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December 20, 2010 911 may not know your location. If you don’t know where you are it will delay or prevent getting help to you or your loved ones. Download this PDF Flyer and learn more! What does “What’s Your Location” mean? Be aware of your surroundings; being able to relay a location such as an exact address, intersections, business names, landmarks, or mile markers. An exact address should include house number, street name, as well as details like building number, suite or room number, apartment number, or space number. It is important for cell phone users calling 911 to remember some basic ABCs:
November 20, 2010
The Santa Mobile is an annual event to remind all to enjoy this special time of year and to be safe in all we do. The schedule this year includes 10 evenings – leaving Santa’s House each night at 6 p.m. – and will visit the locations listed below. Please find the nearest area and drop by! Wishing you a safe and happy holidays from all of us at Lacey Fire District Three!
October 15, 2010
The results of a recent project to improve the Fire Protection Classification rating in areas of Lacey Fire District may mean lower fire insurance costs for citizens and businesses in those areas. The Washington Survey and Rating Bureau (WSRB) evaluates all Washington communities for their fire protection / suppression capabilities. The evaluation is based on a set of pre-determined factors and the rating number is derived from a schedule approved by the state Office of Insurance Commissioner. A rating of 1 signifies excellent fire protection capabilities and a 10 signifies that these capabilities are insufficient for fire insurance credit. To provide some perspective, no agency in Washington State has a Protection Class rating of 1, and only four cities or areas (Bellevue, Federal Way, Federal Way–Redondo, Seattle) in Washington State have a Protection Class rating of 2.* Currently, Lacey Fire District has three different ratings:
While the ratings in the City of Lacey and the hydranted areas of the District are commensurate with our fire protection capabilities, the District felt that improvements could be sought for the non-hydranted areas and in 2010 undertook a project to improve the rating in those nonhydranted areas. The project involved demonstrating capabilities to the WSRB in the areas of response, staffing and water flow; we had to demonstrate we could:
The District was successful in their efforts and a change will be made effective November 1, 2010 for the unincorporated, non-hydranted areas of the District. The unincorporated area of the District without a hydrant within 1,000 feet but within 5 road miles of a station will be upgraded from a Protection Class rating of 8A to a 5. Ratings in the City of Lacey area and hydranted areas will remain the same. What does this mean for your fire insurance rates? It may mean a reduction or even a refund for your fire insurance if your insurance company uses the WSRB rating system. A change from 8A to 5 could mean a substantial savings. One District resident near Lake St Clair, who lived across the street from a hydrant, reported that her insurance company had her listed at an 8A when it should have been a 4; she is now awaiting her $170 refund. You may want to check with your insurance company to see if they use the WSRB rating system and to ensure you have the proper rating for your home or business; it could reduce your fire insurance rates. *Information from WSRB Public Protection / BECG Classification Manual Washington, January 1, 2010 October 01, 2010
A young boy had stepped off a muddy, underwater shelf into deep water. A woman entered the river to help him, but was herself placed into jeopardy by the panicked boy hanging on her neck and pulling her under. An off-duty firefighter from Wenatchee, Dustin Armitage, heard the cries and jumped in to assist; but he too became endangered as the boy left the woman and jumped onto him. Attempting to support both, Armitage himself began to have trouble. That’s when Lt Patrick Harn, vacationing with his family, made the difference for all three. He jumped in the water, pulled the boy off Armitage and guided them all to an inner tube someone else had thrown in. While a group effort, if Harn had not jumped in to help, Armitage later said that “all three of us would have drowned.” Lt Harn received the award at the 2010 Governor’s Safety and Health Conference in Spokane on September 29th and 30th. September 20, 2010
The ladies shared that the ladder was newly purchased, and they had been headed home to use the ladder to hang a “Welcome Home” banner for the soldier, back from his 9th tour of duty in the Middle East. This homecoming celebration was very special for them, as the soldier-father-husband-son was no longer expected to be deployed overseas. As the police were processing the collision scene, the soldier’s daughter arrived, and the Engine 33 crew helped to transfer the ladder and other purchases to the daughter’s car. The Engine crew then accompanied the daughter to the family’s home and hung the banner to help welcome home the family’s hero. September 16, 2010
