Community Safety Archives

High Winds Cut Power In Pockets Across Pacific NW

Preparedness Tips When the Lights Go Out

Strong winds walloped the west coast last night, felling trees, blocking highways and causing sporadic power failures. As utility crews work to restore power, emergency managers urge residents affected by outages to exercise caution and common sense.

When the power fails, resist the temptation to call 9-1-1 for information—that’s what your battery-powered radio is for. Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to prevent food spoilage. Turn off electric appliances to protect against power surges when power is restored. Turn off all lights but one (to alert you when power resumes). Plan on cell phones or corded phones for emergency calls—cordless phones require electricity. Keep your car fuel tank at least half-full (gas stations rely on electricity to power their pumps). Candles can be dangerous fire hazards. Flashlights and electric lanterns are safer by far. Battery operated radios and clocks are other essentials, along with a supply of fresh batteries. If electric wheel chairs or electric life support devices are part of the equation, consider extra battery packs or a prearranged agreement from local police or fire stations for priority support.

Never use a portable generator in a garage, carport, basement, crawlspace or other enclosed or partially-enclosed area, even with ventilation. If you start to feel sick, dizzy, or weak while using a generator, get to fresh air immediately. Install home Carbon Monoxide alarms that have battery back-up. Store fuel safely.

When the power comes back on, wait a few minutes before turning on major appliances to help eliminate problems that could occur if there’s a sharp increase in demand. If you think that electric power has been restored to your area but your home is still without power, call your local power company.

Realities of Disaster

The Survival of the Best Prepared

In the event an emergency or disaster should occur, please consider the following:

Environmental conditions could involve heavy rain or snow, cold temperatures, strong wind, and darkness.
Electrical distribution, telephone, computer and possibly two-way radio systems may be damaged or overloaded.
There may be numerous fires in the area due to broken natural gas lines.
Buildings may be unsafe to occupy due to severe structural damage.
Roads and bridges may be unusable due to structural damage or large amounts of debris.
Police, fire, and emergency medical services will be totally overwhelmed.
Do not expect a response to your location by fire or police within the first several hours following the disaster event. Upon arrival, emergency crews will be staffed to minimum levels and will be unable to conduct major search and rescue operations or extinguish large fires.
Any response by government will be delayed for several days. Their staff may be dislocated or severely affected by the disaster and not able to report to work.
You may not be able to go to the grocery store, gasoline station, or bank – they could all be closed because the disaster has also affected them.
Be prepared to help yourself, your family, and your co-workers for a minimum of three days following a major disaster event.
Learn first aid and assemble a disaster preparedness kit for yourself and your family.
Teach your children what they will need to know to help them survive the disaster and where your family re-location place is so they can find you after the event.

If we were to experience a disaster event today would your family be prepared?
Would your children and other family members know what to do, where to go, and how to contact you?

Car Prowls are Preventable

Lock your vehicle at all times
Don’t leave your purse, wallet, iPod or other valuables in your vehicle
Don’t leave parcels in clear sight
Report suspicious activity to 911

The security of your possessions is your responsibility!!!!

Check ID

Check ID when repair people, meter readers, census workers etc. come to the door. Don’t hesitate to call to call their company to check them out or refuse them admittance if something feels wrong.

Lock it Lock it Lock it

It is a proven fact that the majority of burglars are lazy—when prowling they look for easy entry. The following simple steps can make your home a less desirable target.

Lock Your Doors
Whether you are out for the day, in the back yard, or in the house, keep your doors locked.

Lock Your Windows
Keep your windows locked when you are away from your home.

Lock Your Car
Leaving your car doors unlocked is an invitation for theft.

Remember: the protection of your property is ultimately your responsibility.

Check ID

Check ID when repair people, meter readers, census workers etc. come to the door. Don’t hesitate to call to call their company to check them out or refuse them admittance if something feels wrong.

Lock it Lock it Lock it

Lock Your Windows
Keep your windows locked when you are away from your home.

Lock Your Car
Leaving your car doors unlocked is an invitation for theft.

Remember: the protection of your property is ultimately your responsibility.

Wildfire Danger Comes Early to Pacific Northwest

On Friday June 12, 2009 your SC Fire district #13 Firefighters, with the help of the La Conner Fire Boat and Mount Erie Fire Dept. spent 6 hours fighting a fire on the spit at Turners Cove. A dry spell that has reached record length has boosted the wildfire danger across Western Washington.

