Corvallis Fire

10 Years Ago Today!

On September 5, 2014, Corvallis experienced one of the most significant urban interface fires in modern times. The fire started just after 8:30 p.m. south of Chip Ross Park. Aided by the wind, it spread down the hill to the south to the Timberhill Meadows Apartments and east towards the homes on Morning Glory Drive.

CFD and countless other agencies from multiple counties responded to bring this incident under control eight hours after dispatch. CFD remained on scene for nearly a week to ensure all hot spots were extinguished.

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential risks we face on any given day. Let's all take responsibility for fire safety. With the weather being warm and the fire danger high, it's crucial that we remain vigilant and prepared.

Here for you 24-7, 365 in many capacities and a variety of ways!

Happy

Friday: Battalion Chief 118 and Engine 133 were dispatched to a car fire and arrived to find a small passenger vehicle heavily involved with flames. A power pole suffered slight damage from flames but otherwise there was no extension. The sole occupant exited the vehicle without injuries and E133 quickly extinguished the fire.

Station 2 Update!

Construction progress continues at Fire Station 2. Exterior painting is underway, preparation for paving is taking place, the PV array is being installed on the roof, the interior is ready for flooring, cabinets, and counters, and the new apparatus bay and workout room have been fully insulated, sheetrocked, and prepared for paint. In a couple of these pictures, you can see the new drivable plaza in front of the station, allowing us to back our apparatus in without blocking traffic on 35th Street.

We are incredibly excited about this project and hope to be back home around the first of the year.

Over the weekend the crews had a drill where they were directed to have 2 hose lines up on 2 floors. Another objective was to have 2 ladders placed for secondary means of egress. It was fun to see different Lieutenant directions and creative ways to get water going when certain stairwells and entry points are simulated not available. Fun drills like this help us prepare for all sorts of residential and commercial dwellings!

This Afternoon, Battalion Chief 116, Engine 131, Engine 133 and Medic Unit 120 were dispatched for a motor vehicle accident on NW 9th Street. Crews arrived on scene at the Oregon State Credit Union and found a vehicle completely inside of the building. The driver was evaluated by M120 and was not transported. E133 assisted with creating a safe boundary and clean up. Thank you again to .pd for your assistance with this incident! !

Battalion Chief 116 and Engine 133 were dispatched to a car fire this morning. Due to potential for fire to spread, an additional engine was added. BC116 and E133 arrived to find a vehicle heavily involved in fire. The occupant exited without injury and Engine 133 extinguished the fire quickly. The second engine, E131 was canceled en route and a fire investigator (labeled as 172 on the PulsePoint App) joined the balance. We are thankful for the help from City of Corvallis Police Department!

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Wondering why Highway 99 between Monroe and Corvallis was closed this morning?

At approximately 5:45am CFD responded to reports of a motor vehicle accident on Hwy 99 south of Airport road. 2 medic units, 2 engines, and a Battalion Chief were dispatched along with our BCSO partners.

Upon arrival units found the roadway completely blocked by two vehicles. Drivers were checked by crews for injury and one person was as transported to Good Samaritan for further evaluation. Scene was left with BCSO for investigation and vehicle removal.

This is a good reminder to always wear your seatbelt!

We were happy to lend a hand to our good friends at Philomath Fire.

Yesterday, CFD responded to a structure fire in the 2600 block of NW Arnold Ave.

Crews arrived to find a well-involved fire spreading throughout the structure. CFD crews aggressively attacked the fire while simultaneously conducting searches of the basement, first, and second floors. Crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading further into the structure. Crews made a great stop to limit the damage of this fire.

There were no injuries to people, pets, or firefighters. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

New Training & New Equipment!

Today, CFD welcomed FF Shawn Bloemker, developer of the Max Fire Box, to our training facility. FF Bloemker flew out from St. Louis, Missouri, where he currently works on a truck company, to lead a "train the trainer" class on the use of the Max Fire Box that he developed and named after his son. CFD recently purchased The Max Fire Box prop to provide top-notch training to our firefighters on the science behind firefighting.

The Max Fire Box is essentially a scaled replica of a 1 or 2-story house that allows instructors to teach about fire dynamics. Instructors can set fires in various rooms of the house to illustrate flow path, fire spread, and different approaches to ventilation. This is critical foundational knowledge that we teach our firefighters to build upon the strategies and tactics employed by CFD at house fires.

