Job outlook, which took into consideration the above three factors
Average job satisfaction
Difficulty of the required training
Prestige
Pay
The field was narrowed to 30 best careers. This included engineers, audiologists, occupational therapists, registered nurses, and veterinarians to name a few.
Also named as one of the best careers in 2009?
Firefighting!!!
Using the criteria, a firefighting career was awarded “A” grades in job satisfaction and training difficulty, and “B” grades in prestige and job market outlook. To read more of the U.S. News and World report online, click here.
Are you interested in becoming a Portland firefighter? Click here to visit our official website or contact the Recruiter at (503) 823-3811.
Today marks the one-month anniversary of the Fire Blog!
Since its launch on October 19, 2009, the Fire Blog has received over 4,500 hits. Our most popular blog so far? The dive team video. Click here to view the dive team video and blog. Thank you to all of our readers for making the Fire Blog’s first month a success!!
If there are topics you want to see more of, let us know using the comment feature below!
Photos courtesy of Dick Harris, Portland Fire & Rescue
This morning at about 4:30 am, Portland Fire & Rescue firefighters responded to the report of smoke coming from a building on SE Foster Road. Engine and Truck 25 arrived two minutes later and reported smoke coming from the back side of the building. The fire had worked its way into the concealed spaces in the walls and between the ceiling and roof, making it difficult for firefighters to put it out. After about 40 minutes of cutting holes in the roof and pulling sheetrock on the inside of the building, firefighters were able to extinguish all the hot spots.
Firefighters have confirmed that no one was in the building and no injuries were reported.
QUICK INFORMATION
Crews dispatched: 4:28 am
Crews on scene: 4:30 am
Fire controlled: 5:15 am
Recall: 5:28 am
Firefighters were called to fight the one alarm fire: 35
Engine companies: 5
Truck companies: 3
Heavy Squad: 1
Chief Officers: 3
CLOSURERS
SE Foster Road was closed between 50th and 52nd for 2 ½ hours and was reopened at 7:00 am just in time for most of the morning commuters.
CAUSE OF FIRE
Fire investigators from Portland Fire & Rescue are on scene and are working to determine cause of the fire.
On November 10, 2009, Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) held its first Steering Committee meeting for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010-15 Strategic Planning Process. Once complete, the Strategic Plan will provide PF&R with a roadmap that will guide the organization’s success over the next five years.
PF&R’s Strategic Plan is important to the bureau’s leadership, employees, and the public because it identifies long-term goals and the best approach to achieving them. The Steering Committee, comprised of bureau staff, stakeholders, and citizens, will be overseeing the strategic planning process during the next eight months as the plan is developed. Along the way, PF&R will be soliciting input from the public, employees, stakeholders, and various agencies that use PF&R's services to ensure that long-term goals are developed with consideration for the community’s needs and priorities.
Information on the FY 2010-15 Strategic Planning process will be made available through a variety of methods. Stay tuned to the PF&R website, Fire Blog, and PDXFire Twitter page for future updates and information on the FY 2010-15 Strategic Plan.
To review PF&R's current FY 2005-10 Strategic Plan, click here.
The Office of the City Auditor released the results of the 2009 City of Portland Resident Survey. The annual survey, mailed to 9,000 randomly selected Portland residents, provides a snapshot of how well the City of Portland is doing on a wide range of services.
For the third year in a row, resident opinions of Portland Fire & Rescue remained high with 91% of those surveyed ranking PF&R’s services as good or very good – the highest rating of any City bureau. The 755 members of Portland Fire & Rescue consider it a privilege to protect life and property in the City of Portland and appreciate receiving this feedback from customers on our services.
If you're planning to attend a celebration during this holiday season, will you be able to get out safely should a fire unexpectedly erupt while you're busy celebrating? It’s important to give thought to the possibility that trying to get out of a crowded place in an emergency could instantly become a matter of life and death.
