9195

9496

9392

DISTRICT 21 SERVICE AREA

STAY SAFE, STAY HEALTHY GRAHAM FIRE & RESCUE IS COMMITTED TO YOUR

HEALTH AND SAFETY

On March 18, 2020, Graham Fire & Rescue declared aproclamation of emergency congruent with other State andLocal agencies. This enables the Fire Chief to best serve thepublic, the district and other local agencies with muchneeded resources during the duration of the COVID-19outbreak.

YOU

R SA

FETY

IS O

UR

PRIO

RITY

GRA

HA

M F

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& R

ESCU

E Pi

erce

Co.

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21

P.O

. Box

369

Gra

ham

, WA

9833

8

919293949596

Silvercreek/LipomaKapowsinBenstonBethelFredericksonGraham/Thrift

grahamfire

grahamfirewa

graham_fire_rescue

www.grahamfire.org (253) 847-8811 Volunteers needed!Applications are available

for download at:grahamfire.org/

volunteering

We encourage our community members to followCDC recommendations for preventing the spread of COVID-19:

Wash your hands often with soap and waterfor at least 20 seconds.Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.Stay home when you are sick.Cover your cough or sneeze.Clean and disinfect frequently touchedobjects and surfaces.Practice social distancing.Avoid non-essential travel.

Our fire stations are staffed and are responding to calls.Our members have been equipped with personalprotective equipment and are following recommendeddecontamination procedures.

Graham Fire & Rescue’s top priority is to ensure the health and safety of our members and the community. Following CDC recommendations, and out of an abundance of caution, we are taking proactive and preventative steps to addressconcerns over the growing risk of COVID-19.

As always, your safety is our priority.

This is an unprecedented moment in our lives, and wecontinue to be committed to the health and well-being ofour community as we navigate the obstacles that ourcommunity is facing.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEFGRAHAM FIREFIGHTERS ARE IGNITINGINTEREST OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

DOWNLOAD THE PULSEPOINT APP TODAYSAVE A LIFE TOMORROW

tender, and trained 14 volunteer firefighters, which bringsus closer to nationally recognized staffing levels andallows us to provide an increased level of service to thecommunity.

THANK YOU citizens of Fire District 21 forapproving the Maintenance & Operations(M&O) Levy in 2018. From that funding we:hired 18 firefighters, purchased 1 water

We are evaluating alternatefunding sources that are more

sustainable for the firedepartment and the community.

LOOKING FORWARD

Students from the Fire Science and Emergency Servicesprogram at the Pierce County Skills Center had theopportunity to train alongside Graham Firefighters.Students wore full firefighter gear and rotated throughthree self-rescue situations; entanglement, wall breachand diminished clearance. The training was conducted in a house that needed to be removed from a Bethel SchoolDistrict owned property. Graham Fire & Rescue wasinvited to use the structure for personnel training, whichconcluded with a controlled structure burn. Firedepartments occasionally get the opportunity to burnstructures that are destined to be torn down. This type of training is invaluable to firefighters and providescontinued education in the various stages of a burn,simulating as if it were a real fire.

Puyallup School Districts and workedtirelessly to educate the public about fireprevention. We invite you to please joinus in thanking Myra for her 40 years ofdedicated service to our department, ourcommunity, and our kids. We wish her awell deserved retirement.

In 2019, we saw an increase in demand for service,therefore, we raised our daily minimum staffing levels to 20firefighters and paramedics in 2020. We now have adedicated 3 person engine company at station 91.

www.grahamfire.org (253) 847-8811

Chief Pat Dale

YOUR SAFETY IS OUR PRIORITY

CONGRATULATIONS MYRA MERDIAN-DRAKEGraham Fire & Rescue's firstfemale firefighter has retired after40 years of service. Myra started atGraham Fire & Rescue in 1979 andspent the past 20 years as ourPublic Education Officer. Myramade an impact on countless students in the Bethel and

CALL VOLUMES CONTINUE TO INCREASE ASOUR DISTRICT'S POPULATION GROWS

2019 CALL DATA:

7,323EMERGENCY PHONE CALLS

WE RECEIVED

5%INCREASE INCALL VOLUME

3%INCREASE INPOPULATION

WHEN COMPARED TO 2018:

Of the emergency calls received in 2019, roughy 80% werenon-fire related, including motor vehicle accidents,advanced life support & basic life support medical aid,special rescue, and service calls.

We serve a population ofroughly 67,000 people, andcover 70 square miles spanningfrom Spanaway to Graham andSouth Hill.

PulsePoint allows those who are trained in CPR and willing to assist in case of anemergency to be notified if someone nearby requires CPR. The app also allows usersto follow fire departments and view calls they are responding to.