Sidewinder Photography

07/22/2021

Large Scale Tanker Drill In Voorheesville, NY

A lot of communities take for granted having readily available and fully working fire hydrants in their community. In the Capital Region a lot of rural fire departments heavily rely on tanker operations to fight structure fires in their communities. Eight fire departments from the hill towns of Albany County today practiced a large scale tanker operation drill. During the summer months firefighters take the opportunity to practice tanker relays and setting up large portable ponds that hold 2,500 gallons of water or more at a time.

Firefighters during the training exercise in the New Salem Fire District successfully were able to flow 65,000 gallons of water to supply four master streams, two deck guns and a ladder pipe. Firefighters were successfully able to meet their goal of being able to supply a large active scene quickly and efficiently with a sufficient amount of water.

07/21/2021

Another Illegally Owned Handgun Removed From The City of Troy On The Eastside Of The City


Shortly before 8pm on July 20th 2021 zone one patrol officers from the City of Troy’s Police Department responded to a domestic incident on Blakley Court on Troy’s Eastside. While investigating the incident the patrol officers arrested CHRISTOPHER U. CANCER 18 from Albany, who had reportedly punched the victim several times causing injury to the victim’s head. During the arrest the patrol officers located a loaded, unlawful handgun in Mr. Cancer’s possession.

Mr. Cancer was arrested, brought to our Central Station for processing and held pending arraignment in Troy City Court due to the domestic-related nature of the incident. The victim has been connected with local victim-related resources & support. Captain Steven M. Barker of the Troy Police Department stated “We will continue to offer support to the victim in any way that they can and we are glad that another illegal handgun has been seized by our officers.”

Arrested:
Christopher U. Cancer
Age: 18 (Albany, NY)
Charges:
PL 120.00(01) Assault in the Third Degree (Misdemeanor)
PL 265.03(01) Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (Felony)

Another Illegally Owned Handgun Removed From The City of Troy On The Eastside Of The City


Shortly before 8pm on July 20th 2021 zone one patrol officers from the City of Troy’s Police Department responded to a domestic incident on Blakley Court on Troy’s Eastside. While investigating the incident the patrol officers arrested CHRISTOPHER U. CANCER 18 from Albany, who had reportedly punched the victim several times causing injury to the victim’s head. During the arrest the patrol officers located a loaded, unlawful handgun in Mr. Cancer’s possession.

Mr. Cancer was arrested, brought to our Central Station for processing and held pending arraignment in Troy City Court due to the domestic-related nature of the incident. The victim has been connected with local victim-related resources & support. Captain Steven M. Barker of the Troy Police Department stated “We will continue to offer support to the victim in any way that they can and we are glad that another illegal handgun has been seized by our officers.”

Arrested:
Christopher U. Cancer
Age: 18 (Albany, NY)
Charges:
PL 120.00(01) Assault in the Third Degree (Misdemeanor)
PL 265.03(01) Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (Felony)

07/20/2021

Very important announcement in regards to the Schaghticoke fair this year for the demolition derby.

“We recognize there is A LOT of speculation and questions about motor sports at the fair this year.

Please read this letter ENTIRELY. It will not answer all questions. But, it should give clarity to any demolition derby questions.
This letter has been sent, in the mail, to anyone who entered in 2019's demo's. (To the address we had on file from 2019.)

Please also note- to all spectators- we are limiting attendance to all evening motor sport shows in the grandstand - and all derbies (afternoon or evening). Tickets WILL BE SOLD and required (separate from fair admission). The cost will be very small (we are looking at $2-$3). The ticketing is truly just so we can ensure a safe event, with adequate seating, and to maintain compliance with state regulations.

Tickets are NOT YET available to be purchased. As soon as they are- we'll let you know. Please watch the website for more info. And, please call the derby promotors themselves if you have questions about participating. The fair office CANNOT help you with entries.”

Very important announcement in regards to the Schaghticoke fair this year for the demolition derby.

“We recognize there is A LOT of speculation and questions about motor sports at the fair this year.

Please read this letter ENTIRELY. It will not answer all questions. But, it should give clarity to any demolition derby questions.
This letter has been sent, in the mail, to anyone who entered in 2019's demo's. (To the address we had on file from 2019.)

Please also note- to all spectators- we are limiting attendance to all evening motor sport shows in the grandstand - and all derbies (afternoon or evening). Tickets WILL BE SOLD and required (separate from fair admission). The cost will be very small (we are looking at $2-$3). The ticketing is truly just so we can ensure a safe event, with adequate seating, and to maintain compliance with state regulations.

Tickets are NOT YET available to be purchased. As soon as they are- we'll let you know. Please watch the website for more info. And, please call the derby promotors themselves if you have questions about participating. The fair office CANNOT help you with entries.”

