Focus on fire safety this holiday season E.S.C.A.P.E. 20 Years, Maranda, Safety, , ,
01
Dec 2015

The kitchen is the heart of the home, especially during the holidays. From testing family recipes to decorating cakes and cookies, everyone enjoys being part of the preparations. Kids especially love to be involved in holiday preparations. However, safety in the kitchen is important, especially when there is a lot of activity and people at home.

As you start preparing your holiday schedule and organizing that large family feast, remember to play it safe! E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety offers a few simple tips so you can enjoy time with your loved ones and keep yourself and your family safer from fire.

  • Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop or cooking your turkey so you can keep an eye on the food and check on it frequently.
  • Keep kids away from the stove. Maintain a three-foot kid free zone away from things that are hot and can burn (the stove, oven, microwave, or food).
  • Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy, or coffee could cause serious burns.
  • Have activities that keep kids out of the kitchen during this busy time. Games, puzzles, or books can keep them busy. Kids can get involved in preparations with recipes that can be done outside the kitchen.
  • Be on alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the oven or stovetop.
  • Keep the floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, pets, pocketbooks, or bags.
  • Keep knives, utility lighters, and matches out of the reach of children. Place these tools up high in a locked cabinet.
  • Never leave children or pets alone in a room with a lit candle. When you leave the room, extinguish the candle.
  • Make sure your smoke alarms are working and are located on every level of your home. Test them by pushing the test button, replace batteries annually and replace alarms every 10 years.
  • Never place smoke alarms in the kitchen or immediately outside the bathroom where cooking odors or steam from the shower can cause nuisance activations.
  • Keep exits clear and accessible. In case of a fire, everyone in the home needs immediate access to the closest exit leading outside.

If your family needs a new smoke alarm and you are unable to obtain one, contact your local fire department or e-mail [email protected] to learn about the Operation Save A Life smoke alarm installation program close to Where You Live!

Be fire safe for back to school Maranda, Safety, , ,
02
Sep 2015

A fire alarm with built in strobe light to alert in case of fire.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, U.S. fire departments respond to approximately 5,690 fires at education buildings each year. These fires caused an annual 85 civilian injuries and $92 million in direct property damage. Almost a quarter of all school fires are started intentionally. Safety education and preparation should be a priority for every family and school official.

E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety offers these tips to play it safe as children and adolescents return to school:

  • Fire drills should be held at least once a month while school is in session (weather permitting).
  • Principals, teachers or other school staff must inspect all exits daily to ensure that stairways, doors, and other exits are working properly and are unblocked.
  • On the day of the drill, the emergency drill alarm should be sounded on the school fire alarm system. Make sure everyone can recognize the sound of the alarm and knows what to do when it sounds.
  • Teachers, officials, and staff should be familiar with the school’s fire protection system, including the location of fire alarms pull stations and sprinklers.
  • Every room in the school should have a map posted identifying two ways out. In schools with open floor plans, exit paths should be obvious and kept free of obstruction.
  • On the day of the fire drill, everyone in the school should participate.
  • Students with specific needs should be assigned an adult or a student buddy to assist them. Fire drills are a good opportunity to identify who among the student population requires extra assistance.
  • While it’s important to make sure that students leave the building as quickly as possible, order is more important than speed when it comes to conducting a safe fire drill.
  • Use the class rosters to ensure every student is accounted for.
  • Fire drills should be held both at expected and at unexpected time, and under varying conditions in order to simulate the conditions that can occur in an actual emergency.
  • School fire drills are a model for students to use in their homes. Encourage students to practice their escape plans at home – just as they do at school

If a student engages in firesetting or other negative high risk taking behavior, contact your local fire department or visit www.kidsandfire.org for a list of West Michigan Fire Department based Youth Firesetting Prevention and Intervention programs.

College Fire Safety

While the above tips focus mostly on elementary, middle and high schools, they can also apply to college buildings, where firefighters respond to about 3,810 fires each year – 88% of which are due to cooking mishaps. Here’s a college-level course in fire prevention:

On-campus precautions

  • Cook only in designated areas
  • Keep cooking areas clean and free of clutter
  • Never leave cooking unattended
  • In case of a fire inside a microwave, close the door and unplug the unit

Campus lab precautions

  • Never leave lab experiments or pressure vessels unattended
  • Keep flammable gases and chemicals away from heat

Off-campus precautions

  • Be sure each bedroom has a working smoke alarm
  • Make sure the building sprinkler system is well maintained
  • Building heating and fire-prevention systems need to be checked annually by fire officials

General precautions

  • Identify the two closest exits and all possible evacuation routes
  • Know locations of fire alarms and how to use them
  • Report vandalized fire equipment to campus security

Fire Prevention Week is recognized each October. However, fire safety should be practiced 365 days a year. Whether you’re at home, in the office or at school, safety should come first. Do your part to protect yourself and those around you Where You Live!

