FIREFIGHTERS RESPOND TO MAN INJURED BY WOOD WORKING EQUIPMENT

Just after 2:30 p.m. on Monday December 5, 2011 Forest Grove Fire & Rescue responded to the Woodfold Manufacturing Facility to treat an employee who had been injured while operating equipment. When firefighters arrived at the facility, which is just 2 blocks from their Fire Station, they found that a 33 year old man was operating a straight line rip saw when a piece of wood approximately 1 inch wide by 1/4 inch thick by 2 feet long had come out of his machine and struck him in the front of his lower abdomen. Paramedics reported that though the man was in extreme pain he was conscious and talking to them, but that it was apparent that the piece of wood had actually broken off inside his body, and was close to puncturing through his back.

Due to the severity of the man’s injuries, Paramedics quickly requested that a Lifeflight helicopter come to the scene to transport the injured man to a Portland Trauma Center. Lifeflight landed at the nearby Forest Grove School District Office (located at 18th Avenue and A Street), briefly interrupting a physical education class from the Forest Grove Community School that had been using the ball field where the helicopter would end up landing. An ambulance from Metro West brought the injured worker to the waiting Lifeflight helicopter where he was taken to the Trauma Center at Legacy Emmanuel Hospital in Portland for further treatment of his injuries. Woodfold Manufacturing is a long standing business in downtown Forest Grove, with a history dating back over fifty (50) years, they produce custom made wood folding and accordion doors out of their facility which is located at 1811 18th Avenue.

FIRE INVESTIGATORS COMPLETE INVESTIGATION INTO CAUSE OF THE PRIMETIME FIRE

The following information is from a media release that went out to local news outlets earlier today detailing the work that fire investigators completed to determine the cause of last week's fire at Primetime Sports Bar:

Fire investigators from Forest Grove Fire & Rescue and two Insurance Companies spent Monday (11.28.11) morning sifting through the remains of the Primetime Sports Bar in Forest Grove after the popular local hang out had been destroyed by a fire just before 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday November 23, 2011. By surveying the damage to the building and it's contents and considering witness and firefighter statements from the night of the fire, investigators were able to trace the area where the fire started back to a laundry and utility room that is located just off the kitchen in the south east corner of the restaurant. Fire investigators believe that it is possible that rags with traces of cooking oil that were stored in this area are a probable cause of the fire, and the Insurance Company Investigators have taken samples of the burned rag debris to be evaluated by a forensic science lab. At this time fire investigators are considering this fire accidental and have been able to rule out any act of foul play in the cause of this devastating fire.

Fire Investigators believe that the fire started in this area, a utility and laundry room near the prep room behind the kitchen.

Early estimates place the total loss of property and contents at well over 1.5 million dollars. The fire went to three alarms bringing in over 60 firefighters from all over Washington County on November 23, 2011. Crews remained on scene until mid afternoon on the day of the fire, extinguishing hot spots and salvaging items from the building for the owners. At one point heavy equipment from the Public Works Departments of the Cities of Forest Grove and Cornelius were called in to remove part of the collapsed dining room area so fire crews could safely get to the heavy burning area around the kitchen. One Forest Grove firefighter was injured during the fire, suffering exhaustion type injuries, he was transported to a local hospital where he was treated and released. At this point the Primetime Sports Bar is considered a total loss and the fire has displaced approximately 50 employees, a relief fund has been established at the Forest Grove Branch of the Columbia Community Bank for the restaurant's staff, as well as number of local fundraisers are in the works. Over the weekend the Forest Grove Firefighter's Association and the Cornelius Firefighter's Association, non profit groups made up of Volunteer and Union Firefighters to support community projects, pledged $1,000 from each association to support the relief fund as the holidays approach.

EARLY MORNING FIRE DESTROYS POPULAR PRIMETIME SPORTS BAR

Just before 4:00 on Wednesday (November 23, 2011) a passerby called 9-1-1 to report that smoke was coming from the Primetime Sports Bar in the 4200 block of Pacific Avenue. When firefighters arrived they initially did not see any flames, but found heavy black smoke inside the restaurant. Crews from Forest Grove and Cornelius quickly went to work to try and find where the fire was located but they soon discovered that the fire had already spread to the attic space and was burning throughout the structure that supports the roof of the building. At this point with an established fire burning so quickly inside the building, Incident Commanders made a tactical decision for firefighter safety to remove all crews from the building and fight this fire defensively from the outside. Within minutes flames began to show as the roof structure failed and our Incident Command Team requested a second and third alarm to bring in firefighters from every fire agency in Washington County in to control the massive blaze. Ladder trucks from Forest Grove and Hillsboro were set up to spray thousands of gallons of water per minute into the burning structure that had collapsed into the shell of the building and firefighters from different departments worked seamlessly side by side as they operated streams of water from hand held hoses and used power tools to tear into the building and extinguish the fire. Eventually Incident Commanders had to call in heavy equipment from the Public Works Departments of the cities of Forest Grove and Cornelius to pull apart the stubbornly burning debris from the dining area which had by that time collapsed in on itself so that crews could get close enough to the remaining hot spots to extinguish them. A firefighter from our Gales Creek Station was injured during the firefighting efforts, suffering chest pains, and was transported to Tuality Hospital in Hillsboro where he was treated and released showing signs of over-exertion.

As fire investigators worked to determine the cause of the devastating fire, firefighters worked to save what they could from the popular local hang out. Crews brought out memorabilia that had been autographed by sports legends like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Ken Griffey Jr., as well as historic photos of Forest Grove from the large banquet room that was considered the least damaged part of the building. Firefighters were also able to dig through the collapsed building to recover the safe which had the paychecks for the employees as well as the money from the business. A team of fire investigators from Forest Grove Fire & Rescue, the Hillsboro Fire Department, and the Insurance Company that covered the business worked through out the day to narrow down what was responsible for the fire and have so far been able to confirm that the fire is accidental in nature but an official cause is not being released at this time.

Primetime Sports Bar has been an icon in the Forest Grove business scene for decades, not just for their great food, but their support of community projects. It's a popular place to catch a bite to eat while you enjoyed the big game, and with it being one of the largest restaurants in Forest Grove it always was one of the great places for big groups, and by the volume of comments on social media sites like Facebook you can tell that it's loss is strongly felt in our community. It's an ironic fact that because of Primetime's large seating areas, hours of operation, and quality of food that it was a frequent place where Forest Grove and Cornelius Firefighters would gather to grab a hot meal after working long hours on a fire somewhere in our community. With the holidays approaching our Fire Chaplains are working with the owners of Primetime to establish a list of needs for the families of the employees and a fund to assist has also been set up at the Columbia Community Bank in Forest Grove. Our thoughts are with the employees and owners of Primetime as they try and recover from this loss, we wish all of them the best.

PACIFIC UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WORKING TO IMPROVE FIREFIGHTER HEALTH AND SAFETY

For the last few months we have had the pleasure of working with an exceptional team of students from the Pacific University Exercise Science Department on a series of studies that we hope can lead to improvements for the health and safety of firefighters. It's often easy to think of the dangerous parts of being a firefighter involve rushing into burning buildings or rescuing victims trapped in perilous situations, but in all reality it's the little things that more often lead to injuries and death. That's why this unique year long study is taking a look at three different ways that firefighters can get hurt in the hopes that we can gain information to help prevent injuries and death from occuring in the future.