If you haven't, now is the time to be prepared for that kind of emergency:
As soon as you get to your designated place, familiarize yourself with where all of the exits are. Don't just glance in the direction of the exits. Actually walk the path to at least one of those exits from where you will be standing or sitting. Remember, the power will likely go out from the fire. The possibility of becoming disoriented in the dark or from smoke inhalation is extremely high. It's crucial that you know in which direction to hurry to as soon as a fire erupts.
Wear non-flowing clothing and practical shoes. Keep any laces tied to prevent tripping.
Don’t stop to collect your possessions (e.g., purse, clothing, shoes). Leave them behind and get out! Prevent getting knocked down at all costs.
Should a stampede situation develop as celebration-goers surge for the nearest exit, turn in the direction of an alternate exit, such as the back door or a window you can throw a chair through if necessary to make your escape.
Take care when negotiating staircases, ramps and elevated flooring. The force of a moving crowd can become impossible to manage, causing you to trip, fall, and possibly be trampled.
For further tips to keep you safe in a crowded area, click here.
Each week, the Fire Blog will offer a trivia question and answer to boost your fire IQ:
Q: Why are fire hydrants different colors?
Think you know the answer? Post a comment and look for the answer on Monday!
A: Most often fire hydrants are painted different colors to allow firefighters to quickly identify water pressure of any fire hydrant. The four basic colors are red, yellow, blue, and green.
IMPORTANT INFO: Keeping Fire Hydrants Clear – Keeps You Safe!
Citizens have a part in helping Portland Fire & Rescue to protect life and property by maintaining a safe zone of clearance around fire hydrants. By doing so, you save time that it could take firefighters to locate an obstructed hydrant and get water on a fire. Just a few minutes spent looking for a fire hydrant can make a big difference in the outcome.
Here are some reminders:
Keep posts, fences, vehicles, shrubbery and vegetative growth, trash, storage, and other materials or objects at least 36 inches clear all the way around from fire hydrants.
When firefighters arrive on the scene of a fire, they have only minutes, sometimes seconds, to protect life and property. It is very important that they have full unobstructed access to fire hydrants and connections.
Landscaping as simple as shrubbery and objects as common as a garbage cart can block immediate access to fire hydrants and connections.
The Municipal Code, City of Portland, Title 16L Vehicles and Traffic denotes that vehicles are not to be parked within 10 feet of a fire hydrant in any location. It does not have to be posted by signs or by a yellow curb.
On November 10, 2009 at about 11:40 a.m., Portland Fire & Rescue responded to a structure fire at Marysville Elementary School in SE Portland, Oregon. Within a matter of minutes, Portland Police assisted teachers and staff in evacuating all the children. Two adults were transported for minor smoke inhalation. No children were injured. All 460 students and 17 teachers were evacuated to the Holgate Public Library.
The fire spread rapidly through the structure and in the attic spaces. Portland firefighters used very aggressive tactics including "trench cuts" and interior operations in an effort to limit fire spread. Trench cuts, which are holes cut in the roof, spanned the entire attic space. Trench cuts direct fire and smoke out of the attic space instead of allowing the fire and smoke to spread throughout the entire structure. The aggressive attack on the fire allowed firefighters to save most of the building.
Approximately 100 firefighters were called to fight the fire. Also dispatched were four trucks, 12 engines, one heavy rescue, one rescue, and six chief officers.
Preliminary damage estimates include $2,750,000 in building damage and $1,500,000 in contents damage.
Clackamas Fire District #1 and Gresham Fire Department provided companies to respond to calls from Portland stations left vacant by crews at the scene of the fire.
INVESTIGATING THE FIRE Portland Fire & Rescue investigators, along with agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, investigated the cause and source of the November 10th fire at Marysville Elementary School. They finished the on scene portion of the Marysville School fire investigation on November 14th and released the building back to Portland Public Schools.
Approximately 100 witness interviews were conducted along with two full days of digging and searching for the fire cause and origin. Fires of this magnitude are labor intensive and require extensive information gathering. This was a devastating fire that has deeply affected the community. While tremendous progress has been made, PF&R is unable to provide a fire cause at this time.
