Safely dispose of your Christmas Tree

TFD encourages you to remove and recycle your natural Christmas tree as soon as possible. Never burn the tree, decorations or wrapping paper in your fireplace or woodstove. 

For City of Tacoma residents…

Landfill drop off:  Tacoma residents and businesses in Tacoma may dispose of undecorated and unflocked Christmas trees for free by bringing them to the Tacoma Landfill between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Jan. 2, through Monday, Jan. 20. 

Curbside collection:  The City will only collect undecorated and unflocked Christmas trees that have been cut and placed inside brown yard waste containers with lids closed flat. Decorated or flocked Christmas trees cannot be recycled and must go in the garbage, and Christmas trees left next to containers will not be collected. Customers with specific questions about Christmas tree recycling may call 3-1-1 or (253) 591-5543.

Whats the rush? After Christmas people tend to stop watering their tree. Check out this video to see the difference between a wet vs.dry tree fire. 

Electrical short sparks house fire on S. Cushman Street

Incident Date: 12/29/13

Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke

Incident Location: 2542 S. Cushman St.

Incident Type: Residential House Fire

Narrative:  At 5:39 pm, Firefighters from stations 1,2,4,9,12,13 and 17 responded to a reported house fire. 

The first arriving company found smoke showing from the first floor of the approximately 2,200 square foot two-story house. Crews made a quick interior attack and knocked the fire down that had started in the living room area. One occupant was able to escape without harm and there were no injuries to report. 

The cause of the fire was an electrical short in the wiring for a floor lamp resulting in an estimated $40,000 damage to the building and its contents.

View Larger Map

Unattended cooking causes Eastside apartment fire

Incident Date: 12/29/13  

Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke 

Incident Location: 2076 E. 56th St.

Incident Type: Apartment Fire

Narrative: At 3:21 pm, Firefighters from stations 2,8,9,10,11,12,17 responded to a reported apartment fire.

The first arriving company found heavy smoke and flames showing from a ground floor apartment of the approximately 4,000 square foot four-plex. Crews attacked the fire with handlines and searched the apartment of origin and unit above to confirm no one was trapped in the building. All occupants were able to escape safely and their were no injuries to report. 

The cause of the fire was unattended cooking resulting in an estimated $38,800 dollars damage to the apartment of origin and $8,000 to the second floor unit directly above.

Relocation assistance was requested from the Red Cross for two families displaced in the blaze.

 

Firefighters respond to house fire on S. 25th Street.

Incident Date:  12/24/13
Issuing Officer:  Joe Meinecke
Incident Location:  2218 S. 25th St.
Incident Type:  Residential Structure Fire

Narrative:  At 12:44 PM, Firefighters from stations 1,2,4,8,9,11 and 17 responded to a reported house fire.

The first arriving company found heavy smoke showing from the one story approximately 1,000 square foot residence. Crews attacked the fire with handlines, prevented the fire from spreading to a nearby house, ventilated the roof, and searched the structure to confirm no one was trapped inside.

Seven occupants, two dogs, and (with the help of a fire crew) a pet python were all able to escape the blaze without harm. There were no injuries to report. Relocation assistance was requested from the Red Cross for one adult and four children displaced in the fire.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

UPDATE:  A fire investigator determined that the cause of the fire was a child igniting combustibles with a lighter, resulting in an estimated $116,000 damage to the building and its contents.

Firefighters battle three unrelated blazes in a three hour span

Incident #1

Incident Location: 1648 E. 31 Street
Incident Type: Detached Garage Fire

Narrative:  At 5:44 PM, Firefighters from station 1,2,7,8,9,11 and 15 responded to a reported detached garage fire.

The first arriving company found heavy flames and smoke showing from a 1,392 square foot single story detached garage that had been converted into a “mother-in-law” apartment. Crews mounted an aggressive attack, protected nearby exposure structures, and confirmed that no one was trapped inside the structure. The Red Cross was requested to provide relocation services to 2 adults displaced in the incident and there were no injuries to report.

The cause of the fire was undetermined, resulting in an estimated $60,000 damage to the building and its contents.

