Lakeside Fire District's Senior Smoke Detector Program

The Lakeside Fire Protection District in conjunction with the Burn Instituteof San Diego will now offer a Senior Smoke Detector Program. The new program is available to senior citizens who are in need of smoke detectors or battery replacement in existing detectors free of charge. On April 25, 2013, District Logistical Volunteer Group members Dennis Canfield and Don Pebley installed the first of what we hope are many smoke detectors for the Senior Citizens who reside in the District.

Lakeside LVG Dennis Canfield installing the first smoke detector.

A properly installed and maintained smoke alarm is the only thing in your home that can alert you and your family to a fire 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Whether you’re awake or asleep, a working smoke alarm is constantly on alert, scanning the air for fire and smoke.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in properties without working smoke alarms. A working smoke alarm significantly increases your chances of surviving a deadly home fire.

LVG Don Pebley installs another detector at the same residence.

Senior Citizens who wish to request smoke detector installation can call the Lakeside Fire Protection District Administration at (619) 390-2350, Monday through Thursday, 7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Every effort will be made to contact the requesting party within 5 business days to arrange installation of new detectors or battery replacement.

Submitted by: Lakeside Division Chief Chuck Tockstein

Heartland Fire Training 23rd Academy Graduates

El Cajon, CA -

A happy group of firefighter recruits attended a well-deserved graduation ceremony on Saturday, April 27, 2013, after successfully completing a comprehensive 16-week fire training academy at Heartland Fire Training Facility in El Cajon. Each fire recruit completed over 480-hours of training and will graduate with a California State Firefighter I certification.

The 23rd Heartland Fire Academy was taught by a dedicated cadre of fire professionals from San Diego County Central Zone fire departments including Heartland Fire-Rescue, Lakeside, and Viejas. These lead instructors were assisted by fire companies from throughout the central zone over the course of the 16-week academy.

The Thomas H. Owen Sr. Heartland Fire Training Facility has served to train east county firefighters since its inception on December 1, 1973. Established as a Joint Powers Authority, it is widely considered one of the first cooperative training ventures of its kind in the nation and has helped foster the delivery of regional fire protection to the citizens of east county for nearly 40 years.

Lakeside Fire Division Chief Jim Kirkpatrick congratulates Reserve Firefighter Jason Runkle on graduation day.

Academy recruits demonstrate their skills at a graduation ceremony conducted at the Tom Owen Training Facility

Post by: Captain Scott Culkin, Lakeside Fire District

We Love A Clean Lakeside

Lakeside-

Photo courtesy of Jay Renard, Photojournalist East County Herald

Over 300 volunteers from the Mormon Helping Hands descended upon Lindo Lake County Park today. They worked in conjunction with I Love A CleanSan Diego’s Creek to Bay Cleanup project to clean several sites here in Lakeside. This well organized effort deployed groups of volunteers to Lindo Lake, the Lakeside Linkage Preserve, the Whitaker House, and the San Diego River at Cactus Park. 

Working closely with the Lakeside's River Park Conservancy, this mass of workers not only cleaned up debris around the lake and other sites, but did landscape work, painted public restrooms, the boat house and bridge, and re-stripped the parking lot and handicapped parking spaces. The project began bright and early this morning and by 8:00am hundreds of volunteers clad in yellow vests swarmed around Lindo Lake and the other locations looking much like busy worker bees. By 12:00 noon they departed our Lakeside community to reveal sparkling clean parks and grounds.

Pictured with Lakeside LVG members and Engine 2 Crew are event coordinator Marsi Walker and Robert Wood. Photo courtesy of Jay Renard, Photojournalist East County Herald

Lakeside Fire District’s Logistics Volunteer Group was there in force along with Engine and Medic 2 to support the clean-up effort with shade, water and snacks that were provided by the Mormon Helping Hands Santee Stake.

 Mormon Helping Hands began in 1998 and has since donated millions of hours of service through hundreds of thousands of volunteers. It is a non-proselytizing program meant to provide assistance through response to natural disasters and local needs within the community. We thank the Mormon Helping Hands and all of the volunteers who participated in today’s beautification effort here in Lakeside.

 Submitted by: Chuck Palmore, Lakeside Fire Captain

Multi-Agency Response Stops a Fire Before it Starts

Pepper Drive Area -

A heads-up homeowner and some old fashioned detective work prevented a dangerous attic fire from erupting in Lakeside on April 27, 2013. A strong smell of smoke in his home prompted the homeowner to seek the help of the fire department in locating the source. Heartland Fire Communications dispatched a full first-alarm structure assignment bringing E1, E3, M2, Division 4103 (Lakeside); E8, E9 (El Cajon); T4 (Santee); and Chief 4801 (Barona) to the scene.

Firefighters systematically checked the two-story home and eventually located the source of the smoke in a corner of the second-story attic space. Once located, the small, smoldering fire was accessed by cutting a hole in the roof and applying water from a preconnected hoseline. Although a small amount of damage was warranted, the detection and extinguishment of this small fire prevented a potentially devastating attic fire.

This response characterizes the excellent interagency cooperation and seamless emergency response that we enjoy in east county. As always, Lakeside would like to thank our auto-aid partners for their timely assistance and excellent work on this call.

Firefighters go to work on the roof.

Santee Truck 4 Captain John Sengebusch and Firefighter-paramedic Clint Pusey accessing the fire.

