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News and events from the Seattle Fire Department

Intentionally set fires in Rainier Ave. S. and Beacon Hill vicinity

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The Seattle Fire Department and Police Department have recently seen an uptick in intentionally set fires in the Rainier Ave. S. and Beacon Hill vicinity. Most of the fires have occurred in dumpster receptacles and recycling bins, at construction sites, at businesses and sometimes residences. On Aug 20, the fire department responded to a large 3-alarm fire on Sturgus Ave. S. and a structure fire at a fruit stand on Rainier Ave. S., both of which were intentionally set. It is unknown at this time if the fires are related. Most of the fires have occurred between the hours of 12 a.m. and 6 a.m.

The Seattle Fire Department’s fire investigators continue to work closely with the Seattle Police Department’s Arson and Bomb Squad to share information regarding the ongoing investigations.

In light of these recent events, SFD and SPD are urging the public to immediately call 911 if you see someone setting an illegal fire, and to take steps to reduce the chance of a fire occurring at your home or business.

The Arson Alarm Foundation is offering an award from its annual $10,000 award fund to anyone with information that leads to the arrest or conviction of those responsible for setting recent fires in the vicinity. Call 1-800-55-ARSON or email SFD_FIU@seattle.gov with any information about these fires – you can choose to remain anonymous.

General information on new fires that occur in the Rainier Ave. S. and Beacon Hill vicinity will be posted to this blog on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. This blog includes fires as far back as Aug. 20 (though many set fires occurred before this date). Further details regarding recent fires are kept confidential to maintain the integrity of the investigative process. Note: fires that occur the same day as an update may not be included immediately, as final reports by fire investigators are typically released the following day.

Updated on Sept. 16:

  • Aug. 20: 1000 Block of Sturgus Ave. – 3-alarm fire at a construction site
  • Aug. 20: 2000 Block of Rainier Ave. S. – structure fire at fruit market
  • Aug. 21: 3800 Block of Cortland Pl. S. – vehicle fire
  • Aug. 23: 3800 Block of Rainier Ave. S. – dumpster fire
  • Sept. 1: 23rd Ave. S. and S. Plum St. – small fire at a construction site
  • Sept. 12: 1000 Block of Sturgus Ave. S. – small fire at previously burned construction site
  • Sept. 16: 4900 Block of 28th Ave. S. – small fire at a construction site

City of Seattle’s Mobile Integrated Health Partnership Wins National Award

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Health One, High Utilizer Program, Vulnerable Adult Program round out successful models of Seattle Fire and Human Services partnership

On September 22, Aging and Disability Services, a division of the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD), received a 2020 n4a Aging Innovation Award from the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) for their involvement in the City of Seattle’s Mobile Integrated Health partnership. The award was presented on the second day of the n4a’s four-day virtual national 2020 conference.

Aging and Disability Services (ADS) is the Area Agency on Aging for Seattle and King County—one of 600+ “AAAs” in the country authorized by the federal Older Americans Act and recognized by the federal Administration on Community Living and state DSHS Aging and Long-Term Support Administration.

For four years, HSD has partnered with the Seattle Fire Department through programs focused on high utilizers and vulnerable adults. In 2019, Health One—a dedicated, dispatched response model that links individuals with appropriate healthcare, behavioral health, and social service providers—was born, rounding out the city’s Mobile Integrated Health partnership.

“As one of the fastest growing cities in the nation, our ability to respond to non-emergency 911 calls has been tested,” said Mayor Jenny A. Durkan. “Our Mobile Integrated Health partnership, including Health One and the High Utilizer and Vulnerable Adult programs, has resulted in significant reductions in 911 calls as well as unnecessary trips to emergency rooms. With these resources our community can receive the care and service they need while ensuring our first responders are available for true emergencies.”

In 2019, about 44 percent of nearly 73,000 medical calls received by Seattle’s 911 dispatch center were non-life-threatening, including behavioral health and addiction issues and calls from people with chronic conditions. Less than eight percent of those calls required paramedic transport. To address non-emergency requests, the City pioneered Health One, a program that includes a dedicated vehicle staffed with two firefighters (who are also emergency medical technicians) and an HSD social worker with experience serving people with diverse needs, including chronic conditions experienced by older people and individuals with disabilities.

“HSD social workers follow up with 911 callers whose complaints do not present immediate danger, and they help identify adults at risk for abuse and self-neglect,” said ADS division director Cathy Knight. “Our staff has provided training and resources for high-utilizing locations like shelters and assisted living facilities. Through Health One, our social workers are involved in triage, assessment, referrals, transport, and warm handoffs to other providers. They provide on-scene resources that address the root causes of distress.”

