Join us at fire station open houses during Fire Prevention Week 2012.

Residents can celebrate Fire Prevention Week by visiting six neighborhood fire stations from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, October 13. This year’s theme, “have two ways out,” 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, call the Tacoma Fire Department Fire Prevention Division at 591-5740. We look forward to seeing you there!

Technical Rescue Training – Spotlight on Trench Rescue

Firefighters on TFD’s Technical Rescue team were hard at work last week practicing the operational aspects of trench rescue. Typical trench rescue scenarios involve scene stabilization, shoring up the sides of a trench and digging a trapped person out of a collapsed ditch.

Firefighters drilled on how to use waler systems to protect an open space inside a trench.  They also practiced lifting a heavy object at the bottom of a trench, and working around a piece of equipment such as a backhoe, or excavator that may have failed and is still in the trench.

“Trench rescue is one of the most dangerous operations we respond to," said Training Captain Lee Law. “Hands-on training is a great tool to help our personnel be well equipped to save someone trapped, while ensuring firefighter safety during these high risk operations.”

TFD's Technical Rescue team is trained to conduct rope, trench, confined space, structural collapse and vehicle/machinery rescues.