Plattekill Fire Department

10/20/2026

PLATTEKILL FIRE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE | OCTOBER 19, 2026

Plattekill Fire Department Chief Douglas Foster has released the following official press statement regarding the second alarm structure fire at 438 Plattekill Ardonia Road on Monday, October 19, 2026.

The fire caused significant damage to the residence, displacing a family of five. Fortunately, no injuries requiring emergency transport were reported.

FOLLOW-UP RESPONSES

Since clearing the incident, the department has responded twice to reports of possible rekindles. The first involved a smoldering newspaper outside the structure, while the second involved smoke / flame from an exterior debris pile.

The cause of the original fire remains under investigation.

We thank all assisting agencies and our community for their continued support and cooperation.

10/19/2026

PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY | 2ND ALARM STRUCTURE FIRE

Monday, October 19, 2026

The Plattekill Fire Department, along with multiple mutual-aid fire departments and EMS agencies, is operating at a 2nd Alarm Structure Fire near Plattekill Ardonia Road and Jorge Lane in the Town of Plattekill.

PLEASE AVOID THE AREA UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

A significant emergency-services presence is in the area. Motorists should use alternate routes and avoid unnecessary travel near the incident.

Please give responding personnel the space needed to conduct fire suppression and emergency operations safely.

We appreciate the community’s patience and cooperation while firefighters and emergency personnel work at the scene.

No further information will be provided at this time.

10/12/2026

🚒🔥 FIRE PREVENTION FUN AT PLATTEKILL ELEMENTARY! 🔥🚒

October is Fire Prevention Month, and Fire Prevention Week took place October 4–10, 2026, with this year’s theme: “Charge into Fire Safety: Safe Charging Is a Superpower!”

On October 9th, members of the Plattekill Fire Department and Modena Fire Department teamed up at Plattekill Elementary School to bring fire safety education to the next generation of our community!

Our firefighters worked with students to teach them about the dangers of lithium-ion battery fires and how to safely charge everyday devices, including smartphones, laptops, e-bikes, and scooters. These batteries power so much of our daily lives, and knowing how to use and charge them safely can help prevent dangerous fires at home and throughout our community!

And, of course, we had a special guest! Sparky the Firedog joined us for the fun, helping make fire prevention an exciting and memorable experience for our young fire safety superstars!

The Plattekill and Modena Fire Departments are proud to work together to educate our community and make fire prevention a priority. There is nothing more important than helping our children learn how to recognize hazards, make safe choices, and know what to do in an emergency.

A safer community starts with education, and it’s never too early to learn how to be a fire safety superhero! 🚒🧯

📸 Photo Credit: EMS Captain Jessica Foster

🔒 To help protect the privacy and safety of our students, all children’s faces have been blurred in the photographs.

Want to learn more about the 2026 Fire Prevention Week theme and this year’s fire safety focus?

Visit the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) website for additional information and safety resources:

🔗 https://www.nfpa.org/events/fire-prevention-week

Plattekill Fire Department
Modena Fire & Rescue

10/05/2026

🚒 September 2026 Call Volume Report 🚑

As the Plattekill Fire Department proudly celebrates 100 Years of Service (1926–2026), our volunteer members continue answering the call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

During September 2026, our department responded to 77 emergency incidents, reflecting the dedication, training, teamwork, and commitment that have defined our service to the Town of Plattekill and our neighboring communities for the past century.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

📊 September Incident Breakdown

42 EMS Alarms
• 20 Critical Patients
• 18 Stable Patients / Automatic Medical Alarms
• 4 Unstable Patients

8 Outdoor Electrical Emergencies
• Trees / Wires Down

7 Personal Injury Automobile Accidents (PIAA)

3 Automatic Fire Alarms

3 Mutual Aid Responses
• Cronomer Valley FD
• Walden FD
• Wallkill Ambulance

3 Vehicle Fires

3 Hazardous Materials Incidents
• 3 Gas Odor Inside a Structure

3 In-District Structure Fires

1 Carbon Monoxide Alarm

1 Standby Request
• Firework Standby Detail

1 Grill Fire

1 Propane Tank Fire

1 Storm-Related Incident
• Tree on Home

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

📈 2026 Call Volume Through October 5, 2026

583 Total Responses

• 🚑 346 EMS Responses
• 🚒 237 Fire Responses

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For 100 years, the members of the Plattekill Fire Department have stood ready whenever our neighbors needed us most. That legacy continues today through dedicated volunteers who train, respond, and serve something greater than themselves.

