Primate Center Chemical Leak Prompts Haz Mat Response

Here is an example of how Automatic Aid works with fire departments. Even though the following incident occured in the City of Hillsboro, the closest responder and the specialty teams needed were crews from our neighboring agency, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue. While the majority of the resources were from TVF&R, our Battalion Chief and an HFD engine company were there to support and provide any additional Hillsboro resources needed.



News Release
A chlorine gas leak prompted the evacuation of an Oregon National Primate Center building in Hillsboro Wednesday morning along with a response from firefighters and a Hazardous Materials Team. The incident began shortly before nine when Primate Center employees reported a chemical leak. The closest emergency responders, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue’s (TVF&R) Engine 64 from their Somerset Station, arrived minutes later. They requested additional resources, including an engine from Hillsboro Fire Department and the regional hazardous materials response team from TVF&R.

TVF&R firefighters entered the building known as the Animal Services ABSL3 building, located on the south side of the campus and found two four-foot tall chlorine cylinders strapped to a cart. They shut off the flow of chlorine and began monitoring the air quality inside the building. The Hazardous Materials Team later removed the two tanks from the building and continued to monitor the air quality inside the building’s hallways.

Primate Center Health and Safety workers say they were preparing to disinfect a laboratory area with chlorine when one worker said she heard an unusual pop from the chlorine tank’s regulator as she opened the tank’s valve. She began smelling chlorine gas. She quickly activated the building’s safety system, evacuated fellow workers and sheltered the primates in place. The safety systems include a positive air flow ventilation system that prevented the leaked chlorine gas in the hallway from entering any of the rooms occupied by the primates. No one was injured. Firefighters began winding up their operation and turning the scene back over to Primate Center employees shortly before noon.

Patriot Flag on Display

A huge American flag that is traveling back and forth across the country is on display this week at Hillsboro Fire Department’s Station 3, 4455 NW 229th Avenue. The 30-foot by 58-foot Patriot Flag honors those who perished during the 9-11 terrorist attacks on the United States.

“We are honored to display this flag,” said Hillsboro Fire Chief Gary Seidel. “It’s our hope that Hillsboro citizens will drop by and sign the guest book that is traveling with the flag and let others know that we have not forgotten those who gave their lives on September 11th, 2001.”

Hillsboro Mayor Jerry Willey signed a proclamation marking today as Patriot Flag Day in Hillsboro. The folded flag display in the fire station training from December 28th trough 30th will also have a huge flag remnant on which the organizers are collecting signatures and remembrances. Visitors can read the log book and see where the flag has been as well as see photos of its journey. The flag will be on display at the Station 3 training room from 11 to 1 pm on Tuesday through Thursday. On Friday, December 31st, once the current series of storms break, Hillsboro firefighters will raise the huge flag at 8:00 am from a ladder truck in front of their fire station and pay proper respects. The public is invited to attend.

The flag began its journey in San Diego on September 10, 2010. It will travel to all 50 states before it flies during the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The flag is part of the World Memorial, an effort to build a museum to commemorate all those who died on 9/11 and all those who came to Ground Zero for rescue and recovery efforts. For more information, visit www.thepatriotflag.us or www.world-memorial.org.

HFD Cherry Lane Station 6 Dedication – September 11, 2010

Hillsboro Fire and Rescue formally dedicated the Cherry Lane Fire Station No. 6 in a ceremony held on Saturday, September 11, 2010. More than 300 people attended the event which included an open house and station tours.

The 16,000 square foot facility went into operation August 2nd and has averaged between four and five calls a day. It was built to serve the eastern portions of the City of Hillsboro where response times were exceeding our goal of four minutes 75% of the time. A career crew will staff this station 24/7. The facility will also be home to the 25 Volunteer Firefighters as well as the Training staff. The 56 seat smart classroom will providing valuable training for the more than 70 fire, rescue and medical certifications that firefighters seek and retain.

Fire Chief Gary Seidel was away in Pennsylvania taking part in the 9/11 Memorial ceremonies. In his place, Deputy Chief Sam Phillips outlined the station’s importance to the city and to the regional public safety network.

The station was dedicated in honor of all those firefighters who risked their lives in service to the citizens of Hillsboro and to the late James Gentry. Chaplain Gentry came to work at Hillsboro Fire Department and formed the first chaplain’s corp. He laid the groundwork for what is now an integral part of our service to the community. A chaplain is dispatched to every working fire, every major motor vehicle accident--any type of incident in which there has been a significant traumatic injury or death--to help the survivors deal with the emotional trauma that they may have incurred. The chaplains also are there to support our firefighters following sometimes horrific or tragic incident.

