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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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Arson Suspect Arrested in Tustin Apartment Blaze That Killed Dog, Displaced Dozens
An arson suspect was arrested Wednesday night after an early morning fire that killed a dog and displaced dozens of people at an apartment complex in Tustin, authorities said. The massive blaze burned for hours after breaking out shortly before 3:30 a.m. in the 15700 block of Williams Street, according to Orange County Fire Authority. The agency did not declare a knockdown until just after 8 a.m. Investigators believe the fire started in a unit on the first floor, quickly spread to the second floor and engulfed the building. “It’s a center courtyard building, so if you can imagine a square with apartments around it, that fire progressed all the way around the building," Capt. Tony Bommarito said. "That’s why you see so much damage.”
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Fire captain fights for cancer awareness among ranks, but it’s a battle with a sooty tradition
Laguna Beach Fire Captain Scott Jennie was devastated when two colleagues both died from cancer in the same year. It was 2012. Capt. Ron Rowe had leukemia. Capt. Steen Jensen had colon cancer. To Jennie, who has been in the fire service for 34 years, their deaths didn’t seem a coincidence. Passionate about reducing firefighter exposure to carcinogens, Jennie has been on a decade-long crusade to change the culture of the profession, in which many still consider a soot-covered helmet and dirty gear a badge of courage. Collaboration with Capt. Jeff Hughes, who runs a cancer and wellness program for the Orange County Fire Authority and with Capt. Kristen Thompson from Newport Beach Fire is helping align the departments with similar protocols when it comes to personal hazard reduction.
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Photo courtesy of Scott Jennie
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San Juan Capistrano apartment fire displaces 29 people
A fire at a two-story apartment building in San Juan Capistrano displaced 29 people and left two with minor injuries on Saturday afternoon, Orange County Fire Authority officials said. At around 1:30 p.m., a fire started in the garage and extended into the attic of an apartment complex at 31382 Avenida De La Vista, according to the OCFA. About 75 firefighters responded to the scene and knocked down the fire at around 2:10 p.m., fire officials said. Photos of the scene by the OCFA showed parts of the complex’s garage charred, as firefighters continued to hose down the building. All of the occupants were out of the building, with 18 adults and 11 children displaced from four damaged units, OCFA Capt. Tony Bommarito said. It wasn’t clear how long occupants would be displaced, but the American Red Cross was assisting them, Bommarito said.
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Video courtesy of the OCFA
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3-alarm fire quickly extinguished at commercial building in Anaheim
Firefighters were able to make quick work of a fire in a commercial building in Anaheim Tuesday afternoon, authorities said. The fire was reported shortly before 1 p.m. at a commercial area on West La Palma Avenue near North Gilbert Street. The flames spread to three units, one of them which was vacant. It had grown to 3-alarm fire, said Anaheim police and fire spokesman Sgt. Shane Carringer, but it was knocked down in about 36 minutes. About 50 firefighters from Anaheim, Fullerton and the Orange County Fire Authority were able to get it under control, Carringer said.
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Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG
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Parking Garages Burn, Vehicles Destroyed In Anaheim
A row of parking garages burned destroying nearly a dozen cars, Thursday night. Authorities responded to reports of a fire at the Summer Wind Apartments located in the 700 block of North Gilbert Street around 6:30 PM. Crews arriving on scene located several attached parking garages engulfed in heavy fire ad began efforts to extinguish the blaze. It took under an hour for firefighters to completely douse the flames which reportedly destroyed approximately a dozen vehicles. Reports indicate one firefighter may have suffered an injury but no civilians were hurt.
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Crews Halt Gas Fire at Aliso Viejo Strip Mall
Firefighters were at an Aliso Viejo strip mall where flames spurted from the ground after a gas line rupture Tuesday evening. Crews responded to Pacific Park Drive and Aliso Viejo Parkway by 5:20 p.m., according to a tweet from the Orange County Fire Authority. The agency was letting the fire burn while Southern California Gas Co. shut off the supply. A utility truck arrived at the scene around 6 p.m., and the blaze stopped raging at about 6:45 p.m. No injuries were reported, and officials said they worked to protect the public from exposure.
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Officer Injured, Second Driver Trapped After Dramatic Crash In Irvine
A dramatic crash injured a police officer and left another driver trapped, late Saturday night. Authorities responded to reports of a traffic collision involving an Irvine police officer at the intersection of Irvine Center Drive and Yale Avenue around 11:58 AM. Units arriving on scene located a marked Irvine Police Department patrol vehicle and a Toyota Prius with major damage and the driver trapped Firefighter paramedics treated the officer on scene and worked to free the driver of the Prius within 15 minutes. Both the officer and driver of the Prius were transported to OC Global Medical Center in unknown condition.
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Woman Fatally Struck By Big Rig After Exiting Vehicle On Freeway In San Juan Capistrano
A woman was killed after being struck by a big rig that jackknifed while trying to avoid her vehicle, early Saturday morning. A California Highway Patrol officer was traveling on the southbound I-5 Freeway just south of Camino Capistrano when he came across a jackknifed big rig around 3:30 AM. The officer learned that the big rig had struck a female pedestrian while attempting to avoid hitting her vehicle. The officer began life-saving measures including CPR until firefighters arrived to take over. Firefighter paramedics continued CPR and transported the approximately 30-year-old woman to Mission Hospital where she was pronounced deceased. The driver of the big rig was uninjured and remained on scene to cooperate with law enforcement.
