Fire Safety During the Christmas Season

It's that time of year again!  For many of us the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Years are when we transform our homes into a holiday wonderland full of decorations and joy for the holiday season.  For some it's a simple Christmas tree or maybe a few candles, while others will attempt to have the highest power bill in town in the hopes that their light display is visible from space.  What no one wants to experience this time of year is a devastating fire that was caused by they very things that you put up in your home to brighten your home during the holiday season.  Let's talk about a few of the typical causes of fires during the holiday months and what you can do to prevent them.

Lights and Electrical  

•  Inspect your lights before you put them up.  Check for frayed wires, bare spots in the insulation, or any broken parts.  If you find a problem dispose of the lights and replace them.
• Avoid overloading your circuits!  Do not link more than three strands of lights together, and do not plug multiple adapters into each other.  Use one power strip per plug in and avoid the use of the massive amount of adapters plugged into each other.
• Always unplug your lights when you leave the home or before you go to bed. 

 Candles

• Use electric flame-less candles instead of the traditional wax and wick candles.
• Never leave a burning candle unattended.
• Make sure your candles are placed on a stable surface or base and are in a position where they can't be easily tipped over by children or pets.  
• Keep candles at least 18 inches away from things that can burn, including other decorations like wreaths or trees.  

Trees

• Make a fresh cut at least one inch above the butt end of your tree before you place it into the home.
• Keep your tree stand full of water, and avoid putting it near heating vents that can accelerate the drying process.  This amazing video shows the dangers of a dry Christmas tree inside the home. 

  

Don't forget the basics!

• Make sure your home is protected with working smoke alarms, that are also less then 10 years old, on every level of the home.  
• Plan and practice a family fire escape drill so that everyone knows what to do if a fire does break out in your home. 

Federalgrant boosts volunteer program and leads to personnel changes at FGF&R

Forest Grove Fire & Rescue is honored to announce that through a Department of Homeland Security Grant we will be able to fund a full time position to combat the challenging problem of Volunteer Firefighter recruitment and retention.  Forest Grove is like many communities nationwide that cannot fiscally support a fully staffed professional fire department, and even though we currently have fifteen full time firefighters on staff, with only five assigned to each of our 24 hour shifts we still depend on a response from our Volunteers for not only fire emergencies, but also to cover medical calls occurring at the same time.   In this day and age, with increased training requirements and free time being important to everyone Fire Departments nationwide are struggling with the problems of not only recruiting qualified volunteer firefighters, but keeping the ones that they have on board so they can maintain a highly trained and experienced volunteer force.  Through the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program our grant award guarantees that the federal government will pick up $426,908 over the next four years so that we can move one of our existing Lieutenants into a role where he will be responsible for not only evaluating and improving our current volunteer program but also being a dedicated employee for any volunteer interaction within our system. 

New Volunteer Coordinator Lt. Tad Buckingham

On September 24, 2012 the Forest Grove City Council authorized a supplemental budget appropriation so that Fire Chief Michael Kinkade could move longtime FGF&R Lieutenant Tad Buckingham into this new Volunteer Coordinator role effective October 1st.  Lieutenant Buckingham has worked for the Forest Grove Fire Department full time since 1996, after being hired out of our volunteer program where he started in the 1986 while he attended Pacific University, he is recognized as a natural fit for this role as he was already responsible for our College Intern Firefighters and his communication and interaction with current volunteers was highly regarded.  This grant allows us to fully fund a new position, and does not take away from our existing budget, so through a competitive promotional process Forest Grove Fire & Rescue will be promoting Firefighter Keith Baas to the rank of Lieutenant where he will be assigned to a 24 hour shift to replace the position that Lieutenant Buckingham previously held.  The new Lieutenant Baas is a 1999 graduate of Forest Grove High School and started as a volunteer firefighter with our agency in 2000.  He was hired full time in 2006 and is well respected amongst our staff and volunteer firefighters.  In the coming weeks the City of Forest Grove will be holding a competitive process to hire a full time entry level firefighter to fill the position that Lieutenant Baas was holding previously.

New Shift Lieutenant Keith Baas

“We are very grateful to the Department of Homeland Security for this grant, and excited to move Tad into the Volunteer Coordinator role, his personality, background, and approachability make him a great person for this position” said Fire Chief Michael Kinkade adding “As our community evolves it is becoming harder and harder for combination fire departments like ours to find and keep dedicated volunteers.  Our hope is that Tad can hit the ground running and not only evaluate our current volunteer model, but consider outside the box ideas to enhance our program and promote the spirit of volunteerism in Forest Grove and throughout the fire services in Western Washington County”. 

FIRE DEPARTMENTS DECLARE ALL OUTDOOR BURNING CLOSED DUE TO FIRE DANGER

Effective immediately, Forest Grove Fire & Rescue and the Cornelius Fire Department will be taking a rare, but proactive step to help prevent a fire tragedy in our community by instituting a total ban on all outdoor burning until further notice.  This total ban goes above and beyond the already in place County wide ban on open agricultural and yard debris burning,
and also closes all outdoor campfires and recreational fires within our response area. Cooking fires in an approved and listed open flame cooking device such as a propane or charcoal fired barbecue grill are exempt from this total burn ban and are still allowed at this time.
 

