Congratulations to Secretary Kyle Johnson and his wife Terri on the birth of their son Luke Anthony.  Everyone is doing great and should be home shortly. 

Name - Luke Anthony
Date Born - 6/26/09
Time - 11:41am
Weight - 8lbs. 14oz.
Length - 18in.

Tip-A-Fireman night in conjunction with the Howell Applebees is coming.   Please join us this Wednesday, June 17th from 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm at Applebee’s located at 4721 Route 9 North in Howell.  For this wonderfully fun filled evening, our members will be on display and delivering food along with a smile to benefit our great organization.  Come see these volunteers fine tune their serving skills while delivering their best in customer service.  Stop by for some great food and laughs to help support these brave individuals and thank them for their hard work to keep our community out of harms way.  All proceeds from this event will go to the Southard Fire House to further their efforts to keep our community safe.  For more information call (732) 685-3600.

On Saturday, May 30th 2009 the Southard Fire Department participated in the Annual Monmouth County Pipeline Drill for pipeline #4.  During this drill all township firecompanies including Adelphia, Squankum, Ramtown, and Freewood Acress participated by dropping 800 feet of 5" Large Diameter Hose per unit.  This drill tests the Pipeline group to make sure that all trucks are properly equiped and that all members know the proper guidelines.  This drill was observed by the Monmouth County Fire Marshalls Office.  This drill turned out to be a success and met all goals of the operation.   

From APP.com — Neighbors gathered in front of a Windmill Club condominium this morning, mourning the loss of a woman who died in an early morning fire apparently caused by an unextinguished cigarette.

It was about 3:20 a.m. when police and firefighters were called to the freestanding home at 33 Oriole Lane and found the detached unit heavily engulfed in flames.

The blaze would be quelled within a half-hour, but it was too late for the victim - who neighbors said was sleeping on a couch in the home's living room - to make it out.

Authorities have not released the woman's name, but neighbors identified her as 48-year-old Cheryl Parascand, who lived at the home with her husband Paul and three young children.

""She was a sweet mother, with three good boys and a sweet husband,'' said Cindy Kachala, a family friend who lives nearby.

Kachala and others said the couple's 10-year-old son Martin saw the flames when he woke up early this morning to a sounding fire alarm. The boy woke his father, then climbed out a window and knocked on a neighbor's door asking them to call 911, Kachala said.

""He's a little hero. He saved the rest of the family,'' she said.

Joseph Colleton, who lives three doors away from the Parascand family, said he gathered with other neighbors in the street as the family watched in horror as their house burned with Cheryl Parascand trapped inside.

Colleton said Paul Parascand tried in vain to rescue his wife, but was unable to reach her through, "a wall of flames and smoke and debris.''

Michael Cunningham, a spokesman for the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, said she was pronounced dead via telemetry at 4:06 a.m. It could take up to five days to positively identify her through dental records, he said.

Firefighters from the Southard, Ramtown, Freewood Acres and Adelphia fire companies responded to the scene, as well as the Howell First Aid squad and MONOC paramedics. An investigation into the fire was conducted by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, Howell police, the Monmouth County Fire Marshal's Office and the Howell Township Fire Prevention Bureau.

Southard Fire Department is pleased to announce the "Battle of Howell" Softball game between Howell Fire Departments vs. Howell Police Department.  The game will take place at the Lakewood Blueclaws on June 6th, 2009.   There will be a Home Run starting at 09:00 with the game following at 1:00pm.  Tickets will be available at the door.  All proceeds to benefit Reese Behnken and the Stennis Foundation.

Help your neighborhood raise money for Southard Fire Dept. during Baskin-Robbins 31 Cent Scoop Night. For the third annual event, Baskin-Robbins is partnering with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and their National Junior Firefighter Program and will donate $100,000 to the cause. Locally, Baskin-Robbins is providing an opportunity for firefighters and store owners to come together for an event of fun, smiles and fundraising for local fire service organizations.

On Wednesday, April 29th, 2009, Baskin-Robbins stores across the country will hold 31 Cent Scoop Night from 5-10 pm to honor America's firefighters. Baskin-Robbins will reduce prices of small ice cream scoops to 31 cents* and create an opportunity for customers to donate to local fire charities. Read more about the NVFC and the National Junior Firefighter Program at www.nvfc.org/juniors.
Be on the lookout for members of Southard Fire Dept that will be onsite to show residents of Howell our gear and apparatus.

Chief Tucker recently held an extrication training class for the members of the department.  All parties that attended learned new techniques in extrication as well as scene safety items to be looking for. 

The Southard Fire Dept. is proud to announce another family member with the birth of Makenzie Meredith Memmolo 7lbs. 3oz.,  19.5 inches long.  Proud parents Louis and Michele Memmolo are doing great.