Hoosick Falls Police And Fire Departments In Action This December

by Bea Peterson
Hoosick Falls Police Chief Robert Ashe said the Department had a DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) Patrol on Thursday, December 29. “There were no DWIs,” he said, “but we issued 16 tickets from everything from unlicensed operator to not wearing a seatbelt.” The holiday season was very quiet, he added. The month, however was not without incident.
[private]Fire In Specialty Insulation Building
On Thursday, December 22, police were called to the old Specialty Insulation Co. on Center Street where a fire had been set. “Damage was minimal,” said Chief Ashe. However the building had to be thoroughly checked out. “The building is old and possibly unsafe,” he said. Firefighters and police officers were at risk while they searched the building to see if someone was hiding inside and to make sure there was no fire anywhere else.
With evidence obtained at the scene, police confronted two 14 year old boys on Saturday, December 24. Once confronted with the evidence, the boys admitted starting the fire. The two juveniles will appear in Rensselaer County Family Court and face third degree burglary and fourth degree arson charges.
Domestic Dispute
On December 15 police responded to a domestic dispute on Mechanic Street. Nicole Valiakos, 24, reportedly put papers on the stove, put oil on them and started a fire. It was extinguished by her boyfriend. There were three children in the home. Valiakos was charged with menacing and three charges of endangering the welfare of a child. She was taken to Rensselaer County Jail.
$10,000 Scam
A few days later police responded to a call from an elderly Hoosick Falls woman. The woman told them that on December 14 she received a telephone call from someone who said he was her grandson. He said he was in the Rensselaer County Jail, arrested on a DWI charge and he needed $5,000 bail. He said he hadn’t been drinking at all – it was the cough syrup he had taken because he had a terrible cold. He asked her please not to call his parents because he wanted to tell them in person. He asked her not to tell anyone because he didn’t want his parents to find out until he could talk to them. “He knew everything about her,” said Chief Ashe. “Where she lived and about her and her family. He was very believable.” She was told to wire $5,000 from the Western Union location at Kmart in Bennington to an address in Malaysia. They called again the next day with another story and the “grandson’s lawyer” requested she send another $5,000, which she did. “Elderly people are particularly vulnerable to these scams,” said Ashe. “Whenever these calls are received, they should be discussed with family before any money is sent,” the Chief added.
Fire Department Answers Fourteen Calls In December
The Hoosick Falls Fire Department responded to 14 calls in December, bringing the number of calls covered in 2011 to 199. The Department responded to a propane smell at the Cumberland Farms Store on the morning of December 3 and at almost 11 that night assisted the Town of Hoosick Rescue Squad on an EMS call.
On the afternoon of December 9 a crew responded to a wire down on Oak Street. On the 10th, at 5:30 pm, there was an unknown alarm in a building on First Street.
On December 13 at 5 pm the department stood by in quarters in mutual aid with the Hoosick Fire Department that was responding to a structure fire.
At 7:30 pm on the 15th they responded to a motor vehicle accident on River Road and Mechanic Street. At 5 pm on December 22 a crew responded to a structure fire on Center Street. Two hours later they responded to a call of a propane odor at Church and Main Streets. On December 23 at 2:30 in the afternoon the Department stood by in quarters while the Hoosick Fire Department responded to a structure fire. On Christmas Eve the Department responded to a motor vehicle accident on Wilson Hill Road. On Christmas morning members again assisted the Town of Hoosick Rescue Squad as it responded to a call.
On  December 27 the HFFD was on standby in Cambridge while that Department responded to a motor vehicle accident. At 7:30 in the morning on December 28 a crew responded to an electrical fire on Classic Street. The year ended with a call at 10:30 pm to Church Street where they found a bad smoke detector.
On average the HFFD responded to about 14 calls a month in 2011. There were two exceptions this past year. In March there were 44 calls, and in August there were 29. Chief Robert Bornt said, “It has been a very busy year for us.” He added that a lot of volunteer time is spent attending 24 drills and 12 meetings a year, never mind all the miscellaneous things that have to be done. “We need help,” said the Chief. “We have a great bunch of people, but there’s not enough of them. We are wearing thin.”
To join the Hoosick Falls Fire Department visit their website www.hoosickfallsfiredepartment.org or stop in the fire house any Monday evening at 6:30 when they are meeting.[/private]