The event raised about $800, which will help support the CSCs Adopt-A-Family and Make-My-Day programs that directly help members in our community. The CSC also coordinates the annual Fire and Ice Basketball Challenge, showcasing the basketball skills of the Lacey Police against the prowess of the Fire District 3 firefighters. This year, the Fire and Ice Challenge will be Friday, November 19th at St Martin’s Marcus Pavilion. If you missed the pancake breakfast, or even if you didn’t, come and support our efforts at Fire and Ice! These are Community businesses who donated or discounted supplies
September 17, 2010 Fire Commissioners for Thurston County Fire District 3 decided at last night’s Board meeting to solicit applications from qualified citizens for appointment to the Board of Fire Commissioners. See pdf. This decision follows from two voter-approved initiatives; first, the successful annexation of the City of Lacey territory into Fire District 3, approved by the voters at the April 2010 special election. Voters next approved the expanded Board at the August 17, 2010 election held throughout the expanded Fire District. In order to qualify for appointment, State law requires that the person in this position must:
Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Monday, October 4, 2010; interviews of applicants will be held on Wednesday, October 6, 2010, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Interested persons must obtain, complete and submit an application form prior to this deadline. August 25, 2010
Medic One estimates that Paramedic Warnock has responded to over 10,100 emergency medical patients over that time. Jerry Warnock said that “my Thurston County Medic One paramedic job is an awesome job. It is exciting every day. I always felt work was my EMS family, like a home away from home. I don’t understand why we get paid to do it.” Steve Romines, Medic One Administrator said, “Jerry is an ever enthusiastic paramedic, frequently beating his younger partners out the door for an EMS alarm, wanting to do everything he could for his patients.” Fire Chief Jim Broman said, “Jerry has always been passionate about providing excellent care and customer service while performing his duties as both a firefighter and paramedic.” August 23, 2010
Father Thaddaeus offered his heartfelt thanks to all who participated in his care. Of note, LFD3 in partnership with Thurston County Medic One has one of the highest survival rates in the entire nation for patients who suffer a witnessed “cardiac arrest.” July 28, 2010
The CPC awards the CFO designation only after an individual successfully meets all of the organization’s stringent criteria. The process includes an assessment of the applicant’s education, experience, professional development, technical competencies, contributions to the profession, and community involvement. In addition, All applicants are required to identify a future professional development plan. Chief Dickson has a rich knowledge of the emergency services profession and has far surpassed critical core competencies for personnel serving in senior fire officer positions. The CFO designation program uses a comprehensive peer review model to evaluate candidates seeking the credential. The Commission on Professional Credentialing, an entity of the Center for Public Safety Excellence, Inc., (CPSE) administers the CFO Designation Program. The CPC consists of individuals from academia, federal and local government, and the fire and emergency medical services profession. To learn more about CPC, visit www.publicsafetyexcellence.org. Chief Dickson has been a member of Lacey Fire District 3 for nineteen years. July 28, 2010
August 10, 2010 Q: Why are you proposing to expand the Board of Fire Commissioners from three members to five members? Q: Does the City of Lacey support this proposal? Q: How is this change authorized? Q: Who gets to vote on this proposal? Q: Why is the choice limited to three or five commissioners? Q: Will I get to vote on the new commissioners? The two appointed commissioners will draw lots to determine their respective terms. One of the new commissioner positions will be open for election at the next general fire district election (2011). The other new commissioner position will not be open for election until the second general fire district election following the increase in commissioner positions (2013). Following each such election, the elected commissioner has a six-year term (as will the other, preexisting commissioner position that is open at the same election). For the Fire District, two commissioner seats will be open in the 2011 election, and two in 2013. One commissioner position will be open for election in 2015. Q: Is there an increased cost for the additional commissioners? Q: Will this proposal affect my property taxes paid to the Fire District? Q: How can I obtain additional information on this proposal? July 17, 2010
This camp caters to children ranging from 1st to 8th grade to introduce them to the sport and/or to improve their football skills.