Post and Photos by: Captain Scott Culkin, Lakeside Fire District

The “Mass-Casualty Incident”: Bringing Organization to Chaos

Viejas-

Crews have been dispatched to a vehicle accident on the freeway. While en route law enforcement advises them that a bus has rolled off of the freeway and they have multiple victims with some trapped. This was the scenario crews faced during a recent drill at the Viejas Outlet Center. The drill was recently coordinated by the Viejas Fire Department as part of an inter-agency training that involves first-responders in the east county region of San Diego County.

The crew from Lakeside Rescue 3, and CALFIRE, start working on a plan to remove a victim from under the bus.

Mass-causality incidents present one of the most challenging scenes that first-responders can be faced with. Not only do you have the challenge of organizing a highly traumatic scene, but you must sort through the patients and identify those most in need of help....quickly. The benchmark of an effectively managed incident is the delivery of the most severely injured to local hospitals in the shortest possible span of time. Ultimately surgical intervention is the only thing that will save these traumatized victims, thus a real effort must be made to get those people transported to appropriate care.

Victims are brought to treatment areas where the received care prior to transport to the hospital.

Victims are sent to local hospitals from the treatment areas based on severity of their injuries.

In this scenario crews were also faced with a victim that was ejected from the bus and then became trapped. Lakeside Rescue 3 was given the assignment to remove the victim with the assistance of an engine company from CALFIRE. A pneumatic system of high pressure airbags was used to lift the vehicle off of the victim.

Crew members are critiqued by observers. Everybody learns something new.

The skills re-enforced at this drill are universal to any incident that involves several casualties that has the potential to overwhelm local first-responders, or the local hospitals. In this drill a total of 22 patients were evaluated.



Agencies participating in this training were:

Alpine Fire Protection District
American Medical Response
Barona Fire Department
CALFIRE
Lakeside Fire Protection District
Mercy Air
Sharp-Grossmont Hospital
Sycuan Fire Department
Viejas Fire Department
Viejas Tribal Security

Thanks again to the Viejas Fire Department for sponsoring this training opportunity.

Submitted By: Fire Captain Mark Grow, Lakeside Fire Protection District

Lakeside Fire Participates in the Western Days Parade

Lakeside-

The Lakeside Fire Protection District shows off its entry into this year's Lakeside Western Days parade. As the District celebrates it's 50th anniversary this year it seems assured that this was at least the Fire District's 50th proud year as the vanguard of the parade.

The Lakeside Fire Logistic Volunteer Group support vehicle 4140.

Lakeside Fire unit Medic 3 from the Lake Jennings fire station. This is one of two medic units stationed in Lakeside.

Also in the parade this year is our LVG (Logistic Volunteer) group. Riding along with Engine 26 at the parade was Fire Board Director Susan Conniry. The Lakeside Fire District thanks the community for 50 years of amazing and unwavering support!!!

Engine 26 from the Blossom Valley fire station. This station houses a structural pumper and brush rig.

Submitted By: Fire Chief Andy Parr, Lakeside Fire Protection District

Vehicle Rescue on Winter Gardens Blvd

Winter Gardens-

On Wednesday, April 3rd 2013 at 3:58 PM, the Lakeside Fire Protection District received a call about a vehicle accident with trapped victims in the 8300 blk of Winter Gardens Blvd. Units initially sent included two structural engines, a rescue company, an ALS medic unit, and a duty chief.

On the arrival of Engine 19 (San Miguel Fire) they discovered a vehicle on it's side with two occupants trapped in the front seat. Efforts began to stabilized the vehicle and render care to the occupants. With the arrival of Rescue 3 (Lake Jennings Station) additional efforts were made to stabilize the vehicle so that cutting operations could begin.

Fire crews extricate the occupants after the roof of the vehicle had been removed.

After removing significant portions of the vehicle crews were able to remove the two victims. Fortunately both occupants had suffered moderate injuries and were able to communicate with first-responders. Both patients were transported to Sharp Memorial Trauma Center.

View 2013 Incident Map in a larger map

Agencies assisting Lakeside include San Miguel Fire, Barona Fire, and Care Ambulance Service.

Submitted By: Fire Captain Mark Grow, Lakeside Fire Protection District

Another Chipping Day For Eucalyptus Hills Residents

Eucalyptus Hills: On Saturday March 30, 2013 the Eucalyptus Hills Fire Safe Council in cooperation with firefighters from Lakeside Fire Station 2 and the Lakeside LVG held their annual chipping day.  This event has been held every year since 2010 and provides an opportunity for residents in the Lakeside area to bring their tree trimmings to one centralized location and get them chipped into mulch.  This year, like the past three, proved to be a great success. 

There was a great deal of interest in this event

Many residents took advantage of the opportunity to dispose of large amounts of vegetation without needing to get a burn permit or having it hauled off.  After the chipping takes place the residents have the option of taking home this mulch or leaving it for others. 

The mulch was available for pick up by the public

The overall goal of this event is to help residents achieve the goal of providing good defensible space around their residences.  The Lakeside Fire Protection district is happy to see the dedication the Eucalyptus Hills Fire Safe Council is putting into making sure their community is as safe as possible in the event of a wildfire.  A great flyer for what residents should do to meet the legal requirements for defensible space can be downloaded here.

 

Lakeside LVG and Firefighters helped register residents as they checked in

For more information on how to prepare your home for wildfires please go to Ready for Wildfire.org or  Ready San Diego.org.

Photos by: Dennis Canfield, Lakeside Fire Protection District LVG

Story by Captain Bernie Molloy