Our call volume represents more than numbers on a report. Behind every response is a person, a family, a neighbor, or a community that needed help.

As emergency call volumes continue to grow, we remain committed to providing professional, compassionate service whenever the pager tones.

🙋 Interested in becoming part of our proud tradition of service?

Visit www.plattekillfiredepartment.com to learn more about volunteering with the Plattekill Fire Department.

❤️ 1926–2026 - A Century of Service, Commitment, and Community. ❤️

10/04/2026

09/11/2026

It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that the members of the Plattekill Fire Department announce the passing of Life Member Frederick J.J. “Butch” Osterhoudt.

Butch, 80, of Plattekill, NY, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at Vassar Brothers Medical Center following a brief illness.

Butch was a Life Member of the Plattekill Fire Department and a part of our proud 100-year legacy. His dedication and years of service will forever be remembered as part of the department’s history.

We extend our deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences to Butch’s family and loved ones. During this difficult time, may they find comfort in the memories they shared and in knowing that their firehouse family stands beside them.

As a mark of respect and in honor of his service, the Plattekill Fire Department has ordered our department flags to be flown at half-staff in memory of Butch. This tribute will serve as a visible reminder of a member of our firehouse family who has passed from our ranks.

As we mourn his passing, we honor the life he lived and the legacy he leaves behind.

Rest easy, Butch. You will be deeply missed and never forgotten.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Gilpatric-VanVliet Funeral Home, 339 Broadway, Ulster Park, NY 12487.

09/11/2026

Twenty-five years later, we remember September 11, 2001, and the men and women who answered the call and ran toward the danger.

We remember those who never came home. We remember those who survived, but carried the physical and emotional consequences of that day. We remember those who became ill and those who later lost their lives from the effects of their service and exposure at Ground Zero.

Their sacrifice did not end on September 11th. Neither does our remembrance.

Today, we ask our community to pause, reflect, and remember the responders, civilians, families, and loved ones whose lives were forever changed.

25 years later, we remember. We honor. We will never forget.

September 11, 2001 - Never Forget.

09/08/2026

WHO IS CHECKING ON THE RESPONDERS?

We spend our careers asking, “What do you need?”

-We check our patients.
-We check our equipment.
-We check our apparatus.
-We check the scene.

We are always doing that 360°. But who is checking on us, who is doing that 360° on us?

Firefighters, EMS providers, dispatchers, law enforcement officers, and other emergency responders see trauma, death, injury, exhaustion, and experiences most people will never understand.

And sometimes the person struggling the most is the one standing right next to you.

They still answer the calls…
Still make the jokes…
Still wear the uniform…
Still say, “I’m good.”

They may not be.

Su***de prevention starts before the crisis.

-Notice the changes.
-Ask the uncomfortable question.
-Listen without judgment.
-And don’t assume they’ll ask for help, because Sometimes they won’t.

YOUR MENTAL HEALTH IS NOT A LIABILITY. IT IS PART OF YOUR LIFE SAFETY.

We train to save lives. That should include saving yours.

We also need to recognize when one of our own needs saving.

-Check on your crew.
-Check on your partner.
-Check on the quiet one.
-Check on yourself.

Don’t wait, because it may be too late.

If you or someone you know is struggling or thinking about su***de, call or text 988 for the Su***de & Crisis Lifeline. If there is immediate danger, call 911.

Sometimes the longest and loneliest walk, is the one in your mind.