Due to the long term effects of little to no rain combined with the hot, dry, and windy weather, Fire Officials urge the community to be extra fire safe during these final few weeks until the steady rains arrive again and the burn ban is lifted.  Please do not use machinery or equipment near tall grass or brush, and do not weld or perform other hot work outdoors at this time. It’s also recommended that if you do any work outdoors that you have a properly maintained and easily accessible fire extinguisher with your machinery, vehicles, and equipment. If you must work outdoors we strongly urge that you perform your work during the morning hours when the humidity is highest. For those in the forestry industry you are required to follow the guidelines set forth by the Oregon Department of Forestry for Industrial Fire Precautions at this time, please contact your local Oregon Department of Forestry Office for further details.
 
For questions please contact your local Fire Department Administration Office. Forest Grove Fire & Rescue can be reached at 503-992-3240, and the Cornelius Fire Department at 503-357-3840.

Discarded Cigarette Damages Best Western Hotel

Around 2:45 pm on Sunday (September 16, 2012) afternoon firefighters were called to a fire at the Best Western Hotel located at 3933 Pacific Avenue in Forest Grove.  Dark smoke was billowing into the sky and was visible from blocks away as firefighters arrived on scene and found the fire burning on both floors of an exterior wall of the two story hotel.  Firefighters quickly went to work, and from the outside they were able to rapidly extinguish the bulk of the actively burning fire with their hose streams.  Incident commanders then ordered additional crews into the building to verify that the all guests and staff of the hotel had safely escaped, and that the fire had not spread.  Forest Grove Fire & Rescue deployed their ladder truck which began removing the burnt siding from the building while a crew from Hillsboro Fire & Rescue checked in the attic.  Firefighters found that the fire had indeed spread to the attic, charring a number of truss and roof components there, but that the building's fire sprinkler system had activated in the attic with eight sprinkler heads flowing enough water to stop the spread of fire in the attic at that point.

This was the scene that presented itself to firefighters as they arrived at the Best Western Hotel on Sunday

Fire Investigators determined that the fire, that caused at least $75,000 in damages to the building and its contents, was a result of a discarded cigarette.  Guests and hotel staff reported smelling smoke earlier in the day at which point they checked the hallways and a number of rooms but found nothing out of the ordinary.  One of the hotel housekeepers was outside of the building when she noticed the smoke and she quickly went back into the hotel to help evacuate the dozen or so guests.  Another house keeper ran with a fire extinguisher but the fire was already burning inside the wall space and she was unable to extinguish it at that time.  The area where the fire originated is a bark dust landscaped area surrounding a concrete patio that is the designated smoking area for the hotel.  Fire investigators found bark dust burned deeply underground which along with the reports of a smoky smell from earlier in the day, indicates that a slow burning fire had been going on for quite some time.  The hotel suffered extensive damage from the smoke and firefighting water and is not able to be occupied at this time.  It will likely be quite a few days before the hotel will be fully up and running again, hotel staff are working on finding another hotel in the area for guests at this time.

Volunteers from FGF&R Truck 4 remove siding from the building to verify that the fire has not spread

  

This is just one of many fires in bark dust that has occurred across Washington County over the week.  As the weather continues to remain warm and dry the bark dust used for landscape in our community is tinder dry and doesn't take much to ignite and turn into a smoldering fire that can easily creep into hedges, fences, and as in this case structures.  Please, if you choose to smoke make sure that you discard your cigarettes in a safe area with a non combustible container.  Also, don't hesitate to call 9-1-1 if you smell smoke.  Firefighters have special tools and thermal imaging heat detecting cameras that they can use to help make sure that a potentially dangerous situation is not occurring.

FEMA Assistance to Firefighter's Grant Improves Firefighter Training in Washington County

Thanks to an Assistance to Firefighters Grant from FEMA, Forest Grove Fire & Rescue is the proud owner of a brand new Mobile Fire Training Simulator.  If you have visited the Forest Grove Library, or driven past the Fire Station lately, you have probably seen the training simulator where it's parked behind our building.  You can't really miss the massive red trailer, and the smoke that comes from it when firefighters are training inside of it, and all of this is possible because of a $425,000 grant that came from the Federal Government.

  

FGF&R's new Mobile Fire Training Simulator

Before the purchase of this trailer, Forest Grove firefighters relied on finding donated, and typically dilapidated, buildings to complete the firefighter training that is required by State of Oregon firefighter standards.  Without a donated home or building to conduct this type of training, it can sometimes be a considerable amount of time before new volunteer firefighters receive the essential training that is required before they can respond as part of our crew.  In recent years we have combated this challenge by sending firefighters to fire simulation centers at Clatsop Community College in Astoria, or the Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue Regional Training Center in Sherwood.  Though these facilities offered us an exceptional training experience, the distance to them posed logistical problems for our crews and obviously costs involved with leaving our own city to training.  Enter the Mobile Fire Simulator which will help us improve our volunteer firefighter program by providing a close and effective option to not only make sure that new firefighters are up to speed, but that veteran crews remain on top of the latest trends in firefighting tactics.