The first portion of this study focused on the heart rate of firefighters. Career firefighters at Forest Grove Fire & Rescue wore heart rhythm monitors during their 24 hours shift as well as their 48 hours off and kept a journal of what they were doing throughout the day. This was intended to take a look at what effects being on shift at the fire station has on the heart. The fire service has often wondered about the effects of a 24 hour shift on your body and how your heart reacts to being asleep during the night time and then having to wake up suddenly and be completely responsive for an emergency need.

The second portion of the study involved evaluating the exercises and work out regiments of the firefighters and finding ways to improve the methods to ensure that our firefighters are in tip top shape and ready when you need them. Each firefighter was evaluated and work was completed to develop a personalized work out plan that the firefighter could use to improve their well being.

C Shift Lieutenant Chris Woodford is on the balance evaluating machine while a Student from Pacific University assits him with his test.

Lastly, and perhaps most unique, is the study of how the protective equipment that a firefighter wears effects things like balance and range of motion. Firefighters were asked to put on their protective clothing and climb on board a special machine that put them through a grueling series of tests to determine how well they balanced and how easy it was for them to move in various directions. Based on these tests the students hoped to be able to provide information to protective clothing manufacturers to improve the ergonomics and comfort of firefighter gear all in an effort to prevent injuries caused by improperly fitted, designed, or worn protective clothing.

We want to especially thank our partners at Pacific University and the Hillsboro Fire Department for helping complete this study and working so hard to improve the safety and well being of firefighters. Hopefully information gained here can prevent an injury down the road and improve the fire service in the United States.

FRYING THE BIRD THIS THANKSGIVING?

The most glorious of food holidays is upon us and many of you will be filling your home with family and friends as you prepare that wonderful Thanksgiving feast. Some will be roasting your turkey, while others are enjoying the delicacy that is deep fried turkey. If you have never had deep fried turkey, it is an amazing way of quickly cooking your turkey into pure white or dark meat bliss, but it comes with a dangerous side as well.

According to our friends at the Underwriters Laboratories there are some consistent safety hazards with frying your Thanksgiving Turkey:

- Many units easily tip over, spilling the hot oil from the cooking pot.

- If the cooking pot is overfilled with oil, the oil may spill out of the unit when the turkey is placed into the cooking pot. Oil may hit the burner or flames, causing a fire to engulf the entire unit.

- Partially frozen turkeys placed into the fryer can cause a spillover effect. This too may result
in an extensive fire.

- With no thermostat controls, the units also have the potential to overheat the oil to the point of combustion.

- The lid and handles on the sides of the cooking pot get dangerously hot, posing severe burn hazards.

So that being said, what do you need to consider if you absolutely want to enjoy a fried turkey this Thursday?

- Turkey fryers should always be used outdoors a safe distance from buildings and any other flammable materials.

- Never use turkey fryers in a garage or on a wooden deck.

- Make sure the fryers are used on a flat surface to reduce accidental tipping.

- Never leave the fryer unattended. Most units do not have thermostat controls. If you do not watch the fryer carefully, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire.

- Never let children or pets near the fryer even if it is not in use. The oil inside the cooking pot can remain dangerously hot hours after use.

- To avoid oil spillover, do not overfill the fryer.

- Use well-insulated potholders or oven mitts when touching pot or lid handles. If possible, wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from oil splatter.

- Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and be careful with marinades. Oil and water do not mix, and water causes oil to spill over causing a fire or even an explosion hazard.

- The National Turkey Federation (NTF) recommends thawing the turkey in the refrigerator approximately 24 hours for every five pounds in weight.

- Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water to extinguish a grease fire. If the fire is manageable, use your all-purpose fire extinguisher. If the fire increases, immediately call the fire department for help.

Are you still not convinced that frying turkey is dangerous? Well we at Forest Grove Fire & Rescue spared no expense to improve your safety and brought in a special guest to help show you the dangers involved with frying turkey. Just kidding, we actually found this great video of William Shatner online and wanted to share it with you here. We wish you and yours a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving!

Viewing Platform Heavily Damaged by Fire at Fern Hill Wetlands

Early Friday morning at approximately 6:30am, Forest Grove Firefighters were dispatched to a reported fire located at 1345 SW Fern Hill Road. This address is the location of the Fern Hill Wetlands, a very popular place for walkers, bird watchers, and photographers. Firefighters arrived to find a small viewing structure on fire approximately 400 yards from the main entrance. Firefighters had to use smaller brush vehicles to drive on the walking paths to access the fire. Using two brush rigs, it took only ten minutes to extinguish the fire. Damage was contained to the structure itself (which was destroyed) and did not spread to the surrounding wildlife area. Firefighters remained on scene for approximately an hour extinguishing hot spots.



The estimated loss is unknown at this time. Fire investigators spent several hours investigating the cause of the fire. Investigators have not determined the cause, but at this time it is considered suspicious. Forest Grove Fire & Rescue is working with Forest Grove Police Department on the investigation.

We ask that if you saw anyone or anything in the area of the Fern Hill Wetlands between 6am and 7am Friday morning, to please call one of the following numbers:

Forest Grove Fire & Rescue - 503-992-3240
Forest Grove Police Department - 503-992-3260
Washington County Non Emergency - 503-629-0111 (use after business hours)



Matt Johnston - Public Information Officer

FIRE DESTROYS GARAGE IN GALES CREEK

On Sunday evening two teenage boys in Gales Creek were inside the family home in the 54700 block of the NW Wilson River Highway when they noticed the lights in their room suddenly go dim. One of the boys went to investigate and looked out the window to find a fire burning in the detached garage about 20 feet away from their home. He yelled for his brother to call 9-1-1 and then immediately went out to try and get the family's pet chickens free from the coop that was attached to the backside of the garage. By this time the entire structure was burning and fire was coming out the open front of the carport style garage building.

Investigators spent Monday afternoon digging through the remains of the garage, trying to determine the cause of the Sunday evening fire.

Volunteer firefighters from Forest Grove Fire & Rescues nearby Gales Creek Fire Station responded, as did crews from the Forest Grove Station, and the neighboring Banks Fire District #13 Station but the fast moving fire destroyed the garage before the fire engines could get there. Even though the vinyl siding was melted, firefighters were able to keep the fire from damaging the structure of the family home; the fire also melted the front ends of two cars parked in the driveway and burned the exterior wall of a nearby shed that one of the brothers had used as a practice building for his band. All told approximately 20 firefighters worked for just over an hour to contain the fire to the garage and get it under control so that it would not spread to the other structures nearby. The Wilson River Highway was closed during the firefighting efforts so engines and water tenders could maneuver in the roadway safely.

The heat fromt he burning garage was so intense that it melted the vinyl siding of the home over 20 feet away

Fire Investigators from Forest Grove Fire & Rescue are still working to determine the cause of the fire, but the garage and it's contents are considered a total loss with estimates of damages approaching $40,000. No one was injured by the blaze, however the family did lose two of their pet chickens that perished in the fire.

ARE YOUR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS READY IF YOU NEED THEM?

