Thank you for joining us for the 9/11 remembrance ceremony today

We are grateful to those who joined us in honoring the heroes and victims of 9/11 at our Remembrance Ceremony today. Thank you for helping us we keep our nation’s solemn vow to "never forget" the sacrifices made.

Requests for Service Report - August 2013

TFD Incidents by Initial Dispatch Type

TFD - Incidents	August	2013 (YTD)	2012 (YTD)
Fire	167	1,058	1,016
Emergency Medical	2,852	21,311	21,403
All Other (e.g. hazardous conditions, search and rescue, automatic fire alarms)	512	3,635	4,491
Total	3,531	26,004	26,910

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Protecting People, Property & the Environment

TFD resuces man trapped in a chimney

Incident Date:  9/10/13

Issuing Officers: BC Dyre Fudge & Joe Meinecke
Incident Location:  608 N. “J” St.
Incident Type:  Confined Space Rescue 

At 1:27 am, Firefighters from Stations 1,2,4,8, and 9 responded to a report of a person trapped in a chimney. The first arriving company found a man stuck approximately 20 feet down an old brick chimney flue and immediately called for TFD technical rescue team resources for extrication.

Operationally, the first step was firefighters made access to the attic where the chimney flue opening terminated and lowered a rescue rope with a loop in the bottom for the man to stand in so as not to fall further. Additional crews broke through a wall on the second floor of the building to get to the chimney flue, removed a brick and were able to make contact with the person. Firefighters then provided oxygen and respiratory protection to the man and used an air chisel to carefully remove an approximately 1 ½ foot by 3 feet section to remove the individual.

After being freed, the man was evaluated by paramedics and released at the scene. It has yet to be determined as to why the man was had climbed into the chimney.

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Save-the-date. TFD hosts remembrance ceremony on Sept.11, 2013.

At 9:30 a.m. on Sept.11, the Tacoma Fire Department will host a public remembrance ceremony at Marine Park (4301 Ruston Way) to mark the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy. Tacoma City Council Member Robert Thoms and Tacoma Fire Chief James P. Duggan will be present to deliver remarks.

The event is part of a nationwide salute to firefighters, police officers, emergency medical services workers and civilians whose lives were lost and forever changed on that day.

Please join us as the nation keeps its solemn vow that “we have not forgotten.”

National Preparedness Month - September 2013

The City of Tacoma Emergency Management Division encourages everyone to participate in National Preparedness Month (NPM). NPM focuses attention on what citizens should do to ready themselves, their families and their communities for potential disasters. This year's theme is "Pledge to Prepare - Awareness to Action."     

According to Ready.Gov, the U.S. government’s official preparedness website, there are three key steps for each citizen to become prepared for an emergency:

1. Build A Kit:  Keep enough emergency supplies on hand for you and those in your care. For example, water, non-perishable food, first aid, prescriptions, flashlight, and a battery-powered radio.
2. Make A Plan:  Discuss, agree on, and document an emergency plan with those in your care. Work together with neighbors, colleagues and others to build community resilience.
3. Be Informed:  Free information is available to assist you from federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial resources.

Want to get involved?
Consider enrolling in a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training to learn about how to prepare and respond to a disaster in our community.

Registration is now open for CPR Sunday 2013

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, participants are taught the fundamentals of CPR and then given the opportunity to practice with CPR manikins and Automated External Defibrillators (AED). Over 800 participants attended this life saving class last year.

CPR Sunday will be held Oct. 13, 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 and 1 hour of hands on training
• Four class options: 8 AM, 10 AM, 12 PM, or 2 PM
• 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.

Weed burning sets off commercial structure fire

Incident Date: 8/20/13
Issuing Officer: BC Jim Zuluaga & PIO Joe Meinecke
Incident Location:  6234 South Tacoma Way
Incident Type: Commercial Structure Fire

Narrative:  At 3:55 PM Firefighters from stations 2,7,8,9,12,16,17 and CP 6-3 responded to a reported commercial structure fire.

The first arriving engine company found heavy flames and smoke showing from the roof of the one-story tavern business. Initially crews mounted an interior attack, but moved to a defensive strategy as the well-entrenched fire compromised the structural stability of the building. A single employee was in the business at the time of the fire, and was able to escape without harm.

The cause of the fire was determined to be embers from a weed burning propane torch operation ignited the fire. The fire was concealed inside the exterior wall of the building until it eventually burned its way up to the roof of the structure. The fire resulted in estimated $130,000 damage to the building and its contents, and is considered a total loss.