October is the month when fire departments across the country promote fire prevention education. October 4 through 10 is Fire Prevention Week. This year’s fire prevention theme is “Hear the BEEP where you SLEEP! Every bedroom needs a working smoke alarm.” Michigan has seen a dramatic increase in home fires resulting in injury and death. This listing provides numerous free opportunities for children and families to learn about fire safety, injury prevention and smoke alarm maintenance close to Where You Live. If you have questions about fire prevention and safety or need a smoke alarm, e-mail [email protected].
(Please note: event dates and times may be subject to change. Please check with your local fire department or event coordinator for more details).
Allegan County
Dorr Township Fire Department
5th Annual Dorr Twp. Fire Dept. Pancake Breakfast and Open House
4196 18th Street
Dorr, MI 49323
Saturday October 10, 2015
7:30 am – Noon
- The pancake breakfast is to assist in the funding of the Dorr Township Fire Department Scholarship Fund.
- Activities will include games for the children, silent auction for gift baskets, and tours of the apparatus.
- Come out and meet the firefighters, look over the equipment.
- Vanguard Fire Services will be doing a fire extinguisher demonstration/training.
- Trooper Booms and his partner Pido of the Michigan State Police will be doing tracking demonstrations, and Allegan dispatch will have information on 911.
- We will have information on smoke alarms, fire escape plans, home safety plans and other useful information.
- Inflatables and other activities for the kids will be on location.
- Hot dogs and refreshments will be available.
- Bring your family and friends to meet your Firefighters and First Responders.
- Free chicken barbecue and hot dogs, fire truck display and smoke house.
- Climb, play and learn about fire safety.
- Dunk tank with firefighters, bungee run basketball, blood pressure checks, live Jaws of Life demonstration.
- See a car get cut to pieces at 1pm.
- Fire extinguisher training from Noon – 2pm (must be 18 years old to participate).
- Fire extinguisher inspections (Free! Limit 2 per person or 2 per household).
- Live burn fire sprinkler comparison. Two demonstration rooms set ablaze at 2:15 pm.
- Electronic and household recycling – electronics includes anything with a plug or battery. (No large appliances or units containing freon). Household includes cardboard, glass, plastic bottles and pop cans.
- American Red Cross Tent.
- Allegan Co. Sheriff’s Marine Division.
- Michigan State Police/Saugatuck Post.
- Get to know your friends in public safety.
- Kent County Sheriff Department Deputy Dale Dekorte, K-9 handler and his accelerant sniffing dog Ritzey will be conducting demonstrations.
- Jake The Fire Safety Dog will be giving away prizes!
- Fire prevention and safety handouts.
- Free refreshments and cookies will be provided
- Come join us for fun at the fire station.
- There will be Station tours, viewing of fire apparatus’ s and an opportunity to meet you local firefighters.
- Enjoy grilled hot dogs, chips, refreshments and watch the kids participate in our raffle drawing contest with lots of prizes.
- You won’t want to miss the Big Prize in store for the last round , it’s an Epic One!
- Full blast will also provide some entertainment as well.
- Put this date in your calendar and we will see you there!
- Call 269-966-3521 for more information.
- Meet Jake The Fire Safety Dog and visit with your Bellevue Firefighters.
- Free cider and donuts, meet your Olivet Firefighters and tour the fire trucks. Meet Firepup and Jake the Fire Safety Dog!
- Meet WOOD TV 8’s Bill Steffen and Jake the Fire Safety Dog.
- Free 9-volt batteries and smoke alarms will be available (while supplies last).
- The E.S.C.A.P.E. Smoke Demonstration trailer will teach families how to be safe from fire.
- Tour the Portage Public Safety Fire Engine, Life EMS Ambulance and learn about smoke alarms from Safe Kids of Kalamazoo County.
- Free games and prizes for those who know the correct answers to the safety questions presented throughout the day.
- Halloween costume contest begins at 11am with prizes.
- Meet the firefighters, learn about a fire truck, use a thermal imaging camera, visit with Sparky™ and Friends, enjoy refreshments and win door prizes.
- We will have crafts and games for the kids.
- We will also have displays of the fire apparatus and equipment and there will be various demonstrations for fire safety.
- The Caledonia Fire Department is hosting its bi-annual Public Safety Open House at the fire station in Caledonia.
- This is the 6th time this open house is being held and it is a very well attended event in the community.
- This is held during fire prevention week and it is meant to not only showcase the safety vehicles that people see on the roads each day but it also stresses and teaches about fire safety preparedness to the attendees.
- The entire department is there representing and talking to all who stop by.
- Also participating are other partner agencies like the Kent County Sheriff Department, Life Ambulance, NOAA and Caledonia Kiwanis Club just to name a few.
- The Kiwanis club sponsors a car seat check during the event in conjunction with Safe Kids Grand Rapids.
- The fire department also conducts demonstrations of safety equipment like the Jaws of Life or a fire rescue simulation during the event.