  

The furniture fire prop burns inside of the mobile fire training simulator

The mobile fire trailer was purchased from the Kidde Company in Montvale, New Jersey, and was delivered to us this June.  Kidde provided not only a well crafted piece of equipment, but they also sent a company representative to our Fire Station in order to coordinate the initial training for our firefighters.  After that we we put the mobile trailer and it's propane powered fire props through it's paces as we tested it and learned the ins and outs of proper and safe operation.  Local sign makers from Miracle Sign Company here in Forest Grove put decals and logos on the sides and it's now ready to go.  You'll see it fired up on Monday evenings as Firefighters from Forest Grove and Cornelius enter one of a number of realistic training scenarios, and twice a year it can be used for the bi-annual volunteer firefighter training academies that all new volunteers in Washington County must go through.  The mobile fire training simulator isn't limited to live fire training however, it has a number of features that will enhance our abilities to serve the community.  Within the training simulator there is a forcible entry prop, a roof ventilation prop that is capable of altering the angle of the roof, search and rescue props, window rescue simulations, and confined space rescue training just to name a few.  As part of the required match to the FEMA grant, Forest Grove Fire & Rescue was responsible for 10% of the grant, so our share of the cost of this equipment was $42,500.  Without the FEMA grant we simply would not have been able to afford this significant of a purchase, so we are extremely thankful to FEMA and it's supporters who have made this exciting new tool for our fire department possible.     

SEVEN FOREST GROVE RESIDENTS DISPLACED, AND FIRE CAPTAIN INJURED IN HOUSE FIRE

Just before 11:30 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012 Firefighters were called to a home at 2618 Main Street in Forest Grove for a reported bed room on fire. While en route fire crews were made aware that at least one person was still trapped inside the home, so when firefighters arrived they found smoke coming from the upstairs as they quickly went into rescue mode. Upon entering the first floor of the two story home they found four occupants on the first floor. Two of these men were trying to make it up the smoke filled stairway to try and extinguish the fire burning in the upstairs bedroom; one of the other occupants was trying to move a wheel chair bound women from the home. Firefighters split up and began to remove the wheel chair bound woman, while at the same time they had to physically remove the two men who were insistent on entering the dangerous smoke filled hallway. During this rescue and removal part of the firefighting effort, Forest Grove Fire Captain Joseph Smith (a 25 year veteran firefighter) suffered an apparent soft tissue injury to his leg while trying to tackle one of the men inside the smoke filled stairwell. Captain Smith continued on with his crew, extinguishing the fire burning in the bedroom and he was able to get out of the building under his own power and was later transported to Providence St. Vincent Hospital in Portland for further evaluation.

FGF&R Firefighters set up a ventilation fan to help remove the smoke from the burning home. 

 

After making sure all residents were safely out of the home, firefighters were finally able to gain access to the bedroom where the fire was located and quickly extinguished the fire that was burning in a bed. Smoke and heat damage was found throughout the first and second floors of the home, in a second floor hallway the heat was severe enough that it melted the smoke alarms that had initially notified the residents that the fire was burning; there were no fire sprinklers inside the home that would have otherwise contained this fire that ultimately caused around $20,000 in damages and made the home unable to live in at this time. Fire investigators have confirmed that the fire is a result of a discarded cigarette that ignited the bedding and spread to the rest of the room. Forest Grove Firefighters were assisted by firefighters from Hillsboro and Cornelius, which in total brought approximately 25 firefighters to the scene; the fire was deemed under control within 20 minutes of the first arriving crew. A total of six cats were also rescued by firefighters from the burning home.

A FGF&R Firefighter extinguishes the burning mattresses that were removed from the home

There are a number of fire safety messages to learn from this incident. First is that even though Oregon has a fire safe cigarette law, you absolutely still need to be safe while smoking. Hot ash and cigarette butts are still capable of igniting materials as was proved by this incident, and should be discarded in a non combustible container outside of the home. Second is that once you escape a fire that you absolutely never go back into a burning home for anyone or anything. Please let trained firefighters do their job and use their life saving skills and tools to their most effective abilities.

Forest Grove Firefighters tend to one of their own, Fire Captain Joe Smith that was injured while removing residents from the burning home on August 9. 2012

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Clapshaw Hill Road brush fire consumes single acre as Forest Grove's first brush fire of the wildfire season

Earlier today we blogged about the new Brush Rigs that had recently went into service for our wildfire season.  So far this year wildfire season in our part of NW Oregon had been relatively quiet, that all changed this afternoon however as we had our first significant brush fire of the year when just over one acre of grass and brush burned on NW Clapshaw Hill Road.  When firefighters arrived just after 2 pm today they found the fire burning on an open piece of property on NW Clapshaw Hill Road near the community of Kansas City in the Forest Grove Rural Fire Protection District.  The new Brush Rig 418 from the Forest Grove Fire Station was quickly put to work along other brush rigs from Forest Grove, Banks, and Cornelius and firefighters were able to get a quick stop made that kept the fire under control at around one acre.  Fire Investigators believe that the fire started as a result of an unattended burn pile on the property, and this is a potentially tragic reminder that burning is closed right now and you should take a few minutes to check your old burn piles to prevent this type of incident from occurring again.  For a short time, two small barns on the property were threatened as flames burned in the waist high grass within 200 feet of the barns.  A Heavy Brush Rig from the Forest Grove Fire Station was quickly deployed to this area and controlled the fire before it could damage any of the buildings on the property.  Though fire crews had the fire under control relatively quickly, a crew remained on scene until 4:00 pm to check for hot spots and make sure that the fire was indeed out.  Burn piles are one of the prevalent causes of fires in our area, please take a few minutes and make sure your spring burn piles are out by thoroughly soaking them one more time with water and stirring them  with a shovel, even a suspected dormant burn pile can remain hot deep down for weeks or months after you think they are out.  

