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Posts Tagged ‘Washington Township’

Which smoke alarm can save your life?

Monday, March 15th, 2010

The kind of smoke alarm you have in your home may not provide adequate warning during a fire. That’s right, if you have the kind of detection that most U.S. homes have, an ionization-type, you are at risk of dying in your own home without the alarm ever sounding.

This doesn’t seem possible, does it? After all, if there is a fresh battery in your detector and you have tested it to ensure that it is in working order, you and your family members should be safe, right? Maybe not! There is compelling research-based evidence that demonstrates that ionization-type detectors are ineffective in smoldering type fires, the most common cause of fatalities in home fires. In fact, tests have shown that ionization type smoke alarms don’t sound, even after the level of carbon monoxide and smoke reaches deadly concentrations. An alarming amount of documented residential fire deaths have occurred with only the installed ionization type detectors. Had there been a properly installed photoelectric detector in these situations, an alarm would have sounded to warn occupants of the life-threatening situation.

A 1994 study at Texas A&M concluded that the probability of a photoelectric detector failing to detect a smoldering fire is four percent, while the ionization detector provided close to 56% probability of failure in the same fire condition.

One of the reasons for the differences in the performance of these two detector types is in the way they are activated. Ionization smoke alarms contain a small amount of radioactive material and establish a small electric current between two metal plates. When the current is disrupted by smoke, the alarm sounds. This older type of technology is typically more responsive to a flaming fire, such as a kitchen pan fire, but it’s also more susceptible to nuisance alarms from bathroom humidity or cooking vapors when placed within 20 feet of a kitchen.

Photoelectric smoke alarms contain a light source and a light-sensitive electric cell. Smoke entering the detector deflects light onto the light-sensitive electric cell, triggering the alarm. These alarms are more sensitive to large particles given off during smoldering fires, such as an electrical fire-the kind of fires that usually occur at night when people are asleep.

For many years, authorities have urged homeowners to install smoke alarms without consideration to the type of potential fire ignition or the quality of smoke detection. This was based on the urgency to equip all homes with smoke detection with what was readily available on the market.

It is no surprise, then, that more than 90% of homes in the United States have only the ionization detection technology, leaving those occupants vulnerable to the most common and deadly type of fire.

To ensure your family gets the early warning they need to survive the toxic gases of a smoldering fire, install photoelectric smoke alarms immediately in and outside sleeping areas. They cost a bit more than the ionization type, but are now readily available at local hardware and home improvement stores. Use this past weekend’s time change to Daylight Savings Time, as your goal for making these important changes in your home.

Along with properly installing and maintaining new and existing smoke alarms, develop and practice an escape plan that includes two ways out of every room, so that everyone in the home knows what to do if the smoke alarms sounds. Home occupants who practice an escape plan reduce their time to escape in every type of fire.

If you have questions concerning the installation of photoelectric smoke alarms, contact the Washington Township Fire Department at (614) 652-3920.

If you would like more information about this important issue, watch the Stop the Children Burning series on youtube.com. A very informative news report from Indiana’s Channel 13 called UL-approved smoke alarms may give false sense of security is also on youtube.com. It details the studies done at Texas A&M. Take a few minutes to review these videos. Then get photoelectric smoke alarms for your home!

Fire Marshal Alan Perkins, CFPS, is a 32-year veteran of the fire service. A Certified Fire Protection Specialist through the National Fire Protection Association and a member of several similar safety organizations. Perkins is working with the Ohio Fire Officials Association for state law mandating photoelectric or equivalent smoke detection technology in new residential construction. Perkins is the Fire Marshal for the Washington Township Fire Department, Dublin, Ohio. For more information, contact: Leslie Dybiec, Public Information Officer Phone: (614) 652-3928 Fax: (614) 766-2507 or ldybiec@wtwp.com.

LiveSafe Foundation is an Ohio based non-profit organization (501c3), and leading grassroots movement, devoted to making fire safety education, awareness initiatives and life saving tools available on a broad basis to communities, campuses, and institutions in an effort to reduce national fire fatalities and fire losses. LiveSafe aims to help finance fire safety education where means are otherwise unavailable. LiveSafe is developing and sponsoring programs to help groups find the resources needed to advance individual and community fire safety.

Tags: fire safety, homeowners, Indiana's Channel 13, ionization detector, light sensitive electric cell, photoelectric smoke detector, smoke alarms, smoldering fires, UL, Washington Township
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Placing a 9-1-1 Call: What You Should Know

Friday, February 19th, 2010

Placing a 9-1-1 Call: What You Should Know

Dublin, OH- When an emergency, such as a fire occurs, it’s easy to become panicked and confused. As a result, many 9-1-1 calls made to emergency dispatchers are often not complete, thus hindering the fire department’s ability to arrive quickly to the scene. By knowing what to expect when you call 9-1-1 and making a few simple preparations, you can steer clear of the common mistakes people make when they place an emergency phone call.

