Fire Blotter: Firefighters Respond to Cabin Fire

Total calls this period: 121

Fire/Hazardous Conditions: 11  

Service/Good Intent/False: 37

EMS/Rescue: 73

On Jan. 18, medics were dispatched to an elderly man who was in respiratory distress. When they arrived, the man complained of a cough that would not go away. Medics transported him to the hospital upon request for further evaluation.

On Jan. 19, medics responded to a woman in labor. Medics found her contractions to be 2 minutes apart and childbirth imminent. They transported the woman priority but due to the storm, the Medic unit was only able to travel at 30 mph. When they arrived at the hospital, the patient’s contractions had increased in intensity but were still at 2 minutes apart.

On Jan. 19, firefighters responded to multiple calls involving trees across roadways. They also responded to many calls involving downed power lines, including some with arching and some with smoldering fires starting.  

On Jan. 20, firefighters were dispatched to a house fire. When the crew arrived, they found a 30-by-30 cabin on fire. After extinguishing the fire, the crews found that a homeless man had started a fire on the floor of the cabin to keep warm. He then fell asleep, and the fire became out of control. After trying to put the fire out himself, he escaped to a neighboring house and asked them to call 911. The man was transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation and frost nip to his feet because he had escaped without his shoes.

On Jan. 21, medics responded to an elderly man who fell in the shower. He reported head and neck pain, and medics found there was a laceration to his tongue. He was unable to recall being in the shower or falling. Medics treated and transported him to the hospital for further evaluation.

On Jan. 22, multiple crews were dispatched to a crash involving 5 vehicles and a motorcycle on SR 16. There was one fatality, another priority patient with chest pain and two other injured patients, including a Washington State Trooper. Gig Harbor Fire & Medic one received mutual aid from the Key Peninsula and the West Pierce Fire & Rescue.

On Jan. 23, medics were dispatched to a vehicle off the roadway. The crew arrived to find a woman who said that she “spun on the ice and slid into the ditch”. She complained of pain to her neck and right knee but did not want to go to the hospital. A family member took the patient home in their vehicle.

On Jan. 24, medics were dispatched to an unconscious woman. The crew arrived to find the patient had appeared to have intentionally overdosed on several medications. They found the patient unresponsive with a weak pulse. The crews started live saving measures and transported her to the hospital.