Issue No. 22November 2011
Inside PF&R's Station 14

1905 NE Killingsworth St.

 

 

Station 14 was built in 1959 at the corner of NE 19th and Killingworth Street, next to beautiful Alberta Park. Station 14 has a long and proud firefighting tradition as a hard-hitting firehouse.

 

In 2001, Station 14 underwent overall renovations, including the addition of separate bedrooms.

 

Station 14's active fire management area stretches south from the Columbia River to NE Fremont Street and east from NE Williams Avenue to NE 59th Avenue. Single-family residences occupy a significant amount of the fire management area. Station 14 also protects a large industrial area along Columbia Blvd. northward to the Columbia River where firefighters respond on houseboat fires, marine-related incidents and mutual aid calls with the Port of Portland Fire Department.

 

Station 14 firefighters are proud to state that Engine 14 is the cleanest engine in the City due to the care and attention provided by Firefighter Pete Straub. 

 

In 2010 alone, Engine 14 responded to 2,464 emergency incidents, which keeps the engine house very active with a mix of newer and more experienced firefighters. Station 14 is a firehouse with very low turn over with many firefighters staying well over 10 years in the house. 

 

Portland Fire & Rescue is very proud of the high quality of emergency service that Station 14 delivers to the King, Sunderland, Sabin, Vernon, Alameda, Beaumont-Wilshire and Cully neighborhoods!

Fall EMS Training Block

Mass Casualty Incident Training (MCI) prepares responders for real life MCI the same day

 

You never know when the skills you practice in training will come in handy in real life. On November 1st, PF&R's Station 12 spent most of the afternoon training on responding to a mass casualty incident or MCI. They went over scene management, triage and other vital parts of a hypothetical event that could potentially max out the resources of Portland Fire & Rescue. MCI's don't happen very often, but PF&R trains on the subject every year just in
to prepare for disasters that may strike.

 

Coincidentally, Station 12 had cause to put their newly honed skills to use less than eight hours after completing their training. On the evening of November 1st, PF&R dispatch received a report that approximately fifteen people had begun experiencing symptoms of nausea, dizziness, redness of the skin, and fainting at a church on NE 68th and Prescott. When firefighters arrived, they found several people outside the church suffering from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning due to a faulty furnace. Of the fifteen people who were at the church, PF&R treated 11 patients at the scene, nine of which were transported to local hospitals.

  

Firefighters commented that they were genuinely surprised at how soon they went from practice to a real life emergency. "It all worked like clockwork", one firefighter said. The firefighters at Station 12 would like to thank EMS Instructors Rene Pizzo and Don Lewis for a crucial and timely MCI class.
Toy N Joy Makers
 
In 1914 a handful of Portland firefighters took it upon themselves to help fix broken toys for local children during the holidays. Today, what started with a few caring guys in a firehouse almost a hundred years ago has grown into a thriving operation with dozens of volunteers that provides toys to thousands of low-income families each year during the holiday season.

In 2010, over 67,000 donated toys were distributed to almost 3,000 low-income families. This is all made possible each year through generous toy donations from the community along with tireless efforts of volunteers who help gather, sort and hand out the toys.

The program is coordinated by Dean Johnston and Captain Jamie Klum of PF&R and is run out of the old Station 40 building on 5916 NE Going. Toys are collected at each of the Portland fire stations as well as various participating local businesses.

If you are interested in volunteering or designating your place of business as a donation site, you can contact Dean at 503-823-0922 or via email at [email protected].

If you are interested in getting toys for your children, you can call 503-231-TOYS (8697) between the hours of 9:00 AM and 3:30 PM Monday thru Friday, starting November 21, 2011. Please note that the 0922 number is for volunteers only and is not set up to facilitate donation requests.
 
For more information, visit www.toyandjoymakers.org
PF&R Awards Ceremony 
 

On Tuesday, November 8th, PF&R recognized those who have made contributions to protecting life and safety at the 2011 PF&R Fall Awards Ceremony.  At the event, community members, friends and family gathered to watch loved ones receive well deserved promotions and citizens receive awards for acts of heroism and going above and beyond to help someone in need.

