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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007 - Couplings 1 Premier Issue-Spring Newsletter 257 oll iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliilillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliilillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliilillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliilillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliilillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliilillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliilillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliilillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliilillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliilillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliilillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliilillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliilillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillilI CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiillillillillillillilliillillillillillilliillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillillillillillillillillilliillillillillillillilliillillillilI Wdbame ""to 1111bhe lfi �rsllt issue of "Cou i rigs" Let's get things love to see our started by citizens during the �; introducing this good times. We�� � publication to you. �/ is welcome those who ���� � rt � visit our fire stations The idea of the with their school newsletter has beengroups, activity around for a little groups or those who while. We wanted a come to see us at our way to get our Open House events. messages of fire 1� ° And we also enjoy and life safety out toseeing you on our our residents, and �` trips out of the fire by speaking to station, where we ���� � may be presenting at businesses and a mall or safety fair. social groups got us each year, the majority of which in contact with some of our are calls for medical aid. We hope you enjoy this inaugural residents, this publication issue of our newsletter. Any should hit every Livonia resident We respond out of five fire stations additional information that you may and business. We are thrilled to located throughout the city. Our want, or comments about this be involved in this exciting new headquarters fire station is located newsletter, may be directed to near City Hall on Farmington Nancy at our fire headquarters by frontier. Helping us along the way Road, just south of Five Mile calling (734) 466-2444, or email at are the great folks at State Farm Road. Our newest fire station is nmitts@lfdmail.com. Insurance, who gave us grant located on Seven Mile Road at money to reach out into the Wayne, and our other fire stations community with safety messages. are on Plymouth Road, just west of Newburgh, and we have two fire From the Chief-2 Did You Know-2 Livonia Fire & Rescue is made up stations located on Middlebelt c� of 80 members, who are cross- Road (one just south of Seven Let's Go Surfing-3 trained in firefighting and Mile Road, and one just north of How to Call for Help-4 J* emergency medical care. Almost Plymouth Road). Fire Safety Check List-5 all of our members are Paramedic Firefighters in Action-6 certified. We respond to about Seeing you on an emergency ICE usage-7 8,500 calls for emergency help basis is part of the job, but we also Fireworks-8 Hello, and welcome to our 12 Top Safety Tips newest endeavor, How to make your "Couplings" house a safe home: 1. Fit smoke alarms on each level in your By- ChiefShadd Whitehead home. Keep them free from dust and test I am proud to be the Fire Chief of Livonia Fire them once a month. Consider buying a & Rescue, and look forward to serving you 10-year alarm; otherwise change the with the assistance of our highly trained batteries in your alarm every year. 1111 Make a fire action plan so that everyone firefighter/paramedics on duty 24/7. Please 2. in your home knows how to escape if feel free to use and share the information there is a fire. contained in these pages to educate 3. Keep the exits from your home clear so yourselves and your loved ones. When you that people can escape if there is a fire. are finished, please pass it along to others you Make sure that everyone in your home know could benefit from the articles. If you can easily find keys for doors and windows. have any requests for information, or wish to 4. Take extra care in the kitchen -accidents provide feedback on this newsletter, please while cooking account for over half of fires feel free to call us at 734-466-2444. in homes. Never leave young children alone in the kitchen. s 5. Take extra care when cooking with hot oil.� Consider buying a deep-fat fryer which is controlled by a thermostat (if you don't already have one). 6. Never leave lit candles in rooms that j nobody is in or in rooms where children are on their own. Make sure candles are in secure holders on a surface that does not burn and are away from any materials that could burn. 9 7. Make sure cigarettes are out completely and disposed of carefully. Never smoke in Fire is Dark! bed. FIRE ISN'T BRIGHT, IT'S PITCH BLACK. 