West Slope Training Burn

Date: 05/11/2010
Location: 922 Linden Lane

Narrative: On Tuesday May 11, 2010, Tacoma Fire Department participated in a residential training burn at 922 Linden Lane in Tacoma’s West Slope neighborhood.

Approximately 30 firefighters and staff participated in several drills throughout the day. The enormous size (6,000 square feet) and the specific style of the construction of the house gave crews the unique opportunity to practice flat roof ventilation techniques, forcible entry, interior fire attack, “softening” of the buildings security features and to set multiple fires in numerous room configurations.

TFD’s training center staff spent months coordinating the regulatory aspects of the burn and they (along with several fire crews) devoted numerous hours preparing the building for the drill (removing toxic materials, stripping the roof etc).  There were no injuries reported and overall it was a very successful training burn

CERT Teams Prepare For Disaster

Tacoma and Lakewood Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) prepare for disaster.

Tacoma, WA. May 1st 2010 – Volunteers from the Lakewood and Tacoma CERT programs participated in an earthquake drill to practice their training in emergency response at the abandoned Gray Middle School in South Tacoma. The CERTs tested their abilities to conduct rapid building assessment, fire and utility safety, light search and rescue and medical treatment of victims. The old building served as the perfect facility to create a realistic earthquake scenario. Dark and eerie corridors, staged with over 16 live victims that were dressed with accurately depicted injuries, provided a training opportunity similar to what CERTs could expect in a significant seismic event.

In a partnership, Tacoma and Lakewood Emergency Management and Fire Departments coordinated the event to promote awareness for the bordering communities. The professionals conducting the drill aimed to empower neighboring citizens to work together effectively when first responders such as Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Staff are not immediately available. CERT members were also encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community. Exercises like these are designed to further develop those skills.

If you are interested in being part of a CERT please contact Ute Weber 253-594-7980 or Lindsey Garrison at 253-597-5955 for the next training course series. Or visit http://www.tacoma.cert-central.org/ for more information.

Arson Awareness Week May 2-8

The theme for this years National Arson Awareness Week (May 2-8), is Community Arson Prevention.  The Tacoma Fire Department would like to remind everyone to take the following precautions to help prevent the crime of Arson.  

• Keep leaves, firewood, overgrown brush and shrubbery, and other combustibles away from buildings.
• Keep doors and windows locked when a building is unoccupied.
• Store all flammable liquids such as paints, gasoline, and aerosols in an approved storage location.
• Also, keep flammable liquids away from heat sources such as furnaces and other types of heaters.
• Report suspicious activity near houses or other buildings and support Neighborhood Watch programs.
• Keep matches and lighters out of the reach and sight of young children.
• If you know or suspect that arson was committed, dial 911.

For additional information regarding this years efforts visit the United States Fire Administration.

Commercial Structure Fire

Incident Date: 4/24/2010
Issuing Officer: Tory Green
Incident Location: 4703 Pacific Highway E, Fife
Incident Type: Commercial Structure Fire

Narrative: At 11:34 p.m. Saturday April 24, 2010, eleven Tacoma Fire Department companies including 5 engines, 2 ladders, 2 medic companies, and command staff responded to a reported commercial structure fire.

First arriving crews found flames and smoke involving 50% of the single story building. The businesses affected were the Tacoma Occupational Health Clinic and Apple Physical Therapy. Both businesses were closed at the time of the fire.

After an investigation was conducted, it was determined that the fire was caused by arson. The total damage was estimated at approximately $350,000. There were no injuries reported.

Pt. Defiance Zoo Tour

Incident date: 4/19/2010

Issuing Officer: Faith Mueller

Tacoma Fire Department personnel who responded to the confined space rescue at Pt. Defiance Zoo in March were treated to a "meet and greet" at the polar bear and walrus exhibits this morning. Pt. Defiance Zoo staff members shared animal facts, training regimens and their passion for working with the animals.

A post-incident feedback session, related to the March confined space rescue, followed the "meet and greet".

Jenny Reed Elementary Incident

Incident Date: April 15, 2010
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: Jenny Reed Elementary School 1803 S. 38th Street
Incident Type: Mass Medical Incident

Narrative: At 10:30 a.m. Thursday April 15, 2010, 4 Engines, 2 Ladders, 2 Medic Units, several Rural Metro Units and Command Staff responded to the report of a noxious order or possible natural gas leak at Jenny Reed Elementary School.

Initially, a single engine company was dispatched (@10:01 a.m.) to investigate an "odor" problem at the school. The first arriving company could not identify any apparent natural gas leaks, but did find a number of students and staff complaining of feeling sick. The incident was quickly upgraded to a mass medical incident - the school was evacuated, a triage process was established that identified 25 patients, medical evaluations were given and 11 of those patients were transported to local area hospitals.

The cause of the incident remains undetermined. Air monitors were used to search the building for potential harmful conditions but revealed no threats and the natural gas company also conducted a thorough examination of their equipment and found no gas leak.

The building was re-evacuated later in the afternoon as a precautionary measure and still no toxic gases or conditions were identified.

Roll-Over Motor Vehicle Crash

Incident Date: 4/14/10
Issuing Officer: Jolene Davis
Incident Location: 1500 South Sprague
Incident Type: Roll over motor vehicle crash

Narrative: At 3:15 pm, Wednesday, April 14, 2010, Tacoma Fire Department Engine 9, Ladder 1, Medic 4 and Command staff responded to a 2 car roll over motor vehicle crash with entrapment at the intersection of South 15th and Sprague street. First arriving crews found 2 badly damaged vehicles, with injured patients.

Firefighters worked quickly to remove and treat the patients, then stabilize the vehicles. One occupant from each vehicle was transported to area hospitals for treatment.

Tacoma Police briefly closed that intersection.