Incident #2

Incident Location: 6841 S. Fife Street 
Incident Type: Residential Structure Fire

Narrative:  At 6:29 PM, Firefighters from station 1,2,4,8,9 and 15 responded to a reported house fire. The first arriving company found flames and smoke showing from the approximately 900 square foot one and a half story home. Crews attacked the fire with handlines, ventilated the roof and conducted search and rescue to confirm no one was trapped inside.

One person was transported to an area hospital for evaluation from the incident and the cause was determined to be intentionally set. Tacoma Police Department arrested one suspect and the fire resulted in an estimated $112,000 damage to the building and its contents.

Incident #3

Incident Location: 1440 Port of Tacoma Road
Incident Type: Commercial Structure Fire

Narrative:  At 8:29 PM, Firefighters from stations 1,2,9,11,and 12 responded to a reported commercial structure fire. The first arriving company found smoke showing from 450 square foot single story office building. Crews made entry into the structure and found fire in the wall and ceiling area. Crews quickly extinguished the fire, limiting the damage to that area of the building.

The cause of the fire was a malfunctioning HVAC unit resulting in an estimated $15,000 damage to the building and its contents.     

The 25th Annual Firefighters Christmas Project!

 Tacoma Firefighters raise $12,000 to brighten the holidays for 125 local families.

For the past 25 years, Tacoma Firefighters have brought holiday cheer to the lives of thousands of Tacoma children and their families with deliveries of food, clothing and gifts just before Christmas. This year, firefighters have raised over $12,000 dollars to help more than 125 children and families in need.

“It’s always a great honor to help bring a little happiness to those in need during the holidays,” said project co-founder Lieutenant Jim Lee (other co-founders include Lieutenant Andrea Schroeder and Firefighter Ron Ernst). "We are also very grateful for the generous support from active and retired Tacoma Firefighters throughout the past 25 years. Without their commitment to the community and this program, none of this would have been possible" said Lee.

Special deliveries from a fire engine, medic unit and Santa Claus are scheduled for Dec. 20 and Dec. 21. This year’s recipients were identified through the Tacoma School District Head Start Program, YWCA Women’s Shelter, and the Sharing House.

For additional information regarding this event, contact Lieutenant Jim Lee at (253) 381-0851.

Requests for Service - November 2013

TFD Incidents by Initial Dispatch Type

TFD - Incidents	November	2013 (YTD)	2012 (YTD)
Fire	91	1,352	1,429
Emergency Medical	2,623	29,532	29,268
All Other (e.g. hazardous conditions, search and rescue, automatic fire alarms)	424	4,939	5,752
Total	3,138	35,823	36,451

HTML Tables

Protecting People, Property & the Environment

Freezing temperatures can lead to frozen water pipes!

As the recent cold snap comes to an end  many homeowners and businesses will be dealing with yet another hazard - broken water pipes. As the water in pipes freezes it expands - causing the pipes to crack or burst. You won’t often know there is a problem until the temperatures warm enough to melt the ice and allow for water to flow. If you are experiencing the unfortunate dilemma of frozen or busted water pipes, here are a few things you need to know.

Homeowners:

• Most importantly, know where and how to shut off your main water supply before you have a problem. There should be a main valve for your house (usually located in the basement or crawl space) and one at the water meter pit. 
• The pipes that freeze most frequently are those that are exposed to severe cold, such as outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines, water sprinkler lines and water supply pipes in unheated interior areas such as basements and crawl spaces, attics, garages or kitchen cabinets. Pipes that run against exterior walls that have little or no insulation are also subject to freezing.
• Make sure pipes located in exterior walls, or in floors over unheated spaces (such as a bathroom above an attached garage) are insulated and protected. Keep your garage door closed.
• Remember to never use an open flame torch (fire danger) or boiling water (will cause the pipes to burst) when thawing pipes. A hair drier on low setting works well.
• Select a licensed plumber to assist you in making any necessary repairs.
• If you are a Tacoma Water customer, and you have a water leak emergency, call the trouble line at (253) 502-8384. 

Businesses:

• Make sure that any exterior piping is insulated and hose bib’s are covered.
• Increase the building temperature to prevent freezing (particularly warehouses – storage facilities).
• Fire Sprinkler systems that go out of service require you to institute a Fire Watch until the system is operable.