 

New Brush Rigs In Service at Forest Grove and Gales Creek Fire Stations

Just in time for wildfire season, two new Brush Rigs are now in service to respond from our Forest Grove and Gales Creek Fire Stations.  These two specialized, and heavily modified, 2012 Dodge 5500 Heavy Duty trucks were custom built locally by Forest Grove's own Spiesschaert Inc., and are designed with the demands of our summer fire season in mind.  Smaller than a large fire engine, these four wheel drive trucks can get through narrow and twisty driveways, and crawl up and down steep off road grades to get to where brush fires threaten homes and property and can take the beating that comes with this type of work.  Typical Brush Rigs carry 300 gallons, but these two rigs can carry 400 gallons of water that is supplemented by a foam system that increases our abilities to combat a wildfire, as well as provides enough water for to extinguish a small car fire, or make a quick stop in the early stages of a house fire making these trucks just as useful in the city streets of Forest Grove as they would be in the foothills of the Coast Range west of Gales Creek, or working a field fire near Verboort. 

  

 

Don't let the term "Brush Rig" fool you into thinking that these trucks will only see use during the summer months though.  With their ease of operation, they can be driven by regular volunteer firefighters without the extensive training required to operate our larger, and more complex fire engines, this will allow a quicker response for volunteer firefighters on medical emergencies year around, and we expect to use them during high water or snow events during the winter months as well.  Elected officials authorized a total budget for this project of $230,000 that was split 50/50 between the tax payers of the City of Forest Grove and the Forest Grove Rural Fire Protection District, so far we are just over $11,000 under budget on the project that in combination with the Heavy Brush Rigs we purchased used last year from a California Fire Department, will greatly improve our ability to respond to the needs of our community.  Brush Rig 418 will be housed in our Forest Grove Station, and Brush Rig 417 will work with our crew out of the all volunteer station in Gales Creek. 

   

Welcome Back Fireworks Season

Welcome back summer, welcome back to back yard barbecues, northwest Oregon style "warm" days, camping trips, and of course fireworks season.  Independence Day is just around the corner and already the sounds of celebration can be heard in our neighborhoods.  We are in a tough spot here in the Portland Metro Area, less than an hour from the State of Washington it's easy for our neighbors to make a run to Vancouver or Longview and pick up the usual roman candles, mortar shells, firecrackers, and bottle rockets that light up our evening sky this time of year.  Before you make that trip across the Columbia River we wanted to take a second to urge you about not only the dangers of illegal fireworks but caution you also the risk you take to your pocket book if you get caught using fireworks that aren't legal in Oregon.  

Getting caught in the City of Forest Grove with illegal fireworks is not just a violation of State Laws but it also violates our own locally adopted City Codes and Ordinances and can bring with it a $1,000 citation and invitation to plead your case in our Municipal Court.  If a Firefighter or Police Officer catches you with illegal fireworks in your possession you will lose your fireworks and it is up to the Officer if a citation will be issued.  This may seem silly to those that use illegal fireworks, but every year we get dozens of phone calls reporting illegal fireworks and generally speaking people are just not comfortable with them booming in their neighborhoods or shrieking into the sky above their homes.  Though illegal fireworks may be more enjoyable to some, they not only create a potential for fires and injuries, but are also responsible for anxiety to persons and pets.  Forest Grove Fire & Rescue is teaming up with our partners at the Forest Grove Police Department to hit the streets and patrol for illegal fireworks.  On both July 3rd and July 4th special task forces of police officers and firefighters will be out in our neighborhoods on the lookout for people violating these simple to follow Oregon laws and local ordinances.  The basic rule is that Oregon law bans possession, use, or sale of fireworks that fly, explode, or travel more than six feet on the ground or 12 inches into the air. Fireworks commonly called bottle rockets, Roman Candles, and firecrackers are ILLEGAL in Oregon.  

It's not just the illegal fireworks that firefighters are concerned with however.  Every year common fireworks that you can purchase at any stand here in Forest Grove are the ignition source for fires in both brush and structures.  This doesn't have to happen, if you use the fireworks in a safe place like a concrete, rocked, or paved area where there is no chance that sparks or hot fireworks can find their way into brush or against fences or buildings you should be just fine.  Sadly, many of these fires are actually started by children.  Our fireworks retailers do a pretty good job of keeping sales to adults only but kids will be kids and they often find the fireworks at home or from a friend and that leads to disaster.  Parents need to understand that fireworks are not toys and that they can be held financially and legally responsible for their children's actions and not only the damages caused, but the cost of fighting a fire caused by fireworks as well

Once you are done using fireworks the risk of fire isn't over just yet.  Give your fireworks a few minutes to cool down and then soak them with a garden hose and place them in a container full of water.  Locate this container away from the house, shed, brush, or fences and wait until they are well soaked before you throw them away.  Every year homes in the metro area receive damage from fires started by improperly disposed of fireworks that were not allowed enough time to cool off or placed inside plastic garbage cans next to the home.  

Have a safe Independence Day Holiday and why don't you leave the fireworks to the professionals.  Stop by the City of Forest Grove Old Time Fireworks Show and Independence Day Celebration on July 4th at Tom McCall Elementary School.  This family friendly event will start with live music from local singer songwriter Josh Smith at 8:30 pm and a fireworks show by Forest Grove's own pyrotechnician Chris Sutton.  No personal fireworks, alcohol, or tobacco will be allowed on school grounds, but feel free to bring a blanket and lay out on the fields and enjoy the show.   

Forest Grove's Firefighters Sponsor Fireworks Show

It's been quite a few years, but the feeling of patriotism is back in Forest Grove for 2012 as the Forest Grove Firefighter's Association is a proud sponsor of the return of an Independence Day Celebration and Fireworks Show.  This family friendly event will be held on Wednesday July 4th on the fields at Tom McCall Upper Elementary School (1341 Pacific Avenue), and admission is free.