8. Get into the habit of closing doors at night. Fire starts bright, but quickly produces black smoke and If you want to keep a child's bedroomdoor open, close the doors to the lounge complete darkness. If you wake up to a fire you may be blinded, and kitchen, it may well help save their disoriented, and unable to find your way around the home life if there is a fire. you've lived in for years. 9. Don't overload electrical sockets. Eighty-two percent of all fire deaths occur Remember one plug for one socket. 10. Keep matches and lighters where children in the home. cannot see or reach them. ■ Eighty-two percent of all fire deaths occur in the home. 11. Take special care when you are tired or ■ Having a working smoke alarm reduces one's chances of when you've been drinking. dying in a fire by nearly one half. 12. Don't leave the TV or other electrical ■ Nearly one-third of the residential fires and two-fifths of appliances on standby as this could residential fire fatalities occur in homes with no smoke cause a fire.Always switch it off and alarms. unplug when not in use. y ' FO R SIREN LIGHTMOVE TO THE � TNT 2 DEM' S SURFINGIN By Tom Kiurski Sure, I could mean the at www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/safety actual "grab a surfboard and firesafety book.shtml. There are many ^ go in the water" type of surfing, pages there to print out and color. but I don't mean that. I mean the less physical activity of going onto Parents and kids will have a good time at I your home computer and visiting the Indianapolis Firefighters awesome some sites that will entertain and website at www.survivealive.org. This is a educate the adults and children in your great website with a virtual tour that's quite home. Fire Safety can be a fun subject about impressive. The "Survive Alive" house is a which to learn, and this article is going to house of hazards that also points out the give you a few fun places to visit. safest actions to take during an emergency. If you have ever wanted to see what is inside Let's start off with websites for the the compartments of a fire truck, visit younger ones in the household.A great www.victoriatx.org/fire/virtualfiretruck.htm website to visit is the official home of Sparky where you can find out by clicking on the ow the Fire Dog. The site can be accessed by compartments.A picture of the inside of the I"CCCI going to www.nfpa.org/sparky/.At this site, compartment will appear. You can close the thme do there are plenty of games and activities to door by clicking on the picture again. keep children busy. Under the "Hot Diggity OC have Dalmatians" game, you can "Dalmatianize" Parents who want to reinforce fire safety "to get many different characters and see how they can educate themselves at ° IIII� OC would look with spots. www.usfa.fema.gov/safety/. This website is f C II run by the United States Fire Administration, Not as much To give equal time to our Guardian of the and has a number of links to fire and life as you think. Forest, Smokey Bear has an official address safety information. The site has the largest Real fires are of www.smokeybear.com that will lead you to and most comprehensive list of safety many of his games. The link to "The Story of information you will find anywhere. hot, smokey, Smokey" is a true and interesting story. and dark. You For those surfing fans out there, I hope I may have A number of safety tips, and colorful have provided you with a "wave" of good only a very characters, can be accessed by scrolling places to visit. The information is important, few minutes down the page at www.kfst.net/. Kids can but it is put in such fun and creative ways, play some more safety games at you may not be aware you are learning. If to safely www.playsafebesafe.com, and meet some you haven't noticed, I have given you a list of escape from fun characters along the way. ten great places to see, so "hang ten" out fire. If you're there! ever in a fire, If those sites aren't enough, www.nfpa.orci/riskwatch/kids.html is a good don't spend place to go. The folks at the National Fire / time getting Protection Association (who also operate the 1 dressed or Sparky website) are committed to fire and #IVYr trying to life safety, so you can't go wrong with a visit gather valu- there. ables. Just get The Federal government gives safety tips to out and stay fire departments and families. The family fun out. Then call starts at www.fema.gov/kids/gamesl.htm, When purchasing an existing home, have a the fire and the number of games and activities is qualified technician evaluate the integrity of department truly fantastic. the heating and cooking systems as well as the sealed spaces between the garage and from a Kids who feel they want to download and house. The presence of a carbon monoxide neighbor's color some fire safety pictures should visit alarm in your home can save your life in the telephone. the New York City Fire Department website event of CO buildup. 