Spokane County Paramedic Protocol Provider App.

Hey all you Spokane County Paramedical types, the owner/operator of Paramedic Protocol Provider just emailed me to say that Spokane County's protocols are now available in this iPhone/iPod touch application. This has been in the works for months. Here's more.

Awesome website for John Knighten!

John's brother made this website and it is excellent. We still have the account at the credit union, but there's an easy way to donate via PayPal on this website too, a blog and a lot of great stuff. John is always in our thoughts and prayers, and this website is great not only for John but for those of us who know him. It's not the same as being with him on-shift, but it's still very good to check out.

Fire Press Release

ISSUING OFFICER: Bob Green/Battalion Chief
DATE OF INCIDENT: 3/17/2010
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 6014 N Howard
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99205

NARRATIVE: The Spokane City Fire Dept. responded fire fighting crews and their apparatus to 6014 N Howard at 10:35 in the morning on Wednesday, March 17th, for a reported structure fire. The first arriving fire company reported smoke coming from the front door of a single story wood/frame residence and they reported further that they were going to stretch a hose line to the front door and attempt to make entry into the residence to locate and extinguish the fire. Additional fire fighting resources began arriving on scene and as they arrived they were given various assignments which included horizontal and vertical ventilation of the house, a back-up hose line to protect the fire fighters who had already made entry, water supply, RIT team for fire fighter's who might be injured or become lost inside the structure, an additional hose line for fire attack, and Safety. The building on fire was fairly small and the fire was in one room of the house so fire fighters were able to quickly locate the seat of the fire and get a fast knock down of the rapidly growing fire. A search of the home was conducted even though neighbors reported that all of the residents were safely outside; the search confirmed the neighbor's report. The house was being leased by a couple; the female was not at home when the fire broke out however the male was in the house and he was asleep. The male resident is partially paralyzed and is dependant on a wheelchair. He credits his service dog with waking him up by barking and pulling on the bedding, and by doing so this dedicated and resourceful dog quite probably saved the man's life. Red Cross volunteers were on scene to assist the couple with temporary lodging and needed supplies. There were no reports of any injuries to civilians or to the fire fighters at the scene. The fire was contained to the room of origin but that room sustained heavy fire damage as did the contents located in that room. Electrical service to the structure was disconnected by Avista since most of the electrical circuits inside the residence were damaged by the fire. Until all of the electrical and the structural repairs are finished inside the building it will not be able to be used by anyone as a residence. The cause of the mid-morning fire is being investigated by members of the Spokane City Fire Dept.'s Special Investigation Unit. Six pieces of fire fighting apparatus and two Command vehicles delivered 23 fire fighters to the scene.

PROBABLE CAUSE: Under investigation at this time.
DAMAGE EXTENT: Room of origin but with collateral damage outside of that single room.

DOLLAR LOSS: 10,000.00
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 23
MUTUAL AID: None Given

For more information on this release, please call (509)625-7002 and/or check out the SFD Blog at www.spokanefire.blogspot.com

END OF RELEASE

Fire Press Release

ISSUING OFFICER: Battalion Chief Larry Mummey
DATE OF INCIDENT: 3/16/2010
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 2217 E Sprague Avenue
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99202

