The Valley Regional Fire Authority responded to 270 calls for service for the week of March 14-17, 2022 (prev week 293). Year to Date our Valley Professional Firefighters have responded to a total of 3,571 calls for service. This is a 13.9% increase from 2021 (3,135).
Calls for Service Breakdown:
230 (85%) were aid calls. Total aid calls in 2022 so far are 3,026 up 11.5%, compared to 2021’s (2,713).
36 (13%) were fire calls. The number of fire calls is up by 29.7%, with 2022 having 476 calls and 2021 having 367.
4 (1%) were calls categorized as other. The number of other calls in 2022 is up (25.5%) with 69 calls in 2021 only having 55. ‘Other’ calls include water rescues, water over roadways, downed lines, hazmat calls, and ladder requests.
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VRFA Calls for Service
- Water Problem: (Auburn) On Monday, March 21st at 5:53 p.m., firefighters responded to a broken water pipe in the break room of a local bank. Firefighters located the water valve to the building and shut the water off.
- Aid Call: (Auburn) On Tuesday, March 22nd at 9:57 a.m., firefighters responded to an adult female with minor injuries after being shot at while driving. Firefighters treated the patient on scene. A private ambulance transported the patient to MultiCare Auburn Medical Center.
- Motor Vehicle Accident: (Lakeland Hills) On Tuesday, March 22nd at 5:22 p.m., firefighters were dispatched to an RV that had crashed into a ditch and rolled onto its side. The driver of the RV had extricated himself out of the vehicle prior to the arrival of the fire department. The driver suffered minor injuries, and was transported to MultiCare Auburn Medical Center by private ambulance.
- Landslide: (Lea Hill) On Wednesday, March 23rd at 4:47 p.m., firefighters responded to a report of a potential landslide on South 277th. They arrived to find small rocks and debris scattered across a busy roadway for approx. 300 feet. The lane of travel was blocked to help control traffic and provide safer driving conditions. Firefighters investigated the area and there were no obvious signs a landslide. VRFA personnel worked with Puget Sound Firefighters and coordinated with Kent Public Works department to help with cleaning the roadway.
(Great, now that stupid song is stuck in my head again. I love you VRFA, but I really, really don’t like you when you include landslides.) - CO Alarm: (Auburn) On Thursday, March 24th at 10:32 a.m. firefighters responded to reports of a CO alarm sounding in a residence. Upon arrival, firefighters used air monitoring tools to determine the residence had 60 PPM of CO. Firefighters used natural ventilation and a PPV fan to clear the residence of CO. The cause was determined to be a car idling at the back door.
- Motor Vehicle Accident: (Auburn) On Friday, March 25th at 7:45 p.m., VRFA firefighters and King County paramedics were dispatched to the 300 block of 15th NW for a vehicle that had gone off the road. Firefighters arrived to find a vehicle that had been traveling at a high rate of speed had gone off of the roadway and over an embankment onto the road below (B St. NW) ending upside down in a drainage ditch. Firefighters relocated to the heavily damaged vehicle and found the patient had extricated himself out of the vehicle with moderate injuries. He was treated at the scene and sent to MultiCare Auburn via private ambulance.
- Vehicle Accident: (Auburn) On Saturday, March 26 at 11:12 a.m., firefighters responded to a two-vehicle T-bone accident. Two vehicle occupants with minor injuries were treated on scene. Private ambulances transported the patients to local hospitals.
Fire Investigations
- No Investigations
C.A.R.E.S.
- No Update Available
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. Any notations included in parentheses should be considered opinion/commentary for entertainment purposes only.