CPR Sunday Registration Is Open

CPR Sunday is an annual community event offered free-of-charge to anyone interested in learning the basic life-saving skills of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). On the second Sunday in October each year, students are taught the fundamentals of CPR and then given the opportunity to practice with CPR manikins and Automated External Defibrillators (AED). Over 900 participants attended this life saving class last year.

CPR Sunday will be held Oct. 9, at Foss High School, 2112 S. Tyler St. in Tacoma.

In order to secure your preferred class time please pre-register at http://www.cprsunday.net/registration.php.

What Attendees Can Expect

• More than 50 certified Basic Life Support instructors
• 1 1/2 hours of classroom training
• Four class options: 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 12 p.m., or 2 p.m.
• Practical training with CPR manikins and AED's.

What Attendees Will Learn

• What happens when you call 9-1-1
• Patient assessment
• One rescuer adult/child/infant CPR and obstructed airway
• Automated external defibrillator use
• Foreign body airway obstruction management
• Essentials of a home first aid kit
• CPR-related information/reminder list for home and wallet

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

Save the Date - September 11, 2011

The Tacoma Fire Department Honor Guard invites you to join us for the 10th anniversary “Remembering 9/11” ceremony.  The event begins at 9:30 a.m. Sunday September 11, at the Tacoma Firefighters Memorial at 3301 Ruston Way.

Firefighters will also be accepting donations on behalf of the Pierce County Emergency Food Network at this event.  Please bring non-perishable food items (e.g. peanut butter) to drop off in support of this important community service.

We Have Not Forgotten

National Night Out 2011

Tacoma Fire Department was honored to be invited to 93 neighborhood gatherings throughout our response area for the 28th Annual National Night Out celebration.  The event is designed to promote neighborhood spirit and heighten awareness to crime prevention efforts. Last year, an estimated 37 million people from 15,000 communities participated in the event nationally.  We appreciated meeting those of you committed to making our community safer and such a great place to live.

Rollover Crash E. 40th & E. "G" Street

Incident Date: 8/1/2011
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: E. 40th and E. "G" Street
Incident Type: Motor Vehicle Accident

Narrative: At 8:52 a.m. Tacoma Firefighters were dispatched to a reported two car motor vehicle accident with a rollover.  The first arriving companies to the scene of the collision found a van flipped over and setting on its top.  Paramedics assessed, treated and transported 3 patients from the scene to local area hospitals. 

Early Morning North End House Fire

Incident Date:  7/21/11
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 2203 N. Tacoma Ave
Incident Type: Residential Structure Fire

Narrative:  At 5:11 a.m. seven companies of Tacoma Firefighters (4 engines, 1 Ladder, 1 Medic Company and command staff) responded to a report of a residential house fire.

The first arriving crew found smoke showing from the front of the two story approximately 2,300 square foot house with a basement.  Crews attacked the fire with hand lines, and completed primary search and rescue.  It was determined that no one was home at the time of the fire and there were no injuries to report.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

UPDATE:  The cause of the fire was failed electrical wiring, resulting in an estimated $40,000 damage to the building and it's contents. 

House Fire on "M" Street

Incident Date: 7/8/11
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 910 S "M" Street
Incident Type: Residential Structure Fire

Narrative:  At 7:41 a.m seven companies of Tacoma Firefighters (four engines, one ladder, one medic company, and command staff) responded to a reported residential structure fire.

First arriving companies found heavy smoke and flames showing from the upper floor of the 1 1/2 story 2,386 square foot bungalow.  Crews mounted an aggressive interior attack with hand lines, vertically ventilated the building to release heat and smoke from the attic area and conducted primary search and rescue.  Working smoke alarms alerted the occupants to the fire and all escaped without injury.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

UPDATE: The cause of the fire was an overheated lamp, resulting in an estimated $30,000 damage to the building and its contents.

Commercial Stucture Fire at former Heidelberg Brewery Building

Incident Date: 7/6/11
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 21st and "C" Street
Incident Type: Commercial Structure Fire

Narrative:  At 11:48 p.m. nine companies of Tacoma Firefighters (5 Engines, 2 Ladders, 2 Medic Companies and command staff) responded to a reported roof fire in a commercial building.  First arriving companies found a well established fire on the roof and upper floor area of a portion of the Columbia-Heidelberg brewery complex. The fire was upgraded to a second alarm at 12:22 a.m. (3 additional engines and 2 ladders) - securing more resources to prevent the fire from spreading to the adjacent buildings. 

Due to the size of the structure, the response was divided into two tactical operation zones and two ladder company aerial master streams were deployed to attack the fire from above.  Using a well coordinated "defensive strategy" the fire was extinguished and contained to the area of origin (the eighty-five thousand square foot turn of the century building is vacant and currently being demolished)

Fire crews also made considerable salvage efforts to help preserve the inventory of the Pierce County Toys for Tots program being stored in the warehouse building exposed to the fire.

There were no injuries to report and the cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

UPDATE:  Fire investigators have concluded that the area of origin of the fire was in a room on the top floor of the building, but are undetermined as to it's cause.  There are no obvious signs that the fire was deliberately set or is suspicious in nature.