Our day included cake, cookies, coffee and fun for the kids. We appreciate the support of the citizens who authorized the Local Option Levy which helps pay the salaries of the firefighters who staff this station. We pledge to provide caring and compassionate service by highly trained men and women. You deserve nothing less than our best.

Thanks for 100 Years of Service!

Typically, when you think of 100 years of service, you think of an institution. But, in this case, I’m talking about three Hillsboro Firefighters who are retiring at about the same time. Perhaps, you could call them an institution, come to think of it. Together, they represent 100 years in the fire service. Wednesday evening, August 18th, colleagues gathered to honor Lieutenants Larry Yakymi and Brad Kastner along with Engineer Brad Lepley for their combined century of serving the citizens of Hillsboro.

From Yak Kastner Lepley retirement

The soiree occurred at Cornelius Pass Roadhouse and featured endless stories from coworkers, chiefs, and union brothers and sisters. They bestowed gifts and plaques, including a gift that fellow firefighters sealed inside of a granite boulder for Larry Yakymi. The former Urban Search & Rescue/Technical Rescue team member took a few swings with a sledge hammer, but was unable to crack the granite. We’ll check back some day in the future to see if he ever got his gift out.

Besides the colleagues, families and staff who gathered to wish the trio a happy retirement, 21 previous retirees showed up to share in the festivities and stay connected with their former organization. All 24 retirees posed for a photo and we estimate the talent in this photo below represents more than 700 years of firefighting experience! Happy retirement Brad, Brad and Larry!

From Yak Kastner Lepley retirement

Fill the Boot 2010

From Fill the Boot 2010

Help Hillsboro Firefighters help Jerry’s Kids! HFD members of the International Association of Firefighters Local 2210 took to the streets on Friday 8/12 and Friday 8/13 to raise funds for research for a cure to Muscular Dystrophy. The reference to Jerry’s Kids comes from long time comedian and Muscular Dystrophy Association supporter Jerry Lewis.

The firefighters collected donations on 10th between Oak and Baseline and also at the Shute on-ramps to Oregon Highway 26 from 4 – 7 pm on Thursday. On Friday they are at the intersection of SE Brookwood and East Main and at the 185th on-ramp to Hwy 26 from 4-7 pm.

All donations collected during the Fill-The-Boot will help fund local MDA programs and services, including support groups and equipment such as wheel chairs and leg braces. The proceeds also support clinics at Oregon Health and Science University and Shriners Hospital for Children and help send Oregon children with muscle wasting diseases to MDA summer camp each year.

From Fill the Boot 2010

MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research. The Association also provides comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy and education. The majority of contributions to MDA come from individual donors.

Elsewhere across the Metro area will also be out in force this week to raise funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
*Clackamas: Friday at SE 82nd Ave/ Causey; Saturday at Mollala Ave/ Gaffney Ln, Oregon City
*Gresham: Division and Eastman Pkwy; Friday/ Saturday 9-5
*Portland: SE 122nd Ave/ Stark; W Burnside/ 23rd Ave, Thursday/ Friday, 3-6:30
*Vancouver: Fourth Plain/ Andresen; 162 Ave./ NE 18th St.; Thursday/ Friday, noon-4

Thanks for Your Help, Global!

From Global Aviation presentation

Hillsboro Fire and Rescue said “Thanks for your help!” today to a senior executive at Global Aviation. Brian Lockhart, Global’’s Vice President of Maintenance has personally and graciously conducted numerous educational tours for firefighters from Hillsboro Fire Department and the Port of Portland Fire Department over the last several years. Mr. Lockhart allowed our firefighters to look throughout their aircraft to learn more about them. The tours focused on rescue access and structural features of their various aircraft models as well as hazard areas such as battery and oxygen tank locations.

Fire Chief Gary Seidel said, “I certainly hope our firefighters will never need to draw upon the lessons they have learned from these training sessions. However, I know if an emergency arises, they have learned from the best in the business.”

Chief Seidel presented a plaque of appreciation to Brian during a Global Aviation executive staff meeting on Tuesday, July 27, 2010. We appreciate great community partners like Global Aviation and Brian Lockhart.

Helping Hands at Lunch

Hillsboro Fire Department has been attending the Hillsboro Parks and Recreation Summer Outpost program each day this week. Firefighters have been chatting with children and parents about fire safety and letting them take a look at the fire engine or ladder truck in attendance. As described in a post earlier this week, there are arts and crafts programs and activities for the kids each day through the summer.

Firefighters have also been lending a hand this week distributing the summer lunches provided by the Hillsboro School District through a grant from the U. S. Department of Agriculture. On Wednesday for example, there were approximately 460 kids who received lunches through this program.

Thanks to Hillsboro Parks and Recreation for inviting us to the Outpost. It’s always great to talk to the citizens we serve!