A resident of Forest Grove's Historic Old Town can call herself pretty fortunate this afternoon, all things considered of course, as she was luckily able to control a fire on her stove top and keep it from engulfing the rest of the kitchen. The women was cleaning the kitchen of the home in the 2100 block of 16th Avenue earlier today when she apparently bumped the dial on the electric range, turning on one of the stove's burners. Just before 2:30 pm she began to smell smoke and discovered that a pan of cooking oil that had been on the stove top had caught fire, she quickly grabbed a nearby fire extinguisher and squeezed the trigger and nothing happened. She ran to grab a second fire extinguisher and again squeezed the trigger and again nothing happened, both fire extinguishers were dead and not able to function. She poured a box of bulk table salt onto the flames and then grabbed the pan lid and was finally able to get the fire out.

When firefighters arrived they found light smoke coming from the open front door and that the smoke had filled up the first floor of the two story home. Crews went in to make sure the fire was out and found that the damage was confined to the cook top and the stairs and walls that were on both sides of the electric range. Fire Investigators believe that the actual damage to the home is less than $3,000 and mostly from the smoke damage, but it could have been much worse. Please take a second and find the fire extinguishers in your home. Make sure they are inspected regularly and that the gauge shows that they are charged. If it's an older extinguisher you should replace it, and if you don't have a fire extinguisher now would be a good time to invest in one. Home remedies like salt and baking soda may work to extinguish a fire sometimes, but they'll never beat a tight fitting lid and a good ABC rated fire extinguisher. The key is that the fire extinguishers must be ready to work when you need them to.


If you do encounter a fire on the cook top follow these simple steps. Use an oven mitt to slide a tight fitting lid on top of the pan that is on fire. Never use water on a grease fire, or try and carry a burning pan from the cook top. If the fire is bigger than the pan you could try and quickly use a fire extinguisher to put out the fire, but don't risk your personal safety to do so. Turn off the burner if you can, and execute your family fire escape plan. Call 9-1-1 from a safe location outside the home and let firefighters make sure that the fire is out. Make sure that everyone in your family who cooks knows how to do it safely!

Busy November Monday

Today so far has been above normal for the Forest Grove Firefighters on ‘A’ Shift, not only have they ran 11 calls so for their shift (average is 7 for the entire shift) but of those 11, two have been out of the ordinary. The first of those two was dispatched shortly after 2pm; it was reported that up to five people were feeling light headed and dizzy at Knight Hall on the campus of Pacific University. Those employees working in the building were thinking it was possibly carbon monoxide poisoning. With that possibility, one crew was sent into the building to check the air for poisonous gases and a second crew was sent to triage and evaluate the possible patients that had complaints of being light headed and dizzy. The crew that went into the structure found no dangerous gases present and crews evaluating the patients found no symptoms serious enough to require transport to the hospital. Without finding any evidence of carbon monoxide, it is unsure whether or not that caused the symptoms, or if something else in the building caused the symptoms. Regardless, this is great reminder that if you have anything that burns wood, natural gas or fuel oil in your residence that you should install a carbon monoxide detector. If you have multiple floors to your house, it is recommended that a detector be placed on each floor. They generally cost around $10 to $50 and are found at your local hardware or variety store.

The second call that was uncommon came in around 3:30pm and was initially dispatched as an Industrial Accident in the community of Dilley. At first it wasn’t clear exactly where the incident location was or exactly what the injuries were due to a language barrier between the caller and dispatchers. It was determined that there had been a vehicle accident involving a work vehicle at the Montinore Estates Vineyard located at 3663 SW Dilley Road. At first it was reported that someone was trapped under a vehicle that had rolled over, due to this information, firefighters activated Lifeflight to respond to the scene. When crews arrived on scene they found only one patient and they were no longer trapped under the vehicle. Like the dispatchers, firefighters found a language barrier on scene and had a hard time finding out exactly what occurred and what the extent of the injuries were to the patient. Firefighters stabilized the patient and transported them by Lifeflight helicopter to the trauma center at Emanuel Hospital in Portland.

FALL BACK THIS WEEKEND AND CHECK YOUR SMOKE ALARM

For years we have heard that when you change your clocks you also need to change your smoke alarm battery. The catchy message "Change your clock - change your smoke alarm battery" has been one of the most effective public education campaigns that the fire service has ever came up with. Yet since 1998 it hasn't really matched what we do here in Oregon. In 1998 Oregon State law has required that all ionization type smoke alarms that receive their power from a battery are to have a battery that is capable of powering your smoke alarm for ten years without being replaced. Smoke alarm manufacturers have worked to make their devices compliant with the Oregon law and have designed smoke alarms that are meant to work only with these long life batteries that are typically a lithium power cell. If you replace these long life batteries with the standard, and often cheaper, alkaline battery you actually void the warranty of the smoke alarm and it may not function as it was intended to work. This is obviously a potentially dangerous situation for your family, so what we are suggesting this year is that when you set your clocks back one hour that you also check your smoke alarm to make sure that it works. This is usually a simple process where you find the test button on the alarm and push it until you hear the "beeping" sound that signals you that the alarm is working like it's supposed to.

This should work for most smoke alarms in Oregon that receive their power from a battery. Notice that we said most, there are a few exceptions to this however. First is that if the smoke alarm is hard wired into the building it is not required to have a long life battery as a back up power source and a standard alkaline battery will suffice; it is a good idea however to replace this back up battery twice a year when you change your clock. The second situation would be if your battery operated smoke alarm is not an ionization type; ionization is a term used to describe how your smoke alarm will detect smoke and there are usually two types - one being ionization and the other being photo electric. A photo electric type of smoke alarm typically will receive power from a lithium type power cell and will drain the charge from an alkaline battery rather quickly. The smoke alarm will say somewhere either on the face of the alarm, or on a label inside, if it is a photo electric or an ionization type.

So are you confused yet? It basically boils down to asking yourself a few questions?

1. Is your smoke alarm over ten years old? If it is, replace it, regardless of the type of smoke alarm.

2. Do you have an ionization type smoke alarm that is battery operated? If so then you shouldn't need to make any changes to the alarm, just test it to make sure that the alarm works by using the test button. Never use a candle, match, or other burning material to test the alarm.

3. Do you have a smoke alarm that is hard wired to your home's electrical power? If you do, replace the back up battery with a new battery.

It's always a good idea to have a family fire drill when you test your smoke alarm. Make sure the kids know what the sound of the smoke alarm in your home is and that it's not something they should be afraid of. Everyone should practice two ways out of their home and finding their safe family meeting place outside the home and always reinforce that once we escape a fire that we never go back into the home for anything.

SEVEN PEOPLE INJURED WHEN TRI-MET BUS SUDDENLY STOPS

Just after 2:00 pm on Tuesday October 25, 2011 we were dispatched to a call for a person who had fallen on the Tri-Met #57 bus that was on Pacific Avenue near Quince Street. When firefighters arrived the bus driver reported that he was traveling east on Pacific Avenue when he had been "cut off" by another car and suddenly stopped to avoid hitting the car in front of him, when this happened a number of riders were jolted from their seats and reported suffering injuries. Our initial responding Engine Company found that not only was there one person injured but that there were seven of the riders were injured and decided at that time requested a full medical box assignment be made to handle this incident. This full medical box is a term that we use to describe resources needed which brought in an Engine from the Cornelius Fire Department and a Volunteer Rescue Company from Forest Grove as well as two Metro West Ambulances.