The Max Fire Box is also used to teach the fundamentals of "thermography," or the use of thermal imaging cameras. CFD recently purchased new thermal imaging cameras that are carried on all CFD engines, ladder trucks, and medic units. These new cameras replaced old cameras that were purchased more than twenty years ago. These new thermal imaging cameras are critical in search and rescue operations, as well as firefighting and overhaul operations.

Our investment in this type of training and equipment is a direct investment in our firefighters. It is a testament to our commitment to their development and our readiness to be there for you when you need us most.

Here for you 24-7, 365, in many capacities and a variety of ways!

A day to celebrate!

This morning, Chief Janes and Fire Marshal Jones recognized and swore in Becky Myrold, our newest Deputy Fire Marshal (DFM).

DFM Myrold joined CFD a little over four years ago as a Firefighter/Paramedic. Prior to her time at CFD, she served as a Firefighter Paramedic at Arlington County Fire Department in Virginia (ACFD). At ACFD, she served in various roles, including EMS SME, honor guard, AIC engineer, and participated in Camp Heat, a weeklong firefighter camp for high school girls.

DFM Myrold has an educational background that includes a BS in political science, a master’s degree in prevention science, and a certificate in fire science. Her passion for public education and community engagement is evident through her nearly 10 years of coaching soccer at Crescent Valley High School, where she graduated from. She was born and raised in Corvallis.

We are excited to have DFM Myrold make the transition from fire suppression to fire prevention. We know that she will continue to serve her community at the highest level in her new role and bring her diverse background, experience, and knowledge to her new position. Congratulations!



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We had some special visitors today from the Boys and Girls Club of Corvallis. Safety Town is a wonderful program, and we are happy to be a part of it!

USA, USA!

Yesterday evening, CFD joined in the celebration of OSU’s own Olympic Gold and Bronze medalist ! We were honored to fly the US flag from our ladder truck as a backdrop for the parade and celebration. It was a great evening to celebrate the incredible work of Jade, , and our community.

Early this morning Corvallis Fire responded to a reported fire alarm at a single family residence in Station 4’s district. Engine 134 arrived and was met with smoke showing from the residence. 134 immediately upgraded the incident to a first alarm bringing an additional 2 engines, 1 ladder truck, 1 medic unit, and 1 Battalion Chief.

Further investigation by 134 revealed a working fire in the crawlspace of the home. Crews initiated a fire attack after quickly searching the building. The sole occupant was awakened by and escaped thanks to working smoke detectors!

Without working smoke detectors this fire had a potential for a much different outcome. This is a great reminder to be checking your smoke detectors because “smoke detectors save lives!”

“A” Shift got the opportunity to train on OSU campus Today! With campus being so packed during the school year, summer break is a perfect time to practice skills like rescue and fire attack several floors above the engine. We had a great time working with OSU Police- thank you for training with us!

Yesterday Corvallis Fire responded to a reported fire in a duplex in Station 3’s district. CFD responded with 3 engines, 1 ladder truck, 1 medic unit and 1 Battalion Chief.

Upon arrival crews found heavy fire from one side of the duplex and initiated an aggressive fire attack stopping the fire before it extended into the attached residence.

All occupants were able to escape and all pets were accounted for. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

CFD would like to thank our partner agencies including Philomath Fire, Albany Fire, Corvallis PD, and Pacific Power for their assistance during this incident.

Are you ready for some football?

Yesterday, we drilled with OSU athletics medical staff, trainers, and athletic trainer students on player spinal injuries, packaging, and stabilization drills. These training sessions provide great practice, build strong teamwork amongst athletics and our personnel, and get us ready for football season.

Did you know? The Corvallis Fire Department provides over 100 event standbys at Oregon State University every year. Under contract with OSU Athletics, your Corvallis firefighters and paramedics provide emergency medical standby for football, basketball, baseball, gymnastics and track events. We perform this service with both individual paramedics and EMT’s, as well as staffed advanced life support ambulances when required. We also respond to any emergencies in the stands affecting spectators, vendors, or contractors who are on-site to support these events.

Strategic partnerships are critical to the safe outcome of an emergency incident should one occur. We are proud of our partnership and support of .

GO BEAVS!

Happy Tuesday All!

We are one team working and training together to carry on our mission and to be there when you need us most!

Enjoy the break in the weather! What a beautiful morning!

Early Morning Car Fire!