- Serving: Pancakes, eggs, sausage, juice and coffee
- Donations accepted with all the proceeds going to the Great Lakes Burn Camp which helps children who have been victimized by fire.
- Building tours, meet firefighters and see all the fire trucks
- Learn fire safety and CPR.
- Meet the firefighters, police officers and paramedics.
- See the fire trucks, police cars and an ambulance.
- Meet Sparky® the Fire Dog.
- Enjoy cookies, popcorn and drinks.
- Meet Jake The Fire Safety Dog and visit with your local Grand Rapids Firefighters.
- Take a tour of their fire trucks and learn how to Be Fire Smart inside the E.S.C.A.P.E. fire safety trailer.
- Fire safety and injury prevention material available to handout.
- Vehicle extrication demonstration and other activities for children and families.
- There will be an Open House and games at the fire station.
- Activities will include tours of the fire station and apparatus.
- Home fire safety information and packets will be distributed to attendees.
- Nozzle the Clown will deliver a fire safety presentation.
- There will be free smoke alarms available for those who visit with an emphasis on Walker firefighters installing them for Walker residents.
- Free food (Hot dogs, chips, and drinks).
- Fire truck rides, bounce house, fire extinguisher trainer, 911 demonstration, spray house, vehicle extrication demonstration and “touch-a-truck”
- Food and refreshments.
- Station tours, fire extinguisher training, fire safety house, bounce house, Safebuilt of Muskegon, static displays, several vendors, and viewing of newly arrived fire engine.
- Fire prevention material give-a-ways, viewing of fire safety videos in the theatre and 911 dispatch activities for kids.
- There will be a static display of fire department equipment.
- Attendees will be able to spray a model house with water.
- Other activities include: Smoke house, burn cells-showing the operation of smoke alarms and a sprinkled building vs. an un-sprinkled building, Vehicle extrication demo, Firefighter recruitment, Muskegon County 911, Pro Med Ambulance, Red Cross booth, Safe Kids.
- Featured appearances and activities include: Michigan State Police, fire extinguisher training, kids activities, fire truck rides, drawings and prizes to win a boys and girls bicycle.
According to information compiled by Volunteer Firemen’s Insurance Services, Inc. (VFIS), each year more than 200,000 children go to U.S. hospital emergency rooms with injuries associated with playground equipment. Between 2001 and 2008, 40 deaths were associated with playground equipment and the average age was six years old, with the median age being four years old.
Learn the who, what, when, where, and how of playground injuries and learn how to keep your children and students safe.
Who
Between 2001 and 2008, 218,851 children between the ages of zero and 12 were treated in emergency rooms across the United States for injuries they received on playground equipment.
What
Here is a breakdown of the most common types of injuries:
- 36% fractures
- 20% contusions/abrasions
- 17% lacerations
- 12% strains/sprains
- 5% internal organs
- 3% other
- 2% concussions
When
The following are the top equipment pieces associated with playground injuries:
- 23% climbers
- 22% swings
- 17% slides
- 9% overhead ladders
Where
Here is a listing of locations where the injuries are occurring:
- 51% public playground equipment
- 19% home playground equipment
- 20% not recorded
- 1% other
How
This breakdown lists how injuries are occurring:
- 67% falls or equipment failure
- 8% hazards around but not related to equipment
- 7% collisions with other children or equipment
- 7% entrapments
Prevention Checklist:
- Make sure surfaces around playground equipment have at least 12 inches of wood chips, mulch, sand or pea gravel. Surfaces could also be mats made of safety-tested rubber or rubber-like materials.
- Check that protective surfacing extends at least six feet in all directions from play equipment. For swings, be sure surfacing extends, in back and front, twice the height of the suspending bar.
- Make sure play structures more than 30 inches high are spaced at least nine feet apart.
- Check for dangerous hardware, like open “S” hooks or protruding bolt ends.
- Make sure spaces that could trap children, such as openings in guardrails or between ladder rungs, measure less than three-and-a-half inches or more than nine inches.
- Check for sharp points or edges in equipment.
- Look out for tripping hazards like exposed concrete footings, tree stumps, and rocks.
- Make sure elevated surfaces, like platforms and ramps, have guardrails to prevent falls.
- Check playgrounds regularly to see that equipment and surfacing are in good condition.
Remember to carefully supervise children on playgrounds to make sure they remain injury free. For more information on ways to keep kids and families safe, visit www.escapeinc.org.
It’s happened 44 times. When you’re in the fire safety business like ESCAPE founder, firefighter and Certified National Fire Instructor Michael McLeieer is, you remember the number of times people have told you what they learned from you saved their life – or that of someone whom they know.
ESCAPE fire safety and education organization is marking its 20th anniversary spreading the word about fire safety. Many times, it’s children who are the target of the message.
Hear why McLeieer does what he does during an interview on WBCK radio by clicking the video below.
Read More: ESCAPE Marks 20 Years of Fire Safety |
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!
Join Jake The Fire Safety Dog and E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety Tuesday, August 4th from 4pm to 8pm at Peppino’s South for National Night Out in Gaines Township.