Crews began to triage the victims at which point they determined that four of the initial seven victims required that an ambulance transport them to area hospitals for further evaluation for suspected hand, wrist, and knee injuries consistent with striking the seat in front of them during a sudden stop. All of the victims who were transported suffered non life threatening injuries and were sent to the hospital for precautionary reasons. Crews were able to clear the scene within an hour and re-open both lanes of traffic eastbound on Pacific Avenue into Cornelius.

Trick or Treating Safely

A few weeks ago we introduced some safety concepts for parents to consider as they looked at costumes for the little trick or treater in the family. So now with just seven days left until one of the most popular children's holidays of the year we thought it would be timely to throw out a few safety reminders before you head out to fill that orange plastic bucket with sugary goodness.

First is that safety is found in numbers. It's not all about the big kids jumping out of the bushes and taking your candy either, being a part of a large group of people makes it easier to be seen by drivers. If a big group of trick or treaters is in store for you it's also appropriate to have established rules that the kids must follow and adequete adult supervision to help keep the excited kids safely together and not let their excitement get too out of hand.

Second would be how important it is to be seen. Halloween falls at the time of year where the precious daylight is getting shorter and most trick or treaters are hitting the neighborhoods around that difficult to see dusk hour where it's not quite dark enough for headlights to work effectively. Hang a glow stick, or attach reflective tape to their costumes, and make sure they are carrying a flashlight that is on at all times. As part of our "Be Seen at Halloween Campaign" the Forest Grove Firefighters and Police Officers Labor Unions have teamed with Forest Grove's Volunteer Firefighters to provide glow sticks to trick or treaters and we will be in downtown handing them out until we run out on Halloween night - once you get yours snap it and hang it around your neck.

Third would be safety on or near the roads. Try and choose routes that have sidewalks or a good safe area for the children to walk. Make sure that your trick or treaters watch for cars and that they stop and look both ways before crossing the street and always follow pedestrian laws. For driver's it's equally important to pay extra attention during your commute home on Halloween evening. Downtown Forest Grove has an annual "Trick or Treat your Merchants Event" that draws thousands of kids to the downtown area over a period of just a few hours, this is great for the kids but it is also something that driver's should plan accordingly for and avoid the area if at all possible.

Don't forget to trick or treat our Forest Grove Fire Station and have a safe and happy Halloween!

Worker Injured by Farm Equipment

Earlier today around 11:35am, Forest Grove Firefighters were dispatched to an Industrial Accident located on NW Strohmayer Road, North of Forest Grove. When crews were responding they got word that a farm worker had gotten his hand severely injured in a walnut harvester while working in the orchard about 700 feet away from the closest address. Crews arrived to find other workers providing first aid care to the injured coworker. Firefighters treated and stabilized the patient for transport by Metro West Ambulance to a local trauma hospital.

After speaking with coworkers, it was found that while sweeping up the walnuts the debris removal fan became clogged. At that point the worker tried to clear the debris and for an unknown reason the internal fan struck their hand. They were able to remove the workers hand easily and no specialized rescue equipment was needed.

Forest Grove Fire & Rescue wants to remind everyone that whenever using motorized equipment to always turn off the device completely before doing any kind of work or adjustment to it. Whether it is a small chain saw for yard work or large piece of farm equipment in a field, always have safety in mind.

FIREFIGHTER'S CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE DATES

I know, we haven't even had Halloween yet, and we should be celebrating one holiday at a time right, so what is this blog post doing talking Christmas? We'll keep it brief but believe it or not we have actually been planning our annual Christmas Toy Drive since June, and October is when we typically get people in our community asking for help during the holidays and we wanted to get a few of the important dates out to you now so families could plan for the season and know what to expect.

NOVEMBER 1, 2011

Applications for families requesting assistance this year will be available starting November 1st. You can stop by the fire station and fill out an application in person or you can find applications on our Facebook and Twitter pages as well as on the City of Forest Grove website. Completed applications can be turned in to the Forest Grove or Cornelius Fire Stations during normal business hours beginning Tuesday November 1, 2011, and the application period will run until Friday, December 16, 2011. If you can't make it to the fire stations during normal business hours you can also call our "Toy Drive Hot line" at 503.992.3184 and leave a message with your family information.

November 21, 2011

Starting the week of November 21st donation bins will be out at the Forest Grove and Cornelius Fire Stations as well as local businesses where toys and non perishable food donations can be dropped off.

December 16, 2011

On December 16, 2011 the application period for this year's project closes. That doesn't necessarily mean that if you come in after the 16th that you won't be able to receive assistance, if we have remaining toys left over we will of course continue to help out. Families who ask for help after December 16th, just have less of an opportunity to have their requests filled as our supply of toys decreases when we fill baskets.

December 16 - 23, 2011

Firefighters will begin filling gift baskets on or around December 16th and we hope to have all orders ready to be picked up at your local fire station by no later than December 23rd. We will call you when your order is ready, gift baskets can be picked up on those days during normal business hours which are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Conference Room at Station 4 filled up with donated toys last year

As always, this project is provided by private donations and is first come first serve for families in the Forest Grove and Cornelius Community. We will make every effort to help as many families as possible, but our ability to do so will depend on how many toys or donated items that we receive. Last year our project served over 300 families and nearly 1,000 children in the Forest Grove and Cornelius community and we didn't have to turn anyone away, our goal is to do the same in 2011.

FIRE PREVENTION WEEK AND OPEN HOUSE

October 9th through the 15th is the National Fire Prevention Week and is the traditional chance for firefighters nationwide to get out and visit with their community and spread the fire safety message. Forest Grove was no different, as firefighters visited classrooms and held the annual Open House event on Saturday October 15th to wrap up the festivities.

After fundraising during the spring and summer months we were able to purchase special fire safety work books for the students in our elementary schools. These work books are what our firefighters used when they visited Joseph Gale, Harvey Clarke, and Dilley Elementary Schools during the week of October 9th. All told around 1,000 kids heard our fire safety message that week with everything from firefighters dressed in full protective gear visiting kindergarten and first grade classrooms, to firefighters working closely with students in the 2nd through 4th grade to give them more personal attention and help them through the work book. These special work books were funded through the National Fire Safety Council's Fire Pup Program and were created with age appropriate lessons covering everything from what firefighters do in our community to safety tips to use at home. While at the schools the firefighters didn't just help out in the classroom, they stayed for lunches with the kids and recess fun as well and played a number of pretty intense "wall ball" games during the week!

At the end of the week our Open House was held that showcased not just firefighters, but just about every public service that our neighbors depend on was on hand to share their programs and meet our guests. Forest Grove was well showcased with attendees from Light and Power, Forest Grove Police, The Forest Grove Library, Forest Grove Public Works, and our Parks and Recreation Departments on hand. Our friends from the Washington County Sheriff's Office were also there, as were Clean Water Services, and Metro West Ambulance. We unfortunately were not able to get Lifeflight out for this year's event because of heavy foggy weather at their home station, but that didn't stop over 700 people from stopping by our Forest Grove Station and taking a fire engine ride or going up over 70 feet into the air above downtown in the Light and Power Bucket Truck!

