| Portland Fire & Rescue
E-News |
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Welcome to the first issue of Portland Fire & Rescue's E-News. The newsletter is being launched at a critical time for Portland Fire when a number of major initiatives are moving forward and exciting things are taking place. Our goal is two-fold; to introduce ourselves to you and invite you to partner with us on upcoming initiatives that will shape the services you receive through the 2010-2015 Strategic Plan and 2010-2011 Annual Budget.
In the first month of 2010, Portland Fire experienced some big events. We concluded a major seismic upgrade and renovation of Station 1 - the Big House - at 55 SW Ash, received 4,000 applications for our Firefighter recruitments in less than a week, and witnessed the swearing in of Portland's newest Fire Marshal, Erin Janssens.
In this issue, I look forward to better acquainting you with the men and women of Station 7, invite you to spend "Safety Saturday" with us at the historic Belmont Firehouse, and invite you to check out the Fire Blog for interesting statistics, current events, safety tips, and regular features about PF&R that you won't find anywhere else.
Sincerely,
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Crews, Staff Move Back to Station 1
 Portland Fire & Rescue's Station 1, located at 55 SW Ash, has undergone an extensive renovation and seismic upgrade. The work was funded by a bond measure passed by voters to ensure that all of PF&R's fire stations are structurally safe and that firefighters and equipment can respond during emergencies. The Administration Office moved back to Station 1 on December 14, 2009. PF&R's Investigations Unit moved back on February 2, 2010 and its Battalion Headquarters, Station 1 crews, and apparatus are tentatively scheduled to move back in March. A Public Open House is planned for late spring, so watch the Fire Blog and E-Newsletter for details and your invitation. |
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Inside Station 7
 Station 7, located at 1500 SE 122 nd Ave., serves the Mill Park and Hazelwood neighborhoods. Home to Portland Fire's HazMat Team, Station 7 is one of Portland's largest stations, which houses one battalion chief, two company officers, five firefighters, and two firefighter paramedics. Crews work in three rotating shifts (A, B and C shift) with 24 hours on and 48 hours off.
The crews operate a wide variety of apparatus including Battalion Chief 3, Truck 7 (advanced life support), Engine 7 (advanced life support), HazMat 7, HazMat 121, and Recon 7. Station 7 is one of 13 HazMat teams in the State of Oregon. In the past year, these trained technicians have responded to 43 HazMat incidents involving situations such as train and vehicle wrecks, trench rescues, fuel, and chemical spills. Read more.... |
Federal Grant Funds Used for Firefighter Safety
Portland Fire & Rescue received almost a half-million dollars in Federal grant money to replace the Personal Alert Safety Systems (PASS) on firefighters' self-contained breathing apparatus.
PASS devices are an integral piece of firefighter safety equipment. The device sounds a loud alarm when a firefighter wearing breathing apparatus remains stationary for more than 18 seconds. The alarm volume increases at 4-second intervals until it sounds a full alarm at 30 seconds. The alarm helps other firefighters to locate the firefighter in distress. Other cities using the PASS devices currently in use in Portland have reported occasional malfunctions, which may have been a contributing factor in as many as 15 firefighter deaths. Read more.... |
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About Us
Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) is the largest fire agency in the State of Oregon with 755 employees and serves a population of 582,000. In 2009, PF&R responded to 69,000 emergency incidents, consistently demonstrating its commitment to be Always Ready, Always There for the citizens of Portland.
Portland Fire & Rescue
55 SW Ash
Portland, Oregon 97204
503-823-3700
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Safety Saturday at the Historic Belmont Firehouse
Please join us at the Safety Learning Center and Fire Museum, located at 900 SE 35th (at Belmont), for Safety Saturday between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm on the dates below. The firehouse is open to the public and features exhibits, an interactive fire engine simulator, and something for the whole family.
Saturday, March 13th
Saturday, April 10th |
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Emergency Response Statistics (January 2010)
Total Incidents: 4,845
Medical: 3,853
Fire: 170
Other: 822
Major Incidents: 11
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2010-15 Strategic Plan
Portland Fire & Rescue launched its Strategic Planning Development Process for 2010-15 on November 15, 2009. This 8-month process will culminate in the development of the Strategic Plan document that will guide PF&R as an organization through the next five years. Read more... |
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2010-11 Budget Update
Portland Fire & Rescue convened its Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) for the FY 2010-11 Annual Budget process in December. PF&R was directed by the City of Portland's Office of Management and Finance to factor a 1% ongoing and 1% one-time reduction into its FY 2010-11 budget request. Read more... |
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Firefighter Recruitment
On January 12, 2010 PF&R began accepting applications for the positions of Firefighter Paramedic and Firefighter Trainee. In just four days, PF&R received 4,000 applications and closed the recruitment. The video-based exam was held on February 18, 2010. More than 3,500 people showed up to take the test at the Oregon Convention Center. PF&R expects to hire up to 45 people in the next year depending on retirements and vacancies. |
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Check Out the Fire Blog
The Fire Blog is full of interesting statistics, emergency incident information, current events, and prevention tips to keep you and your family safe. With over 30,000 views in the first three months, readers have told use they love the blog's weekly Firehouse Recipes and meeting firefighters and staff up close and personal through the "Faces of PF&R" series. If you haven't already, visit the Fire Blog. |
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