3 ;,„ IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ' � ronr5'wou IIIIIIII on H IIHOW TO CALL FOR HELP ��M U YOU ��Vl ��iiil HOW TO MAKE A 9-1-1 CALL ■ Call from a safe place: Get away from sources of Livonia firefighters and old that some digits are danger(fire, gas, etc.). Call from a neighbor's house paramedics waste no time missing, covered or partly or a pay phone. answering an alarm. covered by plantings, Everything they do is written out in fancy script, ■ Stay calm: Speak clearly and slowly, to make sure calculated and rehearsed attached to a garage door you get the help you need. to save every possible (therefore, only visible if second. the door is closed), or not 0 Answer all questions: Give any information that adequately lit at night—all the emergency dispatch asks for. If you have a The trouble is, they can't these are threats to life in cellular phone, be certain to give your exact location always find your home in case the fire truck or and call-back number. a hurry. ambulance is trying to help someone at that 0 Listen for instructions: Do exactly as the Why? Because the house address. dispatcher says. numbers can't be seen!!.... or ....can't be read You're REALLYin trouble 0 Stay on the line: Do not hang up until you are told instantly from the street. if you have no house to do so. numbers at all! Take a look at your house TEACH YOUR CHILDREN HOW TO number from the street AT Firefighters, ambulance, NIGHT to see if it is and police personnel are CALL 9-1-1 FOR HELP completely visible and ready to help you 365 readable and whether the days a year, 24 hours a MAKE SURE THEY: lighting is adequate for day, but you have to take someone to read who is a little time yourself to 0 Never make prank calls: Tell children that making not familiar with it. display your house fake emergency calls puts people's lives at risk. It is number clearly, so they also against the law. House numbers that are can find where you are. too small, . painted over, so ■ Understand when to call: Explain which kinds of Gas I�'f VIII ° IIIDIY VIII VIII situations are emergencies and which are not. IIIIY" IIIIY VIII ■ How to dial 9-1-1: Don't program 9-1-1 on a speed- Y VIII dialing device. Instead have children memorize the • ALWAYS Fuel mowers and equipment outside. number. Then, have them practice dialing it with a • Move mowers and equipment away from fueling areas disconnected phone. before starting the engine. • Allow the engine to cool down before refueling. Take a ■ Know their full name, address and phone refreshment break yourself. number: Being able to give this information quickly • Don't add fuel near an open flame. Never smoke while can make all the difference in an emergency. adding fuel. • Keep small children away from fueling or using gas- ■ Follow all instructions: Teach children to stay on powered equipment. the line until they are told to hang up. • Store gasoline in a tightly closed UL approved container out of reach of children. SPEC/AL NOTE. • Wear sturdy footwear when operating Parents/guardians/caregivers should be aware that some mowers and other gas powered communities do not have 9-1-1 emergency service. We equipment ("flip flops" and sandal therefore recommend that before you begin training, should not be used for fear of / confirm the emergency number with your local emergency flying debris). service provider. • Don't store gasoline in your home, even in a safety container. 4 FIRE SAFETY CHECKLIST III�i I°iS lr C Alli A lh°°°iazwr 4 "` �� �/ Matches & lighters are tools for adults, not toys for children Never go back into a burning buildingp % Check your smoke alarm regularly u If you clothes catch fire Stop, Drop and Roll „ Have a family meeting place outside your home PT Get low in smoke Put cool water on a burn l�iave Know two ways out of a burning building �/ Have a home fire escape plan Illi liiii ° Can you afford t Y p emergency p �/ Know our fire department emer enc hone number. o spend a p few minutes each month to Yds No IPq test the smoke alarms in ❑ ❑ ❑ 1. Is there at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home? your home? Can you afford ❑ ❑ ❑ ?. Do you and your family know what your smoke alarm or building not to? Going without the fire alarm sounds like? protection of a working ❑ ❑ ❑ 3. Are your smoke alarms tested regularly? smoke alarm is a risk too ❑ ❑ ❑ 4. Is there a fire extinguisher in your home and do you and your dangerous to take. In a fire, family know how to use it? you'll need every second to ❑ ❑ ❑ 5. Does your family have a fire escape plan posted that shows all get out safely, and the early the exits from your home or apartment? warning from a smoke ❑ ❑ ❑ 6 Have you and your family had a fire drill at home to be sure you alarm can make the would all know how to escape if you had to? difference in surviving a fire ❑ ❑ ❑ 7. Does everyone know two ways out of every room in your and dying in one. Test your house? smoke alarms today. You ❑ ❑ ❑ 8. Does everyone in your family know where the meeting place is can't afford not to. outside in case of a fire? ❑ ❑ ❑ ?. Does everyone in your family know to get out