Special thanks to these local businesses and individuals for helping support us and donating money to the Fire Pup Program that provided work books for this year's Fire Prevention Week:

• Forest Grove Kiwanis



• Kem's Woodworking LLC



• Tom & Raean Johnston



• WSC Inc.



• American Legion Post #2



• Ireland & Ireland PC



• TF Draper Company



• Church of Jesus Christ



• Don Hunker



• VanDyke Seed Co.



• Thomas Alexander DDS



• Knights of Pythias



• Forest Grove Beehive



• 7-Eleven



• Forest Grove Grange



• The Homestead Community



• Holbrooke Lodge #30



• David Hill Vineyards



• A&J Electric



• Grand Lodge AF & AM of Oregon



• Ace Hardware
  
  

Halloween Costumes and Safety

This time of year the local retail stores are full of Halloween costumes and the kids are already planning what version of movie character, scary monster, or cute little princess is going to help them get the most candy this year. Halloween is one of the biggest holidays of the year for kids and as parents we want them to be able to go out there and have fun, but we also want our little ones to be safe while they trick or treat. So what can you do as a parent to help make sure that your child has a safe Halloween this year?

It all starts with the costume, and you want to choose a costume that has certain safety features. Look for costumes, wigs, and masks that have a fire resistant label - fire resistant does't mean that the costume can't burn, but it does mean that it should resist burning and should be able to be extinguished easily if it does catch on fire. Along with flame resistance you should look for a costume that isn't too baggy or too long; this can help prevent not only accidently catching the costume on fire from a candle or lamp, but it can also help your child move easier and not trip over the costume. Fit is also important when it comes to the shoes the kids will wear, trick or treating in mom's heels can be a real problem for little feet so choose good fitting shoes that are warm, dry, and comfortable for the child. With Halloween comes earlier sunset and time spent out after dark so making sure that your child's costume has some reflective material to help them be seen at night is very important. You can add things like reflective fabric strips or decals to the costume or candy buckets to help motorists see your little trick or treater easier in low light or dark conditions. Another great idea to help when it gets dark is to use glow sticks on the costume, and have the child carry a flashlight with them that is turned on at all times while they are walking.



It's not all about the costume though, check out our blog again during the week before Halloween for more tips about how to trick or treat safely on Halloween night.

It's Fire Prevention Week

October 9th through the 15th is National Fire Prevention Week. Forest Grove Firefighters will be kicking off the week long celebration of fire safety with visits to some of the elementary schools in our area. During these visits students will have a chance to meet the firefighters as they will be spending time in their classrooms, as well as having lunch and recess with the kids. While at the schools we will be spending approximately 20 to 30 minutes in each classroom where we will be reading fire safety stories with the kindergartners and first graders, and helping the second, third, and fourth graders with special fire safety lessons. Every student will receive a fire safety work book that they can work on in class and take home to show their parents and reinforce the special safety messages that the firefighters shared with them during the school day. Here's our school visit schedule for Fire Prevention Week:

• Monday October 10 Joseph Gale Elementary School
  


• Tuesday October 11 Joseph Gale Elementary School
  


• Wednesday October 12 Harvey Clarke Elementary School
  


• Thursday October 13 Dilley Elementary School

All of this will culminate with the always popular Fire Station and Public Service Open House which will be held on Saturday October 15th at the Forest Grove Fire Station. This event will run from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. and will include things from not just the firefighters but just about every public service agency that works to keep Forest Grove going will have special information or equipment at the Open House. Our guests at the Open House will include Forest Grove Police, Washington County Sheriff's Office, Metro West Ambulance, Lifeflight Network, Forest Grove Light and Power, Forest Grove Public Works, Clean Water Services, Forest Grove Library Services, and the Forest Grove Parks and Recreation Department. There will be countless activities for kids and adults alike including fire engine rides, static displays of vehicles and equipment, aerial lift rides in the Light and Power bucket truck, and if the weather permits a special visit from Lifeflight when they land in our parking lot. Also at the Open House you are welcome to tour the fire station and visit our newly updated Fire Museum which showcases the 117 year history of firefighting in Forest Grove and includes our newest exhibit of the three foot long I-beam from the collapsed World Trade Centers on 9/11/01.

What can you do to get involved with Fire Prevention Week at home?

• Install smoke alarms in areas where people sleep and on each level of the home. Replace all of your existing smoke alarms that are over ten years old with new ones, and test all of your smoke alarms monthly.


• Practice a home fire drill with your family. Test your smoke alarm and have your children practice two ways out of the home and meeting at a family meeting place like a tree or mailbox outside of the home.


• Hunt for home hazards like extension cords, things left too close to heaters, or matches and lighters that are left out.


• Make sure that you have an ABC rated fire extinguisher available in the kitchen and that it is fully charged and accessible quickly in an emergency.

Fall Backyard Burn Season

It's October and that means the return of the backyard burning season in and around Forest Grove. The fall burn season will run from October 1st until December 15th, but not every day is an open burning day. Daily, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality determines if burning will be allowed based on air quality observations. To find out if burning is allowed in our area call 503.992.3242 after 8:00 a.m. for the day's burning information.

Before you burn remember that backyard burning is for yard debris only. This means you may burn things like small piles of limbs, and other landscaping debris from around your property. Backyard burning is not for large land clearing piles, construction debris, or plastics and garbage. But what if you live outside of the city, does that automatically make you eligible for agricultural burning? Not quite, actually agricultural burning is for farmers and nurseries only and only allows them to burn the debris from their agricultural operations. For instance a farmer who has a hazelnut orchard may burn limbs from his orchard and be considered agricultural burning, where if he burned pruning from the hedge around his farm house that would be considered back yard burning.

If you have any questions about backyard burning and what it means in Forest Grove feel free to call our office at 503.992.3240. To report an illegal burn please call the DEQ directly at 503.229.5393. We ask that you call the DEQ and not the Fire Department for smoke complaints because the Fire Codes do not regulate smoke complaints in our community.

SEMI-TRUCK TANKER ROLLS OVER ON NW MARTIN ROAD

Forest Grove and Cornelius Firefighters were called to the scene of a semi truck rolled over on NW Martin Road around 2:00 pm this afternoon. When crews arrived on scene a passing motorist was inside the cab of the crashed semi holding the unconscious truck driver up and preventing further injury. Crews had to use ladders to access the cab of the vehicle and remove the driver who was transported to the trauma center at Legacy Emmanuel Hospital in Portland for treatment. The semi truck had no signs visible to initially identify it’s cargo but a Forest Grove Police Officer crawled into the cab of the truck to find identification papers that indicated that the semi-truck was pulling a trailer that was full of a chemical called magnesium hydroxide at the time of the accident.

Firefighters evaluated the trailer and found that though it was damaged it was not leaking and after consulting with the regional hazardous materials response team determined that there was no threat to the public or the environment. There was however a small diesel fuel spill from the fuel tanks of the semi that firefighters cleaned up on scene and also made a small dam in the ditch to prevent diesel from getting into the rest of the road drainage system. NW Martin Road was closed for approximately two hours while crews worked to remove the injured driver and right the flipped over semi truck and trailer.

Total Burn Ban Now In Effect

Due to extreme fire conditions, the Washington County Fire Defense Board has implemented a burn ban effective immediately. The burn ban will be in effect until further notice.