MVA with Technical Rescue on E.35th

Incident Date: 12/8/13
Issuing Officer: BC Jolene Davis & Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 1801 E. 35th St
Incident Type: MVA with Technical Rescue

Narrative: At 3:54 am, Firefighters from stations 1,2,3,7,8, and 11 responded to a reported motor vehicle crash involving a car over an embankment.

The first arriving company found a single car had left the road and plunged approximately 100 feet down a steep ravine. With two injured occupants struggling in the sub-freezing temperatures, TFD's technical rescue team worked quickly to set up high-angle rope system to safely remove them from the crash scene. Both occupants were transported to an area hospital as a result of injuries sustained in the crash.

Put the freeze on winter fires!

Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fires during the winter months. With extended freezing temperatures in the forecast, the Tacoma Fire Department offers the following fire safety tips.

• Have your chimney and furnace inspected annually and cleaned if necessary.
• Portable heaters need their space. Keep anything that can catch fire at least three feet from the heat.
• Never use a range or an oven as a supplemental heating device.
• Have working smoke alarms and practice a home escape plan with your family.
• In the event of a power outage, always use a flashlight – not a candle – for emergency lighting.

For additional winter fire safety information visit the USFA or NFPA websites. 

"Tried and True" recipe for a safe Thanksgiving 2013

According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving is the leading day for home cooking fires, with three times as many occurring on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year!

Tacoma Fire Department encourages everyone to follow this "tried and true" recipe for a safe holiday.

When it comes to cooking:

• Keep a close watch on your cooking. Never leave cooking food unattended.
• Keep oven food packaging and combustibles away from burners and heat sources.
• Heat cooking oil slowly and watch it closely; it can ignite quickly.
• Have a "kid-free zone" of at least three-feet around the stove.
• Keep a lid nearby to smother small grease fires.
• Make sure you have a working smoke alarms.

Electrical failure sparks boat fire in the Thea Foss

Incident Date:  11/24/13
Issuing Officer:  BC Jim Zuluaga & Joe Meinecke
Incident Location:  821 Dock Street
Incident Type:  Boat Fire

Narrative:  At 8:36 PM, Firefighters from station 1,2,4,9 and 14 responded to the Thea Foss Waterway for a reported boat fire.

The first arriving company found a fully involved fire in the cabin area of a 39' flying bridge cabin cruiser. Crews made a quick attack to knock the fire down and were able to contain the fire to the boat of origin. There were no injuries to report and one occupant was displaced in the incident.

The cause of the fire was an electrical failure in the connection to shore power ignited combustible paneling on the boat. The fire resulted in an estimated $78,000 damage to the vessel and its contents.

Fire causes extensive damage to NE Tacoma home

Incident Date:  11/21/22

Issuing Officer:  Joe Meinecke
Incident Location:  3130 59th Ave NE
Incident Type: House Fire

Narrative:  At 10:26 PM Firefighters from stations 1,2,3,8 and 12 responded to a reported house fire. The first arriving engine company found a fully involved house fire that had vented through the roof of the 970 square foot single story home. Crews took a defensive strategy against the well entrenched blaze, and protected the home nearby exposed to the intense heat and flames. 

The homes two occupants were able to escape safely and there are no injuries to report. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

UPDATE: The cause of the fire was improperly discarded fireplace ashes igniting combustibles resulting in an estimated $165,000 damage to the building and its contents. The fire burned through a portion of the garage that had no dry wall, then raced across the unprotected rafters throughout the entire attic area. The house is considered a total loss. 

Cigarette ignites apartment fire in North End Retirement Community

Incident Date:  11/20/13
Issuing Officer:  Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 6414 N. Park Wy
Incident Type:  Apartment Fire

Narrative:  At 10:34 AM Firefighters from station 1,2,4,9,13,14 and 16 responded to a reported apartment fire in an independent living retirement community.

The first arriving company found fire and smoke showing from the balcony area of a second floor apartment in a large multi-family dwelling unit. Operationally, crews attacked the fire with handlines, while other firefighters organized search and rescue efforts to check multiple apartments on multiple floors to assure that no one was trapped in the fire or in harms way.

The buildings fire protection system assisted with the positive life safety outcome in this incident;  the fire alarms provided early notification to the tenets of the danger, and the sprinkler system activated helping contain the fire to the apartment of origin.

Three people were evaluated by paramedics for injuries and released at the scene.

