Clackamas Fire’s Community Newsletter To safely protect and preserve life and property Clackamas Fire District #1 www.clackamasire.com

Message from the Chief, Fred Charlton October 2017 Fall is here and Clackamas Fire District #1 is busy focusing on completing a number of major projects, hiring new employees, and supporting those in need throughout our community Inside this issue Chief’s Message………………... 1 Capital construction projects are well underway to include the following:  A new Fleet and Logistics Building is currently having concrete being poured for the Board of Directors……………… 2 new foundation and floor. The building is expected to be opened in August 2018. Safety/Public Education……….. 2 The former Oregon City Fire Station 16 has been demolished and construction has  Health and Safety…………….... 3 begun on a new community fire station with an anticipated completion date of September 2018. Employee Highlights………….... 4  Final steps are being taken to move firefighters back into the damaged Damascus Fire Men in Business………………... 5 Station 19. The Fire Station suffered an electrical fire in April and repairs are almost Facilities Update……………...... 6 completed to include electrical upgrades, new roof and fire sprinkler system, interior finishes, and paint. Community Outreach…………... 6  Designs are being created for a new Administrative Services building in cooperation What is it?...... 6 with Clackamas Community College. The proposed building will be an estimated Clackamas Emergency 18,000 square feet, is anticipated to be completed by mid-2019 and will be built on the 7 Harmony Community Campus. Services Foundation…………… Emergency Management……… 8 Clackamas Fire is hiring – we are currently interviewing entry-level firefighter candidates Upcoming Events………………. 9 and will be filling 15 vacancies in early 2018. Fire Prevention…………..……... 11 The threat of has diminished, but the effects will last for years. Clackamas Fire Station Activities………………... 12 protected numerous communities by responding to the devastating wildfires across Oregon and Northern .

Operation Santa begins in November to help those in need throughout our community by collecting and distributing new toys and non-perishable food. More information to include community parade routes can be found at www.clackamasfire.com. Hilltop Fire Station 16 Update On Wednesday, October 4, 2017, the Fire District officially broke ground for the new Hilltop Fire Station 16, located at 19340 Molalla Avenue in Oregon City. This construction project is replacing a facility that was built in the early 1970s. A toxic mold issue was discovered in May of 2016, and the Fire District made the decision to close the fire station and replace it with a modern facility that meets current needs. The new facility will be approximately 12,400 square feet, including three double deep apparatus bays.

1 Hilltop Fire Station 16 Update (cont.) It is designed to house eight full time firefighters as well as a full time battalion chief. Design features include energy efficient construction, effective travel paths within the station that lead to the response units, gender neutral crew quarters, bi-fold doors for quicker response, and improved facility security. Construction is slated to be completed in fall 2018.

During construction, the crew will temporarily be relocated nearby at Clackamas Community College in temporary structures that will house the current crew and their apparatus. Message from the Board of Directors Presentations:  Oregon City Library’s Youth Services Librarian, Barratt Miller, provided a presentation regarding their Summer Reading program. This program included a competition between Oregon City Police Chief Band and Clackamas Fire District’s Chief Charlton. As each child who had signed up for the reading program submitted their reading time, they could place a sticker on the life-sized poster on one of the Chiefs.  An update on the 2017 Operation Santa Claus program was presented by Battalion Chief Steve Deters. Neighborhood parades will begin Friday, November 24. More information, parade dates, and parade route maps may be found on the Fire District’s website at: http://www.clackamasfire.com/operation-santa-claus/ beginning November 1.

