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News/Media
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 18, 2011
1:00 p.m.
West Pierce Firefighters Support Movember
University Place, Wash. More than 30 West Pierce firefighters are growing moustaches in honor of Movember, as November is dedicated to mens health awareness. Movember bring awareness to many issues, but specifically testicular and prostate cancer, both of which firefighters are more likely to develop due to the nature of the job.
Firefighter Chris Pfaff is leading Team West Pierce and raising donations for research through the official website (www.movember.com). Currently, the team has risen just shy of $1,500.
Pfaff is also spearheading a Movember Shaving Party on Friday, December 2nd, where the moustaches will be shaved.
In October, West Pierce Fire & Rescue wore pink duty shirts during the last week of the month in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Firefighter Lynda Henderson led the project of designing and ordering the shirts for all employees and plans to do it again next year.
This is just a small way for us to give back. These are serious illnesses that have affected the lives of so many and the least we can do is show our support, said Chief Ken Sharp. If it means we all wear pink and some grow moustaches, so be it! Its actually been a lot of fun to break from the norm.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2011
West Pierce Fire & Rescue to Host Dedication Ceremony
University Place, Wash. A dedication ceremony will be held on Tuesday, October 18th at 6:00 p.m. for the Twin Towers artifact awarded to West Pierce Fire & Rescue. The ceremony will be held in conjunction with the regularly scheduled Commissioners meeting at Station 31, located at 3631 Drexler Drive West in University Place.
The public and media are invited to attend as West Pierce Fire & Rescue dedicates the piece brought back from New York. It will then stay at the station for public display.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 4, 2011
West Pierce Fire & Rescue Celebrates Fire Prevention Month
Lakewood, Wash. Each year, October is recognized as Fire Prevention Month. In cooperation with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), West Pierce Fire & Rescue supports this years theme of Keep Your Family Safe from Fire. The importance of having working smoke alarms in the home is emphasized, while learning about all aspects of fire safety.
West Pierce Fire & Rescue will conduct assemblies in 14 elementary schools throughout the Clover Park and University Place School Districts this month. In those assemblies, students from Kindergarten through fifth grade will participate in the Spin It to Win It game and learn about fire safety.
Sparky the Fire Dog is always a huge hit at these assemblies and demonstrates many of the proper fire safety techniques. The students also learn about the months theme by watching Sparkys Fire Safety Music Video, created by West Pierce Fire & Rescue personnel. This video shows students what to do if there was a fire in their home, all while entertaining and keeping their attention. It can be viewed on YouTube.
The video was created, written, filmed and performed by on-duty personnel to avoid overtime costs or outsourcing these tasks. In years past, firefighters have helped to put on skits, play games and sang a fire safety song with the kids. This year, due to budget cuts, having extra sets of hands from off-duty firefighters was just not an option. One way to scale back costs, but not the level of service, was to create the video. West Pierce Fire & Rescue personnel worked on creating and editing the video with on-duty personnel and will show it at each assembly.
This is a great way for our folks to be involved without the added expense of overtime costs, said Fire Chief Ken Sharp. Its important for us to maintain our current level of service, no matter who the audience may be.
In addition to the assemblies, all students throughout the school district are eligible to participate in the Fire Prevention Month contest, which includes a checklist of safety measures for their home. Each class who receives 100 percent participation will win an ice cream party with their firefighters.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 27, 2011
9:00 a.m.
West Pierce Fire & Rescue and City of Lakewood Awards Hero
Lakewood, Wash. At the Lakewood City Council meeting on Monday, September 26th, PFC Jose Delgado was recognized for his heroism.
On Sunday, July 24th, a car drove into a gas station and hit a woman who was pumping gas. PFC Delgado reacted to a chaotic scene, which ended in a woman being able to keep her partially amputated foot. Due to his quick reaction and instincts, he was able to help the woman before firefighters arrived. Without his help, the patient may have had a very different outcome.
At the Lakewood City Council meeting, Mayor Richardson, Police Chief Farrar and Fire Chief Sharp all spoke to PFC Delgados heroic actions and thanked him for his bravery. Chief Sharp presented him with a plaque, as well as a belt to replace the one he used as a tourniquet for the patient. She was also in the audience, recovering from her injuries.
