Fire Prevention
The fire prevention division coordinates the public relations activities and public fire education programs, evaluates and interprets fire prevention and building code questions, conducts fire prevention code enforcement inspections, and fire scene investigations for the department.
Burning Issues - October 2002
by
Deputy Chief John Borgmann, Washington Fire Department
September was an average month for our department. We responded to 52 alarms,
of which 8 were fires, 9 Rescue & EMS calls, 12 hazardous conditions, 9
service calls, 6 good intent calls, and 8 false alarms. We also had 72
personnel log 237 hours of training during the month.
October has all the ingredients to be a very busy month. Our Fire Prevention
Poster Contest will end October 1st, with the winners receiving their
awards, Sunday, October 6th at Wal-mart at 12:30.Wal-mart is again
sponsoring our poster contest and is providing the gift certificates to the
winners. The winning posters will be on display at the library during the
month of October, and then will be entered into the State Fire Fighters
Association of Missouri's contest in April.
Fire Prevention week began October 6th and runs through the 13th.This year's
theme is "Team Up for Fire Safety". Most fires occur in our homes; the
majority of them being prevented by following these simple safety tips:
-Do not leave food cooking unattended on the stove. Most kitchen fires start
because someone forgot about the cooking food, or fell asleep while heating
food on the stove.
-Keep combustibles like towels, and potholders away from cooking surfaces.
-Keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from combustible materials like
drapes, bed spreads, and clothes.
-Keep candles away from combustibles, and children. Never leave candles
unattended.
-Store matches and lighters in a secure place out of the reach of children.
-Make sure electrical cords are in good shape. Do not overload the amp
ratings of
extension cords.
-If smokers are in the home, do not discard ash trays for at least one day
after being used.
-Do not put fire place ashes in a plastic bucket or paper bag. Store in a
metal container outside for at least one week before discarding in the trash. Each winter
season we respond to a garage or deck fire started by discarded fire place ashes.
-Keep flammable liquids away from ignitions sources, and use only outside.
-Store flammable liquids in approved containers, preferably in a well
ventilated outside storage area. Fire Prevention Week is also a good time to practice your fire drill at
home. Make sure you have an escape plan to use if you have a fire, and
practice it with your family. Make sure there are two ways out of every
room. Have your family meet at a safe place outside. Also, make sure your
address is clearly visible from the street, especially at night, or visible
on both sides of your mailbox if you live out of town.
On October 26th we move our clocks back one hour. This is a good time to
change the batteries in your smoke detectors. With that in mind, we will be
offering free smoke detector batteries at Wal-mart on October 26th from
10:00 until 2:00.This is a free program offered by Eveready Battery. Just
bring us your old batteries and we will give you new ones. Also, if your
detectors are more than 10 years old, we recommend you replace them.
On October 26th the Washington Volunteer Fire Department will be celebrating
its 150th Anniversary. We will have a banquet and dance at the Elks Lodge at
5th Street & Grand Avenue. The event is open to the public, with advanced
tickets available at Fire Headquarters, 200 E. 14th Street for $45 per
person until October 17th.No tickets will be available at the door. Cocktails
start at 6:30, with the banquet starting at 7:00, followed by the dance. The
evening will be a formal event, with numerous historical presentations, and
events taking place. Because all members of our department will be attending
the banquet, we will have other area fire departments providing coverage for
the area. If you have any questions about the banquet, you may call Fire
Headquarters at 390-1020.
As always, if you have any fire safety questions, please feel free to
contact me at our Headquarters Station at 390-1020, or e-mail at
jaborgmann@hotmail.com.
