volunteer Dive & Rescue Unit, Harleysville, PA

Clive Seal, VP of Flight Operations, Ms. Natalie Bloodworth & Ms. Stacey Mumm - PINNACLE Airlines/ Northwest Airlink 

Mr. Joe Hermann, Ms. Jennifer Smith, Ms. Pearl Arnold and Ms. Ashley Gavin Adams Mark Hotel, Buffalo, NY

Mike McDermott - Frank McDermott LTD, Greta Falls, VA,

Buffalo FAA Air Traffic Control - Dave Allen
Buffalo ATC - Air Traffic Manager - Jeff Lynch
Buffalo ATC - Fred Peterson
Buffalo ATC - Darla Ritchie
Buffalo ATC - Automation Specialist John Call

Jim Montgomery, Director of Maintenance, - Executive Air Taxi Corp, Bismark, ND
Brian Edwards - Harvey-Lynch, Inc, Houston, TX
Jack D. Hall - Baird Petrophysical, Houston, TX

Dan Warren, Marine Archaeologist - C & C Technologies, Houston, TX
Tony George - C & C technologies, Lafayette, LA

Dan Bily, Dunkirk, NY (C-172 plane use and pilot)

As posted on Texas Equusearch's Website

Exploring the Deep - The History of Diving
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October 10, 2004 - March 13, 2005

Exploring the Deep – The History of Diving
, opens October 10, 2004 and runs through March 13, 2005.  The exhibit will feature both historic and contemporary diving equipment displayed in life-size simulated diving scenes.  In addition, hands-on components will allow visitors to experience what it is like to view a watery situation. Equipment is on loan from the Telford Volunteer Diving and Rescue Unit and others. Michael A. Feyers, the Museum’s Science Curator states: “This collaboration between the Reading Public Museum and the Telford Volunteer Diving and Rescue Unit, provides a rare opportunity to display vintage diving equipment along with some of the Museum’s unique sea life specimens that haven’t been seen in over 15 years. The exhibit includes a crime scene recovery, a mystery beach, ocean library, and discovery lab all designed to engage Museum visitors.”

Exploring the Deep – The History of Diving is supported by the Friends of the Reading Museum, The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Regular Museum admission is $7 adults (17-60) and $5 seniors/children/students (w/ID). Museum hours are Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday 11am to 5pm, Wednesday 11am to 8pm and Sunday 12pm to 5pm.

Exploring the Deep will focus on the equipment used by men and women in diving. The exhibit will feature a diving scenario in the 1960s showing a Mark V Diving Suit, a scene showing diving in the 1980s featuring a Mark 12 Diving Suit, and suits from the 2000s with a diver in an SL-17 suit. Scuba diving will also be featured. In addition, one part of the show is “eyes-on” with a view window that will allow the visitor to look through it and experience what it is like to see underwater in a murky situation. Another part of the exhibit is “Mystery Beach” – on the beach will be curious things for the public to identify. Some of the things are natural and some are human made (trash). There will be a library of books near the “Mystery Beach” where the visitor can look the items up and then check a panel and see if they were correct. The exhibit will also feature a “Discovery Lab” equipped with a computer program and numerous hands-on specimens.

The Telford Volunteer Diving and Rescue Unit started back in 1947 as part of the Telford Fire Company. When trying to recover a drowning victim, the Company was unsuccessful in searching with traditional fire rescue equipment.  A former Navy diver volunteered to don a Scuba unit and search underwater. The Company recognized a need for this type of rescue and formed a diving unit. However, in 1969 due to budget restraints the unit was terminated. It then became formally incorporated as an independent rescue and recovery unit, known as the Telford Diving and Rescue Unit. Later to emphasize the fact that all operating and capital funds are derived from community donations, the word “volunteer” was added. Currently the unit operates as a regional dive team with two response vehicles and two marine units. They are engaged in both body and evidence recovery. The unit also conducts educational programs, teaches water rescue classes and has internally developed the “Drown-Proofing the Community” program.

Related Programming for Exploring the Deep – The History of Diving
“Discovery Talk: History of Diving” Sunday, October 10, 2004 at 1:00pm. Join Don Vallere, Safety Officer Telford Volunteer Diving and Rescue Unit as he takes you through this fascinating journey. Auditorium. Free with admission.

“Discovery Talk: Shipwrecks!” Sunday, November 7, 2004 at 1:00pm. Terry Martzell, an experienced technical diver, will recount his experiences diving the Andrea Doria. Learn what it takes to do this specialized diving in 250 ft.+ waters. Plus, Mark Stitzer, owner of Scuba Venture will describe how to retrieve and preserve artifacts from shipwrecks. Auditorium. Free with admission.

“Discovery Talk: Scuba Diving” Sunday, December 5, 2004 at 1:00pm. Mark Stitzer, owner of Scuba Venture, will discuss the equipment needed for recreational diving. Also, Greg Veverka, Captain of the Telford Volunteer Diving and Rescue Unit will talk about Surface Supplied Diving Systems (SSDS). Auditorium. Free with admission.

As posted from the Reading Museum's Website

MONTCO VOLUNTEERS RAISE HOLLYWOOD INTEREST

Montgomery County based Station #64 (aka: The Telford Diving Unit) was featured on Global Cable Television on Monday, December 8, 2003 on the American Movie Classics channel at 10 pm EST.

The featured program entitled "John Malkovichs' Mail" was a humorous documentary about independent screen plays submitted from "Non-Hollywood" writers.

The screen play entitled: The Angel Frogmen is based loosely on the MONTCO Diving Units involvement with the investigations surrounding a serial killing that occurred in Eastern Pennsylvania in 1996.

The feature length screen play was written by a member of the MONTCO volunteer organization and several members of the organization are interviewed and highlighted.

Portions of the documentary were filmed January 2003 at the Orland Quarry in Springfield PA as well as at the MONTCO Station in Harleysville, PA.

MONTCO Station # 64 was founded in 1947 with the sole purpose of assisting local communities in the recovery of drowned victims. It is the oldest volunteer organization or its kind in the United States.

The thirty minute documentary was directed and produced by Louis Pepe & Keith Fulton. Pepe and Fulton are Radio, Television and Film program graduates from Temple University. Other notable Pepe/Fulton documentaries include: The Hamster Chronicles and Made in LaMancha.

You can download the screen play script here: