Stop Gas Fires

Note: This video may be considered too graphic for some viewers. The message, however, is very important. Please avoid this happening to you or your family members. Be wise; use good judgement. Your kids DO watch what you do.

;

If he could, teenager Austin Bailiff would talk to every kid in the world about gas and fire. He knows what it’s like to think, “It can’t happen to me.” And he lives every day with the terrible reality that it can.

Share Austin’s videos with your kid. Sometimes, hearing stuff from other kids is more powerful than hearing it from us. That’s Austin’s hope. That’s why he tells his story.

Learn more at StopGasFires.org.

What’s in your daughter’s dorm room? | Iron Firemen

Fire Power: Content Still Good

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recently revisited the video Fire Power. I find it interesting that many safety educators often talk about the quality of this video. The clothing and house furnishings are tremendously out of date, but the content holds its value.

According to the recent blog post:

“In 1986 NFPA created the award winning video – Fire Power – which takes a firsthand look at the deadly dynamics of fire from ignition to full room involvement. At every twist and turn of the video, viewers geta  bird’s-eye view of fire’s path of destruction and are astonished at how rapidly smoke and flames from a small fire envelop a home, making escape virtually impossible.

Much has changed since Fire Power was produced. What has not changed is the awesome power of fire. For the 25^th anniversary, NFPA revisits a few of the original scenes with the original narrator, Boston News Reporter Jack Harper, to talk about the dramatic footage and the role home fire sprinklers play in saving lives and property.”

You can view the post and YouTube video at http://bit.ly/g4fHIq

The video is worth a watch. It stresses how effective the video was in 1986 – and how the information is still valid when teaching people about the dangers of fire. It shows all of the highlights of the original video. Total running time is only 7:12.

Four Minutes to Save Your Life

 

(download)

Click here to download:

InstallInspectProtect_EdVideo.wmv (31.61 MB)

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) launched the Install. Inspect. Protect. Campaign, encouraging people to install and maintain smoke alarms and sprinklers, practice fire escape plans, and perform a home safety walk-through.

The USFA recommends installing smoke alarms both inside and outside of  sleeping areas and on every level of your home; testing them monthly; changing alkaline batteries at least once a year; and installing ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms or dual sensor smoke alarms. For more information, visit www.usfa.dhs.gov/smokealarms or call the USFA Publications Office at (800) 561-3356.

Ohio State Fire Marshal Reminder: Most Fireworks Are Illegal

Issued by the
Ohio Department of Commerce
Shane Cartmill, Public Information Officer

State Fire Marshal Reminds Citizens That Most New Year’s Fireworks Are Illegal

Interim State Fire Marshal Donald Cooper is asking citizens to leave New Year’s fireworks displays to the professionals while also reminding revelers that many fireworks are illegal to discharge in the State of Ohio. This reminder comes in the wake of two serious fireworks-related injuries in the past week.

“The best way for Ohioans to prevent fireworks injuries is to attend a licensed, professional fireworks exhibition on New Year’s Eve,” said Interim State Fire Marshal Donald Cooper. “Keep in mind that even trick and novelty fireworks, like sparklers, are inherently dangerous and can cause serious injury.”

Fireworks, like bottle rockets and roman candles that are sold at fireworks stores around Ohio, can be legally purchased in the state, but must be taken out of Ohio for discharge. “You must be at least 18 years of age to buy items such as firecrackers and bottle rockets at the stores you see along the roadways of Ohio,” said Cooper.  “But firing them off within state boundaries is strictly prohibited.”

Under Ohio's fireworks law, stiff penalties can be applied for the illegal possession or discharge of fireworks.  It is a first-degree misdemeanor for non-licensed individuals to discharge fireworks in Ohio, to falsify an application when purchasing fireworks, or to possess them for more than 48 hours without taking them out-of-state.  First-time offenders are subject to up to a $1,000 fine and six months imprisonment. 

The only types of fireworks that can be legally purchased and discharged in Ohio are trick and novelty devices. These include items that smoke, sparkle, snap and snake.

On December 25^th, a 21-year-old Butler County man received serious injuries to his hand after fireworks he was using detonated. A day later, a 33-year-old Warren County man received serious injuries to both hands after fireworks he was using detonated on the balcony of his apartment building. Both incidents remain under investigation by the Division of State Fire Marshal and the local authorities.

#          #          #

Wal-Mart Recalls Electric Heaters Due to Fire and Burn Hazard

Wal-Mart Recalls Electric Heaters Due to Fire and Burn Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Flow Pro, Airtech, Aloha Breeze & Comfort Essentials Heaters

Units: About 2.2 million

Importer: Wal-Mart Stores Inc., of Bentonville, Arkansas

Hazard: The heaters can malfunction resulting in overheating, smoking, burning, melting and fire.

