Save a Life Saturday events to be held across West Michigan Operation Save A Life, Safety, , ,
04
Mar 2015

WOTV 4 Women is proud to team up with several West Michigan fire departments, Kidde, ESCAPE Fire Safety and The Home Depot for Operation Save a Life- a collective commitment to promote fire and carbon monoxide safety.

Throughout the month of March WOTV 4 Women is airing fire safety and carbon monoxide poisoning prevention messages.  If you’re interested in having a smoke detector or carbon monoxide detector installed in your home ESCAPE Fire Safety can help connect you with an area fire department. Email [email protected] for more information.

As part of Operation Save a Life, Kidde along with and The Home Depot, will be donating thousands of Kidde-brand smoke detectors and CO alarms to participating Fire Departments for distribution to homes in their communities.  Home Depot will also be hosting Save a Life Saturday Events on March 7th, 2015 .  Their team of experts will be answering all your safety questions and giving  fire prevention tips so you can keep your family safe. See list below for participating Home Depot locations.

Save A Life Saturday Events

KENTWOOD
4646 28TH STREET, SE GRAND RAPIDS MI 49512

WALKER
2727 ALPINE AVE NW WALKER MI 49544

WYOMING
4900 WILSON AVE SW GRANDVILLE MI 49418

ROOSEVELT PARK
2699 HENRY STREET MUSKEGON MI 49441

WYOMING
257 54TH STREET SW WYOMING MI 49548

GRAND HAVEN
900 JACKSON STREET GRAND HAVEN MI 49417

 

Operation Save a Life campaign kicks off to keep West Michigan families safe Operation Save A Life, Safety, , , ,
04
Mar 2015

Did you know three out of five home fire deaths result from fires in properties without working smoke alarms?  More than one-third (37%) of home fire deaths result from fires in which no smoke alarms are present.  The risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms.

Michigan Civilian Fire Fatalities (from the United States Fire Administration)

  • Currently, Michigan ranks #2 in the country for civilian fire fatalities
  • As of 12/31/2014, West Michigan accounted for 26% of the state’s civilian fire fatalities
  • Fire fatalities are affecting older adults (those over 65 years) and younger children (those under 14) at a faster rate compared to any other age group.
  • Since 2012, Michigan fire fatality numbers have been the worst, not seen since 1999.

Operation Save a Life

Kidde and WOTV 4 Women are proud to partner together on Operation Save A Life — a public service campaign designed to educate consumers and raise awareness about the dangers of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning. Since 2002, Kidde has donated more than 1 million smoke alarms to participating fire departments for installation in area homes as part of this program.

In addition, each area specific ABC-affiliate creates safety vignettes that air during the campaign. Our hope is that these educational messages combined with Kidde product donations and informative product displays in retail stores across the country will help save lives.

Kidde donated 2,500 smoke alarms and 500 carbon monoxide alarms for installation by fire departments and other trained professionals in select homes throughout West Michigan.  Each type of alarm contain a 10-year sealed battery for worry-free protection.

You can follow the Operation Save A Life conversation via #OpSaveALife and by liking Kidde’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

Learn more: http://www.kidde.com/IntheCommunity/Pages/OperationSaveALife.aspx

Kidde

Kidde is a leading manufacturer of residential smoke alarms, carbon monoxide (CO) alarms and fire extinguishers. It has been delivering advanced fire-safety technology since producing the first integrated smoke detection and carbon dioxide extinguishing system in 1917. Kidde is a part of UTC Building & Industrial Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp., a leading provider to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.kidde.com/ or follow @KiddeSafety on Twitter (https://twitter.com/KiddeSafety).

For more information on Operation Save A Life or to find out how to get a smoke detector or carbon monoxide detector installed into your West Michigan home contact us:

Email:  [email protected]

 

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

 

Carbon monoxide is the silent killer Operation Save A Life, Safety, Videos, , , ,
08
Feb 2015

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 nonfire-related CO poisoning associated with consumer products, including generators. When you breathe in CO, it makes you feel nauseas, dizzy, headachy, 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, U.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.

 

Fighting fear of the smoke alarm Fire Prevention Month, Safety, , , , , , ,
19
Oct 2014

girl-with-smoke-alarm-small

Smoke alarms are vital resources in any home, but especially where children live. 2013 ended as the worst year for civilian fire deaths in Michigan that we haven’t seen since 1999. The rise in fire fatalities occurred in homes that didn’t have working smoke alarms. Sometimes the smoke alarm battery is removed because of a nuisance alarm (caused by cooking or steam from the shower), or when the smoke alarm “chirps” due to a low battery. These loud and unexpected noises often scare young children.

My friends from E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire & Safety offer these tips to introduce the sound of a smoke alarm and talk about fire safety to children early and often:

  • Talk about fire safety with your kids in their home, where they feel secure. It’s never too early to begin discussions about who firefighters are, what a family escape map is, and how and when to go to a neighbor’s house during a fire or smoke emergency.
  • Practice home fire drills on a regular basis. This can decrease anxiety and allow children to respond calmly.
  • Teach children that the smoke alarm gives an early warning so everyone can get out of the house safely.
  • Begin to practice by pretending the alarm has gone off, and have the child leave the house quickly and calmly.
  • Next, place a pillow over the alarm, or place duct tape or electrical tape over the horn of the smoke alarm to muffle the sound. Press the test button to activate the alarm and introduce the softer sound to the child.
  • Once the child is comfortable with the softer sound of the smoke alarm, remove the tape and allow him or her to hear the actual sound.
  • Set the alarm off on purpose and practice leaving the house again.
  • During fire drills, practice leaving the house from different rooms so children get used to doing so.
  • Practice a fire drill at night, after children have gone to sleep since some children may sleep through the sound of a smoke alarm.

