Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue’s Fire Station 59, also called the Willamette Station, is officially open for business. The Willamette Fire Station is located at 1860 Willamette Falls Drive in the heart of West Linn. In addition to responding to fire, medical and rescue incidents, firefighters at Station 59 respond to a significant number of motor vehicle accidents on Interstate 205, as well as water emergencies in Clackamas County.
The station is home to a daily engine company crew of three firefighters and the District’s Water Rescue Team. The 12,260 square foot building includes sleeping rooms, a kitchen, physical fitness area, an office, a large apparatus and storage bay, and a community room.
The new station replaces an older fire station that was too small for current fire apparatus and was not seismically stable. During construction, firefighters from Fire Station 59 worked out of a temporary fire station located directly behind the old structure. With the temporary station being located so close to the former location, incident response times were not affected during construction.
The Willamette Station was constructed to survive a major earthquake and is large enough to accommodate today’s modern fire apparatus. It also allows the District’s Water Rescue Team to keep its water rescue vehicle hooked up to Boat 59, dramatically improving the team’s response time.
The station is also energy efficient and designed to meet a certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. The building incorporates extensive use of natural light, solar panels to preheat water, on-demand water heaters, rain-water capture for toilets, use of low emission and recycled construction materials and high-efficiency lighting, heating and cooling systems.
The $2.26 million station was designed with extensive public input. TVF&R participated in over 40 public meetings with neighborhood associations, historical resource advisory groups, the Planning Commission, and the West Linn City Council detailing plans for reconstructing fire stations in West Linn.
Fire Station 59 is one of two TVF&R stations to be built in West Linn. TVF&R is also building a new fire station in the Bolton neighborhood to replace the aging Fire Station 58. Both projects are paid for by bonds approved by 68.6% of voters in November 2006. The $77.5 million general obligation bond pays for capital improvements across the District and is expected to improve and maintain TVF&R’s response to emergency incidents. To learn more about the bond, click here.
Finally, the Willamette Fire Station incorporates an important part of West Linn firefighting history: A historic bell that called firefighters to action for half a century now sits atop the new building for all to see.
The Willamette Fire Station will host an open house celebration on Saturday, April 3rd from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. so the community can explore the new building and meet their firefighters.
Click here to see how the Willamette Station’s construction progressed from the foundation up.
Investigators from Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue and the Sherwood Police Department are hoping the public can help them with information about the cause of last night’s fire in an empty home at 21961 SW Sherwood Blvd.
Firefighters TVF&R were dispatched to the home, which is adjacent to the Sherwood Senior Center, at 5:00 p.m. Firefighters from TVF&R’s Station 33 in Sherwood arrived less than five minutes after being dispatched and found heavy flames and smoke pouring from all windows of the empty house.
As firefighters worked to confirm that no-one was in the home, they also focused their attention on ensuring that the fire did not spread to the Senior Center, which was not damaged.
Firefighters from TVF&R’s Sherwood, King City, Tualatin, and Wilsonville Stations controlled the blaze after approximately 20 minutes.
The home was recently purchased by the City of Sherwood.
Investigators estimate the damage to the structure at $150,000. The cause of the fire is under investigation. TVF&R investigators and detectives from the Sherwood Police Department are asking anyone with information about the fire’s cause to call them at 503-629-0111.
This Sunday, March 9th, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue/Local 1660 firefighters will once again participate in the Annual Scott Firefighter Stairclimb at the 788 foot high Columbia Center in downtown Seattle, Washington. Our team—one of the largest in the event—will join over 1,200 firefighters from 180 different departments throughout the United States. This event is a fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
The event requires participants in full turnouts, boots, and air packs to race up 69 grueling flights of stairs and 1,311 steps to reach the observation deck and finish line overlooking the city. Last year our team placed 11th (139 teams) and had ten team members place in the Top 10 of their age division. TVF&R Captain and long-time team organizer Al Kennedy states, “This worthwhile event is a tremendous commitment for the participants. Our team members spend months training for the event off-duty.”