NARRATIVE: The Spokane City Fire Dept. responded fire apparatus and fire fighting crews to 2217 E Sprague Avenue at 0533 in the morning on Tuesday March 16, 2010, for a reported structure fire. Fire crews responding to this incident reported smoke coming from the structure.
The first arriving fire crew reported a one story wood/frame dwelling that had been converted into multiple apartments. They reported fire in the southwest corner of the building. Assignments were made to the other responding fire companies by the officer of that first arriving fire apparatus and as those companies began arriving on scene the crews went about undertaking their assigned tasks. In an aggressive and coordinated effort, fire attack hose lines were advanced into the structure at the same time that other firefighters, on the roof, were cutting vertical ventilation holes in the structure's roof. Other crews were sent inside to pull ceilings, open up walls and search for any possible victims,. Four residents were removed from the structure. Other personnel were assigned as back-up for the crews inside. A fire crew was also assigned as the "rapid intervention team"; a safety mandated unit that is available for rescue of injured, lost, or trapped fire fighters.
The quick attack of Spokane Engine 7 extinguished the main body of fire. While the extinguishment of the fire was dramatic and quick the fire still caused serious damage to the involved apartment. Once the fire had been darkened down the labor intensive task of overhaul began as fire fighters went about digging out the hidden fire from those concealed spaces that are inherent inside of every structure. Fire damage was mostly confined to the involved unit. There was also some smoke damage and water damage to apartments on the main floor. The electrical supply to the building was disconnected, by Avista Utilities because of the damage. Red Cross representatives were requested to the scene and they were in the process of assisting the tenants with temporary lodging and supplies. There were no reported injuries to any of the fire fighters at the scene or the tenants of the dwelling who were able to get out safely along with their pet dog. Investigation into the cause of the fire is being conducted by a member of the Spokane City Fire Dept.'s Special Investigation Unit.

PROBABLE CAUSE: Under investigation
DAMAGE EXTENT: Smoke and Fire damage to the involved unit. Moderate smoke damage to the other first floor units. Minor water damage to the structure. Ventilation hole through the roof. Extinguishment/search for fire extension damage to first floor units, attic and roof.
DOLLAR LOSS: 10,000
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 30
MUTUAL AID: None Given

For more information on this release, please call (509)625-7002 and/or check out the SFD Blog at www.spokanefire.blogspot.com

END OF RELEASE

Change your clock tonight and your smoke detector battery.

Click to download this coloring page. Fun for the whole family.

Don't forget to pick up YES EMS yard signs!

This is what our billboards are going to look like. They will be up by the time ballots go out. Don't forget to make a contribution to the Citizens for EMS fund if you can.

Door hangers are on their way!

Front and back sides of YesEms hangers. Click to view a larger jpeg.

Great job stair climbers!! Nice video from KREM 2!

Newsletter Deadline

March 4th!

Incidentally, this is the only day of the year that is also a command. I learned this from a book of riddles and jokes purchased through My Weekly Reader in 4th grade.

As always, your pictures, stories, jokes and riddles are welcome in the WORKER.

Fire Press Release

ISSUING OFFICER: Battalion Chief Craig Cornelius
DATE OF INCIDENT: 2/19/2010
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 2724 E. Boone Ave.
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99202

NARRATIVE: At 7:07 PM on Friday, February 19, 2010 the Spokane Fire Department responded 5 engines, 2 ladder trucks, 1 rescue truck and 2 Battalion Chiefs to a reported house fire at 2724 E. Boone Ave. The first crew on scene reported heavy fire and smoke from all openings of a single family house. While crews attacked the fire, other crews performed a search of the house to confirm there was no one trapped inside. The fire was knocked down within 10 minutes but crews remained on scene for several hours removing burned contents and pulling ceilings and walls, checking for any hidden pockets of fire. One civilian was treated by Spokane Fire Department paramedics for moderate smoke inhalation and was and transported to Sacred Heart Medical Center. It was not known at the time of this report whether the 35 year old male victim was an occupant of the house. Damage to the house was extensive and will not be able to be occupied until repairs can be made.

