VRFA Blotter: Firefighters Assess Damage After Cars Drives into Building

The Valley Regional Fire Authority responded to 276 calls for service for the week of February 14-20,2022 (prev week 306). Year to Date our Valley Professional Firefighters have responded to a total of 2,188 calls for service. This is a 16.5% increase from 2021 (1,878).

Calls for Service Breakdown:

228 (83%) were aid calls. Total aid calls in 2022 so far are 1,867 up 16.2%, compared to 2021’s (1,607).

40 (14%) were fire calls. The number of fire calls is up by 14.3%, with 2022 having 232 calls and 2021 having 203.

8 (3%) were calls categorized as other. The number of other calls is up (34.4lls include water rescues, hazmat calls, and ladder requests.

VRFA Calls for Service

• Aid Call: (Pacific) On Monday, February 14 at 10:25 a.m., firefighters assisted an adult male with
  altered mental status. Firefighters and King County Medic One assessed the patient and then
  had him transported to MultiCare Auburn Medical Center by private ambulance for further
  treatment.
•  Service Call: (Auburn) On Tuesday, February 15 at 5:06 p.m., firefighters responded to a car into
  a building. On arrival, firefighters found damage to the side of a residential building. The
  residential building was safe to inhabit but the occupant was notified that the building needed to
  be repaired by a licensed contractor.
• Commercial Fire: (Auburn) On Wednesday, February 16 at 9:17 p.m., firefighters responded to an
  apartment fire a few blocks from station 32. On arrival, crews found that it was just a mattress on
  fire and it was extinguished by the occupant before it spread. There was no damage to the
  apartment and occupants were not displaced.
• Motor Vehicle Accident: (Auburn) On Thursday, February 17 at 5:20 p.m., firefighters responded
  to a two-vehicle motor vehicle accident at 8th St NE and I St NE. They arrived to find one vehicle on its side and the other with moderate damage. Firefighters assessed three patients. One patient was
  transported by private ambulance to MultiCare Auburn Medical Center with minor injuries.
• CPR: (Auburn) On Thursday, February 17 at 12:20 p.m., firefighters and King County Medic One
  responded to an adult male who reportedly collapsed and was unresponsive after getting out of
  bed. Firefighters arrived to find the patient lying in his bedroom with no pulse and agonal
  respirations. Firefighters moved the patient outside and began CPR and delivered one shock
  before Paramedics arrived and began additional efforts to stabilize the patient. The patient was
  revived and transported to a local hospital by firefighters and paramedics for continued care.
• Vehicle Accident: (Auburn) On Friday, February 18 at 6:13 p.m., firefighters responded to a two-car
  motor vehicle accident. Four people were involved in the accident and two people suffered
  minor injuries. One patient was transported by the fire department to Multicare Auburn Medical
  Center.
• Minor Fire: (Pacific) On Saturday, February 19th at 2:05 p.m. firefighters responded to reports of a
  minor fire and the presence of smoke in a residential area. On arrival, E338 scanned the property
  only to find a homeowner burning brush. The homeowner was educated on burning procedures
  and he willfully extinguished the fire.
• Outdoor Smoke Investigation: (Auburn) On Sunday, February 20 at 2:15 p.m., firefighters
  responded to a report of smoke seen in a wooded area on the side of the road. In the area,
  firefighters located a houseless camp with a smoldering fire inside the base and root system of a
  large tree. Firefighters used tools to clear debris from the base of the tree, and then applied a water
  foam mixture until the fire was extinguished.

Fire Investigations

• There were no new calls for service for the Fire Investigation Unit.

C.A.R.E.S.

• 10 responses
• 14 referrals
• 1 new enrollment
• 2 enrollments closed
• 47 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.