P.O. Box 578, East Olympia, WA 98540 | 360.491.5533 | www.eofd.org
Behind the
Behind the
WINTER 2012
“Neighbors
Serving Neighbors ...”
EAST OLYMPIA FIRE DISTRICT #6
NON PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
East Olympia, WA
Permit #1
P.O. Box 578
East Olympia, WA 98540-0578
Station 61: 360-491-5533
Station 64: 360-754-0651
To: Postal Patron, Local
ECRWSS
Behind the Fireline
is published by East Olympia Fire District 6
and distributed by mail to the residents of District 6
Thurston County
Fire District #6
Fireghter’s Association
SANTA CLAUS
VISITS
WINTER 2020
Until December 2021
We wish you a very happy and safe holiday season!
Unfortunately, due to the current
COVID-19 Pandemic and keeping
everyone safe, Santa Claus and
his Elves will not be making
their scheduled rounds to the
neighborhoods this year. He will
resume his visits in December 2021.
The Fireghters’ Association will
be collecting non-perishable food
donations for their annual adopted
Christmas families, as well as the
Thurston County Food Bank.
Donations may be dropped at Station
61 (8047 Normandy Street SE) or
Station 64 (9530 Old Hwy 99 SE).
HOLIDAY
FOOD DRIVE
P.O. Box 578, East Olympia, WA 98540 | 360.491.5533 | www.eofd.org
Behind the
Behind the
WINTER 2012
“Neighbors
Serving Neighbors ...”
EAST OLYMPIA FIRE DISTRICT #6
IN THIS ISSUE
Thank You for Your
Continued Support!
O
ur sincere thanks and
appreciation, to all of you
we serve, for your support
and approval of our August ballot
measure. The measure restored
our re service property tax levy
back to $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed
valuation. This levy restoration was
very critical to our operations so
that we can maintain and improve
the quality and level of service we
provide from two staed and two
volunteer re stations. This funding
supports our day-to-day operations
and our ability to provide medical
aid, re suppression, vehicle accident
rescue, and re prevention services.
It also supports the ongoing training
of our responders to maintain and
enhance the skills needed to provide
these services. Again, thank you
for your continued support of your
re department. It is very much
appreciated.
– Board Chair Stan Moon
WINTER 2020
Message From Chief Nelson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Meet Kevin Denton .......................................................2
Meet Austin Orwig ........................................................2
2020 Annual Award Recipients ............................................3
Residential Outdoor Burning Allowed Oct. 1, 2020 – July 14, 2021 ..........3
Santa Claus Visits POSTPONED Until December 2021............. Back Page
Food Drive for Annual Adopted Christmas Families ............Back Page
What is Smart911? The 911 System
was implemented prior to the growth
of cell phones. Today, more than
70% of emergency calls the dispatch
center receives come from a mobile
phone. When you dial 911 from your
home phone landline, the emergency
dispatcher automatically receives
information like your address, phone
number, and the name the phone is
registered under. If you call from
your cell phone, the dispatcher
receives none of that information,
just a rough idea of your location.
Smart911 allows you to provide
emergency responders with critical
information about your family,
yourself, or even your pets. If you
have a family member with special
needs, that information can be
provided securely to the emergency
dispatch center. Smart911 in
Thurston County is now available for
registration of your information.
Smart911 also has a real time
notification system which can notify
you of emergency events that may
impact you. The system can alert
you about traffic, weather,
emergencies, and other events
that may affect you.
Page 2 BEHIND THE FIRELINE
|
WINTER 2020
Message from Chief Nelson
R
eady or not, fall is upon us! We hope you and your
family are doing well during these uncertain times
amongst the changes that are impacting us daily.
There has been a lot happening in your Fire District since
our spring newsletter. We continue to deal with changing
requirements in COVID-19 response and how we conduct
our daily business at the station. I am extremely proud
of our response team in their eorts in daily preparation
and response to meet these changing requirements. Your
response team is committed to training and service in
these very challenging times.
Usually you would see a yer showing the dates for our
upcoming Santa Visits, unfortunately, we will not be making
our scheduled routes and stops this year. In the interest of
everyone’s safety during the pandemic, we believe this is the
best approach this year and will resume in 2021. Our citizens
are always very supportive in donating non-perishable food
during our nightly trips through our neighborhoods. The
food donations support our adopted Christmas families
sponsored by our active Fireghters Association and the
Thurston County Food Bank. We are currently planning
to set up non-perishable food drop-o locations at our
Headquarters Station 61 located at 8047 Normandy Street SE
and at Station 64 located at 9530 Old Hwy 99 SE.
We have recently added much needed sta to our team.
Kevin Denton was hired in June of this year and serves as
Battalion Chief, Training and Health and Safety Ocer. Kevin
is a great addition to our team and has a passion for training.