PROBABLE CAUSE: The fire was investigated by the Spokane Fire Department's Special Investigation Unit and determined to be accidentally caused by carelessly discarded smoking material.
DAMAGE EXTENT: There was extensive damage to the house and its contents.
DOLLAR LOSS: 75000
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 28
MUTUAL AID: None Given

For more information on this release, please call (509)625-7002 and/or check out the SFD Blog at www.spokanefire.blogspot.com

END OF RELEASE

Fire Press Release

ISSUING OFFICER: Bob Green/Battalion Chief
DATE OF INCIDENT: 2/17/2010
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 3004 N. Crestline
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99208

NARRATIVE: The Spokane City Fire Dept. dispatched fire fighting crews and their apparatus to 3004 N. Crestline at 11:38 hrs. on Wednesday, February 17th, to a reported structure fire. The first arriving fire company reported a 2 story wood/frame apartment building with heavy fire showing out the second floor windows at the rear of the structure. The Officer in charge of that first in company immediately began making assignments to the other in-coming fire crews and as those apparatus arrived on scene the fire fighters began working on those assigned tasks. Those initial assignments included fire attack, securing a hydrant for water supply, laddering the building, search and rescue, horizontal and vertical ventilation, a dedicated back-up hose line to protect those fire fighters who have entered the building to begin fire attack in the building, exposure protection, safety, and the State mandated Rapid Intervention Team whose sole purpose on the fire scene is to be in a position to rescue injured or lost fire fighters. This was the second fire to occur in this building within the last 5 weeks, early in January of this year a second alarm fire tore through another second floor apartment on the opposite side of the building from today's fire. The entire building had been vacated because of the damage suffered in the first fire, utilities had been disconnected, and many of the windows were boarded up. The interior of this building presented fire fighters with multiple safety concerns since areas of the floor were missing and the light-weight construction of the flat roof structural assembly had been seriously compromised by the first fire. The fire was contained and extinguished as all of the pre-assigned tasks came together and were completed. There were no reports of any injuries to the fire fighters at the scene or to any civilians. Fire damage to the involved apartment was severe and the structural components of the floor and roof systems were further weakened. The long-term viability of the building will need to be determined by the building's owner and for the short-term the building will once again be secured and boarded up. The Spokane City Fire Dept.'s Special Investigation Unit was summoned to the fire scene to determine the cause of this fire. Twenty six fire fighters were delivered to this incident on 6 pieces of fire fighting apparatus, 2 Command vehicles, and 1 fire investigation truck.

PROBABLE CAUSE: Under investigation.
DAMAGE EXTENT: The fire unit was severly damaged and the integrity of the entire building is questionable because of the combined damage from today's fire and the fire which had occurred in early January of this year.
DOLLAR LOSS: 75,000
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 26
MUTUAL AID: None Given

For more information on this release, please call (509)625-7002 and/or check out the SFD Blog at www.spokanefire.blogspot.com

END OF RELEASE

Spokane Firefighter's Scott Firefighter Stair Climb Events Approaching!

Hey all you news media folks - A special invitation! Come on down to the Bank of America Building (601 W Riverside) and then climb on up some stairs with some firefighters!

February 19th (between 5 and 7 am) Spokane Firefighters will be on hand to lend you a hand climbing a few flights while you're "geared up" in firefighter garb. It should be fun! Just let them know you're interested, so they can bring some appropriately sized gear.

Also, the Spokane Firefighter team is going to be hosting, thanks to the generosity of David's Pizza, a fundraiser on February 20th at David's Pizza (829 E. Boone). The money raised will go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

The Scott Firefighter Stair Climb is an annual event to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It's a race up Seattle's 937-foot tall Columbia Center's 69 flights of stairs. 1500 firefighters participate to raise funds to fight deadly blood diseases. This year it will take place March 7th. You can find more information here.

For information regarding the David's Pizza fundraiser, or the Spokane media climb, please contact Jason Keen at 208-640-4240.

Jack Greenamyer - 45 years of service and protection... Part Two

Jack Greenamyer - 45 years of service and protection... Through excellence!

Where were you in February, 1965?

Jack Greenamyer had just joined the Spokane Fire Department.

Monday, February 15th marks Jack's 45th year of fighting fires for the City of Spokane. Jack is the Fire Lt of Engine 3 on D Shift. Engine 3 is the busiest fire engine in the state, according to the 2009 Fire House survey.

