March 12, 2012 -- On Saturday morning, Girl Scouts from Oregon and Southwest Washington gathered at Pioneer Square to celebrate 100 years as an organization.

The public was invited to make a Girl Scout passport and travel through activity booths representing every decade of Girl Scouting, be a part of the Northwest's Largest Friendship Circle, grab a box or two cookies, purchase 100th anniversary gear at the Girl Scout store and see great entertainment from the Radio Disney Road Crew and YouTube sensation Savannah Outen.

Firefighters from Portland were also on hand to commemorate this milestone with stickers, fire safety information, and a tour of an antique fire engine.

About Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington

Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington serves members throughout Oregon, and Clark and Skamania Counties in Washington. There are 40 service units that provide support to girls and adults in their geographic area. To learn about ways to get involved in activities and events, visit http://www.girlscoutsosw.org/girls/join.

March 12, 2012 -- On Sunday, March 11, 2012, 1,550 firefighters competed in the Scott Firefighter Stairclimb. The stairclimb is a timed race up the stairs at the Columbia Center in downtown Seattle, Washington in full fire gear and Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). At 788 feet of vertical elevation, the Columbia Center in downtown Seattle, Washington stands as the second tallest building west of the Mississippi. It takes 69 flights of stairs and 1,311 steps to reach the observation deck overlooking the city.

This unique event is the largest individual firefighter competition in the world.   

The annual stairclimb supports the mission of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Portland Firefighters have been busy raising money through sponsorships, fundraising, and entry fees. In 2010, the event featured over 1,500 firefighters from 281 different fire agencies and brought in a record $930,000 for blood-cancer research and patient services. 

The 2012 climb honored Lilli Trippe who was eight months old when she was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive leukemia. Over the next three years she endured two bone marrow transplants, several rounds of chemotherapy, and many complications from treatment.  To learn more about Lilli's story, please visit her CaringBridge Page.

According to the official Scott Firefighter Stairclimb website, race results for Portland Firefighters are as follows:

• Firefighter Travis Tetzlaff – placed 20^th out of 1,500 total firefighters who finished the stairclimb with a time of 13:42
• Firefighter Liz Thompson – placed 281^st out of 1,500 total firefighters who finished the stairclimb with a time of 17:22
• Lieutenant Rich Tyler – placed 358^th out of 1,500 total firefighters who finished the stairclimb with a time of 17:54
• Firefighter Jason Martin – placed 402^nd out of 1,500 total firefighters who finished the stairclimb with a time of 18:15
• Lieutenant Stephenie Bowen – placed 548^th out of 1,500 total firefighters who finished the stairclimb with a time of 19:25 

Fundraising efforts will continue until the end of March 2012.  If you are interested in donating to Portland Fire & Rescue's Team or any other team or individual, click here to access the donation portion of the Scott Firefighter Stairclimb website.

March 15, 2012
2:34 PM

Portland Fire investigators have determined that the March 14, 2012 fire at Old Town Pizza, 5201 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., was accidental in nature and was caused by combustibles too close to a heat source.

Investigators identified a table lamp in which they believe a canted lamp shade ignited from prolonged contact with a light bulb. The burning shade is believed to have fallen to the floor where it smoldered before extending into the concealed wall space and spreading to other parts of the building.

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March 14, 2012

10:12 AM

At 5:37 am Portland Fire Station 14 (Albert Park) was dispatched to reports of a fire alarm at the Old Town Pizza Restaurant located at 5201 NE Martin Luther King Blvd.

When firefighters arrived on scene, they found the restaurant filled with smoke. Firefighters quickly called for additional resources to help contain the fire in the restaurant. The building, which was built in the 1940's, had been divided into four separate businesses.

Once firefighters got inside the building with hose lines, they located the fire between the restaurant's loft and bathrooms. Ladder truck firefighters worked to clear out the smoke with mechanical fans as quickly as possible, while engine firefighters attacked the fire with hose lines. The restaurant, which contains a small brewery, had several containers filled with carbon dioxide, which was used in brewery operations. One container did leak during the fire, but the contents were determined to have evaporated.

According to Portland Fire Battalion Chief Bob Zavodsky, "Early detection by the fire alarm system enabled Portland Fire crews to arrive on scene in just two minutes. Additionally, activation of the sprinkler system was pivotal in containing the fire to the room of origin."

The neighboring business sustained some water damage in the fire. One firefighter was injured in the overhaul operations after the fire. A fire investigator was called in to determine the cause of the fire and damage is estimated at $50,000.

March 14, 2012

10:43 AM

Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) is pleased to announce that Lieutenant Aimee Rooney has been awarded the 2012 Firefighter of the Year.

Lieutenant Rooney began her career at PF&R in 1996. Currently, Rooney is working at Station 3 in NW Portland as a lieutenant. She has previously worked as a firefighter and lieutenant at the Training Facility in NE Portland and at stations across the City of Portland.

Within the Fire Bureau, she is an active and contributing member of the Budget Advisory Committee and Peer Support Team. Rooney is also a member of PF&R's Honor Guard and organizes training sessions, coordinates numerous requests for honor guard participation, and communicates with all members of the team to ensure they are kept appraised of the opportunities available. She worked tirelessly to coordinate the Honor Guard participation in 9/11 ceremonies last year and works hard to improve the Campbell Memorial.

Captain Greg Ennis works directly with Rooney at Station 3. "Lieutenant Rooney has long been regarded as having excellent judgment and decision making capabilities at emergency scenes. She has had the confidence of chief officers to run high rise emergencies with chief officers on scene." Ennis notes that Rooney is one of the hardest working officers in the Fire Bureau. "She has always had the safety of her crewmembers foremost in mind at any emergency scene and insures she is always properly equipped for the emergency to display the proper example to her crew."

Rooney is known throughout the Fire Bureau as a person who has integrity and character. Firefighter Brad Martin at Station 3 feels that Rooney is proof positive that a great attitude makes every organization better. Martin explains that, "Her positive attitude is viral, and everyone around her becomes infected. If someone at the station faces a problem or makes a mistake, her example shows that a positive attitude will help us solve it or bounce back from it. A great attitude makes everyone and everything better, from a strenuous workout to a long complicated overhaul operation, from an all day drill to an early morning fire watch."

As compassionate as Rooney is at work with her crew, her positive attitude and giving spirit continues off the job during her personal time. Rooney has twice gone to Mexico to help build housing with her church group. She has organized firefighter standbys for a little girl who was seriously burned by her father. Aimee and her husband have also adopted two special needs children from another country, giving them love and the assurance of a better future.

Rooney joins 36 other Portland firefighters honored previously with this prestigious award. Rooney, however, is the first woman firefighter to be honored.

Fire Chief John Klum & Lieutenant Aimee Rooney

Fire Chief John Klum notified Lieutenant Rooney this morning that her peers had nominated and selected her as the Firefighter of the Year. Klum believes Rooney is deserving of the award.

"Rooney continually acts and performs beyond the call of duty." Klum goes on to say, "She improves the quality and efficiency of Fire Bureau programs, procedures, and objectives and she is an exemplary example of personal integrity, character, and citizenship."

Rooney will be honored at the PF&R's Spring Award Ceremony, the annual Russ Lemmon Memorial Award Banquet, and will ring the bell during the David Campbell Memorial Service in June 2012.