Fire Fighter Anthem - This One's For The Firefighters

Today is Friday, and over on Twitter every Friday there's this thing called #FollowFriday that you tweet out those that you follow over on that social meda platform. Well, I decided for my #FollowFriday for today to do a "SHOUT OUT" to all Fire Fighters, EMS, and Emergency Services people to say Thank-You for all you do.

The following video with Carlos Pozo's created 'Fire Fighter Anthem" song is one that just gets you pumped up with emotion for the career field.

This video was played during the Department of Defense - DoD Fire and Emergency Services Awards Banquet that was held in Chicago at the end of last month (August). Special Thanks to Fire Fighter Carlos Pozo for the song and Sarah Brockman for putting the video together.

Please visit Carlos Pozo's website and consider donating: http://firefighteranthems.com/index.html.

Let Us Not Forget Those Brother & Sisters We Have Lost.

We Will Never Forget, We Will Always Remember!

Thank You Fire Fighter Carlos Pozo for the song!

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; this is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)

Do you have enough smoke alarms?

NEWS RELEASES

Fire Prevention Week 2010 campaign, “Smoke Alarms: A sound you can live with!”, educates public about key smoke alarm recommendations

September 20, 2010 – The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside all sleeping areas, and on every level of the home, including the basement. According to the NFPA, which develops NFPA 72, National Smoke Alarm Code®, many homes still don’t have that level of protection. Unfortunately, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths per year result from fires in homes with no smoke alarms at all or no working smoke alarms.

In an effort to better educate the public about smoke alarm recommendations, NFPA is promoting “Smoke Alarms: A sound you can live with!” as the theme for Fire Prevention Week 2010, October 3-9. NFPA has been the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for 88 years.

“Many U.S. homes may still only have one smoke alarm,” says Lorraine Carli, NFPA’s vice president of communications. “That is simply not enough.” Carli emphasizes that smoke alarms must be installed in all bedrooms, not just near them, to ensure that everyone is alerted in time to escape safely.

Smoke alarms can cut the chance of dying in a fire in half, but they must be working properly to do so. NFPA’s data shows that many homes have smoke alarms that aren’t working or maintained properly, usually because of missing, disconnected or dead batteries.

“This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign works to motivate the public to actively determine whether they have proper smoke alarm protection throughout their homes,” says Carli. “It also encourages people to explore newer, more comprehensive options for smoke alarms.”

According to NFPA, interconnected smoke alarms offer the best protection; when one sounds, they all do. This is particularly important in larger or multi-story homes, where the sound from distant smoke alarms may be reduced to the point that it may not be loud enough to provide proper warning, especially for sleeping individuals. Interconnected smoke alarms can be hard-wired or wireless battery-operated interconnected alarms are now available.

NFPA offers the following tips for making sure smoke alarms are maintained and working properly:

• Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button, and make sure everyone in your home knows their sound.
• If an alarm “chirps,” warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away.
• Replace all smoke alarms, including alarms that use 10-year batteries and hard-wired alarms, when they’re 10 years old (or sooner) if they do not respond properly when tested.

Fire departments throughout the country will be hosting activities during Fire Prevention Week to promote the campaign locally. These educational, family-oriented activities can help everyone learn more about the power of smoke alarms, newer options for installing and maintaining them properly, and ultimately, how to better protect themselves and loved ones from fire.

To find out more about Fire Prevention Week, smoke alarms and this year’s campaign, “Smoke Alarms: A sound you can live with!,” visit NFPA’s Web site at www.firepreventionweek.org.

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) NFPA is a worldwide leader in providing fire, electrical, building, and life safety to the public since 1896. The mission of the international nonprofit organization is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; this is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)

FIRE SAFETY TIPS OFFERED FOR STUDENTS RETURNING TO SCHOOL

NEWS RELEASES:

NFPA urges focus on fire safety for college students returning to school

Offers important safety tips for on-campus and off-campus housing

September 2, 2010 – The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) urges students returning to campuses around the country and their parents to take the time to educate themselves on life-saving fire safety information. Thousands of fires occur each year in both on- and off-campus housing, many of which could have been easily prevented.

“While parents often take the time to educate their children about home fire safety, a focus on fire safety while living away from home is often neglected,” said Lorraine Carli NFPA’s vice president of communications. “Whether students are living on-campus or in off-campus housing, it is important for these young adults to take an active role in fire prevention and safety.”

A leading cause of campus fires is cooking, with cooking equipment involved in 75 percent of the reported dormitory fires. Although only five percent of fires in campus housing began in the bedroom, these fires accounted for 62 percent of the civilian deaths and one-quarter (26 percent) of the civilian injuries. While only two percent of the structure fires were caused by smoking materials, they were responsible for 39 percent of the deaths. Campus fires are more common during the evening hours between 5-11 p.m., as well as on weekends.

NFPA has partnered with Domino’s Pizza and Center for Campus Fire Safety to spread the message of campus fire safety by participating in a series of college campus events across the nation.

Other sources for campus fire safety include igot2kno, fire prevention and safety for college students and young adults, as well as USFA’s Focus on Fire Safety: Residential Sprinklers and Student Housing Fire Safety.

