Seattle Responder - July 2021 Edition

City of Seattle, Washington sent this bulletin at 07/03/2021 02:51 PM PDT

Message from the Fire Chief

Summer in Seattle is here, and it made its arrival emphatically. Last weekend’s historic heatwave not only set records for the hottest temperatures ever in the City and the most consecutive days over 100, but also the number of Seattle Fire responses.

We set the record on June 27 for the busiest day for Seattle Fire (more than 380 dispatched calls), then broke it the next day when we responded to 563 calls for assistance. Between June 26 and 28, approximately 118 calls were for heat-related medical emergencies.

Sadly, we have also gone on several water rescues since the end of May. In the most recent case, a boater is presumed drowned after jumping into Lake Washington and not resurfacing.

We want you to be here to enjoy many summers to come. Continue reading further in the Responder, where we offer several safety tips to protect you and your loved ones from injury and harm.

The Fourth of July holiday is this weekend, and it usually one of our busiest days. With the recent hot weather and dry conditions, the risk for unintentional fires is high. Each year, the Harborview Burn Unit treats patients critically injured from personal fireworks. As exciting as it is to celebrate with sparklers and big booms, it’s simply not worth the risk of accidental injury or property loss.

Fireworks remain illegal in the city. Seattle Police and the Community Safety and Coordination Center (911 dispatch) advise anyone wishing to report the illegal discharge of fireworks to use the non-emergency line: 206-625-5011. On a historically busy weekend which often stresses our response system, we ask that you leave the use of 9-1-1 for life-threatening emergencies.

As we celebrate our nation’s independence and state’s reopening from most pandemic restrictions, I hope you are safe, well and continue to look out for one another. If you still need a COVID-19 vaccine, learn more at http://www.seattle.gov/mayor/covid-19/vaccinations.

Stay safe and healthy,

Harold D. Scoggins, Fire Chief

Significant Incidents Recap

2-Alarm fire at the 500 block of Harrison Street

June 6: Crews responded to a 2-alarm vacant building fire on the 500 block of Harrison St. Firefighters were unable to enter the building due to concerns for structural collapse, but they utilized thermal imaging cameras to see through the smoke to confirm no one was inside the building. No injuries were reported.

Fire at a residential building at the 11000 block of 55th Ave. S.

June 15: A fire ignited a living room in a residence in the 11000 block of 55th Ave. S. All occupants were able to safely evacuate, and firefighters were able to extinguish the fire. Fire investigators determined the incident was caused by unattended candles. Estimated loss is $450,000.

June 14: Firefighters responded to a fire at a homeless encampment in the 3000 block of 25th Ave. S. Crews worked quickly to put water on the fire while evacuating nearby occupants. After the fire was extinguished, firefighters found two adults deceased inside a pallet structure. Investigators ruled the fire as undetermined.

Presumed drowning at Andrews Bay near Seward Park

June 26: Crews were dispatched for a water rescue offshore from the 5000 block of Lake Washington Blvd. Six rescue swimmers searched the water for over an hour, but were unable to locate the missing adult male. The scene was turned over to Seattle Police to continue recovery efforts.

Seattle Fire around the community

After a grueling 16 months, the City of Seattle has reached the time to fully reopen and come together as a community. Seattle has the lowest COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths of any major American city; 80 percent of our residents have begun the vaccination process, and nearly 75 percent are fully vaccinated.

The City's success was thanks to Seattle residents who prioritized community-wide health and acted in their neighbors’ interests, alongside their own. Now, we need to bring that same sense of civic and city pride to our recovery efforts. Our downtown small businesses, cultural institutions and workers need our support.

Join the City in celebrating Welcome Back Weeks, which will occur from July 12 – 26 and feature promotions across downtown neighborhoods. Large-scale events will take place in the Chinatown-International District, Pioneer Square and Westlake on specific dates. You can find more details on each event here.

#WelcomeBackSeattle

Virtual Seattle Fire Day available on demand

On Saturday, June 5, Seattle Fire livestreamed its annual Fire Day with MOHAI from the Fire Boat Leschi. This educational 90-minute program allowed us to share the special skills, equipment and training required to ensure maritime readiness.

The day started with traditional Fire Day features – Story Time with Chief Scoggins in English, followed by Spanish Story Time with Community Fire Safety Advocate Paola Fernandez. Paola also provided English-Spanish translation for MOHAI’s session on crafts and historical artifacts.

The event then turned its focus on real-time operations including a search and rescue demo by first-in-the-nation fire boat rescue dog Rojo, an in-depth tour of the fire boat, Leschi and a tour of Rescue Boat 5. A planned water rescue drill by SFD rescue swimmers was followed by a tour of a Medic unit. The grand finale showing a full marine firefighting display by the Leschi was a treat for waterfront observers to see.

If you missed seeing the Seattle Fire Day live, visit our Facebook page to watch the entire event on-demand.

Keeping you safe

Fireworks safety

Join us in having a safe holiday by celebrating the Fourth of July without the use of fireworks.

The risk of fire and injury is real: in 2020, there were 237 fireworks-related injuries and 360 fires in the state. (Fireworks are also illegal in the city.)

The recent hot, dry weather significantly increases the risk for dry grass, bark and brush fires. A firework can easily start a fire in these conditions. For tips on how to keep your property safe from fireworks visit our Fireline Blog.

Lastly, if you wish to report the use of fireworks, please contact the non-emergency line at 206-625-5011. Please reserve the use of 9-1-1 for life-threatening emergencies only.

Water safety

Supervise young children near or in water

Even when the outside temperatures are high, water temperatures around Seattle can be cold enough to overwhelm even the strongest swimmer. Sadly, we respond to many preventable drownings every year. According to Public Health - Seattle & King County, 33 died in preventable drownings last year.

Read our Fireline Blog for water safety tips.

Keep hyrdated

Stay cool in the heat!

Drink water often. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty!

Eat foods with lots of water in them
Play in fountains and sprinklers, go to the swimming pool, and stay in the shade
Go somewhere with A/C

More safety tips on our Fireline Blog.

Prevent brush fires

The recent hot, dry weather significantly increases the risk for brush fires. We want to remind residents that all of us can take small steps to help prevent fires. Two key tips include properly disposing of smoking materials and ensuring vehicles do not create sparks when driving on roadways.

Please also be aware of the City of Seattle’s outdoor fire regulations and prohibitions, which can be found on our website.

AMR is offering Seattle-area residents an exciting scholarship opportunity to attend class to become a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) for free! Begin a career in Emergency Medical Services and feel a sense of pride as a member of a global ambulance service organization while working alongside some of Washington’s best caregivers.

Visit AMR's website for more info.