The Burn Ban includes the following situations:

1. Recreational burning (i.e., cooking fires, backyard pits).
2. Backyard burning
3. Agricultural burning
4. Land clearing or slash burning (not associated with Oregon Department of Forestry jurisdiction)
5. Ceremonial type fires.

Typically, burn bans allow some open burning. Since early August we have had a partial burn ban that still allowed camp fires and recreational fires, but because of dry conditions, high temperatures and winds we ask that no outdoor burning take place. In these extreme fire conditions, one spark can cause a catastrophic wildfire. Please note that you can still barbecue in an approved container designed for cooking. Please keep your barbecue well away from anything that can burn however.

Individuals found to be in violation of these requirements during the burn ban, may be held liable for the cost fighting the fire and for any property damage resulting from an illegal fire. The burn ban will remain in effect until cooler temperatures minimize the fire danger.

Keep It Safe this School Year

As we find ourselves once again starting the school year, we have some safety tips for those going away to college or coming to Forest Grove to study at Pacific University. College living is often the first opportunity for young people to live outside of their home. With all the excitement and anticipation of school, new friends, and freedom, safety often gets pushed to the side. Fire safety could not be a more important issue at this juncture in life.

Every year there are a report 1,800 fires on college campuses, and additionally many more fire occur that aren’t reported. These fires account for over $9 million in property loss as well as result in critical injuries and death. Studies have found that alcohol and drug use is a factor in the starting of these fires and inability to escape the dangerous conditions.

It is important to not only look out for yourself, but those that live with you. Their actions can directly impact you and everyone else living in the building. It is also important to be fire safe if you live off-campus. It is estimated that 75% of college fire deaths occur in off campus housing.

Here are some safety tips to keep you safe during your college experience:

• Smoke Alarms Save Lives! – Smoke alarms and smoke detection systems are located throughout campus residences. Never cover or disable a smoke alarm. Keep these devices in working order. They are your best defense against fire and give early warning when a fire occurs, allowing time to escape. And remember to test them if you live off campus.
  Respond To Alarms, Always – When the alarm sounds, always take action. The fire alarm you ignore may well be the real thing. It isn’t worth the chance. Discourage people from misusing fire alarms so when they do go off, you know it’s likely the real thing.
  


• Get Out! Stay Out! Learn your exits as soon as you move in. Always know two ways out of your room (without using an elevator). When the fire alarm sounds, get out and stay out of the building until an official tells you it’s okay to return. Try not to use the same exit and practice going to and from your room with different routes throughout the year.
  


• Automatic Sprinklers…Not a Towel Rack – Your college residence has Automatic Fire Sprinklers, take care to keep them clear. Hanging items from them keeps the water spray from controlling a fire. When working properly, a fire in a room with a sprinkler will be controlled by that sprinkler almost every time. That saves lives.
  


• Cooking in??? – There are rules about candles, cooking, and other things related to flames and heat that are for everyone’s protection. Check your universities handbook for a complete list of “prohibited items.” Do not allow any of these items in your living space or anyone else’s. Remember, you are no safer than the most unsafe person in the building. Do you trust them with these items???
  


• Fire Extinguishers – Fire extinguishers can be a good item, if you know how to use them and have had practice. Just because an extinguisher hangs on the wall does not mean you need to use it. Life safety is the number one priority so secure that first. Only use a fire extinguisher if you feel competent. The best choice may be to get out and contact the fire department quickly.
  
  For more campus safety information please contact your local fire department or campus public safety.

Crews rescue elderly man who crashed into canyon off the Wilson River Highway

On Wednesday August 17th we were called to a car crash on the Wilson River Highway near the summit. When we got there we found that an elderly man had went off the roadway rolling his car down an embankment approximately 150 feet into a steep canyon. He was badly trapped in the car and our crews worked for over an hour to cut the car away from him. He then had to be gen...tly hauled out of the canyon using a rope and pulley system. In this photo Lieutenant Karen Nordstrom, as well as Firefighters Keith Baas and Geoff McFarland, and Intern Gabe Welp are bringing the injured man out of the canyon.




We were assisted by Banks Fire District and the Tillamook Fire Department on this call. The injured man was then transported by Lifeflight to the trauma center at Legacy Emmanuel in Portland with what we would consider serious injuries. This call was interesting in that a driver of another car saw dirt flying in their rear view mirror so they turned around to check and see what had happened. When they got there they saw where he had left the roadway and crashed down through a heavily timbered canyon on the north side of the highway. He ended up on his wheels but was unable to get out of the car, had the car in front not thought to check on the dust or had not seen him crash all together this could have had a much more tragic ending as he was not visible from the roadway.

Fireworks: Keep It Legal, Keep It Safe

This upcoming Fourth of July, Forest Grove Fire & Rescue (FGF&R) will be partnering again with the Forest Grove Police Department to enforce laws against the possession or use of illegal fireworks within the City of Forest Grove.

What fireworks are illegal in Oregon you may ask? The State of Oregon defines it as “fireworks which explode, flies into the air, or travels more than 6 feet on the ground or 12 inches into the air.” That means firecrackers, sky rockets, missile rockets, bottle rockets, roman candles and mortars are illegal for citizens to use in the state of Oregon.

This year a Forest Grove Fire Inspector will team up with a Forest Grove Police Officer to patrol the city of Forest Grove looking for illegal fireworks. Officials may seize illegal fireworks and fine offenders up to $1,000 per violation under City of Forest Grove Regulations. Those who misuse fireworks or allow fireworks to cause damage are liable and may be required to pay fire suppression costs or other damage. Parents are also liable for fireworks damage caused by their children.

Some people ask why some fireworks are outlawed in Oregon and not Washington? Well here are some numbers to look at. Last year there were 117 fireworks-related fires resulting in 26 injuries and causing more than $1.5 million in damage. Now compared to Washington, there were 414 fireworks related fires and 162 injuries.

On top of the joint patrol detail, FGF&R and Cornelius Fire Department will have small brush rigs out educating the public on the correct use of fireworks as well as how to properly dispose of fireworks. They will also be mobile and can easily respond to fires when dispatched.

In the last 4 years, Forest Grove has had 2 house fires start from legal fireworks being thrown away and later catching the house on fire. To properly dispose of fireworks, get a metal bucket and fill it halfway with water. Once fireworks are cooled enough to touch, submerge them into the water in the bucket and leave overnight.

If you plan to go on a trip for July 4th, also remember that all fireworks are prohibited on all beaches, state parks and campgrounds.

FGF&R encourages everyone to use the four B’s of safe fireworks use.
-Be Prepared before lighting fireworks: keep water available by using a garden hose or bucket.

-Be Safe when lighting fireworks: keep children and pets away from fireworks.

-Be Responsible after lighting fireworks: never relight a dud. Wait 15 to 20 minutes then soak in a bucket of water before disposal.

-Be Aware use only legal fireworks and use them only in legal places.

If you have any questions regarding fireworks, please contact FGF&R at 503-992-3240.

Summer vacation can be deadly for teen drivers

For kids who attend Forest Grove Schools, this week will bring the start of summer vacation and with it the nearly three months of freedom that comes with the warmest months of the year. Parents do you remember that feeling? Summer vacation was about to start and you were free to go hang out with your friends and enjoy being a kid, as a kid it was all about bicycle riding and playing outside. Then as a teenager it was all about loading up your friends into the car and cruising the abundant local back roads with the music up loud until the stars came out and the cooler night air came through the windows. Do you also remember those times when maybe you had a close call - driving too fast, losing control and spinning the car out or putting it into the ditch, or maybe it was the time that you really crashed hard and the car flipped and you walked away?

