Each year, firefighters test all fire hydrants in Seattle to make sure that they are working properly and will provide sufficient water if ever needed for a fire. Working in collaboration with Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) who maintain and repair the fire hydrants, the Seattle Fire Department sets a schedule… [ Keep reading ]
Recent fires in West Seattle and Wallingford at home construction sites provide reminders about the importance of making sure fire hazards are removed before going away for any period of time. In both cases, the cause of the fire was undetermined. While those recent fires were at construction sites, the… [ Keep reading ]
A recent home fire without a working smoke alarm offers a good reminder about the importance of making sure all smoke alarms are working properly. As people are spending more time at home these days and using their stoves, heaters and fireplaces more, there is a potential for an increase… [ Keep reading ]
Every day, the Seattle Fire Department responds to emergencies where the patient is transported to a local hospital with injuries requiring blood. Unfortunately, while the need for blood remains high, local blood donation centers are seeing a drop off in blood donations due to the coronavirus outbreak and calls to… [ Keep reading ]
The Seattle Fire Department has received multiple 9-1-1 calls this year from concerned residents because of chirping carbon monoxide (CO) alarms. While it’s important to call 9-1-1 if your CO alarm is sounding continuously without stopping, a CO alarm that chirps every 30 seconds is not an emergency. It probably… [ Keep reading ]
With greater numbers of people not eating out and cooking meals at home, it’s a good time to review and practice cooking safety. Unattended cooking is the main cause of home fires. Please consider taking these precautions before and after using the stove and oven. Never leave the kitchen when… [ Keep reading ]
A working smoke alarm is known to reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by 50%. For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, audible smoke alarms do not provide sufficient notification to alert a person to a fire. Fortunately, there are smoke alarms made for people… [ Keep reading ]
With the start of daylight saving time this weekend (2 a.m. Sunday, March 8), make sure you replace smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarm batteries and test the alarms. The Seattle Fire Department recommends replacing batteries yearly or as needed. Changing smoke and CO alarm batteries at least once a year… [ Keep reading ]
As we near the end of Black History Month, we wanted to take a brief look back at our own history and reflect on the struggles of our first black firefighters that compelled an association to advocate for the needs and interests of these members. The Seattle Black Fire Fighters… [ Keep reading ]
On Sunday, Feb. 9, after 11 p.m., crews responded to a working fire caused by overheated dryer lint that accumulated. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but the fire caused extensive damage in the home estimating $190,000. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, one-third of home dryer fires are caused by… [ Keep reading ]