NFPA offers the following safety tips for campus fire safety:

Be Prepared for a Fire

• Look for fully sprinklered housing when choosing a dorm or off-campus housing.
• Make sure your dormitory or apartment has smoke alarms inside each bedroom, outside every sleeping area and on each level. For the best protection, all smoke alarms should be interconnected so that when one sounds they all sound.
• For people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, make sure there are smoke alarms that use strobe lights to wake the person. Install vibration equipment (pillow or bed shake) that is activated by the smoke alarm.
• Test all smoke alarms at least monthly.
• Never remove batteries or disable the alarm.
• Learn your building’s evacuation plan and practice all drills as if they were the real thing.
• Involve students with disabilities in evacuation planning and the plan.

Escape Tips

• If you live off campus, have a fire escape plan with two ways out of every room.
• Windows with security bars, grills, and window guards should have emergency release devices.
• When the smoke alarm or fire alarm sounds, get out of the building quickly and stay out.
• Smoke is toxic. If you must escape through smoke, get low and go under the smoke to your way out.
• If you can’t get out, close the door and seal vents and cracks around doors with towels or tape to keep smoke out. Call 9-1-1 or the fire department. Tell them where you are and signal for help at the window with a light-colored cloth or a flashlight.

Smoking

• To prevent a deadly cigarette fire, you must be alert. You won’t be alert if you are sleepy, have taken medicine or drugs, or consumed alcohol that makes you drowsy.
• If you smoke, smoke outside or in an area designated by your college dormitory.
• Never smoke in bed.
• Wherever you smoke, use deep, sturdy ashtrays.
• Before going to bed, check under furniture cushions and other places people smoke for cigarette butts that may have fallen out of sight.

Cooking

• Cook only where it is permitted.
• Stay in the kitchen when cooking.
• Cook only when you are alert, not sleepy or drowsy from medicine or alcohol.
• Check with your local fire department for any restrictions before using a barbeque grill, fire pit, or chiminea.
• Keep the stovetop, burners, and oven clean.
• Plug microwave ovens or other cooking appliances directly into an outlet. Never use an extension cord for a cooking appliance as it can overload the circuit and cause a fire.
• Check electrical cords for cracks, breaks, damage, or overheating. Repair or replace the appliance.
• Use only microwave-safe cookware (containers or dishes). Never use aluminum foil or metal objects in a microwave oven.
• Propane and charcoal BBQ grills must only be used outdoors. Indoor use can kill occupants by either causing a fire or CO (carbon monoxide) poisoning.
• Place the grill well away from siding, deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
• Periodically remove grease or fat buildup in trays below the grill so it cannot be ignited by a hot grill.

Candles

• Burn candles only if the school permits their use.
• A candle is an open flame and should be placed away from anything that can burn.
• Never leave a candle unattended. Blow it out when you leave the room or go to sleep.
• Always use a flashlight – not a candle – for emergency lighting.
• Use sturdy, safe candleholders.
• Consider using battery-operated flameless candles which can look, smell and feel like real candles.

Electrical

• Check your school’s rules before using electrical appliances in your room.
• Use light bulbs that match the recommended wattage on the lamp or fixture.
• Use a surge protector for your computer and plug the protector directly into an outlet.

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
NFPA is a worldwide leader in providing fire, electrical, building, and life safety to the public since 1896. The mission of the international nonprofit organization is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; this is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)

Test Smoke & CO Detectors . . . Save Your Life

All homes should have working smoke & CO detectors. Working is the "key" word. To ensure you have fully operating units, test smoke & CO detectors at least once a month. A broken detector provides no protection. Don't go without early warning. Make periodic checks routine in your home. Use the "Press To Test" button on detector to test. Train everyone to respond quickly at the sound of the detector. Seconds count! Test your smoke & CO detectors and save your live.

Follow these 10 easy tips on smoke alarms:

1. One of the best ways to protect yourself and your family is to have a working smoke alarm that can sound fast for both a fire that has flames, and a smoky fire that has fumes without flames. It is called a "Dual Sensor Smoke Alarm."
2. Place a smoke alarm on the ceiling of every level of your home and outside bedrooms. Children and older people can sleep though the loud sound of a smoke alarm. Make sure your escape plan includes someone that can help children and others wake up immediately to escape from the home.
3. If you keep your bedroom doors closed, place a smoke alarm on the ceiling of each bedroom.
4. Check smoke alarms monthly by pressing the test button.
5. Never take smoke alarm batteries out to put into other items like games or remote controls.
6. Teach children what the smoke alarm sounds like and what to do when they hear the alarm sound.
7. If there is a fire, leave the home right away by crawling low under the smoke and never go back inside.
8. If smoke from cooking makes the alarm sound, press the �hush� button, if your alarm has one. You can also turn on the kitchen fan, open a window or wave a towel near the alarm until it stops making the sound. Never take the battery out of the alarm.
9. Most alarms need a new battery at least once a year. Some smoke alarms have batteries that last for up to 10 years. If your smoke alarm is over 10 years old, replace it with a new alarm and a new battery.
10. If you rent, talk to your landlord about placing a working smoke alarm in your home. You still need to buy a new battery at least once a year for the alarm.

(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; this is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)