FIRE PREVENTION & PROTECTION – OCT. 6th-12th

FIRE PREVENTION & PROTECTION
October 6th – 12th

Dover-Foxcroft FD at SeDoMoCha Oct. 16

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — The Dover-Foxcroft Fire Department will host a fire safety demonstration at SeDoMoCha Elementary School on Wednesday, Oct. 16, according to Fire Chief Joe Guyotte. “We’ll do some classroom talks with the youngsters pre-K through grade 4 and an outside demonstration with one of our trucks, weather permitting,” said Guyotte. “We enjoy this training and it gives the kids a closer look at the fire equipment. The schools are very supportive of this program.”

    The Dover-Foxcroft Fire Department has a long  history in Piscataquis County, dating back to July 1848 when the Foxcroft Village Fire Company was chartered and residents of Dover soon asked to join. According to the town’s website, voters approved the purchase of a firefighting unit in1850 at a cost of $903. The last time this engine was known to have fought in a fire was in 1895 when the Mayo, now the Ward building, caught fire.
    Today, the Dover-Foxcroft Fire Department maintains the following pieces of equipment:
1989 Ford pumper, 1,000 gallon capacity
1996 Peterbilt pumper tanker, 3,000 gallon capacity
1975 American LaFrance aerial Ladder, 100-foot length
1981 Chevrolet mini-pumper 4×4, 250 gallon capacity
1985 GMC Utility Rescue Van
    The department also has eight air packs, extra tanks, a portable cascade air system, Jaws of Life and other extraction equipment. 

Observer file photo

    AT YOUR SERVICE — Pictured is the Dover-Foxcroft Fire Department’s American LaFrance aerial ladder truck.

Kids urged to read for fire safety during Fire Prevention Week

    The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and its beloved mascot Sparky the Fire Dog® are calling on fire departments, parents and teachers to “Read for Fire Safety” during Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 6-12) and throughout the year to raise awareness among children about the importance of fire safety.
    NFPA recently launched a new free e-book and a storybook app that offer fun and interactive learning experiences for readers and audiences alike. Visit www.sparky.org/parents to learn more and submit information on local efforts to support Read for Fire Safety.
    “Children often associate ‘screen time’ with entertainment — with so many digital options competing for their attention these days, it was a natural fit for NFPA to offer fire safety messages in this easily accessible and enjoyable format for our audiences,” said Judy Comoletti, division manager of public education for NFPA.
    “Children are excited about the new digital format because it keeps them engaged and entertained, teachers and parents like it because the kids are learning important safety lessons and enjoying it — it’s a win, win for everyone.”
    In “Sparky’s Birthday Surprise” app, it’s the fire safety dog’s birthday and children learn and play as they plan the party. The app is aimed at helping children ages 3-7 learn what to do if the smoke alarm sounds, how to exit the house safely, and choose an outside meeting place for their family. It has games, activities, coloring pages, and a sing-a-long.
    The new e-book contains four stories and a poem about fire safety. Designed with content to captivate children ages 7-12, it includes a tale of rescue dog “The Black Pearl,” a story of a “superhero” kid who protected his family from fire, and intriguing scientific facts about smoke and fire. To help teachers incorporate these learning tools into the classroom, the app and e-book content is aligned to common core state standards. The e-book and app feature interactive whiteboard lessons on fire safety, addressing phonics, math, and reading comprehension. A teacher/parent guide with discussion questions and additional activities are also included.
    “Fire Prevention Week is the perfect time for people to get involved and take action to improve fire safety,” added Comoletti. “Now with NFPA’s new e-book and app, it is easier than ever to gather a group together to Read for Fire Safety and make a difference.”
    Firefighters, parents, teachers and others who plan to Read for Fire Safety during Fire Prevention Week are encouraged to send an e-mail to safetysource@nfpa.org with details about these efforts at www.nfpa.org/readforfiresafety.