The fire remains under investigation.
HOW CAN YOU HELP? Investigators are specifically asking for help in gathering photos of the Discovery Zone building. If you have photos of the Discovery Zone building taken within the last year (from the inside, outside, or from any angle) or you have any other information you feel would be of value to investigators, please contact (503) 823-3791. This phone number will be staffed from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or you can leave a message after hours and they will return your calls.
Dwight Douglas served previously as a Chaplain for Portland Fire & Rescue and Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue. In May 2006, Chaplain Douglas was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy refers to diseases of the heart muscle. In these conditions, the heart muscle becomes enlarged or abnormally thick or rigid. In rare cases, the muscle tissue in the heart is replaced with scar tissue. He underwent a heart transplant in June 2006. In December 2008, Dwight learned that a valve in his new heart was leaking excessively. In February 2009, further testing revealed that the arteries of his heart were beginning to narrow and close off.
Dwight currently needs a second heart transplant. To help Dwight and his family raise money to cover the transplant expenses and other expenses related to his medical care, a pancake breakfast is being held in his honor at the Aloha Church of God on 18380 SW Kinnaman Road in Aloha, Oregon. Volunteers and eaters are needed!
Pancake Breakfast
Saturday, November 14, 2009 from 8:00 am to 11:30 am
Aloha Church of God -- 18380 SW Kinnaman Road Aloha, Oregon
$7.00 for adults, children ages 5 and under are free
Everyday, people call on local fire services for help. The calls range from simple fires, to auto accidents, to structure fires with people inside. The victims include the very young to the very old. Seeing death and physical injuries can be difficult for firefighters and can produce feelings of guilt, helplessness, or anger.
Many fire agencies have implemented Chaplaincy Programs that provide counseling support to firefighters and on-scene support to victims and their families. Fire Chaplains can also provide spiritual guidance, be a liaison with hospitals and clinics, explain insurance and benefits, and conduct/assist at funerals and weddings.
The Safety Learning Center & Fire Museum, located at the Historic Belmont Firehouse at 900 SE 35th Avenue, is not your traditional museum. The Safety Learning Center’s mission is to share the rich history and heritage of the fire service in Portland, Oregon and promote fire and life safety education for each and every guest.
Stories, images, and firefighting equipment are housed at the Safety Learning Center. Whether it's an 1859 Jeffers Sidestroke Handpump Fire Engine, the 1879 Amoskeag Steam Pumper, or the 1860 Hose Cart, all are wonderfully restored and presented for close-up enjoyment by the public.
Time lines decorate the walls and take the visitor decade by decade through the evolution of the city of Portland and Portland Fire & Rescue. Images and stories are mounted in wooden ladders crafted by Portland's ladder shop decades ago. The unique setting of the 1912 firehouse and the "tools of the trade" that decorate the facility provide an experience like no other "museum."
While some exhibits span the life of Portland Fire & Rescue, not everything is 150 years old. Some tools, like the original "Jaws of Life," came into being in the 1970s and have already evolved far beyond the original design, which is on display.
Tours are easily self-guided or, for a $1 donation, take the Audio Tour, which lasts 30 minutes and employs wonderful sound effects to supplement your tour. As always, firehouse staff will be on hand to assist in your tour or answer any questions. Visits are free, but donations to the Jeff Morris Fire & Life Safety Foundation are always accepted.
Upcoming Events and Important Dates
Safety Saturday
Safety Saturday at the Historic Belmont Firehouse occurs the second Saturday of each month from 10:00 am to 3:00 p.m. Drop in during open hours to see the exhibits and learn about safety for you and your family. No appointment is necessary. Scheduled Safety Saturday events include:
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Saturday, January 9, 2010
**Please note that from December 19, 2009 to January 8, 2010, the Safety Learning Center is closed for the holiday season.
For questions about tours, events, activities, or safety information, contact Don Porth at (503) 823-3615 or link to the official website at http://www.jeffmorrisfoundation.org/.
