COMMISSIONER RANDY LEONARD'S BLOG

Congratulations Hall of Famer Bill Schonely!

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today that Portland's own Bill Schonely,
Trail Blazers founding broadcaster, will receive the 2012 Curt Gowdy Media Award. The award is in honor of the late Curt Gowdy, legendary sports broadcaster, and is presented annually to media members whose efforts have made a significant contribution to basketball. 

Bill Schonely, aka "The Schonz", was the voice of the Trail Blazers and coined the oft-repeated term "Rip City". For his important work, on May 19th, 2008, the City of Portland unanimously passed a resolution that Commissioner Leonard presented to urge the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to honor Bill Schonely with the award for his outstanding contribution to the game of basketball as a member of the broadcast media during his nearly thirty years as the voice of the Portland Trail Blazers. A little less than four years later, Bill is finally being recognized. Congratulations Bill!

Posted by Anna DiBenedetto

Randy In the News 2.23.12

Oregonian story about Eileen Brady's views on the City of Portland permitting status.

Oregonian article about the changing leadership in Mayor Sam Adams' office.

Update with cause: Portland Firefighters Respond to 2nd Alarm Apartment Fire at 1511 SE Morrison St.

 
Updated Information:

Portland fire investigators have released information on two fires that broke out last night.

The cause of the residential fire at 4536 NE 99th Avenue, which broke out at 5:56 pm on February 22, 2012, is still undetermined at this time.   Damage to the two-story home is estimated at $80,000.

Portland fire investigators have determined that the cause of last night’s second alarm fire, which broke out at 10:50 pm at 1511 SE Morrison, was due to improperly discarded smoking materials.  The structure and contents were valued at $850,000 with a loss of $200,000.

Portland Fire & Rescue reminds citizens that careless smoking or the improper disposal of smoking materials is the number one cause of fire fatalities in the United States according to the National Fire Protection Agency.  If you’re a smoker, make sure butts or ashes are out before you throw them away. Dowsing smoking materials in water or sand is the best way to do that, along with disposing of them in a non-flammable container.

**********************

At 10:50 pm Wednesday, Portland firefighters were dispatched to reports of fire in an apartment building located at 1511 SE Morrison St.

 

Firefighters from Portland Fire Station 21 (Eastbank/Hawthorne) arrived first on scene to find heavy fire coming from the back of one of the apartments. Due to a live power line that was down across the street on SE 15th between SE Morrison and SE Alder, firefighters were forced to pull their hose lines through adjacent side yards to reach the back of the building and begin attacking this fire.

The Incident Commander called for a second alarm response nine minutes later due to the fact that the fire was moving quickly up the backside of the apartment building and up into the attic.

The seven-unit apartment complex was comprised of two adjoining buildings. Several nearby homes and another apartment complex were all in close proximity to the building on fire and potentially in the fire’s path.

An aggressive and proactive fire attack enabled the 60 firefighters on scene to control the blaze and stop it from spreading to adjacent structures. A total of four ladder trucks, nine engines, and additional resources responded to the incident. The fire was brought under control at 11:39 pm.

Approximately 10 people were displaced due to the fire. The Red Cross is responding to help residents find shelter for the night.

 

 

Two fire investigators are currently working to determine the cause of the fire and damage estimates. They have confirmed that all units had working smoke alarms at the time of the fire, which likely contributed to the fact that all 10 residents safely evacuated tonight’s blaze.

Contact Info: PIO Paul Corah 503-940-6003

Portland Firefighters Respond to Residential Fire at 4536 NE 99th Ave

At 5:56 pm Wednesday, Portland firefighters were dispatched to reports of smoke billowing from a house on fire at 4536 NE 99th Avenue. Firefighters from Portland Fire Station 12 (Sandy Blvd.) arrived first on scene in just two minutes to find flames coming from the back of the house and windows shattering.

