State Ecology Department Praises City for Quick Response to PSE Fire

The State of Washington Department of Ecology (DOE) has praised Redmond's fire and public works departments for their quick response to the .

The efforts taken by these two departments prevented a potentially serious release of oil and firefighting foam into local surface waters. Quick thinking and coordination between fire and public works safely contained the foam solution and more than 1000 gallons of mineral oil within a stormwater swale adjacent to the fire scene.

Upon determining that the fire would be suppressed with foam, the fire incident commander, Battalion Chief Ed Carolan, notified public works, which promptly sealed off the swale’s drainage outlet.

“We congratulate the city on taking these preventative measures in the stress of a time-critical situation with significant health and safety risks,” Jeannie Summerhays, DOE’s regional director, said in a prepared statement.

The swale drains directly into a creek that enters the Sammamish River only several dozen yards away from the fire location. The Sammamish is an important salmon river and its bank habitat is home to many species. Foam solution and oil are toxic to fish and wildlife.

“The environmental consequences of this fire could have been substantial,” Redmond Mayor John Marchione said in a prepared statement. “Due to our concern for the environment, we train our employees to coordinate emergency response and environmental protection during emergencies.”

—From a city news release