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News and events from the Seattle Fire Department

Seattle Colleges to launch new Fire Science Associate degree program in Fall 2021

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New degree program will be only of its kind in King County and will help bring diverse array of applicants to local fire departments’ hiring processes  

Program targets high school graduates looking to become firefighters and current firefighters wanting to strengthen profession-specific skills  

Seattle (Aug. 9, 2021) – Seattle Colleges, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan, Seattle Fire Department Chief Harold Scoggins and the City’s Department of Education and Early Learning announced today a new Fire Science Associate degree program at North Seattle College. This program will be the only of its kind in King County and is offered in collaboration with the Seattle Fire Department and City of Seattle, and supported by the King County Fire Chiefs Association.    

“North Seattle College is thrilled to offer a Fire Science degree in partnership with the Seattle Fire Department and City of Seattle. This is the only Fire Science degree program in King County and is an excellent pathway for students who want to make a strong impact in our community as a firefighter. Fire Science classes start in September, and we encourage students to apply for the program now,” said North Seattle College President Dr. Chemene Crawford. 

The associate degree program, which launches in Fall of 2021, targets two different demographics for potential applicants. The first is high school graduates looking to pursue a career in the fire service and the second is existing firefighters planning to wanting to strengthen profession-specific skills and further their baccalaureate education. An overarching goal of the program is to help bring a diverse array of applicants to local fire departments’ hiring processes by providing youth with an opportunity to learn about the fire service in advance of applying for a firefighting position. 

“Announcing this Fire Science Associate degree program is a game changer in King County. With our Seattle Promise program that guarantees free college, Seattle students have a ladder of opportunity to join the best fire department in the state and save lives,” said Mayor Durkan. “In addition to the day to day life saving work of the Seattle Fire Department, the City has relied on our firefighters to administer COVID-19 tests, serve our most vulnerable through Health One, and help vaccinate members of the public at our City-operated mass vaccination sites. This new program will train firefighters for years to come and give them skills that are necessary to advance their own careers, and to care for our community and keep us safe.” 

“Investing in our future leaders now creates a promising outlook for the fire service. Through this degree program, we can offer continued education for our existing firefighters who strive to sharpen their leadership skills, and also help to make our future firefighter candidates successful in the job application process. I want to thank Seattle Colleges and North Seattle College for undertaking this program development, and to the King County Fire Chiefs Association for their support in this program, which is the only of its kind in King County,” said Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins.  

This North Seattle College program is mostly online and takes approximately two years (full-time) to complete with affordable tuition and student financial aid available. Graduates will be better prepared for the employment examination and screening processes they must undergo at local fire departments, which includes written exams and oral board interviews. This program will also support current firefighters in developing their profession-specific skills. The application deadline is Sept. 20, 2021.  

The curriculum is based on the National Fire Academy and Emergency Services Higher Education model curriculum for fire science. Students will graduate with the academic credentials necessary to enter a two-year baccalaureate of applied science degree program, such as the online Homeland Security Emergency Management program or the Fire Science Leadership Management program at Pierce College.  

“Creating more pathways to college and career for Seattle students is an integral part of our department’s work to advance educational equity and increase access to opportunities that excite and inspire students to pursue their goals after high school. DEEL is proud to partner with Seattle Fire and our friends at Seattle Colleges to launch the new Fire Science Associate program, which will prepare more Seattle graduates for an exciting career and a more prosperous future,” said Dr. Dwane Chappelle, Director of the Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning. 

Several local fire departments in King County are offering incentives to students of the Fire Science Associate degree program, including paid internships, volunteer firefighting positions, cadet program participation and more. These incentives will provide students with opportunities outside of the classroom to work alongside current firefighters, and to have experience to highlight when applying for firefighting positions. As the degree program launches and progresses, additional opportunities from local fire departments are expected to be offered as part of the program. 

Smoke alarm check

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Now is a good time to check your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to make sure that they are working properly. Also, make sure to vacuum around your smoke alarms. Keep smoke alarms free of cob webs and small insects which can set off an smoke alarm. Yes, it can happen!

Did you know?

  • Three out of five home fire deaths result from fires in properties without working smoke alarms
  • More than one-third (38 percent) of home fire deaths result from fires in which no smoke alarms are present.
  • The risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms. (National Fire Protection Association)

Install smoke alarms:

  • In every bedroom
  • Outside each sleeping area
  • On every level of the home, including the basement

Test your smoke alarms monthly and if your smoke alarms are more than 10 years old, replace them.

For more information: https://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/Fire/Safety/SmokeAlarms.pdf

Fire Chief Scoggins promotes members to new ranks

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SEATTLE – Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins held a ceremony on Aug. 4 at the Joint Training Facility to promote several members of the organization to new positions. Significant others and important mentors helped to pin new badges on those promoted, while department members tuned in via a live stream to offer support. Congratulations to all on their new leadership role in the department!