The Incident Commander immediately called for a shut down of NE Prescott Street as engine and truck crews responded from surrounding fire stations.

Firefighters from Portland Fire Station 2 (Parkrose) laddered to the roof and cut holes to vent the heat and smoke. Engine crews inside the home made an aggressive attack to knock down the blaze. After extinguishing the body of fire, firefighters used pike poles to pull the entire second floor ceiling and search for hidden fire. The fire was brought under control at 6:23 pm.

At the time of the fire a mother and her three children ages 7, 13, and 15 were home. All escaped the fire safely. The family, who was renting the home, does have renter’s insurance. The Red Cross has been called to the scene to help the family find alternate housing tonight.

A fire investigator is currently on scene working to determine the cause of the fire and damage estimates.　

Contact Info: PIO Paul Corah 503-940-6003

Portland Firefighters in the Right Place at the Right Time Pull Man from Willamette River

At 9:55 am, the crew of Portland Fire Station 21 (Eastbank/Hawthorne) was performing maintenance on the Eldon Trinity rescue boat, which is moored at the dock just below the station next to the Eastbank Esplanade.

Their work was interrupted when a person began yelling from the top of the Hawthorne Bridge above them that someone had just jumped off the bridge. Firefighters scanned the water below where the person was pointing and saw a man splashing in the water and moving quickly away with the river’s current.

The crew immediately started the engines and untied the boat from the dock. By the time they maneuvered the boat away from the dock, the man had moved about 200 yards down river.

Firefighters on the Station 21 Eldon Trinity rescue boat called for additional resources from the other side of the river. Within seconds, firefighters from Portland Fire Station 1 (Old Town) responded from the west side of the Willamette River with two rescue ski doos.

Within a minute or two, crews were next the man in the river yelling for help. The Eldon Trinity lowered the bow ramp in front of the boat, enabling firefighters to reach down into the water and slide the man on board.

In water rescues, people often have traumatic injuries to their limbs, back, and neck. The ability to ease patients into the boat without further exacerbating their injuries is essential. The front loading ramp also accommodates four wheel rescue vehicles which can be transported on the boat for rescues in remote areas of the Columbia River.

The 45-year-old man was treated by Portland firefighter/paramedics and transported to a nearby hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

"This is one of the fastest water rescues I have ever seen," said Portland Fire Battalion Chief Tom Williams. "Firefighters who were in the right place at the right time were able to mobilize their resources and rescue this man in minutes."

Portland Fire urges individuals who are depressed or suicidal, or think someone you know is, to seek help from available resources. Contact the Suicide Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) for free, confidential crisis intervention and referral services.　

Contact Info: PIO Paul Corah 503-940-6003

Portland Fire & Rescue Responds to Vehicle Fire at SE Cesar Chavez & Gladstone

At around 5:15 pm, Portland Fire & Rescue was dispatched to reports of a vehicle on fire at the Shell gas station located at S.E. Cesar Chavez and Gladstone. A man stopped to get gas and was about to leave the station after filling up when he noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment of his van. He pulled the 1995 Mercury Villager van to the side of the gas station and called 9-1-1. 

Portland Fire & Rescue wants to take this opportunity to remind citizens that if the hood or dash on your vehicle begins smoking, pull over and turn off the engine. Move quickly away from a burning automobile and remain at a safe distance; then call 9-1-1. If there are visible flames in the engine compartment, do not raise the hood as it could flash over and cause you serious injury. Instead, wait for the fire department at a safe distance from your car.　

Firefighters from Portland Fire Station 25 (Woodstock) arrived within minutes and found that the van's hood latch had burned through preventing them from lifting the hood. Using about 50 gallons of water, firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the van. Within 20 minutes, the engine crew picked up their hoses and returned back into service for the next call. 