The MIH also collaborates with law enforcement, Adult Protective Services, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Public Health—Seattle & King County, and area hospitals to improve identification of at-risk adults, connect them with resources needed for stability, increase care coordination, provide feedback to reporting agencies, and improve health outcomes.

In March 2020, the Mobile Integrated Healthcare partnership adapted protocols to respond to the COVID pandemic. Initially, firefighters continued to go out on the Health One rig and ADS case managers helped remotely, either at SFD headquarters or from telecommuting sites. Once adequate safety protocols were established, ADS case managers returned to riding the rig with the firefighters.

Initially, Health One focused on serving people in the downtown core, Pioneer Square, Belltown, and Capitol Hill. As part of COVID response, service was expanded to SODO, Mount Baker, Rainier Valley, the University District, Ballard, and West Seattle. Citywide, any Seattle Fire unit can refer a client experiencing secondary impacts of the virus or quarantine.

“Seattle’s Mobile Integrated Health partnership has been an innovative and critical lifeline for those in need, with the demands of quarantine, isolation, and social distancing further impacting already vulnerable people,” said Seattle Human Services Director Jason Johnson. “Disconnection from healthcare, social services, and behavioral networks have increasingly taken a toll on our community. Our social workers are highly skilled in connecting vulnerable individuals with services and supports they need for stability. Kudos to HSD and Seattle Fire staff for their incredible work.”

“Our Mobile Integrated Health partnership had already increased efficiency and effectiveness of our emergency response system when COVID hit,” said Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins, who helps lead the City’s COVID response efforts. “Meeting the medical and social needs of low acuity and socially vulnerable patients—housed or not, in shelters, apartments, supported housing, camps and RVs—means that more people are able to complete the recommended period of quarantine or isolation, and will be better served in the future.”

For more information about Seattle’s Mobile Integrated Health program, visit www.seattle.gov/mobileintegratedhealth; about Aging and Disability Services, visit www.agingkingcounty.org; and about n4a’s 2020 Innovation and Achievement Awards, visit www.n4a.org/Files/2020%20AIA%20FINAL.pdf.

National Preparedness Month – Week 4: Teach Youth about Preparedness

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family disaster plan

Knowing your family is prepared will help maintain peace of mind during a disaster. Take time to have a conversation together and talk about what each family member can do to keep themselves safe. Let your child know there may be time or communication delays when emergencies happen. Make sure everyone know and can access important contact numbers for key family members.

Take These Actions:

1. Watch video with your family: “When the Earth Shakes.”

  • Find earthquake “safe spots” in your own home. Look for places away from windows, under sturdy desks or tables, in corners or against supporting columns.
  • Practice “Drop, Cover and Hold On” with your children and loved ones.

2. Create an emergency communications plan for the whole family. Review important numbers and how to send text messages in case of an emergency.

3. Know the emergency plan for your child’s school and childcare facility.

  • What has changed in light of COVID-19?
  • Review and practice the plan with your child.

For More:

Falling is not a normal part of aging – Fall Prevention Week Sept. 21-25, 2020

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September 21-25, 2020 is National Fall Prevention Week. Falling is NOT a normal part of aging. Join the Seattle Fire Department in getting this important fall prevention information out to our communities.

Did you know?

  • Each year, 28% of Washington residents over age 65 experience a fall
  • In Washington State, fall-related injuries account for more than half of all injury-related deaths of adults aged 65+ and 70% of all injury-related deaths for adults aged 85+

Two thirds of seniors who experience a fall will fall again within six months.

1 in 3 people aged 65 years and older fall at least once every year. 1 in 40 of those will be hospitalized and only half of those hospitalized will survive the year.

60% of fatal falls occur in the home.

More information:

Seattle/King County Public Health Fall Prevention Resources

Washington State Department of Health – Older Adult Falls

National Council on Aging – Fall Prevention Week

Information in Spanish:

Start your Falls Free CheckUp

National Preparedness Month — Week 3: Prepare for Disasters

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Prepare for earthquakes and other hazards (2001 Seattle)

Earthquakes are this region’s disaster with the biggest impacts – loss of communications, damaged infrastructure, interruptions in the supply chain, etc. Know how your specific job may be affected, what workplace policies go into effect and what you’ll be expected to do.