quickly and to stay "Get , Stay out of a burning building? LJ LJ LJ 10 Do you and your family know how to call the fire department in VIII case of an emergency? VIII IIID ❑ ❑ ❑ 11. Are matches kept in a metal container away from heat and away from children? IreY °°°° ❑ ❑ ❑ 12. Are all matches, cigarettes, and cigar butts carefully What would you do if your extinguished before disposing of them? home caught on fire? ❑ ❑ ❑ 13. Do all smokers at home know not to smoke in bed? Would you know where to ❑ ❑ ❑ 14. Are stoves, broilers, and other cooking equipment kept clean go if smoke or flames and free of grease? blocked your escape? ❑ ❑ ❑ 15. Are the fuses or circuit breakers adequate for your home? There is no time to think ❑ ❑ ❑ 1 . Are all electrical cords in good condition - not frayed or worn? about these questions in a ❑ ❑ ❑ 17 Are extension cords kept out from under rugs, carpets, and off real fire. It's hot, smokey, nails and pipes? and so dark you may not be ❑ ❑ ❑ 18. Is only one appliance or device plugged into an extension cord? able to see your own ❑ ❑ ❑ 19. Is the heating system in your home inspected annually by a hands. Know ahead of time qualified technician? what to do if there's a fire. ❑ ❑ ❑ 20 Are furnaces, stoves, and flue pipes properly maintained and Develop an escape plan inspected? with two ways out of every ❑ ❑ ❑ 21. Are curtains and clothing kept away from stoves and heaters? room. You'll need a second ❑ ❑ ❑ ?,?,. Are spaces around water heaters, furnaces, etc., free from way in case your primary combustible materials and flammable liquids? exit is blocked by smoke or ❑ ❑ ❑ 23. Are gasoline and other flammable liquids kept in approved flames, and make sure safety containers and not in glass or plastic containers. every exit is accessible, ❑ ❑ ❑ 24., When you employ babysitters, do you instruct them in what to including windows. Getting do in case of fire? out is your first priority in a ❑ ❑ ❑ 25, Did your entire family take part in completing this checklist? fire and once out stay out! 5 Y w r lU )'rii uuuuu ������� IIIIII IIIIII t IIIIII 1 , " '_ � f �' IIIIII IIIIII Imr �r � Two teams from Livonia Fire & Rescue competed in the regional extrication competition held June 7 &8. Both Livonia Teams fared extremely well in this competition. In the Limited scenario (L-R)Lt. Tom Kiurski and his Encouraging Words chi/dren, Tiffany and competition Livonia Team 1 came in first Stephanie Soch/e% Secondrow.-GrandviewE/ementarySchool Principa/ place and in the overall competition Livonia E//en Demray, and Encouraging Words Coordinator Char/otte Tripp. Team 1 placed second and Team 2 fourth. Team 1 has earned the opportunity to IIIIII compete in the National Extrication Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada in letlicouragi W tlig words 2006. Some kids just need some encouragement to get through school. On June 7 and 8 of 2005 Henry Ford Learning problems or setbacks in home life may have left some Community College hosted an annual students needing a mentor, so Livonia firefighters stepped up. Regional Extrication Competition and Grandview Elementary School parent volunteer Charlotte Tripp began Learning Symposium. The Raft (Regional a program she called "Encouraging Words"which pairs up a firefighter Alliance for Firefighter Training) led event with a child who might need that little bit of encouragement. focuses on improving firefighter knowledge base, skill and competency levels, and Firefighters donate time to meet and write to their child. The movement overall safety techniques while performing of notes from school to fire stations is accomplished by Charlotte. life saving extrication techniques related to motor vehicle accidents. The firefi hers who stepped u this year are 9 pp p Y Mike Riesterer, Tom Kiurski, Joe Conti, Larry Mosier, John Bargowski, David Jacobson-Harm, and Jim Naif. ��iQIINYWhllri 0 ' IIIIII i, VIII iiu�IIIII�� IIII w N r m UNDi 6 SOME THOUGHTS ON THE J USAGE ,By Tom Kiurski N C A S 0III III III III III° III III Cell phones are a way of life There is currently a lot of This is a program that pretext to get an ICE contact nowadays, keeping us in buzz about using ICE on cell started in England, and has to vacate the home, thereby contact with our world while phones. If you are not spread to the United States leaving it unoccupied and on the go with the touch of a familiar with the concept, via the Internet.The ability to open to burglary. button. In an emergency, ICE is an acronym that quickly reach ICE- firefighters and paramedics stands for In Case of designated contacts proved In addition to the ICE may find a patient who is Emergency.As the name to be a major asset during program, there are other unable to talk. If their cell implies, using the ICE the recent bombings in means available to provide phone is nearby, it probably acronym as part of the London. With more than 193 identification and medical contains the number of information in your cell million cell phone users in information to emergency someone to call who could phone's internal phone book the