Live music from Forest Grove resident Josh Smith will kick off the celebration at 8:30 pm.  Josh is a former firefighter from Gaston who joined the United States Army in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.  He served in combat during the war in Iraq and was honorably discharged from the Army in 2009.  Recently Josh took first place in the Portland Singer/Songwriter Showcase, his debut album titled "Honey Badger" is available on iTunes.

Once the sky turns dark at 10:00 pm the fireworks show will begin.  Local business owner, and licensed pyrotechnician, Chris Sutton will awe the crowd with a fireworks display worthy of the birthday of the greatest nation on Planet Earth.  We encourage those living close by to walk to the show, but parking is available at the Tom McCall campus parking lots which are located at 1255 and 1341 Pacific Avenue.  There will be excellent viewing from the fields north of Tom McCall East and Tom McCall West so bring a blanket to lay out on the grass and enjoy the show.  

This event is sponsored by the Forest Grove Firefighter's Association, Forest Grove Chamber of Commerce, and the Forest Grove Foundation.  Because of this sponsorship, there is no fee for admission to this year's event; however a $10.00 suggested donation will help sponsors pay for not only this, but future fireworks shows.  Your support helps keep this great tradition going.

This is a family friendly event that is being held on the grounds of the Forest Grove Public School District - no alcohol, tobacco, or personal fireworks are permitted on Forest Grove School District property.           

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Volunteer Fire Captain Bob Haney retires after 41 years of service to our community.

The year was 1971, the average cost of a new home was $25,000, a gallon of leaded gasoline cost .40 cents, Richard Nixon was still the President, and Led Zeppelin had just released their fourth album a vinyl record called IV.  In the midst of all of that a young man named Bob Haney, fresh from the US Navy and a tour off the coast of Vietnam on board the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga, had returned to his hometown.  Looking for a way to help out, Bob applied to be a volunteer firefighter here in Forest Grove.  Times were different then, the hundreds of hours of training needed to become a volunteer hadn't existed yet and Bob was handed a set of firefighting gear and learned as he went.  Bob worked up through the ranks at the Forest Grove Fire Department, eventually becoming a Captain and a Department Safety Officer, he was also honored as our Officer of the Year in 1989.  If you have been around the small town of Forest Grove you may already know Bob, he delivered mail for the US Postal Service for a number of years until his retirement from there just a few years ago, he made Forest Grove his hometown for life where along with his wife Debbie, they raised their children Victor and Jeni in the family home.  Almost as soon as he was old enough, his son Victor followed in Bob's footsteps and also became a volunteer firefighter in our community.

On June 4, 2012 after 41 years of service to the community Captain Bob Haney retired from service with the Forest Grove Fire Department.  Joined by family, friends, and fellow firefighters from the past and present, Bob celebrated his four decades of service with a retirement party at our Forest Grove Fire Station.  Kind words were said, funny stories were told, and honors were presented on the evening of June 4, and finally right at 6:30 p.m. our dispatch center issued a final call out for Captain Bob Haney, letting him know that all was under control and thanking him for his service to our community.  With that final ringing of the historic fire station bell Bob no longer needs to crawl out of bed in the odd hours of the night, or leave family events, or even a movie on television on a rainy afternoon and his volunteer firefighter service came to a close. 

Flanked by his wife Debbie and daughter Jeni, Bob takes one last photo in uniform along with his son Victor and his wife Megan and Bob's grandchildren in front of our Engine 421.

Victor Haney presented his father Bob with a polished brass firefighter's axe as a retirement gift to recognize the four decades of being a volunteer firefighter and serving the Forest Grove Firefighter's Association.

 

On behalf of Forest Grove Fire & Rescue and a grateful community we want to thank Bob and Debbie Haney for over four decades of exceptional, dedicated, and heartfelt commitment to serving the citizens of the City of Forest Grove and the Forest Grove Rural Fire Protection District. 

Local Life Saver Recieves FGF&R Citizen's Service Award

It's National Emergency Medical Services Week!  During this week in May every year the Forest Grove City Council  recognizes the work that first responders do in the community to provide critical life saving care to those in need.  This year EMS Week has a special meaning for our firefighters however, in the last year a man's life was saved in part because of the work of our Paramedics, but mostly because of the quick actions of a local woman to save the life of one of her employees.  At the May 14, 2012 Forest Grove City Council meeting, Fire Chief Michael Kinkade was honored to present Phoebe Reinecker with the Forest Grove Citizen's Service Award to recognize her inspiring story of how effective CPR can make a difference and save a life.

Phoebe Reinecker receives the FGF&R Citizen's Service Award from Fire Chief Michael Kinkade

On the afternoon October 24, 2011, Phoebe Reinecker, a longtime resident of our community and owner of Reinecker Nursery, was in her home office, the work day almost done, when she heard one of her employees call for help.  An otherwise healthy man in his early fifties, and longtime employee of her small horticulture business near Forest Grove, had suddenly gone into cardiac arrest and had collapsed near one of the greenhouses.  Reacting quickly Phoebe made the one hundred yard dash to the man who was unconscious and not breathing.  Knowing exactly what to do, Phoebe began to apply very effective CPR to the man she had worked with for so long. 

