Northshore Fire Department to conduct live fire drill at senior residential community

From the Northshore Fire Department

Northshore Fire serves Kenmore and Lake Forest Park

The 75 residents at the Sequoia Senior Apartments in Kenmore, a four story residential building with 57 units, will experience firsthand what it would be like if there were a real fire in their building and the fire department responded.

The Northshore Fire Department will conduct an evacuation drill at the Sequoia Senior Apartments, 7111 NE 181st in Kenmore on Tuesday, May 4 at 10:00 a.m. The building’s fire alarm system will be activated and seniors who are able to evacuate on their own will assemble at their pre-determined staging area. As multiple Northshore Fire Department apparatus converge on the scene, including a ladder truck from Shoreline Fire Department, the Incident Commander will prioritize tasks. The first will be for firefighters to evacuate those seniors needing assistance leaving the building. Fire hose will be pulled off the engine and stretched throughout the building.

“The benefits of training at actual buildings in our community cannot be understated. In this case, the fire fighters experience real application of hose deployments, dealing with multi-story buildings, evacuating and sheltering actual residents, and overall management of the simulated incident,” stated Mark Musch, Northshore Fire Department Training Director. “We are as excited as the residents to have the opportunity to mix their evacuation drill with our training and to evaluate our methods and procedures for dealing with an incident in this residential building. The cooperative nature of this event will enhance fire fighter competence and give the residents a sense of being part of their community’s preparedness.”

The Sequoia has an active Safety Team with floor monitors on each floor in each wing. Even before Northshore Fire approached the Sequoia about having a drill at their facility, the Safety Team had trained for this event. Each floor monitor has a list of every occupant in their wing, including those who may need assistance evacuating. Once everyone who is able to evacuate on their own arrives outside, the floor monitors perform a head count and communicate that information to the Incident Commander. 

“I am impressed with the enthusiasm and dedication of the Sequoia’s Safety Team,” says Terri Jones, Community Educator for the Northshore Fire Department. “Four of the senior residents also completed NFD’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training, a comprehensive all-hazard preparedness program.”

Planning and preparation are critical to ensuring occupant safety. Working cooperatively with local businesses and residents helps the fire department to provide a valuable service and to adhere to our mission statement: “We are dedicated to protecting the health, life and property of the community with professionalism, respect and integrity.”