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In an effort to keep you up to date on the latest local, statewide, and federal fire issues, OC Firefighters send out monthly news clippings. This newsletter will help inform you about very important fire-related matters.
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13 children, 19 adults displaced by fire in Santa Ana
Flames that burned four homes and killed a dog in Santa Ana left 32 people without shelter Wednesday, July 14. Nearby residents reported seeing black smoke rising from a fire that started outside on the 1000 block of West 2nd Street around 12:50 p.m., Orange County Fire Authority officials said in a social media post. It appeared to have originated in an area used for storage, and spread quickly toward a duplex, OCFA Capt. Thanh Nguyen said.
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Man in critical condition after rescue from duplex fire in Stanton
Firefighters rescued a man and a dog from a home that caught fire in Stanton early Sunday, July 18. The fire was reported at a duplex on the 10500 block of Sycamore Avenue at about 5 a.m., Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Sean Doran said. First-responders found an unconscious man in a bedroom of one unit.
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Woman rescued after getting trapped between buildings in Santa Ana
Crews rescued a woman who became trapped between two buildings in Santa Ana Tuesday afternoon.
An Orange County Fire Authority rescue team responded to 1020 N. Harbor Blvd. and worked to free the woman wedged between two walls. The woman, who was nude, became stuck in the very narrow gap, and crews had to cut into the wall to reach her. According to City News Service, the rescue attempt lasted two and a half hours.
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Brush fire in Ladera Ranch may have been sparked by standoff between deputies and driver
A small, fast-moving brush fire that burned briefly near homes in Ladera Ranch on Thursday afternoon may have been sparked by vehicles engaged in a standoff between Sheriff’s deputies and a person suspected of driving recklessly, authorities said. Deputies got a call about someone driving a sedan recklessly near Marguerite Parkway and Crown Valley Parkway along the border of Mission Viejo and Ladera Ranch, said Carrie Bruan, spokesperson for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. The suspect then drove onto a fire road near Cecil Pasture Road.
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Photo courtesy of OC Hawk |
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OC Hazmat Team Responds to Emergency Call
OC Firefighters responded to a medical call where initial arriving units found three patients not breathing resulting from a possible hazardous chemical exposure or fentanyl ingestion. Our Hazardous Materials Response Team cleared the area and determined that one deceased patient and two other critical patients were exposed to a potent narcotic. Thank you to Anaheim Firefighters and the OC Sheriff for their assistance with this incident.
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Man injured in single-vehicle crash that ignited brush in Irvine
A man was hospitalized with critical injuries after the vehicle he was driving crashed along the 73 toll road, burst into flames and ignited nearby brush Saturday afternoon, July 24, authorities said. Orange County firefighters and California Highway Patrol officers found the vehicle on the northbound side of the toll road near the 133 toll road in Irvine just past 5 p.m., OCFA Captain Greg Barta said.
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Man climbs atop 300-foot Supreme Scream tower at Knott’s Berry Farm
A man who climbed atop a tall ride at Knott’s Berry Farm drew the attention of authorities and park goers on Saturday evening as he stood atop the more than 300-foot tower for more than one hour. He came down on his own by about 9 p.m., was detained by Buena Park police and was transported to a hospital by paramedics for a mental health evaluation, said Sgt. Mario Escamilla, a police spokesperson.
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Boat Catches Fire in Dana Point Harbor
Officials put out a boat fire in Dana Point Harbor Friday night, July 16 in the East Basin. The harbor patrol with Orange County Sheriff’s Department received reports of the fire at 8:40 p.m. involving the vessel Afficionado—which had been unoccupied at her slip. Orange County Fire Authorities coordinated and took over response and put out the flames by 8:52 p.m.
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Water shortage, fire threat move to top of Californians’ environment concerns
This second year of drought has helped push water supplies and wildfires to the top of Californians’ list of environment concerns in a new Public Policy Institute of California survey. While climate change, last year’s No. 1 environmental issue, fell to third place in the latest poll, most respondents linked their current top concerns of wildfires and water to climate change.
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Swimming Pool Safety
First and foremost, never leave a child unsupervised near any pool or body of water — no matter the depth. Young children can drown in as little as two inches of water in less than 30 seconds. That also means that large pools should be protected by a barrier to prevent children from possibly falling in while unsupervised. Smaller, blow-up or plastic pools should be emptied every evening. Not only will this help your family avoid accidental drownings but removing standing water will prevent insects from gathering as well.
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Vertical Ventilation Training
OC Firefighters conducted vertical ventilation training on a lightweight concrete roof with a metal corrugated underside known as Robertson’s Decking. A local building was being torn down and our Fire Crews had the opportunity to conduct real life training.
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Thank you Cindy for Your Service to Local 3631!
Congratulations Cindy! You have been taking care of us for over 25 years. You are the eyes and ears of this institution and a true corner stone of our foundation. Thank you for all you have done and continue to do.
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A Ride 4 A Reason
Submitted by Jeff Hughes, OC Firefighters Local 3631 Wellness Agent
Two retired Orange County Fire Authority Captains, Chris Brown and myself, recently embarked on a 1,400-mile motorcycle journey down the West Coast of the United States to raise awareness for Fire Fighter Occupational Cancers and First Responder Behavioral Health. The name of this effort is called “A Ride 4 A Reason” and the funds raised will benefit the Firefighters Cancer Support Network which provides assistance for Firefighters who are diagnosed with cancers and the Integrated Recovery Foundation that provides free mental health aid for first responders.
This motorcycle ride began in Long Beach, Washington and wrapped up in Long Beach, California. It was personal to me as my dad worked and retired from the LBFD and then passed away from a presumed occupational cancer. We had other riders join us along the route, including Cal-Fire IMT Incident Safety Officer Jack Piccinini, Retired Fire Captain Doug Dodge, and current OCFA Engineer Mike Tooley. The Ride 4 A Reason stopped at multiple fire stations and headquarter facilities along the way to discuss Firefighter mental wellness and Firefighter occupational illnesses like cancer, including: Clark County, Washington; Long Beach, Washington; Coos Bay, Oregon; Newport, Oregon; and several California cities such as Arcata, San Rafael, Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Santa Barbara.
I learned a great deal about how other departments are addressing these critical health issues. True leadership is the most effective tool available to protect our wellbeing and make positive changes within an organization. Time is needed to change how we do business in order to be able to significantly reduce suicide and occupational cancers within the fire service. The good news is that Orange County Firefighters are making progress and heading in the right direction on these initiatives, but there is still much to do, and it will take time. The goal is to reduce exposures on every fire incident as much as possible and to be proactive in our efforts to reduce occupational emotional stress.
Local 3631 will continue to create and implement proactive steps and measures to assist our Firefighter’s mental wellness and tackle problems before they exist.
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THIS MESSAGE WAS CREATED BY JIMMY BLACKMAN & ASSOCIATES.
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