07/18/2021

So we have been receiving numerous requests for when the photos from the Hot Training, block party, and exhibitor hall at the Fire Expo 2021 will be up. We took close to 2400 photos at the event. It will take approximately 2 to 4 weeks before we are even finish editing them. We thoroughly screen these photos for safety concerns before they are published. I truly appreciate everyone reaching out to us.

So we have been receiving numerous requests for when the photos from the Hot Training, block party, and exhibitor hall at the Fire Expo 2021 will be up. We took close to 2400 photos at the event. It will take approximately 2 to 4 weeks before we are even finish editing them. We thoroughly screen these photos for safety concerns before they are published. I truly appreciate everyone reaching out to us.

07/17/2021

The city of Troy‘s Police Department is actively investigating gang shooting that occurred in the late evening hours in the area of Third Street and Broadway in the downtown business area.


Troy Police Department Patrol Officers received multiple 911 calls on Friday, July 16th shortly after 11:30pm reporting a physical fight on Broadway between 2nd Street and 3rd Street. While TPD officers were responding they received updated information from callers reporting gun shots having been fired. Patrol officers arrived at the scene and began attempting to locate any victims or suspects among the many witnesses.

Patrol officers located one adult male victim a few blocks away from the scene of the shooting. Troy Police Found an adult male that sustained a gunshot wound to his arm & leg. TPD members provided emergency medical treatment to the victim until members of the Troy Fire Department arrived. While doing so, multiple bystanders began crowding the officers. Additional local partner police agencies were requested to assist with crowd control in the area of the downtown while TPD continued to investigate the incident. Troy Fire Department members arrived, continuing treatment of the victim at the scene and then transported to a local area hospital.

During Patrol’s response a handgun was located and seized, having been thrown underneath a parked vehicle in the area. Detectives responded to the scene to continue the investigation. Several witnesses were interviewed at the scene and more will be interviewed in the coming days. Evidence has been collected and we will continue to do so. Specifically, video evidence from local businesses, private residences and our city surveillance camera system. With several people in the area before/during the incident it is likely smartphone photos/video exist of the incident, we are encouraging all community members to share any evidence whether it documents the actual shooting or not. Any submission may be valuable evidence that adds greater context to the investigation.

Our thanks and appreciation to the men & women of the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police & Green Island Police Department for their assistance during the incident. The incident occurred in the presence of several witnesses and anyone with information is encouraged to call TPD Detectives at (518) 270-4421 or report online at Troypd.org.

07/16/2021

Here’s a positive post from my normal postings of crime scenes and fire. Check out members of the Troy Police Department playing basketball with the kids at the Genevia Pompey Memorial Park on Seventh Avenue.

https://www.facebook.com/118471198195356/posts/5799243170118102/?d=n

07/15/2021

City of Troy: Troy Shooting
637 4th St. One person shot in the upper leg. Troy Fire Department transported the victim to Albany Medical Center.

Troy PD Detectives are investigating the overnight shooting of an adult male who sustained non-life threatening injury, follow-up work by Detectives will continue in an attempt to determine the suspect and context of the incident.

Around 1:15am Troy Police Patrols received a 911 call reporting shots fired and an injured victim in the area of 4th Street and Polk Street in Troy. Upon patrol officers’ arrival they located a 37 year old male suffering from a gunshot wound to his leg. The victim was treated at the scene by members of the Troy Fire Department and transported to a local area hospital for further treatment.

Our Evidence Technicians processed the scene and Detectives will be conducting the follow-up investigation. Information pertaining to the incident is limited at this time, additional releases may follow if significant developments are uncovered.

Although the incident occurred during the early morning hours there may have been potential witnesses passing through the area just prior to the incident, we encourage any individuals who may have done so to please reach out to our Detectives at (518) 270-4421 as their information may yield important leads.

City of Troy: Troy Shooting
637 4th St. One person shot in the upper leg. Troy Fire Department transported the victim to Albany Medical Center.

Troy PD Detectives are investigating the overnight shooting of an adult male who sustained non-life threatening injury, follow-up work by Detectives will continue in an attempt to determine the suspect and context of the incident.

Around 1:15am Troy Police Patrols received a 911 call reporting shots fired and an injured victim in the area of 4th Street and Polk Street in Troy. Upon patrol officers’ arrival they located a 37 year old male suffering from a gunshot wound to his leg. The victim was treated at the scene by members of the Troy Fire Department and transported to a local area hospital for further treatment.

Our Evidence Technicians processed the scene and Detectives will be conducting the follow-up investigation. Information pertaining to the incident is limited at this time, additional releases may follow if significant developments are uncovered.

Although the incident occurred during the early morning hours there may have been potential witnesses passing through the area just prior to the incident, we encourage any individuals who may have done so to please reach out to our Detectives at (518) 270-4421 as their information may yield important leads.

