Fire damages three North Side garages

Fire damages three North Side garages

The Spokane Fire Department is investigating a North Side fire early today that destroyed one garage and damaged two others nearby.

Firefighters responded to 1217 W. Chelan at 3:47 am for a reported garage fire, and discovered that the fire had spread to two other garages. Crews quickly extinguished all three fires. A cause has not been determined and is under investigation.  

Total damage was estimated at $35,000. One garage was a total loss. A second suffered extensive damage to approximately 25 percent of the structure. Damage to the third was light.

End Of Release
For more information on this release please call (509) 625-7002

Burn restrictions lifted

 

Burn restrictions implemented on July 17 were lifted today, the Spokane Fire Department announced. Outdoor recreational fires, including campfires, are allowed in the cities of Spokane, Spokane Valley, Airway Heights, Cheney, Liberty Lake, Millwood and throughout all unincorporated areas of Spokane County.

 

Citizens may also use backyard barbecues, chimineas, portable outdoor fireplaces or other patio/deck warmers, as long as approved fuel is used and other requirements are satisfied.  Approved fuel includes seasoned (clean and dry) firewood, briquettes, propane, or natural gas.

 

Other requirements for outdoor fires include:

 

·         Fires must be in designated areas or on private property with owner approval.

 

·         Fires must be attended by a responsible adult (knowledgeable in the use of the fire extinguishing equipment) at all times.

 

·         Approved fire extinguishing equipment must be on hand and ready for use.

 

Ø  Equipment can include a garden hose, dirt, sand, bucket, shovel, or a minimum 4A rated portable fire extinguisher.

 

·         Adequate clearance from combustibles must exist.

 

Ø  A minimum 25' clearance to combustibles is required for campfires and fire pits.

 

Ø  For one and two-family dwellings, follow the portable device manufacturer's instructions for clearance.  Be safe and use good judgment.

 

Ø  For multi-family dwellings, provide a minimum of 15-foot clearance from combustibles and structures.  Be safe and use good judgment.

 

·         Fires must not present a health hazard or nuisance to others.

 

·         Safe wind conditions (no more than 7-10 mph [DNR Guideline]) must be present.

 

·         A Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency "green light" indication for air quality must be present. 

 

·         Ash and charcoal remnants must be safely disposed of in noncombustible waste containers.

 

Fires not meeting the above listed requirements that are unsafe or otherwise restricted will be required to be extinguished.  As always, bonfires or pig roast type fires must receive an inspection, pre-approval, and a permit from the Spokane Fire Department.  Outdoor burning for disposal purposes are illegal in the City of Spokane at all times.  Failure to comply with the recreational fire regulations are subject to a class 1 civil infraction, which carries a $513 fine in addition to other serious consequences.  A person who fails to take immediate action to extinguish or otherwise discontinue unauthorized burning when ordered to do so is subject to a misdemeanor charge. That person can face an additional fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to 90 days in jail.

End Of Release
For more information on this release please call (509) 625-7002

 

 

Brian Coddington | City of Spokane | Director of Communications and Marketing

509.625.6740 | fax 509.625.6563 |bcoddington@spokanecity.org| spokanecity.org

      

 

SFD, Red Cross to conduct smoke detector canvass

 

The Spokane Fire Department is partnering with the American Red Cross and Gonzaga University to canvass the Logan neighborhood and ensure homes in this area have working smoke detectors. In addition to handing out fire safety and emergency preparedness information,  SFD will be installing and scheduling the installation of free smoke detectors for households in need.

 

Tomorrow, Saturday, October 11, 2014, from 12:30 to 5:00 pm, the Spokane Fire Department, the American Red Cross and Gonzaga University will be handing out fire safety information, installing smoke detectors for residents who are home, and scheduling future smoke detector installation opportunities in the Logan neighborhood.   The Logan neighborhood has been nationally identified as one of the highest risk areas for fires in Eastern Washington (see attached flyer for additional information).  

 

This fire prevention effort is the final event scheduled in recognition of National Fire Prevention Week, which launched on October 5^th. Other activities during this week have included fire safety presentations to grade school children at Lincoln Heights and St. Aloysius elementary schools.

 

The goal of National Fire Prevention Week is to help bring awareness to the importance of fire safety and education and to remind citizens that working smoke detectors save lives. Last year, more than 2,700 people throughout the nation died in residential fires. Two-thirds of those who died had been living in a home that did not have a working smoke detector. 

 

The Spokane Fire Department would like to remind citizens to take just 5 minutes this weekend to check your smoke detectors!  Click here to learn more about how working smoke detectors can help to keep you and your family safe. For questions about fire prevention and community education, contact Jan Doherty at 509.625.7058 or JDoherty@spokanecity.org.

 

End Of Release
For more information on this release please call (509) 625-7002

 

 

Brian Coddington | City of Spokane | Director of Communications and Marketing

509.625.6740 | fax 509.625.6563 |bcoddington@spokanecity.org| spokanecity.org

      

 

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

Check your smoke detectors for National Fire Prevention Week

Date: 10/03/2014

Smoke detectors save lives. That is the message the Spokane Fire Department is delivering as National Fire Prevention Week begins Sunday.

Every home needs one detector on each floor level, outside each sleeping area and inside each bedroom.  Two out of three deaths in residential fires occur in homes without working smoke detectors. The fire department invites citizens to participate in National Fire Prevention Week Oct. 5-11 by testing the readiness of smoke detectors in your home. 

This year's National Fire Protection Association theme, "Working smoke alarms save lives. Test yours every month!" is based on an increase in civilian fire deaths in 2013 when 2,785 civilians died in residential fires. Two-thirds of those who died had been living in a home that was not protected with working smoke detectors. Either the detector or battery was missing or the detector was too old to be able to respond.

The Spokane Fire Department asks every household to do three things this coming week.

1. Press the test button on each detector to make sure the batteries are still working.  Common 9-volt batteries should be replaced each year or whenever they chirp. Long-life lithium batteries should last 10 years, the same lifespan as the smoke alarm itself.
2. Determine the age of the smoke detectors in your home by checking the back label. If the date of manufacture was more than 10 years ago, replace the alarm as soon as possible.
3. Locate the words "ionization," "photoelectric," or "photo-ion" on the back label to determine the type of detectors you have. The Spokane Fire Department recommends having at least one photoelectric or photo-ion detector on each level of the home. They provide greater protection in a smoldering kind of fire and will sound an alarm up to 40 minutes faster than ionization models.

In the event of a home fire, you have less than three minutes to get everyone safely outside. Take five minutes this Fire Prevention Week to check out how well your smoke detectors could work for your family in a fire emergency!

 

For more information on smoke alarms, please call Spokane Fire Department at 509.625.7058.

End Of Release
For more information on this release please call (509) 625-7002