On “Night Out”, neighbors typically turn on porch lights as a symbolic gesture supporting a public safety message. Seattle has hundreds of celebrations. This year’s theme is Fighting Crime Together-Being Prepared Together.

For a full list of Seattle celebrations you can visit the “Night Out” website.

http://www.seattle.gov/spd/Nightout/default.htm

Around 5:45pm, the boy was hiking with his family when he climbed an approximately 8-foot-tall tall tree and a branch broke, causing the boy to fall several feet onto rocks.  The 911 caller said the boy regained consciousness after briefly being knocked unconscious.

A Seattle Fire Department Zodiak boat was already launched for a previous distressed swimmer call and was used to quickly transport the boy from a Discovery Park beach to the Shilshole Marina.  Paramedics met the boy and a Medic One unit transported him to Swedish Ballard. The boy was conscious, alert and talking and was in stable condition.

Photos Courtesy John Odegard

The Seattle Fire Department’s Technical Rescue Team quickly extricated a man trapped under an estimated 3000-pound battery backup unit at a loading dock located in South Lake Union.  At 11:51 am, firefighters were called to the underground loading area of a several story building located in the 900 block of Republican Street. A man in his 40’s was pinned under a heavy steel battery cabinet that tipped over as he was unloading it from a truck. 

The crew used air bags capable of lifting several thousand pounds, and 2×2 and 4×4 wood cribbing to shore up the cabinet in order to raise it off the patient. The patient was conscious and alert and even thanked his rescuers. Medics transported him to Harborview Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.

Burns and fire injuries affect 116,600 children each year in the US, including 600 deaths of children, ages 14 and under. Most injuries occur at home in the kitchen or bathroom.

In Washington State, scald injuries are the second leading cause of death in children ages 0-4 years old.

By taking these simple steps, you can reduce the chances of a scald injury by 75%.

• Lower water heater setting below 120 degrees (most are set to 140 degrees)
• Never leave a child unattended in the kitchen or bathroom
• Install anti-scald devices on water faucets
• Keep bathwater at 100 degrees F and lower (use bath thermometer)
• Keep hot liquids out of child’s reach

Free scald kits, including bath thermometers, are available from the NW Burn foundation (888-662-8767). For more information about keeping your house safe visit safekids.

Seattle Fire dispatchers received numerous 911 calls at 7:40 a.m.  from neighbors reporting a house fire with someone trapped in the backyard.  When firefighters arrived they found the resident in the backyard with minor burns and smoke inhalation.  The firefighters broke through a fence and quickly brought the man to Seattle Medics who then transported him to Harborview Medical Center.

Once it was confirmed that no one was in the house, the firefighters positioned themselves around the structure and fought the fire from the outside.  Firefighters worked aggressively to ensure the fire did not spread to the neighboring houses.  It took more than 40 firefighters about four and a half hours to completely extinguish the fire.

Deputy Chief Youngs joined the Seattle Fire Department in 1978. During his 32 year career he worked at some of Seattle’s busiest fire stations. In 2004, Youngs reached the rank of Deputy Chief and over saw the fire departments Training Division. Youngs later became the Deputy Chief of Operations in which he was the designated Incident Commander at all significant emergency incidents city wide. His leadership, sense of professionalism and knowledge of fire ground operations was widely recognized. Youngs was chosen by his fellow firefighters as Chief of the Year in 2007 and served as Vice President of the Fire Chief’s Union, Local 2898. He was also nominated for a Seattle Management Association, Excellence in Management Award.

Chief Youngs is survived by his wife Marie Youngs, daughters Maegen Youngs and Heather Stafford (Jeff), grandsons Kaden, Kaige and Grady, brother Bill Youngs, sister Linda Youngs, nephew Ryan Youngs (Emily) and Chris Youngs (Kristen), 3 great-nieces, and 1 great-nephew.

Inside MOHAI, kids can talk with firefighters about their jobs today, and enjoy firefighter story times and fire safety activities. Also on view is the Great Seattle Fire exhibit which includes the infamous glue pot that supposedly started the massive blaze.

During October, MOHAI educators, in partnership with the Seattle Fire Department, will be offering an elementary classroom program: Cracking the History Code: Lessons of the Great Seattle Fire. Registration is available at www.seattlehistory.org.

For a complete schedule of Seattle Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Month activities, including Firefighter Story Times at Seattle Public Libraries, visit http://www.seattle.gov/fire/calendar.htm.

The possession, manufacture, storage, sale, handling and use of fireworks are prohibited. Fireworks offenses are gross misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a $5,000 fine 

Fireworks pose a fire hazard to property and present a safety risk to those who use them. Every year the Seattle Fire Department responds to fireworks-related fires and injuries. Each and every one of these incidents could have been prevented. 

On the 4^th of July, 911 centers become overloaded with non-emergency fireworks calls. DO NOT call 911 unless you have a life-threatening emergency and need immediate help from police, fire or medics. Unnecessary 911 calls block people with real emergencies from reaching 911 and getting help. 

Any fireworks-related fires or injuries should be reported directly to 911. Other fireworks violations may be reported by calling the Seattle Police non-emergency number at (206) 625-5011.

The Seattle Police and Seattle Fire Department wish you a safe and enjoyable 4^th of July celebration!