SFD Media Release - For more information on this release please call (509)625-7002

ISSUING OFFICER: Brian Schaeffer, Assistant Chief
DATE OF INCIDENT: 3/31/2008
INCIDENT TYPE: Information
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 44 West Riverside
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99201

NARRATIVE: *** Update on Significant Incidents from the Special Investigation Unit:

*Incendiary Fire at 1808 West College (9/17/2007):
SIU Investigators arrested Christopher L. Shartle on 9/21/2007 on 1st Degree Arson Charges for setting an occupied building on fire at 1808 W College. Mr. Shartle plead guilty on March 14, 2008 to 2nd degree arson and has been sentenced.

*Second Alarm Fire at 4214 N Washington (2/29/08):
The cause of the second alarm fire on February 29, 2008 will officially remain 'undetermined' due to the heavy amount of damage and inaccessibility to the area of origin. The remains of the building were unsafe for investigators and had to be immediately abated per the Fire Marshal. However, the SIU has determined that the cause was most likely electrical in nature and emanated from electrical components in the basement. The dollar loss is estimated at $451,000.

*Full Structural Response to a Building Fire at 1501 East Rosewood:
Yesterday afternoon at 1:27 PM, SIU Investigators responded at the request of the Battalion Chief to a building fire at 1501 E. Rosewood Avenue. The building at this address was a 1242 square foot commercial garage which was used as an area for restoring cars. The SIU determined that the cause of the fire was accidental and originated from a carelessly discarded cigarette in a refuse container in the bathroom. The total loss is estimated at $10,000.

PROBABLE CAUSE: N/A
DAMAGE EXTENT: N/A
DOLLAR LOSS:
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE:
MUTUAL AID: None Given

For more information on this release, please call (509)625-7002

END OF RELEASE

SFD Media Release - For more information on this release please call (509)625-7002

ISSUING OFFICER: Brian Schaeffer, Assistant Chief
DATE OF INCIDENT: 3/31/2008
INCIDENT TYPE: Information
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 44 West Riverside
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99201

NARRATIVE: The Spokane Fire Department needs your help.

On March 22, 2008 at 9:34 PM, Spokane Fire Department responded with a full alarm to 4423 E. Hutton Avenue (Spokane Rendering Company). The first company on scene reported a working fire involving four tractor trailers and a 2800 square foot warehouse. The fire was brought under control quickly and there were no injuries.

The fire is currently under investigation; however SFD's Special Investigation Unit is asking anyone that may have information related to the fire, or were in the area at the time of the fire to call them at 509.625.7052.

PROBABLE CAUSE: N/A
DAMAGE EXTENT: N/A

DOLLAR LOSS: 625,000
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 22
MUTUAL AID: None Given

For more information on this release, please call (509)625-7002

END OF RELEASE

SFD Media Release - For more information on this release please call (509)625-7002

ISSUING OFFICER: Mike Inman Battalion Chief
DATE OF INCIDENT: 3/9/2008
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 4610 N. Maple
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99205

NARRATIVE: On March 8th 2008 at 6:27 pm the Spokane Fire Department responded to a reported house fire at 4610 N. Maple. The house sat at the intersection of two major arterials in north Spokane creating a traffic concern. The first apparatus on scene, Pumper Ladder 13, reported heavy smoke coming from a 1 story approximately 900 square foot single family residence. As the first crew inside advanced a pre-connected hose line into the basement they found fire in the area of the furnace where combustibles had been stored. The crew did a fast knock down of the fire then proceeded to determine if the fire had spread to any other areas or into the structure. The fire was contained to the one area. Simultaneously a search of the house found that everyone had gotten out safely. Two adults and 3 children were assisted by Red Cross as the house was not safe to occupy due to the heavy smoke damage. The fire is currently under investigation by the Spokane Fire Department. There were no injuries reported to civilians or Firefighters. The Fire Department is not saying that combustibles to close to the furnace was the cause of this fire but caution should be practiced when storing anything in the vicinity of any type of heating appliance.

PROBABLE CAUSE: Under investigation
DAMAGE EXTENT: Contents in basement, heavy smoke damage throughout the structure
DOLLAR LOSS:
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 23
MUTUAL AID: None Given

For more information on this release, please call (509)625-7002

END OF RELEASE

Change your clocks, Check your smoke detectors

Daylight Savings Time comes early this year on Sunday, March 9th . Please remember to "spring forward" the hands on your clocks one hour when you go to bed this coming Saturday night.
In addition to the time change, make sure to check on the condition of all of the smoke detectors in your home.