This year marks the eleventh year that TVF&R has participated in the event. In that time, the team has raised over $60,000. The team hopes to raise over $15,000 through individual and family donations this year.
Those interested in making a contribution to this year’s team, can visit http://www.active.com/donate/17thscottstairclimb/TualatinValley1660 to make a donation on-line. Checks – payable to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society – may also be mailed to Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue at 20665 SW Blanton Street, Aloha, 97007.
This week’s 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile is a reminder that we, also, live in an earthquake hazard zone. Would you know what to do if the ground started shaking right now?
When you feel an earthquake, DROP to the ground. Stay away from windows, bookcases, pictures and mirrors, hanging plants and other heavy objects that may fall. Beware of falling materials such as plaster, ceiling tiles and bricks that may come loose during the quake. Seek COVER under a sturdy piece of furniture like a desk or table, and stay there until the shaking stops. HOLD ON to the desk or table that you are under and if it moves, move with it.
DROP, COVER & HOLD TIPS
If you are not near a table or desk, move against an interior wall, and protect your head with your arms. Do not go into a doorway! Not only can the shaking cause the door to
swing shut forcefully, but many interior door frames are not load-bearing.
HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS – Stay away from the elevators and don’t be surprised if the fire alarm and/or sprinkler systems come on.
OUTDOORS – Move to a clear area away from buildings, poles, power lines, signs, and trees.
NEAR BUILDINGS – Beware of falling bricks, glass, plaster and other debris. Duck into an entryway and protect your head with your arms.
DRIVING – Pull to the side of the road and stop. Avoid overpasses, power lines, and other hazards. Stay inside the vehicle until the shaking is over.
STORE OR OTHER PUBLIC PLACE – Do not rush for the exit. Move away from shelves and displays that may fall over or contain objects that could fall on you, then drop,
cover, and hold on.
WHEELCHAIR – If you are in a wheelchair, stay in it. Move to cover, if possible (i.e., an interior wall), lock your wheels, and protect your head with your arms.
KITCHEN – Move away from the refrigerator, stove and overhead cupboards, then drop, cover, and hold on. [Have you anchored appliances and installed security latches on
cupboards to reduce hazards? Check out our information on non-structural mitigation.]
THEATER OR STADIUM – If possible, get on the floor between the rows and cover your head with your arms, otherwise stay in your seat and protect your head with your arms.
Do not try to leave until the shaking stops; then leave in an orderly manner.
At approximately 5:30 pm Friday evening, a vehicle operated by an intoxicated driver lost control and sheared off a natural gas meter at a business in Tigard. The incident occurred at the Casual Car Wash located at 9855 SW Walnut Place off Highway 99.
The suspect fled the scene of the crash, however, was quickly apprehended by a Tigard Police Officer a short distance from the car wash. The driver was assessed by medics on scene and taken into custoday by Tigard Police Department.
Until the broken gas line could be shut down, TVF&R Firefighters ensured safe perimeters for both the public and emergency service personnel. As a precaution, Highway 99 – between School Street and Johnson Street – was closed for about one hour. Firefighters remained on scene as NW Natural crews brought in heavy equipment to access the line and control the leak. The situation was resolved at 7:30 pm.
A West Linn house fire last weekend proved deadly Wednesday afternoon when a 47 year-old woman that had been rescued and resuscitated by firefighters on scene, succumbed to her injuries at Legacy Emanuel Burn Center.
Fire kills more than 3,000 people each year. The majority of fatal fires include three common ingredients: they occur in a home…while people are sleeping…and no working smoke alarm is present. Tragically, this was the case in the West Linn house fire.
TVF&R Public Information Officer Karen Eubanks states, “A house fire is nothing like what you see on TV or in the movies. It produces dark and deadly smoke that can fill your home in minutes and one ‘breath’ can confuse you to the point that you never make it out alive.” She added, “This is why firefighters wear air packs when entering a burning building and use thermal imagers to ‘see’ in smoke-filled buildings.” Firefighters responding to the West Linn fire reported almost zero-visibility when they entered the home. The heavy black smoke had already filled the hallways and rooms of the home and blackened the windows.