Always a Firefighter Award

From McDaniel Award

Hillsboro Fire & Rescue’s Training Chief Yvain McDaniel was honored this past week by Molalla Rural Fire Protection District #73 for his help with a residential fire. Chief McDaniel lives a few miles outside of Molalla and single-handedly extinguished a residential fire in a neighbor’s home. Last Thursday, Molalla recognized Yvain for his actions and presented him with a plaque in front of the Volunteer Association meeting at the main fire station. In making the presentation, Battalion Chief Lonnie Loyer, who was the incident commander on-scene, stated the following:

“On the evening of June 1st at 5:45 pm, we were toned for a residential fire on the southern end of our district. Upon the arrival of myself as the duty officer, I observed a single story home fully charged with smoke. As I gave my size-up to dispatch and was getting out of the vehicle, I was approached by an individual who stated that the fire was extinguished. This individual introduced himself as Yvain McDaniel. He explained there was still a lot of heat and smoke in the home, but that he had opened a door and window and had started positive pressure to extract the smoke and heat with a common household fan. He then took me to the seat of the fire on the exterior of the home. What I observed was unique and not usually seen when being the first arriving representative from the local fire department."

"Yvain had quickly determined the seat of the fire and removed the siding from the home with just his hands and, maybe, feet, and gained access without any special tools or gear. He then used the garden hose through the wall and fully extinguished the fire. When my first responding engine arrived and we began overhauling and gathering information from the homeowner, I looked around for Yvain to thank him again for his efforts and complete success at single-handedly saving this family’s home from destruction. But, Yvain had quietly slipped off and went back to his home to be with his own family."

"Because of his willingness to investigate, his knowledge to access, his ability to perform, his heart to help someone in need and his humbleness to just quietly slip away, all of us at Mollalla Fire District would like to honor Yvain McDaniel for going above and beyond the call of duty and for acquiring the utmost respect and gratitude from all of us here at the fire station and, certainly, from our community.”

We’re pretty proud of him, too!

From the Outpost

Hillsboro Fire and Rescue is participating again this year in Hillsboro Parks and Recreation Department’s Summer Outpost program at Shute Park. This is the 5th year of this great lunch and activity program which runs from June 21 through August 20 from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm.

On Monday, Truck 3 kicked off Americana Week with a visit to the park to let kids and parents climb on and investigate. Hillsboro Firefighters will be there each day this week. On Wednesday, we’ll be serving lunch to the kids, so come on down and see what’s happening.

Children ages one to 18 are invited to drop in for arts, sports, reading and science lab (sponsored by Genentech Science Lab) activities. Hillsboro School District’s Nutrition Services prepares the lunch with funds from the USDA Summer Food Program. The Outpost program serves an average of 350 meals a day and as many as 500 per day to area youth.

Injury Prevention

Hillsboro Firefighters are learning a new way to work out this week. They’re using Kettle Bells. If you haven’t heard of this new trend in free weight workouts, you’re not alone. Kettle Bells are essentially a canon ball-shaped weight with a loop handle on top and rubber base. They come in 26, 35, 44 and 96 pound weights.

The workout process is based on a series of short, but intense, series of exercises of swinging and lifting these weights. The experience is designed to help workout nearly all muscle groups in the body. Correct posture and technique ensure maximum benefit while minimizing undue stress on joints.

HFD has purchased a set of Kettle Bells and enlisted local trainers to provide basic technique education for all firefighters. The Kettle Bells will be placed at each station in the workout rooms provided under HFD’s Health and Wellness program. Firefighters are often injured on the job when lifting equipment or dealing with rescues at odd angles and postures. This addition to the firefighter’s exercise regimen will hopefully reduce those on-the-job injuries.

For more information on Kettle Bells, visit Wikipedia.

Burn to Learn June 15

Hillsboro Fire and Rescue conducted a Burn to Learn Tuesday. It’s a joint venture between the HFD and the home’s owner who wanted the 1940s vintage structure removed. Firefighters practiced forcible entry drills on the doors before setting the fire. The firefighters practiced controlling fire volume and intensity by using different sized hose lines. Additionally, they used differing nozzles—smooth bore versus variable fog nozzle—in order to learn how each affect heavy fire conditions.

Get Ready for Anything

Hillsboro Fire Department Station 3 hosted a video shoot for Intel to produce a podcast on emergency preparedness. The video is for the company’s employees as a reminder to create an emergency kit at home to be prepared to live without external services (electricity, water, natural gas, etc.) for 72 hours to seven days in the event of an area-wide disaster. Scott Stewart and Maru Kramer from Environmental Health and Safety Division in Corporate Services interviewed Randy Dodds, Oregon Corporate Services Facilities and Services Team Emergency Manager. They shot the video on a cell phone and will edit in video of our firefighters responding to emergencies.

