NFPA released a summary of fire loss from 2008, I saw the tweet by Jennifer Flynn a research analyst at NFPA. The report [PDF] also has a short summary whose image can be seen below.
Archive for August, 2009
Monday, August 31st, 2009
Friday, August 28th, 2009
Live Safe today – be alert in your car and on the road – especially because it’s back to school time and our streets are getting busy. Nothing is more frustrating than witnessing drivers not yielding to emergency vehicles. Most recently a collision occurred between a fire truck and a tow truck close to the Live Safe office building in which the tow truck driver had not yielded to the fire truck. Unfortunately, the situation ended in a wreck and multiple injuries. (For details on the crash visit: The Columbus Dispatch : Westerville Road reopened following fire truck-tow truck crash).
This situation leads to a timely “Report From the Line of Duty”:
Rules of the Road for Emergency Vehicles
By Fire Marshal Alan Perkins, Washington Township Fire Department
Dublin, OH – In a crisis situation, it is imperative that emergency responders arrive as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, many are delayed by motorists who don’t yield the right of way, causing serious accidents and increasing the time it takes emergency personnel to reach the scene. Because every second counts in an emergency, even a brief delay can mean the difference between life and death for someone.
There are many reasons why drivers fail to yield. Some are not paying attention to traffic behind them as well as in front of them. Some cannot hear the siren because their car stereo’s volume prohibits it or their attention is on a cell phone conversation. Some may not know what to do when an emergency vehicle approaches.
When an emergency vehicle responding to a call approaches:
- Pull to the right and stop. State laws requires all drivers to yield the right-of-way by immediately driving, if practical, to a position parallel to, and as close as possible to, the right edge or curb.
- Always make sure all public safety vehicles have passed before proceeding.
- Be sure to check your rearview mirror before pulling back into the travel lane.
- Don’t block any intersection. If it is not possible or safe to clear the intersection, move as far as possible away from the center of the intersection.
It is extremely frustrating for the driver of an emergency vehicle to try to navigate moving cars and blocked intersections. Although it may pose a temporary inconvenience for travelers, yielding to vehicles on emergency calls is critical. It could be your loved one they are trying to reach.
For more information contact: Leslie Dybiec, Public Information Officer
Phone: (614) 652-3928
Fax: (614) 766-2507
ldybiec@wtwp.com
Tuesday, August 25th, 2009
The Google map mashup is a compilation of fatal fire’s at colleges identified by Campus Firewatch since January 2000. It includes the most-current information on campus fire safety, updated regularly by Campus Firewatch. This includes information on fatal fires across the nation and trends.
Source: Ed Comeau, Publisher, Campus Firewatch
Monday, August 24th, 2009
Always a Brave: Remembering Danny Dahlquist. A tribute to Danny’s life. See how a prank using a firecracker turned into a tragic loss of life.
Sunday, August 23rd, 2009
Check out this video showing you how fast and dangerous a fire can break out in your dorm room.
Sunday, August 23rd, 2009
Welcome to the First Edition of the Live Safe blog. In this era of social connectivity, finding ways to communicate solutions often and with many different people and businesses is now a way of life – we are constantly emailing, texting, twittering, facebooking and now blogging. Creating a blog and an online conversation seemed to be the natural next step for Live Safe. Our blog will be a place where we can share some of what we have learned, as well as bring you information from our industry experts. Live Safe is pleased to share with you a terrific feature article by our friend, fan and guest author, Tina Robinette, (Senior Deputy Fire Marshal; Boiling Springs, SC) who we had the pleasure of meeting through Twitter.
Do you know how to LIVE SAFE?
One of the most important things to know is how to react to emergencies. Being in the Fire Service, I tend to lean toward Fire Emergencies and the importance of getting out. However, there are many other type of emergencies, today we are going to focus on Fire.
Many of us have grown up hearing the all too important words, GET OUT & STAY OUT when a fire emergency happens. One point eludes many when thinking this way. Do you know how to “GET OUT?”
Home Fire Drills are one of the best things you can do for yourself & your family. Creating a Fire Escape plan and practicing it often will help everyone if a fire emergency occurs in your home. Conducting regular fire drills will give you the knowledge and confidence to escape a fire safely. There are two steps for a good evacuation program – planning and practice.
Planning:
As part of your home fire escape plan, you should figure out two ways to escape from each part of your home. This is important because your most obvious exit may be blocked by the fire. Do you have a ladder to get out of second floor windows?
Making a drawing of your escape is helpful for all members of the family.
You should also have a plan for how each family member is going to get out. While older children and teens can likely be responsible for their own escape, younger kids, elderly family members and anyone with a disability may need help escaping.
Lastly, plan a place outside the home where everyone is supposed to meet once they get out.
The National Fire Protection Association (www.nfpa.org) offers detailed information on setting up a home fire escape plan for your family, including basic fire escape planning, tips for people living in apartment buildings, and how to make sure your kids are safe when they sleepover at a friend’s home.
Practice:
Now you have to practice your fire escape plan. In a real fire, with smoke, fire, alarms, it is very easy for family members, especially children, to get confused about how to get out. Regular home fire drills can help to make sure that everyone is prepared to escape a fire.
Hold fire drills at least 2 times a year. A good way to remember fire drills might be to have one every time someone in the family has a birthday.