Jack is on-shift for his anniversary. Please come by on Monday afternoon and wish Jack well. Ask him what he has planned for 50; he may just get the day off.

NEWS COVERAGE OF HILLYARD FIRE

KXLY:



KHQ:

Fire Press Release

ISSUING OFFICER: AC Schaeffer
DATE OF INCIDENT: 2/13/2010
INCIDENT TYPE: Multiple Alarms
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 5108 North Market
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99207

NARRATIVE: On Saturday, February 13, 2010 at 5:38 AM, 6 Companies of Spokane Firefighters, 1 Senior Ladder, 4 Engines, 1 Heavy Rescue under the direction of Battalion Chief Dave Haworth and Steve Sabo, responded to a Structure Fire at 5108 North Market (Alaskan Tavern).

While enroute to the incident, companies were notified there were reports that civilians may be trapped on the second floor and confirmed that fire was showing. Spokane Firefighters arrived quickly to find a two-story "taxpayer" type building with a full basement. The first companies described the building as a wood-frame with heavy smoke showing from the rear of the building. The first due Engine and Ladder went to work immediately after arriving and secured water supply and stretched a line in attempt to control the fire's progress toward the living areas in the building. Simultaneously the first-due Ladder Company searched each apartment unit under heavy smoke/fire conditions for savable civilians. All companies assigned on the first alarm were immediately dedicated to searching the building while trying to suppress the fire's progress when they arrived. Chief Haworth arrived and assumed command at 5:45 and struck a second alarm, two-minutes after his arrival. A third alarm was eventually struck at 6:18 AM and filled out the incident's resources to include; 10 Engines, 3 Ladders, 1 Heavy Rescue, 9 Command Staff , 1 AMR Ambulance and Supervisor and Red Cross.

Swift and decisive action by first arriving fire crews allowed a successful search of the entire building which resulted in a confirmation that all six occupants were outside and accounted for. The fire was declared under control in five hours and no injuries were reported.

Off-Duty and Mutual Aid Firefighters were utilized to staff SFD Stations and respond to simultaneous incidents during the Market Street Fire.

For continuous updated information and *Photos* Please Refer to our Blog (http://www.spokanefire.blogspot.com) and our Facebook Page.

PROBABLE CAUSE: The fire is under investigation by the Fire Department's SIU. The displaced families are receiving assistance from the Inland NW Chapter of the American Red Cross.

DAMAGE EXTENT: Damage was limited to the building itself and the fire did not extend to adjacent buildings or into the railway area. The building was a total loss. Railway traffic was halted during the incident and was reopened after the incident was declared under control.

DOLLAR LOSS:
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 52
MUTUAL AID: None Given

For more information on this release, please call (509)625-7002 and/or check out the SFD Blog at www.spokanefire.blogspot.com

END OF RELEASE

Fire Press Release

ISSUING OFFICER: Craig Cornelius / Battalion Chief
DATE OF INCIDENT: 2/11/2010
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 37th and Rebecca
CITY: Spokane
STATE: Wa
ZIP: 99223

NARRATIVE: This evening, February 11, 2010, at 2109 hours, the Spokane Fire Department dispatched a total of 6 fire apparatus and 2 chief officers to a reported structure fire located at 37th and Rebecca.

Engine 14 from Fire Station 14, arrived on the scene a little over 4 minutes after being dispatched. Lt. Doug Dodson reported that he had a single story vacant structure with heavy smoke showing from the boarded up windows. He and his crew advanced a pre-connected hose line to the rear of the structure to attack the fire. The next arriving officer assumed Command and had arriving crews pull plywood from the windows and doors to assist in the extinguishment of the fire.

Crews gaining entry into the structure found a well seated fire that had worked its way into the ceiling and attic areas. "Tongue and Groove" wood used in the ceilings along with remodeled sections of the home made access to the fire difficult. These conditions kept crews working for several hours in the extinguishment of the fire. Extensive fire damage finished destroying this vacant home. The cause is still under investigation at this time. A total of 22 Firefighters responded to this incident. There were no reported injuries.