The American Heart Association created the term “Chain of Survival” to describe how timing is everything when it comes to a successful resuscitation of a cardiac arrest victim, and this case shows exactly how essential this timing really is.  With her swift actions, Mrs. Reinecker effectively connected the first two links (early access to 9-1-1, and early CPR) of the chain of survival.  When Paramedic/Firefighters from the Forest Grove Fire Station arrived within five minutes they were able to provide the other two links of the chain that include cardiac defibrillation for the unconscious man as well as advanced life support care.  These steps combined with Mrs. Reinecker’s earlier response restarted the man’s heart; by the time that he had arrived at Tuality Hospital in nearby Hillsboro, the man had even started to wake up and begin to speak.  Within a matter of weeks, after a successful heart surgery, he had returned to work and is still there to this day helping the family owned company grow beautiful flowers and horticulture products. 

 Local life saver Phoebe Reinecker with her husband Mike, and the FGF&R crew that took over for her effective CPR that saved a life of one of her employees last October

Sadly, most sudden cardiac arrest calls do not end this way, in fact less than 8% of victims of sudden cardiac arrest survive the event and the damage it causes to the human body.  What's amazing in this family's story is that even though this is Mrs. Reinecker's first time doing CPR on a live person, this is not the first time that a life has been saved on her property.  Around 1987 a 19 month old boy crawled into a covered swimming pool and was rescued by Phoebe's husband Mike and the boy's father.  Effective CPR was given in that incident too, and just  a few years ago that boy graduated from the Air Force Academy as a young man.   In almost every incident where a victim of sudden cardiac arrest survives it is because someone helped them with early and effective CPR, which can cause survival rates to double or triple in some instances.  There is no doubt that in this incident the man is able to be among us today because of the calm yet quick actions that Mrs. Reinecker took to save his life.  If you have a few hours, take a friends and family CPR course, you never know when the things you learn will help you save a life.    

Fire Destroys Home in Rural Washington County

Firefighters from Forest Grove Fire & Rescue (FGF&R) were alerted to a house fire at 3:22AM on Friday May 11, 2012 located at 58166 NW Wilson River Highway near the community of Glenwood. Firefighters arrived approximately 20 minutes after being dispatched to find a double wide manufactured home that had burned to the ground with large amounts of fire still showing. Fire crews used multiple hose lines to extinguish most of the fire and contain it to the house; they also had to work around a dangerous power line that was burned to the ground.

The two residents arrived home to find their home on fire. While the husband tried moving vehicles near the burning house, the wife had to travel over two miles to call 9-1-1 from a cell phone. Limited information was given to dispatchers due to the call being dropped after a couple minutes with poor cell phone service in the area. The wife was then able to flag down a passing motorist to assist her by going to a nearby neighbor to call 9-1-1 on a standard phone.

Due to the location being in a rural area, it was an extended response time for the emergency crews to arrive on scene. Also with no fire hydrant near the house, water tenders were used to shuttle water into the scene to fight the flames. Crews had to travel six miles to get additional water from a fire hydrant in the community of Gales Creek.

Firefighters remained on scene for almost four hours extinguishing hot spots. The house and its contents are considered a complete loss. Also near to the house was a boat, travel trailer and multiple other small vehicles, they were all destroyed. At this time a total damage estimate is not available and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Firefighters control roof fire in one hunred year old barn

Just before 1:30 pm on Thursday, May 10, 2012 firefighters from Forest Grove, Banks, North Plains, and Cornelius were called to a barn fire in the 8000 block of NW Spreadborough Lane in the Forest Grove Rural Fire Protection District.  When firefighters arrived they found a large, two story barn, that had been on the small family farm property for over 100 years that had light smoke coming from the roof.  Firefighters went to work, using ladders to climb inside the cavernous barn structure to spray water on the fire that was burning slowly in the roof of the old wooden barn.  Once they felt like the fire was under control, they called for the thirty five foot tall ladder from Forest Grove's ladder truck to scale the west wall of the barn and cut away the burned roofing and eave structure so that they were sure the fire was out.  Fire Investigators confirmed the property owner's statements that earlier this afternoon he had been burning yard debris on a nearby burn pile when   Fortunately, the barn was empty this time of year and the fire did not spread beyond the roof area.  There were no injuries as a result of this fire, which caused an estimated $5,000 in damage to the roof..  Please be cautious when burning, never burn near structures, brush, or fences and always attend your burn pile with a garden hose and firefighting tools at all times.

   

It's Wildfire Awareness Week!

We are fortunate to live in a beautiful part of Oregon. Forest Grove is surrounded by agriculture to the north and south and to the west the Oregon Coast Range beckons us with it's ability to recharge our batteries with a bounty of recreational adventures. Almost all of us have taken in what the Tillamook State Forest and surrounding timber lands have to offer; some of us are lucky enough to live right in the foothills with the forest as our backyard, a lot of us have hiked or taken an ATV on one of the trails that meander through the shaded trees, while some enjoy the bone chilling waters of the Wilson River on a hot August day, and almost everyone has taken a drive to the beach and gazed upon the stunning views from the north coast highways. Imagine stepping back in time and instead of a green forest shaded your drive, all that you see are blackened trees, their bark charred from the raging fires that burned across the land; instead of sitting in your yard and watching a pink sky sunset on a summer evening the sun is obscured by billowing smoke clouds as the forest burns below. This hasn't happened in northwest Oregon since 1951, but it can and likely will happen again and it's our responsibility to be ready for it. That's why Governors from Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, and California have declared this week to be "Wildfire Awareness Week" and even though we are hopefully a few weeks away from the traditional time when the first significant brush fires usually occur in our area now is the perfect time to get your home and property ready for fire season.

