Residential House Fire 50th and N. Visscher St.

Incident Date: 1/13/12
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 5043 N. Visscher St
Incident Type: Residential Structure Fire

Narrative:  At 4:19 a.m. seven companies of Tacoma Firefighters responded to a reported residential structure fire.

First arriving crews found heavy smoke showing from the back of the approximately 1,800 square foot one story house with a basement.  Crews attacked the fire with handlines, conducted a search of the house and ventilated the heavy smoke from building. The fire displaced two occupants and their were no injuries to report.

The probable cause of the fire was an electrical malfunction in a portable space heater, resulting in an estimated $35,000 dollars damage to the property and its contents.

As we continue with some "winter" like weather conditions over the next several days TFD reminds everyone of the following safety tips regarding portable space heaters.

• Select heaters with tip-over and overheat protection
• Give heaters their space – 3 feet from combustibles
• Plug heaters directly into outlets – not extension cords
• Turn off heaters when leaving them unattended

  

TFD Bestows Medal Of Valor Awards For 5 Tacoma Firefighters

It is with great pride that the Tacoma Fire Department recognized five firefighters with the medal of valor award in a ceremony today.  The departments highest award, the medal of valor is given to firefighters who demonstrate:

• A conspicuous act of bravery and heroism in an extremely hazardous situation - above and beyond the call of duty
• By such action, the employee placed him/herself in imminent danger that probably would have resulted in great bodily injury or death
• The objective was of sufficient importance to justify the risk

The awards were given related to a tragic 2009 house fire incident, where crews rescued two occupants out a bedroom window and one occupant (who later passed away) down a narrow stairway with intense fire threatening their escape route.

Award Recipient's were:

Ben Flesher, Battalion Chief - 28 years of service

Alex Wilsie, Lieutenant - 15 years of service

Casey Novak, Lieutenant - 9 years of service

Richard Turley, Lieutenant - 12 years of service

Paul Purdy, Firefighter/Paramedic - 5 years of service

Patient Extrication From Commercial Fishing Vessel

Incident Date: 1/11/2012
Issuing Officer:  Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 401 E. Alexander Ave
Incident Type: Patient Extrication

Narrative:  At 1:45 p.m. Tacoma Firefighters responded to a reported person injured on a commercial fishing vessel moored at a pier in the Port of Tacoma.  

First arriving crews arrived to find a injured worker in the hold of the vessel.  The incident commander called for the technical rescue team to assist with the removal of the patient from the ship.  Firefighters secured the patient, used a stokes stretcher to lift them safely from the hold and transported them to an area hospital.