Slocum Fire Admin

Our monthly meeting to discuss the general business of our company. New members looking to apply or the public looking for information should visit us during these meetings.

Our monthly meeting to discuss the general business of our company. New members looking to apply or the public looking for information should visit us during these meetings.

Our monthly meeting to discuss the general business of our company. New members looking to apply or the public looking for information should visit us during these meetings.

Our monthly meeting to discuss the general business of our company. New members looking to apply or the public looking for information should visit us during these meetings.

Our monthly meeting to discuss the general business of our company. New members looking to apply or the public looking for information should visit us during these meetings.

Slocum Fire Monthly Meeting

Slocum Fire Monthly Meeting

Prevention According to NFPA, 96% of all brush fires are started with a man made source and 74% are easily prevented. Be sure that smoking materials are disposed of properly in fire-resistant containers. Provide metal containers for cigarette disposal to prevent them from being tossed on the ground. If you have a campfire or bonfire, be sure it is completely out. Avoid outside fires on dry or windy days. When using equipment or mowing lawns, minimize sparks and avoid such activities when the fire risk is high. Leave fireworks to the professionals. Keep matches and lighters away from children. Avoid steel bullets outside as they can spark when they hit rocks or other hard objects. Reduce the risk from sparks by being sure nothing is dragging from your vehicle. Protecting Your Home Year after year, well prepared homes simply have brush fires burn around them while poorly prepared homes go up in flames. With a few modifications your home can be better prepared for a fiery situation. Please be aware, even the best prepared plans go bad at times, always evacuate your home if a brush fire is approaching. Clean roofs and gutters of dead leaves, debris and pine needles that could catch embers. Replace or repair any loose or missing shingles or roof tiles to prevent ember penetration. Cover exterior attic vents and under-eave and soffit vents with metal wire mesh no larger than 1/8 inch to prevent sparks from entering the home. Remove anything stored underneath decks or porches. Keep plants that burn fast and hot away from the structure. Get rid of dead branches, leaves, brush and tree limbs that hang over your home. Use gravel or some other non-combustible material next to the building instead of an organic mulch. Most people have a long list of things to do around home and yard and not enough time to do them in. Landscaping to reduce the threat of fire can pay off in additional ways. Some of these techniques also increase the security of your home. In their information on crime prevention through environmental design, the Seattle Police Department recommends a maximum height of three feet for hedges and a minimum height of eight feet for tree canopies, particularly in areas close to doors and windows. This approach provides fewer hiding places. Higher tree canopies make it less likely that a fire that starts on the ground will reach the branches. Keeping tree branches, vegetation, and mulch away from siding or roof can not only limit fire spread, it can help keep carpenter ants out of the home. More Information Most of the information we used to create this article is a summary of the following sources: Firewise's Have A Firewise Home: Firewise provides a very nice checklist to help you make sure you have your home protected and is also a great site for other fire related safety tips. http://www.firewise.org/~/media/Firewise/Files/Pdfs/Booklets and Brochures/HaveAFirewiseHome.pdf NFPA BRUSH, GRASS, AND FOREST FIRES Report: http://www.nfpa.org/~/media/C4BFD30DCD6344E397650B189686F96E.ashx

Pennsylvania’s Yellow Dot Program was created to assist citizens in the “golden hour” of emergency care following a traffic accident when they may not be able to communicate their needs themselves. Placing a yellow dot in your vehicle’s rear window alerts first responders to check your glove compartment for vital information to ensure you receive the medical attention you need. The program is a cooperative effort among the Pennsylvania Departments of Transportation, Health and Aging; the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and First Responders and local law enforcement. How does it work? Participants complete a personal information form, which includes the participant’s name, contact information, emergency contact information, medical history and medications, allergies and the participant's doctors’ names. A photo – showing only the participant’s head and shoulders – is then taped to the front of the completed information sheet. The yellow dot decal provided in the program kit is placed in the lower left corner of the participant’s vehicle’s rear windshield. The decal should be no higher than 3 inches from the bottom of the windshield. This decal alerts first responders that vital information can be found in the vehicle. Place the completed information sheet, with the attached picture, into the Yellow Dot folder, and then place the folder into the vehicle’s glove box. Request a Packet: http://www.yellowdot.pa.gov/Internet/YellowDot.nsf/infoParticipate?OpenForm More information: http://www.yellowdot.pa.gov/

Helping Disabled People Practice Fire Safety There about 3,500 fatalities in the US each year from fires, and about 18,000 fire-related injuries. Mentally or physically disabled people face special risks in addition to the risks all of us face, where fire is concerned. Staying safe from fire presents disabled people and their caretakers with serious challenges. Responding quickly… Fires can develop and spread very quickly. It’s essential to think and move quickly to avoid injury or death. Physical disabilities restrict one’s ability to escape a fire. Lower functioning people often find it difficult to change established patterns of behavior and react to a new danger. For physically and mentally challenged individuals, the most important aspect of fire safety is training on how to get out of their homes as quickly as possible. Care takers need to help disabled people create and practice escape plans Smoke Alarms: Every home needs smoke alarms, but the homes of disabled people may need different types of alarms. People with hearing disabilities need alarms that have a visible signal like a strobe light. For people with blindness, there are alarms that produce an unmistakable sound. It’s an excellent idea to select detectors that activate a strobe light on the outside of the home. Encourage neighbors to call 911 if the strobe light is flashing. The living space: To the extent possible, disabled people should have apartments near the building’s exit or on the ground floor of detached homes. Locations like these make escaping a fire simpler and safer. Escape routes must remain free of clutter and must be large enough to accommodate walkers or wheelchairs. Safe, sturdy wheelchair ramps are a must. Support networks: Like the elderly, many disabled people are isolated from others, raising their chances of injury or death in the case of fire. Care givers can lessen this risk by helping people connect to friends, church groups, neighbors and families to make it more likely that someone will interact with the disabled person occasionally. Family members or care givers should make sure the fire department and rescue squad people understand the nature of the person’s challenges and his or her location. Phone numbers for first responders should be easy to find and easy to see. Reference: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/citizens/disability/