COMMISSIONER RANDY LEONARD'S BLOG

Help Portland Firefighter Christine Pezzulo Raise Awareness & Donations for Cystic Fibrosis at Fundraising Event Today!

On Sunday, September 25, 2011, firefighters from around the Pacific Northwest and as far away as Alaska, Montana, and Idaho will run the 800 steps of the US Bancorp Tower in downtown Portland during the 3rd Annual Portland Firefighter Stairclimb Challenge benefitting the Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Foundation. Firefighters will be outfitted in over 70 lbs. each of full "combat gear" including Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) commonly used in the line of duty. 

In addition to a competitive 40 floor, 800 step ascent of the US Bancorp Tower, firefighters will also compete to raise funds in the battle against CF. In 2009, over 233 firefighters representing 56 fire agencies finished the Portland climb and raised over $52,000 for CF research. 

Portland Firefighter Christine Pezzulo at Station 5 has already begun readying herself for the climb by staying active and cross-training outside of work. Christine has made it her personal mission to raise as much money as she can for this cause every year to support a fellow brother firefighter and his grandsons who both were born with CF.

This afternoon, Firefighter Christine will be "actively" fundraising to raise awareness and donations for cystic fibrosis research.

All are welcome to stop by Blitz Ladd located at 2239 SE 11th Avenue from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm to show your support for Christine who will be hitting a revolving stair-stepper in full "combat gear" to help her prepare for the Portland Firefighter Stairclimb.

By purchasing a pint of Fish Tale Ale and buying into the 50-50 raffle, you can help Christine reach her goal of raising $5,000.00 for CF.　

Contact Info: For additional information, contact Retired Portland Firefighter Wes Loucks at 503-539-8848.

Portland Fire & Rescue Responds to Three Suspicious Early Morning Fires

 
Portland Fire & Rescue responded to three fires in the early morning hours that Fire investigators have deemed suspicious and are continuing to investigate at this time.

The first fire was reported at 2:45 am at SE 30th Place & SE Ankeny in a dumpster and was quickly extinguished. As firefighters from SE Portland's Station 9 were leaving that fire, another fire was reported at 3:05 am at 3421 SE Salmon in a dumpster, which they responded to and also extinguished.

The third fire, and most serious, was reported at 3:21 am at 2625 NE Couch. This fire started on the outside of a commercial building. The building was formerly used as a bank and is now vacant. The fire appears to have started under a building overhang previously used for drive-thru banking. The quick actions of Portland firefighters brought this fire under control and prevented the fire from extending inside the building. Damage from this fire is estimated at $20,000.

Updates will be sent out as additional information becomes available.

Photos courtesy of Dick Harris, Portland Fire.　

Contact Info: PIO Paul Corah 503-940-6003

Portland Fire & Rescue Responds to Two Fires Overnight, Two Injured

At 5:37pm, Portland Fire & Rescue responded to reports of an incident involving two individuals, both males ages 28 and 34. Both individuals worked for the Great Northwest Gutter Company and were installing gutters on an apartment building located at NW 24th & NW Quimby. The workers were using two ladders to bring a piece of gutter up to the building's roofline when a portion of the gutter contacted an overhead electrical line.

The workers were holding the piece of gutter at the time it contacted the electrical line and suffered burns from electrical shock. They were knocked off the ladders and fell to the ground from the third story of the building. When firefighters from NW Portland's Station 3 arrived, they found the two workers on ground and began rendering medical attention. Both were transported to a local trauma center with life-threatening injuries. A fire investigator and OSHA have been called to the scene to investigate the incident.

"This tragic accident is a reminder to be aware of your surroundings," said Public Information Officer Paul Corah. "When working on ladders or above ground, make sure you check for overhead power lines before starting work. Electrical shocks can be deadly."

Contact Info: PIO Paul Corah 503-940-6003

Portland Firefighters to Stand Watch During Stitching of World Trade Center Flag

On July 20, 2011, The National 9/11 Flag - which survived the fall of the World Trade Center towers - will make its way to Oregon where firefighters from New York, Portland, Gresham and Clackamas will take part in an historic stitching ceremony to help sew the Oregon restorative patch onto The National 9/11 Flag at the US Bancorp Tower. 

The ceremony will take place at 111 SW 5th Avenue in Portland at 10:00 am and is open to the public.  Portland Fire's Honor Guard will open the ceremony and Portland firefighters will perform a watch over the flag from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Destroyed in the aftermath of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 and stitched back together seven years later by tornado survivors in Greensburg, Kansas, The National 9/11 Flag is a living testament to the resilience and compassion of the American people.

The 20-foot by 50-foot flag was flying at 90 West St. in New York City, near the south tower of the World Trade Center, on Sept. 11, 2001. It was taken down in tatters days later, kept in storage for seven years, and is now on a nationwide stitching tour to restore it.

Local service heroes in all 50 states have had the privilege of stitching the flag back to its original 13-stripe format using pieces of fabric from American flags destined for retirement in each state. Once the flag is restored and made whole again by the 10th Year Anniversary of 9/11, The National 9/11 Flag will become a part of the permanent collection of the National September 11 Memorial Museum being built at the World Trade Center.

The fabric of our American history is quite literally being stitched into The National 9/11 Flag.  The flag has flown at the funeral of Christina Taylor Green, the 9-year-old girl born on 9/11 who died in the recent Tucson shooting, been stitched by descendants of Martin Luther King Jr., made history when a piece of the American flag that cradled Abraham Lincoln's head when he was shot at Ford's Theater was stitched into the flag, and brought together wounded warriors, first responders, and members of our Nation's space program to contribute a stitch at The Kennedy Space Center.