Operation Save A Life: education and partnership for fire prevention Maranda, Operation Save A Life, Safety, , , , ,
15
Apr 2015

fire-alarms

Fire prevention starts with education and partnership. That was the key message when Maranda stopped by Walker Fire Department’s Station #2 in Grand Rapids to talk about Operation Save A Life which will be featured on “Maranda Where You Live” on April 15 at 7 p.m.

Operation Save A Life is the public service campaign that WOOD TV8/WOTV 4 Women kicked off in March thanks to a partnership between WOTV 4 Women, E.S.C.A.P.E Fire Safety, The Home Depot and Kidde, the smoke alarm manufacturer that so generously donated 2,500 smoke alarms and 500 carbon monoxide alarms.

Firefighters from all across West Michigan were on hand to talk to third graders from Zinser Elementary School in Kenowa Hills. The kids made the special field trip to learn all about fire safety and smoke alarms. They also got an up-close look at the fire apparatus and met Jake the Fire Safety Dog!

Maranda also talked with State Fire Marshal Richard Miller who emphasized how having working smoke alarms in your home can cut in half your risk of dying in a fire. He also talked about how important partnerships are between fire departments and companies such as Kidde for fire education and prevention programs, noting a similar statewide program, Michigan S.A.F.E. (Smoke Alarms for Everyone) that launched last year. Olivet Fire Department Lt. Michael McLeieer, who is also the founder of E.S.C.A.P.E. and the program coordinator of Operation Save A Life, opened the show explaining just how the program came about and how it will positively impact the area.

Thanks to Operation Save a Life, participating fire departments from five West Michigan counties are busy installing smoke alarms in homes where they are most needed. The area was particularly hard hit this winter with a high number of home fires and related deaths.

For a complete list of West Michigan smoke alarm installation programs, click here. If your community is not listed or you have questions about smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, or home fire safety, send an email to [email protected].

 

List: West Michigan smoke detector installation programs Operation Save A Life, Safety, , , , , ,
09
Mar 2015

smoke-alarm-batteries

When a tragic fire happens, communities come together to address fire safety.  But what if there was a way for communities to work together before a fire broke out, to help save property and lives before they were lost?

Operation Save A Life is a free smoke and carbon monoxide installation program in select communities across West Michigan.  The program can make a big difference in reducing deaths and injuries in a fire or during carbon monoxide incidents.

Smoke alarms are the life-saving success story of the past 30 years.  However each year, three out of five homes in the United States result from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

Here is a list of some of the area smoke alarm installation programs across West Michigan:

Allegan County:

Dorr Township Fire Department – 616-681-9874
Fennville Area Fire Department – 269-561-2148
Graafschap Fire and Rescue – 616-396-4060
Salem Township Fire – 616-292-7789

Branch:

Coldwater Fire Department – 517-278-4177

Calhoun:

Battle Creek Fire Department – 269-966-3519

Eaton:

Olivet Fire Department – 269-492-3340

Kent:

Allendale Fire Department – 616-895-6295, ext. 30
Grand Rapids Fire Department – 616-456-3966
Walker Fire Department – 616-791-6840

Montcalm:

Home Township Fire Department (Edmore) – 989-400-1975

Muskegon:

Muskegon Charter Township Fire Department – 231-773-4316
Norton Shores Fire Department – 231-799-6809

For more information on fire safety or to find a smoke alarm installation program near your community, email [email protected].

 

‘Spring ahead’ for fire safety Operation Save A Life, Safety, , , , , ,
07
Mar 2015

smoke-alarm1

When was the last time you checked your smoke alarm? Since January 1, Michigan ranked #2 in the country for home fire deaths. These deaths have occurred in homes that did not have working smoke alarms. E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety reminds you that properly installed and maintained smoke alarms on every level of your home are the only mitigation devices that can alert you and your family to a fire 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Whether you’re awake or asleep, a working smoke alarm is constantly on alert, scanning the air for fire and smoke.

