Bend Fire prepared for stormy summer skies

Lighting has hit the High Desert for the second day in a row, causing some to be on edge as fire danger continues to rise.

When these storms move overhead, Bend firefighters are ready and waiting to help. But they do ask that you be prepared as well.

“Stay out of the way of lightning,” said Dan Derlacki, Bend’s deputy fire marshal. “Get inside, and don’t hold anything metal — try and get away from that storm.”

Though these words of advice sound simple, the National Weather Service says on average 54, people die each year due to lightning strikes. Of all those who are struck, 10 percent die from their injuries.

Storms like the ones we saw in June of 2008 can bring hail and rain runoff capable of stopping cars in their tracks, in vulnerable areas like the flooded Franklin Avenue underpass. Bend fire officials say they are ready to handle a full list of calls, no matter when the storm hits.

“We are going to take the information we get on our dispatch and prioritize those and respond to those as quickly as possible,” said Derlacki. “If it’s just a lightning-struck tree, we will probably come by as soon as we can and check it. If it is on fire, we will be there as quickly as we can to put it out.”

Fire officials say preparing now is the best option to prevent damage and injury to you or your home. The Bend Fire Department heeds that some advice, too, by taking refresher courses in May to prepare for the wildfire season.

“We have brought on what we call a warm weather coverage crew,” said Derlacki. “We bring in an extra two firefighters on and put them on a wildland rig, and that’s all they do is going around, picking up some of those wildland calls.”

Fire officials say over the last few years, Bend has learned to be a fire-ready city. Neighborhoods have created defensible space around their homes and evacuation routes in case of a fire.

During these storms, if you do see something that does not require immediate action, call the Deschutes County non-emergency line at (541) 693-6911. For more serious or immediate emergencies, of course, dial 911.

As the warmth of the summer continues and more storms move our way, the bottom line is to be prepared and learn from past storms.