Lake Stevens Fire FACTs
“Touching Lives Today ~ Planning for Tomorrow”
Volume 10
Issue 22
June 10, 2016
From the Desk of Chief O’Brien…
Quick FACTs
Health & Safety
Fair
On Monday, May 2, 2016 Deputy Chief/Fire Marshal Mike Messer began his tenure
with Lake Stevens Fire. His addition to our team rounds out the restructure of our
fire prevention services into the Lake Stevens Fire Community Risk Reduction
Division (CRRD). A hearty thank you to all of you for your patience and support as
we have evolved through this transition. I also want to thank Fire Marshal Mike
Fitzgerald and Monroe Fire for their support.
Saturday, June 11th
County Market Parking Lot
10am—2pm
Community Risk Reduction (CRR) is identifying the greatest risks in a community
and proactively developing projects and programs in a strategic manner to reduce
the chance of negative events from happening. CRR includes fire marshal activities
like plan review, code education and enforcement, fire investigation, fire prevention
programs, fall and injury prevention, public education programs, school programs,
and any project, program, or action that reduces harm.
Thursday, June 16th
HQ Board Room
5:30pm
A strong focus on Community Risk Reduction is critical for us to provide the best
service to our citizens. Being proactive can reduce or even eliminate risks before bad
things happen. As I have gotten to know Chief Messer, I believe he is going to be a
great asset to working with Assistant Fire Marshal Petersen and the rest of our team
to support and develop robust CRR programs.
It is important to acknowledge the great work that Assistant Fire Marshal/
Community Risk Reduction Officer Dave Peterson has done since he started his new
job back in October. AFM Petersen stepped up and made sure our Risk Watch
Partnership with Lake Stevens School District and LSPD continued as successful as
ever. AFM Peterson has done an excellent job as a liaison with the fire investigators
that have helped us through the fires on Vernon Road, Machias, and others. I have
especially appreciated his “can do,” positive attitude as he has represented Lake
Stevens Fire in many incidents and events in the LSF area.
It is my belief that the LSF Community Risk Reduction Division bolsters our mission
of serving people, saving life, and protecting property because it improves efforts
directed toward creating a safer community and fosters a safer work environment
for our responders.
I hope to see you at the Health and Safety Fair on Saturday, June 11 from 10:00 a.m.
to 2:00 p.m. at the County Market parking lot. The Health and Safety Fair is
presented each year through a collaborative partnership with Lake Stevens Fire, the
Lake Stevens Police Department, and our generous sponsors. An assortment of
activities and information will be offered at the Health and Safety Fair that support a
healthy community. Special thanks to our sponsors, County Market, LSPD and Lake
Stevens Fire Director of Communications Laana Larson for her efforts coordinating
this great event each year! (Thank you Laana!)
Take care and stay safe,
Kevin
www.lsfire.org
Commissioner
Meeting
Labor
Management
Meeting
Tuesday, June 21st
HQ Board Room
9:30am
Member
Recognition
Ceremony
Tuesday, June 21st
Fire Station 82
5:30pm
Battalion Chief
Meeting
Tuesday, June 28th
HQ Board Room
9:30am
LSPD Police Chief
Final Candidates
Reception
Tuesday, June 28th
Conference Center
4pm—8pm Open House
Volume 10 Issue 22
Page 2
By Deputy Chief / Fire Marshal Mike Messer
Hello Lake Stevens! My name is Mike Messer and I am proud to be serving as your Deputy
Chief / Fire Marshal for Lake Stevens Fire. I cannot begin to express how excited I am to
be here! Let me tell you all a little about myself and my family. We are from Clayton,
North Carolina which is a full 2,900 miles away on the right coast. I was born and raised
in Raleigh, NC and lived there through my mid-twenties. I met my wife Gloria and her
daughter Shannon in 2006. After a few years, a lot of begging and Shannon’s approval
Gloria said “YES!” and we were married in 2008. From there, we moved to Clayton where
we bought a home and began our family. My middle daughter, Holly, was born in 2010
and my little man Henry, was born in 2012.
