On Saturday April 11th, Potsdam Fire, Rescue, and County Car 7 were activated at 1137 hours to respond to apossible structure fire at 18 Elm Street, the Town of Potsdam Community Center. Additional information from Central Dispatch was that the caller was reporting that flames were visible. Engine 49 (Lozipone) responded at 1139 hours and arrived on scene in less than a minute to find nothing showing. Rescue 14 (McLennan), Engine 48 (J. Corbett) also responded to the scene. Upon investigation it was determined that the caller, unfamiliar with gas stoves, had called in the pilot light on stove as a fire. St. Lawrence Gas was requested to the scene. Gas company representatives checke dthe stove over and gave it a clean bill of health.
At 1157 hours Potsdam Fire received fire alarm activations for both the Educational Resources Center and the Science Center at Clarkson University on the Hill Campus. Engine 80 (J. Mason) responded at alarm time with Engine 48, Rescue 14, and Engine 49 responding from the Town Hall incident. All responding units were notified that there was a unknown type fire in Room 176A of the Science Center. Engine 80 arrived on scene at 1201 hours with other units arriving on scene shortly after. Clarkson Security officers extinguished the fire prior to the arrival of fire personnel. Firefighters investigated, and provided ventilation to clear the room and reset the fire alarm. All units were back in service from both calls at 1308 hours.
Potsdam Fire was alerted by the Potsdam Police Department at 1412 hours for a fire alarm sounding at the Potsdam Wastewater Treatment facility on Lower Cherry Street. Engine 49 (Lozipone) responded at alarm time and arrived on scene at 1415 hours with Rescue 14 (J. Keleher) responding shortly thereafter. Upon investigation, members found the Primary Sludge Pump station to have smoke in the building with the cause being an overheated motor and burnt belt. Firefighters ventilated the building and reset the fire alarm system. All units were back in service at 1453 hours.