  

Among those commemorated was PF&R's very own TV Services Manager Kent Powloski, who recently received the City of Portland Employee of the Year award. This specific award recognizes and celebrates a City of Portland employee who has helped make Portland a better place to work. Congratulations to Kent and all those who helped make a positive difference in the community this year!

Margaret Scott Elementary
First Annual Resource Fair 
 

On the evening of November 3rd, Margaret Scott Elementary School in Northeast Portland held their first annual Resource Fair.  This event was designed to bring information about services available in the community to the neighborhood students and parents.  Approximately 20 service representatives provided information to nearly 250 citizens.  PF&R's Station

30 attended this event to give engine tours and hand out fire safety booklets.  For the kids - climbing through the fire engine was a highlight!  

In This Issue
EMS Training
Toy N' Joy
Awards Ceremony
Resource Fair
TIP Event
Monthly Statistics
Thanksgiving Safety
Heroes With Heart Fundraiser

 

Since 1985 Trauma Intervention Programs, Inc. (TIP), a voluntary nonprofit organization, has been providing citizens with emotional first aid immediately following a traumatic event.  The individuals that respond to these emergencies are Good Samaritans from around the community who volunteer their time to help others in crisis 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  After two weeks of training in specialized skills, volunteers are prepared to work alongside local police, fire, and emergency medical crews in comforting and assisting those in need.

 

On Thursday, November 3rd, the fundraiser "Heroes with Heart" was held to support the Portland/Vancouver chapter of TIP. 

 

The event took place at the Red Lion on the River where friends joined for an evening of cocktails, dinner and auctions.  The annual event raised $80,000, all of which will benefit the TIP mission of "citizens helping citizens in crisis".

 

TIP Northwest plays an important role in the well being of our community, so if you would like to make a donation or volunteer your time please visit www.tipnw.org.

Emergency Response Statistics (Oct.  2011)

Total Incidents:                        6,746
Medical:                                   5,482
Fire:                                            213
Other:                                       1,051
Thanksgiving Safety

 

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, Portland Fire & Rescue would like to provide you with a few tips to keep you safe this holiday season.

 

Since cooking is a leading cause of fires in the home, please take the following precautions when preparing your holiday meals:

 

  • Avoid using turkey fryers. Consider purchasing fried turkeys that are already prepared or using a new type of "oil-less fryer"
  • Do not leave your home while anything is on the stove or in the oven
  • Keep flammable materials at least three feet away from hot surfaces and wear short sleeves or tighter clothing while cooking
  • Remain in the kitchen while using the stove and make sure all heat sources get turned off after use
  • Set timers and check food frequently to prevent burning
  • Turn handles of pots and pans inward while cooking to avoid spills
  • Make sure all candles and smoking materials are put out
  • Test your smoke alarms to make sure they are working correctly
  • If there is an emergency call 911!
Furnace Safety Tips

Now that the cold season is here everyone is depending on their heaters to stay warm, but did you know that heating appliances are the number one cause of home fire deaths according to the National Fire Protection Agency?  They can also produce carbon monoxide (a.k.a. the "silent killer"), so before you get too cozy please review the following:
 
  • Keep any flammable materials at least three feet from any heating equipment
  • Never use your oven to heat your home
  • Do not leave portable heaters running while away from home or sleeping
  • Have a professional install heaters in accordance with codes and manufacturers instructions
  • Have chimneys and heaters cleaned once a year by a professional
  • Do not light your gas heater if you smell gas! Exit your home and call 911. 
  • Test smoke alarms monthly
  • Make sure there are carbon monoxide alarms on each floor of homes with a carbon monoxide source (particularly furnaces).
  • Immediately exit your home and call 911 if you or anyone else exhibits any of the following symptoms, which could indicate carbon monoxide poisoning: headache, nausea, vomiting, flushed face, disorientation or confusion, dizziness, or fatigue.
For information on carbon monoxide, visit the Fire Marshal's website.

 

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 2010, PF&R responded to 65,403 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
 
Follow us on:  Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and the Fire Blog
 
To view this newsletter on the web, visit:  PF&R's website
 
If you have questions or suggestions, contact the E-News Editor
Join Our Mailing List