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Santa Ana Vehicle Fire Extends to Garage
A vehicle fire that extended into the garage was quickly extinguished, saving a majority of the garage and the rest of the house.
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Photo courtesy of the OCFA
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Mini Cooper Crashes Into Building, Shears Fire Hydrant In Santa Ana
A Mini Cooper was seen standing on its rear hatch and leaning against a building after a crash that also sheared a fire hydrant, Friday night. Authorities responded to reports of a traffic collision involving a building in the 2600 block of West 1st Street around 8:57 PM. Units arriving on scene located a red and white Mini Cooper that struck a hydrant before coming to rest on two wheels against a commercial building. The driver of the vehicle was injured and transported to an area hospital in unknown condition. Firefighters red-tagged the building as a result of structural damage sustained in the collision and shut off the flow of water to the sheared hydrant.
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Mobile Estate Fire in Yorba Linda
On February 6, 2020, Orange County Firefighters responded to a well involved mobile estate fire in Yorba Linda. Due to OCFA’s automatic aide agreements with adjoining departments, assistance from the Brea Fire Department was utilized too. The fire was quickly brought under control.
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Photo courtesy of the OCFA
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Fentanyl overdose suspected after 3 men found unconscious in car in Placentia
Three men were found unconscious inside a car in Placentia on Monday, Feb. 10, may have suffered overdoses after ingesting what they believed was cocaine but may have been fentanyl instead. Orange County Fire Authority paramedics managed to revive the unresponsive men after administering Narcan, a medication used to counter the effects of opioids. The men were taken to a hospital for additional treatment and eventually improved and were able to talk to police.
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Photo courtesy of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department
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Doordash Driver Pulls Unconscious Woman From Burning Vehicle In Irvine
A Doordash driver pulled a woman from her burning car after she crashed, early Sunday morning. Authorities responded to reports of a traffic collision with fire at the intersection of Culver Drive and Bryan Avenue around 12:45 AM. Units arriving on scene located a vehicle engulfed in flames and a woman down being attended to by good samaritans. Firefighters quickly doused the vehicle fire and treated the woman before transporting her to OC Global Medical Center in unknown condition.
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Orange County plans to upgrade helicopter fleet
When Desiree Horton was hired by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in 2013 she became, as far as we know, the only female firefighting helicopter pilot working for a government agency. Her first posting with CAL FIRE was at Kneeland, a very small community in the northwest corner of the state about 10 air miles east of Eureka. The next year she transferred to the helicopter base at Prado east of Los Angeles, making it possible to sleep in her own bed every night. She expected to retire there but when an opportunity with the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) in Southern California became available she couldn’t turn it down.
You can read more about Horton’s story and the OCFA’s plans to upgrade their helicopter fleet
HERE.
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Next OCFA Fire Explorer Trainee Academy
Interested in a career with the finest fire department in the country? Now’s your chance to get up close to the action and train with OC Firefighters one on one. The Orange County Fire Authority is looking for new Fire Explorer Trainees, between 14-21 years old, for our next academy that begins on March 30. For more info go to
http://JoinOCFA.org/fire-explorers
.
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Chamber ‘Heroes’: Their careers, accomplishments merit recognition
For the first time in its history, the Los Alamitos Chamber of Commerce brought together area military and first responders for its inaugural “Heroes Appreciation Luncheon.” From the Orange County Fire Authority, Firefighter Austin Krie was recognized for going above and beyond in his daily duties as a firefighter, helping double OCFA Explorer Post now at Fire Station 64, providing firefighter interview preparation for all who asked and for receiving his certification as a rescue technician for the department’s Technical Rescue Trucks. Austin has also educated members of the fire service in cancer prevention and walks the walk – overall helping change the fire service culture to protect our firefighters from cancer.
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Firefighters Make Young Boy’s Day
A 5-year-old Tustin boy, who lost his guinea pig in a recent five-alarm apartment complex fire, now has a new pet thanks to the generosity of OC Firefighters. After learning about the tragic loss, local members stepped up to help provide the young boy a new member of the family. “Brownie” the guinea pig now has a new home and loving, young boy who is excited to take care of him for many years to come.
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THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING OUR CABS CLEAN
Article Submitted by OCFA Fire Captain Jeff Hughes
It has been said that the technical definition of a “clean cab” is anything that goes into an Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health (IDLH) environment does not go back into the cab of the apparatus until it has been properly decontaminated. As firefighters, we realize that this is not always the case in working day to day on the job. However, it is a goal that we should strive for in order to reduce exposure to our apparatus, work locations, and ultimately to protect our health and the health of our families. Keeping fireground contaminants at the fireground is essential for our health and wellbeing.
Understanding and remembering crucial points in areas like the clean cab concepts, apparatus interior design and apparatus turnout storage will not only protect you and your fellow members today, but also your futures.
To help better understand this topic, we invite you to learn more by
CLICKING HERE
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2018 Orange County Firefighters Year In Review
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In 2018, our Firefighters responded to more than 142,000 emergencies throughout the 23 cities and unincorporated communities of Orange County. The Year in Review book serves to illustrate the daily challenges that our First Responders face while serving on the frontlines. Click
HERE
to view the book.
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OC Firefighters - IAFF Local 3631 |
1342 Bell Avenue, Suite 3A | Tustin | CA | 92870
THIS MESSAGE WAS CREATED BY JIMMY BLACKMAN & ASSOCIATES.
Copyright © 2017 OC Firefighters, all rights reserved.
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