Keep the 9-1-1 number posted on every telephone in your house and ask neighbors to do the same. Make the call from inside your home only if you are trapped. Otherwise, get out, report to your family’s agreed upon meeting place, and call the fire department from a neighbor’s phone or cell phone.
Speak clearly and calmly. Give the dispatcher the location of the emergency and a brief description of the incident you are reporting. Be prepared to answer questions such as location, address, name, and telephone number. Stay on the phone until you have answered all the dispatcher’s questions and he or she says it’s OK to hang up. Help is being dispatched at the same time the call taker is continuing to gather additional information.
If your call is a medical emergency, the dispatcher will provide pre-arrival medical instructions telling you what to do before medics arrive.
Do not program 9-1-1 into your phone. It is too easy to accidentally call the number. If you dial 9-1-1 in error, DO NOT hang up. With the enhanced 9-1-1 features in our area, the caller’s address and telephone number is automatically identified for the dispatcher’s reference. Instead, stay on the line and let the dispatcher know you made a mistake. Otherwise he/she will send emergency crews to your address and needlessly tie up resources from real emergencies.
If you use a cell phone to place an emergency call, the dispatcher receives your call back number and the approximate location from which you are calling. It is imperative that you stay on the line and tell the dispatcher the exact location of the emergency.
Make sure your house number is displayed with large numbers (at least four inches high) in a contrasting color that can be seen easily from the road.
If your home is situated far off the road, be sure your driveway is well marked with your street address.
Share with your children and family members that making false emergency calls as a joke is a crime that costs lives. False alarms tie up emergency telephone lines and endanger emergency personnel driving to the scene.
Once emergency personnel arrive, ensure they have current medical information for your family at their disposal by posting on your refrigerator a Vial of Life form for each member of your family. The Vial of Life form, if completed and kept current, can provide valuable information (medical history, medications, emergency contacts, doctor’s names etc.) that will help paramedics expediteemergency medical treatment and/or transition to a physician’s care. Vial of Life forms are available on the Township’s web site, www.wtwp.com, or by request at 614-652-3920.

They are especially helpful when the person in need of medical care cannot speak or isn’t old enough to be able to provide the necessary information, or when by-standers or family members are panicked or confused and have difficulty remembering all the details paramedics need.

Visit link to learn more about the History of the 911 call.

“Line of Duty” Author: Fire Marshal Alan Perkins, CFPS, Washington Township Fire Department, Dublin, Ohio. For more information, contact: Leslie Dybiec, Public Information Officer Phone: (614) 652-3928 Fax: (614) 766-2507 or ldybiec@wtwp.com.

LiveSafe Foundation is an Ohio based non-profit organization (501c3), and leading grassroots movement, devoted to making fire safety education, awareness initiatives and life saving tools available on a broad basis to communities, campuses, and institutions in an effort to reduce national fire fatalities and fire losses. LiveSafe aims to help finance fire safety education where means are otherwise unavailable. LiveSafe is developing and sponsoring programs to help groups find the resources needed to advance individual and community fire safety.

Tags: education, emergency calls, ems, fire safety, Washington Township
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Preventing Electrical, Chemical and Thermal Burns

Monday, February 8th, 2010

National Burn Awareness Week is February 7-13, 2010. Because burn injuries are common in the U.S., especially among children, increasing awareness about how to prevent burn injuries and knowing what to do if you get burned is especially crucial. The three most common types of burns are electrical, chemical, and thermal.

Help prevent electrical burns by installing outlet plug covers, using extension cords wisely by not exceeding the load rating, discarding damaged cords and unplugging appliances before repairing them. Also, never use electrical appliances such as hair dryers, electric shavers, or curling irons near water. Prevent chemical burns by using cabinet locks to prevent children from accessing any stored chemicals. Use caution when purchasing chemicals and, when possible, try to select chemicals that are less toxic and therefore less dangerous to children should they be accidentally exposed.

