Clackamas Fire District #1 in collaboration with the City of Happy Valley will be working to achieve their goal of 50,000 community members trained in Hands-Only CPR since 2014 by training 500 people in one night. This milestone is slated to be reached at Happy Valley’s Concerts in the Valley on August 23, 2018. Want to learn Hands-Only CPR? Join Clackamas Fire for training demonstrations at the third annual First Responder Night in recognition of fire and law enforcement at Happy Valley Park, 13770 SE Ridgecrest Road, Happy Valley, at 6:30 p.m.

To support Clackamas Fire to hit their goal of 50,000 people trained, first responders and volunteers will host free Hands-Only CPR demonstrations and training during the concert’s intermission at 7:30 p.m. The Hands-Only CPR program is designed to provide anyone with basic skills needed to save a family member, friend, or person nearby experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest. Using only compressions, Hands-Only CPR can more than double a victim’s chance of survival.

To increase the chances of survival, what better way than to educate middle and high school students in area school districts, which began nearly four years ago. The huge success of this life-saving initiative, transformed Clackamas Fire’s vision to expand beyond students in our community to all community members.

Join the movement at Happy Valley’s Concerts in the Valley by learning Hands-Only CPR to help save lives, and support Clackamas Fire in reaching their goal of 50,000 trained in Hands-Only CPR.

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Heavy Rescue 305

Clackamas Fire District #1 will receive the 2018 International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)/Motorola Solutions Ben Franklin Award for Valor. This year’s winners are Captain Kyle Olson, Apparatus Operator Andrew Brian, Firefighter Scott Kohler, and Firefighter Matt Towner from Clackamas Fire’s Mt. Scott Station 5. The crew will be recognized for their heroic efforts as they rescued 62-year-old, Dea Hammons, trapped on the second floor of a residential structure fire on Sept. 6, 2017.     

Presented annually at the Fire-Rescue International (FRI) by the IAFC and Motorola Solutions, the Ben Franklin Award for Valor honors a firefighter for his or her expert training, professional service, and dedication to the duty displayed in the saving of a human life. The program is more than that, as it helps raise public awareness and support for the fire and emergency service. FRI is the largest annual gathering of fire and emergency service leaders in the world. Medals will be presented at the FRI conference on Aug. 9, 2018 in Dallas, Texas.

Chief Fred Charlton said, “It is truly an honor for Clackamas Fire, for these courageous firefighters, and for the communities we serve to be honored with such a prestigious award. This recognition speaks to the thousands of hours all of our firefighters spend training, the investment we made in tools, equipment and technology, and the full-support of the department.”

Firefighters from Heavy Rescue 305 (Mt. Scott Station 5) were dispatched to a residential fire, less than .2 miles away from their station on Sept. 6, 2017. Arriving on scene to a two-story home with fire visible from the street. Firefighters Kohler and Towner were met by two female occupants, who escaped the fire, and stated their friend, Hammons, was still inside. Olson and Brian attempted entry through the same exterior door entered by Kohler and Towner. Facing adverse conditions of extremely high heat and falling ceiling debris, they were forced back out. Olson and Brian looked for another means of entry and attempted entry to the second floor on another side, but found no viable access.

Kohler and Towner made entry to the second floor, and located Hammons in the bedroom. Flames were rolling across the ceiling, there was no other way out but through the window. Kohler used his bail out device, hung just under the windowsill and Towner placed Hammons out the window onto Kohler’s lap. Towner bailed out the window and helped shield Hammons from the fire. Brian climbed the ladder to assist the Hammons down the ladder. She was transported to a local burn center for treatment. In less than 10 minutes, Heavy Rescue 305 was dispatched to the scene and were safely out of the building with Hammons.  

Since 1970, the Ben Franklin Award for Valor award has recognized the spirit of service, courage, and heroism that is a proud tradition among the world’s fire and emergency service. The award is named after Benjamin Franklin, the nation’s first fire chief, and is the most prestigious honor presented by the IAFC. An inventor, statesman, and humanitarian, Mr. Franklin was a prime contributor to the wealth of tradition that symbolizes the fire and emergency service worldwide.