Portlanders were invited to honor military veterans, the active military, and their families at the 35th Annual Veterans Day Parade in the Hollywood District on November 11, 2009. The parade was sponsored by the Ross Hollywood Chapel and supported by the Hollywood Boosters Business Association.
The parade began at NE 40th Avenue and NE Hancock and traveled east on NE Sandy Boulevard to NE 48th Avenue where a memorial ceremony took place. Speakers at the ceremony included Mayor Sam Adams, Commissioner Nick Fish, Portland Fire and Rescue Chief John Klum, and Portland Police Chief Rosie Sizer.
This year's grand marshal was John Neuman, Programs Director of Veterans of Oregon and Members of the Community. John is a Portland native who served in the Air Force, including three years in Vietnam. In 2000, he successfully got Interstate 205 renamed the Interstate 205 Veterans Memorial Highway.
Parade participants included marching bands from Grant High School, Beaumont Middle School, and Robert Gray Middle School, as well as the Madison High School drum line. The historic horse-mounted Buffalo Soldiers Moses William Chapter of the 9th and 10th Calvary joined several military entries. American Legion Post 1 carried the color guard and several Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops participated with parents and military veterans.
The finale of the event was especially impressive when the Oregon National Guard 142nd Fighter Wing conducted a patriotic fly-over.
From 2004 through 2008 in Oregon, there were 2,899 home heating-related fires resulting in 12 deaths, 85 injuries, and more than $42 million in property loss. These heating-related fires also resulted in 34 injuries to firefighters.
Fireplaces
Have your chimney inspected by a professional prior to the start of every heating season and cleaned if necessary. Creosote, a chemical substance that forms when wood burns, builds up in chimneys and can cause a chimney fire if not removed through cleaning. Always protect your home and your family by using a sturdy fireplace screen when burning fires. Remember to burn only clean, dry, seasoned firewood - never burn paper or pine boughs, which can float out the chimney and ignite your roof or a neighboring home. Do not use flammable liquids in a fireplace. If you are purchasing a factory-built fireplace, select one listed by a testing laboratory, and have it installed according to local codes. If you decorate your fireplace with Christmas stockings or other seasonal decorations, don't burn fires in it.
Wood Stoves
Be sure your wood stove bears the mark of an independent testing laboratory and meets local fire codes. Building code information dealing with woodstove installations is available at http://www.portlandonline.com/bds/index.cfm?a=93026&c=45053. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for proper installation, use and maintenance. Chimney connections and chimney flues should be inspected at the beginning of each heating season and cleaned when necessary. Follow the same safety rules for wood stoves as you would for space heaters. Burn only clean, dry firewood, and be sure the wood stove is placed on an approved non-combustible stove board or hearth to protect the floor from heat and hot coals. Fireplaces and wood burning stoves are auxiliary home heating devices that demand care and attention in their purchase, installation, and maintenance. For someone considering the installation of a wood or coal stove, a fireplace, or a solid-fuel furnace, careful consideration must be given to the safety aspects of the equipment and the installation. Expert advice is often required. Instructions must be followed to the letter.
Following these precautions can reduce the possibility of a fire or injury related to woodstove use.
All wood burning stoves and fireplaces should be cleaned and inspected before the heating season begins.
Make sure that the door latch closes properly.
Furnaces and water heaters which have flue pipes attached to the chimney of a fireplace or wood burning stove should have tight fitting joints and seams.
Never use liquid fuel to start the fire in a fireplace or wood burning stove.
Ashes need to be thoroughly dampened, cooled, and stored outside away from the building in metal cans that are used solely for ash storage, not in compost piles, cartons, boxes or anything else that is combustible.
It is important to use only thoroughly dried hardwood. This will prevent or slow the buildup of creosote in the chimney that is the cause of many chimney fires.
Have the chimney and flue inspected by a qualified mason or chimney sweep prior to use. Cracks in the flue or mortar joints can allow flames and heated gases to extend into the walls or attic of a structure.