• Determine what type of technology makes your detectors work by carefully reading the label on the back of the dector. Fire Departments across the country have recently been alerted to the need for households to have a mix of IONIZATION (quicker response in fast, flaming fires) and PHOTOELECTRIC (quicker response in slow-burning, smoldering fires). You can't predict whether a home fire will be quick burning or whether it will smolder for a long period of time before flashing into flame. Many tests are now showing that ionization detectors can be 10 to 30 minutes slower than photoelectric detectors in alarming to a smoldering fire.
• It is also important to know how old your detectors are. Every detector, whether hardwired into your electrical system or simply screwed into the ceiling, needs to be replaced by the time it is 10 years old. The components wear out over time and, with an average 3% failure rate of detectors per year, the risk is too high to have more than a 30% risk of detector failure after 10 years. You can determine the age of your detectors by looking for the manufacture date on the back of the detector.
• If you have problems with nuisance alarms, replace the ionization detector with a photoelectric detector or move the ionization detector 20 feet from the kitchen. Ionization detectors which quickly detect the extremely small particles in a hot burning fire can over-respond to very small particles from toasters or steam from showers. Photoelectric detectors typically do not have the same rate of nuisance alarms. If you do have a nuisance alarm, either use the "hush button" feature on the alarm or quickly fan the smoke or steam away from the detector. Do not remove the batteries!

• Make sure that the batteries are working in all of your smoke alarms. Hardwired smoke detectors require back-up batteries in the event of a power failure. Regular 9-volt alkaline batteries should be replaced at least once a year or whenever the detector begins to make a "chirping" sound. Longer life lithium batteries are a little more expensive but they can last up to 10 years.
  
• Have enough smoke detectors for the size and shape of your home. You should have at least one smoke detector on every level of the home. Smoke detectors are required in the hallways outside sleeping areas and they are recommended in each bedroom as well. If your home was built after 1993, it should have interconnected hardwired smoke detectors in the hallways and in the bedrooms. Hardwired smoke detectors need the "head" replaced every 10 years, just like the ones that depend on batteries.
• If residents cannot hear the common smoke detector, they should be protected with strobe light smoke detectors that can be ordered through fire protection equipment and supplies stores (in the Yellow Pages) or online. The additional cost of a strobe detector pales in comparison with the loss of life and property in a house fire.
• After your clocks are changed and your smoke detectors are checked out, please take time to review your family fire escape plan. Plan on a home fire drill in the next couple of weeks. Approximately 80% of the persons who die in a fire, die in their home. Please do your part to make sure that your family is protected with both ionization AND photoelectric smoke detectors as well as the working knowledge of how to respond safely to a real alarm. For more information on smoke detectors or home fire escape plans, please call 625-7058.

SFD Media Release - For more information on this release please call (509)625-7002

ISSUING OFFICER: Battalion Chief Steve Sabo
DATE OF INCIDENT: 3/6/2008
INCIDENT TYPE: Structure Fire
INCIDENT ADDRESS: 2627 South Southeast Blvd.
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99223

NARRATIVE: At 10:05 this morning, March 6, 2008, the Spokane Fire Department was dispatched to the area of 27th Avenue and Southeast Blvd. for smoke reported in the area. Upon arrival, the first engine investigated and found a 2 ½ story, single family house with smoke issuing from the basement. A full structure alarm was requested, responding four additional engines, a ladder, a rescue truck, and two Battalion Chiefs. Crews forced entry and attacked the fire, while other crews ventilated and searched for victims. The were no occupants home at the time of the fire. The fire was knocked down within ten minutes, but complete overhaul of the burned area took nearly three hours. There was heavy fire and smoke damage to the basement and additional heat and smoke damage to the upper floors. There were no firefighter injuries. The homeowner arrived while crews were still on the scene. The homeowner lives alone, and will be unable to occupy the house until repairs are made. The American Red Cross is assisting him with lodging.

