Dryden Crews Battle Cortlandville Lab Blaze While Mutual Aid Covers Multiple District Emergencies

Dryden, NY - Firefighters from Neptune Hose Company No. 1 (Dryden Fire Department) and Dryden Ambulance deployed mutual aid Thursday evening to battle a major commercial structure fire at the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Tunison Laboratory of Aquatic Science facility along Gracie Road in Cortlandville.

The mutual aid summons was transmitted around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 5, 2026, requesting Dryden apparatus and manpower to assist the Cortlandville Fire Department and dozens of regional mutual aid companies operating at the large-scale research laboratory blaze in Cortland County.

While Dryden crews operated on the fireground in Cortlandville, dispatchers transmitted multiple concurrent high-priority emergencies within Dryden’s home coverage district. Responders faced a severe motor vehicle crash requiring intensive extrication and emergency medical care, as well as an automatic fire alarm activation at the Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) campus.

To manage the overlapping operational surge, regional mutual aid networks mobilized immediately. Fire and EMS companies from Freeville, Varna, Brooktondale, and Slaterville responded into Dryden to assist with the serious vehicular collision and campus alarm, while the Groton Fire Department transferred apparatus to Dryden’s station to provide standby district coverage.

Dryden firefighters operated for over seven hours on the fireground in Cortlandville, conducting aggressive exterior and interior operations before returning to quarters around 1:00 a.m. Friday. Official cause determination and comprehensive fireground details remain under the jurisdiction of the Cortlandville Fire Department.