We are at historic levels for dryness. It’s drier than if it’s mid-July. We are going to have an exceptionally dry summer and we need to be very conscious of that. It is hard to say how long this dry spell will continue.

One of the problems that occurred is that we had ’two springs’. The early wet weather boosted early growth of grasses and small shrubs and the dry days of recent weeks can turn that potential fuel into fire. The green grasses were higher than the fire hydrants and now are turning yellow and brown. There have been in excess of 50 small wildfires in the region mostly caused by cigarette butts and other discarded burning debris.

Citing the danger of rapidly spreading flames from fourth of July fireworks, state land managers and local fire officials have boosted efforts to get rural residents west of the Cascade Range to Clear areas next to their homes.

The largest wildfire in Western Washington this spring charred 60 acres in late May about a dozen miles south of the Canadian border outside Kendall, located east of Bellingham.

We have been urging residents of Shelter Bay to clear a defensible space around their homes…This year it may be the most important work you do in your garden.

Check the Firewise article below for tips to help protect your home in the event of a wildfire.

Keep a garden hose equipped with a spray nozzle attached to a working faucet at all times…..
Be vigilant in your neighborhood…
The home you save may be your own!!!!!!

Steps you can take to help protect your home

Firewise Subcommittee

Fire season has arrived 45 days earlier than normal. We are at historic levels for dryness. Although this article has been previously published we feel that particularly this year it is once again a timely reminder. Here are ten steps that you can take now that could make a difference in whether your house survives a wildfire.

Develop a 30 foot fire-safety zone (defensible space) around the house. Homes built in pine forests (high-to-extreme fuel hazard rating) should have a minimum safety zone of 30 feet. This area helps to reduce potential exposure to flames and radiant heat and also provides defensible space for firefighters to protect your house.
Make your address visible from the street. Provide driveway access with a minimum 18-20 foot width with an area where fire trucks can reach and turn around near your house.
Choose fire-resistant building materials for roofing and siding. The roof is the most vulnerable part of the house. Most homes with a wood shake roof will not survive a firestorm.
Enclose the underside of decks and structures. This will prevent debris from collecting in this area and prevent a fire from moving under them.
Regularly clean roofs and gutters. Remove moss, dread leaves and pine needles.
Rake up leaves, dead limbs and pine needles and properly dispose of them.
Clean and thin underbrush areas. Trim tree branches up to six (6) feet high.
Make certain water hoses are equipped with spray nozzles and are in working order.
Don’t have firewood stacked alongside buildings (houses) or under decks.
Store gasoline and other flammable liquids in approved safety cans.

Fires

Most people don’t think of fires as disasters until they happen. Lives are changed in mere seconds, and can have long lasting affects on people. According to 2008 statistics, a structure fire is reported every hour in Washington State.

Fires in homes pose one of the biggest threats to people. In 2008, there were more than 5,500 structure fires in single and multi-family properties, resulting in 33 fire fatalities and dollar loss in excess of more than $132 million.

Home fire sprinklers are a proven way to protect lives and property against fires at home. When sprinklers are present, they save lives.

Home sprinkler systems respond quickly to reduce the heat, flames, and smoke from a fire, giving families valuable time to get to safety. Each individual sprinkler is designed and calibrated to go off when it senses a significant heat change. Only the sprinkler closest to the fire will activate, spraying water directly on the fire.

Installing home fire sprinklers can reduce property loss in the event of a fire, cut Homeowner insurance premiums, and help qualify a home for a tax rebate.

Every home and business should have a fire escape plan. Once it is created, regular drills at various times should be conducted. For more information on fire escape plans go to: http://www.nfpa.org/categoryList.asp?categoryID=244&URL=Safety%20Information/Safety%20tips%20&%20fact%20sheets.

A great link for educating kids is: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/kids/flash.shtm.

Wildland fires can and do occur every year here in Skagit County. Great information on how to protect your home from wildland fires is http://www.firewise.org.

For more information on fire safety please call the Skagit County Fire Marshals Office at (360) 428-3250 or visit your local fire department.

Can Emergency Responders Find Your House?

Some day when you have a few minutes to spare, picture yourself on an emergency call. You’re looking for a specific house number on a specific street in Shelter Bay. Drive our community and see how many number postings you can see and how easy they are to find.