Increase your chances of surviving a fire with working smoke alarms and a fire escape plan. Smoke alarms are designed to activate early while a fire is still small and deadly smoke has not yet filled your escape routes. Working smoke alarms give you time – time to escape and time to call the fire department.
Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, between the living and sleeping areas. For optimum protection, place alarms in each bedroom.
Test your smoke alarms monthly – push the ‘test’ button until it sounds. Include your children so they recognize the sound.
Never remove the battery for false alarms like cooking smoke or shower steam.
Replace your smoke alarms every 10 years.
Fire doubles in size every 30 seconds so it is critical that you know what to do when the alarm goes off. Prepare yourself and family by developing a Fire Escape Plan:
Identify two exits from every room and a meeting place outside.
Crawl low when exiting the home (deadly smoke rises) and call 9-1-1 from a neighbor’s house or your cell phone.
Make sure everyone knows – once out, stay out.
Practice your plan at least once a year, especially at night.
At 4:01 a.m. Sunday morning, firefighters from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, Clackamas County Fire District #1 and Lake Oswego Fire Department responded to reports of a trapped victim in a house fire at 1693 12th Street in West Linn.
Irene C. Anderson had called 9-1-1 from her cell phone to report that she had just escaped from her burning home and her daughter, who also lived in the home, was trapped inside. Firefighters from TVF&R’s Station 59 arrived within three minutes and found heavy smoke coming from the windows. Knowing one of the female residents of the home was still trapped inside, they immediately started a search of the smoke and fire filled home and found 47-year-old Lisa Anderson Malsbury unresponsive.
While firefighters began providing advanced life support care to Ms. Malsbury, other crews pulled hoses into the structure and quickly extinguished the fire. Ms. Malsbury was initially transported to Legacy Meridian Park Hospital suffering life-threatening injuries and has since been transferred to Legacy Emanuel Hospital where she remains in the intensive care unit at the burn center.
Though fire damage was limited to the front living room, the home sustained considerable smoke and water damage. It’s estimated that at least $100,000 worth of damage occurred and the insured home may be a total loss. TVF&R investigators have confirmed that there was no battery in the home’s smoke alarm. They’ve also determined that the fire started in the living room on or near the couch, but the most probable cause will likely be released Monday.
TVF&R wants to remind citizens that working smoke alarms can save lives by allowing people precious time to escape. Be sure to test your smoke alarms regularly and practice your fire escape plan so your family knows what to do in the event of a fire.
John Pilon (left), survivor Ronald Shinn (center) and Dr. Ray Costantini with the AED that saved Shinn's life
Ronald Shinn is alive today because of two men who knew what to do when he collapsed in a parking lot last Fall. Thursday, he had a chance to shake the hands of the men who saved his life and talk with reporters about the importance of knowing CPR and how to use an AED. Shinn, who is 67, collapsed while walking across a parking lot at the Providence Tigard Business Center. He was having a sudden cardiac arrest. Fortunately for Shinn, Providence Security Guard John Pilon and Providence eHealth Regional Medical Director Ray Costantini were nearby and immediately came to his aid. The pair began CPR and utilized an on-site automatic external defibrillator (AED) to shock Shinn’s dying heart.
Survivor Ronald Shinn speaks with news crews about his experience
Emergency crews from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue and Metro West Ambulance arrived on scene approximately three minutes later. A single shock by paramedics converted Shinn’s heart back to a normal rhythm and he was immediately loaded into the ambulance. While en route to the hospital, paramedics continued advanced life support measures. Remarkably, Shinn was semi-conscious and attempting to speak to paramedics when he arrived at the hospital. He was able to leave the hospital three days later.
The survival rate for cardiac arrest patients is bleak; the national average for patients who live to be discharged from a hospital is about 5 percent. However, TVF&R’s survival rate over the past three years has ranged from 10.8 percent to 22.9 percent – making it among the top in the nation. TVF&R attributes its strong survival rates to several factors: quick calls to 9-1-1, dispatchers instructing callers to perform Hands-Only CPR, the growing availability of AEDs in the region, and TVF&R’s quick EMS response.
