Injured Seattle firefighter’s award of $12.75 million upheld by court   
The state Court of Appeals has upheld a King County jury verdict that awarded $12.75 million to a former Seattle firefighter who was injured in an on-duty fall in 2003. Tuesday's ruling is the second time a court has upheld the October 2009 judgment by a Superior Court jury that found Mark Jones was left permanently disabled after falling through a fire-station pole hole.
Seattle Times

Innovative program trains firefighters as community medical technicians   
Beginning this month, Eastside Fire & Rescue is partnering with Public Health - Seattle & King County’s Emergency Medical Services on the Community Medical Technician (CMT) pilot program. The CMT program utilizes firefighter personnel to serve as a single-person response unit that can be dispatched to patients requesting assistance through the 911 system, but who may not necessarily need full emergency medical response.
tukwilareporter.com

The Kennewick Fire Department receives a grant for new equipment   
The Kennewick Fire Department receives a grant for new equipment. The Kennewick Fire Department is getting more than $150,000 in grant money for new gear. $120,000 comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and $30,000 from the city. The money will buy 5 new thermal imaging cameras.
KNDU-TV NBC 5 Kennewick

Lynnwood may join with Snohomish County Fire District 1   
The Lynnwood Fire Department and Snohomish County Fire District 1 may combine some services. Officials with both agencies say they haven’t discussed a merger yet, but they also haven’t ruled out the possibility. Fire departments and districts throughout the county have struggled to maintain service while revenues from property taxes have dropped.
The Weekly Herald

Worker rescued from 90-foot silo as Darigold plant in Lynden burns  
Firefighters using an aerial ladder truck rescued a Darigold worker who was trapped atop a 90-foot silo at the downtown Lynden milk plant as flames roared around him in a fire just after midnight Sunday, Feb. 19. Fire Chief Gary Baar of the Lynden Fire Department said the man, whose name was not released because of federal privacy regulations, was taken by ambulance to St. Joseph hospital in Bellingham, where he was treated for smoke inhalation and released.
Tacoma News Tribune

State investigates cause of BP refinery blaze near Blaine  
State safety inspectors are investigating the cause of a dramatic blaze at Washington's largest oil refinery Friday near Blaine, as BP launched its own review into why it happened. The fire broke out in the sole crude processing unit at the BP Cherry Point refinery in northwest Washington, sending plumes of black smoke visible for miles.
Tacoma News Tribune

Two-alarm fire damages Hazel Dell home  
Orange flames roared out of two upstairs windows of a Hazel Dell home Monday, likely destroying it, but firefighters saved the home next door and no one was reported injured. “We all got out as we called 911,” he said. The fire was reported around 5 p.m. and about 40 firefighters from Fire District 6 and Vancouver Fire Department rushed to the scene. The house is near Jason Lee Middle School.
Vancouver Columbian

Stevens Pass avalanche kills 3 veteran skiers  
Well-equipped and familiar with the terrain, about a dozen expert skiers were making their way through a foot-and-a half of fresh snow when an avalanche hit them in an out-of-bounds area near a popular Washington ski resort. Three men were killed Sunday when they were swept about a quarter-mile down a canyon, and a fourth skier caught up in the slide was saved by a safety device, authorities said.
cbsnews.com

Column: Accreditation important for SKFR  
Why is fire service accreditation important? In August 2000, South Kitsap Fire & Rescue became an accredited agency through the Commission for Fire Accreditation International (CFAI). This was a three-year process that involved a complete assessment of how we respond and do business as a fire agency. Since that initial accreditation, SKFR has successfully been re-accredited every five years, our last being in August 2010. Accreditation serves as a proven method of evaluation and is a valuable achievement for the organization and community.
portorchardindependent.com

Blaze destroys rural home near Castle Rock  
Firefighters say that a lack of water prevented them from saving a rural Castle Rock-area house that burned to the ground and left a family of five homeless early Monday morning. Homeowner Kevin Siebert said he discovered the fire after he "was awoken by an unusual noise" and called 911 around 2:30 Monday morning.
Longview Daily News