The summer can be a time where we build those lifelong memories of our youth, but it is also recognized as the most deadly season for our teenage drivers. Parents now is a great time to sit down with your new drivers and have a serious chat about what you expect from them when they turn the key in the ignition and head out onto the roads. Our friends at AAA have identified the top ten deadly teen driver mistakes.

1. Risk Taking


2. Unbuckled


3. Speed


4. Rowdy drivers and passengers


5. Cell phones and texting or talking


6. Messing with the radio


7. Light night cruising


8. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol


9. Peer pressure to do things that they shouldn't be doing


10. Overconfidence

We all remember our summers off from school, and for our teenage kids they are already looking forward to summer freedom and building memories of their own, while at the same time parents are dreading this time of year. A little trust, communication, and shared responsibility now will go a long way to helping instill the values that the new driver needs to be expected to be a safe driver later. Please talk to your kids about safe driving this summer.

Memorial Day, the unofficial start of summer reminds us to grill safely

It's been a long and wet northwest Oregon winter and Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner. For many this will kick off the unofficial start of the summer. As people roll out their barbecue grills and get ready for a summer of cooking outside we thought we would take a few minutes to offer some safety advice for the outdoor chef in your house.

• Always grill outdoors. This seems silly to most of us, especially after being cooped up in our homes all winter, but people still try and bring a small barbecue indoors from time to time. Not only is this a fire hazard but it can also fill your home with poisonous carbon monoxide gas.
  


• Keep the grill well away from the home, this includes siding, deck railings, and from under the eaves.
  


• Clean your grill regularly to remove excess grease build up from all parts of your grill.
  


• Create a safe zone of at least three feet around your grill where the kids can't play and keep the little ones, including your pets, away from your grill whenever it's in use. Always put the matches and lighter fluid away when you are done and keep these in a place where curious kids cannot get to them.
  


• If you are a fan of charcoal grills use only a small amount of charcoal starter fluid (never use gasoline or another flammable liquid to start your coals) and never add charcoal starter fluid after the fire has been lit.
  


• Do you have a propane grill? Check the condition of the propane hoses and connections before using your grill. Put a little bit of soapy water over these hoses and if you see where bubbles are being formed it means that you likely have a leak and need to make repairs before using your grill. Any cracked hoses or damaged connections need to be repaired as well before you cook.
  


• Have a fire extinguisher handy if you use propane and a garden hose if you use charcoal or wood. Never leave the grill unattended and keep an eye around the area after you are done cooking to make sure no rogue embers made their way into the dry grass or landscaping around your home.

By following these simple steps you can have a safe summer cooking under the hopefully clear but sometimes cloudy, northwest Oregon summer sky.

Forest Grove Firefighter is recognized with Oregon Public Service Award

Saturday May 14th was a special evening for our department as B Shift Firefighter Geoff McFarland received recognition at the Oregon Fire Service Meritorious Awards Banquet in Salem for his outstanding car seat inspection program. This annual event recognizes firefighters from across the State for the work that they do in our communities each and every day. Below the photo of Geoff is what the Oregon Fire Chief's Association had to say about why Geoff was chosen for recognition this year. Congratulations to Geoff for the recognition of his amazing work that he does with this project!

Geoff McFarland recipient of the 2011 Oregon Fire Chief's Association Public Service Award

"The Public Service Award may be awarded to an individual or group who has unselfishly given to the fire service, above and beyond expected performance. This individual or group will have shown distinguished public service, promoting fire and life safety in the state of Oregon.

Statistics show that 80% of all child restraints in cars are used incorrectly, and according to the National Safe Kids Campaign children are three and a half times more likely to be injured when their safety seat is improperly installed. Acting in response to these sobering statistics, Forest Grove Firefighter Geoff McFarland spent three years developing a community-wide program that gives parents the opportunity to receive a free safety seat inspection. Each month, Geoff coordinates an experienced team with members from the fire personnel, law enforcement, and the Oregon Safe Kids Coalition to volunteer at the event. Geoff is also an educator, spending quality time with everybody to ensure his visitors are capable of installing the safety seat correctly and understand how to protect their most precious cargo. In 2010 Geoff personally helped ensure that 100 car seats were safe and ready for the open road. The clinic, run out of Forest Grove Fire and Rescue headquarters, is on e of only three regularly offered to the 529,000 residents of Washington County. Making it clear that the children's safety was his top priority, Geoff's enthusiasm and unwavering commitment to this program made it an overwhelming success. Subsequently, Geoff has become a leader in the region for his promotion of fire and life safety through innovative programs similar to this one. For his life saving efforts Geoff McFarland received the Public Service award."

Former High School Cadet Firefighters promoted to Volunteer Lieutenant

Monday night we officially promoted two volunteer Firefighters to the rank of volunteer Lieutenant. The two newly pinned Lieutenants are Brooke Brown and Damian Peters. Brooke became a volunteer firefighter in 2005 out of the Gales Creek Station as well as an intern and temporary firefighter at the Forest Grove Station. She achieved her degree in Fire Science from PCC in 2009 and is currently working on her Paramedic degree. Damian became a volunteer and intern at the Forest Grove Station in 2008 and just recently received his fire science degree from Chemeketa Community College, where he was a Cadet Captain for his class. Brooke and Damian are also graduates of the joint Forest Grove High School and FGF&R Cadet Program, which Damian is the current instructor of the 2010-2011 Class. Both Lieutenants look forward to serving the citizens of the Forest Grove and Gales Creek communities. The members of FGF&R congratulate Brooke and Damian on the promotion.

Celebrating our past with our present, new Volunteer Lieutenant's Damian Peters and Brooke Brown sit in the seat of our 1907 American LaFrance steam powered pumper after receiving their new badges

New Recruit Volunteer Firefighter Rescues Puppy

Around 6 am on the morning of Friday May 13th a mother was up preparing breakfast while her daughter and her new puppy slept peacefully in a bedroom of their nearly 100 year old home on 22nd Avenue in a historic downtown Forest Grove neighborhood. Suddenly the pan caught fire on the stove and the mother ran to a neighbor's for a fire extinguisher. The fire in the pan grew and in the seconds it took for the mother to grab a fire extinguisher the fire was already out of control. Scared for her daughter and unable to enter the home, the mother ran to the back of the house and beat on the window eventually awaking her daughter who kicked out the glass and jumped from the window to safety. The new puppy, just weeks old, hid scared in a corner of the bedroom.

By now someone had called 9-1-1 and firefighters from Forest Grove, Cornelius, and Hillsboro were on their way; our own Station 4 was just a few blocks away and firefighters could already see a dark cloud of smoke rising into the still morning air above the neighborhood. When the engines arrived there was heavy fire pouring from the windows and crews worked to knock that fire down so that they could safely enter the burning structure.