Take These Actions:

  1. Find out what hazards are near your home and your neighborhood.
  2. Create a Smart 911 account and sign up for Alert Seattle.
    • NEW for 2020: Text “Seattle” to 67283 to be added to Alert Seattle emergency notifications.

For More:

National Preparedness Month — Week 2: Build a Kit

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Being prepared for any emergency is as simple as planning ahead and putting together an emergency kit does not have to be difficult or expensive. Seattle’s Office of Emergency Management recommends that your kit has enough supplies to last you seven to 10 days. It’s also good to have a smaller to-go kit in case you need to quickly leave your home. Having kits at work and in your car is also a good idea.

To get you started, here are five things that are absolutely necessary to have in an emergency kit.

Water

  • 1 gallon per person per day
  • 1/2 for drinking, 1/2 for cooking/sanitation

Food

  • Store food that’s high in calories and has a long shelf-life
  • Consider meal replacement bars, canned foods and dry food items that don’t need to be cooked to eat
  • Make sure to include food you like to eat 

Light Source

  • Avoid candles to minimize fire risk
  • Include safe light options like a battery-powered flashlight with extra batteries or a hand-crank flashlight
  • Light sticks are a long-lasting source of light that are inexpensive and fits easily into any size bag

Warm & Dry Clothes

  • Include at least one change of clothing
  • If you get wet, it’s important that you get dry as soon as possible because moisture pulls heat away from your body (wool or synthetic clothing that wicks moisture away from your body is recommended)
  • To stay warm and dry you can also pack extra blankets, a tarp or rain gear

First Aid Kit

  • Include items for basic care like adhesive bandages, antiseptic wipes, gauze pads, scissors, tweezers and pain-relief medication
  • Make sure to include medications and equipment specific to your needs

After the five basics, what you stock in your kit is up to you. The information below will give you a number of things you can add to your kit and some fun and easy ways to put them together, not only for your home, but your car, workplace and school.  The most important thing is to start.  Don’t be one of the people who after the disaster says, “I wish I had put a kit together.” 

Take These Actions:

  1. Check out Seattle OEM’s preparedness website to customize supplies to your own family’s needs.
  2. Download the infographic of essential supplies.

For More:

Urban brush fire prevention

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Brush, bark and dry grass fires keep firefighters busy during the summer months. Unfortunately, the Seattle Fire Department has responded to over 12 brush and bark-related fires within the past two days. In more rural parts of King County, the high number of brush fires has led the King County Fire Marshal to issue a burn ban on all outdoor recreational fires effective immediately.

The Seattle Fire Department strongly encourages community members to avoid outdoor burning and to take extra precautions with smoking materials during this time.

How to prevent dry weather-related fires:

  • Do not light fireworks.
  • Dispose of smoking materials in proper receptacles and douse in water, not in planters, beauty bark or out of your vehicle window. Make sure proper cigarette disposal canisters are available in areas where smoking is allowed. 
  • Be sure chains and other metal parts are not dragging from your vehicle as they can throw sparks. Check your tire pressure – driving on an exposed wheel rim can cause sparks.
  • Be careful driving through or parking on dry grass as hot exhaust pipes can lead to fires.
  • Be aware that sparks from lawn mowers can start fires – avoid mowing when it is dry or windy.
  • Remove long grass, weeds or anything that can burn from around homes. This includes limbs that touch buildings or hang near the roof.
  • Remove dead plants or bushes as soon as possible and clear roof and gutters of pine needles and leaves.
  • Move trash, recycling, and yard waste bins away from the home.
  • Avoid down power lines.

Be aware of health hazards associated with wild fires and poor air quality by visiting Public Health – Seattle & King County’s website and Puget Sound Clean Air Agency’s website.

Virtual Fire Day is back on for Saturday, Sept 26!

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In response to COVID-19, the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) is temporarily closed, but our annual Fire Day event will now be available ONLINE! In addition, for the first time we will be live streaming events in Spanish!

Tune into our Facebook Page at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26!

Fire Day starts off with a Story Time sessions with our Fire Chief followed opportunities to ask the Fire Chief as well as the firefighters at Station 39. Then, families can watch tours of a fire engine, station and see firefighters donning their bunking gear. Stay tuned at 11:30 a.m. as we will feature a demonstration by Search and Rescue Dog, Cannon, and his handler, Firefighter Jason Kent. The event will wrap up with a Day in the Life Q&A session with Lt. Amina Bakke and Firefighter Leo Castaneda.

September is National Preparedness Month

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This year’s theme: Disasters Don’t Wait. Make Your Plan Today.

