Message from the Fire Chief If you have a passion to serve, Seattle Fire may be the place for you! We are currently accepting applications for entry-level firefighter through Nov. 26, 2019. We are looking for individuals who have honesty, integrity, strength and are team players. Find out more and apply online at seattlefirejobs.com. October is Fire Prevention Month - to reduce the occurrence of home fires and home fire injuries, we will have weekly tips on our social media accounts. These messages will focus on the importance of installing smoke alarms, having a fire escape plan, shutting the door to prevent fire from spreading, and heating your home safely. Additionally, our public educators will be canvassing the Rainier Valley and South Park neighborhoods to install free smoke alarms in residential homes. We are closing out prevention month on Oct. 28 with a “Fall Festival” at Fire Station 25. We hope you will join us this month as we honor all Seattle firefighters who have died in the line of duty. The annual Seattle Fallen Firefighter Memorial will take place from 9:30-10 a.m. on Oct. 4 at Occidental Square (117 S. Washington St.). Rich in firefighter tradition, the ceremony will begin and end with a presentation by the Walter Kilgore Memorial Honor Guard. The Seattle Firefighters Pipes and Drums band will play several musical selections and the audience will hear brief remarks from myself, Mayor Jenny Durkan and the President of our Local 27 Seattle Fire Fighters Union, Kenny Stuart. Stay Safe, Harold D. Scoggins, Fire Chief

Recap of significant incidents

Seattle Fire in the community

More funds proposed for new Health one program We know the demand is high for addressing low acuity calls in our community. Many of these calls are related to homelessness, mental health, social needs, drug and alcohol use and chronic medical issues.  Our new Health One program will immensely increase our ability to better meet the needs of our patients, by connecting them with the appropriate services. The Health One unit hits the streets this month, and will serve the downtown core and some adjacent neighborhoods.  Mayor Jenny Durkan announced on Sept. 11 additional proposed funds to support the development of the Health One program. Read more on Fireline.

9/11 Remembrance ceremony We spent the day honoring and remembering those who lost their lives on 9/11. Our morning began at the Space Needle, where we joined the Seattle Police Department in raising and then lowering the flag to half-staff at 8:46 a.m. This time is significant, as it was the time in New York when the first plane hit the towers 18 years ago. Firefighters throughout the City read the names of the 343 FDNY firefighters who lost their lives that day, while lowering the flags at each Seattle fire station to half-staff. We then gathered together as a community at the Seattle Center 9/11 Memorial Garden where Mayor Jenny Durkan, Police Chief Best and Fire Chief Scoggins gave remarks on the importance of this day, followed by a heartfelt moment of silence. The honor guards from both departments and the Seattle Firefighters Pipes and Drums participated in the ceremony. We will never forget.

Fill-the-Boot for the Muscular Dystrophy Association Last week, firefighters took to the streets with boots in hand to collect donations for the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s (MDA) Fill-the-Boot campaign.  The Seattle Fire Fighters Union, Local 27 partnered with the MDA on this campaign – a more than 60-year tradition. Since 2001, Seattle firefighters have raised over $1 million through the Fill-the-Boot campaign in support of the MDA. The dollars raised each year from the Fill-the-Boot campaign fund hundreds of important research projects and grants around the country. The contributions help make new treatments available for adults and children living with the disease. Funds collected in Seattle are utilized locally, due to the large number of research facilities in the region.   The campaign has been successful over the years because of the support from community members. There is also an option to donate online.

Keeping you safe

October is Fire Prevention Month

As the days get shorter and with colder weather on the horizon, now is a good time to test your smoke alarms, review your escape plan and clear flammable materials away from your heater. Follow our Fireline blog for important safety tips. Direct links are below:

Time to test your smoke alarm
According to the National Fire Protection Association, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires without working smoke alarms. A working smoke alarm significantly increases your chances of surviving a home fire. If it is more than 10 years old, it might be time to replace them with new ones.

Home fire escape planning
Did you know that from the time a smoke alarm sounds, a person may have under two minutes to get out safely? A home fire escape plan provides the skills to quickly and safely escape a home fire.

Shut the door
These three words are increasingly seen as an important life safety and firefighting strategy. Closed doors can reduce the spread of smoke, flames, high temperatures and toxic gases from a fire. Closing bedroom doors before going to sleep can give your family members precious time to find an alternative escape route or wait for rescue.

Give heaters some space
Heaters are one of the leading causes of home fires. Now is a great time to survey each room with a heat source to look for potential fire hazards. As a rule of thumb: baseboard heaters need at least one-foot of clearance while portable space heaters need three-feet of space.

Upcoming events

Oct. 4: Seattle Fallen Firefighter Memorial

Members of the public are invited to join the Seattle Fire Department in honoring all Seattle firefighters who have died in the line of duty. The annual Seattle Fallen Firefighter Memorial will take place from 9:30 - 10 a.m. on Oct. 4 at Occidental Square (117 S. Washington St.). More details on Fireline.

Firefighter Applicant Workshops

We are currently accepting applications through Nov. 26, 2019 for the position of entry-level firefighter. To help prepare potential candidates for this career path, we are hosting a series of free workshops. Attendees will receive an overview of the job and the testing process. Each session will cover the same material and will last approximately 1.5 hours. Learn more.

Firefighter Story Times

Calling all preschoolers! Join our firefighters as they visit local library branches throughout the month to read fire safety stories - no registration required: 

• Oct. 1 at 6 p.m.: Delridge Branch with Fire Chief Scoggins
• Oct. 2 at 11:15 a.m.: South Park Branch
• Oct. 7 at 10:30 a.m.: Rainier Branch
• Oct. 8 at 10:30 a.m.: Broadview Branch
• Oct. 9 at 11:15 a.m.: Green Lake Branch
• Oct. 15 at 10:30 a.m.: Douglass-Truth Branch
• Oct. 17 at 10:15 a.m.: Central Library
• Oct. 24 at 11 a.m.: Queen Anne Branch

Attend a free hands-only CPR class

If you perform hands-only CPR within the first 2-3 minutes of a person suffering a cardiac arrest event, you double the chances of that person surviving. Take a moment out of your day to learn this life-saving skill by attending a free Hands-Only CPR training led by the Seattle Fire Department. Register to save your spot: medic2@seattle.gov or 206-684-7274. 

• Oct. 12 at 1:30 p.m.: High Point Library Branch
• Oct. 28 at 6 p.m.: Montlake Library Branch

Oct. 28: Fall Festival in Capitol Hill

Bring your family and friends to our Fall Festival at Fire Station 25 from 6-8 p.m. on Oct. 28. This is a great opportunity to meet your local firefighters and police officers, participate in fun activities and learn Halloween fire safety tips. Activities include a pumpkin carving and drawing, a pumpkin toss, fire safety activities, and a live pumpkin carving demonstration by the Fire Station 25 crew. If you plan to bring a pumpkin, please bring one with you. Costumes are welcome!