Issue No. 4May 2010
Division Spotlight - Training
 
(PF&R Firefighters in training practice a hose drill)
 
From the desk of Division Chief Scott Fisher...
 

The Training and Safety Division is responsible for PF&R's training programs, research and development, and safety. The Training and Safety Division is managed by a Division Chief who reports directly to the Bureau Chief and is responsible for Recruiting, the Trainee Program, the Recruit Academy, In-Service Training and Television Services.

 

In this month's Division Spotlight, we are focusing on the Training and Safety Sections.  Firefighting is dangerous work and one of our guiding principles is that "everyone goes home safe".  Training and Safety ensures that all firefighters have the knowledge, skills, and physical abilities to perform their jobs safely and effectively.  Live fire training is an example of just one of the many services Training and Safety provides to protect firefighters and ultimately the public. How do firefighters get hands-on firefighting experience? Find out more about a recent live fire training exercise.
Inside PF&R's Station 23
 
(Station 23 - Located at 2915 SE 13th Place)
 
Station 23, located at 2915 SE 13th Place, serves the Brooklyn and Hosford-Abernethy Neighborhoods.  Station 23's crews (A, B and C-shift) include one company officer, two firefighters, and one firefighter/paramedic.  Station 23 was built in 1962 and houses Engine 23 (advanced life support).  Station 23's boundaries extend from the Willamette River to SE 32nd and from Holgate Boulevard to Belmont Street.  Both the Hawthorne and Ross Island Bridges are included in the station's boundaries.
 
Station 23's Fire Management Area (FMA) includes a mixture of residential, small commercial, and industrial properties.  Many of the houses in these established, vibrant neighborhoods are sandwiched between businesses.  This is signficiant because the majority of Portland's greater alarm fires occur in businesses, and protecting both residential and commercial properties side by side can pose a challenge for Station 23's crews.  Find out more about Portland Fire Station 23...
Firefighters Receive Burn Training

 In April and May, PF&R firefighters received a two-part training on treating burn victims.  Portland Firefighters are certified as EMT-Basics and over 150 firefighters are certified as Paramedics.  All Firefighter EMT's receive 24 hours of mandatory recertification training bi-annually; Paramedics receive a minimum of 48 hours. 

 

Curtis Ryun, a Registered Nurse with the Emanuel Burn Center, provided firefighters with a full circle view of how burn patients are treated from the time of initial response to long-term treatment in the Burn Center.  In addition to an overview of the Burn Center, this training provided a refresher on how to recognize and treat common types of burns in patients and assess their severity.

 

Over 1 million people are burned each year.  Of these, 650,000 will seek medical treatment and 75,000 will be hospitalized.  Because 85% of these burns happen in or around the home, it is important to be aware of common burn hazards around the house.  Learn more about how firefighters are using a treatment option called a Cyanokit to treat patients.
PF&R Receives $321,000 for Metropolitan Medical Response 
 
(PF&R and partner agencies use equipment from MMRS grant)
 

The Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) Program supports the integration of emergency management, health, and medical systems into a coordinated response to mass casualty incidents caused by any hazard. 

On April 7th, Portland Fire & Rescue accepted a grant in the amount of $321,221 from the Department of Homeland Security related to the City's Metropolitan Medical Response System.  This grant will enable Portland Fire and its regional partners to continue working on a regional plan to reduce the consequences of a mass casualty incident during the initial period of a response by having operational systems in place before the incident occurs.  
 

Since 2004, the City of Portland has been awarded $2,040,509 in supplemental MMRS grant funds.  The MMRS program has grown to include 124 cities, with the emphasis on emergency triage and treatment of patients during the critical first response phase of an incident.  In combination with other grants, the MMRS grant has enabled our first responders to purchase equipment necessary to respond, complete emergency triage, and treat patients in a pre-hospital care setting.  How is this grant equipping local fire departments for a major medical response? Find out more...

In This Issue
Burn Treatment Training
PF&R Receives $321,000 for MMRS
PF&R Monthly Statistics
Safety Saturday at Belmont
Explorers Program
Most Common Preventable Fire Causes
Strategic Planning Update
Fire Camp Applications Now Being Accepted
About PF&R
Emergency Response Statistics (April 2010)
Total Incidents:                              6,017
Medical:                                         4,863
Fire:                                                  224
Other:                                            1,030
Major Incidents:                                 11
Safety Saturday at Belmont
On Saturday, June 12th, pack up the kids and visit the Historic Belmont Firehouse Safety Learning and Fire Museum located at 900 SE 35th Avenue (at Belmont). Open from 10:00am - 3:00pm and housed in an original firehouse, the museum  offers displays and stories of the history of firefighting in Portland and fun interactive hands-on exhibits such as a 9-1-1 call simulator, fire pole, and a realistic emergency response on the "Fire Engine Experience" simulator.  We hope to see you there!
Explorers Program Provides Youth Early Look at Firefighting
With fire hoses snaking around the old drill tower at PF&R's logistics facility, the Explorers worked quietly and methodically moving from hose to hose.  Under the watchful eye of Station 28's B-shift crew, the teens practiced coupling and uncoupling hoses, coupling hoses to hydrants, distributing water pressure, and checking hoses for leaks.  Portland Fire & Rescue's Explorer Program is coordinated entirely by Station 28's firefighters for youth between the ages of 16 and 20.  Read more about the Explorers Program...
Most Common Preventable Fire Causes in Portland

This month we bring you Part 2 of an E-newsletter series highlighting the most common preventable fire causes in Portland.  In 2009, Portland Fire & Rescue responded to 1,663 fires that were determined by PF&R investigators to be accidental, or more accurately 'preventable'.  This month's focus is on spontaneous combustion.  The term "spontaneous combustion" sounds like a fire started all on its own without explanation.  However, there's always a cause, and sometimes it's something we would never suspect.  Check out these simple tips for preventing a fire...

Strategic Planning Update
Portland Fire and Rescue (PF&R) continues to make progress on its 2010-2015 Strategic Plan Development Process.  During the week of May 3 - 7, the Strategic Plan Task Force Work Sessions were held.  The 45-member Task Force was comprised of management, sworn and non-sworn employees, and external stakeholders.  During the Task Force Work Sessions, the plan's themes, goals, objectives, performance measures, and strategies were identified.  Development of the 2010-2015 Strategic Plan will continue to take place over the next month.  Our goal is make the plan available this summer.  You are welcome to follow the Strategic Plan Development Process and activities on PF&R's Strategic Planning web page
Fire Camp 2010 Applications Due June 1st

Are you a young woman between the age of 16 and 19? Are you interested in gaining confidence and leadership skills?  Would you like to learn what firefighting is all about?

 

Applications for Fire Camp 2010 are being accepted through June 1st.  
Check out the Fire Camp website for more details...
About Us
Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) is the largest fire agency and emergency medical service provider 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 our 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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Ideas? Questions? Contact E-News Editor Alisa Cour at 503-823-3383.
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