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A message from the Fire Chief
On June 6, I joined Mayor Harrell, Councilmember Bob Kettle and Councilmember Tammy Morales to announce the passing of a new legislation that amends the Seattle Fire Code and allows Seattle Fire to order and complete remediation or demolition of dangerous vacant buildings.
When buildings remain derelict, they can attract trespassers, and as a result we have seen increased fire and EMS calls to these structures.
Derelict buildings are dangerous for responding firefighters because they often have holes in the floors, missing stairwells, structural instability and other hazards. I extend my gratitude to the Mayor and Council for prioritizing the safety of the public, firefighters and neighbors in close proximity to these structures.
The Fourth of July is here, and the weather for the next week looks great. But the combination of dry weather and fireworks always results in far too many fireworks-related fires and injuries.
We want you to be safe as you enjoy the festivities. Help us keep you safe by leaving the fireworks displays to the professionals.
Stay safe,
Harold D. Scoggins, Fire Chief
"If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop habits in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude." — Colin Powell
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 Photo by John Odegard
June 4: Fire in a vacant apartment building in the 900 block of NE 63rd St.
Firefighters worked through the early morning to extinguish a fire in a vacant apartment building in the Ravenna neighborhood. Sadly, crews attempted lifesaving efforts for an adult female but were unsuccessful. Three additional patients were treated at the scene. Investigators ruled the cause of the fire as undetermined.
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Passing of Seattle Firefighter Adam Clements
The Seattle Fire Department is heartbroken to announce that one of our firefighters passed away on June 16 following a medical emergency experienced while off-duty. Firefighter Adam Clements was 34 years old and began employment with the Seattle Fire Department in 2015 as a member of Recruit Class 103. He dedicated nine years of his life serving the Seattle community, spending time working on Engines 8, 35 and at the Fire Prevention Division as a fire inspector. We are holding Adam’s family, friends and fellow colleagues close in our hearts as we grieve his loss. Gone but not forgotten – may he rest in peace.
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SFD participates in the Seattle Pride parade
 Photo by Fire Dog Photos
One June 30, hundreds of thousands of people gathered in downtown to watch the Seattle Pride parade. We had a great time marching in the parade with our personnel and showing the community that we are here to serve and celebrate all!
Rescue Watercraft program launch
As of July 1, Seattle Fire is adding two customized SeaDoos to respond more quickly and to a larger geographic area for emergencies on fresh water.
The Seattle Fire Foundation donated both rescue watercraft.
When responding to a freshwater incident, both will be dispatched along with members of the department’s highly trained rescue swimmer program.
Currently rescue swimmers are limited to responses no further than 300 feet from shore. By pairing with the rescue watercraft team, the rescue swimmers can respond well beyond that distance safely and quickly. In addition, the rescue watercrafts feature a back platform that allows the operator and rescue swimmers to bring patients to shore for further medical care evaluation.
“These jet skis are essential pieces of equipment to help firefighters respond as quickly as possible to water-related emergencies where timing is critical,” said Steve Elsoe, Seattle Fire Foundation Board Chair. “Our foundation’s mission is to help provide essential tools like this to help improve our firefighter’s ability to better protect us all. We are very grateful to those who donate to our foundation and for helping us make this happen.”
This is the third major equipment donation by the Seattle Fire Foundation made this year. In January 2024, the foundation purchased thermal imaging cameras for two tailboard firefighters on all 32 engines. The foundation also worked with Amazon and the Gary Sinise Foundation to outfit every firefighter in operations with technical extrication gloves.
Learn about the Seattle Fire Department and their mission to support SFD's unmet needs: www.supportSFD.org.
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Mayor Harrell signs legislation to expedite demolition and remediation of dangerous vacant buildings
On June 4, City Council unanimously approved a change to Seattle Fire Code to authorize the Seattle Fire Chief and Fire Marshal to take immediate action to abate or make the building safe for neighbors if it is deemed an imminent risk. The legislation included an emergency clause to take effect immediately.
The newly passed legislation allows Seattle Fire to order and complete remediation or demolition of dangerous vacant buildings.
Fire Station 25 hosted a bill signing ceremony attended by Mayor Harrell, Councilmembers Morales and Kettle, and Fire Chief Scoggins on June 6.
