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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (March 21, 2019)
vernonia rural fire protection district march21 2019 7 Vernonia Rural Fire Protection District Your Home Address Signage For those of you who live with- in VRFPD’s district, please make sure that your address sign that is placed out in front of your home is facing towards Vernonia. First responders need to be able to see those addresses as they are driving down the road. It is not helpful to have the address sign facing perpendicular to the roadway, because first responders will have to slow significantly while checking for your address. Please keep grass, trees, and shrubs cleared away from the signs so that they can be easily seen. In addition, please keep trees and shrubs cleared on both sides of your driveway, no matter how long your driveway is. The ambulance and fire trucks need to be able to pull up your driveway without incurring damage to the rigs from brush along the sides or low overhanging limbs. Remember that especially in the winter time, low hanging limbs will be even closer to the ground if they are burdened with snow. Thank you in advance for your continued cooperation and understand- ing. What is The Emergency Conflagration Act? The Office of State Fire Mar- shal assists and supports the Oregon fire service during major emergency operations through the Conflagration Act (ORS 476.510). The Conflagration Act was developed in 1940 as a civil de- fense measure and can be invoked only by the governor. The act allows the State Fire Marshal to mobilize firefighters and equipment from around the state. The Conflagration Act is only used for fires that involve or threaten life and struc- tures. When there is a wildland fire, the Oregon Department of Forestry, along with local fire departments in the immediate area, respond to fight the wildland fire. The State is divided into Fire Defense Districts. The Local Chief of that Fire Defense District works with Deputy State Fire Marshal and Fire De- fense Board Chief to request assistance from the State Fire Marshal. At that point, the State Fire Marshall requests that the Governor implements the Con- flagration Act, which enables the Office of State Fire Marshal to request equip- ment and firefighters from around the State of Oregon. The Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal’s three Incident Management Teams (IMTs) provide comprehensive incident command to manage ongoing emergency operations. IMTs provide incident management expertise in logis- tics, finance, planning, public informa- tion, operations, safety, and community issues. The teams respond with resourc- es mobilized by the Governor for a con- flagration or other emergency that has overwhelmed the control and resources of local emergency responders (ORS 476.510). IMTs enhance effective co- ordination among responding agencies during fires, floods, earthquakes, struc- tural collapse, tsunamis, the spilling of hazardous materials, and other natural or human-caused incidents. The IMT will develop a plan of action to aggressively and safely miti- gate the incident to which it has been as- signed, either through Unified Command or a single incident command structure. Resources assigned to the inci- dent will operate with the guidance of an Incident Action Plan (IAP) within an organized chain of command and for- mal safety plan. The IAP will address the objectives, strategies, and tactics as dictated by the risks and opportunities associated with the incident. The IMT intends to commit resources to the incident only after re- sources have been briefed on the devel- oping strategy and tactics, resource-spe- cific objectives, weather, fuel types, and safety considerations. Within the second operational period, the IMT intends to develop a formal IAP for delivery via an Operational Period Briefing. The IMT expects that all personnel shall receive a briefing by their immediate supervisor prior to being deployed within the hazard area. This briefing shall detail resource assignments, assigned objectives, chain of command, and safety considerations. The IMT may place firefighters at a greater level of risk to save lives, save property, or reduce environmental impact. The IMT will not place fire- fighters at risk if the incident does not have implications related to life safety, protection of property, or environmental impacts. To meet the IMT intentions, a formal series of planning meetings and briefings will occur. The IMT expects all members critical to the development of the IAP to promptly attend those meet- ings to provide mission critical informa- tion. From 1996 to 2016, there have been 70 Conflagrations in the State of Oregon. Short Summary: • Conflagrations declared: 70 • Most in one year: 11 in 2002 • Most in one week: 5 in 1996 and 5 in 2002 • Most in one day: 3 in 1996 One example from 2015 would be the “Grizzly Bear Complex” fire. • Conflagration date: 8.20.2015 • Communities threatened: Flora (Wallowa County) • Umatilla National Forest at WA border • Structures threatened: (405) residences and (98) other structures • Structures saved: (400) residences and (78) other structures • Structures lost: (25) • OSFM-mobilized Task Forces: Marion, Yamhill, Clatsop, Columbia, and Union counties • Conflagration mobilization cost: $736,540.44 • FMAG reimbursement: pending • Cause: Lighting You’ll notice that in the Grizzly Bear Complex fire example, the OSFM (Oregon State Fire Marshal) mobilized a Task Force that was made up from fire departments in Marion, Yamhill, Clat- sop, Columbia, and Union counties, each department bringing the equipment (fire truck) and personnel to staff the equip- ment. Recently there was a Conflagra- tion fighting the Eagle Creek and Indian Creek fires. VRFPD sent one firefighter and a Tender along with another fire- fighter from Washington County to help fight these fires. All of the fire departments that join the Conflagration are reimbursed for all of the expenses that are incurred. The fire departments that send equipment and personnel must have Workman’s Comp Insurance on all of the personnel involved. You can go to http://www.or- egon.gov/osp/SFM/docs/Conflagra- tionHistory.pdf to view each of the 70 Conflagrations since 1996 in the State of Oregon. Information for this article was obtained from: http://www.oregon.gov/osp/SFM/ pages/eru_imteams.aspx. VOLUNTEERS WANTED VERNONIA RURAL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT VRFPD is currently accepting applications for Volunteer Fire Fighters • You must have a High School Diploma or G.E.D., a valid Oregon Driver’s License, and be at least 18 years of age • Currently, you must be able to attend weekly training on Monday nights Calls responded to February 1-28 Here’s What We Do! Fire Emergency Medical Service Hazardous Condition Service Call Good Intent Severe Weather & Natural Disaster Special Incident No Emergency Found False Alarm Total 0 39 1 6 6 0 0 0 1 53 • Willing to attend the Fire Academy • Live or work (employer willing to let you respond to calls) within VRFPD’s District VRFPD 555 E. Bridge St. Vernonia, OR 97064 503-429-8252 • Applications can be picked up at the Fire Station VRFPD FIRE CHIEF Earl Dean Smith dc4502@yahoo.com 503-709-8821 (cell) 503-429-8252 (office)