Community Newsletter - Snohomish Fire District 4

Community Newsletter
Snohomish County Fire District 4
1525 Avenue D/PO Box 820 ▪ Snohomish WA 98291 ▪ 360-568-2141 ▪ www.snohomishfire.org ▪ Summer ▪ Vol. 3, Issue 1
THREE NEW HIRES
SUMMER OUTDOOR BURNING
Residential Burning
Residential burning (a burn pile no larger than 4 feet by 4
feet by 3 feet) requires a permit. Permits can be obtained
at our stations for residents that are outside of the City
limits or the urban growth area of our District. Generally
this is property east of the Pilchuck River and south of
Lowell-Larimer Road. If you are not sure if you are in
this area, feel free to call us at 360-568-2141. Residential
burning means the outdoor burning of leaves, clippings,
prunings, and other yard and gardening refuse originating
at the property where it will be burned.
Recreational Fires
From left to right: Karl Jacobsen, Garrett Lane, Chris Jorve
Fire District 4 is pleased to announce that there are
three new people serving the emergency needs of the
Snohomish Community.
Firefighters Karl Jacobsen, Garrett Lane, and Chris
Jorve graduated from the Washington State Fire
Academy on April 17. They fill vacancies recently
created in the District Career Staff.
Firefighter Jacobsen lives in Snohomish. A graduate
of Snohomish High School in 2006, he has been a
Volunteer and Part Time Firefighter/EMT for the
District since 2008.
Firefighter Lane lives in Everett. A graduate of
Snohomish High School in 2007, he has been a
Volunteer and Part Time Firefighter/EMT for the
District since 2008.
Firefighter Jorve lives in Snohomish with his wife
Caitlin. A graduate of Snohomish High School in
2007, he has been a Volunteer and Part Time
Firefighter/EMT for the District since 2009.
Recreational fires, no larger than 3 feet by 3 feet by 2 feet
in size, do not require a permit. These types of fires are
legal in all areas. By definition recreational fires are
cooking fires and campfires using charcoal or fire wood
that occur in designated areas or on private property for
pleasure, cooking, or ceremonial purposes. Recreational
fires may be conducted within commercial appliances or
on the ground that has been cleared of all combustible
material within a 10 foot
radius, must be monitored
at all times, and must have
a water source readily
available (at a minimum, a
charged water hose or a
five-gallon
bucket
of
water). Fires used for
debris disposal purposes
are not considered recreational fires.
Summer Burn Bans
During the Summer months when hot and dry weather
conditions are expected, the Snohomish County Fire
Marshal’s Office may put on a burn ban considering a
HIGH FIRE HAZARD. During this time there is no
residential burning. To find out if there is a burn ban, you
can visit the Snohomish County Fire Marshal’s website
or call and listen to a recording at 425-388-3508. Burn
permits cannot be issued during burn bans. The Fire
Marshal’s Office will determine when a burn ban is
lifted.
Page 2 - Snohomish Fire District 4 - Summer 2015
UP-COMING CERT CLASS
CPR AND FIRST AID CLASSES
Following a major disaster, emergency workers who
provide fire and medical services will not be able to
meet the demand for these services. People will have
to rely on each other for help in order to meet their
immediate life saving needs.
Snohomish Fire District 4 is, once again, happy to
offer Public CPR/AED/First Aid classes.
After your initial training you will be notified of
continuing education opportunities. These will allow
you to meet others from the community who are
trained in CERT as well as many disaster responders.
Subjects that are covered in the CERT Course:







Introduction and Emergency Preparation
Team Organization & Disaster Psychology
Disaster Medical I
Disaster Medical II
Fire Prevention & Suppression
Search & Rescue
Terrorism
 Classes are on Saturday,
begin at 9:00 a.m. and are
approximately 4.5 hours
long.