Contact Info: For more information visit:  www.National911Flag.org

Contact:  PIO Paul Corah 503-940-6003

Commissioner Leonard & Portland Fire & Rescue Plant "Firefighter" Rose at 20 Stations in Remembrance of September 11th

  
Portland Fire & Rescue will hold a rose planting ceremony that will be conducted by the Royal Rosarians at Portland Fire Station 24 (located at 4515 N. Maryland) on Thursday, July 14th from 11:30am-12:00pm to dedicate the "Firefighter" rose. The naming of "Firefighter" was facilitated by Sue Casey - founder and president of "Remember Me" Rose Garden to honor firefighters who were lost their lives in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

According to Casey, "When I met Lt. Bob Jackson from Engine 54, Ladder 4, Battalion 9 on 48th & 8th streets in Mid-Town Manhattan on February 16, 2002 he told me he wanted a red rose to name "Firefighter". Not only for the 15 guys from his house who died on September 11th, but for all 343 firefighters lost that day."

The "Firefighter" rose has won Best Hybrid Tea and Most Fragrant at Portland's Best Rose Show in 2006 and also Portland's Gold Medal Award in 2007 . It can be found at the Portland Rose Garden in Washington Park, and now at 20 Portland Fire stations.

Each of the 20 Portland Fire and Rescue stations will receive the "Firefighter" rose bush to be planted at their respective station.

Attending the planting ceremony will be Fire Chief John Klum, Chief Scott Fisher, Commissioner Randy Leonard, "Remember Me" Rose Garden's Sue Casey, and Prime Minister, Ray Hanson, as well as Portland Royal Rosarians.

"Remember Me" Rose Garden was created by Casey as a living tribute to honor the lives of those lost in the attacks against America on September 11, 2001. The goal of the nonprofit organization is to create three gardens near the sites of the attack; New York City, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Contact Info: Contact: Paul Corah, PIO (503)940-6003 PIO pager Sue Casey, Founder and President sue@remember-me-rose.org 

Randy In the News 7.14.11

Portland Tribune article about the Water Users Coalition demanding that the Mayor reclaim the Water Bureau, a demand he swiftly rejected.

Oregonian article about the Water Users demand and the Mayor's rejection of it.

Oregonian article about the request of Recology to process food and yard debris at its facility in Lents.

Portland Tribune article about the proposal to create an independent utility rate commission.

Randy In the News 7.12.11

Oregonian article about Water Bureau projects, followed by a letter to the Editor from a Portland citizen that was submitted to the Oregonian in response to the article.

Letters to the Editor

Fair is Fair

The Oregonian’s Brad Schmidt in his recent column, “The bureau that runneth over” does an amazing journalistic job at tearing down the outstanding accomplishments of city commissioner Randy Leonard.  It is so much easier for an outsider to tear something down rather than build it.

I find Randy Leonard a breath of fresh air in the otherwise quagmire called city hall. I only wish the mayor and other city commissioners had Randy’s fortitude and vision to accomplish something, anything.  I wish they had the spine and dedication and risk-taking personality of Mr. Leonard. 

Hey, The Oregonian, fair is fair.  How about a companion article highlighting Mr. Leonard’s contributions and accomplishments for the good citizens of Portland?  Let’s hear both sides.  He deserves this evenhandedness.  He will be sorely missed.

Bill Manning

SW Portland

Portland Fire & Rescue, Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel Urge Awareness after Eighth Child Falls From Upper Story Window

On July 10th, Portland firefighters responded to a medical call after a 2-year-old child fell out of a second story window at a home located at 1927 SE 41st Avenue. The child reportedly fell 15-20 feet and was transported to OHSU with head injuries.  This is the eighth incident involving a child falling from an upper story window this summer in Oregon and the fourth that Portland Fire & Rescue has responded to.
 
Warm summer weather has arrived in the Portland area and naturally people want to open up their windows to let in the breeze.  Portland Fire & Rescue reminds families and anyone with young children present in the home to be mindful of open windows on upper stories. 

Briefing for Media:

Public Information Officers from Portland Fire & Rescue and The Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel will be available from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm today.  All media should gather at the Legacy Emanual Hospital main admitting desk at 11:00 am (located at 2801 N. Gantenbein) and they will be escorted to the Safety Store for the briefing.  Information officers will be on hand to discuss Oregon's string of children falling from upper story windows, demonstrate products that parents can buy to safeguard their upper story windows for children, and provide interviews on yesterday's incident.

The Safety Store is located at:

Legacy Emanuel Medical Center atrium
501 North Graham Street
Portland, OR 97227 (Free curbside valet parking available)
Phone: 503-413-4600
Hours: M-Th 9 am - noon or by appointment. Closed Fridays through Sundays and holidays.

Window falls are predictable and therefore preventable. Parents should:
 
*Keep play away from windows.
*Only allow windows to open 4 inches, and install window stops and/or window guards that can be removed by an adult in an emergency.
*Lock windows when not in use.
*Open windows from the top and use a window stop for the bottom.
*Prevent climbing. Keep furniture and anything a child can climb on away from windows.
*Actively watch children near windows.

Contact Info: PIO Lt. James Ziegler 503-940-6003

Randy In the News 7.7.11

Portland Mercury article about strengthening police oversight.

Portland Mercury article about upcoming City Council campaign races.

Randy In the News 7.6.11

Willamette Week article about the unfinished business Randy will tend to in his remaining year an a half in office.