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Just after 6 a.m. on the morning of August 28, 2010, units from the Long Beach Fire Department responded to the corner of Orange Ave. and Spring St. to a report of an overturned vehicle with one person trapped.  Truck 7 was first to arrive on scene and found the driver of a small SUV upside down and entangled in the wreckage of his vehicle.  Fire crews used the Jaws of Life and had the male patient free from his damaged vehicle an on his way to a local hospital within a matter of minutes.  Fortunately, the driver only suffered minor injuries.  There were no other injuries reported to citizens or firefighters.  Responding units included. Engine 7, Truck 7, Engine 9, Rescue 9, BC 3 and LA County Engine 60.  The cause of this accident is under investigation.

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A little after 4pm on 5/4/10, the LBFD was dispatched out to reports of an overturned tanker truck at Paramount Blvd. and the on-ramp to the Westbound 91 Frwy. First arriving units on scene noticed the tanker trailer was on it’s side and leaking a fair amount of fuel. It was estimated later, at a rate of around 25 gallons a minute. Additional resources were called to the scene, including the Hazardous Materials Task Force as well as additional Engine companies for man-power.

No injuries to responders or civilians were reported. Approximately 500 gallons of diesel fuel entered the storm drain system. The diesel fuel in the storm drain was stopped at Artesia and the Rail Road tracks west of Paramount Blvd.

A total of 47 Firefighters responded to this incident, 38 from Long Beach and 9 from our Area “E” (Vernon and Santa Fe Springs Fire Departments) partners. Area “E” provided Hazardous Materials Response Teams. Other responders included, LBPD, CHP, CalTrans, Long Beach Public Works, California Fish and Game, Long Beach Health Department, Health 44 and Long Beach Search and Rescue.

Initial emergency operations focused on protecting life safety, contain the leaking fuel, control the leak and eliminate ignition sources. Water supply was established and a foam blanket was put down to control vapors. This foam blanket was maintained throughout the incident. Once the incident became stabilized, Hazardous Materials operations were initiated. This included air monitoring, environmental monitoring, and preparing for a “Stinger” operation. This operation is used to access the leaking product and place a recovery tube into the tank to off load the product prior to righting the rolled over tanker.

Hazardous Materials Specialists entered the “exclusion zone” and began procedures to off-load the diesel. This included stabilizing the rolled over tank, grounding and bonding the tank. After this was completed, the HazMat Specialists accessed the remaining fuel in the tank by drilling two, 4” holes in the aluminum skin of the rolled tank. A pump off truck was then placed in a position for the remaining product to be pumped into. A vacuum truck was also on scene to recover the spilled fuel and foam mixture.

A total of 2600 gallons of diesel fuel was recovered from the rolled over tank during the “Stinger” off-loading process. 1400 gallons of leaking diesel fuel and water/foam mixture was recovered from the containment area. 500 gallons of diesel fuel is estimated to have entered the storm drain. This estimate is on the “high” end.

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Date:  Thursday, August 26, 2010

Subject:  Long Beach Fire Department Hosts August S.A.F.E.R. Meeting

On the morning of August 25, 2010, the Long Beach Fire Department (LBFD) hosted the Southern Area Firefighter’s Equipment Research (SAFER) Meeting at our Fire Training Center.  The SAFER organization is a regional association between manufacturers, vendors, and Firefighters looking at means to increase firefighter safety and efficiency through innovative new products and equipment.  Started in 1976, LBFD is one of the association’s first charter members.  Fire department personnel from other agencies such as Newport Beach Fire, Downey Fire, and Los Angeles County Fire were also in attendance and toured our facility.

One of the topics this meeting specifically looked at was the recent enhancements made to our training facility.  A state of the art microwave link system has allowed our Headquarters, Training Center, and Downey Fire Headquarter to videoconference simultaneously for a myriad of uses.  During the testing of this system, participants were at each of the three venues. The system is designed to allow us to host regional training classes and conferences at our Training Center with other agencies at the same time using the hi-tech audio and video equipment.  This is just one of the many ways that the Long Beach Fire Department is utilizing Federal Grant monies to better our department’s capabilities and ultimately provide for a safer community.

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Just after 11:30 a.m. this morning, units from the Long Beach Fire Department responded to Pacific Coast Recycling located at 482 Pier T Ave to a report of a crane operator who had been trapped inside of his crane due to an explosion.  The crane operator, who appeared to be in his 60’s, was moving a pile of debris when a pressurized cylinder within the pile exploded.  The blast sent both ends of the cylinder rocketing in opposite directions.  On of the ends struck the cab of the crane, trapping the operator beneath the crane’s protective steel cage.  It took firefighters roughly 10 minutes to cut the man from the wreckage using the Jaws of Life.  He was transported to a local hospital with moderate injuries. The Long Beach hazardous materials team determined the cylinder did not contain any explosives and was probably a part of a water softening system.   A total of 24 fire personnel responded to this incident that occurred in council district 2.

