^{Fire Chief Greg Benson comes to Port Arthur with a wealth of knowledge, particularly after spending his entire career in Fire, EMS, and Emergency Management in a wide range of experiences and places. Chief Benson notes that Port Arthur is a very active community, and seeks to find ways to interact and engage with the city as a whole. He wants to aim his vision toward impacting community health and safety. Please read the first installment below:}

Fire Watch Report from Chief Benson, PAFD

On August 17, 2021, at approximately 6:06 a.m., the Port Arthur Fire Department crews were dispatched to a reported structure fire in the area of Thomas Blvd. and Vicksburg Ave. Upon arriving on scene at approximately 6:10 a.m., the first arriving firefighters found heavy black smoke coming from the eaves of a single-family home. Initial crews were made aware that a person remained in the building. The ladder crew conducted search and rescue removing a male subject from the home. Initial patient care for burns was provided and the transport was completed by Acadian Ambulance. Port Arthur Fire crews extinguished the fire in the home and completed extensive overhaul.  Four Engines, one Ladder truck, Battalion Chief and an Arson Investigator from Port Arthur Fire Department responded to the incident.

The Port Arthur Fire Department urges you to consider the following safety tips, before fire strikes:

• Develop a home fire escape plan, practice it quarterly.  Ensure you know two ways out of each room.
• Ensure smoke detectors are installed, they are less than ten years old, perform monthly testing, and change the batteries annually.
• Mount smoke detectors on each level of your home, just outside sleeping areas, and in each bedroom.
• Consider following recommendations of the “Close Before You Doze” research conducted by Underwriters Laboratory. Additional information on the program can be found at https://closeyourdoor.org/#close-before-you-doze

Arson Hotline: (409) 983-8715

Email:    fireprevention@portarthurtx.gov 

_{www.portarthurtx.gov is a Trusted Site}