Fire Supression Statistics

Number of Fire Suppression Responses, 2010       1385
Number of Career Firefighters                                 48
Number of Stations                                                2
Area Covered for Fire Suppression                          10 Sq. Mi.
Population Served                                                  38,000

Emergency Medical Services

The Walla Walla Fire Department initiated ambulance transport services in 1969 and Advanced Life Support services in 1973 making it the second oldest ALS service in the state of Washington. Currently, nearly half of the department members are Paramedics with the remainder of the department members certified as EMTs. 

The Walla Walla Fire Department maintains five ALS ambulances at all times. Walla Walla Fire Department ambulances are staffed with a minimum of one Paramedic and one EMT. Three ALS ambulances are staffed for immediate response at all times.  These ambulances serve not only the city limits, but also Walla Walla county.   Ambulance equipment includes:

• 2 - Ford F-450 Ambulances
• 4 - Type III, 1 ton Horton Ambulances
• 1 - Type III, 1 ton Road Rescue Super Medic

Walla Walla Fire Department is a Washington State Verified ALS trauma service. Ambulances are equipped with the most advanced ALS pre-hospital equipment available, which includes:

• Twelve lead electrocardiogram pacing monitors.
• Pulse oximetry and capnography capability.
• Over 20 medications, including medications for pain control.
• Invasive airway equipment.

Emergency Medical Services Statistics

Fire Prevention

When the City of Walla Walla adopted the Uniform Fire Code as mandated by the State Building Code Act of 1975, it accepted the responsibility to establish a Fire Prevention Bureau to administer and enforce the fire code. The Fire Prevention Bureau is charged with the responsibility of conducting inspections at all commercial occupancies and all multiple family dwellings at least once each year. Special hazard occupancies are inspected up to four times a year. These include hospitals, nursing homes, schools, the Washington State Penitentiary, group living occupancies, and facilities that store or use hazardous materials.

The Bureau inspects and maintains records on 1,338 occupancies within the City. Of these, 111 are scheduled to be inspected twice a year, 33 three times per year and 15 occupancies four times per year. The remainder are inspected once, unless special circumstances require more frequent visits. All inspections are conducted by inspectors who are certified by the International Conference of Building Officials. The department’s public education specialist is certified as well, and performs fire inspections in addition to his other duties.

Other functions of the Bureau include planning review, inspection and approval of fire alarms, smoke, heat detection, and sprinkler systems. Flow tests of fire hydrants to determine the adequacy of water supplies in given areas are conducted by the Bureau as well. The Bureau works with the City’s Development Services Department to assure that new construction and developments meet the requirements of the Fire Code.

"To tool and empower the Walla Walla Fire Department members to better serve the citizens of the Walla Walla community as fire and EMS professionals"

Suppression training in the department's Fireflash Mobile Unit.

The Walla Walla Fire Department training division is primarily focused on ensuring that all department personnel are compliant with Washington State and WWFD training requirements.  Training highlights throughout the year include:

• Annual fire training symposium for area fire departments covers rope rescue, confined space, self and vehicle extrication, and live fire training
• Live fire training sessions utilizing our fixed facility, acquired structures, and our mobile burn trailer
• Bi-annual fire training academy runs in cooperation with Walla Walla Community College
• Monthly Technical Response Training sessions

Rope Rescue training on 185' tall wind towers.

Public Education 

Safety Always Matters (SAM)

Every fall, the Walla Walla Fire Department teams up with Walla Walla County Fire District #4, and College Place Fire Department to present the SAM program to Kindergarten through 5th grade students at local schools. 

The award winning SAM program consists of two 30 minute lessons which span a two day period with each grade level being taught a different aspect of fire and life safety.

In Kindergarten, students will be taught that matches and lighters are tools not toys, stop drop and roll, to get out and stay out, and crawl low under smoke and heat. The first grade classes will learn the difference between good decisions and bad decisions, good fires and bad fires,  proper fire escape techniques, and how to dial 911 and ask for help.  Second graders will be taught how to use home fire escape plans, why they are important, and the importance of smoke detectors.  Students in the third grade will focus on the reality of fire and how to recognize home and environmental safety hazards and what to do about them. Fourth grade classes will be taught the science of fire, why it burns, how it burns and what the significance is of each side of the fire triangle and how it can be affected. The local fifth grades will be taught a pro-active approach to fire and life safety, and disaster preparedness.

This is a list of the fire and life safety subjects taught in area schools during the SAM program.  The program reached a total of 3,614 students in area schools in 2004, with a total of 450 man hours dedicated to the program from fire department personnel.

Think Safe, Act Safe, Be Safe.