Bellevue is the fifth largest city in Washington and one of its fastest growing, with a fire department that has grown to meet the expanding needs of our community. We respond to approximately 20,000 incidents each year, 75% of them medical in nature.
The department maintains one of the highest cardiac arrest survival rates in world. One of a select few firefighting agencies with a Class 2 rating from the Washington State Survey and Rating Bureau, Bellevue Fire ranks in the top 1% of the 46,699 departments in the U.S., and is one of the top three in the state.
Permitted Burns and Outdoor Fires
Warm summer evenings are on the horizon. With them typically come outdoor gatherings centered around the age-old practice of watching flames flickering and playing musical chairs as you dodge smoke that shifts on the wind. But before you promise the kiddos an evening of s’mores, take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with some of the nuances of burn bans and outdoor fires.
First, it should be noted that in the City of Bellevue, opening burning, as well as the burning of yard debris, construction materials or trash is never allowed.
Second, it goes without saying that if a burn ban is in effect, the rules change. The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency regulates burning in the urban areas of King County. Visit their website or call 1-800-595-4341 to check for burn bans or learn more about outdoor burning restrictions.
If a burn ban is not in place, recreational fires, which are small outdoors fires made for pleasure, warmth, cooking or ceremonial/religious purposes are allowed. Fires in permanent firepits must be three feet or less in diameter, two feet or less in height and at a minimum, 25’ from any structure or combustible material, including decks and fences. Chimeneas and portable firepits/fireplace must be 15’ from any structure or combustible materials and used to manufacturer instructions.
All outdoor fires must constantly be attended and supervised by a person knowledgeable in the use of extinguishing tools like shovels, garden hoses, or a fire extinguisher with a minimum 4-A rating.
From time to time, you may get a visit from your friendly neighborhood fire station. If your outdoor fire is deemed hazardous, the firefighters will have you extinguish it. Additionally, complaints regarding smoke or other air quality concerns can be directed online to Puget Sound Clean Air Agency or by calling 1-800-552-3565.
PulsePoint Life Saving App
You know CPR. You've been trained how to use an AED. But will you ever be in a position to save a life? We'd say the chances have recently increased. On June 1, 2022, the King County Fire Chiefs Association, in coordination with the Medic One Foundation launched PulsePoint, a life saving mobile app that notifies users when someone nearby is in cardiac arrest and needs immediate help. Similar to emergency alerts that are pushed out to cell-phones, registered PulsePoint users will be alerted anytime there is a cardiac arrest emergency in their immediate vicinity, allowing hands-only CPR to be started minutes earlier.
More information about Pulse Point and PulsePoint AED can be found at the Medic One Foundation.