Take the opportunity when you “spring ahead” on Sunday March 8 to test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and replace the batteries as needed.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in properties without working smoke alarms. A working smoke alarm significantly increases your chances of surviving a deadly home fire.

There are many different brands of smoke alarms available on the market, but they fall under two basic types: ionization and photoelectric.

It cannot be stated definitively that one is better than the other in every fire situation that could arise in a residence. Because both ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms are better at detecting distinctly different, yet potentially fatal fires, and because no one can predict what type of fire might start in a home, the United States Fire Administration recommends that every residence and place where people sleep be equipped with:

  • Both ionization AND photoelectric smoke alarms, OR
  • dual sensor smoke alarms, which contain both ionization and photoelectric smoke sensors

In addition to the basic types of alarms, there are alarms made to meet the needs of people with hearing disabilities. These alarms may use strobe lights that flash and/or vibrate to assist in alerting those who are unable to hear standard smoke alarms when they sound.

Smoke alarms are powered by a battery or they are hardwired into the home’s electrical system. If the smoke alarm is powered by battery, it runs on either a disposable 9-volt battery or a non-replaceable 10-year lithium (“long-life”) battery. A backup battery is usually present on hardwired alarms and may need to be replaced.

These batteries must be tested on a regular basis and, in most cases, should be replaced at least once each year (except for lithium batteries).

Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the basement. Many fatal fires begin late at night or early in the morning, so the U.S. Fire Administration recommends installing smoke alarms both inside and outside of sleeping areas.

Since smoke and many deadly gases rise, installing your smoke alarms at the proper level will provide you with the earliest warning possible. Always follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

Smoke alarms are not expensive and are worth the lives they can help save. Ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms cost between $6 and $20. Dual sensor smoke alarms cost between $24 and $40.

Some fire departments offer reduced price, or even free, smoke alarms and may install battery operated smoke alarms in your home at no cost. Contact your local fire department’s non-emergency phone number for more information or e-mail [email protected] for more details on a smoke alarm installation program close to Where You Live!

For more information regarding fire safety and smoke alarms including maintenance and suggested replacement guidelines, please visit the U.S. Fire Administration’s Smoke Alarms website.

 

Avoid the silent killer: carbon monoxide Operation Save A Life, Safety, , ,
20
Feb 2015

carbon-monoxide-web

More than 150 people in the U.S. die every year from accidental non fire-related carbon monoxide poisoning.

Like fire, carbon monoxide (CO) is just as deadly. It’s called the silent killer because it’s colorless, odorless and invisible. More than 150 people in the United States die every year from accidental non fire-related CO poisoning associated with consumer products, including generators. When you breathe in CO, it makes you feel nauseous, dizzy, head-achy, and tired like you have the flu. It also makes it difficult to think clearly. CO poisons the body by removing oxygen in the blood stream, slowing suffocating you and eventually causing unconsciousness and even death.

Winter snows can create drifts that block exhaust vents, forcing CO to back-up into your home. High efficiency appliances and those with power-vent blowers by definition waste less heat, so the exhaust air temperature is very low. Often it is too low to melt snow or ice in a plugged exhaust pipe or vent. Keep sidewall and direct vents clear of obstructions, drifting snow and bushes to provide proper ventilation.

Where does CO come from?

Heating equipment is the leading cause of CO incidents. It can also come from hot water heaters, gas stoves, gas dryers, barbecue grills, fireplaces, and from cars, lawn mowers, snow blowers or generators running inside the garage – even with the door open. A large number of CO incidents take place between the months of November and February and between 5 p.m. and 10 a.m. This is the time when most heating equipment is being used at home.

Facts & figures

  • The dangers of CO exposure depend on a number of variables, including the victim’s health and activity level. Infants, pregnant women, and people with physical conditions that limit their body’s ability to use oxygen (i.e. emphysema, asthma, heart disease) can be more severely affected by lower concentrations of CO than healthy adults would be.
  • A person can be poisoned by a small amount of CO over a longer period of time or by a large amount of CO over a shorter amount of time.
  • In 2010, S. fire departments responded to an estimated 80,100 non-fire CO incidents in which carbon monoxide was found, or an average of nine such calls per hour. The number of incidents increased 96 percent from 40,900 incidents reported in 2003. This increase is most likely due to the increased use of CO detectors, which alert people to the presence of CO.