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Patient reunification at Fire Station 31
 In December of 2020, Mrs. Tate Snyder experienced a medical emergency at her home in Seattle that left her in critical condition. She was treated on scene by Seattle firefighter/EMTs and paramedics and transported to a local hospital to receive further care. Now, almost four years later, she has reunited with some of the first responders who came to her aid. Tate and her husband Curtis visited Fire Station 31 this week and met with FF/Paramedic Mark Pedeferri, FF Craig Darrald and FF Bryan Witt. We appreciated hearing about your recovery and seeing that you’re doing so well, Tate! Thank you to the Medic One Foundation for helping to arrange the reunion.
Personal use of fireworks are banned in Seattle
The personal use of fireworks in Seattle and King County is illegal. Even though they are banned, each year fireworks cause fires and injure people in the city and surrounding areas.
In 2023, the Seattle Fire Department responded to 58 fireworks-related incidents.
An example of how quickly a firework can escalate to a major incident: in 2020, a fireworks ignited dry brush in front of a four-story apartment building in West Seattle and quickly extended to the top floor balcony.
Fortunately, no one was injured but several residents were displaced and the total estimated loss was $100,000.
Fireworks can cause serious injuries.
In 2023, Harborview Medical Center treated 58 patients for injuries caused by fireworks. Patient ages ranged from 10 months to 57 years old. Of those injured, 74% sustained injuries to the extremities, 40% sustained injuries to the eyes, face and head, 45% underwent amputation and 47% sustained burns. While 78% of those injured were outside of King County when the incident took place, we still saw injuries locally.
It’s best to keep the use of fireworks to professionals to avoid fires and injury; instead consider attending a public fireworks display such as the one held at the Lake Union. Additionally, the upcoming warm and dry weather significantly increases the risk for dry grass, bark and brush fires.
Here are ways to reduce fires caused by fireworks near your home:
- Remove branches, dry grass and anything that can burn from around your home
- Make sure tree branches are not touching your home
- Clear roof and gutters of pine needles and leaves
- Don’t leave cardboard or loose paper recyclables outside; place in a closed bin
- Keep a garden hose with nozzle hooked up and ready to use
Test your smoke alarms in your home. If you experience a fire, please call 9-1-1 immediately after you are in a safe location away from the fire.
On a historically busy day for first responders, please reserve the use of 9-1-1 only for life-threatening emergencies. Do not call 9-1-1 for the illegal discharge of fireworks, you can instead report to the City of Seattle non-emergency number at (206) 625-5011.
If you have unused fireworks, you can safely dispose of them at drop-off boxes located at each Seattle Police precinct. Have a safe and festive Independence Day!
Photo by the West Seattle Herald
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Seattle Fire will accept applications for entry-level firefighter/EMT from Oct. 4 through Nov. 29, 2024. In preparation for the open application window, the department is sharing tips on how to get prepared for the job.
This month, SFD is highlighting the importance of building strength to be able to force entry, and how to gain experience in community service.
Force entry: Firefighters often have to force entry to gain access into various spaces at fire scenes. Whether it be through a door, window, or other means of entry … they use intensity, strength and equipment to get through. Once inside, they are able to put water on the fire and also search for any victims.
Equipment utilized to perform this task includes but is not limited to: a halligan (10 lbs), an axe (8 lbs) and a forcible entry saw (24 lbs). Performing forcible entry requires leg and upper body strength, and rotational core strength and stability.
Exercises to incorporate into a fitness routine to address these areas include bench press, shoulder press, push press, lunges, squats, landmine rotations and palloff variations (core training).
Community service: One of the most important aspects of a Seattle firefighter’s job is the service they provide to the residents of Seattle. Our city’s population is incredibly diverse, and Seattle firefighters need to be ready to work with people from all walks of life, many with different economic, ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds, and all with unique needs.
In preparation for a career with the Seattle Fire Department, applicants should take the time to learn about the different strengths and challenges of the City, how best to serve underrepresented and vulnerable populations, and what extra steps an emergency service provider can take to connect with members of the public.
Language skills, cultural awareness, and experience volunteering with the local community can make applicants more competitive in the hiring process and more successful firefighters in the long run.
Those interested in applying shouldn’t wait to get their fitness in check – make it a priority now. Sign-up for the SFD interest list to receive information about upcoming recruitment opportunities.
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