This is an excellent reminder for us all to check our emergency kits to see if we have water, food, necessary medicine, flashlights, battery-operated radio and the myriad of items you might need if all normal services are cut off.
Here is a link to additional materials on being prepared for emergencies:

www.take5tosurvive.com

And, don’t forget about Hillsboro CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training.

SKID - Stop Kids Intoxicated Driving

Hillsboro Fire and Rescue, along with other public and private agencies in the area, took part in another live action melodrama called SKID or Stop Kids Intoxicated Driving. The scene is a prom night with graduating seniors attending a party. Several have consumed alcoholic drinks and the result is a head-on collision resulting in one youth killed and two others sent to hospitals in critical condition.

Hillsboro Firefighters, Hillsboro Police, Washington County Sheriff’s Deputies, Life Flight, Metro West Ambulance, Entercom, Springer and Sons Mortuary and other agencies, along with student actors and local parents, devoted several hours of time to stage the event for Century High School students.
The drama, complete with audio from grieving parents, the arresting officer’s conversation with the driver, the coroner’s discussion and other sound effects, seemed to leave an impression on the students. To date, SKID has been performed before 83,000 students.

Sober Grad Night Demo – Glenco High School

Hillsboro Fire Department supported the Sober Grad Night assembly and presentation by Hillsboro Police on Thursday, May 13, 2010. The officers made their plea to Glencoe High School seniors to avoid drinking or taking drugs before or while driving in an effort to reduce student accidents and fatalities on graduation and prom nights. Following the assembly, students went outside to watch Hillsboro Firefighters simulate a rescue from a wrecked car.

Firefighters staffing Engine-1 and Rescue-1 used all of their hydraulic, electric and hand tools to remove the doors and the roof of the car. The process is often necessary in order to make access to injured occupants of the car and to safely remove them from the vehicle without causing further injuries. Wrecked vehicles are frequently found upside down, on their sides, on top of each other, wrapped around a tree/power pole or in ravines. The demonstration will hopefully reach any student who may consider consuming anything that might impair their driving during the final days of their high school education.

Chamber Leadership – Public Safety Day

It was Public Safety Day for the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce Leadership class Wednesday. The group of about 30 Hillsboro business men and women spend one day per month learning about the governance and operation of their city. Following classroom presentations by Hillsboro Fire & Police Departments, the class divided into groups and experienced the following activities:

With Hillsboro Firefighters they:
• Donned firefighter protective clothing, called turnouts or bunker gear, added the air tank and mask, and entered a room filled with theatrical smoke to search on their hands and knees for a rescue dummy lost in the clouded room. This simulated the zero visibility that firefighters experience in performing the search of a structure on fire.
• Donned firefighter protective clothing and used the rescue tools often called the “jaws of life” to cut apart a car. That demonstrated how long it takes to rescue people from a motor vehicle accident.

With Hillsboro Police Officers they:
• Used special training handguns with non-lethal ammunition and practiced shooting at an indoor range.
• Observed a taser being deployed into the body of a volunteer.
• Observed and accompanied a group of police officers in responding to a simulation of an active shooter scenario complete with guns firing blanks and explosions.
• Observed police dog demonstrations finding hidden narcotics and tracking a simulated fleeing suspect.


The entire day was held at the former Master Brand Cabinet building on Walnut Street. Our thanks to the owners of the building for allowing us to use it.

This is Arson Awarenss Week - May 2-8

From Miscellaneous

This is Arson Awareness Week, May 2-8, 2010. The U.S. Fire Administration reports more than 62,000 arson fires in 2008 across the country caused more than $866-million in damages. The goal of Arson Awareness Week is to focus attention on the horrific crime and to provide communities with tools and strategies to fight arson in their neighborhoods, schools, businesses and places of worship.

If you think that arson is not a problem in our community, you are wrong. Hillsboro Fire and Rescue works closely with Hillsboro Police, Washington County Sheriff’s Department, and other law enforcement agencies to vigorously investigate and support prosecution of all fires determined to be caused by arson. But, we can’t do it alone. It takes the awareness of the entire community to keep watch and report any suspected arson.

• Contact your fire department or police department if you know of an arson crime.
• Report suspicious activity near houses, apartments or commercial buildings. Participate in Neighborhood Watch Programs.
• Keep leaves and flammable debris away from all buildings. Don’t make it easy for an arsonist to start a fire or facilitate spread of the fire to additional structures.
• Keep matches and lighters out of reach of children. It’s best to keep matches and lighters in a locked cabinet.
• If you suspect your child of having an unusual fascination with fire, contact us at 503-681-6166. We have educational programs designed to help a child understand the dangers involved in misusing fire.