Fire drills do not have to happen in the middle of the night or be a complete surprise in order to be effective. While a surprise drill may not be a bad idea once in a while, just having the drills is a good opportunity for everyone to practice what they know.
Have family members start the drill from their bed. Be sure they crawl low and feel doors before opening them. Go down stairways on your bottom.
By Planning & Practicing your Emergency Evacuation Drill, you will know how to Live Safe!
Source: Guest Author: Senior Deputy State Fire Marshal, Tina Robinette. Wife, mom to 3, friend to several and has a passion for the fire service. Tina promotes and teach fire and life safety. She is a fire prevention and life safety education specialist, Fire Investigator, Certified Fire Plans Examiner, Certified Fire Inspector I & II. Boiling Springs, South Carolina.
Saturday, August 15th, 2009
Live Safe Foundation mission is the “New Green”
Who would have predicted that the going green movement that took place back in the 1970’s would become such a tremendous social movement today. Back in my days at college, I remember thinking that only hippies or “granola-loving” people are really concerned.
It’s hard to believe that I make conscious buying decisions everyday based upon the impact of a carbon footprint – from the bags I buy, the light bulbs I install to the water bottles I drink – I carefully choose what is best for the environment. Look at what the grassroots movement from regular people across the globe has created in the world today without government attention!
A new generation today…
Sadly, many people and businesses are still ignorant to the importance of having fire safety training and awareness in our homes, communities, college environment and workplace.
They say…
“We have enough protection in place and the cost for upgrades is too high.”
“Fires rarely occur. It won’t happen to us.”
“Alarms are usually false and the smoke will wake me up in time to get out.”
NOT TRUE!
PEOPLE DO CARE – as citizens, employers, employees, educators and parents. We care about the people who have lost loved ones to fire. We care because it is a basic human right to want a safe home as much as it is having clean water, food and an environment.
The Live Safe Foundation is looking to make Fire Safety the next frontier – the “new green” – for people wanting to save their lives and property by making choices in their fire safety. We will look for the root problems and offer “pearls of wisdom” that have relevance to learn from the past mistakes and build a better tomorrow. We will apply pressure for fire safety with the same kind of stewardship that the eco-minded people have achieved.
The Live Safe Foundation’s mission is big: to offer education and awareness initiatives that assist in reducing our national fire fatalities and fire losses. We will develop small projects that make a BIG impact! Join the grassroots movement for fire safety – put fire safety in your heart and mind and we’ll see people around the world change their ways! For more information, please join us at www.live-safe.org.
Jill Marcinick is the Founder of the Live Safe Foundation.
Friday, August 7th, 2009
Running for a cause – Team Rise! 
In January 2009, event leaders and organizers Kate and Bill Zembrodt, to help support Team Rise, contacted ABCO Fire Protection and the Live Safe Foundation. With the challenge of fundraising as well as recruiting runners, a small (but mighty) 2-person team was established to support their cause. This past weekend the 2-person team of Jill Marcinick (Founder, Live Safe) and Maria Call (OSU Student) participated in the Flying Pig Marathon held each year in Cincinnati, Ohio. We ran as members of Team Rise supporting the Phoenix Society.
Team RISE was formed by the Everett family and has brought family and friends together for six years to run in the Flying Pig marathon to raise money for the Phoenix Society providing opportunities for burn victims to receive peer support programs like World Burn Congress and other burn recovery resources. We were joined by 76 passionate, authentic and loving runners supporting Team Rise. Together we embarked on a 26.2-mile journey to run (some participated in the full, half and relay portions) and support a very special mother, Sharon Everett. Friends, family, and supporters from all over Ohio and Michigan trained and raised money to help make a difference in the lives of burn victims. This year’s event has already raised over $26,000, with donations still coming in and surpassing last year’s record total. .
This exhilarating experience can be summed up in two words: Gratitude and Appreciation. In the midst of work projects and family obligations, it is hard to stop and reflect on what is important in life, but sometimes (when most unexpected) we experience something special that helps put focus and meaning back into our lives. Meeting Sharon Everett was one of those special occasions.
Sharon Everett is a wife and mother, as well as an inspiration to burn victims. Tragically in July 2000, Sharon was returning from a regular trip to Meijers carrying pool chemical supplies in the backseat of her car. The products were not properly ventilated and exploded in the car. Sharon was badly burned while being belted into the drivers seat. Despite these personal and physical challenges, Sharon is a light – she is gracious, kind and filled with a spirit of courage and grace.
All runners were introduced to Sharon, her family and event organizers at the Friday night pasta and welcome party. Runners were provided a marathon tee shirt with a beautiful colored logo of a mythical bird on the front. Most fitting, the logo for the Phoenix Society was inspired by the “powerful symbolism of the mythical bird that rises from the ashes more brilliant than before”. Meeting Sharon Everett was humbling and truly a testament to those who have “risen from the ashes” and found an amazing strength beyond personal expectations. Sharon’s presence is a gift to all that meet her. She is wife and beautiful mother of two girls who exemplifies something bigger than life. Sharon now helps others in assisting them through recovery – what an inspiration to us all.
It is with gratitude and appreciation that I support those who experience a burn injury and hope that all people affected by burns receive the appropriate medical care to recover physically, emotionally and socially.
For more information about Team Rise and the Phoenix Society, please visit www.phoenix-society.org. I encourage you to join me next year, 2010, to run for a great cause.
Jill Marcinick is the Founder of the Live Safe Foundation.