PROBABLE CAUSE: The cause of the fire was determined to be a wood stove in the basement, installed with its chimney too close to a combustible wall surface.
DAMAGE EXTENT: There was heavy fire and smoke damage to the basement and additional heat and smoke damage to the upper floors.
DOLLAR LOSS: 30,000
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 24
MUTUAL AID: None Given

For more information on this release, please call (509)625-7002

END OF RELEASE

SFD Media Release - For more information on this release please call (509)625-7002

ISSUING OFFICER: Bruce Moline/Battalion Chief
DATE OF INCIDENT: 3/3/2008
INCIDENT TYPE: Special Rescue
INCIDENT ADDRESS: Aubrey White Parkway North Of The Downriver Golf Course
CITY: Spokane
STATE: WA
ZIP: 99205

NARRATIVE: On March 3rd, 2008 at 7:34 P.M. members of the Spokane Fire Department including the Spokane Fire Department Technical Rescue Team responded to a report of a car over the embankment on Aubrey White Parkway along the Spokane River just north of the Downriver Golf Course. Fire crews found a vehicle that had left the roadway and rolled down a steep embankment towards the river. There was only one person in the car and it ended up just feet from the waters edge. The lone occupant of the vehicle was not injured. The occupant had placed a call to 911 and helped guide in the responding resources to his location while talking with emergency dispatchers. Visibility was very poor at the time due to darkness and his obscured location below the road. His vehicle was estimated to have traveled 200 feet below the road towards the river. The air bags on the vehicle did deploy and the occupant said that he was wearing his lap and shoulder belts. Fire crews were soon able to locate him and began their technical rescue operation which involved using rescue ropes and then successfully hauling him up the hillside with firefighters in attendance. Firefighters were able to accomplish this task in 15 minutes. 7 firefighters from station 4's technical rescue team responded on this call as well as 3 firefighters from station 16. The incident is under investigation by the Spokane Police Department.

PROBABLE CAUSE: Unknown at this time. Under investigation by the Spokane Police Department.
DAMAGE EXTENT: Vehicle received significant damage.
DOLLAR LOSS:
FIREFIGHTER RESPONSE: 10
MUTUAL AID: None Given

For more information on this release, please call (509)625-7002

END OF RELEASE

Video of SFD team at the Scott Firefighter Stairclimb

Spokane Firefighters compete in Seattle Stairclimb

Firefighter from the Spokane Fire Department travelled to Seattle this weekend for the largest firefighting stairclimb competition in the world. FF Jason Keen has the best time for the Spokane Fire Department team. He finished 12th in his age division and 35th overall. Congratulations Jason on a great time! click here for full race results.

All money raised by the event goes to for Leukemia and Lymphoma research

Here is more information on the Scott Fire Fighter Stairclimb

SEATTLE, Feb. 6, 2008 . More than 1,000 firefighters from across the U.S., Canada and as far away as New Zealand are expected to sprint to the top of the Columbia Center - Seattle's tallest building, to fight blood cancer on Sunday, March 2 at the 17th annual Scott Firefighter Stairclimb.

The annual climb benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is recognized as the largest individual firefighting competition in the world and attracts firefighters from throughout Washington State and Oregon along with New York, Florida, Colorado, South Carolina, Nevada and California, Canada and as far away as New Zealand.

Clad in full bunker gear and breathing apparatus, collectively weighing about 50 lbs., firefighters ranging in age from 18 to 60 will sprint-climb 788 feet in vertical elevation (1,311 stairs / 69 stories) from the Fifth Avenue lobby to the 73rd floor observation deck of the 76-story Columbia Center. At 943 feet, about one-and-a-half times the height of the Space Needle, the Columbia Center is the tallest building (by stories) west of the Mississippi.

During the 2008 climb, The LLS will honor five-year-old Mason Watamura of University Place, Wash. near Tacoma as its Honored Patient. Last February, just 28 days after his fourth birthday and a month before his dad Brad Watamura, a firefighter/paramedic with Central Pierce Fire and Rescue was to have competed in the 2007 climb, Mason was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), a fast-growing cancer of the white blood cells that is the most common form of leukemia among children under 19 years old. With Mason hospitalized, Watamura, 32, missed the 2007 climb and was just coming to understand the impact of his son.s
disease.
“This year while I’m up there, I’m going to be thinking a lot about Mason and what’s gone on the last year” said Watamura, who will be competing in his sixth climb. “Everyone has a different reason why they climb. In previous years you’d get to about floor 12 and wonder why you are going through the pain. It will be much clearer this year”.

Mason, who is currently undergoing treatment that should be completed by 2010, is planning on attending the 2008 climb to cheer-on dad and the 10 climbers from Central Pierce Fire and Rescue that will be climbing in his honor.”The work that the
LLS has done has helped increase the survival rate” added Watamura. .”That’s a huge difference from what it could have turned out for us”
The 2007 climb attracted 1,253 firefighters from 200 fire departments raising over $365,000 through community-based fundraising campaigns leading up to the competition. The City of Buckley Fire Department in Washington State raised $36,407 for top honors among departments during last year.s competition with its chief, Alan Predmore raising $10,477 for top honors among individuals.