Use a fireplace screen to prevent flying sparks and embers from falling out onto the floor.
Install and maintain smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors to provide protection for your family.
Although following these precautions should reduce your risk of a chimney fire, be aware of the signs of one and know what to do if you encounter them -- a loud roar, sucking sounds, shaking pipes, hot spots on the wall or chimney, or smoke in the house or apartment. If you hear or see any of these sounds shut off the fire's air supply, get everyone out of the house quickly, and call 911 from a neighbor's phone.
For more fire prevention tips to keep you safe and sound, click here to visit and subscribe to Portland Fire & Rescue's YouTube account.
Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, Emergency Department held a news conference on November 6, 2009 to help people with flu-like illness decide when to seek medical care.
Portland-area hospital emergency rooms continue to see heavy volumes of people who think they might have H1N1, but do not.
The Northwest Regional Flu Joint Information Center (NW Regional Flu JIC) has created decision charts to help people determine if they should go to the emergency department. The NW Regional Flu JIC coordinates public information for Clackamas, Clark, Columbia, Multnomah, and Washington counties in regards to preventing the spread of flu.
The decision charts are also available in English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and Vietnamese. Click here to access additional charts.
REMEMBER: Everyone can help prevent the spread of flu virus by washing hands frequently, coughing into your sleeve, and staying home when you are sick.
The Trauma Intervention Program NW (TIP NW) of Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington held their 12th annual Heroes with Heart Awards Dinner and Auction on November 5th, 2009 at the Embassy Suites in Portland, Oregon. The event was well attended with a bustle of activity, great company, and generous ways to donate to a worthy cause at every turn.
Silent and Live Auctions
The Silent and Live Auctions included over 230 items and baskets that ranged from a Poker Party donated by Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) Training & Safety Division Chief Scott Fisher to a condo stay in Nuevo Vallarta, Nayarit, Mexico donated by Kristi Butcher. My favorite was the adorable Lhasa Apso puppy up for auction and donated from the Airpet Hotel, Happy Trails to You Kennel, and Pet Reader.
PF&R personnel stepped up and donated close to 20 fire baskets. Well done Stations 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 15, 18, 19, 25, 26, 29, EMS/BHQ, Historic Belmont Firehouse, Training Center, and 6th Floor Administration!
Main Event
Members of the Portland Fire Honor Guard performed color guard duty to start the dinner portion of the evening off in a respectful and reverent tone. June Vining, the Executive Director of TIP NW, then extended a heartfelt welcome and thanked everyone for taking part in TIP NW’s efforts to raise money to expand services into neighboring cities and counties and train additional citizens.
During the dinner, Good Samaritan Awards were given to Rentrak Corporation and Officer Mike Kramer with the Oregon City Police Department for exercising an exceptional level of compassion towards the victims and survivors of tragedy.
Why an Annual Dinner and Auction? The proceeds of the auction directly benefit TIP NW. TIP is a national voluntary nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that those who are emotionally traumatized in emergency situations receive the assistance they need. To accomplish that goal, TIP works closely with local communities to establish emergency services volunteer programs. In these programs, well-trained citizen volunteers are called to emergency scenes to assist family members, witnesses, and other bystanders who the emergency system often must leave behind.
TIP volunteers are available on a 24-hour, 365-day basis to support family members after a death, crime victims, survivors of suicide, children left alone after a death or injury to their parents, senior citizens and anyone else referred to us by emergency responders. TIP NW responded to 2,007 calls last year and served 12,214 citizens the Portland and Vancouver area.
TIP NW is a chapter that serves Multnomah, Clark, and Clackamas Counties, including their newest expansion into Sandy, Oregon. TIP NW volunteers have served citizens in local communities for over sixteen years.
What Can You Do?
Are you interested in assisting citizens in the Portland and Vancouver areas that are in crisis? Click here to get more information on the upcoming January 2010 TIP Training Academy or visit the official TIP NW website at http://www.tipnw.org.
