On Jan. 23, the NAVSTA Everett fire department responded to a fire in the Grifols Biomat USA Plasma Center located at the corner of California and Hoyt avenues in downtown Everett.

The station fire department was called after the blaze was designated a three alarm fire, meaning most of the fire departments in the area were called to handle the fire.

On duty that day were station firefighters Jerry Flatterich, Jim Hudson, Chris Rhude and Mike Gorena.

“This was probably the biggest fire we’ve dealt with in a few years, and we’ve been involved with some big ones,” said Flatterich, a 12-year firefighting veteran and former Navy damage controlman. “It doesn’t happen very often that we’re called on to assist the city.”

Everett, Marysville and even Monroe fire departments all helped to fight the fire that day. All told, there were almost 70 firefighters on scene, said Suppression Battalion Chief, Dave Neyens, of the City of Everett Fire Department.

“They [NAVSTA Everett Fire Department] assisted in different divisions during the day and integrated just as if they were part of us,” said Neyens, who was the battalion chief on duty at the fire that day. “They did everything we asked them to. We drill with that crew a fair amount and they’re always very energetic and anxious to help out.”

Some of the only times the base’s fire department gets to fight large fires is when it’s called on for assistance from the city. Other days, they watch the city’s trucks go by hoping they’ll receive the call asking them to join their brothers in arms save buildings and lives. 

“It’s always good when the city does call,” said Hudson. “It’s never fun to standby and not get called to help.”

This was one fire the station’s fire department didn’t have to standby and watch. Soon after the third alarm was sounded, NAVSTA Everett firefighters were on the scene and eager to lend a hand.

“We were listening to the scanner Sunday morning and heard a call go out for a commercial fire up on Hoyt Street,” said Flatterich. “Maybe a half hour later we were standing by at station one, our designated station during a second alarm assignment. About a half hour after that, we got called over to Hoyt Street to assist.”

During a fire, when the station’s fire department isn’t called on to help directly, they typically go to standby at a predetermined central point in the city and await further orders. If the fire overwhelms the firefighters already on scene or they need more manpower, then the station’s fire department can be called from standby, as was the case Jan. 23.

Once they arrived on scene, the station firefighters were assigned the task of punching holes in the building’s floor so hoses could be inserted in order to drown the fire in the basement. At one point, the smoke from the chainsaw they were using to cut through the floor became so thick it started to stall the machine.

The station’s fire department spent seven hours on scene assisting with the city’s firefighting efforts. However, for the modest firefighters of NAVSTA Everett, it was just another day at work, said Hudson.

“It’s just a 24 hour job,” said the former Navy aviation boatswain’s mate. “This is what we get paid to do, so we do it.”

“It was either this or stuntman,” added Flatterich, “and the wife wouldn’t let me do that, so here I am.”