Class fee is $50 for non
residents and $25 for
residents of Fire District
#4.
 Class size is limited to 14 students, please send in
your registration as soon as possible.
 Registration and payment must be received by us
prior to the class date. No drop-ins. No phone
registration.
 You must attend entire class to receive card.
For more information and to download a registration
form, go to our website at www.snohomishfire.org.
Upcoming Class Dates are on Monday from 7:00 pm
to 9:30 pm and one Saturday class from 8:30 am to
12:30 pm (must attend all classes):
This is NOT a Health Care Provider class. If you
would be interested in attending a health care provider
class in the future, please email your name and contact information to [email protected]. We
will notify those on our list when these classes are
scheduled.
September 14, 2015
HOW TO CONTACT US
September 21, 2015
In Person: At Headquarters Station 43,
1525 Avenue D, Snohomish
September 26, 2015 or TBD
October 5, 2015
October 12, 2015
October 19, 2015
October 26, 2015
For more information email [email protected].
(Office hours MF, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
Phone:
360-568-2141
Fax:
360-568-2143
Email:
[email protected]
Website: www.snohomishfire.org
Remember, if you have an emergency you
should not hesitate to dial 911.
Snohomish Fire District 4 - Summer- Page 3
EQUIPMENT
Decades of technology and innovation continue to improve the way
emergency services are delivered to your needs. From the simplicity of
maintaining the health of a horse, to the highly mechanized and
computerized applications requiring horsepower to respond for the
benefit of the public is a change that most of the public does not
recognize.
The Fire District Staff goes to great lengths in an attempt to maintain
our equipment and keep it in the best operating condition possible. But
as good as any equipment is, with use and over time our equipment does get
old, break down, wear out, and at some point just does not work the way it should. Our ambulances see lots of
miles. The fire engines get lots of drill time for people learning and practicing their skills aside from wear and
tear of responding to emergencies which equals engine hours. Because of all
this we are in a constant state of planning, looking years ahead to replace
equipment.
The most recent purchase was an engine purchased from Spartan Emergency
Response Vehicles in Charlotte, Michigan that is assigned to the Three Lakes
Station. This replaced a 1995 engine at a cost of $392,000.00.
The District currently has one more engine that needs to be replaced and this
is scheduled for 2017.
SUMMER SAFETY TIPS
Transportation
Summer Heat





Never leave pets or children in the car, especially in
the sun
Always wear a bicycle helmet, no matter how far you
ride
Motorcycle helmets reduce the risk of brain injury
In the Water





Boaters should wear life jackets
Never leave children unsupervised around water
Never dive or slide headfirst into water that is less
than five feet deep
If a child is missing, check the water in the area first
Drain baby pools after each use to prevent drowning
Barbequing





Keep grills at least 10 feet from any structure
Never grill indoors or near garages or porches, even if
it’s raining
Never leave grill unattended
Never use gasoline or kerosene to light a charcoal fire
Let coals/ash cool in the grill for at least 24 hours
before disposing of them


Drink plenty of water
Work or exercise outdoors in the
early morning or evening when it’s
cooler
Wear a wide-brimmed, loose-fitting hat that allows
ventilation
Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing
Heat Related Illnesses
Heat cramps are muscle contractions; heat exhaustion
includes paleness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fainting,
and a moderately increased temperature. People with
heat stroke are warm, with flushed skin, a very high
temperature, and do not sweat. For heat stroke, call 911
or your doctor immediately.
In the Event of Heat Exhaustion or Cramps
 Stop all activity and sit quietly in a cool place

Drink clear juice or a sport drink

Do not return to strenuous activity for a few hours
until after cramps or exhaustion subsides

Seek medical attention for heat cramps or exhaustion that does not subside in one hour
Community Newsletter
Snohomish County Fire District 4
Summer ▪ Vol. 3, Issue 1
MESSAGE FROM FIRE CHIEF RON SIMMONS
PO Box 820
1525 Avenue D
Snohomish, WA 98291
360-568-2141
www.snohomishfire.org
This section of the newsletter is typically our
opportunity to tell you what is going on with the
District; maybe something about personnel,
equipment, or the budget. However, as I write this
our region is in the midst of weather like I have
never experienced in my years with the Fire District.
The Environmental Community will tell us that this
is the future of our seasons to come. We have had
record low rainfall this summer. Thankfully, there were no major fires
or injuries that could be attributed to fireworks. I have been asked why
we have been so lucky and my response is that our citizens recognize
the hazard and are being appropriately cautious.
I would ask the citizens of Fire District 4 to continue to be cautious.
Although we do not have the same surroundings as Eastern
Washington, we currently have the same threat. I have shared with
people that there have been a number of years where I have traveled to
different portions of the District to evaluate fire conditions, and was
sure that we were going to experience a significant fire, but none
occurred. So far this year we have responded to several fires in our
neighborhoods that we never imagined would have occurred, but they
are.
If you see a fire please call 911 immediately even before you make an
effort to put it out. DO NOT burn your trash or yard waste. If you
choose to have a back-yard recreational fire make sure you keep it
small, contained, and have a charged garden hose or water supply
readily available.
If you have any questions about fire safety or our current District
response plans and preparations, call and talk with us. Please help us
keep our community safe.