CFD responded to a car fire near 5th and Buchanan early this morning. Crews arrived to find a vehicle fully involved. A large black column of smoke was visible from downtown and NW 9th Street. Crews quickly extinguished the fire and brought the incident under control. There were no injuries, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Here for you 24-7, 365 in many capacities and a variety of ways!

At the request of the Oregon State Fire Marshal, Benton County sent a Task Force to help with wildland fires threatening Oregon communities. They started their deployment with the Larch Creek Fire before being moved to the Lone Rock Fire, Battle Mountain Complex, back to Lone Rock and then the Microwave Tower fire. The crew consists of members from the Corvallis Fire Department, Monroe Rural Fire Protection District, Adair Rural Fire & Rescue and Philomath Fire & Rescue. They are headed home today after a 15-day deployment. We are proud of the work they have done for our fellow Oregonians. Welcome home!

End of an Era!

Earlier this summer, we said goodbye to one of our longest-serving fire engines in the modern era. This engine was manufactured in 1994 and went into service right after that. That’s right, she served the community and our firefighters for 30 years. Over the course of that time, she was assigned to multiple fire stations and was both a first-out engine and, later in her career, a reserve engine. However, in her final year of service, she once again became a first-out engine at Station 4 in South Corvallis. This allowed us to better accommodate training for our multiple firefighter academies over the last year and let her go out “with her boots on”. There was no engine at CFD that ever sounded better. You could hear her distinct engine sound from blocks away.

She was sold unceremoniously at auction for a very modest price, but her legacy lives on. We salute not only this engine but the crews that worked off of her and the mechanics that kept her going for three decades.

The National Weather Service has issued a Fire Weather Watch for Saturday afternoon through Sunday evening.

Here are some preventative measures you can take to reduce your risk of starting a fire:

-When using grills and smokers outdoors, ensure they are at least 10-feet away from all parts of your home and overhanging branches. Only discard grill debris when it has fully cooled.

-When traveling, ensure that your vehicle parts and chains are not dragging as it can generate sparks.

-Avoid parking or driving on dry grass, the heat from the exhaust can cause a fire.

-Follow public land laws when using recreational vehicles.

-If you must use gas powered equipment, do so in the early hours of the day when fire risk is lower.

-Most importantly, call 9-1-1 to report any potential fires or visible smoke.

Thank you for helping keep our community and responders safe by following these few tips for preventing fires!

We will be ready if you need us.

Here for you 24-7, 365 in many capacities and a variety of ways.

Red Flag Warning through Tomorrow... please be safe and stay cool out there!

URGENT: A large portion of Oregon from the Willamette Valley to the east side of the state is under a Red Flag Warning through tomorrow.

Critical fire danger is forecasted with dry conditions, hot temperatures, and lightning. Please take the necessary steps to prevent sparking a wildfire.

➡ Check old burn piles to make sure they are not smoldering
➡ Check and secure tow chains
➡ Avoid using equipment that could throw a spark

LATEST FORECAST: www.weather.gov/fire
WILDFIRE PREVENTION TIPS: https://www.oregon.gov/osfm/education/pages/prevent-wildfires.aspx

Early this morning Corvallis Fire was called to a reported structure fire in the area of NW 14th Street and NW Monroe Ave. Three engines, ladder truck, medic unit, and battalion chief responded.

First arriving units found a working fire in a detached garage dangerously close to a multi-family structure. The fire was quickly controlled before it could spread to the adjacent building.
There were no injuries to firefighters or community members. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Our partners at the Weather Service are keeping us updated on the increased risk for heat and lightning this week. So far, Tuesday will be our hottest and driest day. With increased heat and low humidity, we run the risk of dry lightning storms, which can spark fire. As we enter HIGH fire danger, our responders rely heavily on our community to call 911 to report fire emergencies. Do your part by staying alert and reporting fire activity.

Fire danger for our area is now considered high. Please follow all restrictions.

We had some fun in the sun today with the SouthSide Youth Outreach, Inc. summer camp! Thank you for allowing us time to share our love of fire safety with you🔥

With the temperatures exceeding 100 degrees fire danger is now considered “High” as vegetation is rapidly becoming fuel for fire due to the hot/dry conditions.

Corvallis Fire has increased staffing by three members during the wildfire burn period in the coming days to provide the availability of an additional brush truck and water tender for fire response.

We ask our community members to please manage all sources of ignition including smoking materials, BBQ materials, fireworks, or other sources of fire. Also avoid dragging chains, driving on dry grass, and do not conduct any outside burning!

Help us prevent a fire from starting!

Note: The fire pictured was not from today.