This is a Fire News Wrap-Up for the week of November 13 – 19, 2023, for those fire agencies in the State of Washington.
November 13, 2023
BELLEVUE FIRE DEPARTMENT
King County
Firefighters were dispatched through NORCOM to an MVA with one vehicle rolled over and with entrapment. This occurred near the intersection of SE 24th Street and 148th Avenue SE. Multiple patients were extricated from the vehicle and transported to nearby area hospitals.
Photo Credit: Bellevue Fire Department
BIG LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT
Skagit County
At 0650 – Gunderson Road, Skagit County. Big Lake Fire Department (Fire District #9), Clear Lake Fire Department, and City of Mount Vernon FD responded to a house fire. One unit arrived on the scene and reported to Dispatch fire through the fire of the small single-family residence.
Multiple hose lines were placed in operation and water was on the fire. Due to no water hydrants in the area, Incident Command requested additional tenders from Sedro-Woolley, Lake McMurray, and Conway.
Units: Big Lake E911, Tender 916, Aid 919, Rehab 917, Brush 914, Utility 918 with 14 Big Lake firefighters. The City of Mount Vernon had Ladder 125, E111, and Medic 139. Clear Lake dispatched Tender 416. Day Creek Engine 1611 and Tender 1616 responded.
Photo Credit: Big Lake Fire Department (WA)
KIRKLAND FIRE DEPARTMENT
King County
The Kirkland Fire Department is helping the Community with their Annual Giving Tree. The Giving Tree Community program started on November 13 and ends on December 13, 2023. They are in need of non-perishable food items, new toys, new clothes, and any towards the cause. All Kirkland Stations are accepting items.
Photo Credit: Kirkland Fire & Rescue
SNOHOMISH REGIONAL FIRE AUTHORITY
Snohomish County
This agency had several great things occur this week! Let’s congratulate recently promoted Lieutenants: Jacob Winter, Joe Virnig, Nate Dillon, Matt James, Neil Merritt, and David Pick. Photo Credit: SRFA
Voters approved the fire levy lid in the November general election which will help the agency hire additional emergency and support personnel, as well as help with station renovations. They state they are thankful for their achievement of being the first fire agency in Snohomish County to reach international accreditation from the Commission on Fire Accreditation Internation. This is a big accomplishment for their agency. They are forever grateful to the voters and communities they serve.
Photo Credit: SRFA
November 13-14, 2023
BOTHELL FIRE DEPARTMENT
Snohomish County
Firefighters were busy during the day and throughout the night with multiple traffic collisions.
Photo Credit: BFD
November 14, 2023
SEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT
King County
At 2029 hours PT, Firefighters were dispatched through the Fire Alarm Center, or FAC for short. Upon arrival at the working commercial fire located in the 600 block of S Industrial Way, SODO Dog Resort, the first due unit reported heavy smoke coming from the second floor of the structure. Staff had self-evacuated themselves from the building and attempted to round up the dogs into an outdoor gated area as a safe place for the animals. Some tried to escape.
Photos Credit: John Odegard
November 15, 2023
CAMANO ISLAND FIRE DEPARTMENT
King County
Congratulations to newly appointed Interim Fire Commissioner Paul Foster who was sworn in on Monday, at their regular Board of Fire Commissioners meeting. His term will end on December 31, 2024.
Photo Credit: CIFD
November 16, 2023
BOTHELL FIRE DEPARTMENT
Snohomish County
November 16, 2023 – Members, LT Deaver and LT-LTA Schaffer from BFD and from other fire agencies attended a Swift Water Rescue training at Snoqualmie Falls.
This program is designed to provide firefighters with the skills, knowledge, and experience needed to ID water hazards, self-rescue and safely manage rescues in swift water situations.
It is great to train and learn with and from one another. Once you are on the same page, there is trust, and no guessing what your partner is going to do or not do.
Photo Credit: BFD
GRAHAM FIRE & RESCUE
Pierce County
Photo Credit: GFR
Congratulations to Sarah Swart on her recent promotion to Captain. She has been a member of the GFR for 10 years and has many achievements from teaching current and future firefighters, to serving as a Medical Services Officer (MSO), an EMS Instructor, Fire Ground Operations, Live Fire, MCIs, and Mayday Training.
She has accomplished it all.
Additionally, she is also a faculty member for the Pierce College EMS Program and has also taught firefighting and EMS to first responders in Guatemala!
SKAGIT COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT 13
Skagit County
Firefighters with the SCFD13 and La Conner FD purchased a “forcible entry door” prop. On this date, they held a training night so both of the Fire Districts could train “together”.
Photo credit: SCFD13
November 17, 2023
KITTITAS COUNTY FIRE & RESCUE VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION – KCFD7
Kittitas County
Congratulations are in order to Career Firefighters Adrian Otterness and Kristian Helleren for completing their one-year probation year with KCFR7.
Photo Credit: KCFR7
NORTH WHATCOM FIRE AND RESCUE
Whatcom County
The North Whatcom Fire and Rescue fire agency released today, that their volume of calls for service has almost doubled in the last 10 years with some calls overlapping at the same time.
This has been occurring about 30% of the time.
Last year, their fire agency responded to about 5,936 calls for services with about 57% of those being medical-related.
The Agency states the revenue has not kept up with the demand for and costs to provide EMS responses. The Fire District stated their fire level was capped at $1.50 per $1,000 in assessed property value. In 2006, the voters approved it at $1.42 per $1,000 but then the rate slowly dragged downward to today’s rate of $0.85 making it difficult for them, little alone any agency to operate at this rate. To learn more about Levy and the agency’s financial struggle, read a great explanation here: https://www.nwfrs.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/NW-News-Release-Challenges-to-Service-111523.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1f3ZvF-t_YNlO7IPVaZDRD5VPjk14sWgj3evVN_Hgp_ZCY87SEhpEvmTw
SEATTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT
King County
22 members from the SFD Recruit Class 119 completed their Recruit School. They will now enter the Operations Division as Probationary Firefighters. Photo Credit: SFD
YAKIMA FIRE DEPARTMENT
Members of the Yakima Firefighters IAFF Local 469 were dispatched on this date to a 2-alarm working fire at the old Sea Galley Restaurant in Union Gap. Limited details are known at this time. Local news media reported that the Yakima Fire Chief had told them that the power had been turned off before the fire and that unauthorized people were entering the structure without permission after it was vacated. After the fire, it is just a pile of rubble.
Photo Credit: West Valley Fire-Rescue
November 18, 2023
KITTCOM – Kittitas County 911 System
Editor Opinion: At first glance when we saw this posted on a fire agency’s social media page, we thought it was a joke but unfortunately. this is reality and a scary one at best.
We are hopeful they will be able to locate funding sources and grant resources.
We are happy to help if we are called upon to do so and know there are many fire agencies looking for funding and equipment.
We did offer one of our local friends to help with grant research and to be part of prepping for their Levy Lid campaign but was turned down. It’s all good but we are always looking for ways to help our friends in the Fire Service with grants, equipment acquisition, and raising money for their causes. If you are interested, please let us know.
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