Light the Night for Fallen Firefighters – Oct. 2
 We are participating this year in a nationwide tribute to honor fallen firefighters and their families on October 2, by lighting the night in red. T-Mobile Park and CenturyLink Field will be lit in RED at dusk, and all Seattle fire stations will turn their apparatus emergency lights on from 8-8:15 p.m. Members of the community are invited to join us in honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice by shining a red light at their home. #LightTheNightSeattle
Fallen Firefighter Memorial Ceremony – Oct. 9
 In adherence to COVID-19 safety guidelines, we are hosting a virtual memorial service for our fallen firefighters at 10 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 9 where we will remember Lt. Jay G. Wheeler, who passed away from a duty-related illness in March 2020.
You are invited to participate by watching the memorial livestream on the Seattle Channel. Links will also be posted to the department's social media accounts before the ceremony begins.
Seattle tests over 200,000 at COVID-19 community test sites, Rainier Beach site moves to new location
 By mid-September, the City of Seattle community testing sites had conducted over 200,000 COVID-19 tests. Seattle’s testing sites are serving as a model across the state, including for Pasco, which recently implemented a similar testing model to conduct COVID-19 testing.
Please note: on Sept. 28, the Rainier Beach Walk-up test site moved to the Atlantic City Boat Ramp at 8702 Seward Park Ave. S.
Remember, if you have any symptoms of COVID-19, you should get tested immediately. Visit the City’s website to schedule an appointment for FREE testing.
SFD partnering with national ‘We Prevents’ campaign to improve mental health awareness
 During these difficult times, it’s OK to not be OK. More than ever before, we must pay attention to the well-being of ourselves and our loved ones.
September was National Suicide Prevention Month, and over the next few weeks into October, we will bring you tips for improving your mental health awareness. Hear from our Peer Support leads Lieutenant Kym LeRoy and Firefighter Mike Washington on why this is important, and stay tuned on our social sites for tips on topics including fitness, nutrition, information overload and worrying about those who may be more vulnerable to COVID-19.
Click here to watch the video.
Washington Task Force-1 deploys to Oregon to assist with search and rescue
The Federal Emergency Management Agency activated its Urban Search and Rescue Washington Task Force-1 on Sept. 11, to deploy to Oregon to support wildfire search and rescue missions. Over 20 Seattle firefighters deployed with the team, which consisted of 70 personnel from King and Pierce counties. We are proud of all WA-TF1 members who deployed for helping our neighbors in a time of great need, and are happy to report all made it home safe and sound.
Here are a few stories from the field:
- A family survived the fire, which destroyed everything adjacent to their home. They had just enough time to evacuate to a football field a quarter mile from their home. They hunkered down in the middle of the field with some others and watched the fire burn right around them. WA-TF 1 members came across these folks while searching the area. Medical staff conducted wellness checks, found out an individual was out of some medication and that many had little to no food and water. Crews gave them cases of bottled water, gathered up every sack lunch they could and ordered their medications. Logistics personnel picked up the meds and delivered them to the site, and the Sheriff’s Office was notified and immediately made contact.
- On another day, a crew was approached by a distraught individual concerned for her house. Members went above and beyond, asking for the address and letting her know they would try to check on the house. A crew was sent to find the house, and once identified, observed it was intact. However, everything else in proximity was destroyed. The squad officer called the individual to leave a message. Her daughter reached back and left them a message that was very heartfelt and emotional.
- Crews made up of King County resources came across a couple of horses that were clearly hungry and thirsty. They located some feed on the property and dug out all the apples from their lunches to feed the animals. The Polk County Fire company assisted members and used available tank water to fill up containers that had been located. The local animal rescue was notified and intended to retrieve the horses until the owners could return.
SFD’s Wildland Team gets deployed to areas along West Coast to assist with wildfire response
 Throughout the month of September, many members of SFD’s wildland team were deployed to areas in Washington, Oregon and California to assist with wildfire response efforts. We expect deployments to continue into October. Wildland firefighters are working long and hard days, doing various jobs to help keep members of the public safe and protect property. Stay safe, all!
Fill-the-Boot Virtually for Muscular Dystrophy
 Photo was taken before the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, the Muscular Dystrophy Association needs support now more than ever for their annual Fill-the-Boot campaign. Due to social distancing guidance, the Seattle Fire Fighters Union, Local 27, will not be hitting the streets in person this year to help raise funds. Instead, we are hosting a virtual fundraiser – visit the website to learn more about why donations are so important to helping those diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, and to make your donation to Seattle Fire’s campaign. Every dollar counts!
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