Currently, Shannon is completing her freshman year at Meredith College in Raleigh, NC
where she is majoring in Computer Science and Engineering. Holly is finishing her
kindergarten year at Powhatan Elementary School (Go Lions!) and Henry is finishing his
first year of preschool at Christ Community Church. The plan is for my family to leave for
Lake Stevens on June 11th after school gets out for the summer. One of our favorite things to do is travel. Gloria and the
kids will pull two long days driving to Sioux Falls, SD. From there they plan to enjoy the beauty of the western parks to
include the Badlands National Park, Mount Rushmore, and Glacier National Park. With any luck they will pull into Lake
Stevens around the 16th or 17th of June.
We are excited to move our family to Lake Stevens. When looking at the area I could not believe the natural beauty our
city has to offer. I have enjoyed watching the sunrise over the Cascades and set over the Olympics and can hardly wait to
share that with my family when they arrive. We love the outdoors and look forward to enjoying the parks, trails and
camp sites over the summer. The most attracting appeal for us was of course the people! I cannot thank the community
members, City of Lake Stevens and Lake Stevens Fire enough for the warm welcome I have received. This is an amazing
place to be and an exciting time to be here. My family and I look forward to becoming a part of the Lake Stevens
community. Hope to see y’all soon!
By Deputy Chief Larry Huff
Lake Stevens Fire just recently placed an order with
Braun Northwest to build a new Advanced Life
Support (ALS) ambulance to replace our current 2003
ambulance which has over 220,000 miles. This new
ALS ambulance will be built to the specification as
determined by the apparatus committee. We would
like to thank Ron Rasmussen, Brandon Mauer, Dave
Rayner and Jack Sharpe for their work on this committee. The awarded bid price is $175.459.00 (sales tax
not included). All capital purchases of this amount go
through a competitive bidding process as outlined in
RCW 52.14.110-52.14.120 and are awarded based on
compliance with the specifications and the proposal
amount. Delivery of this new ambulance is anticipated
to take place in March of 2017.
The new ALS ambulance is a 2016 Braun NW Inc.
North Star Ambulance on a 2016 GMC G4500 Chassis.
Volume 10 Issue 22
Page 3
By Battalion Chief Ray Kosiba
Training partnerships and opportunities can take on many forms. Since January 2015 Lake Stevens Fire has participated
in numerous training partnerships. There are many advantages to shared training such as controlling cost, sharing
training facilities and instructors, exposure to new training opportunities, and building relationships with neighboring
fire districts and other professional agencies.
Several examples of our training partnerships include the following:
 Lake Stevens Fire has worked with the City of Lake Stevens Maintenance Department to train Maintenance personnel on blood borne pathogens.
 The City Maintenance Department and Superior Concrete assisted us with logistical support for our live fire training
in March 2016.
 Lake Stevens Fire provided Station 83’s training facility to the Snohomish Search and Rescue Canine Unit for their
beginner and intermediate dog training. This was a great opportunity for the Canine Unit to work with members of
the Snohomish County Technical Rescue Team (SCTRT).
 Lake Stevens Fire, Getchell Fire District 22, Arlington Heights District 21, Snohomish Fire District 7, Monroe Fire
District 3, and Goldbar Fire District 26 worked together to provide wildland firefighting training to all our members
for the 2016 season.
 Lake Stevens Fire provided training support for the Snohomish County Training Officers annual Spring Tactical
Training at the WA State Fire Academy.
 The King County Officer Development Pump Academy had a Lake Stevens Fire instructor for the past two years
assisting with the weeklong training.
 Getchell Fire District 22, Arlington Heights Fire District 21, and Lake Stevens Fire joined forces to provide Vent
Enter Search (VES) training to our district personnel.
 Lake Stevens Fire partnered with Snohomish Fire District 4 to provide the training site for the Brothers in Battle
Forcible entry training.
