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@AlbanyFDOregon
In the early morning of Thursday, August 4, Albany Fire responded to an apartment complex in the 2200 block of Elm Street.
On arrival the second floor was fully engulfed. Albany Fire and Police worked together to rescue one individual from an upstairs apartment. There were no injuries to residents or emergency services personnel. One pet cat died and residents from all units have been displaced due to damage.
The fire started in an upstairs apartment and is still under investigation.
Albany Fire’s Water Rescue Team responded to a report of a family in distress on the Santiam River in Jefferson, Oregon, on Wednesday July 27th at 7:14 P.M. AFD sent two Rescue Water Craft (RWC) and one ambulance with six firefighter/medics to the scene. Two adults and four children were rescued with minor injuries to two crew members.
AFD entered the Santiam River at I-5 and searched the river east for the family. A kayak with one adult male and three children were located together. The family was secure but only the children were wearing their life vests. Further up-river, crews located a female along a bank with a deep cut-out. There was no way to escape the river here. She was in distress, without a life vest, and clinging to vegetation roots. Firefighters were able to make the grab and secure the women to the RWC. She was safely delivered to the bank.
The crew continued up-river and found a teen sitting on a strainer, a large tree that “strains” the water around it. Strainers create deadly traps for those using the river for recreation. The child had been thrown a life vest from the bank and was wearing it. The scene was complicated with large tree branches, blackberry bushes and swift water. The crew made the rescue, but the river’s current rolled the vehicle. Thankfully the child and crew members made it safely to shore with no major injuries. We currently do not have damage estimates to the RWC.
This is a serious reminder that river conditions are dangerous for everyone. Emergency responders are highly trained professionals who are prepared. We need your help to keep you and us safe. Take the time to research and understand the area you plan to recreate in. And we cannot emphasize enough, adults and children should always wear their life vests.
Albany Fire Department received a $35,000 staffing grant from the Office of State Fire Marshal. The grant will pay for a fourth firefighter position at Station 11, located on Lyon Street. The extra position will generally be staffed on high-risk fire days during our busiest call times: 10:00am-08:00pm. The additional firefighter will improve fire response in our community and fire mutual aid response to our neighbors in Linn and Benton Counties.
The benefits of a fourth firefighter on an engine company are improved response capabilities to wildland fires, improved medical response on cardiac emergencies and upgraded response on structure fires. The National Fire Protection Agency Best Practices for Fire Suppression Operations recommends minimum staffing of 4 for an engine or truck company.
OSFM offered $6 million in grant funding to help fire agencies in Oregon with staffing for the 2022 Wildland Season. The AFD staffed position will continue until funds are exhausted or through October 1, 2022.