What to do if you suspect CO exposure

  • Get out of the house or car and get fresh air.
  • Call the fire department or 911 from a neighbor’s house.
  • If you have symptoms, seek medical help immediately.

For more information on carbon monoxide safety, please visit the National Fire Protection Association or the United States Fire Administration websites.

>>> More from E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety

 

Winterize to prevent falls Safety, ,
30
Dec 2014

older-man-with-canes-in-snow

Each year, one in every three adults ages 65 or older falls and two million are treated in emergency departments for fall-related injuries. The risk of falling increases with each decade of life. The long-term consequences of fall injuries, such as hip fractures and traumatic brain injuries (TBI), can impact the health and independence of older adults. Thankfully, falls are not an inevitable part of aging. In fact, many falls can be prevented. Everyone can take actions to protect the older adults they care about.

Every 14 seconds, an older adult is seen in an emergency department for a fall-related injury. Below are nine simple steps you can take today to make a big impact on falls for older adults and adults with disabilities in your community:

  1. Find a good balance and exercise program. Look to build balance, strength, and flexibility. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging for referrals. Find a program you like and take a friend.
  1. Talk to your health care provider. Ask for an assessment of your risk of falling. Share your history of recent falls.
  1. Regularly review your medications with your doctor or pharmacist. Make sure side effects aren’t increasing your risk of falling. Take medications only as prescribed.
  1. Get your vision and hearing checked annually and update your eyeglasses. Your eyes and ears are key to keeping you on your feet.
  1. Keep your home safe. Remove tripping hazards, increase lighting, make stairs safe, and install grab bars in key areas.
  1. Talk to your family members. Enlist their support in taking simple steps to stay safe. Falls are not just a seniors’ issue.
  1. Check shoes, boots, and assistive devices and be sure that they are “winterized.”
  1. Encourage older adults to carry a Ziploc bag filled with a lightweight kitty litter in their pocket and cast it out ahead of themselves on very slick surfaces.
  1. ‘Tis the season for gift giving! Encourage adult children to give fall-proofing holiday gifts to their parents:
  • Fall alarm systems that are motion triggered without hitting a button.
  • Higher toilets in the home.
  • Replace multifocal glasses with single vision eyeglass lenses.
  • Grab bars in bathroom and next to outside steps or inside thresholds.
  • Install firm stair railings on both sides of stairways and set automatic lights over stairways and by outside entrances.
  • Cover the entryway to the home and provide a table to set down bags while finding keys.
  • Give tiny flashlights to attach to keys, hats, and coat buttons. Shorter days mean more time in the dark.

We all want to protect our older family members and help them stay safe, secure, and independent where they live. Knowing how to reduce the risk of falling, a leading cause of injury, is a step toward this goal.

For more information on older adult safety, E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire and Safety would like you to visit the National Council on Aging or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention websites.

 

Keep children safe from fire this holiday season Safety, , , ,
23
Dec 2014

girl-with-christmas-present2014

According to the United States Fire Administration, approximately 85% of fire-related deaths occur in the home. Every year, more than 400 children under age ten die in home fires.

Fire and burns are the third leading cause of deaths that occur in the home, the third-leading cause of injury-related fatalities among children ages one to nine, and the fourth most prevalent cause for children ages ten to 14 in the United States. Many more could be prevented by following some prevention tips and precautions.

  • Follow safe cooking practices. Never leave food that is cooking unattended. Supervise children’s use of the stove, oven, or microwave and establish a three foot kid-free zone: an area for children and pets to stay clear of things that are hot.
  • Install and maintain smoke alarms on every floor of the home and near every bedroom. Test them monthly and replace batteries at least annually. Keep smoke alarms away from air vents. Place smoke alarms at least four to six inches away from walls and corners.
  • Teach children that fire is not a toy, and can be dangerous.
  • Keep matches and lighters locked up and away from children.
  • Keep electrical cords and power strips from being pinched against walls. 
  • Do not overload electrical circuits or extension cords.
  • Shut off and unplug appliances that sputter, spark or smell. Have them checked and repaired, or replaced.
  • Be careful when using portable heaters. Be sure bedding, clothing and other combustible items are at least three feet from space heaters. Plug portable heaters directly into the wall socket, and not into extension cords. Unplug the heater when it is not being used and when you leave the room. Never operate a portable heater when you go to bed.
  • Replace mattresses made prior to 2007, when flammability standards were implemented.
  • Use fireplace screens and have the chimney cleaned and inspected annually by a certified chimney sweep.