The cause of the fire was an improperly discarded cigarette igniting combustibles material resulting in an estimated $30,000 damage to the building and its contents.

 

Requests for Service - October 2013

TFD Incidents by Initial Dispatch Type

TFD - Incidents	October	2013 (YTD)	2012 (YTD)
Fire	70	1,209	1,363
Emergency Medical	2,743	26,909	26,709
All Other (e.g. hazardous conditions, search and rescue, automatic fire alarms)	461	4,567	5,323
Total	3,274	32,585	33,395

HTML Tables

Protecting People, Property & the Environment

Unattended candle ignites house fire on S. 37th Street

Incident Date:  11/4/13
Issuing Officer:  Joe Meinecke
Incident Location:  1201 S. 37th St.
Incident Type: House Fire

Narrative:  At 9:34 p.m., Firefighters from stations 2,4,7,8,9,11 and 17 responded to a reported house fire. The first arriving engine company found smoke and flames showing from the basement of the 1 1/2 story approximately 5,000 square single family home functioning as a group boarding home.

Crews attacked the fire with handlines and conducted a thorough search of the structure to confirm no one was trapped in the blaze. Initial reports were that one occupant had reentered the house and was missing. However, it was eventually determined that all 11 occupants of the residence were able to escape without harm. A working smoke alarm is credited for alerting the occupants to the fire.

Firefighters also removed an unconscious cat from the fire, were able to resuscitate it, and reunite the pet with it's owner.

The Red Cross was requested to provide relocation assistance for those displaced in the incident.

The cause of the fire was an unattended candle igniting combustible materials resulting in an estimated $19,000 to the building and its contents.

 

Spotlight on Training - Mass Causality Incidents

When Firefighters arrive on-scene of an incident that has multiple patients, or more patients than emergency medical service resources, they will declare a Mass Causality Incident (MCI). Once an MCI is declared, the appropriate level of resources are deployed, and a definite and well coordinated flow of events occur: triage, treatment and transport. Triage is the initial process of determining the priority of patients based on the severity of their condition.

Firefighters honed their MCI skills today during a multi-company drill. The scenario: a car explosion rips though several vehicles, killing four people, injuring seven others, and trapping three patients in vehicles requiring specialized stabilization and extrication. Crews practiced all three phases (triage,treatment and transport) of an MCI in this exercise.
 

 

Set your clocks back, and check your smoke alarm batteries this weekend!

Tacoma Fire Department urges you to check your smoke alarm batteries when you set your clocks back for Daylight Savings time this weekend.

Smoke alarms most often fail because of missing, dead or disconnected batteries, so maintenance is a simple and effective way to protect your family and reduce home fire deaths.

For best protection, it is recommended that you install alarms utilizing both ionization and photoelectric technology, and ones that have long life 10 year lithium ion batteries.

Visit the United States Fire Administration and National Fire Protection Association for additional information regarding smoke alarm types, installation, maintenance and safety.

Combustibles too close to a heater started house fire on S. Wilkeson St.

Incident Date:  10/31/13
Issuing Officer:  Joe Meinecke
Incident Location:  2106 S. Wilkeson St.
Incident Type:  House Fire

Narrative:  At 6:58 a.m., Firefighters from stations 1,2,4 and 9 responded to a reported residential structure fire.

The first arriving company found heavy flames and smoke showing from the back of the one story approximately 1,000 square foot house. Crews attacked the fire with handlines and searched the structure to confirm no one was trapped inside.

Working smoke alarms alerted the occupants to the fire, and all five were able to escape. Two occupants were evaluated and treated by paramedics and released on-scene. The Red Cross was requested to provide relocation assistance to the two adults and three children displaced in the blaze.

The cause of the fire was bedding too close to a baseboard heater ignited resulting in an estimated $38,000 damage to the building and its contents.

Combustibles near a baseboard heater spark house fire on South "K" Street.

Incident Date:  10/30/13
Issuing Officer:  Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 7843 S. "K" Street
Incident Type:  Residential House Fire

Narrative:  At 9:15 a.m., Firefighters from stations 1,2,7,8,9,11,15, 61 and 63 responded to a reported fire.

The first arriving company found heavy flames and smoke coming from a single story approximately 1,000 square foot house. Crews attacked the fire with handlines, ventilated the metal roof of the structure to release the heat and smoke, and conducted a search of the house to confirm no one was trapped inside.

