Firefighter Loren and Tim show engine compartments where various firefighter tools and equipment are stored.

“Hi firefighters” yelled excited kids as they excited their school’s front doors to find four Portland firefighters and a bright, shiny fire engine.

Just in time to celebrate the end of Fire Safety Week at the school, Lieutenant Carlos and Firefighters Tim, Loren, and Laurent from Station 24 visited the Peninsula Children’s Center to provide an engine tour, a fire safety talk, and plastic helmets and coloring books to six classes of kids ages 18 months to three years.

Peninsula Children’s Center is a nonprofit organization certified by the Oregon Child Care Division, and serves 160 children ages 6-weeks to 12-years-old every year.

Firefighters reinforced when kids should call 9-1-1, and then showed the eager kids the tools and equipment firefighters use to fight fires.  Firefighter Loren reminded kids that during a fire, it’s important not to be frightened by a firefighter in full gear even though they might look scary. Loren encouraged the kids to go to the firefighter, and not run away and hide.

Portland Fire & Rescue encourages all community members to talk to their kids often about fire safety. In addition, work as a family to create a home fire escape plan.  Start by drawing your floor plan, and then from each room, decide on two ways to get out. Use markers or crayons to color-code escape paths with directional arrows. Make sure to also select an outside meeting place where everyone will gather after escaping, such as a mailbox, lamppost, or specific tree.

   Portland Fire & Rescue 

   We Respond: Always Ready, Always There

   January 28, 2011

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In January 2009, Governor Ted Kulongoski issued a proclamation designating January 27th as Fire Service Appreciation Day here in Oregon. The proclamation recognizes all members of the Oregon fire service who keep our communities safe from the ravages of fire by stopping fires before they start through prevention, suppressing fires after they start, and by investigating fires to determine how they start.

To commemorate this day, the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) hosted Fire Service Appreciation Day at the OSFM headquarters.  The Salem Fire Department Honor Guard opened the ceremonies followed by the Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue Pipes and Drums and a choral number by The Oregon Fire Choir.

There was a reading of the Oregon legislative proclamation, and remarks by Representative Greg Matthews (D-Gresham), Oregon State Police Superintendent Chris Brown, Interim State Fire Marshal Jim Walker, and Interim Oregon State Forester Nancy Hirsch.

The highlight of the day was an active display of just how effective home fire sprinklers can be. Using a sprinkler demonstration trailer, attendees were provided with a dramatic “live-fire” demonstration, proving just how quickly a small fire can escalate into a full-scale fire.

Above is the fire sprinkler trailer. The leftside room of the trailer is sprinklered. 

The rightside room of the trailer is not sprinklered.

Non-Fire Sprinklered Room

Without fire sprinklers, the fire set in the non-sprinklered room quickly grew. Fires such as these can become deadly within minutes. Firefighters used hoses that flow large amounts of water to extinguish the fire. The room suffered more damage from the fire and water than if it had fire sprinklers.

Sprinklered Room

When the fire starts, the heat from the fire caused the sprinkler closest to the fire to operate. The quick action of the sprinkler can provide residents more time to safely escape. Fire growth stops and flashover is prevented. By controlling heat, flames and smoke, the sprinkler system protects additional property from the fire. The water dispensed from a sprinkler is much less than what would be required by fire department hoses to do the same job.

Home fire sprinklers represent the next generation of home fire safety. Federal agencies and national safety organizations, such as the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), recommend sprinklers as one way to substantially reduce home fire problems.

   Portland Fire & Rescue 

   We Respond: Always Ready, Always There

   January 28, 2011

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Incident Statistics:

(January 23 - 29, 2011)

Total Incidents: 1,228

Medical: 993

Fire: 36

Other: 199

Major Incidents: 2 

• 01/26/11 @ 1915 hrs, Commercial Fire, 9100 Block of NE Alderwood Rd. Loss: $20,000 Cause: Hot material ignited combustibles in Hopper 
• 01/28/11 @ 2120 hrs, TA1MAX, NW 6^th Av & Davis St.  Patient pinned under MAX car at Light Rail station. Patient extricated and transported to locate hospital

Year to Date Incident Statistics:

(January 2, 2011 - current)

Total Incidents: 5,037

Medical: 4,072

Fire: 150

Other: 817

Major Incidents: 12

   Portland Fire & Rescue 

   We Respond: Always Ready, Always There

   January 31, 2011 

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Today, the Eldon Trinity Rescue Boat, which is located on the Willamette River at Portland Fire Station 21, kept watch over kayakers who were participating in a celebrity race.  The race was held at the Caruthers dock to promote Comcast Sports Net's new reality TV show, Wanted II - Adventure Women.  Four kayaks with two members each participated in the race.

The course went from the dock, down and around the pilings of the Ross Island Bridge, and back. Each kayak team included a local celebrity paired with a cast member from the show. 

Lieutenant Paul and Firefighters Gary, Mike, and Ty shadowed participants to ensure that everyone was safe.  Water safety on the Willamette River is the primary focus of Portland Fire & Rescue's marine program, of which the Eldon Trinity rescue boat is an integral part.

   Portland Fire & Rescue 

   We Respond: Always Ready, Always There

   January 31, 2011 

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Video courtesy of YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IGPPsh9-sk

Sharon Straus was all smiles when she sat down for lunch alongside Portland and Gresham Firefighters at Station 31.  Sharon, the founder and director of a nonprofit food recovery and redistribution center, traveled from Beaverton to Gresham to break bread with and give a big thank you to the firefighters for donating perishable items to the “Sunshine Pantry” during the 2010 holiday season.

Over 25 years ago, the Sunshine Pantry was born in Sharon’s garage as a family project for her son’s Cub Scout pack and has grown to a complicated food pantry operation that supplies food, clothing, toys, and toiletries that are provided to close to 500 needy families each month.

Sharon stands with Captain Eric and Firefighters Tommy, Kevin, and Chris

in front of PF&R Engine 31

"If I can help, just a little,” Sharon says, “then I feel that's what I am supposed to do. It's just part of me."

Sharon gets most of her food from daily trips to local stores that donate excess goods and welcomes donations from the community.

In 2008, the Sunshine Pantry expanded operations from Sharon’s garage to a donated warehouse in Beaverton off of Nimbus Road.

Sharon takes pride in welcoming all to the Sunshine Pantry with a smile and no judgment. She treats everyone with kindness and respect, and looks forward everyday to connecting and helping those in need.  

Six years ago, Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) Firefighter Kevin was reading the metro section of a local newspaper and happened upon an article about the Sunshine Pantry and Sharon’s motivation to help those less fortunate. Kevin was moved by her dedication, supported her cause, and wanted give back to the community he lived and worked in. He began organizing perishable item drives, first at PF&R Station 12 in NE Portland, and then again at PF&R & Gresham Fire’s jointly shared Station 31 in SE Portland.

In December, Firefighter Kevin and crew organized a perishable food drive at Station 31. The Station collected and donated turkeys, hams, and toilet paper to the Sunshine Pantry. Firefighter Kevin noted, “This was a great opportunity for Portland and Gresham firefighters to help those in need.”

Interested in learning more about or helping the Sunshine Pantry’s cause?  Visit http://www.sunshinepantry.org/.

   Portland Fire & Rescue 

   We Respond: Always Ready, Always There

   January 31, 2011 

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