Just weeks before we graduated eleven new volunteer firefighters from their Training Academy. It was our largest graduating class in recent years and on the morning of the fire four of the eleven were with our crews on the fire. One of them, a 30 year old husband and father of two young children, named Scott Jewell was assigned to go into the home with his crew and extinguish the fire. While searching the home Firefighter Jewell found a small black puppy. Surprisingly despite the fire completely gutting the rest of the home, the puppy was alive and well and Firefighter Jewell snatched it up and carefully carried it to safety. Outside the home Firefighter Jewell carefully handed the puppy off the caring hands of its' grateful owner who asked the name of her puppy's rescuer. Firefighter Jewell introduced himself and the young lady thought for a moment and told Scott that she would name the puppy "Jewell" after her new found hero.

Volunteer Firefighter Scott Jewell with one of the residents that escaped the burning home and her puppy "Jewell"

Luckily, everyone escaped the fire and no one was injured. Unfortunately, the fire destroyed the home and only a handful of the family's possessions could be saved - they did not have renter's insurance. The Forest Grove Firefighters Association has started a fund to collect money to help the family recover. If you are interested in helping we are accepting cash donations only at this time because the family has no means of storing other household donations. You can call 503.992.3240 to find out how you can help the family.

Firefighter's honored at FGF&R Awards and Appreciation Banquet

Last Friday we took a moment to honor the hard work of our firefighters and the sacrificies of their families in service to the community in 2010 - over 130 people, including retired firefighters, City Councilors, and Rural Fire District Directors - gathered at the Forest Grove Armory to recognize their own during our annual awards and appreciation dinner. The casual event with a "Wild West" theme and barbecue dinner allowed us to not only give recognition to our people, but it brought together our past and present as families mingled, stories were shared, and laughs were heard around the room throughout the evening.

These individuals recieved recognition at this year's event:

5 Years of Service

Lieutenant Jason Lawson - Station 4 (volunteer)
Lieutenant Nick Chan - Station 4 (volunteer)
Lieutenant Brooke Brown - Station 7 (volunteer)
Firefighter Dirk Jacobs - Station 7 (volunteer)

10 Years of Service

Firefighter/Paramedic Keith Baas - Station 4 A Shift (career)

20 Years of Service

Engineer Dallas Boge - Station 7 (volunteer)

40 Years of Service

Captain Robert Haney - Station 4 (volunteer)

Distinguished Conduct Commendation

Firefighter/Paramedic Rick Ilg - Station 4 A Shift (career)
Firefighter/Paramedic Matt Rawls - Station 4 C Shift (career)

Rookie of the Year

John McGinnis - Station 7 (volunteer)

Firefighter of the Year

Damian Peters - Station 4 (volunteer)
Tony Carter - Station 4 B Shift (career)

Officer of the Year

Lieutenant Stephen Prichard - Station 7 (volunteer)
Captain Joe Smith - Station 4 A Shift (career)

Fire Chief's Award

Lieutenant Tad Buckingham - Station 4 B Shift (career)
Administrative Assistant Sharon Cox

New Carbon Monoxide Detector Rules in Oregon

We recently were given this notice from the Oregon State Fire Marshal in a fire service news letter:

"Effective April 1, 2011 all new and remodeled residential structures are required to have a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm. Affected residential structures include hotels, motels, apartments, dormitories, fraternities, sororities, one- and two-family dwellings, townhouses, and residential care/assisted living facilities. Remodeled residences are defined as those requiring a building permit. April 1st is also the effective date requiring home sellers of one- and two-family dwellings, manufactured dwellings, or multifamily housing units containing a carbon monoxide source to have one or more properly functioning CO alarms before conveying fee title or transferring possession of a dwelling. Landlords also must provide properly functioning CO alarms for all rental dwelling units with or within a structure containing a carbon monoxide source."

So what does this all mean? Basically if you have a home that meets the state's criteria described above, that also has a carbon monoxide source (anything with an open flame such as natural gas or propane appliances, wood burning stoves or fireplaces, fuel oil furnaces, etc.) then you need to protect your home with a carbon monoxide alarm. Believe it or not, a carbon monoxide alarm is a totally different type of alarm device than the smoke alarm that you should already have in your home. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, invisible gas created when fuels burn incompletely. It cannot be detected by the common stand alone smoke alarm and the big reason that a carbon monoxide alarm is now required is because often times people do not know that they are exposed to the poisonous gas until it is too late. Common stand alone smoke alarms detect smoke either by detecting the ions in the smoke molecules (ionization type smoke alarms) or by sensing that the visible products of smoke are present (photo electric type smoke alarms); neither of these types of systems has the ability to "sniff" the air for the dangerous carbon monoxide that could be present in your home.

Okay, so if after reading this you have now determined that you need a carbon monoxide alarm the next question is where do you put it? Like smoke alarms they need to be in place where you live. Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations for placement, but generally speaking a carbon monoxide alarm should be:

• On each level of the home where there are bedrooms


• In each bedroom or within 15 feet outside of each bedroom


• Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations for exact placement

For more information check out the State Fire Marshal Website for facts and installation tips.

SPACE HEATER IS DETERMINED AS CAUSE OF FATAL FIRE

A space heater left on and in use too close to a couch is what fire investigators believe caused a fire in Forest Grove that left a grandmother dead and her teenage grandson badly burned early Monday (March 28, 2011) morning. That is the determination of fire investigators who were at the home at 2235 Laurel Street. The elderly couple who lived in the home with their two teenage grandsons had used the portable electric space heater in the room where they slept. According to the husband, Hyrum Long (76), he had went to help his wheel chair bound wife Velvalee (also 76) use the restroom in the middle of the night. During this, Mr. Long told investigators that he heard crackling noises and discovered the fire burning in the living room of the home. Mr. Long was not able to get Mrs. Long out of the home, but he escaped with his two grandsons, one of which suffered burns as he ran through the fire to get out of the home. When fire crews arrived on scene at 1:57 am they found heavy fire coming from the front and back of the home and discovered Mrs. Long deceased inside the bathroom of the 1960’s era brick home.

Fire Investigators from Forest Grove Fire and Police Departments, the Oregon State Police, Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Portland Field Office worked all day Monday to sift through the debris from the fire and they determined that the probable cause of this fire was an electric portable heater that was in the living room. They discovered what appeared to be boxes of clothing inches away from the heater, the clothing likely ignited first and spread the fire to a nearby couch as well as the hospital style bed used by Mrs. Long. The tremendous fuel load of the couch and bed caused the fire to burn extremely quickly and the fire spread rapidly throughout the rest of the home. No working smoke alarms were found by fire investigators, though a very old heat detector was found; it appeared that it did not function.

This is the first structure fire fatality in Forest Grove in 13 years and has some characteristics that are common in fires involving our elderly population. Fire Officials urge that the community take steps to make sure that this kind of tragedy does not happen to them:

- Place space heaters at least three feet away from anything that can burn, and never leave space heaters on when you leave the room or go to bed.

- Make sure that you have working smoke alarms that are less than 10 years old in your home. Test all of your smoke alarms monthly.

- Have a family fire escape plan and practice it regularly. If you have people in your home with special needs (like those in wheel chairs) identify ways that they can escape safely.

- Keep your exit paths clear, do not leave items in hallways and in doorways that can cause your exit from the home to be slowed down.

Forest Grove Fire & Rescue wants you to make fire safety a priority and we will help you identify ways to make your home fire safe. If you have questions about improving the fire safety of your home please call us today at 503.992.3240.