Euclid firefighters keeping busy

Hello again citizens of Euclid! I hope spring has been a safe season for all of you. As of this writing, the Euclid Fire Department has surpassed 3,000 responses sooner than in any other year in the history of the department, and we’ve responded to more than 3,000 alarms. The last six weeks have been especially busy and dangerous, as firefighters have responded to several fires, and one life-threatening car accident 

During the early morning hours of April 14, Euclid firefighters responded to 27801 Euclid Avenue for a fire inside the seven-story Omni-Park Building. On arrival, firefighters found heavy fire coming from the windows on the second floor of the east side of the building. The fire was spreading up to the third floor from the outside. Due to the large amount of fire in a large building, we were fortunate to receive help from surrounding fire departments to help us extinguish the fire.  

The Euclid Fire Department participates in the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS). In the event of a large incident that overwhelms our resources, such as the Omni Park Building, we can use the MABAS to receive additional firefighters from surrounding cities. According to the state fire marshall, the cause of the fire has been determined to be electrical in nature. Fire damage has been calculated at $2.2 to $2.4 million. During the fire, at least five Euclid firefighters became entangled and nearly trapped as parts of the ceiling and heating ductwork collapsed as they were battling the fire from inside the building. Going inside to fight the fire actually prevents further damage to the building. No injuries were reported. Our training and perseverance paid off during this incident.

On April 25, Euclid firefighters were sent to Dille Road and Euclid Avenue for a car accident. On arrival, our personnel found a minivan had gone head-on into a pole. The driver, who was not wearing his seatbelt, was trapped inside with a fire in the engine compartment. Another passenger was pulled out of the vehicle by witnesses prior to our arrival. Both patients were cared for by paramedics and survived the crash. The fire was extinguished as crews used the Jaws of Life to free the trapped driver.

Two additional fires were reported during the daytime hours of May 2. At 1:30 p.m., firefighters responded to Harborcrest Apartments for an apartment fire. In that incident, firefighters found the living room of the apartment fully involved in fire. The actions of the firefighters kept the fire from extending to other apartments in the building.

Later that same day, firefighters responded to a house fire. On arrival, firefighters found a fire on the second floor in an upstairs bedroom. No injuries were reported in either fire. In both fires, carelessness with smoking materials was the cause of each.

In addition to these fires, Euclid firefighters responded to another apartment fire May 11 around midnight. On arrival, crews found heavy smoke showing from the upstairs bedroom of an attached rowhouse. The fire was quickly contained, but not before one fire lieutenant nearly fell through a weakened section of the second floor; the lieutenant was not injured. The cause of this fire is under investigation by our Fire Investigation Unit and the Euclid Police Department.

These fires can help remind you of the importance of maintaining your smoke detectors, inspecting your electrical connections and wiring on your appliances, and using candles and smoking materials carefully. Please do not be a statistic!

In addition to our emergency duties, we are currently completing our annual fire hydrant maintenance. This includes flushing the hydrants, making sure the hydrant opens and closes correctly, making sure the hydrant drains properly, and ensuring the caps can be easily removed if they’re needed. Any defects we encounter are referred to the Cleveland Water Department for repairs.

When we flush hydrants in your neighborhood, we post signs one day before flushing. Flushing takes place Tuesday through Friday; no flushing takes place on Saturday, Sunday or Monday. This maintenance should be completed by mid-June.

Lastly, we’ve recently taken steps to increase your safety and our safety. Unbeknownst to the public, accidents in emergency vehicles are the second leading killer of firefighters annually. The chances of an accident are three times as likely in an emergency vehicle when using emergency lights and sirens. We’ve adopted a modified response plan that’s designed to limit our use of emergency lights and sirens when responding to non-fire and non-life threatening emergencies. These are types of calls that have increased significantly in the last 10 years. This policy protects you, protects us, protects our vehicles, and it costs nothing!

When you see us responding with our emergency lights and sirens, please know that a potentially life-threatening emergency or fire is taking place somewhere. If you’re driving, please pull to the right.

I wish you all a safe and healthy summer. Please remember, if you need us, call us -- we’ll be there!