Practicing to Fight LP Gas Fires

Hillsboro Firefighters spent this past week training on propane tank fires at the Washington County Fairgrounds. Though relatively rare, these fires burn extremely hot—as high as 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit. Add to the high temperatures the fact that a propane tank heated by a surrounding fire can experience a catastrophic failure (called a boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion) and the danger jumps many times. Exploding LP gas rail cars have been hurled three quarters of a mile. That’s why firefighters, especially rookies, spend considerable time learning how to fight them.

In an LP gas fire, firefighters must learn how to advance two hose lines in perfect unison to keep the tank cool and to provide a directional water barrier that pushes the intense heat and flames away. Firefighters used a specially-constructed propane tank prop that simulates such a fire and practiced shutting off the flow of propane feeding that blaze. They advanced the hose lines carefully until they were just inches away from the tank. That’s when the team leader reached through the spray and shut off the flow of propane. Then they retreated in a similar fashion since the fire and leaking propane may not quit immediately.

New Fire Station 6 Update

Hillsboro Fire and Rescue’s new fire station on Cherry Lane is on schedule and is expected to open in July. Contractors are finishing the roof on the 16,000 square foot station located at 21880 NW Cherry Lane, just west of Cornelius Pass Road. They are preparing to pour the concrete flooring for the three engine bays. Work should begin soon on the interior of the building.

The fire station will serve as the Fire Department’s new training center and will provide a base of operations for the Hillsboro Fire Department’s volunteers. It will also house a fire engine staffed 24/7 by career personnel.



City and Department staffs are making plans for a dedication event for late summer for which the public will be invited. Keep watch for announcements for the date and time. Funding for the $2.8-million comes from the general fund and the local option tax provides funding for the additional firefighters, apparatus and equipment.

Forcible Entry Drills

When firefighters respond to a reported fire, one of their first tasks upon arrival is to get into the building. During the day when the structure has been occupied, doors are usually unlocked. But at night or when the occupants are away, firefighters must forcibly enter the building. In some commercial buildings metal doors, heavy-duty locks and cross bars slow their entry to the fire. To ensure that firefighters have all the skills necessary to quickly make entry, they practice cutting open the metal doors, hinges and locks that can dramatically slow their fire attack.

This past week, Hillsboro Volunteer Firefighters drilled at Fire Station #3, located at 4455 NW 229th Avenue on these skills. The station has a number of training props located there. They include commercial steel man-doors that are designed to allow firefighters to practice their forcible entry techniques. The gas-powered circular rescue saw is among the most popular tools used to cut into steel doors, hinges and lock bolts. The saw can be fitted with the normal wood cutting blade, concrete cutting blades or a special blade that cuts hardened metal quickly. Firefighters recognize these doors are expensive and attempt to minimize damage to the doors and framework, but have to balance cost conservation with the need to access the building quickly to attack the fire.

The first step is to assess the type of door the firefighter faces, recognize the type of locking components, hinges and potential internal structure, and then begin to attack its most vulnerable points. Experienced firefighters can usually cut through these doors in a matter of minutes.

Mobile Water Supply

While spring is taking a break and winter is making its last gasp, Hillsboro Firefighters are preparing for summer. Brush and wild land fires are more common during the warm weather and to fight those fires, firefighters need a mobile water supply when they are operating in areas not served by a municipal water supply. Handling a Tender filled with up to 3,000 gallons of water can be a chore. Besides being heavy, water sloshes from side to side and dramatically affects the center of gravity of the vehicle.



Nearly 150 firefighters died while driving water tenders in the United States during the period 1998-2007. The National Fire Protection Association says four out of five of the fatalities occurred while responding to or returning from a fire emergency. Most were single vehicle accidents. That’s why our Firefighters are practicing driving Tender 104 in tight spaces and around obstacles at the Washington County Fairgrounds this week. We want them to be able to respond to your fire quickly and safely.

Celebrate Red Cross Month by Giving

From Red Cross Month

Governor Ted Kulongoski has issued a proclamation that March is Red Cross Month in Oregon. Hillsboro Fire and Rescue joins in celebrating this month and acknowledges the valuable support the Oregon Trail Chapter of the Red Cross continues to provide to our citizens. The Red Cross is the agency we call to provide immediate help and housing to residents whose apartment or home has been damaged or destroyed by fire and have no other means, such as insurance, on which to fall back.

The Red Cross provides volunteer Disaster Assistance Teams whenever we call them 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These self-less citizens come to the aid of others who have just experienced one of the worst days of their lives. They work hand-in-hand with our Chaplains to provide food, shelter, health and mental health services.

They tirelessly have promoted and taught basic swimming skills and provided classes in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). In addition, the Red Cross joins Hillsboro's Emergency Managers in promoting emergency preparedness so that citizens will have the means and skills to survive in the event that Oregonians are faced with an earthquake of the magnitude that has occurred recently in Haiti and Chile. For more information on this non-profit organization and to make a donation that supports local disaster victims or those of international disasters, visit:
www.oregonredcross.org.