A US Agriculture Department photo of the 1933 Tillamook Burn Fire that destroyed 311,000 acres west of Forest Grove

Here's the deal for northwest Oregon residents, if we want to prevent a wildfire tragedy in our area the first step is that we choose to live responsibly. We just don't get the lightning storms that other parts of our state get, so when we have wildfires we have only ourselves to blame. A vast majority of our wildfires are caused by carelessness or poor decision making and it's up to us to make sure that we prevent this from happening during this summers fire season. In 2010 a campfire was left burning on David Hill Road and spread to nearly 14 acres of private timber land and came within a few hundred yards of nearby homes before firefighters could get a handle on it, during the highest fire danger point of the summer of 2011 a man using a cutting torch near Gaston caught a few acres of grass on fire and luckily firefighters stopped the fire within feet of a nearby home. Situations like these repeat themselves year after year in our area. We can do better, make sure our spring burn piles are out and never burn or use open flames outside once fire season starts. Pay attention to what we are doing and have tools handy to control a fire if you do have to work on your car or machinery with dry grass or brush nearby. 

We are a few weeks away from the traditional start of our fire season, but now is the perfect time to get your property ready for the summer months. Start by taking a look at your roof, if you live with the woods nearby we encourage you to consider fire resistive roof construction but if you can't afford a new roof right now you can still help by cleaning your roof, eaves, and gutters, and removing the build up of moss, leaves, and tree needles. Next take a look around the house and make sure that within 30 feet of your home you have an adequate fire break to protect your home from a wildfire. Remove all dead vegetation within this area, as well as any brush, trees, grasses, or even fire wood that come in direct contact with your home. Beyond this initial 30 feet take a close look at your "secondary fire break" and clear any dead vegetation, tall grass, and dense trees or brush, within 8 feet of the ground for 100 feet around your home. Finally make sure your driveway is accessible and clear enough (at least 12 feet wide and 14 feet of overhead clearance from limbs) for fire engines to get to your home and that you have a nicely marked address sign so that we can find your home quickly. 

Forest Grove and Cornelius Firefighters honored at annual awards banquet

Friday April 27, 2012 was a special, and historic, evening for Forest Grove Fire & Rescue and the Cornelius Fire Department as the first ever joint awards banquet was held by the two fire departments.  Since January 2011 Forest Grove Fire & Rescue and the Cornelius Fire Department have shared Fire Chief Michael Kinkade as the leader of both departments, and in that time the two departments have increased training together and worked to make standardized equipment and operational practices; joining forces with our families for the annual awards and recognition dinner was the next logical choice to strengthen the relationship.  Current firefighters from both departments gathered with their loved ones at the Forest Grove Armory and shared the event with retired firefighters as well as City and Rural Fire District leaders to recognize the work and service that individual firefighters have provided to the community during the 2011 calendar year.  Forest Grove's own Izgara Middle Eastern Cuisine provided an exceptional banquet of diverse foods that were enjoyed by all who attended as nearly fifty people were called to the stage to receive awards, honors, and accolades from Fire Chief Michael Kinkade for their service to the community.  Special recognition was given by the Forest Grove Rural Fire Protection District who provided the Forest Grove Firefighter's Association with $4,000to help support volunteer firefighter training as well as the Association's mission of  funding community service projects and relief for those effected by emergencies.  During the banquet a very special presentation was made to retired FGF&R Fire Chiefs Robert Mills, and Bob Davis.  Current Fire Chief Michael Kinkade presented each of his predecessors with a special "Retired Fire Chief" badge and Chief Davis received a shadow box that showcased his long career that started in the 1960s in California.  Currently active firefighters were recognized with the following honors at this year's event:

Years of Service Awards

5 Years of Service

• Division Chief Ian O'Connor FGF&R
• A Shift Firefighter Rick Ilg FGF&R
• A Shift Firefighter Will Murphy FGF&R
• B Shift Firefighter Ivan Bratchuk FGF&R
• Volunteer Firefighter John Phelan CFD

10 Years of Service

• C Shift Captain Marc Reckmann CFD

15 Years of Service

• A Shift Lieutenant George Robards CFD
• B Shift Firefighter Tony Carter FGF&R

20 Years of Service

• Lieutenant Sheila Jackson CFD

25 Years of Service 

• A Shift Captain Joe Smith FGF&R
• B Shift Captain Mike Lanter FGF&R

30 Years of Service

• C Shift Captain Dwight Lanter FGF&R

Rookie of the Year

•  Andy Gramer - Station 7 FGF&R
• James Callahan - CFD

Firefighter of the Year

• Chad Toomey - Station 4 FGF&R Volunteer Firefighter of the Year
• Rick Ilg - FGF&R Career Firefighter of the Year
• Kevin Ritcheson CFD Firefighter of the Year

Officer of the Year

• Battalion Chief Rob Hutchens - Station 4 FGF&R Volunteer Officer of the Year
• Captain Joe Smith - FGF&R Career Officer of the Year
• Captain Steve Black - CFD Officer of the Year

Fire Chief's Award

• Firefighter Tony Carter - FGF&R
• Division Chief Rob Marcoff - CFD

Unit Citations

• SW Dilley Road Cardiac Arrest Save 10.24.11
• Mike Lanter, Tad Buckingham, Tony Carter, Cody Brown, Damian Peters, Geoff McFarland