During 2008, your Skagit County Fire District #13 Firefighters and Emergency Medical Technicians responded to 150 emergency calls in Shelter Bay. That is roughly one emergency call for every 6 homes in our community. Ask any of your local firefighters, they can speak firmly to the severe problem of house number posting in the Shelter Bay Community. There are many places with no numbers on the residences, long driveways that aren't marked and house numbers posted where they are not visible. Even if you're on the right street, to find a residence can be time consuming. Minutes (no – seconds) count in an emergency. Ultimately, the most important reason for posting your address is to assist effective and rapid response of law enforcement, fire, rescue and emergency medical services within Shelter Bay. Your Shelter Bay Safety Committee and your local volunteers emergency responders are pushing this message.

We all hope that you will never have to call 9-1-1 for an emergency, but if and when you do, you are assured help will arrive quickly. With this in mind, ask yourself, "Is my house visibly numbered"?

Precious minutes can be wasted if responding agencies cannot locate your home due to inadequate address visibility. REMEMBER, IF WE CAN’T FIND YOU, WE CAN’T HELP YOU.

Although house (lot) numbers may not seem to be that important, they can be critical in the event of a fire, sudden illness, or other emergency. Another perspective on the visibility of house numbers may be stated this way: Can your house number be seen from the street while sitting in a vehicle in the middle of the night? After all, that’s how your emergency responder approaching a residence may be looking for it. Remember, the life you save may be your own!

Be Safe When Using A Portable Generator

Flood victims and victims of other disasters often die after floodwaters are gone—from using electric generators.

The primary hazards when using a generator are carbon monoxide poisoning from the toxic engine exhaust, electric shock or electrocution, and fire. Here are tips for safely using generators:

Follow the instructions that come with your generator. Never use a generator indoors or in partially enclosed spaces, including homes, garages, basements and crawl spaces—even those with partial ventilation. Never run a generator in areas where people or animals are present. Opening doors and windows or using fans will not prevent carbon monoxide build-up in the home. Place the generator away from open windows.
Don’t assume that you are safe. Carbon monoxide fumes emitted by gasoline engines can be fatal, often without the victims—especially those who are sleeping—ever realizing the danger. You cannot smell or see carbon monoxide. So even if you do not smell exhaust fumes, you may be exposed. If you start to feel sick, dizzy, or weak while using a generator, get to fresh air immediately. The carbon monoxide from generators can rapidly lead to full incapacitation and death. If you experience serious symptoms, get medical attention right away and inform medical staff that carbon monoxide poisoning is suspected. If the symptoms occurred while indoors, call the fire department to determine if it is safe to re-enter the building.
Install carbon monoxide alarms inside your home to warn when carbon monoxide levels from any source pose a serious health risk. Follow the manufacturer's recommended placement.
Always connect the generator to the appliances with heavy-duty extension cords. Hooking up your generator directly into your home power supply could energize the outside power lines and potentially injure or electrocute an unwary utility lineman. It also bypasses some of the built-in household circuit protection devices. If you must connect the generator through the house wiring to power appliances, use a qualified electrician to install the appropriate equipment in accordance with local electrical codes. Or, ask your utility company to install an appropriate power transfer switch.
Never store fuel for your generator in your house. Gasoline, propane, kerosene, and other flammable liquids should be stored outside of living areas in properly labeled, non-glass safety containers. Do not store them near a fuel-burning appliance, such as a natural gas water heater in a garage. If the fuel is spilled or the container is not sealed properly, invisible vapors from the fuel can travel along the ground and be ignited by the appliance's pilot light or by arcs from electric switches in the appliance. Before refueling the generator, turn it off and let it cool down. Gasoline spilled on hot engine parts could ignite, and invisible vapors from the fuel can travel along the ground and be ignited by the generator's pilot light or by arcs from electric switches in the appliance.

Chimney Fires

As you snuggle in front of a cozy fire or bask in the warmth of your wood stove, you are taking part in a ritual of comfort and enjoyment handed down through the centuries. The last thing, however, you are likely to be thinking about is the condition of your chimney.

However, if you don’t give some though to it before you light those winter fires, your enjoyment may be short-lived. Why? Dirty chimneys can cause chimney fires, which damage structures, destroy homes and injure or kill people.

