Firefighters improve skills during live fire training burn

On Tuesday January 21, 2014 Tacoma Fire Department conducted a live fire training burn of a house located at 6224 16^th Street East in Fife. 

Live fire training in a controlled environment is valuable tool to develop firefighting skills. Nearly 30 firefighters and staff participated in a variety of drills throughout the day. Training objectives included interior fire attack, hose handling, and using a thermal imaging camera to search for and observe fire behavior. 

TFD’s training center staff coordinated the regulatory aspects of the burn and there were no injuries to report. 

Information sessions on new Port Emergency Warning System

With grants acquired by the Port of Tacoma through the Department of Homeland Security, the Tacoma Fire Department now stands ready to operate Tacoma’s new Port Emergency Warning System (PEWS) from its Fire and Emergency Communication Center.

The system is designed to provide an area wide audible alert with emergency instruction to those working outside or in loud industrial environments.

City of Tacoma Emergency Management is providing four public information seminars for interested parties to learn about the PEWS system.

Where:  Tacoma Greater Convention Center – Commerce Room

              1500 Broadway, Tacoma, WA 98402

• January 22, 2014 - 5:00pm–6:30pm or 7:00pm–8:30pm
• January 25, 2014 - 10:00am–11:30pm or 1:00pm–2:30pm

Heavy fire damage to house on East 50th Street

Incident Date: 1/16/14
Issuing Officer:  Joe Meinecke
Incident Location:  519 E. 50th St.
Incident Type:  House Fire

Narrative:  At 4:30 pm, Firefighters from stations 2,10,11 and 15 responded to a reported house fire.

The first arriving company found heavy flames and smoke showing from the second floor of the approximately 1,800 square foot two-story house. Crews quickly extended approximately 700 feet of five inch supply line from the fire hydrant to establish a water supply, then attacked the well-established fire with handlines. The incident commander transitioned to a defensive strategy given the dangerous conditions and collapse hazard presented by the rapidly deteriorating roof, bringing the blaze under control in about one hour.

No one was home at the time of the fire and there are no injuries to report. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

Requests for Service - December 2013

TFD Incidents by Initial Dispatch Type

TFD - Incidents	December	2013 (YTD)	2012 (YTD)
Fire	93	1,445	1,493
Emergency Medical	2,731	32,263	31,367
All Other (e.g. hazardous conditions, search and rescue, automatic fire alarms)	592	5,536	5,999
Total	3,416	39,244	38,859

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Protecting People, Property & the Environment

Crews douse house fire on S. Verde St.

Incident Date:  1/8/14

Issuing Officer:  Joe Meinecke

Incident Location:  5909 S. Verde St. 

Incident Type:  Residential Structure Fire

Narrative:  At 10:04 pm, Firefighters from stations 2,7,8,10,16 and 17 responded to a reported residential house fire. 

The first arriving company found flames and smoke showing from the approximately 1,600 sq foot two-story house. Crews attacked the fire that started in a bedroom of a mother-in-law apartment above the garage of the house and searched the structure to confirm no occupants were trapped. 

All occupants escaped without harm and their no injuries to report. The cause of the fire was undetermined and resulted in an estimated $19,000 damage to the building and its contents. 

Firefighters respond to house fire on 43rd Street NE

Incident Date:  1/8/14
Issuing Officer:  Joe Meinecke
Incident Location:  4587 43rd ST NE
Incident Type:  Residential Structure Fire

Narrative:  At 11:18 am, Firefighters from stations 2, 3, 4, 9, 11 and 12 responded to a reported house fire.

The first arriving engine company found smoke showing from the second floor of the two story approximately 1,700 square foot house. Crews attacked the fire with handlines and conducted a search of the building to confirm that no one was trapped inside.

No occupants were home at the time of the incident and there are no injuries to report. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

UPDATE:  The probable cause of the fire was the spontaneous combustion of discarded rags damp with paint thinner. The fire did an estimated $28,000 damage to the building and its contents.   

House fire 3500 block S. Sheridan Ave.

Incident Date:  1/6/14

Issuing Officer:  Joe Meinecke

Incident Location:  3525 S. Sheridan Ave. 

Incident Type:  Residential House Fire

Narrative:  At 3:27 PM, Engine 2  responded to a reported wall fire in a house. Upon arrival, the engine company noted smoke showing from the eaves on both sides of the 1 1/2 story approximately 1,500 square foot structure. The response was quickly upgraded to a full residential alarm, bringing additional resources from stations 1,2,4,7,and 8.

Crews attacked the fire that was burning in the attic area with handlines, ventilated the roof, and conducted search and rescue to confirm no one was trapped inside the structure. All occupants were able to escape without harm and three adults and four children were displaced in the blaze. 

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

UPDATE:  The cause of the fire was failure of electrical wiring in the attic space, resulting in an estimated $23,000 damage to the building and its contents.