Incidents/Injuries: Wal-Mart has received 21 reports of incidents, which included 11 reports of property damage beyond the heater. Injuries were reported in four incidents, three of which required medical attention for minor burns and smoke inhalation. The remaining incidents included smoke irritation, sparking or property damage beyond the heater.

Description: This recall involves Flow Pro, Airtech, Aloha Breeze and Comfort Essentials 1500 watt heaters. The heaters are grey with a metal handle on the top with vents and grey control knobs on the front. The model number is 1013 and can be found on a label on the lower left corner of the back panel of the heater.

Sold Exclusively at: Walmart stores nationwide from December 2001 through October 2009 for about $18.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled heater and return the product to any Walmart store for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Wal-Mart toll-free at (800) 925-6278 between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm�s website at www.walmart.com

  

---

CPSC is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about it by visiting https://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/incident.aspx

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054. To join a CPSC e-mail subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain recall and general safety information by logging on to CPSC's Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

Fatal Fires Demonstrate Importance of Smoke Alarms - NBC4

This story ran December 14, 2010 on Columbus, OH station NBC4. It was reported by Tom Brockman.

Cartmill said so far this year, 138 people have died in fires in Ohio. That's one fewer than last year at this point and 39 fewer than two years ago.

Cartmill said when looking at those recent fatal fires, there really aren't any similarities other than the fact the homes in which the fires occurred either didn't have a smoke alarm or that alarm wasn't working.

A full transcript of this story can be found at the NBC4i web site.

Lock the Barn Door

I am sharing this email that I sent to fire prevention professionals this past week. I believe that the message needs to be heard loud and clear. It's time for us to wake up. People need to realize that they are responsible for their safety.

By the time fire departments arrive at your home when it is burning you are dead if you've not planned ahead, exited the home or at the very least protected your family with working alarms to warn you of the danger. Of course, people reading this will likely be the choir to whom I am preaching.

People need to stop trying to put out their own fires. Fire service personnel in the U.S. need to realize that we are already responding to a loss every time we go. When a family has a fire -- we are only mitigating a problem that has already happened. Why are we not doing a better job at teaching people how to prevent these problems from happening in the first place?

I have updated a few things from the original message.

 In the State of Ohio we have now realized 137 fire fatalities for the year.

I’m sending this one for your info and consideration. It is a few years old (2007), but I have read this many times and often I still get very frustrated by the content. There are so many ways to prevent fires – and yet we as a service cater our budgets to the need for buying and staffing trucks. Firefighter safety is ABSOLUTELY important, but we also have ways to keep our firefighters safer, while allowing them to also be advocates for prevention. I feel this is a great read if you’ve never explored it.

“…the United States, while having substantially reduced its fire death rate, is still 30 percent to 50 percent higher than its peer nations…”

 “Other countries place a higher premium on their ability to prevent fires rather than their ability to put them out once they occur.”

I find that fire prevention educators still have a conflicted mindset on this, as well. They are often also suppression firefighters (and we LOVE to fight the fire). But they often miss the point. Prevention means fewer lives lost or injured, fewer properties destroyed or damaged. Saying, “I can’t convince these fire chiefs; their minds are made up; they can only fund staffing issues, not prevention” isn’t good enough. We’ve raised the white flag and are ineffective in our mission when we do this.

“Americans tend to view fires as an inevitable part of life and, unlike citizens in other countries, are more prone to characterize fires as unfortunate ‘accidents’.”

Please read the report when you can. And thanks for spending the time on this lengthy email. If you have arrived at this point of the text, I know you cared enough to receive the message.

Ways to reduce fire losses and deaths are neither unknown nor arcane. The primary way and the goal of any effort in this area must be to prevent fires in the first place. – America Burning Re-commissioned (2000)

Image above Some rights reserved by dbnunley

Thanksgiving warning: Deep-fried turkey a danger

Fire Is...

I've been impressed by the efforts of Dr. Frank Field and his children, Storm and Allison, for many years. As reporters they have seen the tragedy of fire in the faces of the victims. They have heard the stories of sorrow and regret from those that are left behind.

Made possible by a grant by MetLife in 2006, Field and his team released a series of videos designed to help people -- especially middle school kids -- learn the true nature of fire. Through the grant a DVD made its way into fire stations around the country as an insert to Firehouse magazine.

According to Field, 

Most fire education in this country is directed at elementary school students, primarily to young children who color pictures and learn to "stop, drop and roll." The middle school students in 5th, 6th, and 7th grades are not taught the truth - that fire is not fun. "Fire Is…" identifies fire as dangerous and shows what can happen when children are burned or killed in a blaze.

Dr. Field's video Fire Is... is being shown across the nation -- in classrooms, on web sites and in homes. I first started using it in my programs in 2006, as well.

Here's the first of the series, called Fire is... Black. Please share it. Dr. Field would be pleased and lives may be saved.