The Valley Regional Fire Authority responded to 283 calls for service for the week of May10-16, 2021. Year to Date our Valley Professional Firefighters have responded to a total of 5,123 calls. This is an 8.7% increase from 2020 (4,715).

Call Breakdown:

213 (75%) were aid calls. Total aid calls in 2021 so far are 3,912 (up 11.2%, compared to 2020’s 3,517).

5 (2%) were fire calls. The number of fire calls is up by 44%, with 2021 having 144 calls and 2020 having 100.

65 (23%) were calls categorized as other. The number of other calls is down (-2.8%), with 2021 currently at 1,067 calls compared to 2020’s 1,098. Other calls include water rescues, hazmat calls, and ladder requests.

COVID-19 Testing Site

Specially trained VRFA EMTs assisted the King County Health Department in COVID-19 testing drive-up and walk-up residents at the GSA Complex. This site administered approximately 2,800 tests between May 9-16. Approximately 10% were positive. This is an increase of 2% from the previous week’s rate of 8%.

The King County Auburn Drive-Thru Testing Site Has Moved.

The positivity rate of the C St SW testing site and the City of Auburn’s positivity rate are two different things. The C St SW testing site does not impact the positivity rate of the City of Auburn.

The City of Auburn’s positivity rate* for the past 14 days not available. Auburn’s current overall positivity rate is 10.6% of all tests (a .04% increase from last week).

Specially Trained VRFA EMTs assisted the King County Health Department in administering COVID-19 vaccines at the GSA Complex. The location is now both a COVID-19 testing location and one of two South King County mass COVID-19 vaccine locations.

The Auburn COVID-19 vaccine location has moved to the Outlet Collection! Auburn and Kent COVID-19 Vaccine Sites Now Have Walk-in Availability

VRFA Calls for Service

Elevator Rescue: (Auburn) On Monday, May 10 at 5:01 p.m., firefighters responded to a report of
two passengers stuck in an elevator. Firefighters arrived and were able to manually open the doors
and free the two trapped occupants. Neither victim required medical treatment.
CPR: (Auburn) On Tuesday, May 11 at 5:45 p.m., firefighters responded to an elderly adult male
in cardiac arrest. Firefighters and paramedics arrived and performed CPR. The patient was
successfully resuscitated. Paramedics transported him to MultiCare Auburn Medical Center for
further evaluation and treatment.
Aid Call: (Pacific) On Wednesday, May 12 at 11:23 a.m., firefighters were called to assist an adult
female with Covid. Firefighters treated the patient and she was transported to MultiCare Auburn
by private ambulance.
Brush Fire: (Auburn) On Thursday, May 13 at 8:12 a.m., firefighters were dispatched to an
unattended fire in the backyard of a residential home. Crews arrived to find a small brush fire in the
backyard that was unattended. The fire was quickly extinguished. Crews made contact with the
homeowner and found that a small amount of hot embers were discarded into a small plastic
container the night before. No injuries or property damage was caused due to the alertness of
neighbors and a quick response.
Vehicle Accident: (Auburn) On Thursday, May 13 at 1:37 p.m., firefighters assisted a middle aged
male that had a seizure while driving. The patient caused a low speed vehicle accident but nobody
was injured as a result of the accident. The patient was transported to MultiCare Auburn Medical
Center by private ambulance
Motor Vehicle Accident: (North Auburn) On Friday, May 14 at 9 p.m., Crews were dispatched to a
motor vehicle accident on northbound HWY 167. Crews arrived to find one vehicle involved in a hit
and run accident. The vehicle had moderate damage. The driver was evaluated and transported
to Valley Medical Center by private vehicle.
Drowning: (Green River Gorge) On Friday, May 14 at 3:36 p.m., swift water technicians were called
to assist with finding a missing person in the Green River. Technicians searched and found the
adult male victim near the last scene point. The body was removed from the water and left in the
care of King County Sheriffs. Read Now: Water Safety Tips for the Summer
River Rescue: (Green River Gorge) On Saturday, May 15 at 6:18 p.m., Multiple swift water
technicians were called to a person trapped on a rock in the Green River. The patient was safely
removed from the rock by an Enumclaw firefighter in a kayak, and returned to shore without injury.
Aid Call: (Auburn) On Sunday, May 16 at 3:51 p.m., firefighters responded to an unconscious,
unresponsive adult male. Crews arrived to find bystanders preforming CPR, the patient was
assessed and CPR continued. Firefighters and King County Medics were able to regain a pulse on
the patient. The patient was transported by King County Medics to MultiCare Auburn Medical
Center for further treatment.

Firefighters on a roof of a residential fire — VRFA

Fire Investigations

On Sunday, May 15, an incendiary fire occurred in the 1100 block of Outlet Collection Way in
the City of Auburn. The fire remains an open joint investigation with Auburn Police. Dollar loss
was minimal for the fire.

C.A.R.E.S.

7 responses
17 referrals
5 new enrollments
10 enrollments closed
66 total patients enrolled*
*A note on the total patient enrolled number- if a patient was enrolled at any point during the week,
they will count in the total, even if their enrollment was completed in the week (closed). This is why
the week-to-week math on new, closed, and total enrollments may not seem to add up at times.

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.

*This rate is as of this publication and is based on King County data only