The Board approved the following:  Revised Board Policy Manual  Surplus generator  First Amendment of Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with City of Milwaukie  Fee proposal for Hennebery Eddy Architects regarding Administration Building

Board Committee assignments were announced:  Capital Projects: Don Trotter and Marilyn Wall  Clackamas County Coordinating Committee (C-4): Don Trotter  EMS/EMS Consortium: Jay Cross and Thomas Joseph  Executive Committee: Jim Syring and Marilyn Wall  Clackamas Emergency Services Foundation: Don Trotter  Legislative: Thomas Joseph and Marilyn Wall  Interagency: Thomas Joseph and Jim Syring  Volunteer Association Liaison: Jim Syring; Alternate Don Trotter

The next board meeting will be Monday, November 20, 2017 at 6:30 pm at the Mt. Scott Fire Station 5 located at 9339 SE Causey Avenue, Happy Valley, Oregon. Safety/Public Education Recipe for Fire-Safe Cooking

The holiday season is approaching, which means many of us will be spending more time in the kitchen preparing meals and treats for our families and friends. National statistics show on average a person can expect to experience at least two kitchen fires in his or her lifetime. Clackamas Fire District #1 has some simple tips to ensure fire-safe cooking practices.

 Never leave cooking unattended!  Keep your cooking area clean—Don’t leave flammable items on or near the stove, and ensure the exhaust fan, oven, and stovetop are clean. 2

Safety/Public Education (cont.)  Keep handles for pots and pans turned toward the back of the stove.  Don’t wear loose sleeves while cooking. Loose clothing can easily catch fire on stove burners.  If there is an oven fire, keep the door closed and turn off the oven.  If keeping the oven door closed and turning the oven off doesn’t work and the fire gets larger, use a fire extinguisher, and/or get out and call 9-1-1!

Of course, one of the most important things you can do to protect your family and home, is to make sure you have working smoke alarms in your home! Make sure you have smoke alarms installed on every level of your home, outside of all sleeping areas, and inside all sleeping areas. Test the alarms once a month to ensure they are still functioning properly. Health and Safety Does ‘Good’ Cholesterol Still Matter?

Most everyone is aware that a high level of cholesterol is a risk for heart disease. For years, the thinking has been that there is “bad” cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) and “good” cholesterol (HDL cholesterol).

LDL deposits excess cholesterol in your arteries, where it can build up into plaques, increasing the likelihood of heart disease and blood clots. HDL carries surplus cholesterol back to your liver so that it can be excreted.

Studies have clearly demonstrated a strong association between low levels of LDL cholesterol and a lower risk of developing heart disease. LDL cholesterol reduction with drugs such as statins has been demonstrated to reduce cardiovascular risk.

With respect to HDL cholesterol, the epidemiology supports an association between high levels of HDL cholesterol and lower cardiovascular risk. However, unlike the LDL cholesterol story, recent clinical trials of drugs that specifically raise HDL cholesterol have not been shown to improve cardiovascular outcomes.

A paper was recently published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology that shed some light on the answer. This study found that lower HDL cholesterol levels were associated with a higher risk of death from cardiovascular causes, as prior studies have shown. However, there was also a higher risk of death from cancer and other causes compared to those having average levels of HDL cholesterol. That finding makes it seem as though low HDL cholesterol isn’t just predicting cardiovascular death – which might make sense if it is really causing heart disease – but, it is also predicting cancer deaths and other causes of death. There is not a good biological explanation for why a low HDL cholesterol level would do that. The conclusion the authors reached is that low HDL cholesterol isn’t really causing any of these problems such as heart disease or cancer, but rather the underlying cause of the low HDL cholesterol, such as unhealthy lifestyle, is the real driver of worse outcomes.

What does all this mean practically? First of all, more research on the relationship between low HDL cholesterol and heart disease is still needed. As researchers work to figure out what these findings mean, physicians are still using HDL levels, in conjunction with LDL and total cholesterol to help predict cardiovascular disease risk. Low HDL levels can be a sign of trouble, and the only meaningful way to raise them is through lifestyle changes.

“There is no evidence for a benefit from any HDL-raising drug,” says Steven Nissen, a cardiologist with the Cleveland Clinic. “It’s still important to pay attention to the numbers, but the main focus should be on making healthy choices.”

In other words, whether you HDL is low, high, or somewhere in the middle, the prescription for a healthy heart will be the same: Don’t smoke, drink only in moderation, exercise regularly and stay away from the trans-fat (which are found in foods made with partially hydrogenated oils and many fried foods).

Everyone agrees with the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle!