Austin Orwig has been with East Olympia Fire District 6 for
three and one-half years and was hired in April of this year
as full-time reghter. Prior to being hired full-time, Austin
served as resident volunteer reghter and then part-time
reghter.
Currently, we are testing to establish a list of eligible
applicants to hire a fourth reghter and a potential fth
reghter in 2021.
In addition, Volunteer EMT Sara Benson accepted the position
of Emergency Medical Resource Coordinator. Sara works
for private ambulance, has a strong EMS skill presence, and
shares her knowledge and experience with our new EMT’s.
As mentioned in our spring newsletter, we continue to
meet with South East Thurston Fire Authority to further
enhance our partnership through training and sharing
Meet Kevin Denton
This past summer East Olympia Fire District
6 hired new Battalion Chief, Training/Health
& Safety, Kevin Denton. Kevin started his
reghting career in 1997 as a volunteer
re ghter with the City of Port Angeles Fire
Department. In 1999 he was hired full-time
with the department where he spent the next
20 years. During his time with Port Angeles
Fire Department, he worked closely with the
training department, eventually being given the
responsibility of coordinating the regional volunteer recruit academy for 6 years.
In 2018, Kevin was given the opportunity to take a position with Olympic Medical
Center as their Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. While with OMC, he
helped re-write the hospitals External Triage plans and provide training to the
organization. Additionally, Kevin helped lead the hospital’s response during the
early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Outside of work, Kevin and his wife, Jennifer, have three sons and enjoy
spending time outdoors skiing and snowboarding in the winters, and spending
time at Lake Crescent during the summer. Kevin and his family look forward
to settling into the community and having the opportunity to get to know its
citizens once life get back to normal.
Meet
Austin
Orwig
My name is
Austin Orwig
and I have been
a member of
East Olympia
Fire District
6 for three
and one-half years. I began my re service
training in 2016 at Bates Technical College Fire
Science program, graduating at the top of my
class in winter of 2018. Since graduating, I
have come to enjoy serving the East Olympia
community, and working with the ne men
and women of the East Olympia Fire District
6 family. I am also a newlywed. My hobbies
include running on the Chehalis Western Trail,
spending time with family, and working on
home projects in my o time.
BEHIND THE FIRELINE
|
WINTER 2020 Page 3
volunteers among other important
services. With the addition of our
training ocer, we have been able
to collectively enhance our pre-
academy skills training to better
prepare our recruits for county recruit
academies. Pictured are both EOFD
and SETFA recruits training on their
SCBA donning skills. The county recruit
class starts in August and ends in the
second week in December. Thank you
recruit class 2020-2, for your time and
eort to serve your community.
We also want to express a thank you
to our very supportive citizens. Once
again, you have entrusted us to be
good stewards of your tax dollars by
approving our recent levy restoration.
With the passing of the levy, the district
will continue to be positioned nancially
for the next six years. Thank you!
Your sta is currently working on
several projects, including the 2021
budget, modernization of our station
alerting system, enhancing our
training grounds, and we recently
completed our ve-year Washington
Survey and Rating site visit.
Finally, thank you for taking the time
to read our newsletter, we hope it
provides you a snapshot of just a
few of the projects we all have been
working on since our last newsletter.
We wish you and your family a very
Happy Holiday season!
Join
our
Team
Residential Outdoor
Burning Allowed
Oct. 1, 2020 - July 14, 2021
With cooler weather and some rain,
the summer burn ban has been
lifted and residents that live outside
the urban growth boundaries are
now allowed to burn natural yard
vegetation.
Every year the re department
responds to dozens of outdoor burning
complaints or investigations. To
minimize our need to respond to a
legal burn, please remember the
following key points:
Obtain a permit – available on-
line at www.orcaa.org
Only burn natural vegetation.
DO NOT BURN TRASH OR
CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
Only burn one pile at a time.
You must be 50 feet from any
structures, fences, or trees.
Keep the pile small – no larger
than 10’ x 10’.
Your re must be attended.
Watch where your smoke goes –
don’t smoke out your neighbors.
If you see smoke in the area,
remember outdoor burning is
currently allowed so before you call
911, take a quick look to see if the
smoke is from an allowed burn.
2020
Annual Award Recipients
T
his years’ annual awards
ceremony, like so many other
events, had to be cancelled
due to COVID precautions. But
administrative sta felt it was
still important to recognize our
membership for all their hard work
during these dicult times. So, with
all distancing precautions taken,
and courtesy of Zoom, we were able
to acknowledge our sta for their
dedication, and thank Chief Peterson
for his service to the District.
Nathan Saline, FF/EMT
Rookie of the Year
Kaylee Towers, FF/EMT
EMS Responder of the Year
Taylor Rock, FF/EMT
Fireghter of the Year
Spencer Pierce, FF/EMT
Leadership Award
Mark Nelson, Fire Chief
40 Years of Service
Lt. Marc Mueller, 30 Years of Service