Airway Control

When a patient falls unconscious, there is a real danger that the tongue will slip to the back of the throat and block the airway or nasopharynx. When this happens medical personnel must quickly provide an advanced airway to keep the patient alive. They can assist the patient in breathing by forcing air into the lungs with a manually operated bag valve.

This week, Hillsboro Fire and Rescue firefighter/medics have been training on the use of the King Airway device. It’s a specially-designed tube with inflatable collars that medics can insert into the patient’s throat to provide a means to force air into their lungs. The device also contains a tube that provides a vent for gastric pressure and stomach decompression. It also channels any vomit outside the body rather than allowing it to be aspirated into the patient’s lungs.
Our Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technician-Intermediates have been using this device for some time now. EMT-Basics received their training and skill assessment on the use of this device this week. The device, which can be inserted even while medics are performing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), is just another tool in the tool box of firefighters working to save lives.

All firefighters at Hillsboro Fire & Rescue are trained Emergency Medical Technicians. There are three levels of training, EMT-Basic, EMT-Intermediate and EMT-Paramedic. An engine, truck or rescue company is dispatched on every call for an ambulance because they can often reach the patient first and begin life-saving treatment. Once the ambulance arrives, firefighter/medics hand off the patient to ambulance medics for transportation to the nearest hospital. If the patient is condition is critical, one or more firefighters will accompany the patient to the hospital to supplement ambulance medics. This provides the highest level of service to our citizens.

Rapid Intervention Team Drill

At any working fire, you may see a number of firefighters doing multiple tasks. The typical scene to the untrained eye looks rather chaotic. However, each team of firefighters has been assigned tasks to perform. One such team is the Rapid Intervention Team or RIT. A RIT team is tasked with being ready with the necessary equipment to rescue a firefighter should he or she become disabled or trapped inside a burning building. They may be assigned duties to provide a second means of egress for the crews operating inside and to walk around the structure to familiarize themselves with other potential escape routes. But, other than that, RIT team members are to stand by ready for deployment if one of their colleagues needs them.

This past week, Hillsboro Fire and Rescue conducted RIT drills in a modular building donated to us by a local business. The structure provided a series of rooms in which trainers constructed a simulated building collapse that required the RIT team students to crawl through, under, over obstacles to locate the simulated firefighter needing rescue. They have to perform these drills with Press –n-Seal coating their face masks to simulate smoky conditions. Successfully performing these drills give firefighters an idea of what it may be like to be looking for one of their own should the unexpected happen.

Burn to Learn

Hillsboro Fire and Rescue conducted a training burn at 1255 SE Walnut on Saturday (Feb 13) to teach new firefighters and volunteers needing additional experience about fire behavior and suppression methods. The burn was conducted at a locally owned home that is being demolished to make way for Habitat for Humanity to build several new homes on the property for low income residents.

The burn began at 8:30 am with a safety briefing. Experienced firefighters served as team leaders to guide the new recruits and volunteers through the paces. Safety officers were prepositioned within the structure and a fire was set in a pile of hay and pallet wood. A team was sent in to watch the fire’s growth and to knock down the flames to keep heat levels under control. The teams rotate personnel on the end of the hose line and attacked the flames again. As the fuels were depleted in one room, another room was prepared and set ablaze and the process began again. At the conclusion of the drills, all personnel withdrew from the building and the home was allowed to burn to the ground.

These burns are a win-win for the property owner and Hillsboro Fire Department. The property owner has less debris to haul away from the property and place in a landfill and the fire department gets a structure in which it can train new firefighters under controlled circumstances to provide the safest experience possible. More than 100 people from the neighborhood turned out at the height of the training.

Confined Space Drill - Underground Rescues

When utility workers or contractors have to work underground in tunnels, drains, tanks and vaults, they often encounter trapped gasses that may be reside in the container or naturally occuring in the earth. Hydrogen Sulfide is one of those gases along with carbon monoxide and others that can disable or kill workers who don't have supplied air systems.

When someone is injured or falls ill due to toxic fumes, firefighters must safely enter the same space and rescue or recover the patients. The firefighters must don either self contained breathing apparatus or use a supplied air line to the surface. They must operate in water, mud, and worse in very cramped spaces to rescue the patients.

This week Hillsboro Fire and Rescue conducted confined space drills at the Confined Space prop located at Fire Station #3. Firefighters must maintain their competencies in these skills each year. They must also practice using the specialized tools that may be necessary for such incidents as a builiding collapse as a result of an earthquake.

If you have questions regarding Hillsboro Fire and Rescue's Technical Rescue capabilities, call 503-681-6166.

