Change your clocks...... Change your Batteries

It is that time of year again, when we adjust our clocks for Daylight Savings Time. That means you should change the batteries in all of your smoke detectors. Smoke detectors are a very important means of preventing home fire fatalities by providing an early warning signal so you and your family can escape. You can prevent tragedies simply by testing and maintaining your smoke alarms and practicing a fire escape plan. 
 

National Motorcycle Safety Month

*  Motorcycles are vehicles with the same rights & privileges as any other motor vehicle on the road.

*  Helmets save lives - an estimated 1,784 motorcyclists lives were saved because they were wearing helmets in 2007.

*  Be conspicuous - wear bright colored protective gear, use turn signals, use lane position to be seen.

* Check your mirrors and blind spot before merging or changing lanes, especially in heavy traffic.  Motorcycles can be hidden behind a car or truck.

Kick-Off The Summer Safely

With the summer comes longer days, warmer temperatures and a variety of outdoor activities. Here are some tips for making it a good, safe summer:

*  Remember sunscreen
*  Be aware of the signs of heat stress/exhaustion
*  Use caution in or around swimming pools
*  Watchout for bugs
*  Wear safety glasses & hearing protection when mowing the lawn
*  Don't drink and drive 

FIREWORKS SAFETY

• The best way to enjoy fireworks is to visit public fireworks displays put on by professionals who know how to safely handle fireworks.

• If you plan to use fireworks, make sure they are legal in your area.

• Never light fireworks indoors or near dry grass.

• Always have a bucket of water and/or a fire extinguisher nearby. Know how to operate the fire extinguisher properly.

• Do not wear loose clothing while using fireworks.

• Stand several feet away from lit fireworks. If a devise does not go off, do not stand over it to investigate it. Put it out with water and dispose of it.

• Always read the directions and warning labels on fireworks. If a devise is not marked with the contents, direction and a warning label, do not light it.

• Supervise children around fireworks at all times.

AUGUST 2009

SEVERE WEATHER CAUTIONS

Lightning:  "When thunder roars, go indoors". To date, at least 29 people have been killed by lightning this year alone and hundreds of others have been severely injured

Tornadoes:  With wind speeds from 70-250 mph, tornadoes can cause very devastating damage. Each year an average of 62 people are killed and over 1,500 injured by tornadoes. Tornadoes have been known to grow larger than 1 mile in diameter.

Flash Floods:  Flash floods are the #1 cause of death related to thunderstorms at over 140 per year. Although misleading, flash floods usually have very fast currents and can cause vehicles to float with water depths of less than 2 feet.

For More Information:
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/severeweather/resources/ttl7-09.pdf

OCTOBER 2009

Don’t Get Burned

• Keep hot foods and liquids away from tables and counter edges so they cannot be pulled or knocked over.

• Have a 3-foot “kid-free” zone around the stove.

• Never hold a child in your arms while preparing hot food or drinking a hot beverage.

• Teach children that hot things hurt.

• Be careful when using things that get hot such as curling irons, oven, irons, lamps, heaters.

• When using heating pads only use for 15-20 minutes at a time and don’t lie, sit or place anything on the pad.

For more information, please visit:
www.firepreventionweek.org

DECEMBER 2009

Holiday decorating

• Be careful with holiday decorations. Choose decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant.

• Keep lit candles away from decorations and other things that can burn.

• Use lights that have the label of an independent testing laboratory. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both.

• Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Connect no more than three strands of mini light sets and a maximum of 50 bulbs for screw-in bulbs.

• Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so the cords do not get damaged.

• Keep decorations away from windows and doors.

Holiday entertaining

• Test your smoke alarms and tell guests about your home fire escape plan.

• Keep children and pets away from lit candles.

• Keep matches and lighters up high in a locked cabinet.

• Stay in the kitchen when cooking on the stovetop.

• Ask smokers to smoke outside. Remind smokers to keep their smoking materials with them so young children do not touch them.

• Provide large, deep ashtrays for smokers. Wet cigarette butts with water before discarding.

JANUARY 2010

Carbon monoxide (CO) is known as “the silent killer.” You cannot see it, smell it or taste it. CO claims the lives of nearly 300 people in their homes each year according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. CO is a deadly gas that is produced by fuel-burning heating equipment, such as furnaces, wood stoves, fireplaces, and kerosene heaters. 

Symptoms of CO can include: shortness of breath, nausea, headaches, dizziness, and light-headedness and can lead to death at high levels of exposure.

Install a CO detector on each level of your home. If you think you may have CO in your home, quickly evacuate the residence and call 9-1-1. If you can, close doors & windows on your way out to assist us in determining if there is CO present, but don't let that hinder your evacuation.