Fearing the Worst, Fire Districts Readied for Storm

Though the historic storm of 2011 turned out to be mostly hot air, the Affton and Mehlville Fire Protection Districts made arrangements to keep their responses quick.

For many South County residents, the blizzard that blew through the Midwest last week turned out to be more of a nuisance than a real danger. Before the snow had settled, however, the several-day advance warning gave the Affton and Mehlville Fire Protection Districts the chance to make arrangements to operate efficiently during and after the storm. “The biggest problem is that we have to drive so much slower to get there that it increases our response time,” said Captain Ben Waser of the Affton Fire Protection District. “By putting extra staff out, we can make sure that if we get a second call, we don’t have to bring an ambulance all the way from another district.” The Affton Fire Protection District activated a second ambulance for three …

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Jefferson Barracks Troops Help Affton Police During Storm

Two troops headquartered in Jefferson Barracks helped county police with transport.

The Missouri Army National Guard lent a hand to local St. Louis County police this week in the midst of snow and ice. Guardsmen used 14 Humvees and 28 soldiers to transport officers, including the 3rd and 4th Precincts in Affton and Mehlville. Guardsmen primarily teamed up with local first responders and transported police officers when needed. They also helped stranded motorists and performed health and wellness checks, said Capt. Dustin Berry. Berry is the battle captain of the 70th Troop Command whose primary job during the storm was heading logistics operations. “If anyone needed help we were there to link them up to local responders and did a little EMT support. We'd take a paremedic and first responder out there if the ambulance …

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Editor's Notebook

Out in the Ice: Share Your Snow Day Stories

I walked three miles Tuesday to get to the grocery and back. Post your icy stories and photos.

We weren't short on anything in particular, but after being cooped up for two days following the unfolding winter storm, my dad and I needed to get out. Tuesday afternoon we bundled up and trudged the 1.5 miles down MacKenzie Road to the Shop 'N Save on Chippewa Street. It wasn't snowing; little sand-grains of ice stung my face as we pushed into the wind. Trees and cars were all covered with a shiney coating of ice, but the unplowed roads and sidewalks weren't slick to walk on. When we got the store, warm from exertion, we hardly remembered what we had come to buy. Soon, though, juice concentrates, soups, eggs and frozen pizzas packed into two reusable grocery bags, we headed back out and up the big MacKenzie hill. We passed Resurrection …

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Amidst Ice, Emergency Crews Tackle Fire

The National Guard assisted Affton and Mehlville Firefighters with a house fire today. No one was hurt.

As a major winter storm bore down on the region, a house fire on Wickstrom Terrace sent emergency crews rushing through the gritty, sandy ice this afternoon. The fire broke out at 1:30 p.m. at the Turnure house at 9755 Wickstrom Terrace in the Bridlewood Estates subdivision in Affton, across Gravois Road from Grant’s Farm. According to witnesses, first responders included over ten emergency vehicles, including seven fire trucks, three ambulances, multiple police cars and even the National Guard in a camouflaged Hummer. “I heard loud bangs like fireworks,” said Jenny Ryan, a neighbor. “I looked out my window and saw the fire. When their house caught fire, the owners just ran outside, and they didn’t even have their shoes on, so we got them …

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