 For the second year we have actively participated with Snohomish Fire District 4, Snohomish Fire District 7, and
Monroe Fire District 3 to provide multi-company training most weeks of the year. For 2016 the training has been
focused on the Blue Card Communication Model.
 Lake Stevens Fire is part of the Snohomish County Technical Rescue Team (SCTRT) which consists of 9 Snohomish
Fire Agencies. SCTRT has partnered with Snohomish Search and Rescue, Sno Hawk 10 Helicopter, Everett
Mountaineers, Getchell Fire District 22, and Robe Valley Fire for Regional All-Hazards Disaster Preparedness
training at the Ice Caves.
Lake Stevens Fire continues to look for partnerships and works hard to maintain existing partnerships to provide the
best training possible for all our members.
Technical Rescue Technician Brian Kees giving
hand signal instruction to a vac truck operator
during our annual trench training with multiple
fire districts.
Snohomish County Search & Rescue training at
Fire Station 83. LSF Rescue Technicians assisted
with hoisting the dog up the tower and into a practice window search.
Volume 10 Issue 22
Page 4
By Assistant Fire Marshal David Petersen
In 2006-2010, there were 16,950 home structure fires per year reported to U.S. fire departments where clothes dryers or
washing machines were the equipment involved in ignition, with associated annual losses of 34 civilian deaths, 430
civilian injuries, and $209 million in direct property damage. Dryers alone accounted for 92% of these fires and 87% of
the reported deaths. The leading factor contributing to ignition was failure to clean.
According to the National Fire Protection Agency, the leading cause of dryer fires is the lack of regular maintenance.
Clothes dryers account for the largest share of appliance
fires.
The most common sources of ignition in dryer fires are lint
and household dust. They collect within the dryer cavity
close to the dryer’s heating element, which can reach
temperatures of 550F°. Forensic testing shows that
cotton and wool clothing will ignite at temperatures
of 250 F°. Therefore, a dryer fire is virtually imminent if lint from these clothing materials comes in
contact with the dryer heating element.
A controlled test conducted by Intertek Testing
Services, showed that small lint fires regularly occur
within the dryer cavity and may extinguish as the lint
burns off. If there is a substantial amount of lint
within the dryer cavity a larger fire can occur and
spread throughout the dryer and surrounding area.
A buildup of lint inside the dryer cavity and foreign
matter in the duct such as birds’ nests and other debris can restrict the flow of dryer air. This can cause your dryer to not
dry properly and efficiently, which increases the chance of overheating, mechanical failure and ultimately fire.
Consider the following precautions to help keep your family safe:
1. Ensure the outside vent cap operates properly and the louvers or flaps open freely.
2. Clean dryer lint trap before every use and never operate the dryer without a lint trap.
3. Make sure the dryer duct is properly installed and is free of kinks. Vinyl ducting should never be used.
4. Clean your duct with a dryer duct cleaning brush a minimum of four times a year to ensure maximum air flow.
5. Replace your duct every 2-3 years to ensure your dryer runs efficiently and safely.
6. Use a clothes dryer lint brush and vacuum attachment to remove excess lint from within the dryer cavity.
Volume 10 Issue 22
Page 5
Thank you to the following agencies/organizations for your support in hosting a booth!
American Cancer Society—Prevention & Treatment
American Family Insurance—Be Safe & Be Seen
American Legion Post 181—Family & Firearms Safety
American Red Cross—Disaster Preparedness
Avon—Protect Yourself from the Sun’s UV Rays & Bugs
Boy Scouts of America—Raffle Booth
Camp Fire Snohomish—Where Health Food Comes From
Edward Jones—ID Theft Protection
Embrace Hope Counseling
Essential Oils—Nontoxic Aromatherapy
Frontier Village Vet—Pet Safety Tips While Gardening
John L. Scott—Falls Prevention in the Home
Kaliki’s Hawaiian Shave Ice
LS Boys & Girls Club—Stay Hydrated!