The Red Cross was requested to provide relocation assistance for one adult and two children displaced in the incident. The cause of the fire was combustible materials near a baseboard heater igniting, resulting in an estimated $50,000 damage to the building and its contents.

When it comes to heater safety, remember to keep combustibles "three feet from the heat."

Halloween Safety

Everyone loves a good scare on Halloween, but according to our friends at Safe Kids, on average children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any day of the year - now that is scary!

Top Tips

• Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers. 
• Since masks can sometimes obstruct a child's vision, try non-toxic face paint and makeup to get the same effect.
• Have kids carry a glow stick or flashlight to help them see and be seen by drivers.

Requests for Service - September 2013

TFD Incidents by Initial Dispatch Type

TFD - Incidents	September	2013 (YTD)	2012 (YTD)
Fire	81	1,139	1,228
Emergency Medical	2,855	24,126	24,005
All Other (e.g. hazardous conditions, search and rescue, automatic fire alarms)	476	4,108	4,893
Total	3,412	29,373	30,126

HTML Tables

Protecting People, Property & the Environment

Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill 2013

Since earthquakes may happen anywhere you work, live, or travel, Tacoma Fire Department stresses the importance of being prepared and practicing how to protect yourself during a quake.

At 10:17 a.m. on October 17, 2013, millions across the country will practice the survival skill of “Drop, Cover, and Hold On.”

The goal of the drill is to prevent a major earthquake from becoming a catastrophe for you, your organization, and your community. Why is this drill important? As with anything, to act quickly you must practice often. You may only have seconds to protect yourself in an earthquake before strong shaking knocks you down, or something falls on you.

Best of all - everyone can participate!

Great turnout for CPR Sunday!

Thanks to the nearly 800 citizens who learned the life saving skills of CPR this weekend at CPR Sunday! We appreciate your commitment to helping make our community safer. If you were unable to attend, we also offer two standing classes a month. Visit our CPR webpage for additional class times and locations.

Great turnout at Fire Station Open Houses October 12, 2013

Thanks for joining us at our annual Fire Station Open House event in honor of Fire Prevention Week 2013. We enjoyed meeting you!

Learn to save a life this weekend!

Just a reminder that CPR Sunday is this weekend! The free training event is nearly full, (about 1,000 participants have signed up already) so in order to secure your preferred class time please pre-register at CPRsunday.net. 

The details:

• Date:  Sunday October 13, 2013
• Location:  Foss High School, 2112 S. Tyler St., 
• Class times at 8 AM, 10 AM, 12 PM, 2 PM. 

Note - this class is "Citizen Level CPR" and does not meet the Washington State Health Care Provider Level card requirements.

Celebrate Fire Prevention Week 2013

Residents can celebrate Fire Prevention Week by visiting six neighborhood fire stations from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, October 12. This year’s theme, “Prevent Kitchen Fires,” encourages everyone to team up and spread the message that fire safety saves lives!

Equipment will be on display and firefighters will answer questions about escape planning, fire safety and disaster preparedness.

The following six stations will host open houses:

Station 3 -   206 Browns Point Blvd, NE Tacoma
Station 4 -   1453 S. 12th (Earnest S Brazil St), Hilltop
Station 11 - 3802 McKinley Ave., McKinley Hill
Station 13 - 3825 N. 25th, Proctor
Station 16 - 7217 6th Ave., Skyline/West End District
Station 17 - 302 Regents Blvd., Fircrest

For more information on the activities hosted at each station, visit the Tacoma Fire Department, or call the Fire Prevention Division at 591-5740. We look forward to seeing you there!

Emergency Preparedness Month Video News Release

Multi-car motor vehicle crash on S. 19th and S. "I" Street

Incident Date: 9/26/13
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: S.19th and "I" Street
Incident Type: MVA

Narrative: At 1:17 PM Tacoma Firefighters from station 1,2 and 4 responded to a reported two car motor vehicle crash.

The first arriving company found two cars that hit head on in the intersection of S. 19th and S. "I" street and three additional cars including one vehicle landing on top of a parked car about 100 feet down "I" street. Crews worked quickly to assess all parties involved and a total of four patients were transported to area hospitals as a result of injuries sustained in the accident.