What is Radon?

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is odorless, tasteless, and colorless.  Radon gas is found throughout the world in varying concentrations. Radon forms naturally from the radioactive decay of Uranium in rock, soil, and water.  When radon gas is formed, it migrates through the soil to the air above.

Why is Radon Harmful?

Each of us is exposed to a certain amount of radiation each day, most of which comes from natural sources such as radon. Radon accounts for the largest percentage -- more than half -- of radiation exposure that the average person in the United States receives.

Radon breaks down into solid particles know as radon decay products. These decay particles can become trapped in the lungs and may damage tissue by emitting radiation. Over time, exposure to elevated levels of radon increases a person's risk of developing lung cancer. This is the only known health effect. For smokers, this lung cancer risk is even higher.

Click here to learn more about risk from radon and how to take action if a high radon level is detected in your home.

  Portland Fire & Rescue 

January 30, 2012

2:34 PM

At 11:33 am, Portland Firefighters were dispatched to reports of fire in the attic of a house at 3244 NE 51st. When firefighters from Portland Fire Station 28 (Rose City/Hollywood) arrived at 11:36 am, just three minutes later, they found heavy smoke coming from the finished attic of the two-story house. Firefighters made entry into the house and found an occupant standing at the bottom of the stairs preparing to head up the stairs to fight the fire with a garden hose.

The occupant was advised to remove himself to safety and firefighters ascended the stairs and began fighting the fire. Concealed spaces on the second floor/attic made firefighting difficult.

Fire attack crews reported very high heat and requested vertical ventilation (a hole cut in the roof) by ladder truck crews. The fire was declared under control at 12:16 pm. There were no injuries associated with the fire. The occupant’s pets were removed safely.

Fire investigators responded and determined that the cause of the fire was from an unattended candle. Damage estimates are not available at this time. The house is uninhabitable and the occupants will be staying with friends.

Candles start more than 13,000 home fires each year. Portland Fire & Rescue reminds citizens never to leave burning candles unattended.

  Portland Fire & Rescue 

Firefighters from Portland, New York, and Florida pose with Lima, Peru Firefighters after a long day of fireground training

Portland Fire & Rescue and the Portland Bombero Association were privileged to be able to assist FDNY Battalion Chief Daniel Sheridan down in Lima, Peru for a very special mission…a week of training in honor of Father Mychal Judge, the FDNY chaplain killed on 9/11 at Ground Zero. 

Sheridan had been a personal friend of Judge’s, and took the loss especially hard. When Father Chris Dunn, a priest in Peru from the same Franciscan Order as Father Judge called and asked Sheridan’s Mutual Aid Training Group for training and assistance, Sheridan knew what he had to do.  Commemorating the 10th anniversary of Judge’s sacrifice, Sheridan assembled a team of instructors from the United States who had years of experience in training fire departments in Latin America and gathered much needed firefighting equipment from donors.

Left to Right: Portland Fire Lieutenant Joe Troncoso, Miami-Dade Fire Department Firefighter Juan Rubio, FDNY Battalion Chief Daniel Sheridan, and Miami-Dade Fire Department Firefighter Jorge Troyano 

Sheridan was joined by Fire Lieutenant Joseph Troncoso from Portland Fire & Rescue, as well as Jorge Troyano and Juan Rubio, two experienced instructors from Miami-Dade Fire Department in Florida.  The team arrived on January 21, 2012 and hit the ground running, training the Peruvian firefighters at Station 120 in South Lima. 

The city of Dumont, New Jersey donated a 1986 engine.  Despite its age, it had extremely low mileage and was in top-notch condition.  One of the Lima drivers pointed out that the older apparatus are preferable, given that they are able to work on them when a breakdown occurs.  They said that with the newer apparatus being computer controlled, they don’t have anybody in the country who can fix them. Sheridan equipped the engine with a full complement of firefighting gear.  Father Mychal Judge’s name was put on the engine in his memory.

Left: Lieutenant Troncoso explains how to quickly don an SCBA

Right: Lieutenant Troncoso and Lima firefighters outfitted in turnouts and MSA SCBA's

MSA generously agreed to ship 30 MSA Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) down to Lima. 

Lima is a large city of nearly 9 million inhabitants, served by 59 fire stations. Station 120, located in the southernmost of the four districts, covers 25 square kilometers with a population of 750,000 residents in their fire management area alone!  They have 60 volunteers based out of their station. Lima’s firefighters, like most throughout South America, are nearly all volunteers. The fire service is on a national level in Peru, and any firefighter from Lima can transfer to any other city in the country once they’re trained. The only exception to being a volunteer is if one is the driver/engineer. They are paid to do their job and can frequently be the only ones in a rig driving to the fire where they will await the firefighters who respond in their own vehicles. 

