Issue No. 7August 2010
Division Spotlight - Emergency Operations
 
From the desk of Chief John Nohr... 

Each summer, wildfires occur throughout Oregon, Washington, and California.  Although Portland is not as prone to wildfires as some parts of the region, there are several areas, including Forest Park, Powell Butte, Mt. Tabor, and others that are susceptible to wildfires. Portland Fire & Rescue is equipped to put out local wildland fires as well as assist with regional firefighting efforts. 

 

Wildland firefighting is very different from structural firefighting. At PF&R, our firefighters are trained to do both.  All new firefighter recruits learn basic wildland firefighting tactics and PF&R is prepared to fight both local wildland fires and travel to the sites of much larger fires as needed.  In fact, on August 19th, PF&R deployed 13 personnel and two fire engines to fight a wildfire near Maupin.  Read full story...
  Inside PF&R's Station 17
 
(Station 17 - Located at 848 North Tomahawk Island Drive)

Station 17 is located at 848 North Tomahawk Island Drive on beautiful Hayden Island and serves the Hayden Island, East Columbia, and Bridgeton Neighborhood Associations as well as the Rivergate Industrial District. Station 17 is one of three stations with marine firefighting and rescue capabilities. The station is staffed by an officer, harbor pilot, firefighter paramedic deckhand, and engineer on each shift. In addition to being trained as firefighters, the crew is trained to fight fires and save lives on the Columbia River. This station's apparatus includes an engine with advanced life support, a fire boat, a rapid-response rescue boat and a utility response vehicle.  

 

The station is well known for The Jim Canton Memorial Rose Garden, located at the west side of the station. It is named after a longtime island resident and local businessman who died suddenly in 1997. This rose garden is maintained by the crew as well as a local volunteer who tends the roses once a week. The garden is home to about 55 different rose bushes and this year, during Rose Festival, took first place in the Commercial Rose Garden category. Read full story...
PF&R Participates in National Night Out Activities Around Portland 
 
On August 3, millions of people joined together across the country for an event know as National Night Out (NNO). This event is the largest community event of the year promoting crime prevention. It is designed to generate support for and participation in local public safety programs, strengthen neighborhood spirit, promote neighborhood organizations and send the message to criminals that neighborhoods are ready and willing to fight back. This event also helps to strengthen relationships between the fire service and local communities.  Read full story...
New Dive Equipment Improves Underwater Communications 
 

On a recent Tuesday morning, members of Portland Fire & Rescue's Dive Team suited up for a dive drill in the Columbia River near Hayden Island.  Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) maintains a full-response Dive Rescue Team with 25 active members with approximately eight members on each shift.   This team is supplemented by divers from Gresham Fire & Emergency Services.  By sharing resources, Portland and Gresham provide for consistent coverage of waterways during water-related incidents in both jurisdictions.

 

PF&R divers are permanently assigned to other full-time duties and are located at stations throughout Portland.  This allows PF&R to dispatch experienced divers to rescues on more than 60 miles of local waterways as quickly as possible.

 

The Dive Team responds to an average of 80 incidents each year, including water rescue and recovery, vehicles in the water, drowning victims, and jumpers from the City's numerous bridges.  Read full story...

  Photo of the Month 
2-Alarm Shamrock Market Fire
 
 (Truck 8's firefighters attack the fire from a defensive position)
On August 6th at 6:22 p.m., Portland Fire & Rescue responded to a fire at 8101 N. Fessenden Street at the Shamrock Market.  A 2nd alarm was called at 6:39 p.m., bringing nine engines, two trucks, a rescue unit, an air unit (to refill firefighters' air bottles), a rehab unit (with food, water, and supplies), additional chiefs, safety officers, investigators, and a public information officer to the scene. 
 
Shortly after the 2nd alarm was called, the incident commander ordered all firefighters out of the building when crews reported that heat was building up inside and the fire went through the roof.  The fire was brought under control at 8:10 p.m. and crews remained on scene through the night to put out hot spots. 
 
Photo courtesy of PF&R Battalion Chief Marco Benetti
In This Issue
Inside PF&R's Station 17
National Night Out 2010
Dive Equipment Improves Communications
Photo of the Month
PF&R Emergency Response Statistics
Station 1 Open House
Most Common Preventable Fire Causes
Is Your Address Visible?
About PF&R
Emergency Response Statistics (July 2010)
 
Total Incidents:                                     5,934
Medical:                                        4,536
Fire:                                                 418
Other:                                              981
Major Fires:                                       14
Save the Date for PF&R's Station 1 Open House
Portland Fire & Rescue will hold an open house for its newly renovated Station 1, located at 55 SW Ash, on Tuesday, September 28th from 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.  Stay tuned for more information on our Fire Blog and in the September E-Newsletter.
Most Common Preventable Fire Causes in Portland:  Part 5 - Power Strips

This month's focus is on power strips. Power strips, surge protectors, and multi-outlet plugs can be useful tools when you need to temporarily plug several items into an electrical outlet.  If used incorrectly this can cause a fire or electrocution.  

 

In order to reduce the risk of fire and electrocution you should ALWAYS follow the manufacturer's instructions for use and fully understand all warnings and risks.  Remember, the use of power strips and multi-plug outlets increases the draw of electricity through your home's wiring.  Before creating additional electrical demand, ensure your wiring is in good repair (including an updated breaker panel), is large enough to carry the additional load, and is protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet.  Read full story...

Is Your Address Visible to Emergency Responders?

If an emergency occurs at your house it is important that emergency responders locate your house quickly.

 

Make sure that the address posted on your house is clearly visible from the road. Also check to make sure that numbers are clear and not covered by bushes, trees, or other objects.  It is also a good idea to make sure that they can be seen in a variety of situations and lighting conditions, including at night.

 

As a general suggestion, make sure the numbers are large enough and of a color that doesn't blend into your house. To check and make sure emergency vehicles can see your address, drive by yourself at a slow speed and make sure you can see your address quickly and clearly.

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
 
Follow us on:  Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and the Fire Blog
 
Ideas? Questions? Contact E-News Editor Alisa Cour at 503-823-3383.
Join Our Mailing List