Residential House Fire South 13th Street

Incident Date: 6/13/12
Issuing Officer: Faith Mueller/Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 1314 S. 13th Street
Incident Type: Residential Structure Fire

Narrative:  At 8:10 p.m. seven companies (four engines, one ladder, one medic company and command staff) responded to a reported residential house fire.

First arriving crews found heavy flames and smoke showing from the front of the one story 1,224 square foot residence.  Crews made an aggressive interior attack with 1 3/4 inch hose lines, completed vertical ventilation and conducted primary search and rescue. 

The fire displaced 6 occupants from the residence and there were no injuries to report.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

UPDATE: Fire investigators have determined that the cause of the fire was the ignition of combustible materials too close to a baseboard heater.  The fire caused and estimated $173,500 dollars damage to the building and its contents and displaced 8 occupants from the house.

Residential Fire N. Ferdinand

Incident Date: 6/13/12
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 4519 N. Ferdinand
Incident Type: Residential Structure Fire

Narrative:  At 6:45 a.m. seven companies of Tacoma Firefighters (four engines, one ladder, one medic company, and command staff) were called for a reported furnace fire.

First arriving companies found smoke showing from the basement area of the 1 story house.  Crews worked their way to the basement and fought the fire with handlines, ventilated the house from the heavy smoke layer and completed search and rescue.  There were no injuries to report.

The cause of the fire was an electrical malfunction related to the furnace resulting in an estimated $21,500 damage to the building and its contents.     

Requests for Service-May 2012

May 2012

Dispatch totals for TFD & CPFR response area

9-1-1 Dispatch Totals	May	YTD 2012	YTD 2011
FCC Total Calls Received	7,140	36,376	34,703
FCC Total Fire Companies Dispatched	9,489	48,261	47,368

TFD Incidents by Initial Dispatch Type

TFD - Incidents	May	YTD 2012	YTD 2011
Fire Incidents	118	459	442
Emergency Medical Incidents	2,704	13,394	12,574
All Other Incidents	563	2,877	2,604
Total Incidents by Type	3,385	16,730	15,620

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Informational Demonstration at Foss High School

Narrative: As a large group of high school seniors looked on, numerous local agencies participated in a "mock" driving under the influence (DUI) demonstration today at Foss High School. At 10:15 a.m. a 9-1-1 call reporting a motor vehicle crash rang out over a sound system signifying the start of the simulated drill. The scenario: A head-on two car motor vehicle crash involving an inebriated high school driver. The outcome: four patients – two of which were trapped in their car requiring the roof to be cut off to free them, one patient being transported by helicopter to the hospital and one patient dying at the scene.

Participating agencies included the Tacoma Police and Fire Departments, Rural Metro Ambulance, Airlift Northwest and the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s office. With our high school students celebrating at their prom and graduation parties over the next couple of weeks our message is simple: PLEASE - DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE!

Vehicle into a building on 6th Ave

Incident Date: 5/31/2012
Issuing Officer: Faith Mueller/Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 3302 6th Ave
Incident Type: Motor Vehicle Crash

Narrative:  At 7:46 p.m. firefighters were called for a report of a car crashed into a commercial building. 

First responding units arrived to find a vehicle had crashed through the front entryway of a "grocery store" type business at 6th and Junette Street.  Firefighters and paramedics worked quickly to remove the patients from the debris of the crash site and assessed and treated a total of 5 patients.  Four of the patients were transported as a result of the accident (1 from the vehicle, 3 from inside the store) and one patient was released at the scene. 

National Emergency Medical Services Week

May 20-26, 2012 is National Emergency Medical Services Week.  Providing emergency medical services (EMS) is one of our department's primary objectives, and towards that end, all Tacoma firefighters are trained as emergency medical technicians and 75 firefighters are capable of delivering advanced life support service as firefighter paramedics. 

TFD would like to thank all providers in the continuum of EMS care, including 9-1-1 dispatchers, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, nurses, physicians, hospital technicians and support staff as they assure the comfort, recovery and survival of all who turn to them when afflicted with sudden illness or injury.

"Bike to Work" Safety Tips

In recognition of National "Bike to Work" week, TFD offers the following safety tips on bicycle safety from the League of American Bicyclists and AAA.

On the Road:

• The same laws that apply to motorists apply to cyclists
• Obey all traffic control devices
• Use hand signals to indicate stops and turns
• Never wear headphones or listen to loud music while riding 

Always wear a properly fitting helmet:

• Wear a helmet, no matter how short the trip

Ride on the Right:

• Always ride in the same direction as traffic
• Use the furthest right lane that heads to your destination
• Use bike trails (not the sidewalk) when available 

Ride predictably:

• Ride in a straight line
• Don't swerve in the road or between parked cars
• Check for traffic before entering the street or intersection

Be Visible:

• Wear brightly colored clothing that provides contrast
• Use a white front light and red rear light in low light conditions
• Ride with more then one rider, when possible, to increase visibility
• Always warn pedestrians or other riders when approaching from behind