Members promoted (new rank listed):

  • Lieutenant Scott Sanford
  • Lieutenant Brent Mattila
  • Lieutenant Jason Pierce
  • Lieutenant Ian Paola
  • Lieutenant Ryan Ellis
  • Lieutenant Colin Orsini
  • Captain Erwin Chappel
  • Fireboat Pilot Aaron Bocchetti
  • Fireboat Engineer Brandon Freeland
  • Battalion Chief Dan Murray
  • Battalion Chief Schon Branum

Protecting yourself from wildfire smoke

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Be prepared for wildfire smoke

Unhealthy air quality due to smoke from wildfires in British Columbia, California, Oregon, and Washington has become a reoccurring issue and concern in the Puget Sound region. Prepare now to reduce the risk of wildfire smoke.

You can take steps now to prepare:

  • Talk to your healthcare provider about your risk, especially if you or someone in your family has a health condition like asthma, heart disease, or diabetes.
  • Take steps to keep indoor air cleaner by not smoking inside, ventilating well when cooking or using candles, and not smoking inside.
  • Invest in an air purifying or cleaning device, like a simple and low-cost with a filter (Learn how to make one here and in the video below). Air filters are in high-demand during smoke events, so get one ahead of time if possible.
  • Monitor local forecasts and air quality using websites like airnow.gov.
  • Sign up to receive emergency alerts at Alert.Seattle.gov.

If smoke does impact Seattle this summer, you should take steps to protect your health:

  • Check local air quality reports and listen to news or health warnings for your community.
  • Avoid physical exertion outdoors if smoke is in the air.
  • Stay indoors and keep indoor air as clean as possible. Keep doors and windows closed.
  • Pay attention to the heat indoors. If you can, run an air conditioner, set it to re-circulate and close the fresh-air intake. Make sure to change the filter regularly.

To learn more about how to stay safe from wildfire smoke and get updates on the city’s response actions, visit https://www.seattle.gov/wildfire-smoke-safety.

Seattle Fire Department’s vaccination and testing efforts transition to partner agencies

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SEATTLE – With 82 percent of Seattle residents beginning the vaccination process, the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) will transition its testing and vaccination efforts to partner agencies, beginning on July 31, 2021. To date, SFD has administered more than 157,000 vaccine doses through its fixed vaccination sites, mobile vaccination team deployments and pop-up clinics. Additionally, Seattle firefighter/EMTs and paramedics, and our AMR partners working at our sites have conducted more than 786,000 COVID-19 tests. One in three Seattle residents have utilized the community testing sites.

UW Medicine will offer free COVID-19 testing at the Aurora and SODO hubs without a gap in service, in addition to testing at the Rainier Beach and West Seattle hubs. Vaccination continues to be available at pharmacies, community health centers, and health care providers including the Downtown Public Health Center.

“It has been a true honor and privilege for the Seattle Fire Department to play an integral role in vaccinating the community we serve over the past seven months. As a City, we have administered more than 259,000 vaccines through our mobile vaccination team deployments, pop-up clinics and fixed vaccination sites, which has helped us reach 82 percent of Seattleites beginning the vaccination process. I am proud to work and live in a community where so many of our neighbors have chosen to get vaccinated to protect themselves, those around them and ultimately help us recover from this pandemic. While SFD’s work on the vaccination front will come to a close, our commitment to serving you remains strong and will continue on,” said Fire Chief Harold Scoggins.

Smoking and rooftop fires

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Make sure proper cigarette disposal canisters are available in areas where smoking is allowed

Over the weekend, the Seattle Fire Department responded to two residential home fires that started on rooftops. In both situations, fire investigators identified improperly discarded smoking materials as the probable source of ignition. Every summer, we respond to fires that are caused by smoking materials left unattended or discarded improperly. With the warm and dry weather, more such fires may likely occur.

Even when smoking is not allowed on multi-residential building rooftops, fire Investigators frequently find cigarette butts in planter boxes and in garbage cans. It is important to never discard cigarettes in vegetation such as mulch, potted plants or landscaping, peat moss, dried grasses, leaves or other things that could ignite easily. A small cigarette butt in dry conditions can turn into a major fire.

Steps to help reduce the chance of such fires include the following:

  • Carelessly discarded cigarettes and other smoking materials can easily start a fire in dry conditions. Extinguish smoking materials before you leave area
  • Douse smoking materials in water before tossing out
  • Make sure proper cigarette disposal canisters are available in areas where smoking is allowed
Discard smoking materials in designated canisters only

National Pet Fire Safety Day

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July 15th is National Pet Fire Safety Day. Don’t forget to include your furry family members into your emergency plan should a fire occur. According to American Humane, more than half a million pets are impacted by house fires every year. Sometimes, the house fires are started by the pets themselves. Take a few minutes to prepare your home to prevent fires and to ensure your pets can get out safely if fire happens.