LS Chamber of Commerce—Think Local
LS Family Center—Community Resources Available
LS High School Pool—Water Safety
LS Library—Internet Safety
LS Senior Center—Slips, Trips, and Falls
Marketplace Chiropractic Wellness Center
NW Security & Sound—Keep Your Home Safe
Pet Pros—Pet Safety During Warm Weather
Reaction Physical Therapy—Prevention & Rehabilitation
Republic Services—Waste & Recycling
Rite Aid—Staying Current on Vaccinations
Sears Optical—Eye Care & Regular Check ups
Senior Services of Snohomish County
Smiles by Steedman—Prevention Is Key
Smith Brothers Farms
SnoPac 911—Smart 911 & New Non-Emergency Number
Stringer Chiropractic—Injury Prevention & Posture Habits
Sunnyside Preschool & Elevate Music Together
TCBY—Nutrition
Team Fitness—Fitness Tips & Well-balanced Nutrition
By Brandie Reece, Office Assistant I
We’re trying to get ahold of you, but we can’t! We don’t ever want that to happen to you or your family, that’s why it’s so
important to notify our HR department ASAP every time you have any change to your demographic or beneficiary information.
Just a simple phone number change can delay us in reaching you for important information or emergency situations. We
also make sure to update your employee file and protect you by notifying the 18 programs we work with on your behalf,
so that you don’t have the frustration of a delay or mistake for anything relating to your benefits.
Please use the Personnel Change Request Form located on our local SharePoint site, and submit this form to Headquarters HR department by walk-in, mail, or by email to breece@lsfire.org. Doing this helps protect you and your family!
By Rosie Richmond, Office Assistant II
Controls and processes should generate adequate documentation to demonstrate achievements of
objectives. This is not only important for audit, oversight and public record purposes, but also to enable effective monitoring of controls over financial reporting and management.
In meeting this objective, the government should have controls that accomplish the following key functions:




Identification of Financial Events
Properly Applying Accounting Standards
Correctly Accounting for All Financial Events
Preparation of the Annual Report
Reference: WA State Auditors
Volume 10 Issue 22
Page 6
By Battalion Chief Bruce Huston
Are you itching to get the yard into shape for the summer?
Here are some ways to help ensure your spring spruce-up is disaster-free.
 Always wear protective clothing when you handle pesticides and fertilizers.
More than 60,000 people are treated in emergency rooms each year for lawn-mower injuries:
 Rake before you mow to prevent any stones and loose debris from launching into the air.
 Never operate a mower in your bare feet and avoid wearing loose clothing.
 Never start a mower indoors.
 When refueling your mower, make sure the engine is off and cool. Don't spill gasoline on a hot engine and
DON'T SMOKE while pouring gasoline.
 Never leave your mower unattended.
 Don't use electrical mowers on wet grass.
At least 55,000 people each year sustain injuries from trimmers, lawn edgers, pruners and power saws:
 Read the manufacturer's instructions carefully before using the tools.
 Inspect the product for damage and don't use it if there are problems.
 Use proper eye protection.
 Make sure blade guards are in place on all cutting equipment.
 Don't let tools get wet unless they are labeled "immersible”.
 Unplug all tools when not in use.
 Make sure the tool is in the "off" position before you plug it in.
 Store gasoline-powered equipment away from anything that uses a pilot light.
 Make sure you use the right saw for the task, and always wait for the saw blade to stop before pulling away from a cut
to avoid kickback.
 When pruning trees, be careful not to let metal ladders or trimmers contact overhead wires.
 Before you do any “hands on” weed removal, be sure you know how to identify poison ivy, sumac, oak and similar
toxic plants. Find out ahead of time how to treat the rashes they cause to reduce the irritation.
Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting
for the Trestle Station
1pm Friday, June 17th
Free Car Washes & Ice Cream ALL day!!
