A4 • Friday, June 25, 2021 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com
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Div. Chief David Rankin received an award for meritorious from the state fi re marshal.
Seaside Fire adjusts to pandemic, call levels
SEEN FROM SEASIDE
R.J. MARX
The Seaside Fire Department handled
a pandemic, wildfi res and record levels of
calls over the last two years.
Seaside Fire Chief Joey Daniels took a
look back in his report to the City Council
last Monday.
“2020, as everyone knows, was a very
challenging year for all with the COVID-
19 virus,” Daniels said. “COVID-19 cre-
ated a serious challenge with our agency as
we had to shut the station down to the pub-
lic and fi gure out how to respond and keep
personnel safe.”
Pandemic closures and extra precau-
tions came at a time when the call volume
continued to rise, while the West Coast suf-
fered one of its worst fi re seasons.
In 2019, 33 volunteers responded to
1,569 calls for service, just over 100 more
calls than the previous year.
Even though call volume remained
about the same as 2019, the pandemic
altered operations and stretched resources.
“During the COVID-19 calls we also
had to fully suit up in encapsulated suits
during the beginning of the pandemic to
keep our personnel safe,” Daniels said.
Firefi ghters have had to get used to
wearing masks, learn how to quickly don
full Tyvek suits on respiratory calls and
hand out masks to the public, he said.
Normal calls that would have taken 30
minutes or less were now seeing more than
60 minutes of on-scene time for personal
protective equipment requirements.
“This was a very challenging time to
keep enough responders available because
schools were closed, day cares were closed
and people had to stay home and watch
their children,” Daniels said.
Recruitment and prevention also came
to a halt during the pandemic. The Oregon
State Fire Marshal’s offi ce recommended
that all fi re safety inspections of busi-
nesses, unless requested, be halted due to
the risk of infection.
“It’s a little hard to be inviting people
in when nobody can come into the fi re sta-
tion,” Daniels said. “It’s a little tough for
us.”
Seaside deployed fi refi ghters to the
most wildfi res ever last year, Daniels said,
assisting at two in California and fi ve in
Oregon.
The department also saw the departure
of Chris Dugan, who left after 30 years to
become the Clatsop County fi re marshal.
The 2019 fi refi ghter of the year, chosen
by all fi re offi cers, was Rick Plummer. The
2020 honor went to Jason Schermerhorn.
Div. Chief David Rankin received a
medal of honor from the Oregon Fire
Chiefs Association for saving a teenager
who was stuck in rough water in the Pacifi c
Ocean.
In late December 2019, the department
received a report of a person pulled out in
the ocean at the Necanicum Estuary and
beach. Rankin was at home with his fam-
ily when he received the call. A 17-year-
old male was in rough water at least 300
yards out, but couldn’t make his way back.
Rankin donned his wetsuit and with a res-
cue can, swam out to the last location to
rescue or at least fl oat the victim until the
U.S. Coast Guard helicopter arrived to
hoist them out. Withstanding heavy surf,
he noticed the victim standing on what
appeared to be some kind of a sandbar.
With the victim holding onto the rescue
can, Rankin swam the victim to the other
side of the estuary and beach.
Gearhart Fire was there to meet him and
drove the victim up to the beach approach
so paramedics could transport him. Rankin
was asked by Gearhart Fire personnel if he
needed a lift back to Seaside, but decide to
swim back to the other side.
“That was a unique incident,” Rankin
said. “But it’s you know, even though this
was awarded to me, it’s really the whole
team eff ort of our department, Gearhart,
City of Seaside
Chris Dugan received the retirement award for his years of fi re service. He is now the fi re
marshal for Clatsop County.
Seaside Fire
Ten-year call volume of Seaside Fire Department calls.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
A thank you to baseball,
softball volunteers
To the Editor:
I would like to acknowledge the volun-
teers who have worked extremely hard to
bring youth baseball and softball to the kids
in this community.
Thanks to Seaside Kids, who has spon-
sored and supported kids in this community
for years. Special shout out to John Morris,
who has unselfi shly for a lot of years given
time and care for this great program.
Also, to head coaches Brett Wolfe and
Jessica Garrigues who have given so many
hours to working with kids, and running
programs for the benefi t of this community.
To all the sponsors of Seaside Kids,
thank you.
To all the parents who help run conces-
sion stands and especially Kayla Boucher
and Ashlee Klumper.
We are always in need of volunteers.
Field maintenance, umpiring, concession
stands, coaching. Thank you to all that have
helped make this season great.
Wally Hamer
Seaside Kids
PUBLIC MEETINGS
Contact local agencies for latest meeting informa-
tion and attendance guidelines.
cityofseaside.us.
TUESDAY, JULY 6
1131 Broadway St.
TUESDAY, JUNE 29
Gearhart City Council, work session, 6:30 p.m.,
cityofgearhart.com.
Seaside Community Center Commission,
10 a.m., 1225 Avenue A.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 7
MONDAY, JUNE 28
Seaside City Council, 7 p.m., 989 Broadway,
CIRCULATION
MANAGER
Shannon Arlint
ADVERTISING
SALES MANAGER
Sarah Silver-
Tecza
PUBLISHER
EDITOR
Kari Borgen
R.J. Marx
PRODUCTION
MANAGER
CONTRIBUTING
WRITERS
John D. Bruijn
Skyler Archibald
Joshua Heineman
Katherine Lacaze
Esther Moberg
SYSTEMS
MANAGER
Carl Earl
Seaside Library Board of Directors, 4:30 p.m.,
Seaside Improvement Commission, 6 p.m., 989
Broadway.
Seaside Signal
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