Portland Fire & Rescue responds to hundreds of vehicle fires each year. Although most are easily contained, it is important to remember that motor vehicles are constructed with a variety of synthetic, and often flammable materials, that burn very hot. Gasoline and other flammable fluids are also present. Gasoline was a factor in tonight's incident because the fire burned through the van's fuel line, which fed the fire until firefighters could get the upper hand with hose lines. 

Contact Info: PIO Paul Corah 503-940-6003

Man Dies after Falling Into Chemical Holding Tank on Barge

***Portland Fire & Rescue has allowed the release of the 911 audio. A public records request should be forwarded to the Bureau of Emergency Communications.

***Update-The victims name is John Michael Summers age 57.

At 10:05 a.m., Portland Fire and Rescue was called to rescue a man who had fallen into a chemical holding tank on a barge at 5949 N Basin Ave. Station 24 (Overlook/Swan Island) arrived first at 10:10 a.m. and determined that a 57 year old male was missing from the barge. Due to the nature of the emergency, Portland Fire and Rescue’s Hazmat Team and Technical Rescue Team were called to help. Firefighters found a rope that led into an open hatch that covered a chemical holding tank. The other employee on the barge indicated that he had seen the man near the hatch and then turned away. When he looked back, the man was missing. The tank was approximately 40 x 50 feet and approximately 20 feet deep. There was 12 feet of liquid Lignin Amine in the tank. This is a toxic and corrosive material used in agriculture. The air above the liquid inside the tank had an oxygen level of less than 1 percent and a level of CO of 108 ppm. That level of oxygen will cause a person to pass

out within a minute and die soon thereafter(outside air has 21 percent oxygen). With this information, Portland Fire and Rescue determined that this was going to be a body recovery, not a rescue.

Portland Fire and Rescue worked with the remaining employee to pump the liquid from the tank into another holding tank. This process took about an hour. In the mean time, firefighters confirmed that the male had not left the work site or fallen into the river. The Technical Rescue Team and Hazmat Team worked together to create and implement a plan to enter the tank if necessary. After approximately 40 minutes, firefighters could see that the man was in fact in the tank and deceased. The employee finished pumping out the hazardous liquid and firefighters readied to enter the tank and recover the victim.

At 1:03 p.m., the first technical rescuer entered the tank in a hazmat suit put on by the Hazmat Team. The rescue team consisted of two people trained in Confined Space Rescue. The second rescue team is available to rescue the firefighters who first entered the tank. The Hazmat Team prepared to decontaminate the rescue teams and the victim once they exited the tank. Due to the hazardous nature of the recovery, both specialty teams needed all trained personnel to accomplish the mission. (*Please see attached chart) Besides the hazardous liquid, the hatch into the tank was only approximately 20 inches across. The rescue team was in the tank for 44 minutes to recover the man. The incident was over at 1:49 p.m.

Other agencies that responded to the incident are Portland Police, Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, United States Coast Guard and Oregon OSHA, and AMR.

All the hazardous liquid was contained on the barge and none entered the lagoon.

No other injuries occurred during this incident to either civilians or firefighters.　

Contact Info: PIO Lt. Rich Tyler 503-940-6003

Randy In the News 2.16.12

Portland Mercury article about liquor licenses and food carts.

Randy In the News- Fire Chief Edition

The following is a list of relevant news articles and press releases related to the selection of Portland's new Fire Chief, Erin Janssens.

Willamette Week article about the new Fire Chief.

Oregonian article about the new Fire Chief.

Commissioner Leonard's Press Release about the new Fire Chief.

UPDATED Portland Fire & Rescue Responds to House Fire at 1307 NE 111th, Finds Victim

Investigators determined that the early morning fire at 1307 NE 111th was accidental in nature and believe it was a result of household items that were too close to a fireplace. It appeared that the burning of construction materials and other debris had been a practice.  A length of tree wood, too large for the firebox, was found sticking out of the fireplace. Investigators were unable to locate a smoke alarm while processing the scene.

The estimated value of the home and its contents was $150,000; fire investigators have determined that the home is nearly a complete loss.

