The Valley Regional Fire Authority responded to 313 calls for service for the week of September 6-12, 2021. Year to Date our Valley Professional Firefighters have responded to a total of 10,432 calls. This is a 14.2% increase from 2020 (9,131).
Call Breakdown:
232 (74%) were aid calls. Total aid calls in 2021 so far are 7,754 up 15.7%, compared to 2020’s (6,700).
17 (5%) were fire calls. The number of fire calls is up by 20.6%, with 2021 having 387 calls and 2020 having 321.
64 (20%) were calls categorized as other. The number of other calls is up (8.6%), with 2021 currently at 2,291 calls compared to 2020’s 2,110. Other calls include water rescues, hazmat calls, and ladder requests.
VRFA Calls for Service
- Elevator Rescue: On Monday, September 6 at 7:30 a.m., and at 4:30 p.m., firefighters were called
to two separate multifamily buildings for occupants stuck in an elevator. Firefighters were able to
manually open the elevator door in both cases without incident. Building and elevator maintenance
were contacted for repairs. - Aid Call: Tuesday, September 7, at 5:56pm, firefighters and APD were dispatched to an
apartment building for a possible death. Upon arrival, fire and police personnel noticed a
pungent odor emanating from a unit on floor four. After making entry, a male was found
deceased. Lifesaving efforts were not attempted based in part to body decomposition. - Car Fire: (Auburn) On Wednesday, September 8 at 11:53 a.m., firefighters responded to a car fire
on Auburn Way South. Firefighters arrived to find a four-door sedan fully involved. Firefighters
extinguished the fire with hose lines and the cause of the fire was undetermined. - Brush Fire: (Lea Hill) On Wednesday, September 8, at 5:26 p.m., firefighters responded to
reports of smoke in the area of Westbound State Route 18. Firefighters hiked up the hill side,
laddered a fence, and found a 10’x15’ brush fire that was growing. VRFA firefighters used a 14’
roof ladder to traverse dense thorny brambles and extinguish the fire. The cause of the fire is
undetermined. - Car vs. Building: (Auburn) On Thursday, September 9 at 1:45 p.m., firefighters responded to a
vehicle into a business. Firefighters arrived and found damage to the front doors of a convenience
store, but otherwise no structural damage. No one was injured. The elderly driver reported that she
accidentally hit the gas instead of the brakes. - Grass Fire: (Lakeland Hills) On Thursday, September 9 at 2:36 p.m., firefighters responded to a
grass fire near Roegner Park. Firefighters arrived to find a 25’x25’ grass fire that appeared out.
Firefighters extinguished the fire with hose lines then overhauled the area. The cause of the fire
was undetermined. - MVA: (Auburn) On Friday, September 10 at 9:24 a.m., firefighters responded to a single vehicle
into a power pole that had caused power in the area to go out. Firefighters secured the area around
the damaged power pole while PSE secured the power. Local businesses were advised of an
approximate timeframe they would be without power. - MVA: (Auburn) On Saturday, September 11 at 12:24 a.m., firefighters responded to a two vehicle
accident with heavy front end damage to both vehicles. Firefighters triaged the patients and found
that two had died because of the accident and two were critically injured. Firefighters used the
“Jaws of Life” to remove the patients. Firefighters and Paramedics from King County Medic One
stabilized the patient on scene. Both patients were transported by Medic Unit to Harbor View
Medical Center for further evaluation and treatment. - Motor Vehicle Accident: (Auburn) On Sunday, September 12, firefighters responded to a vehicle
accident. The crew found that the car had driven through a power pole and into a ditch. The driver,
an adult male patient was evaluated and left at the scene. PSE and Auburn M&O were called; the
scene was turned over to Auburn Police.
Fire Investigations
- There were no new calls for service for the Fire Investigation Unit.
C.A.R.E.S.
- 8 responses
- 25 referrals
- 4 new enrollments
- 5 enrollments closed
- 64 total patients enrolled
The Community Assistance, Referrals, and Education Services (CARES) is a joint program between VRFA, King County Emergency Medical Services division South King Fire & Rescue, Enumclaw, and Mountainview Fire and Rescue departments. Each CARES response vehicle is staffed 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. by one firefighter from each department and a social worker. The CARES unit is sent on less emergent calls in non-transport capable vehicles to provide basic patient evaluation, assistance, specific basic life support treatment on scene, and arrange for transport if medically necessary. CARES also referred patients to community services where needed.
The above information was provided by the Valley Regional Fire Authority.
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