Neighbor Helps Rescue Elderly Neighbor from House Fire

Lakeside, CA -

An alert neighbor forced open a door and helped pull his elderly neighbor and her grandson from inside a smoky house fire in the Johnstown area of Lakeside on Wednesday, November 27, 2013. The grandson had entered the home to assist his grandmother in leaving but became disoriented in the thick smoke. The next-door neighbor assisted both to escape through a side door.

Lakeside firefighters responding from the nearby Lake Jennings fire station (fs3) arrived in just under four minutes reporting moderate smoke from a one-story residence. Firefighters stretched an attack line inside the structure and knocked down what remained of the fire in the front room of the residence. A rapid primary search confirmed all occupants were out of the home.

Prior to the arrival of the fire department, other neighbors took action to slow the fire using a dry chemical extinguisher and a garden hose. The cause of the fire appeared to be an electric space heater that was too close to combustibles.

Lakeside firefighter paramedics transported two people to UCSD hospital for evaluation due to smoke inhalation. 

Units attending this incident included:  Engine 1, Engine 202s, Engine 3, Engine 26, Medic 2, Medic 3, Division 4105 (Lakeside); Truck 4 (Santee).

Ventilation fan set-up to remove smoke.

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

Lakeside Fire Assists Alpine with Unique Vehicle Recovery

Alpine, CA-

On Monday, November 18, 2013, at 8:43 a.m. the Lakeside Fire Protection District received a request to respond Rescue 3 to a vehicle accident on Interstate 8 westbound, just west of Tavern Rd. Firefighters had responded to an incident where a Range Rover had collided with a semi truck and was wedged under the trailer portion of the truck. Fortunately, crews had been able to remove the victims and transported them to area trauma hospitals.

Lakeside Firefighter-Paramedic Steve Russo sets a crib stack under the trailer portion of the truck. Crib stacks are used to keep loads from falling back to their original position.

Crews use a combination of airbags and hydraulic tools to lift the truck.

A problem emerged when tow operators attempted to remove the vehicle from the scene only to discover it was firmly lodged under the truck. A request was made for Rescue 3 to respond from the Lake Jennings Fire Station and assist firefighters still on-scene.

On the arrival of the rescue company, crews coordinated with Alpine and Viejas firefighters to develop a plan to lift the truck from the vehicle. The decision was made to use a system of pneumatic lifting bags, hydraulic rams, and cribbing stacks to lift the truck. Crews worked for about an hour before the truck could be safely lifted.

Lakeside Rescue 3 is a specialized resource available to Central Zone (and other) fire agencies for help with technical rescue calls.

Vehicle after removal.

Photos and Story By: Fire Captain Wes Barnes, Lakeside Fire Protection District

Lakeside Fire Looks to Amateur Radio for Increased Community Preparedness

Lakeside-

The Lakeside Fire Protection District is currently developing a plan to harness the power of the amateur radio community into a tool that will provide for better disaster preparedness. The Fire District is working with their Communications Volunteer Group to create a weekly radio net that will be conducted on one of the local VHF repeaters.

The hope is that local amateur radio operators can provide vital information to the Fire District in times of disaster. The cornerstone of this effort is to create a relationship with the amateur radio community through a weekly net.

The Lakeside Fire Protection District maintains a amateur radio base station near their Emergency Operations Center at the River Park Fire Station on Lakeside Ave. The base station is considered an important tool as vital information can be obtained for dissemination by emergency planners.

The Lakeside Fire District is hopeful that the net will go live sometime in January 2014. More information will be made available as details are worked out. All interested amateur radio operators are welcome to participate.

KSON Food Drive

Lakeside, CA -

On November 15, 2013,  The KSON morning show came out to Lakeside for a live broadcast from the Lakeside Cafe. The John and Tammy's Food Fund 2013 Tour is collecting non-perishable food items for the San Diego Food Bank. These non-perishable items are then distributed to needy families. The Lakeside Firefighters participated by collecting numerous canned goods and delivering them to the event in Engine Company One.

If you missed the event today, you can go to the KSON website HERE for more information .

Lakeside Firefighers with John and Tammy from KSON

The KSON ambulance filled with donations for the John and Tammy's Food Fund 2013 Tour

Lakeside Firefighters Jamie Hazlewood and Marc Poynter with John and Tammy broadcasting live from the Lakeside Cafe

Lakeside Fire Director Susan Conniry with KSON's Tammy

Submitted by Firefighter / Paramedic Jamie Hazlewood

LAKESIDE FIREFIGHTERS IN THE TOUGH MUDDER

Saturday November 9th members of the Lakeside Fire Protection District went up to Temecula on their day off to participate in the 2013 Southern California Tough Mudder held at Vail Lake Resort. The two day event draws more than 20,000 people each year and tests each persons strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie.  The courses are 10-12 miles long with 25 military style obstacles with plenty of cold water and plenty of hills to run up.

Aside from giving us the opportunity to participate in this event and become part of the mudder community, The Tough Mudder as raised over $6 million dollars for the Wounded Warrior Project to date.  The Lakeside team was able to stay together and finish the course in just under 3 hours without any injuries. 

Participants: Matt Buzzell, Dave Ditomaso (Chula Vista PD), Lance Buford, Jerry Daoust, Ian Lowe, Dave Csik, Jose Corona, and Scott Smith

Story and Photos by: Engineer/Paramedic Matt Buzzell

Lakeside Fire Fighters Assist Santee with Vehicle Extrication

Santee, CA -

Firefighters from Lakeside's Riverview (fs1) and River Park (fs2) fire stations assisted Santee Fire with a vehicle rescue on Saturday, November 9, 2013. A single-occupant vehicle sustained major damage after it came off Hwy 67 just south of Riverford Road rolling down the embankment onto Woodside Avenue North.

On arrival, E1 firefighter-paramedic Marc Poynter immediately accessed the single patient through the windshield area and provided care and assessment. E1 engineer Robert Williams deployed a dry chemical extinguisher and preconnected hoseline for fire control. Due to the vehicle position and damage, firefighters from Santee Truck 4 utilized their Holmatro® hydraulic rescue cutters to remove part of the roof allowing extrication of the patient.  Upon extrication, care was transferred to firefighter-paramedics on M2 who packaged the patient and transported to Sharp Memorial Trauma Center.

The area where this accident occurred is a joint response area for the Lakeside and Santee Fire departments. Under a decades-old automatic aid agreement, Lakeside and Santee firefighters work together on a daily basis to provide fire, rescue, and EMS (paramedic) services to our region.

Units attending this incident included: E1, M2 (Lakeside); T4, 4203 (Santee); 4803 (Barona). S.D. Sheriff and CHP also assisted.

The roof was "flapped" to access the patient.

SB Hwy 67 is at the top of the embankment

Post by: Captain Scott Culkin, Lakeside Fire District
Photos by: FF-PM Marc Poynter, Lakeside Fire District

You Changed Your Clocks. Did you change Your Batteries?

Lakeside, CA - 

It's hard to believe it's that time of the year again. Time to change the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. It is a fact that a working smoke alarm doubles your chance of surviving a home fire.

After inserting a fresh battery in each smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector, push the safety test button to make sure alarms are in proper working condition. Conduct this test monthly. Never disconnect your smoke alarm battery. Remember that a "chirping" sound is a signal that a smoke alarm needs a new battery.

For more safety tips, CLICK HERE.

Post by: Captain Scott Culkin, Lakeside Fire District