Chimney fires can burn explosively – noisy and dramatic enough to be detected by neighbors or passerby. Flames or dense smoke may shoot from the top of your chimney. Homeowners report being startled by a low rumbling sound that reminds them of a freight train or a low flying airplane. However, those are the chimney fires that you know about. Slow-burning chimney fires don’t get enough air or have enough fuel to be as dramatic or visible, but the temperatures they reach are very high and can cause as much damage to the chimney structure—and nearby combustible parts of the house—as their more spectacular cousins. With proper chimney care, chimney fires are entirely preventable.

Ways from keeping the fire you want—from starting one you don’t! Chimney fires don’t have to happen. Here are some ways to avoid them:

Use seasoned wood only (dryness is more important than hard wood versus soft wood considerations).
Build smaller, hotter fires that burn more completely and produce less smoke.
Never burn cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, trash or Christmas trees; these can spark a chimney fire.
Install stovepipe thermometers to help monitor flue temperature where wood stoves are in use, you can adjust burning practices as needed.
Have the chimney inspected and cleaned on a regular basis.

What to do if you have a chimney fire? If you realize a chimney fire is occurring, follow these steps:

Get everyone out of the house – including you.
Call 9-1-1.

Some Thoughts on Safety

Too many people die each year in fires that should have been prevented. You can’t wait until it happens to you to address the problem. Always be fire conscious.

Remember to have a fire start you need a heat source. Walk through your house and identify possible heat sources. Worn electrical cords, cooking appliances, wood burning stoves, furnaces and water heaters, smoking material. Make sure that there is sufficient clearance to combustibles. Make sure electrical cords are in good working order, and not overloaded. Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children. Do not store combustibles material in a furnace room. If you use candles, make sure they are on a noncombustible surface such as a heatproof plate. Keep a tight fitting cover ready nearby to extinguish a grease fire on the stove.

Be prepared for the worst. Make sure that smoke detectors are installed and are in good working order. They should be tested monthly and batteries should be changed twice a year. Buy fire extinguishers, locate them in plain sight and learn how to use them. Have one in the kitchen or anyplace else that a fire may start.

Have an escape plan that allows second means of escape in case your primary route is blocked by fire or smoke. Practice this plan with all family members. Have a preplanned meeting place a safe distance from the house.

If you awaken to the sound of smoke detectors and find smoke in your house, get everyone out of the house immediately, go to a neighbor house and call 9-1-1. Stay on the line to answer the 9-1-1 questions. Do not go back into the building after pets or property.

The key to fire prevention is education and awareness.

Tip About Your Car Keys from your Safety Committee

Put Your Car Keys Beside Your Bed at Night

Tell your spouse, your children, your neighbors, your parents, your doctor’s office, the check out girl at the market, everyone you run across.

Put your car keys beside your bed at night. If you hear a noise outside your home or someone trying to get in your house, just press the panic button for your car. The alarm will be set off, and the horn will continue to sound until either you turn it off or the car battery dies.

It’s a security alarm system that you probably already have and requires no installation. Test it. It will go off from almost anywhere inside your house and will keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the key fob chain. It works if you park in your driveway or garage. If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break in your house, odds are the intruder won't stick around—after a few seconds all the neighbors will be looking out their windows to see who is out there and sure enough the criminal won’t want that. Remember to carry your keys while walking to your car in a parking lot. The alarm can work the same way there.

Suggest to your Mom and Dad that they carry their car keys with them in the garden in case they fall outside and no one hears them. They can activate the car alarm from anywhere in the yard to alert neighbors there is a problem.

This tip came from a neighborhood watch coordinator. Next time you come home for the night and start to put your keys away, think of this....

Reminder from your Community Safety Committee

What Do You Do When You Are Not Injured But Need Assistance Getting Up?

Who do you call when you fall and can’t get up? Who do you call when you need assistance getting into or out of bed or the bathroom? Who do you call when you need assistance getting out of the bathtub? If you are hurt or injured, of course, you call 9-1-1 and ask for help.

But what if you are not hurt, but still need assistance? Call a friend? Call a neighbor? Call your Skagit County Fire District #13 firefighters? All three of these are the correct answer.

If you are unable to get a friend or neighbor, your District Firefighters will respond 24/7/365 to give you a hand. All you need to do is call 9-1-1 and request a "citizen’s assist". Let the 9-1-1 operators know that you are not injured, but still need assistance. Your firefighters will respond without lights and sirens and assist.