On Saturday, January 9, 2010, the Portland Winterhawks hosted the Chilliwack Bruins for a night of fun and hockey! 

Between periods, the Plumbers of UA Local 290 and Portland Firefighters Association (PFFA) Local 43 firefighters did battle in their annual Broomball match. Broomball is a popular recreational ice game where players hit a small ball around the ice with a stick called a "broom." The object of broomball is to score more goals than your opponent by hitting the ball into your opponent's net using your broom.

Portland firefighters came dressed to win wearing turnout pants, bureau t-shirts, red suspenders, and fire helmets. Despite the ruling of no checking, blocking or hitting, the firefighters and plumbers offered a seriously fun game, a spirited showcase of thrills and (lots!) of spills!

So...who won?  Check out the photos and see what you think! 

P.S.  We'll get 'em next year firefighters!

January 11, 2010

Each week, the Fire Blog will offer a trivia question and answer to boost your fire IQ:

Q:  When responding to a call of "a person or persons stuck in an elevator," which type of firefighting apparatus would be best suited to handle this type of service request?

Think you know the answer?  Post a comment and look for the answer on Monday!

A:  A fire truck!  The fire truck is the apparatus designed primarily to carry ladders and tools. Rescue equipment is also stored in this type of apparatus.

Truck 4 and Truck 7

Truck 1

January 11, 2010

Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) is looking for a few good women and men. Starting on January 11th and ending on January 25th, PF&R will be taking applications for the position of Firefighter EMT and Firefighter Trainee.

 PF&R WILL ACCEPT A TOTAL OF 4,000 APPLICATIONS DURING OPEN ENROLLMENT -- 2,500 FOR FIREFIGHTER TRAINEE AND 1,500 FOR FIREFIGHTER EMT --  BE PROMPT!

The video-based entrance exam will be held on February 18, 2010. PF&R expects to hire up to 45 people in the next year depending upon retirements and vacancies. Once established, the eligibility list is normally good for at least one year. 

For frequently asked questions about the 2010 Firefighter Trainee and Firefighter EMT recruitment process, visit http://www.portlandonline.com/fire/index.cfm?c=51828.

You may apply online for the position of Firefighter Trainee or Firefighter EMT at www.ci.portland.or.us/jobs or pick up an application at the following locations:

Portland Fire & Rescue
Training & Safety Division

4800 NE 122^nd Avenue

Portland, OR 97230

8:00 am – 4:30 pm   

Portland Fire & Rescue

Administrative Office
55 SW Ash Street
Portland, OR 97204
8:00 am – 4:30 pm

Portland Bureau of Human Resources

Application Center
Portland Building
1120 SW 5^th Avenue

Portland, OR 97204

Please submit written applications to the City of Portland Bureau of Human Resources at 1120 SW 5th Avenue, Room #404, Portland, Oregon 97204.

January 12, 2010

We’ve decided that the New Year will be pronounced ‘twenty – ten’, we’ve thrown out the last of the holiday cookies, and started our new workout programs.  So….how else do we start this new decade?

SAFELY OF COURSE!

I actually spend the majority of my time concerned with fire fighter safety, but I realize most of you reading this are not professional firefighters.  So I’m going to start out this new decade thinking of YOUR safety.  And the best safety advice I can give you is this: 

Make sure you have a working

smoke alarm

in your home.

At the minimum you should have one on every level of your house.  It is especially important to mount them high (on the ceiling is best) because that’s where the smoke is going to travel should you have a fire.   Test your smoke alarm every week and if you haven’t installed new batteries in the last six months, do it now and then every time you change your clocks (spring and fall).

Better yet, buy one of the new smoke alarms with a 10 year battery and ‘hush’ feature.  The hush feature is great for alarms that go off when you cook or take a hot shower.  It will silence the alarm for about 10 minutes and then it automatically reactivates. 

The important part is to make sure it works and maintain it.  Let everyone in your home (especially the children) know what the alarm sounds like when it alarms.  Develop an escape plan and practice it.  Establish a meeting place outside your house so everyone is accounted for.  When a fire occurs, get out of the house and use your neighbor’s phone to call 911.  Don’t try to fight the fire or re-enter to save your belongings. 

Working smoke alarms save lives.  Most fire deaths are the result of smoke inhalation, not burns.  Start off the new decade safely, taking care of yourself and your loved ones.  This could be the most important thing you do all year!  Happy New Year!

January 12, 2010

Ingredients:

• 4 medium peeled sweet potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 2 ¼ pounds)
• 2 sweet onions cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 pound)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ¾ teaspoon garlic-pepper blend (such as McCormick)
• ½ teaspoon salt

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 425º.
• Combine all ingredients in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, tossing to coat. Bake at 425º for 35 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup).

247 calories, 5.1g fat, 3.6g protein, 47.8g carb, 255mg sodium 

January 13, 2010