PROBABLE CAUSE: Cause is still under investigation.
DAMAGE EXTENT: Extensive fire damage finished destroying this vacant home.
DOLLAR LOSS:
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 22
MUTUAL AID: None Given

For more information on this release, please call (509)625-7002 and/or check out the SFD Blog at www.spokanefire.blogspot.com

END OF RELEASE

Lunch (tomato soup) succombs...

A series of back-to-back emergency calls, and some miscommunication, led to the demise of lunch at Stn 3 yesterday. Remains are interred at an undisclosed superfund site. RIP.

Oh tomato soup
A dream of delicious lunch
Turned nightmare of stench

Fare thee well wholesome goodness.

Fire Press Release

ISSUING OFFICER: Bob Green/Battalion Chief
DATE OF INCIDENT: 2/10/2010
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 903 E. Rich
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99207

NARRATIVE: The Spokane City Fire Dept. dispatched fire fighting crews and their apparatus to 903 E. Rich at 12:22 AM on Wednesday, February 10th, to a reported structure fire. As the first arriving fire unit was nearing the scene they reported large amounts of smoke being visible in the night sky. Once that unit reached the scene they reported that there was heavy smoke coming from a 2 story, townhouse style, wood/frame, side-by-side duplex and that they were preparing to gain entry into the structure. Additional units began arriving on scene shortly after and they were given assignments that included; laddering the building, searching the structure for anyone who might be inside, fire attack, back-up hose lines to protect those fire fighters who were going into the building to locate and extinguish the fire, horizontal and vertical ventilation, water supply, safety, and the mandated Rapid Intervention Team for the protection of all fire fighters involved in the work at the incident scene. Further reports from the crews who were inside the building indicated that the fire was in the basement and that it was spreading upward through the construction openings and void spaces that are present in all buildings. Crews who were on the first floor began opening walls in an effort to cut off the fire's upward spread and because of their aggressive actions, in concert with the actions of the crews in the basement, the fire was quickly darkened down. Once the fire had been knocked down the labor intensive job of searching for signs of hidden fire in other parts of the building began. Both units of the duplex were in the process of being vacated by their tenants so very little interior furnishings and/or furniture were present, which made the fire fighters overhaul and salvage work a little less demanding. There were no reports of any injuries to the fire fighters at the scene or to any civilians. Damage to the fire unit was severe in the basement where some of the floor joists had actually burnt away thus weakening the structural supports for that entire side of the duplex. The unit that burned will not be habitable until major repair work is completed. Fire fighters working on the first floor in that unit reported very spongy flooring and crews were cautioned to avoid certain areas on that first floor out of concerns that the floor might collapse. Smoke and heat damage were evident on the first and second floors. There was some additional smoke damage to the neighboring unit caused by the smoke migrating from the burning unit; however that side of the duplex should be able to be occupied. The Spokane Fire Dept.'s Special Investigation Unit was requested to respond to this incident to determine the cause of this early morning fire. They were on scene soon after the fire was extinguished and began their investigation work. They were to return to the scene to continue their task once the sun comes up. Twenty three fire fighters were delivered to this incident on 6 pieces of fire fighting apparatus, 2 Command vehicles, and 1 fire investigation truck.

PROBABLE CAUSE: Under Investigation by SIU.
DAMAGE EXTENT: Severe fire damage in the basement of the fire unit causing structural instabilty to the first floor and possibly to the entire east side of the duplex. Heavy smoke damage to all floors of the fire unit and some smoke damage to the neighboring unit.
DOLLAR LOSS: 50,000.00
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 23
MUTUAL AID: None Given

For more information on this release, please call (509)625-7002 and/or check out the SFD Blog at www.spokanefire.blogspot.com

END OF RELEASE