Sources: www.health.harvard.edu; Consumer Reports, May 27, 2017 3 Employee Highlights

Firefighter Brandon Knight

I started working for Clackamas fire District #1 June of 2017. I was first exposed to the fire service in high school and from there I knew this would be my career goal. I’ve always enjoyed being part of a team, playing sports, and working with others to accomplish goals. I found that the fire service was very similar to sports. Most of my family lives in Battle Ground/Vancouver, Washington area, which is also where I grew up. Currently, I am working on restoring a ‘65 mustang when I have spare time. I enjoy anything outdoors, such as fishing, camping, and hiking. The last three years I was a zip-line tour guide that led people through various zip-line excursions and challenge courses.

Firefighter Brandon Poppert

I have worked for Clackamas Fire District #1 since June 7, 2017—Academy 17-02. I am a probationary firefighter. I first found interest in the fire service as a teenager. I grew up across the street from Clackamas Fire’s Station 7. I walked across the street, knocked on the door, and was greeted with a warm welcome. These two Clackamas Fire employees took me in, showed me around, and gave me all the information I would need to help guide me on the path to becoming a firefighter. I owe those two unknown men a great deal. I have come to enjoy so many aspects of the fire service. The culture, ever changing challenges, and community involvement are just a few things I really enjoy about this job. I have an amazing wife and we’ve been together for 10 years. She is a pediatric emergency nurse at Randall Children’s Hospital. We had our first child last September, a healthy baby boy named Beau. In my spare time, I enjoy the outdoors, travel, golfing, snowboarding, camping, and spending time with family. Although from here, I have spent the last three years living in Denver, CO while my wife and I attended school.

Firefighter Tyler Smith

I have been working here at Clackamas Fire District #1 since June 2017. I am currently a probationary Firefighter/Paramedic at Lake Road Station 4. A big part of why I wanted to work within the fire service was because of my father. He has been a firefighter for over 26 years and has enjoyed every minute of it. I always remembered the stories he told and going to the fire house as a kid and seeing how happy everyone was. It was like a family. Everything in the fire service resonated with me, from the culture, the camradarie, and the ability to help people in their worst times. I couldn't imagine doing anything else. My mother works as a nurse at Silverton Hospital and my father is a Battalion Chief of Training. I have an older sister who is newly married and lives in Bend, OR. I have two younger brothers, one is currently in the fire program at Chemeketa and one is a junior in high school. During the summer months, I play for a church softball league, which brings me back to my glory days of high school baseball. In my free time, you can catch me on the mountain skiing, weight lifting, camping, hunting, or just hanging out with friends. One thing that others may not know about me is that a few years ago, I worked for Idahna-Detroit Rural Fire Protection District as an EMT on a BLS ambulance protecting the tourists and campers of Detroit Lake by myself, all summer long. 4 Employee Highlights (cont.) Firefighter Brett Yeager

I began working for Clackamas Fire District #1 in June 2017. I am currently a probationary Firefighter/Paramedic. I wanted to work within the fire service because I have a desire to work as a team, while solving others’ problems. My wife and I have been married for 13 years. She is a RN on an Endoscopy floor. My daughter, Taylor, is eight-years-old and loves anything to do with horses. My son, Wyatt, is five-years-old and has a passion for the outdoors and wildlife. In my spare time, I enjoy hunting backpacking, fishing, basketball, and family time. An interesting fact that others may not know about me is that one of my favorite jobs growing up was being a cook for Dairy Queen.

“Men in Business,” Clackamas Review/Oregon City News

hooked and knew this was the career for him! Sam be- came a volunteer firefighter after graduating from high school and obtained associate degrees in Structural Fire Science and Emergency Medical Services. He is married to his wife, Erika, and together they have three kids.

