What:

"Scouting for Food" - Annual Boy Scouts Food Drive

Who:

Boy Scouts of America (Cascade Pacific Council), Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and local agencies and businesses interested in helping Oregon's hungry

Where:

Drop-off at any Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) fire station

When:

Saturday, December 5, 2009 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

WE CAN'T DO THIS ALONE…

The Boy Scouts of America, Cascade Pacific Council, will be holding their annual food drive, "Scouting for Food" for area food banks on Saturday, December 5, 2009.  

LOOK FOR SCOUTS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD...

Scouts will be canvassing neighborhoods with collection bags starting Saturday, November 28, 2009 and then return to pick up the bags with food on Saturday, December 5, 2009 between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm.  This annual collection provides local agencies with food to supply hungry people with food assistance throughout the entire year. 

ALL PORTLAND FIRE & RESCUE STATIONS ARE DROP-OFF POINTS…

Because the scouts cannot be everywhere, anyone can contribute to "Scouting for Food" by dropping off a bag of non-perishable food at any PF&R fire station on Saturday, December 5, 2009 before 4:00 pm. To find a list of fire station locations, click here.  

THE NEED IS GREATER THAN EVER…

Last year, this event resulted in food for approximately 10,000 families.  Unfortunately, the need for help is even greater this year with continued high unemployment.  In Oregon, 1 in 5 of our neighbors is experiencing hunger and this food drive seeks to address that need. 

November 27, 2009

Toy N Joy Makers visited a family last night that was displaced by a fire at their home earlier yesterday located on SE 129th Avenue in Portland, Oregon.  There are eight children, ranging from two to 17 years old, which have temporarily relocated to their Grandmother's home.

Toy N Joy Makers mission for 94 years has been to promote the spirit of helping children and families of our community during the holiday season and times of need.  

For donations, volunteer work, or requests for assistance you can contact Toy N Joy Makers at either (503) 823-0922 or by e-mail at info@toynjoymakers.org.

November 21, 2009

Portland Fire & Rescue investigators released the cause of this morning's fire that destroyed four semi-trucks on Swan Island.  A mechanical/electrical malfunction caused the fire which completely destroyed four trucks and severely damaged four 50' trailers.  Damage is estimated at $1 million dollars.

Firefighters were called to N. Channel Avenue at about 3:15 am on Wednesday, November 25, 2009.  Firefighters arrived on-scene and reported heavy fire and smoke from a fenced and secured area. After cutting the chain on one of the gates, firefighters were able to extinguish the fire in a matter of minutes.

Concerns were raised about runoff from the fire flowing into the Willamette River.  A fireboat was dispatched to check the outflows in the area and found no evidence of contamination in the river.

November 25, 2009

On Tuesday, November 17, Truck 7 was in Portland Fire & Rescue’s apparatus bay to have its suspension airbags replaced by Richard, one of our highly skilled emergency vehicle technicians.  Truck 7 is one of nine trucks in service that have what is known as a Tillerman cab on the back of it, allowing firefighters to steer this 59’ long ladder truck in the front and the rear.  This particular truck is eight years old and its suspension airbags had developed cracks in them.  The airbags provide a cushion of air for the truck to ride on.  I’m pleased to report that thanks to Richard’s excellent work, Truck 7’s airbags are good as new and is back in service.

Stay tuned to the Fire Blog for upcoming blogs on how our on-site mechanics keep Portland’s firetrucks, engines, and other rescue equipment in business and ready to serve the community.

November 25, 2009

Holiday Cooking

The holidays can be hectic at work and at home. With everything that’s happening in our lives, it's very easy to place that pan on the stove and get sidetracked. You forget about it until the fire starts and the smoke alarm goes off. If you're still home, you need to react quickly.  It’s always a good idea to keep a fire extinguisher available in or near your kitchen.  

If You Fry a Turkey

• Fryers should always be used outdoors, on a solid level non-combustible surface a safe distance from buildings and flammable materials.
• Never use a fryer on a wooden deck, under a patio cover, in a garage or enclosed space.
• Do not overfill the fryer (follow manufacturer’s directions).
• Never leave the fryer unattended because, without thermostat controls, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire.
• Never let children or pets near the fryer when in use or after use as the oil can remain hot for hours.
• Use well-insulated potholders or oven mitts and wear long sleeves and safety goggles to protect from splatter.
• Make sure the turkey is completely thawed before it is placed in a fryer.  Unthawed turkey contains frozen moisture and when placed in hot oil the moisture will expand as it turns quickly to steam and cause the hot oil to boil over violently. 

Dry Cooking Fires

The most common type of cooking fire is the dry cooking fire. The water or moisture boils out of the pan and the food left in the pan scorches, producing smoke. The heat may sometimes damage the surrounding area. The smoke may leave a residue and an odor.  The pan is hot so use a well insulated glove or hot pad to move it outdoors to a non-combustible surface like concrete sidewalk, never to a wooden deck or porch. 
 
Grease Fires 
Grease fires can occur when oil or grease type foods are heated and ignite. A grease fire can do significant damage. Open flames can extend to surrounding cabinets or other combustible items. If unnoticed, a grease fire can extend to a major house fire, engulfing the entire kitchen, adjacent rooms or even the attic. This becomes a dangerous life-threatening fire.

You might be able to extinguish a grease fire on the stove in several different ways. The simplest way is to place a lid on the pan and the fire should suffocate. A large amount of baking soda can also be used to extinguish a grease fire. But if the flames are too high, don't risk getting burned.  Once you have the fire extinguished, don't forget to turn off the burner. 
 
Oven Fires

During an oven fire, the fire is usually contained right in the oven which is designed for high heat anyway. The oven fire usually suffocates or is easily extinguished.

What can you do if there is a kitchen fire?

• In all cases, make sure everyone evacuates the house.
• Call 9-1-1 and report the fire.
• If the fire is still very small, you can use a fire extinguisher to try and put it out.  But if the fire gets out of control, get out of the house and wait for firefighters to arrive.  
• Don’t delay calling 9-1-1 in order to fight the fire yourself.  

November 23, 2009