Fire Department Weekly Report - July 31 – August 6, 2022

The Arcadia Fire Department responded to a variety of emergency calls during the week of July 31 – August 6, 2022. The following is a breakdown of incident types recorded for this time period:

Sunday, July 31st At 5:50 a.m., Engine 107 and Engine 106 responded to a vehicle fire on the eastbound off ramp of the 210 Freeway and Santa Anita Ave. Engine 106 arrived to find a large truck and trailer not on fire but leaking fuel. Firefighters quickly utilized absorbent to stop the flow of fuel before it entered a nearby storm drain. Additional absorbent was requested and utilized to absorb the remaining fuel on scene. The California Highway Patrol remained on scene to coordinate the cleanup with Caltrans. Monday, August 1st At 8:17 a.m., Truck 105 responded to an elevator rescue in the 400 block of East Huntington Drive. Upon arrival, firefighters found two persons trapped in an elevator. Fire personnel shut off power to the elevator and used specialized tools to open the elevator and rescue the uninjured occupants. The elevators were flagged as inoperable until an elevator technician could make repairs. Tuesday, August 2nd At 8:57 p.m., Engine 106 responded to a medical aid call in the city of Alhambra. This request came while Engine 106 was moved to cover empty fire stations in the City of Alhambra under an automatic aid agreement. Alhambra Fire Department units were assigned to a second alarm fire. Automatic aid was implemented to allow for assistance with emergency services and coverage. This agreement is reciprocated when Arcadia units are dedicated to an incident; neighboring agencies send units to cover our fire stations as well. Wednesday, August 3rd At 4:53 p.m., Engine 105 and Rescue Ambulance 105 responded to a medical assist in the 100 block of Alta Avenue. Firefighters arrived to find an 84-year-old male suffering from an altered level of consciousness and head and neck pain after a ground level fall. The patient received advanced life support and was transported to Huntington Hospital for further evaluation and treatment. Thursday, August 4th At 10:19 p.m., Engine 106 and Rescue Ambulance 106 responded to a medical call in the 1600 block of Lovell Avenue. Upon arrival, fire personnel evaluated a 37-year-old female suffering from altered level of consciousness. The patient received advanced life support at the scene including 12-lead cardiac monitoring, blood glucose level monitoring, and intravenous access. The patient was transported to USC Arcadia Hospital for further evaluation and treatment. Friday, August 5th At 1:37 p.m., Truck 105 and Rescue Ambulance 106 responded to a medical assist in the 100 block of East Live Oak Avenue. Fire crews arrived to find a 76-year-old male experiencing dizziness. The patient received advanced life support at the scene including 12-lead cardiac monitoring, blood glucose level monitoring, and intravenous access. The patient was transported to USC Arcadia Hospital for further evaluation and treatment. Saturday, August 6th At 9:10 p.m., Engine 106 and Rescue Ambulance 106 responded to a medical call in the 200 block of West Huntington Drive. Upon arrival, fire personal found an 18-year-old male sitting up, alert and oriented, experiencing a possible allergic reaction. Due to the patient’s history of previous allergic reactions, advanced life support measures were started including 12-lead cardiac monitoring, intravenous access, and rapid transport to USC Arcadia Hospital for further evaluation and treatment.

Strike Team Deployment Four members of the Fire Department, a three-person fire engine crew and a battalion chief, continue to support the McKinney Fire near Yreka, California. At the end of this reporting period, the strike team would have been deployed for a total of 12 days. The strike team continues to be assigned various tasks including laying thousands of feet of hose to support the bolstering of containment lines, mopping up near structures, and patrolling areas for hot spots. A typical strike team deployment lasts for two weeks but may be extended up to 21 days, excluding travel time.

Personnel Update Training Captain Olivarez continues to be busy with scheduling and implementing Department training. Specifically, with six probationary firefighters currently in various stages of training, important firefighting skills are taught and delivered to these individuals to ensure consistency. Fireground survival remains the focal topic of these last two weeks. Training for other members of the Department including new Fire Engineers also remains a priority. Deploying various hose lines including the Minuteman hose lay, which was implemented last year, confirms crew proficiency. Additionally, Training Captain Olivarez was busy corroborating with Training Chief Cerwin on preparing and planning for the onboarding of three new probationary firefighters that begin next week.

Training During the reporting period, the Arcadia Fire Department conducted a total of 386 hours of training. Some of the subjects include: Hose Evolutions, Ladder Evolutions, Ventilation, Salvage and Overhaul Techniques, Tiller Certification, Defensive Driving, Engine Company Equipment, Search and Rescue, Communications, EOC Operations, Records Management, Fire Suppression Tactics, Power Tools, Hand Tools, Truck Operations, Emergency Medical Technician, Paramedic Continuing Education, Hazardous Materials, Lighting Operations, Rope Rescue, Incident Command, Pre-Incident Planning, Supervision and Management, and Standard Operating Guideline Review.