The total number of calls for 2009 to North Kitsap Fire & Rescue showed a slight increase over the total for 2008.
Fire and Rescue crews responded to 2,502 incidents last year and 2,454 in 2008. We’re gathering many more facts and figures as we prepare the district’s 2009 Annual Report.
Look for the completed document in local libraries or on our Web site in late April.
NKF&R welcomes new firefighter
Meet our newest firefighter-paramedic, Matt Thompson.
Filling a vacancy created when Tammy Coulter left the department last summer, Thompson joined our paid ranks on Feb. 1. The 38 year-old Ballard native has dreamt of a career in emergency services for more than 15 years since getting his start as a volunteer firefighter in Idaho. There he also acquired a love for emergency medicine.
Building on his experience providing medical care in a rural area far from hospitals, he graduated from paramedic school and went to work in busy Ventura County, California.
Thompson returned to the Puget Sound region and, following an unsatisfying stint in the corporate world, joined our volunteer-resident program where he served for nearly a year.
When asked why he chose NKF&R, Thompson said the department’s small size provides greater opportunity to make a positive impact — both on the department itself and on the community served. He lives in Driftwood Keys with his wife and nearly 2-year-old son.
9-1-1 is the fastest way to get help
The recent experience of a crew in Hansville suggests that there still may be some confusion about dialing 9-1-1.
A resident called with a burning complaint. She expressed her frustration at having such difficulty locating the Hansville fire station’s phone number and asked the crew, “What if there had been a fire or medical emergency?”
If you want to reach us for non-emergency reasons, it’s best to call our headquarters fire station at (360) 297-3619 where administrative personnel are available during business hours to answer your questions. But if you have an emergency, 9-1-1 is the number to call, anytime, day or night.
Upcoming classes
Join us for our monthly child car seat check from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 13 at the Paul T. Nichol headquarters fire station (26642 Miller Bay Road NE near Kingston).
North Kitsap Fire and Rescue will be hosting a First Aid class on March 15 and an adult/child/infant CPR class on March 16. Instruction begins at 6 p.m. in the Paul T. Nichol headquarters fire station on both evenings. Tuition of $20 per class must be paid in advance to reserve a space.
For more information, call (360) 297-3619.
Can you get out?
Because the majority of fire fatalities occur at home, we usually focus our messages on home fire safety.
However, another nightclub fire took more than 100 lives in December and it compels us to remind you to spot your exits in public places, too.
Inadequate exits are the primary factor in high death tolls from these types of fires, and the same was true in the most recent incident. Doors that are locked and/or blocked, exit routes that are poorly-marked and/or unclear — these conditions can prevent patrons from escaping quickly enough when fire breaks out.
When you’re in a public place, please take a few moments to check your surroundings and ensure that you have a clear and accessible exit.
If you notice a possible problem with exiting from a local business, let us know so we can look into the issue.