Many thermal burns occur outdoors (sun exposure) and in the kitchen and bathroom. To prevent thermal burns, apply sunscreen and limit your sun exposure. In the kitchen, turn pot handles toward the center of your stove so they cannot be easily bumped. Use back burners when children are present; use splatter shields when frying; and monitor children near the stove. Be cautious when moving hot pots or uncovering hot microwaved items. Use heat-resistant pot holders for both hands. In the bathroom, unplug hair dryers and curling irons when they are not in use and keep them out of reach of children. Adjust bath water for younger children, ensuring that it is not warmer than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Treatment varies depending on the type of burn. For electrical burns, first protect yourself by not going near or touching the victim until you are sure the power has been turned off, the plug has been disconnected from the source, or the victim is free from electricity. For both wet and dry chemical burns, treatment involves removal of the product according to the label directions and instructions from Poison Control (1-800-222-1222).

Treatment for thermal burns is dependent on many factors including the type of burn, severity, the person’s medical history, age, and condition. Many situations can be addressed with basic first aid while others require professional medical treatment.

If you are interested to learn basic first aid you can use to treat minor burns, call the Washington Township Fire Department at 614-652-3920 to register for a first aid class. For more information about burn prevention and safety, pick up a free brochure at the Fire Administration Building or one of our four fire stations.

Tags: burn awareness week, chemical, electrical, poison control, scald burns, thermal, Washington Township
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What’s on your Bucket List?

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

What an incredibly busy Autumn! For most of us, the start of the Fall season generally marks the beginning of starting something new. And with the season almost behind us, it’s important to reflect on what has been accomplished.

I’ve climbed a 100ft. Sutphen Fire Truck Aerial Ladder, repelled a fire tower, received training and certification in AHA cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and First Aid, greeted Med Flight Helicopter & Pilots, extricated an SUV in conjunction with providing emergency medical treatment practice, participated in hands-on fire extinguisher training using a small controlled fire, and experienced a Live Burn, all along with the many joys of being a mom running a carpool from school to afterschool activities like Football and Hockey practice.

Needless to say my hectic fall schedule resulted in an incredible experience with some very special people in the Washington Township Fire Department Citizens Fire Academy (CFA). It was truly an amazing experience to spend every Wednesday night for ten weeks learning and experiencing a behind the scenes study of our local fire department. The course was taught by veteran fire fighters and fire safety professionals designed for adults interested in learning about the tools, processes, procedures, risks, and rewards of serving in the fire service. Considering the value of my experience (priceless), it was hard to imagine that the course was at no cost – FREE. I am grateful to Chief Alan Woo, Fire Marshal Alan Perkins, Training Manager James Ross, Administrative Manager Anna Worman and Department Coordinator Sharon Smith, for donating their time, knowledge, leadership and resources to make it such an enriching experience.

People probably assumed I took the course because of my fire background, which certainly played a large role, but surprisingly deciding to take this course started with a little book I purchased back in November, 2008. While enjoying coffee at a local Starbucks with my son, Kyle, I decided to buy myself (and several friends) a book named “5”. The book simply asks, “Where will you be five years from today?” The purpose of the book is to fire-up your creative juices and inspire you to map out your dreams. As an avid learner and curious person, this book sparked a fire in me to chart a course for my life over the next five years. I had begun to look for new opportunities that would help me “grow” through life, rather than just “go” through life. Perhaps it’s a combination of the book and turning 40, but more than anything, participating in the Citizens Fire Academy was about learning something new, having an adventure and breaking from my usual routine. As a CFA graduate, I am proud to add this experience to my life’s “Bucket List”.

I made some terrific new relationships that will hopefully result in a lifetime of friendships. LiveBurnInstruction (Here’s a photo of me, along with my fellow CFA classmates, during the All-day Live Burn at Washington Township Fire Tower.)

So I ask you – where will you be in 5 years…260 weeks…1,825 days…2,333,000 minutes? What will you do with that time? Let friends inspire you. Step outside your comfort zone and dream of climbing new mountains, both physically and professionally. Sign up for something new.

I hope my journey eventually takes me to as far as Mount Everest or Kilimanjaro, but in the meantime; perhaps you’ll join me as a CFA alumni, if so, please call Washington Township Fire Department at #614.652.3920 to learn more about the program coming again in August, 2010.

Every day matters. What’s on your Bucket List? Where will you be in 5 years…the skies the limit!

The skies the limit! Dream Big.

I would love to hear back from you about what’s on your bucket list, so if you have a personal experience that you would like to share or suggest, please email me directly at Jill@live-safe.org.

Jill is the Founder of The Live Safe Foundation, a non-profit organization 501c3, and leading grassroots movement, devoted to making fire safety education, awareness initiatives and life saving tools available on a broad basis to communities, campuses, and institutions in an effort to reduce national fire fatalities and fire losses. Live Safe aims to help finance fire safety education where means are otherwise unavailable. Live Safe is developing and sponsoring programs to help groups find the resources needed to advance individual and community fire safety.

Tags: Citizen, Fire Academy, Washington Township
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