Equipment Fire S. 28th Street

Incident Date: 5/4/2011
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 909 S. 28th Street
Incident Type: Commercial Structure Fire

Narrative: At 12:18 a.m. ten companies of Tacoma Firefighters (five engines, two ladders, two medic companies, and command staff) responded to reported commercial structure fire.

First arriving companies found a piece of manufacturing equipment used in the sign making business fully involved in flames. An aggressive interior attack quickly extinguished the fire and there were no injuries to report.

The cause of the fire was a mechanical failure of a piece of manufacturing equipment. The fire resulted in an estimated $102,000 damage to the building and its contents.



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Early Morning Garage Fire on East "E" Street

Incident Date: 5/3/2011
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 4515 East "E" Street
Incident Type: Garage Fire

Narrative:  At 12:01 a.m. seven companies of Tacoma Firefighters (four engines, one ladder, one medic company and command staff) responded to a reported residential garage fire.

The first arriving company found heavy smoke and flames shooting from the 720 square foot detached garage.  Given the structural instability of the exterior walls a defensive tactical approach was deployed shortly after crews arrived.  The neighboring structures were protected from exposure to the fire while it was extinguished and there were no injuries to report.

The fire was caused by electrical arching from a malfunctioning florescent light, resulting in an estimated $105,000 dollars in damage to the building and it's contents.   

House Fire on South 9th Street

Incident Date: 4/28/2011
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 1716 S. 9th Street
Incident Type: Residential Structure Fire

Narrative: At 12:35 p.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 2nd floor of the two story 1,932 square foot house.  Initial reports were that one occupant was trapped in the house, but primary and secondary search and rescue revealed no one was home at the time of the fire.  Firefighters battled the fire with hand lines and the ladder companies crew completed vertical ventilation techniques to address the heavy fire in the attic area.

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

UPDATE: Investigators have determined that the cause of the fire was an unattended cigarette, resulting in $20,500 damage to the building and its contents.   

Entry Level Firefighter Exam

Over the past two days, candidates for entry level firefighter positions have been hard at work completing the written test phase of the application process.  Designed to establish an eligibility list, the written exam is only one part in a series of steps taken to join the ranks of TFD.  Nearly 3,000 applications were received, and most attended one of 4 testing sessions held at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall.  This eligibility list will be used to fill TFD's vacant positions for the next couple of years. However, it is not yet been determined when the next recruit class will be hired.

"We are always looking for ambitious, energetic and diverse candidates to strengthen our department," said Assistant Chief Jolene Davis.   

Hazardous Material Spill - Port of Tacoma

Incident Date: 4/26/2011
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 1815 Port of Tacoma Road
Incident Type: Hazardous Material Spill

Narrative:  At 3:51 a.m. five companies of Tacoma Firefighters (1 engine, 1 ladder, 1 medic unit, haz-mat 44 and command staff) were dispatched to a reported hazardous materials spill on a cargo ship in the Port of Tacoma.

First arriving companies were informed by employees that a small quantity of a highly flammable liquid - Chlorobenzotruiflouride (an ink solvent used in the printing industry) had spilled in a container on the terminal dock and in the hull area of the "Hyundai Oakland" cargo ship moored at the Washington United Terminal.

Tactically, the ships crews were sheltered in place for precautionary measures, the Haz-mat team investigated the scope of the spill and monitored the atmosphere for fume/explosion hazards, and the businesses contracted technical clean up crew was called in to conduct the clean up of the spill.

Two employees that were initially exposed to the spill were evaluated by paramedics and released at the scene.  There were no injuries to report.

S. 38th & Fawcett Ave House Fire

Incident Date: 4/21/2011
Issuing Officer: Joe Meinecke
Incident Location: 3813 S. Fawcett Ave
Incident Type: Residential Structure Fire

Narrative: At 11:23 a.m., eight companies of Tacoma Firefighters (five engines, one ladder, one medic unit, and command staff) responded to a reported residential structure fire.

First arriving companies found heavy smoke and flames showing from the side and rear of the 1 ½ story house. In a well-coordinated effort, crews quickly extinguished the fire using attack lines, positive air pressure and vertical ventilation techniques. Primary search and rescue revealed 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.

Heavy Rescue and Structural Collapse Training

Over the past few weeks, members of the Tacoma Fire Department Technical Rescue Team have attended a heavy rescue and structural collapse course funded by a federal grant through the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI). The 80 hour course, hosted by the Seattle Fire Department, consists of 30 hours of pre-course work and 50 hours of hands on practical training. Firefighters from Bellevue, Renton, Tukwila, North Highline and Snohomish County fire departments participated.

The course is designed to help develop the skills necessary to rescue and care for patients in confined spaces and structural collapse situations (e.g. a bridge or building collapses after an earthquake). The team receives hands on training in crane operations, the use of metal cutting torches, breaching walls, cutting concrete with hydraulic, pneumatic and electrical tools, hand rigging and the carpentry skills necessary for creating wall supports critical in stabilizing scenes and rescuing victims. All of this training culminates in a mock disaster exercise with over 50 victims trapped in a wide array of difficult situations.