When Sam isn’t at work, he is busy with his family. His step-son is a junior at Clackamas High School, his daughter participates in gymnastics, and his youngest son plays hockey. Currently, Sam is earning his bache- lor’s degree in Fire Administration from Eastern Oregon University, and his wife is working towards becoming a practitioner in Nutritional Therapy. Sam aspires to pro- Sam McCullough mote through the ranks to one day, hopefully, becoming Apparatus Operator a Battalion Chief. He jokes, “My dad was a Lieutenant, my brother is a Captain with the airlines; I have to outdo Sam McCullough is an Apparatus Operator/Paramedic them both and become a Chief!” with Clackamas Fire District #1 at the Boring Communi- ty Fire Station 14, which houses a new apparatus called Sam is truly humbled and blessed to work for an amaz- an interface engine. Sam is a Field Training Officer, ing Fire District and to serve the citizens of Clackamas helping mentor new firefighters to ensure their EMS County. skills meet the high standards set forth by Clackamas Fire. Additionally, Sam teaches drills to career and vol- unteer firefighters.

With his Dad being a trooper with the Oregon State Police, Sam always knew he wanted to do something within public safety. He had his first ride along in high school from a local fire department. Afterwards, he was

5 “Men in Business,” Clackamas Review/Oregon City News (cont.)

working with Clackamas Fire in 2015. Mike brings exper- tise in Field Training and Evaluation, as well as being a nationally recognized EMS Educator. Mike holds two advanced EMS Board certifications as well as being an Oregon Licensed Paramedic. Mike also serves on the Oregon Medical Board EMS Advisory Committee. Emergency Medical Services is always evolving and keeping the Fire District EMS providers up to speed with the ever-changing nuances of Emergency Medicine is a challenge Mike looks forward to. Mike says, “Make no mistake, Clackamas Fire, along with the leadership of Dr. Craig Warden, MD (Clackamas Fire EMS Medical Director), and the EMS Division are well-suited to contin- ue a legacy of top-notch out-of-hospital care.” Mike’s national EMS presence helps keep Clackamas Fire on the cutting edge of quality care.

Mike Verkest After Mike graduated from high school, he married his EMS Training Officer Junior High School sweetheart, Michelle. They have three children: Christian (23), Kaileb (19), and Carmella

(15). Mike and his wife are also new grandparents. Mike Verkest is the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Christian and his wife, Morgan, have a six-month-old Training Officer for Clackamas Fire District #1. Mike’s daughter, Adaline. When Mike is not at work, he plays primary duties are to coordinate and deliver high quality bass guitar and drums, is active in the Civil Air Patrol as EMS training to the Firefighter EMTs and Paramedics a Second Lieutenant, and enjoys flying unmanned air- who serve the citizens of the Fire District. Although craft. Mike’s EMS career spans nearly 23 years, he began Community Outreach During October, Clackamas Fire District #1 recognized Fire Prevention Month and hosted five fire station open houses. During these open houses, CFD welcomed hundreds of visitors, who were able to tour the fire stations and apparatus, get to know their local firefighters, and learn important fire and life safety information. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) determines a theme each year for the focus of this outreach. This year’s theme was “Every second counts. Plan 2 Ways Out!” CFD and the NFPA through public outreach ensured that everyone knows just how important it is to have working smoke alarms in their homes and to have an escape plan.

Pictured right: Volunteer Jeremy Neel with trick-or-treaters at the Halloween Open House at Eagle Creek Station 18. What is it? Written by Battalion Chief Brian Stewart

What is the difference between a conflagration strike team and task force? Both are made up of a number of units (usually five) with a leader. A Strike Team has all five that are the same type. A Task Force is a mix of different types and is specific to the assignment they were given. Some incidents are complex or large enough that they overwhelm the resources immediately available to an area. When this happens, agencies may request additional assistance through state and national systems. Typically, this help is requested for incident management and operational resources. The operational needs are typically requested, and function as groups of units. The most typical would be strike teams and task forces. These both have five companies and a supervisor. The difference between them is that a strike team has the same type of units (e.g., five fire engines or five ambulances) and a task force is a mix of types (e.g., four engines and a water tender). The expected fire behavior, geography, and protection needed guide incident managers in what type of resources to request.

