April 2019
Published by the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal
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OSFM Keeps Oregonians Safe Year-round
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The Northwest fire season started early this year, with more than 40 fires reported in Washington and Oregon the third week of March. The Santiam Park Fire, near Lyons, burned 189 acres and threatened 42 homes and 30 outbuildings during warm and windy weather.
I visited the burn area by the North Santiam State Recreation Area, to meet with the coordinated response team who worked aggressively and safely to suppress the fire. The fire initially threatened structures on both sides of the Santiam River before it was 100 percent contained on March 21.
The incident provided a sobering reminder that fire season is beginning earlier and that
prevention measures should begin now. Residents can make sure their homes are protected from wildfire. Make the start of spring a time to take basic fire prevention measures where you call home.
Keep roofs, gutters, and eaves clear of all leaves, pine needles, and other flammable debris. Remove dead vegetation a minimum of 30 feet around your house. Also, prune trees and have grass kept short and green to keep fire on the ground and more manageable by fire crews. Remember, you and your communities have a responsibility to address the risk of wildland fires. Your actions can encourage friends, family, and neighbors to take preventive measures that can reduce risks of property loss and damage.
Speaking of fire prevention, I want to thank everyone who submitted their applications for the 2019 Golden and Silver Sparky awards. The awards honor those who have made contributions in fire prevention and fire prevention education in Oregon. We will be presenting the awards at the 2019 Oregon Fire Marshal Conference in May.
Keeping Oregonians safe is a year-round priority for the Office of State Fire Marshal (OFSM), whose staff work on programs impacting residents and communities statewide.
Through the Oregon Community Right to Know and Protection Act, adopted by the Legislature in 1985, the OSFM office runs the
Community Right to Know Program. We collect information from Oregon employers about hazardous substances. The program makes that information available to the public, emergency planners, and emergency responders. The program’s annual reporting process was brought online in 2018, and now nearly all of the 11,000 facilities have submitted their reports electronically. The program’s website lets users get reports about hazardous substances at fixed facilities in Oregon.
The OFSM also
conducts inspections of licensed care facilities. These include daycare centers, health-care facilities, children's residential facilities, adult foster homes, assisted-living facilities, and residential care facilities. Our work helps the state meet federal Center for Medicare-Medicaid (CMS) survey requirements for federal funding of health-care facilities, while enforcing federal and state fire and life safety rules. Lastly, our Fire and Life Safety Services Division serves communities statewide who do not have full-service fire programs by inspecting facilities such as schools. These inspections promote safety for the facilities and our state's most vulnerable residents.
Finally, the arrival of spring also means the return of college baseball. I will be throwing out the first pitch at the
April 7 Ducks game in Eugene against Fresno State, and I will be catching up with the Beavers in Corvallis on
May 23. I hope to see many of you there.
Thanks for all you do in keeping Oregonians safe.
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Oregon State Fire Marshal Jim Walker
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OSFM Welcomes New Incident Management Team Members
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After a successful recruitment cycle, the Office of State Fire Marshal was excited to provide orientation training for 11 new Incident Management Team members in March. The new team members represent agencies from around the state who join the program with extensive and varied experience.
The orientation included an overview of the program and information related to training requirements, expectations, and how the teams are mobilized. We are proud to introduce the newest members of the team.
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Pictured left to right, back row, are: Jeff Ennenga (Molalla), Andy Parker (Newport), Tony Cooke (Umatilla Tribal), Dave Rankin (Seaside), Rob Yencopal (Corvallis), Nick Tyler (Lebanon), Darren Root (Bend), Matt Dryden (Keizer), and Incident Commander Ian Yocum; front row: Program Coordinator Mariah Rawlins, Steve McAdoo (Clackamas FD 1), James Tomachoff (Corvallis), and Andrew Alderson (Keizer).
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by OSFM Code Deputy David Mills
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Plan to Cooperate, Cooperate in Planning
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Recently, I was asked, "Is there a procedure whereby a fire department can provide input at new construction plan review?" The answer is, yes, and like all successful organizational activities, cooperation and collaboration require planning. Goals and objectives for collaboration should be a normal part of every organization's program plan. In the fire service, this can be another form of pre-planning.
Current Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) and an Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) emphasize this point.
ORS 455.148 and
ORS 455.150 reads:
(8) The department shall adopt rules to require the governing body of each municipality assuming or continuing a building inspection program under this section to submit a written plan with the notice required under subsection (4) or (7) of this section. If the department is the governing body, the department shall have a plan on file. The plan must specify how cooperation with the State Fire Marshal or a designee of the State Fire Marshal will be achieved and how a uniform fire code will be considered in the review process of the design and construction phases of buildings or structures.