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On the morning of Thursday, August the 19^th, 2010 the Long Beach Fire Department (LBFD) was in attendance at Millers Children’s Hospital to participate in the annual “Beach Fest Day” which is part of the LBFD Kids Program.  The mission of the program has always been to enhance the lives and well being of the chronically ill children at Millers Hospital through smiles and laughter.  This year about 17 on-duty and off-duty firefighters spent time with young patients escorting them around to various activities that were set up in the large tropically themed conference room. 

The event transformed the room into an enormous tropical beach setting that included a backdrop of a very large screen that had projected fish swimming amongst a coral reef.  Members from LBFD Kids and Millers Hospital greeted the children wearing straw hats and leis.  From there the children would go to various stations that had everything from face painting, to ring tossing, to even a unique and exciting bubble show.  The DJ also held a hula-hoop contest to those brave enough to take on the challenge.  To fit the theme of the event, there were also Polynesian dancers, professional big wave surfers, and even a real pirate from a major Hollywood film in attendance for the kids to talk to and take pictures with.  For those who got hungry from all of the activities, food and beverages were also provided for everyone as well as some very decorative fruit displays that looked amazing.

Once again this marked another successful year at “Beach Fest.”  A sincere Thank You to Captain Greg Curiel for once again organizing the event and to all that volunteered to make this day a success.

For more information on this event or future programs through the LBFD Kids Organization, please contact Captain Greg Curiel.

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On the morning of August 17, 2010, firefighters from Long Beach Fire Department joined firefighters from Boeing Fire Department for a joint exercise at the Boeing building number 15.  This structure is an enormous warehouse-like facility that has been used for aircraft manufacture.  Various scenarios were set up by proctors in order to test firefighter’s abilities to handle rapidly changing condition on the fire ground.  RIC team operations and large area search practices we also employed.  RIC stands for rapid intervention crew and is used in the event a firefighter should become trapped or seriously injured in the course of an emergency.  It is customary for on scene units to perform a thorough search of a fire building for persons trapped by flames.  In the case of the incident RIC team deployment, firefighters will be searching for one our own members who has become a victim of the incident.

 In one of these scenarios, initial fire crews were met with a large volume of fire inside of a warehouse.  Firefighter’s masks were covered with a plastic material in an effort to obscure their vision and provide a feeling of working in a smoky environment.  Shortly after the initial interior attack the incident commander received an emergency call that there had been a large-scale roof collapse with one firefighter trapped in the rubble.  Immediately, the incident’s RIC team was deployed to find and rescue the downed first responder.  Rescuers were forced to use power saws to cut through debris as they made their way to the trapped firefighter.  During the rescue, all members needed to maintain crew accountability as well as monitor their own air usage.  Once the injured firefighter was located, he was provided fresh air, freed from debris and dragged to safety.  As with any fire rescue, all efforts required coordination between units assigned to fire attack and those assigned to RIC functions.

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Priscilla Gillott is retiring after more than 20 years of dedicated service to the City of Long Beach.  Please join us a we celebrate Priscilla’s retirement.

 DATE:  Thursday, September 9, 2010

TIME: 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

PLACE:  LBFD Training Center (outdoors)

COST:  $15 per person (includes Javy’s Tacos and a gift)

 RSVP by September 2, 2010

For questions or to RSVP call (562) 570-2505

 Make check payable to Pat Kadoguchi (memo-Gillott Retirement)

 Mail to: Long Beach Fire Department

Attn: Gillott Retirement

3205 Lakewood Blvd

Long Beach Ca 90808

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On the evening of July 29, 2010, a strike team from the Long Beach Fire Department was deployed to the fast moving Crown Brush Fire.  Units operated for three days on the fire line protecting structures and stemming the tide of destruction wrought by this blaze.

Video footage by Howard Raishbrook

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Just after 7:00 PM on the evening of August 4, 2010, units from the Long Beach Fire Department responded to the intersection of Columbia and Santa Fe to a report of a vehicle vs. a motorcycle.  Once on scene, Engine 13 crewmembers determined that they actually had multiple patients injured in the collision.  Sadly, the 21-year-old male rider of the motorcycle was killed by the force of the impact.  4 other teenage occupants of the vehicle were transported to local trauma centers with various injuries.  A total of 12 fire department personnel responded to this incident.

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