CORTLANDT, NY — January 20th — When the Montrose Fire District in the Town of Cortlandt received a second alarm for a house fire on Dutch Street, members of the Yorktown Heights Volunteer FD, 1916 Commerce St., provided mutual aid with Ladder 51, joining Chiefs 2531, 2532, and 2533. When Yorktown Heights firemen arrived, they were tasked with secondary searches and overhaul, which involved breaking through ceilings and walls to find any residual fire pockets. Before going back into operation, crews worked for approximately an hour in temps in the mid-teens.

To ensure coverage and preparedness for local situations, more Yorktown Heights volunteers stayed in the area during the incident. In Northern Westchester, where volunteer agencies often collaborate on structure fires and other major events, officials stated that solid mutual aid partnerships are still crucial.