Greenville Fire Department open house Oct. 11

    GREENVILLE — The Greenville Fire Department will host an open house for youngsters in grades K-3 on Friday, Oct. 11 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Two groups will visit each time for a formal fire safety demonstration and get a close look at the fire equipment.
    The department will also resume its chimney cleaning service on Oct. 13 in the mill area and Oct. 20 in the outlying areas of the town with donations accepted for payment.
    The Greenville Fire Department, also known as the Moosehead Lake Fire Department, is observing its 100th birthday this year.
    According to the town of Greenville website, areas served by the department include not only Greenville and Greenville Junction, but also Little Squaw Township, Harford’s Point, Big Squaw Township, Lily Bay, Beaver Cove through to Kokadjo, and Frenchtown.
    As part of a mutual aid agreement, the fire department offers assistance to Brownville, Brownville Junction, Milo, Dover-Foxcroft, Sangerville, Guilford, Monson, and Shirley.
    The Greenville Fire Department is looking for students from age 14-18 to get involved in the junior firefighter program. Interested teens can pick up an application at the town office and fire station.

Guilford Fire Department announces school visits

    GUILFORD — The Guilford Fire Department will observe Fire Prevention Week with classes and demonstrations for youngsters in grades K-3 at the following times and locations:

Wednesday, Oct. 9
8:30 a.m. Kindergarten, Piscataquis Community Elementary School (PCES)
9:15 a.m. First grade, PCES
10:15 a.m. Pre-K, Community Fitness
12:30 p.m. Pre-K, Community Fitness
1:15 p.m. Pre-K, PCES
Thursday, Oct. 10
8:30 a.m. Second grade, PCES
9:15 a.m. Third grade, PCES

    Chief Jeff Libby said that he’s also scheduling a special demonstration on life-saving equipment and procedures with seventh and eighth-graders at Piscataquis Community Secondary School sometime this week. “We feel they are the ones who can really help us in an emergency situation,” Libby said. “We hope to have a demonstration in the high school gym sometime this week.”

Dexter firefighters at Ridge View School

    DEXTER — The Dexter Fire Department will hold a demonstration at Ridge View Community School for three days this week, according to First Asst. Chief Rick Stocker.         “We’ll talk to the K-6 grade kids in the classroom about fire safety for awhile, and then bring them outside so they can get a closer look at the truck,” Stocker said.
    The exact schedule hasn’t been finalized, but Stocker said that the Dexter firefighters enjoy going to the local schools. “Hopefully, they’ll remember these life-saving tips as they get older,” Stocker said.
    Updated information about all Dexter Fire Department activities is posted on their Facebook page.

Kitchen stove fire safety

• Keep anything that can catch fire – like oven mitts, wooden utensils and food packaging – away from your stovetop.
• Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling or broiling food.
• If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or broiling food, check it regularly.
• Remain home when food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
• Have a “kid-free zone” of at least three feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.
• Learn the emergency number for your fire department.
• Practice your home fire escape drill!
• If the smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside. Call the fire department from outside the home using a cell or neighbor’s phone.

Firefighters in the U.S. respond to a blaze every 23 seconds, says NFPA

    Every 23 seconds, a fire department responds to a fire somewhere in the U.S., according to a new report released by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
    “Fire Loss in the United States in 2012” provides a comprehensive look at fire in the United States, including civilian fire deaths and injuries, property damage and intentionally set fires.
    In 2012, there were:
• 1,375,500 fires responded to by public fire departments
• 2,855 civilian deaths
• 16,500 injuries as result of fire.
    The number of structure fires has steadily declined in recent years, from their peak in 1977 of 1,098,000 to 480,500 in 2012.
    Last year, there was:
• a civilian fire injury every 32 minutes
• a civilian fire death every 3 hours and 4 minutes
• a home fire occurred every 85 seconds, which accounted for 76 percent of all structure fires.
    Homes were also where the majority of civilian fire injuries and deaths occurred, accounting for 78?percent of fire injuries and 83 percent of fire deaths.
    Other key findings from the report:
• property damage of roughly $12.4 billion occurred as result of fire
• $7 billion of property loss was from home fires
• $1.1 billion was lost in highway vehicle fires
• amount of property damage that occurred as result of fires increased by nearly 7 percent
• intentionally set fires in structures decreased across the board
• reduction in structure fires of 5.7 percent
• reduction in civilian deaths in structures of 5.3 percent
• reduction in property damage in structures of 3.3 percent.
    The National Fire Protection Association is a worldwide leader in fire, electrical, building, and life safety. The mission of the international nonprofit organization founded in 1896 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. NFPA develops more than 300 codes and standards to minimize the possibility and effects of fire and other hazards. All NFPA codes and standards can be viewed at no cost at www.nfpa.org/freeaccess.