West Pierce Fire & Rescue would like to thank PFC Delgado for managing such a stressful situation and making it easier for paramedics to help and transport this patient.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 23, 2011
CAR CRASHES INTO APARTMENT IN LAKEWOOD
Lakewood, WA- At 4:43 p.m. West Pierce Fire & Rescue responded to reports of a car into a building with possible victims at 5610 Boston Ave SW. Lakewood Police were first on scene and advised us there were two patients, one inside the apartment and one in the vehicle after it crashed through the front window. There was an additional woman inside the apartment who was uninjured.
Firefighters found one patient pinned under the left front tire of the vehicle. He was in stable condition, conscious and talking to firefighters. The paramedics treated the patient while the firefighters at scene carefully shored up the car and the building, so they could safely remove the patient. The 29 year old victim suffered a large laceration on his forehead and some bruising on his leg. West Pierce paramedics transported him to an area hospital where his injuries were further evaluated. The man in the car suffered minor injuries in the crash.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 16, 2011
9:00 a.m.
West Pierce Fire & Rescue Arrival of 9/11 Memorabilia
University Place, Wash. Five West Pierce Fire & Rescue firefighters travelled to New York to pick up a piece of the World Trade Center to bring back to the community. These pieces were awarded to fire departments around the country in honor of the ten year anniversary of September 11th.
The five will arrive pulling a trailer with the piece on display between 11am and noon on Saturday, September 17th. Lakewood Police will escort the firefighters from I-5 down Bridgeport, where University Place Police will continue the escort to Station 31, located at 3631 Drexler Drive West.
The piece will be stored until the dedication ceremony, scheduled for Tuesday, October 18th at 6pm, also at Station 31.
The media is invited to attend on Saturday the 17th. The media and public are invited to attend the dedication ceremony on October 18th.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 15, 2011
7:25 p.m.
Police Involved Wreck in Tacoma
University Place, Wash. At approximately 7:00 p.m. this evening, West Pierce Fire & Rescue was dispatched to a motor vehicle crash at 67th Avenue and Emerson Street in Tacoma. The vehicles involved were a University Place Police Department deputy and a moped.
The driver of the moped was transported to a local area hospital by paramedics. CPR was in progress at the time of transport. The driver of the moped was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The deputy sustained minor injuries and self-extricated himself from the patrol car and was also transported to the hospital.
The crash is being investigated by Pierce County Sheriffs Department at this time.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 8, 2011
9:00 a.m.
West Pierce Fire & Rescue Awarded 9/11 Memorabilia
Five West Pierce Fire & Rescue firefighters arrived in New York this morning to pick up a piece of the World Trade Center to bring back to the community. These pieces were awarded to fire departments around the country in honor of the ten year anniversary of September 11th.
These firefighters volunteered to drive to New York to pick up the piece, then will stay through the weekend to participate in the anniversary activities and will head back to Washington next week. After they have arrived, a dedication ceremony will be scheduled. More details will be provided as they become available. This trip has been made possible by donations.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 4, 2011
8:25 p.m.
Fire Damages Lakewood Apartment
Lakewood, Wash. At approximately 5:30 p.m. this evening, West Pierce Fire & Rescue responded to reports of an apartment fire at 6535 150th Street SW in the Woodbrook area of Lakewood.
Neigbors called 911 saying they heard glass breaking and there was a fire in the nearby apartment. Crews arrived to the Laurel Garden Apartments to heavy smoke and flames coming from the window of a first-story unit.
The apartment where the fire started was not occupied at the time. It was severely damaged, as were at least three others. More units may be affected due to smoke damage. It was reported that smoke alarms were working at the time of the incident.
There were no injuries during this fire and the cause is currently under investigation.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 2, 2011
5:00 p.m.
Lakewood House Fire with Burn Victim
Lakewood, WA On Friday, September 2 at approximately 12:45 p.m., firefighters from West Pierce Fire & Rescue responded to a report of a house fire with possible entrapment. The first crews on scene reported heavy smoke and fire from the front and rear of the house. Firefighters also found a male in his mid-thirties in the front of the house with severe burns. He was treated immediately and airlifted to Harborview for further treatment.
Firefighters entered the building and were met with heavy smoke, fire and heat conditions. An explosion occurred within the structure while firefighters were inside. The incident commander immediately pulled all firefighters from the building and began a defensive attack on the house. The fire was under control at 1:18 p.m.
There were no firefighters hurt at this incident. The estimated damage to content and structure is $300,000 and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
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