An Oregon congresswoman is proposing a new grant program to support the mental health needs of firefighters and emergency medical services staff.

U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas, a Tigard Democrat representing Oregon’s Willamette Valley-based 6th Congressional District, is seeking to establish a grant program that would fund $7.5 million a year in nationwide suicide prevention programs, peer support and counseling for first responders and firefighters.

The bill is similar to a 2017 law directing the U.S. Department of Justice to fund mental health and treatment programs across the U.S for law enforcement, except Salinas proposes the first responder program be administered through the Office of Emergency Medical Services, a branch under the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Studies show that first responders experience negative mental health outcomes at a higher rate compared to the general population, including higher rates of suicidal ideation and attempts than the general population. Additionally, stigmas behind mental health keep many firefighters and responders from seeking mental health support.

“Just as we ask our first responders to be there for us, we, as Congress, must be there for them,” Salinas said at a press conference at a Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue station near Lake Oswego Monday morning.

The proposal comes as Oregon faces a record-breaking wildfire season, and as state officials explore the impacts between wildfire and mental health. Last year, the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service announced a new program aimed at addressing the mental health of wildland firefighters, providing up to 16 free therapy sessions a year regardless of whether they are in permanent or temporary positions.

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VIDEO/PHOTOS: Drone video captured the flames on top of the North Union Apartments in Midvale — the fire displaced hundreds of people. Firefighters responded to the fire that broke out on Friday, July 31.

Unified Fire Authority officials said crews responded to the building just before 8 a.m. Upon arrival, flames and smoke were visible from outside the building, with pieces on fire falling from the roof. Drone video from Unified Fire Authority shows a bird’s-eye view of the flames.

The building was evacuated safely, and displaced residents were directed to find shelter at a school nearby. Officials said there were 220 occupied units in the building.

KUTV-TV CBS 2 Salt Lake City

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The Yakima Fire Department (YFD) is investigating and working to extinguish a “significant” fire on the Yakima Greenway, according to a social media post from the department. The fire is considered suspicious in nature, YFD said.

The Greenway is closed from the entrance on North 6th Avenue to the entrance on North 16th Avenue for fire crews to work. The blaze was first reported at around 12:14 a.m. on Tuesday. YFD Public Information Officer Jeremiah Stilley told NonStop Local that three separate fires are burning around 4 acres.

“We urge anyone with information to come forward and contact the Yakima Police Department (YPD) to help with the investigation,” YFD said. “Your help is crucial in determining the cause of this fire and keeping our community safe.” No injuries have been reported in connection to the fires.

KNDO-TV NBC 23 Yakima

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Firefighters are gaining ground on a wildfire burning near one of Mount Rainier’s most popular destinations, the Sunrise Visitor Center. The Grand Park 2 Fire has burned 167 acres and was 57% contained as of Monday, with 229 personnel assigned to the incident, according to fire officials. The fire started Aug. 7 about 3 miles north of the visitor center. The cause remains under investigation.

Larissa Bogardus, a public information officer with the Northwest 13 Incident Management Team, said the biggest challenge now is keeping the fire out of steep drainages nearby. “The big issue we’re up against now is keeping the fire out of the Huckleberry Creek drainage and the West Fork of the White River drainage,” Bogardus said. “Those are super steep slopes in there.”

KIRO-TV CBS 7 Seattle

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After a hiker fell down an embankment while on Mount Adams last week, a search and rescue team got some help from the U.S. Army to help the hiker off the mountain, Yakima County Sheriff’s Office deputies said.

According to the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, in the early morning of August 11 deputies got a phone call from a hiker who had gotten lost on Mount Adams and needed help. Deputies said the hiker had been in the Southwest Chutes on the south side of the mountain when he fell down a 200-foot embankment. The hiker had gotten trapped on the embankment, having lost most of his gear during the fall.

YCSO officials said two search and rescue personnel teamed up, and a U.S. Army helicopter picked them up from the sheriff’s office. The team flew to the hiker, picked him up from the mountain, then flew him back to the sheriff’s office in Yakima. The hiker was safely reunited with family at the office.

Apple Valley News Now

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