Sheridan asked Portland Fire to train the Lima firefighters in the use of SCBAs and fireground management techniques.  Portland Fire & Rescue Retired Lieutenant Dan Rossos was kind enough to consult and work with Troncoso to develop a very comprehensive training program which was translated into Spanish and taught in Lima.

Trainings topics provided during the week included MSA SCBA’s, air management, engine operations, fire attack, strategies and tactics, and ventilation.  Although Station 120 was the recipient of the donated engine and airpacks, numerous other stations participated, eager to receive training. 

Lima firefighters take a rest after fire attack training

Friday night at nearly midnight when the training was completed, Sheridan addressed the exhausted students.  “I hope that when the Engine with Father Mychal’s name on it is going through your city, that you’ll remember him and what he stood for”. 

The students were very grateful for the training and said it was the first time in the 15 year existence of Station 120 that they’ve received any outside training.  That it came from American firefighters (who they consider the best in the business) left them thankful beyond words.

Blog and photos courtesy of Lieutenant Joe Troncoso.

  Portland Fire & Rescue 

February 1, 2012

1:32 PM

At 10:52 this morning, firefighters from Portland Fire & Rescue responded to a commercial fire at the Banfield Motel located at 1525 NE 37th. On arrival, firefighters from Engine 28 (Rose City/Hollywood) found fire coming from room 26 on the lower level of the motel.

All occupants had exited from the unit. One resident did suffer smoke inhalation and Portland Fire medics treated the occupant at the scene and called for an ambulance.

Firefighters were able to fight through the fire and put most of the fire out within a minute. The fire did not spread to other units. Firefighters are letting occupants back into motel rooms at this time. A fire investigator has been called to the scene to help determine the cause of the fire and no estimates on damage are available at this time.

The fire was recalled at 11:25 am.

  Portland Fire & Rescue 

February 1, 2012

2:02 PM

On February 1, 2012, the City of Portland announced that Oregon Iron Works, Inc., headquartered in Clackamas, Oregon, had won a competitive contract to built two new fireboats for Portland Fire & Rescue. Funds for the $5 million dollar project will come from the $72 million General Obligation Bond passed by Portland voters in 2010. $20 million dollar of the bond is earmarked to replace aging fire apparatus.

"’Made in Oregon’- a phrase that is music to my ears. I'm excited that Portland's new fireboats will be built right here by Oregon Iron Works," said U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley. "This is a needed investment for Portland Fire & Rescue and a great way to help create jobs in Oregon."

"Portland Fire has an aging fleet of fireboats that must be taken out of service on an increasing basis for repair and maintenance, impacting our marine response capabilities," notes Commissioner Randy Leonard, "These two new boats will insure dependable emergency response on Portland’s waterways for the next 40 years."

The aluminum boats will be built at the Clackamas, Oregon plant back to back with the latest navigational equipment, pumps, and controls. They will be powered by twin 1080 horse-powered engines that will drive two jet pumps, enabling the fireboats to achieve 40 knots, or just over 46 miles per hour.

Each boat will be 50 feet long and 15 feet across the beam. The boats will be capable of pumping over 7,000 gallons of water per minute to fight land and marine-based fires, as well as pump water to fire engines, if needed, during a catastrophic emergency. The boats will be ready to place in service in approximately one year.

"As a local small business manufacturer that employs hundreds of skilled Oregonians, we are delighted to build these reliable, safe, high-performance fireboats for the City of Portland," stated Robert Beal, Chief Executive Officer of Oregon Iron Works, Inc. "It’s good for our economy, it’s good for the safety and protection of our local citizens, and it supports real family-wage jobs with benefits."

About Oregon Iron Works

Oregon Iron Works, Inc. (OIW) is a specialty manufacturing firm with commercial, marine, nuclear, aerospace, hydroelectric, defense and transportation manufacturing divisions. Founded in 1944 in Portland, Oregon, the company has been under the same management since 1974. They have been building high performance aluminum, composite and steel hulled marine craft for the United States and other Governments and commercial operators since 1984, with over 300 boats delivered. The small business currently employs over 400 employees and is headquartered in Clackamas, Oregon, with additional manufacturing facilities in Vancouver, Washington. For more information visit www.oregoniron.com.

  Portland Fire & Rescue