This process is clarified in
OAR 918-020-0020 entitled, Cooperation with Other Agencies. It reads:
(1) Each municipality assuming any portion of the plan review program shall, with the notice of program assumption, include a procedure for communication and cooperation with the State Fire Marshal or the Fire Marshal’s certified designee [Assistants to the State Fire Marshal]. The procedure shall provide the Fire Marshal an opportunity to examine construction plans for those buildings that the Fire Marshal inspects for occupancy standards under
ORS 476.030
. If a procedure is not adopted and signed by both the building official and the State Fire Marshal or the Fire Marshal’s certified designee, the request for program assumption shall include the following minimum provisions for notice to the Fire Marshal:
(a) The time and place where construction plans and specifications will be available;
(b) The proposed type of building construction and occupancy;
(c) Any changes from the fire and life safety standards of the applicable code proposed as alternate methods of construction; and
(d) Any procedure or agreement which may shorten or eliminate the time the construction plans and specifications may be available for examination.
(2) The procedure shall establish a reasonable time limit for comment by the Fire Marshal.
The review and approval of construction plans is an administrative process established by the local municipality with cooperation between the building and fire official and other municipal agencies. The municipality may or may not actually require "sign-off" by the fire official. The building official is obligated according to
ORS 455.148(8) or
ORS 455.150(8) to provide opportunity for review and comment and to consider the comments as part of the building plan review. The fire official is offered the opportunity, but if it is not taken, there is no penalty. Whatever process is used must be identified in the building inspection program operating plan.
The
Oregon Structural Specialty Code, Section 107.3.5 identifies the occupancy classifications requiring fire and life safety plan review. This section applies generally to the occupancy of the facilities that are under the authority of fire officials to inspect for maintenance. The process required by
ORS 455.148(8) and
ORS 455.150(8) is not restricted to only those projects requiring fire and life safety plan review. It applies to any project that is subject to inspection by fire officials under
ORS 476.030.
When looking at policy or program implementation, it is important to understand that the success of a policy or program often depends on interagency collaboration and cooperation. The ability of agencies to share resources is key to collaboration and cooperation, given that organizational priorities and institutional pride are based in resource allocation and utilization. Resource sharing represents commitment to something larger than the single focused organizational goals and objectives, and a shift to enter into relationships with other agencies to achieve shared goals, visions, and response to mutual interest and obligations.
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News from the Analytics & Intelligence Unit
by
Analytics & Intelligence Program Coordinator
Kayla Brookshire
&
Fire Data Specialist
Candice Clark
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Spring has historically marked a seasonal increase in outdoor fires — fires with incident type code between 140 and 173. Oregon’s five-year trends show that more than three times as many outdoor fires occur in spring compared to winter.
2018 Supplement to the Annual Report In Progress
Spring is also the time of year when the Analytics & Intelligence Unit (A&I) begins work on the Annual Report Supplement.
The supplement is released yearly and contains Oregon data and trends related to the National Fire Incident Reporting System incidents (including fire, EMS, and hazardous materials), top fire causes, civilian casualties, fire service casualties, and youth fire data, as well as data related to detectors and sprinkler systems.
Appendices 2 and 3 in the supplement are pulled from the Oregon Local Fire Agency Profile survey data, so please review the reminder in the next section of our Gated Wye article to ensure that your agency has completed the Annual Profile survey. The survey allows us to provide agency level data points, including number of incidents, district population, number of dwellings and value, ISO class, and personnel demographics.
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2018 Oregon Local Fire Agency Profile Reminder:
On Feb. 13, A&I sent out an email requesting a response to the 2018 Oregon Local Fire Agency Profile. This survey should be completed by each agency as soon as possible, but no later than April 26. Find
details here.
As of March 21, the number of agencies that have completed their profile is 128 (40 percent) out of the 310 total agencies.
For questions or more information, please contact A&I at: 503-934-8250 or by email at
osfm.data@state.or.us.
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National Fire Academy Courses Offered in June
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The Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training and the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal will be hosting the following two National Fire Academy classes.
Building Organizational Support for Community Risk Reduction (F0636)
Date:
June 3-4, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location
: Oregon Public Safety Academy, 4190 Aumsville Hwy. SE, Salem
Cost
: Free
Instructor
: Michael Weller
Course Information:
This two-day course is designed to help fire and emergency services learn what community risk reduction is and how to build organizational support for it. The course addresses challenges fire departments face shifting priorities from response to prevention. In many departments, community risk reduction is still considered a low priority. This course will show how community risk reduction can help departments become more of a community player in times of decreased budgets.
