Portland, OR, Feb. 6, 2007 - A four-alarm fire destroyed the Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church, an 87-year-old structure built of heavy timber with a brick exterior. The church had a full basement and 70-foot-tall steeple and an attached one-story school/annex, dating to 1941, was built of balloon construction and also had a full basement. The buildings were equipped with unmonitored smoke detectors. The church was listed as a Portland Historic Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Portland Fire Department was dispatched to a reported "commercial building fire" at 106 NE Ivy St. at 11:50 P.M. Responding on the first alarm were Engines 13, 1, 14 and 3; Truck 3; and Heavy Rescue 1 with 24 firefighters under the command of Battalion Chiefs Scott Fisher and Duane Bray. Heavy Rescue 1, returning from a rescue call, was first on the scene. Captain Bob Zavodsky assumed command and reported an "approximately one-half-block-by-one-half-block-square brick church fully involved."
There were no life safety issues due to the time of the call. Knowing that this would be a defensive fire, Zavodsky began planning for aerial operations and exposure protection. A second alarm was requested by Zavodsky upon arrival at 11:54. This brought four engines, two trucks, one air unit, two fire investigators, Public Information Officer Lieutenant Allen Oswalt and the on-duty chief of operations, Deputy Chief Mark Schmidt, to the scene. A third alarm at 11:58 brought three engines, a truck and Battalion Chief 3 Chris Babcock to the scene. Aerial apparatus were positioned at each corner of the building and began master stream operations. Downed electrical lines hampered firefighters' use of handlines until power in the area was shut off. The fourth alarm was requested at 12:19 A.M. Three additional engines responded to assist with water supply and manpower. Zavodsky, in joint command with Schmidt, declared the fire under control at 1:30 A.M. More than 100 firefighters operated at the scene using 18 engines and four aerial apparatus.
A four-day on-site investigation was conducted by the Metro Arson Task Force made up of investigators from Portland Fire and Rescue, Portland Police, Oregon State Police and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). A crane and Track Hoe were used to knock down the walls to make the site safe for investigators and to remove debris. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Damage was estimated at $835,735, the tax-assessed value, but nowhere near the actual replacement cost, which will be in the millions of dollars.
--by Jay K. BradishNational Fire Academy Adds Online Training System
The U.S. Fire Administration's National Fire Academy has launched a web-based online training system called NFAOnline. It provides an easy, one-stop website where fire and emergency services personnel, first responders, emergency management personnel and the public will find free training and education programs that they can complete at their own pace.
"Now is the time for us to embrace the future and improve our education through distance learning," NFA Superintendent Dr. Denis Onieal said. "NFAOnline provides another option to help further the professionalism of the nation's fire and emergency services and strengthen their ability to combat all hazard emergencies."
NFAOnline provides a user-friendly training system with technical support and the ability for the student to immediately print a certificate and transcript. The primary effort of NFAOnline is to make available training and materials for the fire service, particularly those unable to attend resident courses in Emmitsburg, MD.
Eight courses are available on NFAOnline. Additional courses are in development. Course subjects include fire prevention, fire service supervision, incident management (ICS 100 and ICS 200), emergency response to terrorist incidents and emergency medical services. To enroll in NFAOnline, visit www.nfaonline.dhs.gov and select "New Students."