Cherry Lane Fire Station Going Up!

From New Fire Station 6

Despite the weather, contractors are making excellent progress on constructing Hillsboro Fire & Rescue’s new fire station located on Cherry Lane just east of Cornelius Pass Road. In the last five weeks, workers have finished much of the site preparation for the structure, poured the footings and concrete floors for the living quarters and training rooms and masons have begun building the concrete block walls, which you can see going up in the photo.

The 16,000 square foot facility will serve as the Department’s new training center while housing a four person engine company. Completion of the facility is scheduled for July 2010.

The location of the fire station is 21880 NW Cherry Lane.


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2009 Hillsboro Fire Department Awards

Ten Hillsboro Fire and Rescue firefighters and staff received recognition for their outstanding contributions to the Department’s mission Friday afternoon, January 29th, at a ceremony at the Hillsboro Civic Center.

“I am extremely proud of the firefighters and staff here,” said Fire Chief Gary Seidel said in making the presentations. “They give their best on and off duty.

From 2009 Awards Ceremony

Firefighter Luis Mota received a Distinguished Service Award for his actions in saving the life of a restaurant patron in Salem. Mota was off duty and dining in another part of the restaurant when an elderly patron confined to a wheelchair began choking on food. Wait staff initially attempted to assit the man, then asked for help. Mota pulled the man from his wheelchair and began the Heimlich maneuver. The food remained stuck in the patient’s airway and the man fell unconscious. Mota then began Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation chest compressions according to his training. The persistent Mota kept up the compressions until the food dislodged. Salem Firefighters arrived and transported the man to a local hospital where he arrived conscious and talking to his responders. In addition to the Fire Department award, representatives from Liberty Mutual Insurance Company presented Mota with their Firemark Award. Liberty Mutual representative Ward Klicke said the Firemark Award honors the valor and selfless spirit of firefighters who keep our communities safe.

From 2009 Awards Ceremony

A Distinguished Service Award went to Firefighter Tim Eiden. A second-generation firefighter, Eiden was off duty one evening and was leaving his sister’s home when he noticed an apartment building nearby was on fire. He instructed a companion to call 9-1-1, grabbed a fire extinguisher, and extinguished the fire before fellow firefighters arrived, thereby saving the structure and possibly the lives of the tenants inside who were unaware of the fire on the exterior of the building.

Two other top awards were the Career and Volunteer Firefighter of the Year. The two recipients were selected by their peers for their unfailing contributions to the Department. Chaplain Steve Brodehl was selected as Firefighter of the Year and Lieutenant David Sellers was selected the Volunteer Firefighter of the Year. Brodehl also picked up the Distinguished Service Award for his unfailing dedication and devotion to the citizens of Hillsboro. Chaplain Brodehl responds to all fire and emergency medical calls when citizen’s emotions are shattered by what is most likely the worst day of their life. He provides compassion and counsel to help the citizen find emotional stability during a chaotic time.

From 2009 Awards Ceremony

Lieutenant Sellers was picked for Volunteer Firefighter of the Year for his regular dedication to helping train new and promoting volunteer firefighters. Sellers, a local insurance representative, also dons his firefighting gear when called and responds to all types of incidents, shares his experience with younger volunteer colleagues and spends time at community events talking to children about fire safety.

The Chief’s Award is utilized to recognize single acts of merit or service, an increase in efficiency or effectiveness in a non-emergency function. Chief Seidel bestowed that award on Mary Bradley, the Department’s Management Analyst. She was cited for her instrumental role in the Department’s accreditation process, her leadership of the Department’s employee time management program called TELESTAFF, and for her day-to-day management of the Departments statistical databases.

From 2009 Awards Ceremony

Fire Chief Gary Seidel also bestowed the Chief’s Coin of Excellence on the following personnel:

Retired Administrative Chief Dennis Ross was recognized for his leadership and work on managing the Department’s application for accreditation by the Commission on Public Safety Excellence. Ross was also cited for his role as Planning Section Chief on the Office of State Fire Marshal’s Red Incident Management Team.

Retired Special Operations and EMS Chief Don Schallberger was recognized for his work in with the Oregon Urban Search and Rescue teams and for his contributions to obtaining grants from the Urban Area Security Initiative that benefit fire departments in Washington County. He was also cited for his assistance in training Hillsboro Emergency Operations Center staff.

Firefighter Shane Rice was recognized for his dedication and leadership in training new volunteer firefighters. Firefighter Rice has devoted many hours of time to help build volunteer firefighters’ skills.

Firefighter Ben Tanner was recognized for his contributions to the Pre-Plan Program. Firefighter Tanner spends countless hours outside of his regular duties in drawing and preparing plans of commercial buildings and properties so that firefighters have accurate and detailed drawings of those properties available to them before they arrive at a fire or medical emergency. This allows them to locate a patient, water hydrant and sprinkler controls more quickly or plan their tactics and deploy crews much more efficiently.