Executive Skills Series: Exercising Leadership within Communities (F0520)
Dates
: June 5-6, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location
: Oregon Public Safety Academy, 4190 Aumsville Hwy. SE, Salem
Cost
: Free
Instructor
: Kevin Brame
Course Information:
The purpose of this two-day course is to provide fire service leaders with knowledge and skills, enabling them to exercise leadership when confronting adaptive challenges presented by increasingly diverse internal and external communities. The goal of the course is for participants to use the diversity of ideas, peoples, and cultures as resources in exercising leadership to address adaptive challenges in their communities.
National Fire Academy (NFA) courses at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST):
Lodging on campus in the dorms will be available for those traveling 75 or more miles.
The DPSST provides lunch to course attendees through the use of meal cards. Breakfast and dinner are not provided; however, they are available for purchase at the department cafeteria. Dress is business casual wear — no jeans.
You will receive an emailed certificate from FEMA/NFA for the course. DPSST does not supply these, so please be sure to provide a valid working email address.
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Annual Oregon Fire Marshals Association Meeting this May
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Your full-conference registration of $395 (OFMA/ Oregon Building Officials Association member price) includes:
- Professional development — all classes offer ICC credits.
- A continental breakfast and networking each day, plus lunches and snacks.
- Exhibitor meet-and-greet reception.
- Awards luncheon.
Everything you need to know, including conference pricing, class information, lodging, and registration can be found on the
OFMA web site
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Sign up for Fire Service Education Training for Youth on April 4
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There is still time to sign up for the Insight Facilitator Training coming to Bend on April 4.
Sign up here
. The training is for professionals from fire service, education, mental health, juvenile justice, and social service and we would love to have a variety of disciplines in the room. Materials are provided.
Insight is a workbook-based intervention program intended to address youth who have a fire-related incident or who have been identified to misuse fire. This is a flexible tool that we hope will allow your agency and community partners to appropriately address this behavior with minimal barriers to service and increase your ability to respond. Insight focusses on fire safety education as well as social skill building and accountability.
The event runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with a lunch break (lunch is not provided).
Location
: Bend Fire Training Center: 63377 Jamison St., Bend, OR 97702
Instructor
: Sara Jasmin, Youth Fire Prevention and Intervention Program Coordinator from Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal at: 503-934-2136,
sara.jasmin@osp.oregon.gov
.
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Smokey Bear's 75th Birthday
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Since 1944, Smokey Bear has taught millions of Americans just like you about their role in preventing wildfires.
Seventy-five years later, in 2019, Smokey is celebrating a milestone birthday. Join us in honoring
Smokey Bear and this timeless message of wildfire prevention throughout 2019.
You can celebrate Smokey Bear’s legacy using special media tools and messages found on the
Smokey Bear website.
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HMEP Grant Deadline Extended to April 15
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The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has extended the closing date for Oregon to submit its application for the Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) 20/21 Grant cycle. As a result, the Office of State Fire Marshal will extend the deadline to submit
grants to April 15, 5 p.m. For assistance regarding the grant and/or submission questions, contact Terry Wolfe, HMEP grants administrator:
terry.wolfe@state.or.us, 503-934-8245.
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We are pleased to announce the appointment of
Assistant Chief Deputy Fire Marshal Chad Hawkins
, who will oversee the Fire & Life Safety Services Division. Hawkins assumed his role on March 11. Hawkins joined the OSFM four years ago, where he has played a key role overseeing the implementation of Oregon HB 3225, which addresses the coordinated emergency response to oil or hazardous materials spills or releases that occur during railroad transport. Through this work, Hawkins has collaborated and built strong relationships with stakeholders and legislative members through local emergency planning commissions, state emergency response commissions, emergency management, fire departments, rail, and other agencies.
Prior to joining the OSFM, he gained extensive fire and emergency response experience in California. There Hawkins served as the fire chief of a rapidly growing, full-service, all-risk combination fire department. Hawkins has developed and directed fire prevention programs, code enforcement programs, and community evacuation programs to name a few. He has attended multiple national training programs and holds numerous certifications in incident command, fire, hazmat, and emergency management. Hawkins has worked on responses to earthquakes, train derailments, large scale wildland and commercial structure fires, and other complex incidents. With his combined 17 years of fire and emergency services experience, we are excited to have Hawkins on the OSFM Leadership Team.
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Rudy Owens has joined the Office of State Fire Marshal as Public Affairs Specialist, starting March 11. Owens will oversee agency communications on social media, publish the
Gated Wye newsletter, handle public engagement, produce communications products, and work with the agency’s partners and the media. In his last position with the City of Tigard, he served as communications strategist, overseeing the city’s agency-wide communications and promoting community involvement for four years. He has a professional background in public health and journalism and a passion for telling stories that connect with all audiences. Owens can be reached at:
rudy.owens@osp.oregon.gov; 503-934-8217.
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See what's happening on our social sites:
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