Awards received: Medal of Honor from Clackamas Fire District #1 at their annual awards and recognition banquet, Feb. 2, 2018; First Responder Hero award from the American Red Cross 21st Annual Heroes Breakfast, Feb. 21, 2018; Medal of Honor from the Oregon Fire Chiefs Association, May 10, 2018; and Ben Franklin Award for Valor from IAFC, Aug. 9, 2018.

Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Clackamas Fire District #1 Lieutenant Ryan Patrick, pictured from left to right: Firefighter Matt Towner, Apparatus Operator Andrew Brian, Captain Kyle Olson, and Firefighter Scott Kohler.

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Around 2:00am this morning, firefighters repsonded to a residential fire on SE Silverleaf Lane, in Oak Grove. Upon arriving, crews found the home filled with heavy smoke and fire. The fire had extended to a second home next door. Crews were able to quickly contain the fire.

One person was transported to an area hospital and is being treated for smoke inhalation. The homeowners cat was successfully resusitated and taken to a local veterinary hospital and is also being treated for smoke inhalation.

Three people were displaced and the Red Cross was called to help. Fire investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire.

Clackamas Fire District # 1 would like to remind you to have working smoke detectors on every level of your home and inside and outside of all sleeping areas.

Fleet and Logistics - courtesy of Rice, Fergus, Miller

Clackamas Fire District #1 will hold a ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony for its newest building, the Fleet and Logistics Center on Monday, July 30, 2018, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The ceremony will begin with a presentation and history of the building, followed by the formal ribbon cutting at 10:15 a.m. The 20,000 square foot facility will be immediately available for tours with Fleet and Logistics staff following the ceremony.

Through the passage of the Fire District’s general obligation bond by voters in 2015 for $29 million, it was decided to construct and equip a new Fleet and Logistics Center. The current building is unable to hold all of the items that Logistics needs to carry and the new building allows this division to consolidate various equipment and product into one central location allowing for greater efficiency.

On the Fleet side, several pieces of heavy apparatus could not fit inside the bays of the existing fleet center. With only three bays, there were times the mechanics were working outside to get various apparatus back in-service and mission ready. This became a real concern during harsh weather in the summer and winter months. As the Fire District moved forward with the building project, there have been an increase in other agencies requesting fleet services. Currently, the Fire District provides contracted fleet services for Canby Fire District #62, Gladstone Fire Department, and the City of Lake Oswego Fire Department in addition to maintaining its own fleet of emergency and non-emergency response vehicles.

The Fire District began the process for designing a new Fleet and Logistics Center in 2016 through requests for proposals for architectural services and a contractor.  The request for proposal process resulted in the hiring of Rice Fergus Miller, Inc. and Emerick Construction.

The public is welcome to attend the open house and ribbon cutting ceremony to see this state of the art building and ask questions. The Clackamas Fire Fleet and Logistics Center is located at 15800 SE 130th Ave. Clackamas, OR. 97015.

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Clackamas Fire District #1 fire officials in coordination with the Oregon Department of Forestry have issued a total outdoor burn ban for all areas within the Fire District and moved the fire danger level to EXTREME, beginning Wednesday, July 25, 2018 at 12:00 p.m.

The burn ban was issued due to high temperatures, extremely dry conditions, and lack of any recent rainfall. “The Fire District will likely stay in a total burn ban until the end of fire season and conditions change,” said Deputy Chief Doug Whiteley.

The ban includes no outdoor fires of any kind, such as recreational campfires, fire pits, yard debris, and agricultural burning.

Residents living in rural areas are encouraged to take steps to protect their homes and structures by maintaining defensible space from any vegetation. Additionally, they should ensure adequate access on their property for firefighting equipment.

Unlawful outdoor fires during a declared fire district-wide burn ban are deemed a hazard to public safety and could result in a Fire District response, fire extinguishment, and invoicing of cost recovery fees for Fire District actions taken. Smokers should ensure cigarettes are completely extinguished and thrown away in proper receptacles.

For more information, people can call Clackamas Fire District #1’s Fire Prevention Office at 503.742.2660 or visit our website at www.clackamasfire.com.