6 Clackamas Emergency Services Foundation

7 Emergency Management

28655 SE Highway 212

8 Upcoming Events

9 Upcoming Events (cont.)

Date Day Time Location Nov. 24 Friday 6 – 9 pm Redland – Station 11 Nov. 25 Saturday 6 – 9 pm Beavercreek – Station 10 Holcomb/Hilltop – Nov. 26 Sunday 6 – 9 pm Stations 9 and 16 Nov. 27 Monday 6 – 9 pm Hilltop – Station 16 Nov. 29 Wednesday 6 – 9 pm Boring – Station 14 Dec. 1 Friday 6 – 9 pm Clackamas – Station 8 Dec. 2 Saturday 6 – 9 pm Oak Grove – Station 3 Dec. 3 Sunday 6 – 9 pm Milwaukie – Station 2 Dec. 4 Monday 6 – 9 pm Milwaukie – Station 2 Dec. 5 Tuesday 6 – 9 pm Town Center – Station 1 Dec. 6 Wednesday 6 – 9 pm Lake Road – Station 4 Dec. 7 Thursday 6 – 9 pm Damascus – Station 19 Dec. 8 Friday 6 – 9 pm Happy Valley – Station 6 Dec. 9 Saturday 6 – 9 pm Happy Valley – Station 6 Dec. 10 Sunday 6 – 9 pm Pleasant Valley – Station 7

10 Fire Prevention

September 2017

Date: 9/3/2017 2:11:33 AM Address: 1404 Main St. Oregon City, OR 97045 Investigator(s): DeLair Type of Fire: Building Fire Fire Area of Origin: Operator/passenger area of transportation equip. Fire Cause: Cause undetermined after investigation Estimated Dollar Loss: $24,500 Investigator Narrative: The fire originated in the passenger compartment of the car, but there was too much damage to determine the ignition source, first item ignited, and the sequence of ignition. The cause of the fire was undetermined; however, based on the information provided and investigator observations, the probable cause of the fire was incendiary.

Date: 9/6/2017 3:49:35 AM Address: 9887 SE Top O'scott St. Happy Valley, OR 97086 Investigator(s): Dahlgren Type of Fire: Building Fire Fire Area of Origin: Exterior, exposed surface Fire Cause: Unintentional Estimated Dollar Loss: $324,000 Investigator Narrative: The fire originated on the south side of the home’s deck. The cause was accidental, most likely an improperly discarded smoking material ignited the wood shavings below the deck.

Date: 9/10/2017 1:07:47 AM Address: 5979 SE Harmony Rd. Milwaukie, OR 97222 Investigator(s): Hamilton Type of Fire: Building Fire Fire Area of Origin: Exterior, exposed surface Fire Cause: Unintentional Estimated Dollar Loss: $8,000 Investigator Narrative: The fire originated on the west side of the building in the bark dust adjacent to the neighboring building. The cause of the fire was a carelessly discarded cigarette and it was classified as accidental.

Date: 9/17/2017 1:13:09 PM Address: 12900 SE 32nd Ave. Milwaukie, OR 97222 Investigator(s): Olson Type of Fire: Building Fire Fire Area of Origin: Outside area, other Fire Cause: Unintentional Estimated Dollar Loss: $150,000 Investigator Narrative: The fire occurred when a neighbor was using a weed burner to kill weeds along a cedar fence.

Date: 9/19/2017 5:17:26 AM Address: 8846 SE Regents Dr. Milwaukie, OR 97222 Investigator(s): Hamilton Type of Fire: Building Fire Fire Area of Origin: Vehicle storage area; garage, carport Fire Cause: Unintentional Estimated Dollar Loss: $45,000 Investigator Narrative: The fire originated in the southwest corner of the garage on top of the refrigerator. The cause of the fire was an electrical failure/malfunction in the television, and was classified as accidental.

