Drill hones firefighting skills

Firefighters from Tacoma, Gig Harbor and Central Pierce Fire and Rescue teamed up for a multi-agency training drill this week. The scenario: firefighters respond to a reported apartment fire, and upon investigation determine that five injured occupants are trapped in two separate units of the three-story building. 

TFD's training division organized the drill, partnering with the Tacoma Housing Authority for use of an apartment building slated for demolition. Hands-on-training drills are designed to improve firefighting skills and the opportunity to practice under "real" world conditions is invaluable to firefighters.

Operational objectives in this scenario included interior fire attack, hose handling, ventilation, ladder techniques, search and rescue, scene safety procedures and incident command.

Fire Incidents for April 18, 2013

Time: 3:08 a.m. 
Address:  208 N. Tacoma Ave

Response: Station 1,2,4,9,11,13

Damage Estimate:  undetermined

Narrative:  Firefighters responded to a reported apartment fire.  Crews arrived to find light smoke in one of the units, and upon further investigation determined that a fan inside a wall heater had melted and produced the smoke.

Time: 1:27 p.m. 
Address:  S. 11th St./"A" St.

Response: Station 11

Damage Estimate: undetermined

Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a garbage can fire. 

Fire Incidents for April 16, 2013

Time: 10:13 p.m. 
Address:  SB I-5 at 56th

Response: Station 2,8

Damage Estimate:  $2,000

Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a fire that started in the brake area of a semi-truck tractor trailer. 

Fire Incidents for April 15, 2013

Time: 10:36 a.m. 
Address:  857 S. 34th St

Response: Station 2

Damage Estimate:  $118 

Narrative:  Firefighters responded to reported electrical fire involving a dryer.  Upon investigation it was determined that an electrical malfunction at the outlet caused the problem, and there was no fire extension.  

Fire Incidents for April 12-14, 2013

Date: 4/12/13
Time: 3:31 p.m. 
Address:  1600 S. Orchard St.

Response: Station 17

Damage Estimate:  unknown 

Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a small fire in the engine compartment of a car that had crashed into a telephone pole.  No injuries to report. 

Date: 4/12/13
Time: 9:19 p.m. 
Address:  422 N "E" St

Response: Station 1,2,4,9

Damage Estimate:  $2,500 

Narrative:  Firefighters extinguished a fire on the back porch of a single family home.  The cause of the fire was undetermined, and there were no injuries to report. 

Date: 4/14/13
Time: 12:23 p.m. 
Address:  4063 E. "E" St
Response: Station 11

Damage Estimate: none  

Narrative:  Prohibited outdoor burn.