• Barlow Court Cardiac Arrest Save 9.16.11
• Marc Reckmann, Matt Meyer, JC Butler, Trevor Storms, Andrew Jensen, Jeff Lewis, Steve Moreland, James Callahan
  
•  SW Golf Course Road Cardiac Arrest Save 9.29.11
• Steve Black, James Callahan, Jeff Lewis, Kevin Ritcheson, Colin Scott, Emmett Middaugh, Jordan Summer

 

ONE PERSON RESCUED FROM CONDO FIRE IN FOREST GROVE

A man in his early twenties is fortunate to be alive today after firefighters rescued him from his burning condominium in Forest Grove.  Just before 3:00 am on Sunday April 29, 2012 a downstairs neighbor in the building located at 3404 19th Avenue in Forest Grove, heard a strange popping noise and after going outside to investigate he discovered smoke coming from a second floor condo, the neighbor reacted the right way and quickly ran inside to call 9-1-1.  When firefighters from the Forest Grove Fire Station arrived they found an active fire burning inside of the kitchen of Unit 207 at the complex.  After having to force entry into the locked condo, a dog and cat charged from the smoke filled building while FGF&R Intern Firefighter Gabe Welp began to extinguish the fire as Lieutenant Chris Woodford started to search for victims.  Opening the door to the first bedroom he came to, Chris found a 21 year old man unresponsive laying in bed.  Volunteer Firefighter Brooke Brown, and Intern Firefighter Emmet Middaugh from Engine 422 assisted Woodford and Welp as they grabbed the unconscious man and pulled him free from danger, where waiting Firefighter/Paramedics provided advanced life support care to the young man. 

The victim was transported to Tuality Community Hospital in Hillsboro where he was treated for smoke inhalation.  Firefighter/Paramedics that went with the victim in the Metro West Ambulance reported that he was able to talk to emergency room staff, but that he did not know what had happened.  His injuries do not appear to be life threatening at this time.  Fire investigators found that a pan had been left on the stove and that the electric burner was left turned on high.  There was extensive fire damage in the kitchen, that caused at least $40,000 in damages to the rest of the home and contents.  No working smoke alarms were found and the building did not have a fire sprinkler system that would have otherwise controlled the fire.

The condo was occupied by a husband and wife, the victim of the fire is their roommate.  The married couple was not home at the time of the fire, but arrived later that morning after being informed of the fire.  Forest Grove Police Officers quickly secured the dog that escaped the fire but the family cat is still missing.  Based on statements and evidence at the scene it appears that alcohol may have been a contributing factor in this incident.  Firefighters made a quick stop on the fire and luckily prevented it within minutes of the fire spreading to the building's attic or to another unit in the complex.  Please be cautious in your home, especially if you share a building with others.  If you choose to drink, please do so responsibly, and never attempt to cook, drive, or use equipment.  Make sure that you have a working smoke alarm and always practice a family fire escape plan.  

Live Fire Training Saturday April 21st

Forest Grove Fire & Rescue and the Cornelius Fire Department will be holding live fire training this Saturday April 21, 2012 in the former "Oasis Tavern" located at the south east corner of the Pacific Avenue and Oak Street intersection. The Oasis Tavern closed over 20 years ago and the building has been mostly vacant ever since, it is being razed to clear the property for a future dental office and has been donated to us for firefighter training by the property owner. Located on the eastern end of Forest Grove, training will be easily visible especially to motorists on Pacific Avenue. Due to the proximity to the highly traveled Pacific Avenue, we have worked with the Forest Grove Police and Public Works Department on a traffic control plan that you should be aware of.

- One eastbound lane of Pacific Avenue will be closed near the burn, but access to businesses like Papa Murphy's Pizza and Pacific Nails (as well as others) will be allowed. 

- Patrons of Papa Murphy's and Pacific Nails will still be allowed to leave the parking lot of the businesses and use Oak Street southbound only, but this may be interrupted during some of our operations.  

- Oak Street will be closed to all but local access for residents between 19th Avenue and Pacific Avenue.

- Oak Street will be closed to southbound traffic between 22nd Avenue and Pacific Avenue.  This is intended to avoid congestion as cars attempt to turn from Oak into the eastbound Pacific Avenue which will be down to one lane.  

- The Trimet bus 57 line stop on the south side of Pacific Avenue at Oak Street will be closed.  Please plan accordingly to access the next closest stop. 

Fire crews will begin to gather on site around 8:00 am and will start burning within an hour of arriving and getting set up.  It is estimated that sometime around noon is when the bulk of the fire will actually occur after Training Coordinators determine that it is time to let the building burn freely.  It will be during this free burn time that the bulk of the smoke and flames will be visible.  Based on weather forecasts we believe that the smoke will vent straight up into the atmosphere, but if the smoke does linger in the area we suggest closing windows and ventilation to your home while the smoke is present. 

This type of training is vital to our ability to serve the community.  We will be taking through dozens of newer firefighters to train them on how a fire actually will burn inside of a real building.  This type of training provides them with important information and education that can help them work safely as volunteer firefighters.  Without a fire training facility, neither Forest Grove or Cornelius have the practical ability to conduct live fire training any other way then by using a donated structure.  This training event will allow us to have our newest groups of volunteer firefighters trained to the minimum standards required by the State of Oregon to certify as Firefighters and respond on our fire engines when you need them.  They will be working alongside experienced career and volunteer firefighters to gain that essential knowledge needed to become a safe and practiced firefighter. 

You can keep track of our training with live updates from the scene by following our Twitter and Facebook pages.