Firefighter Alia Jennings was recognized for her leadership and coordination of the Toy and Joy Program. Each year Firefighter Jennings plans and executes the off-duty efforts of firefighters, operating under the Random Acts Program, to collect new, unwrapped toys for needy children. She works tirelessly with her colleagues and with outside organizations to ensure toys and food are delivered to Hillsboro’s neediest families.

For fire and life safety information, visit: http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/Fire/Default.aspx or call 503-681-6166.

New Tools for the Firefighters’ Skill Toolbox

Positive Pressure Attack – many departments have used this strategy for years while others have not. It involves directing a high velocity air flow at the entrance to a building involved in fire to facilitate initial fire attack. It’s a technique that dramatically improves visibility and cools the temperatures in a house fire which would enhance the chances of survival of any trapped residents and help firefighters locate them more quickly. That’s why Hillsboro Fire and Rescue trained on the technique this week at a make-shift burn house at the Washington County Fairgrounds. The instructors for this week’s training were veteran battalion chiefs formerly from Salt Lake City Fire Department. Chief Kriss Garcia is now the Fire Chief at American Fork Fire & Rescue in Utah and Reinhard Kauffmann is now retired.

The trainers build fires from wooden pallets and hay one at a time in each of the rooms and crews rotate through these evolutions until all had the experience of conducting the initial attack on the fire. Crews monitor the temperatures in the rooms using a Thermal Imaging Camera and report the difference in the conditions inside. Using the positive pressure ventilation in coordination with the initial fire attack allows firefighters to wait a few moments to ensure conditions are improving, enter and find the seat of the fire more quickly, and operate in much cooler temperatures than when attacking a fire without the ventilation.

There are, of course, certain conditions when this tactic is not to be used. Chiefs Garcia and Kauffmann outlined those circumstances clearly in a classroom portion of this drill prior to the live fire evolutions.

When a Birth Day Turns into an Emergency

From Birth Class

The birth of a child is traditionally a joyous occasion. And, if all goes well, the mother-to-be makes it to the hospital in time for a normal delivery of the bundle of joy. In some cases, the child arrives early and firefighter/medics get the thrill of helping to deliver a healthy child into this world. However, in a few cases, whether from a medical problem or a traumatic event, complications occur in those critical hours just before birth. That’s when emergency medical personnel may have to deal with problem pregnancies and deliveries.

Firefighters from Hillsboro Fire & Rescue attended classes this week on imminent childbirth where complications were presented. Those complications ranged from infections and abnormal pain to stillbirths and situations which threaten the lives of both the child and mother. Just another way in which our firefighters continue to engage in life-long learning and provide excellent service to the citizens of Hillsboro—especially the newest citizens!

How do you rescue a stranded worker, such as a window washer, who is high above the ground and unable to help himself? You call in firefighters trained in high-angle rope rescue. Hillsboro Fire and Rescue has been conducting high angle rope rescue drills this week at the 5-story public parking garage at First and Washington Streets. The firefighters practiced setting the rigging and executing the rescue of a practice dummy from the side of the parking structure.

Tuesday’s drill allowed Hillsboro Fire Department's veteran rope rescue technicians to teach newer firefighters techniques for handing the ropes and for being the rescuer. Often the most difficult part of a high angle rescue is getting over the edge without suffering an injury. In this drill, firefighters used a tripod to elevate the point from which the rescuer is lowered allowing a easier and safer move over the edge. Once the firefighter reached the “patient,” he moved the patient from the patient's rigging to the rescue rigging and lowered the patient to the next garage level down to be unhooked. Firefighters drill regularly on skills that are high risk/low frequency to ensure that they can be done quickly and safely.

Winter Heating Safety

From Winter Heating Safety

Post holiday bills and high heating costs sometimes drive citizens to heat their homes with alternative sources. This time of year we see a spike in home heating fires caused by wood burning stoves, fireplaces and space heaters. You can reduce your chances of a heating-related fire by following these tips:

• Ensure space heaters are kept at least three feet away from anything that can burn. They should also have a tip-over shutoff switch.


• Have chimneys professionally inspected and cleaned each year.
  


• Dispose of fireplace and wood stove ashes in a metal container–never use a paper bag or cardboard box.
  


• Use a glass or metal screen in front of the fireplace to prevent sparks from igniting drapes, furniture and carpets.
  


• Ensure wood stoves are properly installed.
  


• Never use a range or oven to heat your home.

And, we can never mention it enough -- ensure you have a working smoke alarm on each level of your home, outside sleeping areas and, for maximum protection, one in each bedroom!