Below are just a few of the calls the Valley Regional Fire Authority responded to for the week of November 9-15, 2020. VRFA firefighters responded to a total of 251calls for service during this week. 197 were aid calls, 7 were fire calls, and 47 were categorized as other. Other calls include water rescues, HazMat calls, and ladder requests.

Year to Date our Valley Professional Firefighters have responded to a total of 11,447 calls. This is a .07% decrease from 2019 (11,533 calls). Total aid calls in 2020 so far are 8,427 (-1.4% compared to 2019’s 8,548). The number of fire calls is up by 4.8%, with 2020 having 394 calls and 2019 having 376. The number of other calls is also up (0.7%), with 2020 currently at 2,626 calls compared to 2019’s 2,609.

Toys for Kids Drive is still on for 2020! The Toys for Kids drive is still on for 2020 – it will just look a little different this year. Instead of doing in-person toy collections, we ask that donations be made through GoFundMe (click).

Families in need should contact the Auburn Food Bank to sign up at https://www.theauburnfoodbank.org/contact or 253-833-8925. To be eligible, families must live in Algona, Auburn, and Pacific.

COVID-19 continues to pose a real risk to the health and wellbeing of Auburn’s residents. The Valley Regional Fire Authority, with fellow valley fire agencies, is still hosting a drive-up COVID-19 testing site on C St SE at the GSA site. If you have any symptoms or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, get tested! It is better to be safe than be an asymptomatic carrier and unknowingly spread the disease.

911 Calls for Service

Aid Call: (Lakeland Hills) On Monday, November 9 at 11:30 a.m., firefighters responded to assist
an adult male complaining of leg pain. Firefighters evaluated the patient and a private ambulance
transported him to St. Francis Hospital or further care.
Aid Call: (Auburn) On Tuesday, November 10 at 7:06 p.m., firefighters responded to a male child
with mental health issues. Firefighters assessed the patient then transported him to MultiCare
Auburn Medical Center for further treatment.
Aid Call: (Auburn) On Wednesday, November 11, at 2:56 p.m., firefighters responded to a teenage
female who had a decreased level of consciousness. The patient has a rare medical condition and
resides in a residential assisted living facility. Firefighters assisted the patient with the help of her
live-in nurse. The patient was transported by a private ambulance to Seattle Children’s Hospital.
Aid Call: (Lea Hill) On Thursday, November 12 at 5:27 p.m., firefighters assisted a female
complaining of COVID-like symptoms. The patient was transported to MultiCare Auburn Medical
Center by private ambulance for further assessment.
Motor Vehicle Accident: (Pacific) On Friday, November 13 at 1:53 p.m., firefighters responded to a
two-vehicle rollover accident. Neither of the vehicle occupants were injured and were left on scene
with Pacific Police.
Car vs Pedestrian: (Auburn) On Saturday, November 14, at 6:03 p.m., firefighters responded to a
70-year-old male that was hit by a car on Auburn Way South. Patient had multiple injuries and was
in critical condition. Firefighters stabilized and packaged patient who was treated and transported
by paramedics to Auburn Airport where he was flown by Airlift to Harborview Medical Center.
Aid Call: (Lakeland Hills) On Sunday, November 15 at 8:27 a.m., firefighters responded to an
elderly male who had pain in his right hip after falling off a bicycle. Firefighters evaluated the
patient’s injuries and he was transported to MultiCare Auburn Medical Center by a private
ambulance.

Fire Investigations

On Thursday, November 12, an accidental fire occurred in the 100 block of 12th St SE in the City
of Auburn. The fire occurred in an outbuilding equipped with a wood-burning stove. The cause
was determined to be improper installation clearance on the stove. The fire caused minor
damage to the structure estimated at $10,000.
On Sunday, November 15, an accidental fire occurred in the 29800 block of 138th Ave. SE in the
City of Auburn. The fire occurred because of organic heating due to decomposition of natural
vegetation in a compost area. There was no structural damage or dollar loss associated with this
incident.