New Articles and Safety Tips

Chief Tom Carr would like to wish everyone a Happy and SAFE New Year. Below, you will find some interesting articles and safety tips that we here at MCFRS hope you will take time to read! Happy New Year!

MCFRS Virtual TV We are currently in the Beta phase of testing out a new idea in outreach to the community.

Learn How To ReduceYour Property Tax Bill By 50% One-Time Property Tax Credit for Fire Sprinkler Systems.

Preparing A Home Fire Safety Plan
Fire Chief Tom Carr of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) ask that you please review the below guidelines for developing and practicing a home fire escape plan.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention
With the cold weather, our furnaces will be working to keep our homes toasty warm. The use of improperly operating oil, natural gas and LPG forced air heating systems and appliances can result in Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning. Chief Tom Carr and the men and women of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) offers some of the CO exposure warning signs and symptoms and what you can do to protect yourself and your family from this hidden danger.

MCFRS Virtual TV

We are currently in the Beta phase of testing out a new idea in outreach to the community: MCFRS Virtual TV

This is through the You Tube web site and offers a unique and cost effect way (read no cost) for us to reach out to our community we serve. The beauty of course, is that you can access it when your time permits to see what it is we are doing. What a great tool to go along with our MCFRS Blog Talk Radio Show! It will also compliment our Life Safety Education Blog!

The goal is to have shows and news articles that may be of interest to our diverse community members. My feeling is more and more folks are seeking these types of communication and news tools. Articles, videos, news, and shows that they can view at a time and place that is convenient to them whether it be at home, the local Starbuck's, or work. TV's are now being set up to where you can view a cable channel or browse the internet and read, watch, or listen to whatever programming you want.

Heck, with some of the new cell phone technology, I can see soccer Moms and Dads watching or listening to our shows (via something like the iPhone) as they maybe have to stand by at little Johnny's soccer practice!

The possibilities are endless! My hope is that all of this information will empower and educate all people in our community and will lead to a "Culture of preparedness and safety!"

-Bill

COG Life Safety Group Turkey Fryer Event

First, I have learned how to use YouTube and Post video clips! That can be good or bad depending on your perspective!

This video is from the Turkey Fryer Fire Press event we hosted in Fairfax City, VA. It clearly demonstrates the dangers associated with using this type of cooking appliance. This was shot by Lt. Raul Castillo of Fairfax County Fire and Rescue.

Safety News Flash!

Safety News Flash!

The National Weather Service has issued a WIND Advisory for the entire National Capital Area, effective from now through 1AM Tuesday morning. Winds will consistently be 25-30 mph, with gust of 50 mph.

As we all know, with high winds come potential power outages. We in the fire department also know that this may mean good intentioned folks using candles to light their homes during the evening hours which sometimes can lead to a tragic fire in the home. It may also mean folks using generators - though not in the safest of ways.

To help avoid a potentially tragic event Chief Tom Carr, and the women and men of Montgomery County Fire and Rescue, encourage you to review the potential life saving information below so that you and your loved ones can take appropriate steps in the event of a power outage.

During power outages:

* Flashlights and other lights generated by batteries are much safer light sources than candles.
* Try to avoid carrying a lit candle and never use it to look for things.
* Never use a candle for light when fueling equipment such as a kerosene heater or lantern. The flame may ignite the fumes.
*Remember: A candle is an open flame. It can easily ignite any combustible nearby!
*Always provide adequate ventilation when using wood stoves and fireplaces and ensure proper installation, adjustment and operation of all flame-burning appliances.
*Never use an oven or gas range to heat the house.
*Never run a generator, used to supply electricity to a home, inside the home to include garages! This can result in Carbon Monoxide fumes seeping into the home and poisoning, or killing, all in the home!
*Use generators OUTSIDE the home!
For further helpful related tips, please click below:

Candle Safety Tips

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention

Unique Outreach!

I just wanted to take a moment to highlight this unique community outreach conducted by FS20 - A Shift. What a great way to spend Thanksgiving! BD

Today as our community outreach we did the following:

Today personnel from Fire Station #20 –A shift (Capt. Redding, FF’s Staub, Callahan) along with BFC Jim Resnick, (BC702-A) were invited to assist personnel from the Navy Medical Center Fire Department (Co#50) with serving early Thanksgiving Dinners to returning injured troops, their families, and staff of the Hospital .

National Naval Medical Command fire department personnel set up the event and started cooking the food at 0300hrs.that morning. NNMCFD held the event in the Hospital’s ICU which treats those personnel who have been wounded in combat and have returned to the United States. Many of these injured service personnel are far away from their homes and may or may not be with their families for the holiday.

The Firefighters from the Co#50 wanted to show their appreciation to those military personnel that have sacrificed so much for our country. The NNMC IAFF Local # F-121 along with local business donated food for the event. The Firefighters of Co#50 cooked all of it at the fire station.
Firefighters served:

45 lbs. of Ham
60 lbs. of Beef
42 lbs of Turkey
8 large industrial serving size bag of stuffing
8 large industrial serving size cans of corn and beans
Numerous cakes and pies
Along with soft drinks and water

Station #20 personnel gladly went over to NNMC and assisted the firefighters from Co#50 serving an early Thanksgiving meal to our injured service personnel..