07/14/2021

State of Emergency declared in Rensselaer County. Following heavy rain and several road closures, Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin has declared a state of emergency effective immediately and residents are advised to avoid unnecessary travel until further notice.

With the heavy torrential rain that we are receiving at this time please do not cross any roadways that are flooded. Turn around and go back and find an alternate route. Numerous roads throughout the city of Troy and out in the county of Rensselaer are flooded. Use extreme caution.

Photo of Downtown area of Averill Park New York. Photo by Denise Brown Shumway

Photo of Town Tavern by Matt Freckleton

07/14/2021

Troy Police Remove A Person From A Early Morning Second Alarm Fire On 10th Street

Troy, New York

On July 12, 2021 at 4:08 AM, the city of Troy‘s fire and police department was dispatched to 455 10th Street for a reported structure fire. The caller stated the house was on fire. Multiple police units patrolling in the area quickly arrived on scene and notified the dispatcher that they had a heavy smoke condition pushing from the second-floor windows of the house and no one was out of the house yet. Multiple officers quickly forced entry to the home and began to conduct a quick search to attempt to locate anyone inside of the residence. Officers came upon a person on the first floor and quickly got the individual out of the house as the fire condition on the second floor had worsen.

Engine four arrived on scene and declared the signal thirty for a working structure fire with heavy smoke and fire showing from the second floor. Firefighters deployed a hand line to the second floor and began to conduct an aggressive interior attack. As firefighters were working on the second floor the engine operator connected to the nearby hydrant only 20 feet away. With heavy water flowing out of the top of the broken fire hydrant, the engine operator had established a water supply for the scene. The first arriving chief on scene requested the second alarm to be transmitted as they had heavy fire in the cockloft of the building

Firefighters from the truck company made their way to the roof and began to conduct ventilation over the fire for allowing for the hot trapped toxic gases to escape. A significant amount of fire pushed from the side vents and siding on the house. Interior crews had a tough battle pulling the Tin ceilings with the lath and plaster behind them to expose the heavy fire condition running above their heads. firefighters on the second floor used multiple hand lines and began to knock down the fire condition running above their heads. Additional firefighters from the city of Watervliet and the Watervliet Arsenal arrived on scene and began to assist the Troy firefighters with overhauling the fire floor.

Due to the quick actions of the Troy Police Department's officers that arrived on scene assisting the individual on the first floor getting out of the building he was unharmed. Firefighters remained on scene for a few hours conducting overhaul and their investigation into what caused the fire. No firefighters were injured on scene.

07/12/2021

City of Troy at 4:08am a Second Alarm Structure Fire 455 10th Street was transmitted. The first arriving multiple police units patrolling the area quickly made entry to the house and discovered a person on the first floor and was able to successfully get them out of the building safely before the fire department arrived. Firefighters worked for over an hour to knock down the heavy fire conditions on the second floor. 10th Street is currently shut down at this time. The Red Cross has been contacted for the individuals affected by the fire.

07/12/2021

3rd Alarm Garage Fire Castleton, New York

On July 5, 2021 at 5:21 AM, The Schodack Landing Fire Department along with Mutual aid from South Schodack, Castleton, Stuyvesant, Stuyvesant Falls, Schodack Valley,Best Luther, North Chatham, Valatie, Niverville, Kinderhook, East Greenbush Fire Department and Castleton Ambulance responded to 607 Van Hoesen Road for a reported garage fire.

South Schodack car two called in route to the scene and was notified that they had a working garage fire. As the chief made his way to the scene he had a large column of thick black smoke in the clear morning sky and requested the second alarm to be transmitted. As the first arriving chief on scene notified the dispatcher that he had a working commercial garage fire with multiple vehicles on fire and a large commercial bus on fire. The first arriving engine on scene deployed multiple hand lines and began to knock down The Fire in the middle of the structure. As crews were working a massive explosion occurred on scene sending a large portion of the roof blowing into the roadway and onto the property across the way.

Firefighters quickly stepped back and picked up their hand lines and kept fighting the fire. As firefighters were working on knocking down the fire on scene, the operations chief established a tanker relay on scene and firefighters began to bring water from the Hudson River to the scene. As multiple other firefighters arrived on scene and crews went to work knocking down the multiple vehicles and the boat that were on fire on scene. Fire investigators were requested to the scene. Command also requested national grid to the scene as they had a powerline down across the roadway. Multiple firefighters began to work the fully involved bus fire on scene. Firefighters were able to knock down the heavy fire in the bus with foam.

Firefighters were able to bring the fire under control in about one hour. Firefighters conducted extensive overhaul on scene of the garage and the large bus. The building was a total loss and multiple vehicles on site were destroyed. No injuries were reported and the fire is under investigation at this time.