Pizza for Breakfast

Courtesy of the International Association of Firefighters "Fit to Survive" Menu 

Ingredients:

• 1½ c frozen loose-pack diced hash brown potatoes with peppers and onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1½ c liquid eggs (i.e. Egg Beaters) or 6 eggs, beaten
• �� c fat-free milk
• 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped or 1 tsp dried
• ½ tsp salt (optional)
• ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 (14 oz) Italian bread shell (i.e. Boboli)
• 1 c shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
• 2 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise and sliced
• ¼ c shredded fresh basil (as garnish, optional)

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray.
3. Heat over medium heat and when hot, add potatoes and garlic.
4. Cook for about 4 minutes stirring occasionally until tender.
5. While potatoes are cooking, whisk together egg, milk, 1 tablespoon basil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
6. Drizzle olive oil over potatoes and add egg mixture.
7. Let cook without moving until eggs begin to set on bottom and around edge, about 1-2 minutes.
8. Using large spatula, lift edges of potato/eggs and let uncooked eggs run underneath to cook.
9. Continue cooking until eggs are cooked but not dry.
10. Place bread shell on a large baking sheet.
11. Sprinkle with half the cheese, top with potato/egg mixture, tomatoes and remaining cheese.
12. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
13. Sprinkle with ¼ cup shredded basil, if desired.
14. Cut into eight wedges to serve.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories  233
• Total Fat 7 g  
• Sodium 579 mg
• Total Carbohydrates 29 g
• Fiber 2 g
• Protein  15 g

April 18, 2012

3:47 PM

At 1:36 pm this afternoon, Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) firefighters responded to a residential fire at a triplex located at 6307 SE 72^nd Avenue.

The initial 9-1-1 call was by a neighbor who reported that a smoke alarm was alerting next door and smoke and flames could be seen.

PF&R Engine and Rescue 11 (Lents) arrived on-scene in less than four minutes and confirmed that heavy smoke and fire were coming from the inside of the triplex’s middle unit.  Firefighters were met outside by a 65-year old woman who had extensive burns and was suffering from smoke inhalation.  This presented a challenging situation for crews who delivered immediate care to the woman and began fighting the growing fire.

Initial crews established a water supply and entered the home. Firefighters from Engine 9 (Hawthorne) and Engine 25 (Woodstock) provided back up hose lines to protect the fire attack crew. All utilities and gas were shut off as a precautionary measure and for the safety of the firefighters and traffic control was established in the area.

Truck 25 crews prepared to ventilate the home’s roof.  Engine 20 was designated as the Rapid Intervention Team or RIT crew, dedicated solely to the search and rescue of downed firefighters.

Firefighters quickly determined the location and extinguished the fire in less than six minutes while simultaneously searching the home for additional occupants. They then checked for fire extensions in the walls, ceiling, and the two adjacent units.  Unfortunately, firefighters encountered difficult conditions when checking for ceiling extensions due to the plywood construction. The Incident Commander of the fire then instructed Truck 25 firefighters to cut a hole or ventilate the roof in order to allow smoke and heat to escape. This helped to give the engine crews inside the home additional visibility and made conditions more tenable. A fan was also placed in the front door of the home to speed up the ventilation process.

The fire was recalled at 1:53 pm, 17 minutes after fire crews were dispatched.  Firefighters from Engine and Truck 25 and Engine 11 remained on-scene to complete salvage and overhaul and secure the home.

A PF&R fire investigator later determined that the elderly woman was smoking a cigarette while using a nasal cannula for oxygen. A fire ignited that burned the woman and spread to the kitchen cabinets. The elderly woman was transported code-3 with life-threatening injuries to the Oregon Burn Center by ambulance. 

Damage to the home is estimated at $20,000.

PF&R reminds citizens that it is important to understand how oxygen can contribute to home fires. Oxygen should always be handled with caution and complete awareness of potential hazards. Visit http://www.portlandonline.com/fire/homeoxygensafety for ways to safely use home-based and portable oxygen systems in the home.

April 18, 2012

9:43 PM

"It was a great day to sit out on my front porch with my dog," said Joann Nomeland. "Then all of a sudden I heard a high pitched sound coming from somewhere around my house. After circling my front porch and yard, and finding nothing, I could still hear the noise. I realized the sound was coming from my neighbor's house about 80 yards away. I didn't want to be "nosey", but it sounded like multiple smoke alarms. I quickly went to the door and I could smell smoke. I knocked on the door but no one was home - except for the two dogs that live there." 

With the 1909 home filling with smoke and the dogs frantically barking inside, Nomeland called 9-1-1 and another neighbor, Chris Heaps. Heaps arrived to find the dogs inside and all doors locked. According to Heaps, "I used what I had available to get them out - my foot." Heaps broke down the front door and rescued Pica, a 40 pound mixed breed dog. After another attempt to rescue the second dog, Hana, Heaps recognized that the smoke was too thick and made a good decision to wait for Portland Fire & Rescue to arrive. Portland Fire & Rescue urges citizens never to enter a structure that is on fire.

At approximately 2:00 pm, firefighters from Portland Fire Station 24 (Overlook/Swan Island) arrived and were alerted that a dog was missing inside. Engine 24 firefighters quickly put on their air packs and searched the home for Hana, a 50 pound lab mix, who was hiding at the back of the house. They were able to quickly extinguish the fire, which was contained to the stovetop. Despite the fire's small size, it produced a large amount of smoke.

"I was cooking hamburger on the stove when I got distracted and left the house with the stove on," said homeowner Glenn Giere who returned a short time later. "I was shocked when I returned and found the neighbors and firefighters in front of my house. I'm lucky that the damage was not as bad as it could have been, and I'm thankful for my neighbors' quick actions to call 9-1-1 and help my pets."

Giere stated that his large, 103-year-old home has seven smoke alarms in it, which he credits for the early detection of this fire. Tonight, Giere is equally convinced of the power of knowing your neighbors. "It's nice to know someone is watching out for your home, your family, and your pets. It pays to know your neighbors."

At this time, both Hana and Pica are doing fine. A damage estimate from the fire is not available at this time.

On Wednesday (4/18), the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management (PBEM) and Multnomah County co-hosted a brief walking tour in downtown Portland for Mayor Sam Adams and members of the news media. The tour took place in a part of the city known for its dense collection of old masonry buildings. Some of these buildings are reinforced against earthquakes; others are still seismically vulnerable. Click here for an Oregon Public Broadcasting story about the event.

During the tour, engineering and geology experts described seismic challenges and successes at four different sites, including Mercy Corps headquarters, the Burnside Bridge, the harbor wall along the Willamette River and Portland Fire & Rescue Fire Station 1 (Old Town).

Click here to learn more about Fire Station 1's seismic upgrade to withstand a 2500-year earthquake.

This event happened in conjunction with the Portland Earthquake Project, a collaboration among Mercy Corps, Oregon Red Cross, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and PBEM. The group’s mission is to focus public awareness on the unique earthquake vulnerabilities in our region and to encourage preparedness. Three crustal faults travel through Portland while much of the entire West Coast of North America faces the threat of a probable 9.0 magnitude Cascadia subduction zone earthquake.

Reposted blog with permission from the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management (PBEM)