31st annual LLS Stair climb at Columbia Tower
 This year, Team Tristan has dedicated their climb to Lt. Luis Batayola, pictured above, who died of a blood cancer in November 2021.
The Seattle Fire Department will participate in the 31st annual LLS Firefighter Stairclimb on Sunday, March 12, 2023, in support of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Before we ascend the Columbia Center, we will be raising funds in the name of funding and finding a cure.
This year, Seattle Fire Department’s Team Tristan has dedicated their climb to Lt. Luis Batayola, who died of a blood cancer in November 2021. They will also honor FF Matt Runte. While Matt did not pass from cancer, he was a vital member of the Team Tristan.
If you'd like to make a donation, visit this link here.
What is the LLS Firefighter Stairclimb?
The LLS Firefighter Stairclimb is the world’s largest on-air stair climb competition and annual fundraiser held at the tallest building in town, the Columbia Center.
All 2,000 participants are career, volunteer or retired firefighters who will climb up the second tallest skyscraper west of the Mississippi in full turnout gear weighing over 60 pounds, while on-air. Throughout this grueling course, we all remember that every step forward is representative of moving closer to a cure. Although this is an extreme test of physical endurance, it pales in comparison to what blood cancer patients endure.
All proceeds raised directly benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and since its inception in 1991, this event has raised over $20 million so far.
 The team will also honor FF Matt Runte, pictured above with Fire Chief Harold Scoggins. While Matt did not pass from cancer, he was a vital member of the Team Tristan.
Recent promotions & new hires at SFD
Fire Chief Harold Scoggins held a promotional ceremony on Feb. 16 at the Seattle Fire Department headquarters to promote members to new ranks in the department and welcome new employees. Congratulations to all as they step into their new leadership roles.
Promotion to Assistant Chief of Resource Management
Promotion to Deputy Chief
Promotions to Battalion Chief
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Grant Bonham
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Andy Collins
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Amina Bakke
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Nicholas Crosser
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Sean Williams
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Allison Fawcett
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Brian Friske
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Douglas Grey
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Cindy Luby
Professional Staff Promotions
David Pearson to Executive Assistant
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Tammy Brundage, Fire Prevention
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Cammie Chan, Finance
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Leah Forester, Public Affairs
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Adrienne Oliver, Fire Prevention
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Jyl Shaffer, Human Resources
Recruit Class 116 swearing-in ceremony held on February 3
On Feb. 3, we congratulated 39 members of Recruit Class 116 (and one member from Class 114) on their successful completion of recruit school and subsequent probationary period!
We celebrated their significant accomplishment with a swearing-in Ceremony at City Hall. They graduated from probationary firefighters to full-fledged firefighter/EMTs and are ready to serve the Seattle community for many years to come.
Their class motto is “lean on me”, which they certainly have demonstrated over their first year working for the Seattle Fire Department.
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February heart month promotes importance of CPR
 For Heart Month, Seattle Fire partnered with the King County Fire Chiefs Association, King County EMS and the Medic One Foundation to hold a media event to encourage everyone to learn CPR.
During the media event, Jenifer DiBona, the mother of 13-year-old Miles, shared her experience of providing CPR to her son with telephone instructions from a dispatcher prior to the arrival of first responders.
King County employee, Sheri Badger, also retold the story of the day she suffered a cardiac arrest emergency in the workplace, and how her colleagues stepped in with bystander CPR to save her life.
In both cases, bystanders played a critical role in buying time for Miles and Sheri until first responders could arrive. Do you know CPR? Seattle Fire offers a variety of CPR classes. Visit our website to sign up for yourself, your family or your workplace.
Evening Magazine features Last Resort Fire Department
 Photo courtesy of King 5 Evening.
Retired Seattle Firefighter Galen Thomaier interviewed with King 5’s Evening show to raise awareness of the Last Resort Fire Department Museum at our headquarters (301 2nd Ave. S.).
Galen’s fascination with Seattle fire apparatus began as a child. “I had been in every Seattle fire station and had pictures of all the rigs by the time I was 12, so I knew right away at an early age that I wanted to be, not just a firefighter, but a Seattle firefighter.”
He served his entire career on Engine 18 and learned how to maintain every apparatus in his collection. In fact, every vehicle is still operational.
You can watch the video with King 5 here to gain a glimpse of his passion for the Seattle Fire Department.
Founder of Seattle Medic One program, Dr. Leonard Cobb, dies at age 96
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Dr. Leonard Cobb, one of the founders of the Seattle Medic One program, died at the age of 96 on Feb. 14, 2023. As someone who made such a tremendous impact in how pre-hospital care has evolved and been delivered since 1969, his loss is felt by many in Seattle, King County and across the nation. He was also instrumental in the establishment of Seattle Fire’s Medic 2 program and the spread of bystander CPR training internationally.
After handing off the medical direction of the Medic One program to Dr. Michael Copass in 1993, Dr. Cobb continued to be actively involved in clinical research. He worked to ensure the ongoing excellence of Medic One paramedics until well into his 90’s.
Plans are being made to remember Dr. Cobb at a public memorial in late spring here in Seattle.
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Nurse Navigation Line one-year anniversary
 Feb. 8 marked the one-year anniversary for the launch of the Seattle Fire Department’s Nurse Navigation Line.
When calling 911, we want to best serve our communities individual needs with a menu of multiple resources. One such resource is the Nurse Navigation Line, developed in collaboration with Global Medical Response.
Through the Nurse Navigation Line, a licensed nurse is available to help callers make decisions on the most appropriate level of care based on their current needs.
In the past year, Seattle firefighter/dispatchers have transferred 7,343 calls to the Nurse Navigation Line, which has navigated 2,476 patients to urgent care, clinics, TeleHealth, Dispatch Health or to assistance with self-care.
Fire safety sessage for March - Check your smoke and CO alarms
Daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 12, and we encourage residents to test their smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarm. The Seattle Fire Department recommends replacing batteries yearly or as needed.
Changing smoke and CO alarm batteries at least once a year is an effective way to reduce home fire deaths and CO poisoning. Working smoke alarms can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by nearly one-half by providing an early warning and critical extra seconds to escape. Consider installing a long-life battery powered smoke/CO alarm to avoid yearly battery replacements.
Every home in Seattle should have the protection of smoke/CO alarms. The Seattle Fire Department can install 10-year long-life combination smoke/CO alarms free of charge in Seattle homes where the homeowner is either an older adult, living on a low income, or has a disability.
Visit this page to learn more.
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