If your child’s fear about the smoke alarm continues, especially when it’s activated in school, have a short meeting with your child’s teacher to explain the issue. The teacher may be able to devote extra class time to discussions about what happens during a fire drill. Often when students have the chance to talk about their smoke alarm fears with their classmates, they will realize it’s not as scary as it seems.

Finally, some children with a form of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may experience sensory overload and may not be able to initially handle high-pitched noises, such as the sound of a smoke alarm. The blaring noise may prevent the child from thinking or comprehending the appropriate action to take and cause him or her to freeze or hide. A scared child won’t be able to learn and may not remember what to do during an emergency.  Again, to introduce children with ASD to the sound of a smoke alarm, try placing a pillow or heavy tape over the horn. Once the test button is depressed, the sound level emitted during the drill will be reduced and the child won’t experience pain and will less likely to become scared. There are even smoke alarms available where a parent can record their own voice into the alarm. During an alarm activation the parent’s voice will speak to the child alerting him or her to Get Out and Stay Out during fire or smoke conditions.

With lots of patience, positive reinforcement and encouragement, you can teach children ways to reduce the anxiety and fear from the sound of a smoke alarm. They will understand what to do and where to go during fire or smoke conditions.

Stay safe from fires on campus Safety, , , , , , , ,
20
Aug 2014

Campus Fire Safety

Many college-related fires result from a general lack of knowledge about fire safety. Since 2000, 86 fatal fires have occurred on U.S. college campuses, in Greek housing, or in off-campus housing within three miles of the campus.

According to the United States Fire Administration, more than 80% of campus fire fatalities occur in off-campus housing. This has a direct impact on the prevention, planning and response activities for fire and emergency services departments located near colleges and universities.

Important fire facts 

  • On average, ten students die annually in campus related fires, according to the Center for Campus Fire Safety.
  • Four out of five campus-related fire deaths occur in off-campus housing where approximately two-thirds of our students live.
  • Alcohol is a factor in many of these fire related deaths. Alcohol abuse impairs judgment and hampers evacuation efforts.
  • An estimated 3,800 campus fires occur each year in the United States.
  • Cooking causes more than two-thirds of fire injuries at college campuses, followed by careless smoking, arson, unattended candles, and the overloading of extension cords and power strips.

Here are some fire safety tips that could save your life 

  • Select a residence hall or off campus housing that has smoke alarms and fire sprinklers. These mitigation devices reduce the risk of dying in a fire by 82%.
  • Cook only where permitted and never leave cooking unattended.
  • Don’t smoke. But if you must, only smoke outside of the building.
  • Do not overload electrical outlets.
  • Never leave candles unattended, provide a one-foot circle of safety clear of anything that might come in contact with the candle like table clothes, curtains, or papers and put candles out after each use.
  • Always have and practice an escape plan.
  • Look for an alternate exit from every room whether at a party or in class.
  • If you must escape through smoke, Get Low and Go under the smoke toward an exit.

By following these tips, injuries and even deaths will be prevented. Fire Is Everyone’s Fight ™  Where You Live!

Celebrate safety at National Night Out with E.S.C.A.P.E. Events, National Night Out, Safety, , , , , , ,
05
Aug 2014

 

Pack up the family and get out of the house on Tuesday, August 5, for the 31st annual National Night Out. The goal of National Night Out is to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for and participation in local anti-crime efforts, encourage police and community cooperation, and demonstrate neighborhood unity in fighting crime and deterioration.

On Tuesday night, August 5, residents are asked to lock their doors, turn on outside lights, and spend the evening outdoors on the porches, lawns, streets, or in parks with their neighbors. Many neighborhoods throughout West Michigan will be hosting a variety of special events.

One big event planned in Kent County Michigan is the South Kent Night Out Against Crime. It will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. at 1515 Eastport Drive SE in Grand Rapids, behind Peppino’s Restaurant. It will be a great time for the whole family with food, a Ronald McDonald magic show, motorcycle stunt team, mascots, the E.S.C.A.P.E. mobile training center, and more. Admission is free!

Jake The Fire Safety Dog, Crusier from Craig’s Cruiser McGruff the Crime Prevention Dog thanks to our friends at EPS Security, and Grandma On The Go, Joy from eightWest and WOOD TV 8 will all be on site to meet guests of the South Kent County National Night Out event.

 

One Millionth person announced inside E.S.C.A.P.E. smoke demonstration trailer Events, Park Party, , , , , , , , , , ,
01
Aug 2014

 

Watch the announcement with Maranda, Jake The Fire Safety Dog and Firefighter Michael McLeieer live inside the E.S.C.A.P.E. smoke demonstration trailer at the Park Party yesterday in Battle Creek!

 

 

Trenten Dollaway of Battle Creek is the One Millionth person to go through the E.S.C.A.P.E. smoke demonstration trailer. He and his family won the grand prize to the Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City, free tickets to the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids, free passes to Craig’s Cruisers fun center in Wyoming, Michigan, free haircuts courtesy of Coachlite Cutters Barber Shop in Portage, a free Meijer gas card thanks to our friends at Liberty Mutual Insurance, and gift card from EPS Security.  Free E.S.C.A.P.E. T-shirts and baseball caps were also very popular for Trenten and his family!

photo

The E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety Program will recognize its one millionth child to learn about fire safety inside the Mobile Training Center in Battle Creek.

The E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety Program recognized its one millionth child to learn about fire safety inside the Mobile Training Center in Battle Creek on July 31st.

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