Seattle Fire annual awards luncheon
Each May, the Seattle Fire Department recognizes and celebrates the contributions of our firefighters, civilian staff and community members. It's a time I look forward to because it highlights the outstanding work that goes on each day inside and outside of the department.
More than five hundred people attended the luncheon and heard many stories of on-duty and off-duty heroism and other exceptional efforts.
One of the most moving moments was when a young woman we helped save from a drowning took the stage to thank everyone who had a hand in her rescue - from the U.S. Coast Guard and Washington State Ferries personnel who scooped her from the water and brought her to shore, to the Seattle Fire crews and Harborview medical staff who brought her back from the brink of death.
Her story provided a compelling look at the interconnectedness of our work as responders and with the community. I invite you to read our Fireline blog (here) that details each commendation and award winner's contributions. It is truly impressive.
Each day, Seattle Fire personnel make critical decisions that determine the outcomes for others. So it is an honor to publicly recognize all they give in service to this community we call home.
Harold D. Scoggins, Fire Chief | Seattle Fire Department
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Summer is a challenging time for blood banks as demand increases and blood donations slow. To help address this shortage, Seattle Fire and Seattle Police are holding a friendly blood drive challenge to see which department donates the most between June 17 and July 1.
"As firefighters and paramedics, we see firsthand the importance of donating blood. We encourage everyone to donate blood and help save lives," said Fire Chief Harold Scoggins.
Our supporters here and throughout the region can help Seattle Fire win the Red vs. Blue blood drive, too.
Visit any Bloodworks NW donation center in Washington and Oregon (listed here) to donate blood and use the code "SFD" during registration. Seattle Fire will receive one point for every donation made and five points for any first-time donor.
Donation takes just one hour. Most people in good health, 18 years or older and weighing 110 pounds or more can donate whole blood every 56 days. Full donor criteria is posted here.
Thanks for your support!
After nearly a year of conversations and planning with a committed group of community members, Chief Scoggins announced on May 15 the formation of the Seattle Fire Foundation.
The new non-profit aims to support Seattle firefighters through a number of key initiatives, such as providing tools and equipment generally not funded in the city budget; supporting the development of fire safety education in schools; and offering grants for innovative fire department-led ideas.
The Seattle Fire Foundation has already raised $50,000 towards its first goal of purchasing a set of ballistic gear for each on-duty firefighter.
Other community donors are also stepping forward to fund the development of fire safety education across all Seattle elementary schools and expand youth CPR education.
While the Seattle Fire Foundation mission is different than that of the Medic One Foundation, both will work shoulder-to-shoulder in support of our first responders.
You can learn more about the Seattle Fire Foundation and its priorities here.
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Seattle Fire is pleased to share that 23 firefighter recruits recently completed drill school and are now working in fire stations across the city for their probationary assignments.
Before their "Out to Operations" ceremony on May 16, Recruit Class 110 completed one last rite of passage by running the stairs of the six-story fire tower at the department's training facility. The children of their families used pump cans to drench them as "congratulations" for completing this step of training.
We also want to thank the West Woodland neighborhood. Seattle Fire conducted three days of live fire training in two vacant homes in the area between May 8 and 10. These real-life scenarios allow the department to test the recruits on the essential skills taught in drill school, such as fire attack, teamwork and communication, before advancing recruits to probationary assignments.
Mayor Jenny A. Durkan, Councilmember Sally Bagshaw and Fire Chief Scoggins on May 7 announced the creation of the City’s new pilot program “Health One,” a team of specially trained Seattle Fire Department firefighters and civilian specialists that will help people with non-emergency 911 requests for issues like substance abuse, non-emergency medical issues, and a need to access services.
This new SFD-sponsored pilot program will more appropriately address the needs of individuals with non-emergency 911 requests in and around downtown Seattle and provide alternatives other than transporting patients to emergency departments.
“Many of the low acuity calls received by the fire department are related to homelessness, mental health, social needs, drug and alcohol use and chronic medical issues. These are healthcare needs that a typical emergency medical response unit is not well equipped to address. We can now look beyond the traditional method of transporting patients to an emergency room and connect them with appropriate services,” said Chief Scoggins.
Seattle Fire plans to have the new unit in service this fall.
Seattle Fire responded to nearly 95,000 incidents in 2018.
Eighty-one percent of those were for emergency medical services.
Fire Prevention and Operations divisions inspected nearly 32,000 buildings.
The city experienced its first four-alarm fire since 2010, which caused more than $4 million in property damages.
These are just a few of the interesting details and figures in the recently published 2018 Annual Report. If you'd like to learn more about significant incidents, response times and how we prepared to serve the city in 2018, visit our website.
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