11 Fire Prevention (cont.) Date: 9/27/2017 2:53:30 PM Address: 6815 SE Hemlock St. Milwaukie, OR 97222 Investigator(s): Amos Type of Fire: Building Fire Fire Area of Origin: Attic: vacant, crawl space above top story, cupola Fire Cause: Unintentional Estimated Dollar Loss: $50,000 Investigator Narrative: The fire started in the attic of a single family residence. The occupants were alerted by the lights flickering, and then smoke was noticed in the garage near the electrical panel. The fire cause was determined to be an electrical failure in the attic. Station Activities Clackamas Fire District #1 Apparatus Summary Reports by Apparatus Station September 2017 (Including Mutual Aid Given)

Beavercreek/Clarkes Area

Station 10 – Beavercreek Fire Station Total Number of Responses for Station 10 Apparatus 64

Number of Medical Aid Calls 28 Number of Fires 11 Other 25

Station 13 – Clarkes Fire Station Total Number of Responses for Station 13 Apparatus 11

Number of Medical Aid Calls 5 Number of Fires 0 Other 6

City of Milwaukie Area

Station 1 – Town Center Fire Station Total Number of Responses for Station 1 Apparatus 259

Number of Medical Aid Calls 168 Number of Fires 18 Other 73

Station 2 – Milwaukie Fire Station Total Number of Responses for Station 2 Apparatus 225

Number of Medical Aid Calls 127 Number of Fires 18 Other 80

12 Station Activities (cont.) Station 3 – Oak Grove Fire Station Total Number of Responses for Station 3 Apparatus 451

Number of Medical Aid Calls 321 Number of Fires 16 Other 114

Station 4 – Lake Road Fire Station Total Number of Responses for Station 4 Apparatus 234

Number of Medical Aid Calls 129 Number of Fires 37 Other 68

City of Happy Valley Area

Station 5 – Mt. Scott Fire Station Total Number of Responses for Station 5 Apparatus 171

Number of Medical Aid Calls 85 Number of Fires 22 Other 64

Station 6 – Happy Station Total Number of Responses for Station 6 Apparatus 123

Number of Medical Aid Calls 78 Number of Fires 9 Other 36

City of Happy Valley/City of Damascus Area

Station 8 – Clackamas Fire Station Total Number of Responses for Station 8 Apparatus 146

Number of Medical Aid Calls 88 Number of Fires 10 Other 48

Logan/Redland Area

Station 11 – Redland Fire Station Total Number of Responses for Station 11 Apparatus 56

Number of Medical Aid Calls 23 Number of Fires 6 Other 27

13 Station Activities (cont.) Station 12 – Logan Fire Station Total Number of Responses for Station 12 Apparatus 19

Number of Medical Aid Calls 9 Number of Fires 2 Other 8

City of Oregon City Area

Station 9 – Holcomb Fire Station Total Number of Responses for Station 9 Apparatus 84

Number of Medical Aid Calls 40 Number of Fires 18 Other 26

Station 15 – John Adams Fire Station Total Number of Responses for Station 15 Apparatus 179

Number of Medical Aid Calls 88 Number of Fires 26 Other 65

Station 16 – Hilltop Fire Station Total Number of Responses for Station 16 Apparatus 255

Number of Medical Aid Calls 197 Number of Fires 7 Other 51

Station 17 – South End Station Total Number of Responses for Station 17 Apparatus 91

Number of Medical Aid Calls 59 Number of Fires 4 Other 28

Boring/Damascus Area

Station 7 – Pleasant Valley Fire Station Total Number of Responses for Station 7 Apparatus 82

Number of Medical Aid Calls 40 Number of Fires 5 Other 37

14 Station Activities (cont.) Station 14 – Boring Fire Station Total Number of Responses for Station 14 Apparatus 102

Number of Medical Aid Calls 55 Number of Fires 10 Other 37

Station 18 – Eagle Station* Total Number of Responses for Station 18 Apparatus 0

Number of Medical Aid Calls 0 Number of Fires 0 Other 0

Station 19 – Damascus Fire Station Total Number of Responses for Station 19 Apparatus 64

Number of Medical Aid Calls Number of Fires 4 Other 27

District – Wide 2016 2017 % Increase Total apparatus responses in September 2,418 2,636 9.02% Total apparatus responses January – September

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