Salem-News.com Fire articles Page 42

Keizer Firefighters Join Stairclimb Event for Fourth Year

Participants wear over 50 lbs of firefighting boots, pants, jackets, gloves, helmet and self-contained breathing equipment in racing up the 69 flights of stairs, or 1,311 steps, to reach the top of the building.

(KEIZER, Ore.) - A team of six Firefighters from the Keizer Fire District will travel to Seattle, Washington on Sunday, March 2nd 2008 to participate in the 17th Annual Scott Firefighter Stairclimb, the largest individual firefighter competition in the world.

This is a fund raising event for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and it is the fourth year that a team from the Keizer Fire District has participated in this event.

Dalke Construction Wins Fire Station Contract

All four stations were designed using the same floor plan for efficiency by Group Mackenzie Architecture of Portland.

(SALEM, Ore.) - The City of Salem has awarded to Dalke Construction Company, Inc., a contract in the amount of $7,807,000 for the construction of new Fire Station Nos. 5, 7, 10, and 11.

In 2006, the residents of Salem passed a $24.72 million Fire General Obligation Bond that provided funding for fleet replacement, station construction, and station upgrades.

Report Shows Improvements in Oregon`s Public Health Emergency Preparedness Efforts

Oregon still needs to to improve in several areas in preparation for deploying a national system by which Oregon can rapidly bring in medications to respond to an emergency.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Oregon’s ability to respond to a public health emergency has dramatically improved since 2001, when federal funds for that purpose began to flow to states across the nation, according to a national report released today.

The report, compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shows Oregon has made progress in the areas of disease detection and investigation, laboratory testing capabilities and planning, training, and exercising.

Couple Rescued from Sinking Boat in Clackamas River

The couple was unfamiliar with navigating this section of the river.

(CLACKAMAS, Ore.) - Rescuers plucked a Milwaukie couple from their 15-foot propeller driven, fiberglass boat after it struck a rock and began taking-on water in the Clackamas River. Rescue crews were called to the scene at 4:00 PM Tuesday afternoon.

63-year old John Dean Caldwell and his wife, 46-year old Ana Caldwell of Milwaukie, were on a fishing excursion when they attempted to navigate up the Clackamas River from the Willamette River.

Jefferson Firefighters Battle Travel Trailer Fire

Firefighters managed to prevent the blaze from spreading to the nearby Sprayfoam business.

(JEFFERSON, Ore.) - Firefighters from Jefferson Fire District were called to a fully involved travel trailer fire at 8:53 AM this morning.

Fire Spokesperson Elaine Parrott says the fire totally destroyed the older model trailer that was located behind Sprayfoam Inc. at 37545 Century Drive. "Combustibles too close to the trailer's heating source was determined to be the cause of the fire," Parrott said.

Fatal Traffic Crash on Icy Road East of Santiam Junction

Highway 20 was closed for approximately two hours.

(SALEM, Ore.) - A Redmond-area man died and three others in his vehicle were injured Saturday morning in a multi-vehicle crash on Highway 20 just east of the Santiam Junction.

About 9:20 AM, a Ford Bronco towing a trailer operated by 48-year old Joseph Bowdin, from Redmond, lost control westbound on an icy section of Highway 20 near milepost 82 in the Santiam Pass, according to Senior Trooper Mike Brady. The trailer hit two other west bound vehicles causing only damage to those vehicles

Arsonist Sets Car and House Ablaze With Residents Sleeping Inside

Anyone with information on the fire should call the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

(ALOHA, Ore.) - Firefighters and Sheriff's Deputies responded to SW Vienna Drive early Friday morning, over a reported vehicle on fire in a driveway. It was reported that the fire also caught the garage of the house on fire.

Sgt. Bob Ray with the Washington County Sheriff's Office says the fire appears to be intentionally started. "The suspect or suspects had already fled the scene," he stated.

Why Are More People Dying in Oregon Fires?

Oregon saw 48 people die in fires last year, the largest number in the last ten years.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Fire deaths in Oregon are up, and Salem-News.com asked Rich Hoover with the Oregon State Fire Marshall's Office to expand on the reasons he believes the numbers are shifting in the wrong direction, as indicated by the figures for 2007.

In all fairness, the number of fire deaths maneuver like a roller coaster statistically from year to year, and no single reason can really be cited.

Evacuated Prisoners and Staff Return to Santiam Correctional Institute

The prisoners and staff at the Prison east of Salem returned to a normal schedule at 1:15 PM.

(SALEM, Ore.) - It is business as usual at the Santiam Correctional Institute in Salem, where a hazardous materials call led to the evacuation of between 250 and 300 people earlier today.

Spokesperson for the state prison Susi Hodgin, says the number of people evacuated was lower than earlier estimates of 450, as work crews were out of the facility when the incident happened and fire crews rolled in.

State Fire Marshal Sees Increase in Oregon Fire Fatalities

21 of the fatalities in '07 occurred in homes that did not have a smoke alarm or the alarm was not working.

(SALEM, Ore.) - The Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal reports 43 Oregonians lost their lives due to fire in 2007. This is an increase from the 35 fire-related deaths in 2006 and the first increase in deaths since 2004. Overall in 2007, Oregon experienced 11.5 fire deaths per million population.

The state's figures fall slightly below the national average of 12.4 fire deaths per million population.