June 24, 2010
Essentially, this dissolves the boundaries of the City – for fire district purposes only – and creates a unified service area for fire and life safety services. Citizens in the newly combined District should see no changes in service, as the same responders on the same apparatus from the same stations will continue to provide service. There are two big changes as a result of the annexation: 1) All homeowners in the newly combined area will now pay the same property tax rate for fire district services. In 2011, this rate is projected to be $1.07 per thousand of assessed property value. 2) All homeowners in the newly combined area will be eligible to vote on all issues relating to the Fire District. With annexation approved, the next step in the process is for the City of Lacey to appoint two members to serve in an advisory capacity to the Board of Fire Commissioners. Later this year, the voters will be asked if the Board of Fire Commissioners should be increased from 3 to 5 Commissioners; all citizens of the newly combined area will have the opportunity to vote on this issue. If you are interested in becoming involved in Fire District governance, talk to the Lacey City Council, the Board of Fire Commissioners or come to a Board of Fire Commissioners meeting. Learn more about the Fire District 3 Board of Fire Commissioners here. May 22, 2010
Upon arrival at the scene, Firefighters Kruse and Perry were told by the family that the baby had a known history of cardiac problems. He had been found unconscious and not breathing.
The baby was immediately transported to Providence St Peter Hospital until stable and then transferred to Children’s Hospital in Seattle. He is making a slow but full recovery after being discharged from Children’s Hospital on April 1st, just in time to celebrate his first birthday at home with his family and friends. April 22, 2010 On April 1st and 2nd, LFD3 firefighters gave their time and encouragement to the children of Centennial Elementary for their annual “Climbing for Kids” fundraiser. The school children collect pledges for conquering various sections of the climbing wall in the gymnasium. The fire fighters provided motivation to the children and acted as judges for the event. This year the children raised approximately $2000 for the non-profit organization Pennies for Peace. Through this charity, children in over 400 mountain villages in remote northern Pakistan and Afghanistan are on the waiting list, hoping to learn in a new school. Centennial students hope to help build a bridge of peace, one penny at a time, offering alternatives to the cycle of terrorism and war. Way to go Centennial Elementary!
February 25, 2010 Congratulations to firefighters from across Thurston County who raised over $1,500 dollars on behalf of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in their search for a cure to these crippling diseases. Lacey Firefighters joined colleagues from South Bay, Griffin, West Thurston, and North Olympia fire departments in “climbing” a Stairmaster machine in the front lobby of Cabela’s on Saturday, February 20th. Kudos also to Sean Murphy (South Bay FD) for his work to organize this local event. The main event – the Scott Firefighter Stairclimb – will be held on Saturday, March 7th at the Columbia Center in downtown Seattle. At 788 feet of vertical elevation, the Columbia Center (formerly Bank of America Tower) in downtown Seattle stands as the second tallest building west of the Mississippi. It takes 69 flights of stairs and 1,311 steps to reach the highly acclaimed observation deck overlooking the city. The Scott Firefighter Stairclimb supports the mission of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, raising money through sponsorships, individual and department fundraising, and entry fees. In 2009, the event featured over 1,500 firefighters from 244 different departments and brought in a record $640,000 for blood-cancer research and patient services
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HO-HO-HO 2010!
Your Fire Insurance May Cost Less! 
Lt. Patrick Harn of Lacey Fire District recently received the Governor’s Lifesaving Award for his selfless actions while on vacation in Wenatchee last year.