United States, the ICE teams. provide medical information can provide a valuable list of program has the potential to about the patient. whichpeople oeoc in case of provide quick o number s the right one� an emergency. emergencynformatnfor a IFI re huge portion of the country's IIIb escue You might think we could Suppose you are population. simply call the number listed unconscious after a car III IIr IY Ili °, under"mom," but if mom is crash and are unable to give Obviously, the first step elderly and in a diminished information to paramedics toward a workable program state, she may not be the on the scene. If you've set is getting the ICE contacts �� ��� ��� best person to call. Rarely up contacts using the ICE programmed into phones. does anyone label a contact designation,first responders ICE is a free program, and LIBRARY as"husband," "wife"or can quickly check the can easily be entered into °"" ' "spouse"on their cell phone; contacts in your cell phone any cell phone right now. they enter the person's and find the appropriate Individuals wishing to make name, along with many other number to call to get vital these designations should name entries. Searching for medical information. You can be sure the contacts know the right number through trial designate more than one they are being designated, and error can use valuable contact by labeling them as and should inform the time ... time the patient may ICE1 - Nancy, ICE2-Steve contact of any pertinent not have.This situation can and so on. medical history, current be helped by using ICE. medications and drug Livonia fire allergies. fighters want to keep residents safe in all that While the program has the they do. To help make it potential to provide more convenient, we are invaluable information in the offering many titles of fire treatment of emergencies, it and life safety topics can also be useless if the available for free loan to contact has not been Livonia residents. These informed of changes to a topics include fire safety for person's medical condition, if adults, childrens fire safety, the phone's features have tornado safety, and carbon been password-protected by monoxide safety to name a the user, or if(for example) few. We have DVD and there's one phone found on VHS format along with a the floor of a car with four CD computer game for injured occupants. children. Stop by Livonia Fire Headquarters on Peugeot is seeking sleeker, more energy-efcient ways to Another potential problem Farmington Road just south manufacture fire trucks. The above photo is a concept Are could be a criminal gaining of Five Mile during normal engine that is noticeably smaller and runs off a hydrogen access to a person's phone business hours and check fuel cell and using the emergency us out. 7 Livonia Fire & Rescue BULK RATE 14910 Farmington Road U.S. POSTAGE Livonia, Michigan 48154 PAID Permit No. 54 CONNECTING THE COMMONITYWITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT Livonia MI Shadd Whitehead, Chief Tom Kiurski, Editor °"11111"' "'t° IIIIPIIII IIIIII'f VIII IN S U Ik A, IM CIII (4th of July Novelties) The Livonia Fire & Rescue's goal is to keep fireworks out of the hands of children and to reduce the number of fireworks related injuries and fires. CHILDREN HAVE A LOT out. You wouldn't hand a • Only use fireworks br ��� TO LOSE matchbook or lighter to a outdoors. 4 child to wave around and BECAR&W.wr7h' 1A1 ! Young people suffer the play with, so why would you • Never try to make your great majority of fireworks give a child a sparkler to own fireworks/novelties. injuries, which typically hold? • Never relight fire- - - harm the eyes, head, or works/novelties that hands. The injuries can Data from the United States appear to have gone out. �� { result in blindness, Eye Injury Registry shows (� permanent scarring, and that bystanders are more . Only light one fire- amputation. often injured by fireworks work/novelty at a time. than users themselves. Teach children at an earl' Y Never allow small _ �~ age that fireworks are COMMON SENSE children to go near - , _ explosive devices, they are FIREWORKS (Novelties) fireworks. not toys. Be sure children SAFETY TIPS understand it is too risky to • Store fireworks in a Never use items such as touch or pick up fireworks • Fireworks/novelties cool dry place. M-80's, M-100's, and and teach them to tell an should always be used blockbusters. They are adult if they find fireworks. with adult supervision. • Sparklers should be illegal explosives and immersed in sand or they are unpredictable. Sparklers cause hundreds • Read and follow all water once they of injuries to children every directions before using appear to be out—they Leave the use of year. They are designed to fireworks. are still very hot and fireworks to trained burn hot, and can reach can burn you. professionals at public displays. Sit back and temperatures as high as • Always keep water and Never point or throw enjoy the show. 1800°F. Sparklers stay hot sand nearby when using fireworks/novelties at long after they've burned fireworks/novelties. others.