Portland Fire & Rescue also has updated information that a firefighter sustained a minor burn injury while fighting the fire.

Portland Fire & Rescue reminds citizens to:

Maintain a combustible clearance around all appliances per manufacturer recommendations.

Provide and maintain smoke alarms on every floor and every sleeping area of your home.

Identify primary and secondary means of egress from each room of your home.

Use proper types and size of fuels in fireplaces and other heating appliances per manufacturer recommendations.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

At 5:03 am, Portland firefighters responded to reports of heavy fire coming from the back side of a house located at 1307 NE 111th.  Firefighters from Portland Fire Station 30 (Gateway) arrived first on scene and began pulling hoselines to the fire.  Neighbors came up to firefighters and reported that one individual lived in the home and they had not seen him come out.  Firefighters launched an aggressive search for the individual right away. 
 
While searching the home, firefighters encountered heat and zero visibility due to the smoke.  They performed a systematic search of the rooms.  Firefighters were hampered in their search by an excessive amount of contents in the home.  Firefighters located a victim in his bed in one of the bedrooms.  They took the victim to the floor ready to rescue him when some of the home's excessive contents fell on him.  Firefighters had to uncover the man to find him and eventually evacuate.  Firefighter/paramedics determined that the man in his 50's had died.
 
Firefighters also had a challenging time getting hose lines in to fight the fire which was active in the first and second floor walls of the home.  Firefighters had to move contents away from the walls before they could attack the blaze.  This is a serious safety hazard for firefighters.  Additionally, the excessive fuel load caused the fire to burn longer and hotter.  It took approximately 50 minutes to bring the fire under control.  The house is severely damaged and fire investigators are on scene working to determine the fire's cause.  The coroner's office was also called to the scene.
 
This is the second fire this week in Portland where excessive contents in the home have hampered firefighters’ ability to contain the blaze.  Although it's uncomfortable to talk about, hoarding can indicate a mental health disorder - one that affects between 6 and 15 million Americans.  75 U.S. cities have community task forces specifically designed to help address the issue.

Portland Fire & Rescue wants citizens to understand that hoarding is both a personal and public safety issue. If you or someone you know may have an issue with excessive accumulation of contents in your home, please check out the following tips and resources.  The hoarding phenomena is both layered and complex.  Recognizing there is a problem is the first step; the next is seeking effective treatment if simple anti-clutter strategies don't work. 
 
Gerald Nestadt, MD offers the following six anti-clutter strategies:
1.    Make immediate decisions about mail and newspapers. Go through mail and newspapers on the day you receive them and throw away unwanted materials immediately. Don’t leave anything to be decided on later.
2.    Think twice about what you allow into your home. Wait a couple of days after seeing a new item before you buy it. And when you do purchase something new, discard another item you own to make room for it.
3.    Set aside 15 minutes a day to declutter. Start small–with a table, perhaps, or a chair–rather than tackling the entire, overwhelming house at once. If you start to feel anxious, take a break and do some deep-breathing or relaxation exercises.
4.    Dispose of anything you have not used in a year. That means old clothes, broken items, and craft projects you’ll never finish. Remind yourself that many items are easily replaceable if you need them later.
5.    Follow the OHIO rule: Only Handle It Once. If you pick something up, make a decision then and there about it, and either put it where it belongs or discard it. Don’t fall into the trap of moving things from one pile to another, again and again.
6.    Ask for help if you can’t do it on your own. If you feel these strategies are impossible to carry out and you cannot cope with the problem on your own, seek out a mental health professional.

For additional information and resources for those with hoarding disorder and their families, please visit the International OCD Foundation’s website at http://www.ocfoundation.org/hoarding/.

A fact sheet on hoarding has been posted to Portland Fire & Rescue’s website at http://www.portlandonline.com/fire/blog.

Contact Info: Portland Fire & Rescue Public Information Officer Paul Corah, Media Pager: 503-940-6003