After the tragedies of September 11, 2001, the Department of Homeland Security designated September as National Preparedness Month. The month serves as a reminder to think about what to do before disasters strike. While so much of 2020 has been unpredictable, the importance of making a plan with loved ones and knowing what to do has never been more critical.

How you receive and exchange information is a key part of your family’s emergency plan. Take a few moments to talk with your loved ones about how you will stay in touch, especially when regular systems go down. Texting is still the way to go during disasters, but a good back-up is to carry a hard copy of important phone numbers with you. Also, think about a back-up power supply and how to keep your devices charged to stay connected.

New for 2020:
The Seattle Office of Emergency Management has created an easy way to receive emergency notifications. Simply text “Seattle” to 67283 to opt-in on real-time emergency messaging like major incidents and what areas to avoid.

For a tongue-in-cheek look at emergency planning, check out FEMA’s video’s on Earthquake and Hurricane.

In the coming weeks, we’ll share more tips and resources to help you stay safe, stay well and stay prepared.

Hands-only CPR during COVID-19

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Knowing how to perform hands-only CPR can save a life. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, you should know that the risk of contagion is low. According to the Seattle Fire Department Medical Director, Dr. Michael Sayre, “performing Hands-Only CPR is essential to help buy precious time for help to arrive. Even if the victim has a contagious disease (and few victims of sudden collapse are contagious), your risk of catching anything is quite low since you are not giving mouth-to-mouth breaths.”

Around 70% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home so you’re more likely to perform hands-only CPR on someone you know. A cardiac patient’s chance of becoming a long-term survivor are more than doubled if a someone on the scene administers prompt CPR.

Administering hands-only CPR (without breaths) is a simple technique that only takes a few minutes to learn. Watch this short video to learn the steps for performing hands-only CPR – you could save a life.

If you see someone collapse, follow these steps:

  1. Call 911 – Give specific information to the dispatcher, starting with the location. Is an AED available? If so, send someone to retrieve it and use it as soon as you can.
  2. Make sure the scene is safe
  3. Quickly determine if the person needs CPR – If the person is not responsive or not breathing normally – tap them on the shoulder and shout, “Are you ok. Are you ok?” If the person doesn’t move, speak, blink, or otherwise react, then he or she is not responding.
  4. Begin Chest Compressions – Use two hands, with straight arms, and push down hard and fast in the center of the chest. Make sure compressions are at least 2-inches deep, and are at the rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute.
  5. Don’t stop compressions until help arrives or take turns with someone if you get tired

CPR/AED Resources

CPR/AED Video in English

Hands-only CPR handout in 15 languages

CPR resources in many languages

Hands-only CPR video from the American Heart Association in English (in Spanish)

For a fun CPR video/dance party check out this video

Learn about and download the PulsePoint app and how it alerts community members when CPR is needed in real-time

How to safely store oily rags

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Oils commonly used in oil-based paints, stains and varnishes release heat as they dry. A pile of oily rags can be dangerous because as they dry, the heat is trapped and builds up to potentially cause a fire.

Here are a few safety tips for storing wet, oily rags:

  • Never leave cleaning rags in a pile. At the end of the day, take the rags outside to dry.
  • Hang the rags outside or spread them on the ground. Weigh them down. Do this so they do not blow away. Make sure they are not in a pile. Keep them away from buildings.
  • Put dried rags in a metal container. Make sure the cover is tight. Fill the container with a water and detergent solution. This will break down the oils.
  • Keep containers of oily rags in a cool place. Keep them out of direct sunlight. Keep them away from other heat sources. Check with your town for information on disposing of them.

Vapors from flammable and combustible liquids can also ignite, causing a fire. Many commonly used flammable liquids include gasoline, lacquers and nail polish while common combustible liquids include paint thinner, oil-based paints and stains.

Safety tips for storing flammable or combustible liquids:

  • Flammable and combustible liquids should not be used near an open flame. Do not smoke when working with these liquids.
  • If you spill liquids on your clothing, remove your clothing and place it outside to dry. Once dry, clothing can be laundered.
  • Keep liquids in their original containers. Keep them tightly capped or sealed. Never store the liquids in glass containers.
  • Use gasoline only as motor fuel. Never use it as a cleaner. Never use it to break down grease. Never bring gasoline indoors, even in small amounts.
  • Store gasoline ONLY in a container that is sold for that purpose. Make sure the container is tightly capped when not in use. NEVER store gasoline containers in a basement or in the occupied space of a building. Keep them in an outbuilding, a detached garage, or a shed outdoors.