For more information, visit:
https://www.facebook.com/events/788881381230557/
Marandas Park Parties traveled to five communities across West Michigan in 2015, including the July 30 event at Northwestern Middle School in Battle Creek. An estimated 6,100 kids and families turned out at the final Park Party of the summer, bringing this year’s total to an estimated 29,000 participants!
“It has been an amazing summer visiting so many wonderful communities across West Michigan and impacting the lives of so many families across our area. We couldn’t do it without the amazing support of our great sponsors from WOOD TV8 and WOTV 4 and from the communities we visited. A huge thanks to everyone who joined for Park Party season 2015,” Maranda said.
E.S.C.A.P.E. would like to thank our fabulous partners for their continued support of fire and life safety education and commitment to help us keep West Michigan families safe!
The Battle Creek Park Party is unique because Maranda partners with Battle Creek Public Schools to bring the community together. Each school in the district was represented in one super-sized area with games, giveaways, and to register children for kindergarten. The district also provided busing from area elementary schools and apartment complexes.
The final Maranda Park Party of the summer is coming to Northwestern Middle School in Battle Creek on July 30.
Maranda partners with Battle Creek Public Schools to bring the community together. Each school in the district is represented in one super-sized area with games, giveaways, and to register children for kindergarten. They also provide busing from area elementary schools and apartment complexes. See the schedule here.
The Battle Creek Police Department brings out a huge display to delight children at the Park Party! Visitors can see the bomb squad with a robot, the Emergency Response Team, and a K9. The Police Department loves the opportunity to get together with people in the community and have fun together.
The Battle Creek Park Party is extra special for E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety, as they celebrate their 20th anniversary. The organization started in Battle Creek, taking fire safety education into communities using a fire safety demonstration trailer. Last year, E.S.C.A.P.E. had the one millionth child go through the smoke demonstration trailer at the Park Party in Battle Creek. This year, they’re helping super-size the event with prizes and a Rescue Squad bounce house.
The Pearson Family will be at the Park Party once again, bringing their incredible sound to the Craig’s Cruisers Entertainment Stage. The family performs beautiful harmonies for the National Anthem and other songs.
The Maranda Park Party on July 30 is from noon until 2 p.m. Free lunch is served to anyone 18 and under starting at 11:30 a.m., while supplies last.
Approximately 3,800 kids and families flocked to Berlin Raceway on Thursday, July 9, for Maranda’s second Park Party of the summer. The blue skies and sunshine appeared just as Maranda kicked things off on stage and families enjoyed a picture-perfect day in Marne.
“It turned out to be a beautiful day at our second Park Party of the summer,” said Maranda. “Berlin Raceway opened the gates and kids came and played in the pits and enjoyed an amazing time. From monster trucks to race cars and farm animals, this party was extra special.”
This was the second time in the past ten years that Maranda has hosted this large-scale event at Berlin Raceway and today’s event was bigger and better than ever. Exciting attractions included a mini Ferris wheel, zip line, climbing wall, and super slide. Party-goers also got the chance to explore Berlin’s track up close, check out the pits, infield, Monster Trucks and more!
Once again working with USDA, Michigan Department of Education, and Kenowa Hills Public Schools, thousands of free lunches were served to anyone 18 and under. Many kids also walked away with prizes from Priority Health, Cedar Point, Michigan’s Adventure, John Ball Zoo, Holland Community Aquatic Center, and more!
The Park Party team will be traveling to the remaining three communities, bringing a supersized celebration to all.
Stop by the E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety trailer and meet Jake The Fire Safety Dog. Families will continue to learn about fire safety and the importance of having working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms through Operation Save A Life, the West Michigan partnership between WOTV4Women, Kidde, local fire departments and E.S.C.A.P.E.
- July 16 – Kollen Park, Holland
- July 23 – Smith Ryerson Park, Muskegon
- July 30 – Northwestern Middle School, Battle Creek
Fireworks during the Fourth of July are as American as apple-pie, but did you know that 2 out of 5 fires reported on that day are started by fireworks, more than for any other cause? According to the United States Fire Administration, fireworks cause approximately 15,000 injuries including burns and eye injuries each year.
The good news is you can enjoy your holiday and the fireworks by following a few simple safety tips:
Proceed with caution!
- Be safe. If you want to see fireworks, go to a public show put on by trained experts.
- Parents and caregivers should always closely supervise children at events where fireworks are used.
- Sparklers burn at more than 1,200 °F and cause 3rd degree burns in seconds.
- Place discarded sparker wires in a metal bucket filled with water.
- 16% of fireworks injuries each year throughout the United States are caused by sparklers.
- After the firework display, children should never pick up fireworks that may be left over since they may still be active.
- Leave pets at home and keep them inside during firework displays. Loud noises can scare them or hurt their hearing.
Here is a video showing the dangers of consumer grade fireworks:
For more information on fireworks safety, visit www.nfpa.org/fireworks.
E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety urges Michiganders to follow common sense safety rules this Fourth of July during holiday celebrations!