Photo of Bailey, the cavalier pup seated on Rescue One's apparatus.

Tips to Keep Pets Safe from House Fires:

  • Extinguish Open Flames – Pets are generally curious and will investigate cooking appliances, candles, or even a fire in your fireplace. Ensure your pet is not left unattended around an open flame and make sure to thoroughly extinguish any open flame before leaving your home.
  • Secure Young Pets – Especially with young puppies, keep them confined away from potential fire-starting hazards when you are away from home.
  • Keep Pets Near Entrances – When leaving pets home alone, keep them in areas or rooms near entrances where firefighters can easily find them.
  • Practicing Escape Routes with Pets – Keep collars and leashes at the ready in case you have to evacuate quickly with your pet or firefighters need to rescue your pet.
  • Invest in flameless candles: These candles contain a light bulb rather than an open flame and take the danger out of your pet knocking over a candle.
  • Avoid glass water bowls on wooden decks: The sun’s rays, when filtered through glass water bowls, can heat up and ignite the wooden deck. Choose stainless steel or ceramic bowls instead. 
  • Keep pets near entrances when you’re out: Keep collars and leashes at the ready in case firefighters need to rescue your dog. When leaving pets home alone, please keep them in areas or rooms near entrances where firefighters can easily find them. 

Dry brush fires in Seattle

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Firefighters putting out a brush fire

The long stretch of warm, dry summer days is keeping firefighters busy with dry-weather related fires. Since July 1, the Seattle Fire Department has responded to 65 brush and bark-related fires.

Due the the dry conditions, the King County Fire Marshal issued a fire safety burn ban on June 24, 2021 on all outdoor burning except for barbecues and small recreational fires in established fire pits at approved campgrounds or private property with the owner’s permission. 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 brush and other dry weather-related fires around your home:

  • Remove dead plants or bushes as soon as possible and clear roof and gutters of pine needles and leaves.
  • Remove flammable wood piles, propane tanks away from homes and garage structures.
  • Remove long grass, weeds or anything that can burn from around homes. This includes limbs that touch buildings or hang near the roof.
  • For homes adjacent to large areas of greenbelt, consider defensible space between home and landscaping
  • Homes built on slopes should mitigate dead dry vegetation below and around structure.
  • Either keep lawn hydrated or cut it short if it’s brown.

Outside of the home:

  • Do not light fireworks – besides being illegal, they cause serious injuries and fires.
  • Dispose of smoking materials in proper receptacles and douse in water, not in planters, beauty bark or out of your vehicle window.  
  • 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.

If you experience a fire, please call 9-1-1 immediately after you are in a safe location away from the fire.

2-Alarm vacant building fire in the U-District

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Photo by John Odegard

SEATTLE — At 10:19 a.m., firefighters responded to a working fire in a vacant building at the 5200 block of University Way NE. When crews arrived on scene, they confirmed that an adult male and adult female were able to safely evacuate the building. Our crews were able to get water on the fire and begin a primary search within four minutes of arriving on scene. However, the primary search was aborted when the roof began to collapse.

Photo by John Odegard
Photo by John Odegard

The incident was upgraded to a 2-alarm as flames and heavy smoke billowed out from the collapsed roof. 93 fire personnel were dispatched to the scene consisting of eleven fire engines, five ladder trucks and additional support units. Firefighters remained in a defensive strategy where they poured water onto the fire from a safe distance. They had the fire under control by 11:02 a.m. and continued to extinguish hot spots into the early afternoon.

The incident is currently under investigation and no injuries were reported.

Preventing fires caused by fireworks

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Photo Credit: West Seattle Herald

Every year, the personal use of fireworks cause fires and injure people in the Seattle area. Last year, the Seattle Fire Department responded to 16 fireworks-related fires including two structure fires. One significant fire happened on July 4, 2020 in West Seattle where fireworks ignited dry brush in front of a four-story apartment building which then 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.

The recent hot, dry weather significantly increases the risk for dry grass, bark, and brush fires. A firework can easily start a fire in these conditions.

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 – make sure they are in a closed bin.
  • Keep a garden hose with nozzle hooked up and ready to use.

Also, make sure smoke alarms are working by pushing the test button.

If you experience a fire, please call 9-1-1 immediately after you are in a safe location away from the fire.

Remember, fireworks are illegal in the City of Seattle. If you want to report the illegal discharge of fireworks, please do not call 9-1-1, but instead use the non-emergency line for the Community Safety and Coordination Center (206-625-5011). On a historically busy weekend in the City, the use of 9-1-1 should be reserved for life-threatening emergencies only.