Station #20-A would like to express our thanks to the Firefighters of the NNMC and to the members of IAFF Local # F-121 for doing such an outstanding job setting up the event and cooking all of the food, and for giving us the opportunity to say thanks to those who protect and defend our country.

Captain M.T.Redding

Cooking fires more likely on Thanksgiving

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), cooking fires are more likely on Thanksgiving than any other day. In 2005, cooking fires were involved in roughly 1,300 home structure fires on Thanksgiving – almost three times the daily average. Most of these fires start because cooking has been left unattended.

For more information, go here:

Cooking Safety Tips

NFPA urges attention to safety when preparing holiday meals

Related NFPA information

NFPA's fact sheet on cooking fires

NFPA's fact sheet on turkey fryers

MCFRS Blog Talk Radio Show

MCFRS Blog Talk Radio Show

LIVE show on Tuesday, November 20th 7:30 – 8:30 PM!
Show Archive: Listen to live streams or take them with you as MP3, RSS subscription or iTunes!

Holiday Cooking & Kitchen Safety

Over the next month and a half, our diverse County will be celebrating a variety of religious observations and holidays. We all know that this means family and food which also means – lots of cooking going on in our homes! Cooking related fires are the number one cause of fires (year round) both here in Montgomery County and nationally! Please tune into this show and learn how to cook safely and prevent the tragedy of fire, and burns, from turning your happy holiday season into one of sadness.

Your hosts will be Assistant Chief Michael Prete and Bill Delaney, Program Manager for Community Life Safety Education.

Just click on the link MCFRS Blog Talk Radio Show
(or copy and paste: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mcfrs )
All you need is a computer connected to the Internet to listen!

Employment/Volunteer Opportunities

The Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service is now accepting applications for the position of Firefighter/Rescuer I (Recruit). Applications will be accepted until 5pm on Friday, December 14, 2007. All qualified applicants who apply by December 14, 2007 will receive an information packet mailed to them the first week of January, 2008. The written examination is tentatively scheduled to be held on January 25 & 26, 2008.

If you have specific questions regarding the recruiting process please e-mail us at Fire.Recruiting@montgomerycountymd.gov, or leave a message on our recruiting line at 240-777-2238.

FireFighter/Rescuer I - Job DescriptionEntry Level (Recruit)
Application Guide

Employment Application

Electronic Online Application

CPAT Test Preparation Guide

Request For Veteran's Credit Form

Subscribe to the "Employment Opportunities" eNewsletter toreceive updated information as it becomes available.

Volunteer Recruitment forMontgomery County, MarylandVolunteer With Us

MCFRS High SchoolCadet ProgramPartnership w/MontgomeryCounty Public Schools

Get Into a Life-Saving Habit

Get Into a Life-Saving HabitDaylight Savings Time Ends November 4

Smoke Detector Public Safety Message - MP3

Changing smoke alarm batteries twice a year is one of the simplest, most effective ways to reduce tragic deaths and injuries from fire. In fact, working smoke alarms nearly cut in half the risk of dying in a home fire. MORE

Academy Open House October 21 2007

Sunday was a beautiful day for an Open House! Please click on the links below to see some great photos. I have included a few below.

Academy Open House October 21 2007

Academy Open House October 21 2007
Oct 21, 2007by Ed Tenney Photographer
View Album Play slideshow

Fire Prevention Week

I have included some information from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) as it relates to the Blog Talk Radio Show. Click on the above banner for some kid and family stuff as well as see below:

"Practice Your Escape Plan!" is the theme of Fire Prevention Week 2007. It's not enough to have a home fire escape plan (PDF, 634 KB). To escape safely, you've got to make sure that everyone in the home has practiced the plan.

According to an NFPA poll (PDF, 759 KB) , the majority of Americans have a fire escape plan, but most haven't practiced it. From October 7-13, fire safety advocates will be spreading the word that when it comes to escape plans, practice is key. Let's get started!

NEW! Online quiz tests your escape planning know-how.
NEW! Free games and classroom materials from Scholastic.
NEW! Evacuation planning for people with disabilities.

Fire Prevention Week Activities

While I believe we all do a good job of reaching out to the community to promote fire and injury prevention practices, I tend to wonder how often we forget our fellow government employees? I must confess that, too often, I forget that there is a whole other audience that needs to hear the messages we preach.

For Fire Prevention Week (FPW), I forgot again though fortunately our Fire Chief, Tom Carr, did not. Thanks to Master Fire Fighter Matt Kelleher (with a little help from me at least), we were able to put up displays and have a kiosk for safety handouts in our Executive Office Building in Rockville. While it is nothing fancy, it does remind county employees, as well as visitors, that it is FPW!

I have included some photos for you to see some of what we (I should say Matt) put together!

MCFRS Receives Accreditation

The Montgomery County (MD) Fire and Rescue Service recently attained the distinguished Accreditation status through the Commission Fire Accreditation International (CFAI), which falls under the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE). The CPSE program, among other things, provides an excellent self-assessment and peer review process for the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service and other fire and rescue agencies across the United States. Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service is the largest combination (career and volunteer) fire and rescue service in the United States to achieve accreditation. For More information