Fires occur quickly. In less than 30 seconds, a single flame can become a large fire. In two minutes, it can become life-threatening. In as little as four minutes, a residence can be destroyed. To protect yourself and your family, be prepared.

  • Have an escape plan, and practice the plan with children and everyone in your home. Learn two ways out of every room, and agree on a meeting place outside the building.
  • If you live in an apartment building, know the best route to the stairwell and emergency exits.
  • If you are in a room with a closed door when fire occurs, there are extra precautions:
    • Do not open the door if you see smoke under it.
    • If you don’t see smoke, check the door handle. If it is hot, do not open the door.
    • If you can open the door, and there is no smoke or heat, proceed quickly to your exit.
    • Stay low to the ground as you exit.
    • If you can’t get out right away, yell for help or call 911 if you have a phone. Do not hide in a closet or under a bed.

E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety would like to wish you and your family a safe holiday season Where You Live!

 

Think fire safety first this holiday season Maranda, Safety, Videos, ,
20
Dec 2014

‘Tis the season to water your Christmas tree daily and use caution with candles and electric lights to keep this joyous time of year safe.

“Dried out, live trees are a fire danger. Always choose a fresh tree, keep it watered daily and keep it away from any heat source such as fireplaces, radiators, candles, or heat vents,” said Michigan State Fire Marshal Richard Miller. “If using an artificial tree, make sure it is labeled ‘flame-retardant,’ which indicates the tree will resist burning and should extinguish quickly.”

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, one of every three home Christmas tree fires are caused by electrical problems and one in six are caused by a heat source too close to the tree. Statistics show Christmas tree fires are much more likely to cause death than average home fires and the risk of fire is higher with natural trees than artificial ones.

When buying a live tree, Miller said to make sure it’s as fresh as possible. The trunk should be sticky to the touch. Needles should be green and hard to pull from the branches. Bounce the tree on the ground; if many needles fall off, it’s probably a dried-out, old tree that can be a fire hazard.

Once the tree is home, make a fresh cut of one to two inches at the base of the trunk to allow it to absorb water. Place the tree in a non-tip style holder with wide feet. Use only holiday lights that have been approved by a testing agency such as the Underwriters Laboratories and have a UL-tested label on them. LED lights are cooler and use less electricity than conventional lights.

“December is also the peak time of year for home candle fires,” said Miller. “More than half (56%), of such fires occur when candles are too close to anything that can catch on fire. Never use lighted candles on the tree. Keep candles up high enough away from children and pets and never leave home or go to bed with lights on or candles lit. Use battery-operated flameless candles instead.”

Additional holiday fire safety tips:

  • Don’t use any strings of lights that are frayed or broken; throw out damaged sets.
  • Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord.
  • Place the tree as close to an electrical outlet as possible so that cords are not running long distances.  Do not cover up cords with rugs to hide them – this increases the fire hazard.
  • Remove your tree soon after the holidays.  Recycle it using your community’s pickup day if available. Don’t leave it in the house or garage.  Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood-burning stove.
  • “Be sure your smoke alarms are in working order, have a fire extinguisher readily available and know how to use it,” Miller said.  “Have a prepared and practiced home escape plan that will help insure your survival in a home fire.”

The Grandville Fire Department and E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire and Safety torched a Christmas tree to demonstrate the fire hazard when a tree is dried out. Watch this segment which aired on eightWest on December 19, 2013.

To see the U.S. Fire Administration video demonstrations showing how flammable a dry Christmas tree can be compared to a tree watered regularly, click here.

 

Make it a safe holiday season Where You Live Maranda, Safety, Videos, , ,
18
Dec 2014

The holiday season can be one of the most dangerous seasons for fires. Firefighter Michael McLeieer of E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety has some special holiday fire prevention and safety tips.

Christmas Tree

  • Check the wiring on your tree
  • Look for loose ornaments that could become choking hazards
  • Use outlet covers

Kitchen

  • Stand by your pan
  • Use back burners first
  • Create a three foot kid-free zone

Bathroom

  • Keep medication out of reach of children

Pets

  • Reintroduce pets to young children, especially if they’re not used to them
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