TVF&R Public Information Officer Karen Eubanks added,“John and Dr. Costantini were instrumental in saving Ron’s life. Their immediate response, coupled with their willingness to begin CPR and utilize a portable AED, made all the difference that day.”
TVF&R fire investigators have concluded that a cigarette ignited a chair inside a Beaverton apartment Wednesday morning, causing a fire that displaced a family. A resident called 9-1-1 just before 6:30 a.m. Wednesday to report a fire in the living room of an apartment at 11965 SW Center Street in Beaverton. When firefighters arrived at the Willow Grove Apartments they found heavy smoke inside the apartment and a chair on fire.
Firefighters quickly determined that no-one was inside the apartment and extinguished the blaze. Firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading to surrounding units although fire, heat and smoke did cause significant damage to the inside of the apartment unit where the fire originated.
After examining physical evidence and interviewing an occupant of the apartment, a TVF&R investigator learned that an improperly disposed of cigarette caused a chair in the apartment’s living room to ignite. Flames, heat and smoke spread to the rest of the apartment.
Only one of the two occupants was home at the time of the fire. She was awaken by smoke pouring under her bedroom door. She was able to grab a telephone and exit the apartment.
Video (above) courtesy of the American Heart Association
Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States and, every day, TVF&R’s firefighters are called upon to help people suffering from a heart attack or sudden cardiac arrest. February is National Heart Month and TVF&R wants to remind you that you can help save a life if someone nearby suffers a heart attack just by knowing what to do.
Most heart attacks happen at home. A heart attack is much different than sudden cardiac arrest. A heart attack can begin so slowly or mildly that a person is unaware of what he or she is experiencing. Symptoms include:
Chest discomfort lasting more than a few minutes or goes away and returns (may feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain);
Upper body discomfort such as pain or discomfort, in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach;
Shortness of breath
Sweating, nausea, or lightheadedness.
If you experience these symptoms – don’t delay; call 9-1-1 right away! Let us assess your situation and get you in the system. Time is crucial. The heart is a muscle and it deteriorates with each passing minute from the onset of a heart attack until treatment. Every TVF&R unit carries a cardiac monitor with 12 lead EKG capabilities. Our paramedics are able to diagnose if the heart is failing and begin immediate treatment. If a patient must be transported, information gathered by paramedics is relayed to the local hospital, enabling physicians and staff to activate special heart teams and prepare for the patient BEFORE their arrival. The national standard for field to cath lab is about 90 minutes. Thanks to our 12 lead EKGs in the field, we now have patients making it from field to the cath lab in under an hour. Remember – time is muscle!!
The survival rate for cardiac arrest patients is bleak; the national average for patients who live to be discharged from a hospital is about 5 percent. However, TVF&R’s survival rate over the past three years has ranged from 10.8 percent to 22.9 percent – making it among the top in the nation.TVF&R attributes its strong survival rates to several factors: quick calls to 9-1-1, dispatchers instructing callers to perform Hands-Only CPR, the growing availability of AEDs in the region, and TVF&R’s quick EMS response.
To learn more about heart attacks and AEDs, click here.
Investigators from Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue and the Sherwood Police Department are hoping the public can help them with information about the cause of last night’s fire in an empty home at 21961 SW Sherwood Blvd. 
rate over the past three years has ranged from 10.8 percent to 22.9 percent – making it among the top in the nation. TVF&R attributes its strong survival rates to several factors: quick calls to 9-1-1, dispatchers instructing callers to perform Hands-Only CPR, the growing availability of AEDs in the region, and TVF&R’s quick EMS response.
TVF&R fire investigators have concluded that a cigarette ignited a chair inside a Beaverton apartment Wednesday morning, causing a fire that displaced a family. A resident called 9-1-1 just before 6:30 a.m. Wednesday to report a fire in the living room of an apartment at 11965 SW Center Street in Beaverton. When firefighters arrived at the Willow Grove Apartments they found heavy smoke inside the apartment and a chair on fire.