$829,011 Grant Funds for Breathing Apparatus

Chelan Fire and Rescue, in conjunction with Chelan County Fire Protection District 8 (Entiat) and Douglas County Fire Protection District 4 (Orondo) were notified this week that we have been awarded a third FEMA grant in the amount of $829,011. The purpose of this grant is to replace all the Self Contain Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) and spare air bottles in all three departments. This specialized piece of equipment provides firefighters with breathing air when working in an IDLH (Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health)  environment such as a house fire filled with smoke or a chemical spill. “This is a huge benefit to the local fire departments that have been using aging SCBAs with an increasing maintenance cost,” said Chief Lemon. Replacing all of the old SCBAs provides improved safety for all of our members and a decrease in maintenance costs. Additionally each district will see a cost savings by not having to replace out of service SCBAs.

Chelan Fire and Rescue has received three FEMA grants in the last three years:

  • FEMA SAFER Grant for six firefighters fully funded for two years in the amount of $895,434.00
  • FEMA Regional SAFER Grant for a Volunteer Recruit and Retention Coordinator fully funded for four years in the amount of $947,534.00
  • FEMA Regional AFG for new SCBAs in the amount of $829,011.00

Total grant funds in the last three years $2,671.979.00

Chelan Fire and Rescue reduces on duty career staffing in 2019

Chelan Fire and Rescue will not be retaining the six SAFER Grant Firefighter/EMT positions after funding runs out on December 31, 2018. This will reduce the career duty shift staff from twelve (four per shift) employees back to six firefighters (two per shift), which provides two career firefighter on-duty 24 hours a day 87% of the time. The balance of the time is when we anticipate one of the two member crew will be off duty on approved leave and/or hour reduction days (Kelly Days). This is the same shift staffing level the department had from 2009 through 2016.

While this is a significant reduction in staffing, CFR is working diligently to reconfigure the remaining staff and solicit additional support from our volunteer firefighters. CFR’s goal is to maintain four firefighters on duty as much of the time as possible. This staffing model is heavily dependent on volunteer firefighters. This will enable us to continue to meet the requirements of WAC 296-305 Firefighter Safety Standards for interior rescue and fire fighting. The initial on-duty response will continue to be backed up by home volunteer firefighters and off duty firefighters called back to work.

In 2016 CFR ran 885 calls, in 2017 it was 938 calls, a 5.7% increase over 2016.  So far in 2018 we are at 712 calls and anticipate ending the year around 1,012 calls, a 12.5% increase over 2016 call volume.

 

08-08-18 Car / Brush Fire

On Wednesday evening 8/8/18, Chelan Fire & Rescue was dispatched to a report of a Brush Fire near the area of Pat & Mike’s on South Lakeshore Road. Enroute to the call, RiverCom 911 advised responding units that this would be vehicle fire with encroachment on grass and brush near the Hawks Meadow entrance off SR97A. Rescue 71 (1 career Firefighter/EMT and 1 volunteer Firefighter), Tender 71 (1 volunteer Firefighter/EMT), and Battalion 7 (Chief Officer) were able to fully extinguish the vehicle fire and the brush fire with the assistance of Chelan County Sheriff Deputies. One Deputy held the brush fire at bay with a fire extinguisher while fire crews were extending hose lines.