Recently, the crew of Engine 33 was dispatched to the report of a motor vehicle collision and arrived to find a small hatchback rear-ended by another car. The hatchback had two female occupants, and was carrying a folding “A” frame ladder. The driver of the hatchback was the wife of a US Army soldier and the passenger was the soldier’s mother visiting from Oklahoma. They were pretty much OK, just a little sore and scared.
More than 150 people ate pancakes and sausages cooked up by Lacey Fire District firefighters on Saturday, August 21 at Cabelas. The event was a fundraiser for the District’s Community Services Committee (CSC), with off-duty District firefighters and staff volunteering their time as pancake mixers and flippers, sausage grillers, servers, greeters, and table cleaners. The event was co-located with on-duty crews who provided public education information, tours of apparatus and photos with our antique Seagraves fire engine.
Medic One/Lacey Fire District 3 paramedic/firefighter Jerry Warnock, retires after 33 years of public service to Thurston County citizens. Jerry is the first paramedic in Medic One to retire with over 30 years continuously certified in Thurston County.
The District’s Commissioners recently recognized Abbot Neal (right) and Brother Edmund (left) from St. Martins for their care rendered to Father Thaddaeus (center) when he collapsed suddenly on April 25th. Abbot Neal’s quick recognition and notification followed by Brother Edmund providing CPR and use of the on-site automatic external defibrillator most certainly provided vital links in the “chain of survival”. LFD 3 paramedic Cherie Leyva, who led the resuscitation efforts, was also recognized for her role in the event.
Division Chief Kathy Dickson of Lacey Fire District Three has successfully completed the process that awards her the professional designation of “Chief Fire Officer” (CFO). The Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPC) met on July 23, 2010, to officially confer the designation upon Chief Dickson, one of only 722 CFO’s worldwide.
Chris Hill was recently selected as the new Coordinator for the Safe Kids Coalition of Thurston County. Chris has volunteered for the past 18 months with Lacey Fire District, serving as an Officer for the Community Services Committee as well as assisting with reception, administrative support and the Safety Committee. Her new Safe Kids office will be housed at Lacey Fire District headquarters.
Safe Kids Thurston County brings together health experts, safety experts, educators, corporations, foundations, governments and volunteers to educate and protect families. Unintentional injury remains the leading cause of death among children 14 and under. The Coalition’s focus is on car safety as well as biking, playing and water safety. The local chapter operates under the umbrella of the Child Care Action Council with funding from Medic One.
This was the 3rd year that Timberline High School football coach Nick Mullen requested an onsite medical coverage presence from Lacey Fire District 3/Local 2903 during Timberline’s annual football team fundraiser camp.
From June 28th thru July 1st, A.J Paulsen, Paul Taylor, Cindy Taylor, Sean Christin, Kevin Davenport, Steve Montgomery, Craig Richards, Mike Perry, Eric Bamer & Kirk Beatty volunteered their time at South Sound Stadium from 8:45 am – 12:00 noon for the occasional minor injury and to assure that all the kids were staying hydrated and getting adequate rest between football drills/ evolutions.
Thankfully, it was a relatively uneventful camp injury-wise w/only minor nose bleeds, rolled ankles and scrapes & scratches. A fun time was had by all, especially the kids!
Voters in both the City of Lacey and in Fire District 3 approved a ballot measure in April that will allow the City of Lacey to annex into Fire District 3 for the purposes of fire and life safety services.
Firefighters Ethan Kruse and Mike Perry were on duty February 13, 2010, when they were dispatched to an emergency call involving a 10-month-old infant in cardiac arrest. While en route, the team reviewed their protocols and planned their course of action in an effort to not waste a single precious second during the response.
While it was a stressful situation, both firefighters stayed calm and focused. They took over the scene and the CPR from the grandfather. Their training and experience allowed them to quickly assess the baby’s condition. Firefighter Kruse performed chest compressions on the little boy as Firefighter Perry took care of the airway. The smaller features of the baby made it more difficult, but soon they detected a pulse and breathing.