Guns ‘n Hoses
Softball Challenge
Thursday, August 18th
Game Time 6pm
LSHS Ball Field
Volume 10 Issue 22
Page 7
By Sonya Dudder, Billing Manager/Payroll Officer
The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition (ICD-10) is a clinical cataloging
system that went into effect for the U.S. Healthcare Industry on October 1, 2015, after a
series of lengthy delays. Accounting for modern advances in clinical treatment and medical
devices, ICD-10 codes offer many more classification options compared to those found in
predecessor ICD-9.
Within the healthcare industry, providers, coders, IT professionals, insurance carriers,
government agencies and others use ICD codes to properly note diseases on health records,
track epidemiological trends, and assist in medical reimbursement decisions.
The World Health Organization (WHO) owns, develops and publishes ICD codes, and
national governments and other regulating bodies adopt the system.
In the U.S., ICD-10 is split into two systems: ICD-10-CM (Clinical Modification) for diagnostic coding and ICD-10-PCS
(Procedure Coding System) for inpatient hospital procedure coding. These U.S.-specific adaptions conform to WHO's
ICD-10 layout while allowing for additional details found in U.S. healthcare. The U.S. took a similar approach with ICD-9
-CM and ICD-9-PCS.
The ICD-10 code list greatly expands classification options.
For example, ICD-10-CM has 68,000 codes compared to 13,000 in ICD-9-CM, according to the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS).
The ICD-10 conversion in the U.S. was delayed by lobbying, politics and general opposition to the increased amount of
codes in the newer set. Here is a brief history of those delays:

January 16, 2009 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a final rule establishing
ICD-10 as the new national coding standard, with an adoption date of October 1, 2013.

August 24, 2012 -- HHS announced a delay in ICD-10 adoption from October 1, 2013, until October 1, 2014, to allow
healthcare systems more time to prepare for the transition.

March 2013 -- At the 2013 HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) meeting, a CMS
administrator said ICD-10 would not be delayed past October 1, 2014.

April 1, 2014 -- President Obama signed a Medicare reimbursement bill from Congress that included a delay in ICD10 implementation from October 1, 2014, until October 1, 2015.
The U.S. used ICD-9 from 1979 to 2015. In those 35 plus years, supporters of ICD-10 said its predecessor has become
obsolete, didn't account for modern healthcare practices, and lacked ICD-10's specificity for clinical diagnoses and
medical device coding.
For example, if a patient broke a wrist, ICD-9 did not specify whether it was the left or right wrist, while ICD-10 offers
either option. ICD-10 also presents additional details on when a patient is seen by a caregiver and how an injury or
disease is progressing or healing. ICD-9's codes are based on three to five letters and numbers, while ICD-10's are based
on three to seven letters and numbers.
Ironically, ICD-10 itself is 25 years old, having first been adopted by WHO in 1990. Some countries began using ICD-10
codes in 1994. Meanwhile, the upcoming ICD-11 is under development now, and WHO will release the update in 2017.
Reference: http://searchhealthit.techtarget.com/definition/ICD-10
Volume 10 Issue 22
Page 8
Congratulations to Firefighter/EMT Robertson and Paramedic/Firefighter Johnston!!
Thank you to Firefighter Blue and B Shift
for their presence at Relay for Life this
year! Supporting a great cause in LS!
You Are Invited…
Member Recognition Ceremony
Tuesday, June 21st
Fire Station 82
9811 Chapel Hill Road, Lake Stevens
5:30pm
Serving the Lake Stevens Community
 FREE Health Screenings
 Summer & Water Safety
 Fire Safety House
 Child ID Card Info & LSPD Boat
 Drop Off Expired Meds
 Fitness & Injury Prevention
 Disaster Preparedness
 Pet Safety in the Heat
 First Aid & CPR
 Recycling Tips
 Identity Theft Prevention
 Oral Hygiene & Eye Care
 Community Resources
 Bouncy House & Games
 FREE Raffles
 And More!
Accepting toothbrushes
and toilet paper for the
LS Family Center!