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Thurston County Fire Protection District 8

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SOUTH BAY FIRE DEPARTMENT

Thurston County Fire District 8
Status During COVID-19

With the ongoing spread of the COVID-19 virus in our community and in accordance with prudent risk management, we have cancelled all community facility usage in all our buildings. We have also temporarily closed our front-office effective March 17 until further notice.

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• We will continue to respond to emergencies.

• Please call 9-1-1 if you have a life-threatening emergency.

• All CPR classes have been cancelled through April 30th.

• Only on-duty personnel will be allowed in the Fire Station.

• There will be no community facility usage at our Fire Department locations.

• If you need a blood pressure check, please use the phone outside the lobby door. A responder will meet you to take your blood pressure.

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As this pandemic is a constantly evolving situation, we will continue to adjust and respond quickly as needed.  Please keep watching our website for any updates.
 

For more information about the 2019 Novel Coronavirus situation, please visit the Washington State Department of Health COVID-19 page.

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​Thurston County is in Phase 2 of the Safe Start plan for Re-Opening

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COVID-19 Data for Thurston County

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This page contains links to programs and services that may be helpful

for Washingtonians who are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic

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WA Department of Health COVID Tracker

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Learn more about the Coronavirus from Washington State’s official COVID-19 website

The Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) is a local government agency charged with regulatory and enforcement authority for air quality issues in Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Mason, Pacific, and Thurston counties.

ORCAA is one of seven such regional air pollution control agencies in Washington state.

News Update: ORCAA Burn-related news Update

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DNR asks for help in keeping Firefighters Home This Holiday Weekend
May 20, 2020 03:31 pm

(News Release provided by Washington DNR)

Faced with what projects to be a significant wildfire season compounded by the added challenges and risks COVID-19 presents for first responders, Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz, who leads the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), is asking her fellow Washington residents to play a conscientious part in fire prevention this Memorial Day weekend and beyond.

“When spending time outdoors this holiday weekend, be aware of your surroundings and avoid activities that could be potential fire hazards as temperatures get warmer,” Franz said. “With coronavirus and the inherent danger of wildland firefighting, our first responders are being placed at increased exposure risk every time they go out on a call, making our role in wildfire prevention even more important this year.

“We’ve done such a great job staying home and staying safe during this pandemic. Let’s continue that good work by keeping our firefighters safe at home as well.”

This year, DNR has already responded to 276 fires, and with a 10-year average of 103 at this point in the year, Washington is experiencing a serious uptick in wildfires across the state – especially those caused by humans. In fact, 146 of the wildfires this year have been caused by debris burn piles getting away from home-owners. Another 24 were caused by campfires.

“Everyone needs to be careful – we all play a role in protecting our public lands,” Franz added. “Let’s have fun, but let’s stay safe and be mindful of the risks facing our firefighters every time they respond to a wildfire.”
For additional information, visit

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Beware of Fake Burn Permit Site​

May 19, 2020

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There is no such thing as a National Burn Permit! But a nation-wide scam offers just that – national burn permits – for sale.

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The fraudulent website asks folks to provide a host of personal information and then requires a $19 fee to complete the “burn permit” process.

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The fraudulent site is hosted outside the United States and was first reported by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The Georgia DNR turned the investigation of the fraudulent site over to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI). According to the GBI, the site claims to be able to issue permits for any specific state as well as national permits. The GBA reports that the group behind this fraudulent site is the same group that created a fake national fishing/hunting license site a few years ago.

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For residents of ORCAA’s six counties, it is important to remember that the only valid outdoor burning permits – residential, land clearing, silvicultural, or agricultural – are issued by ORCAA, local fire districts, or the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Exactly which of those agencies issues the permit depends on the type of fire being permitted and the geographic location of the fire.

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Anyone with questions about residential, agricultural, or land-clearing burn permits should contact ORCAA, www.orcaa.org. Questions concerning silvicultural burns should be addressed to Washington DNR, https://www.dnr.wa.gov/OutdoorBurning

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Washington’s Air Quality and Covid-19

April 15, 2020

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Washington state’s fast, pro-active response to the coronavirus pandemic has been recognized as a vital model to follow by other states. The stay-at-home orders and social distancing protocols are well known by now, but Washington is also leading in protecting public health by preserving good air quality. The Olympic Region Clean Air Agency’s March 23 call to voluntarily restrict outdoor burning (see details here) has been taken up state-wide by ORCAA’s fellow regional air quality agencies, as well as the state Department of Ecology and the Department of Health (DOH).

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Here’s what happening state-wide in regards to Air Quality Protocols under Covid-19 protective measures.

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Washington’s Coronavirus Information Website

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The official Washington Coronavirus website notes that the Department of Ecology is strongly discouraging outdoor burning at this time. Open burning creates the risk of an escaped fire and puts pressure on emergency personnel. As Washington continues to experience the community-wide spread of COVID-19, there is a need to minimize any additional pressure on our emergency personnel both in terms of emergency response and unnecessary potential contact with people who may have COVID-19. Smoke from even a small fire can aggravate respiratory conditions and negatively impact people who are already suffering from the effects of COVID-19.

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Washington Department of Ecology (ECY) page states:

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During the COVID-19 crisis, local fire departments and first responders are doing everything they can to protect their own health so that they are ready to protect others. Many people in Washington communities are also extremely concerned about their respiratory health. So before starting an outdoor burn of any type, please consider the potential impacts on your neighbors and on local emergency responders, and postpone or cancel your burn if possible.

For information on alternatives to burning, visit ecology.wa.gov/burningalternatives.

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To report an illegal burn or unhealthy smoke, call 1-866-211-6284 or visit ecology.wa.gov/reportburning.

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Thurston County

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No Burn Bans in Effect

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Current Burn Ban Status by County

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Burn Ban Information

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Thurston County Burn Permit

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Outdoor Burning Information & Permits

V O L U N T E E R

VOLUNTEER OVERVIEW

beNEFITS

REQUIREMENTS

TRAINING

 Puget Sound Energy

​Are you prepared if the power goes out? A message from Puget Sound Energy…

We’re acting now to prevent storm-related outages, which is why we spend our summers strengthening our electric system. We’ve been trimming away trees and installing electric cables specifically designed to resist outages caused by branches. We are dedicated to the communities and businesses we serve, to keep you safe and informed through the storm season. Here are some tools and tips we encourage you to utilize.

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Ways to report and track outages:

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• pse.com/outagemap

• MyPSE app

​Call PSE at 1-888-225-5773 or 911 to report electrical or natural gas safety hazards.

Never touch or go within 30 feet of downed power lines because they might be energized.

If you smell natural gas, leave the area immediately and call PSE at 1-888-225-5773 or 911.

Never use a natural gas range or charcoal as an indoor heating or cooking source.

If you’re using portable heaters, keep them away from furniture, draperies and other flammable materials.

Always use flashlights instead of candles.

Never run a generator inside the home or business. For more information see our website: PSE.COM

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