Tuesday October 17th, 2023 was a busy day for the Potsdam Fire Department. The day started at 0807 hours, with an alarm activation at the South Canton IRA, 698 South Canton Road. Engine 80 (J. Kozak) responded who was stood down by Past Chief John Keleher as the staff was cooking breakfast and set the alarm off. Potsdam Fire was in service at 0823 hours.

At 1426 hours, Madrid Fire, Madrid Rescue, and County Car 12 were dispatched to a reported structure fire at 1823 State Highway 345. With manpower shortages from surrounding fire departments, at 1458 hours, Madrid Fire 22-1 requested Potsdam Fire with interior SCBA personnel. Rescue 14 (J. Kozak) responded at 1505 hours with a crew of 4 with additional manpower meeting Rescue 14 on scene. Rescue 30 (B. Andrus) responded to the scene as well. Potsdam Fire members worked with surrounding mutual aid on scene to help extinguish the fire and ventilate the structure. Rescue 14 filled SCBA bottles on scene for other departments. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the St. Lawrence County Fire Investigation Team. Potsdam Fire was in service at 1741 hours.

As members just left the fire station to return home, Canton Fire, Canton Rescue, and County Car 4 were dispatched to the vicinity of 25 Dies Street in the Village of Canton for a reported structure fire. Canton PD arrived on scene and confirmed a working structure fire at 30 Dies Street. Due to Canton's Tower 1 being out of service, Potsdam Fire Tower 5 was automatically requested under mutual aid to respond to the scene. At 1757 hours, Tower 5 (J. Kozak), Engine 48 (B. Andrus), and Rescue 30 (J. Corbett) responded and arrived on scene at 1812 hours. Tower 5 was utilized and helped Canton Fire members on scene ventilate the structure and extinguish the fire. Firefighters were on scene for nearly 4 hours. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the St. Lawrence County Fire Investigation Team. Potsdam Fire was in service from Canton at 2144 hours.

While Potsdam Fire members were on scene of the Canton Fire, Engine 49 (Paid Driver Maroney/Paid Driver Robar) answered two reported fire alarm activations. Potsdam Fire was dispatched to Clarkson University Woodstock Village Building #9 for an alarm activation at 1852 hours. The cause of the alarm was found to be activated from smoke from cooking. The apartment was quickly ventilated and the alarm system was reset. As Engine 49 was clearing Clarkson University, at 1905 hours, they were dispatched to 22 Mayfield Drive for a reported fire alarm activation. Engine 49 arrived on scene at 1911 hours, where it was found to be a medical alarm from a cat pulling the string. Engine 49 was back in service at 1923 hours.