Have a Safe and Spook-tacular Halloween

With Halloween quickly approaching, the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service offers residents some safety tips to help prepare for a safe Halloween:

Plan a safe route.

Children are four times more likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than any other night of the year. Accompany children and remind them to stop at all street corners, cross only at intersections and crosswalks. Teach them to look left, right and left before crossing the street and to continue looking both ways as they cross. If you’re a motorist, please slow down and be prepared to give trick or treaters a brake.

Stay in familiar neighborhoods and have an adult accompany trick or treaters. Visit only those houses where the lights are on. Accept treats only in the doorway and NEVER go inside a house.

Secure emergency identification (name, address, phone number) discreetly within Halloween attire or on a bracelet.

Safety in numbers. If they’re old enough to trick-or-treat without an adult, designate a route before the kids go trick or treating, tell your kids to stay in a group, avoid taking short cuts through backyards and alleys and ask them to check in regularly.

Have an adult inspect treats BEFORE eating anything. Do not eat any unwrapped, partially wrapped, or homemade-looking treats.

Ensure trick-or-treaters stay away from open flames or jack-o-lanterns with candles burning.

Stay on the sidewalk. Don't walk or run in the street.

Be a good neighbor.

Keep your porch lights on and eliminate tripping hazards on your porch and walkway. Remove outdoor safety hazards such as toys, bicycles and lawn ornaments. Make sure the driveway and steps are cleared of leaves, which can be a slipping and falling hazard. Make sure that the driveway and walks are well lit for incoming trick-or-treaters. Replace burned-out or broken light bulbs.

Pets get frightened on Halloween. Confine your pets for their safety and for that of trick or treaters.

Be Safe – Be Seen.

Encourage kids to follow all the rules for pedestrian safety. That includes obeying all traffic laws, looking both ways before crossing, using crosswalks, crossing at intersections and corners and never darting between parked cars.

Consider adding reflective tape or decals to costumes. Be sure kids carry a flashlight and use glow sticks for extra visibility.

Decorate Safely.

Illuminate your jack-o’-lanterns with flashlights or battery-operated candles instead of real ones. You won’t have the worries of an open flame coming in contact with anything . . .or anyone.

If you do use candles, keep them well away from where trick or treaters will be walking or standing.

Review with your children the principle of “stop, drop and roll” should their clothes catch fire.

When shopping for costumes, wigs and accessories, purchase only those with a label indicating they are flame resistant. Shorter IS safer. Ensure costumes are not so long that children could trip and shoes should fit - - - even if they don’t go with the costume.

Have a happy and safe Halloween.

Ambulance Reimbursement: An Important Message from County Executive Ike Leggett to County Resident's

Dear County Resident:

I want to inform you of an important issue facing the County that could have an adverse impact on every County resident.

 

Many of you are aware that the November ballot will contain County Question A. The Question gives voters the opportunity to decide whether County Council Bill 13-10: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Transport Fee, which passed in May, should remain law.

 

Under the law, the County would be allowed to recover ambulance transport costs from premiums already paid to insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid -- $14 million this year and $170 million over the next 10 years. All revenues would be dedicated, by law, to strengthen our Fire and Rescue Service. No County resident will ever get a bill for ambulance transport, co-pays or deductibles -- whether they have insurance or not.

The Montgomery Fire and Rescue Service will continue to serve anybody in need, regardless of ability to pay – whether rich or poor or in-between, whether County resident or not. Just like now. Nothing will change – except that our Fire and Rescue Service will have more resources in meet critical future needs for staffing, equipment, and to improve EMS response times.

Nearly every jurisdiction in the Washington region collects millions of dollars in ambulance reimbursements from insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid – with no adverse effects. (Click here to see the Washington Post story on Thursday, “Area Fire Chiefs Back Ambulance Fee: 911 Calls Unaffected”)

 

Our neighbors are using those resources to save lives – and Montgomery County should do the same. We cannot afford to leave this money on the table.

 
The League of Women Voters of Montgomery County agrees. So too does the Montgomery County Fire Fighters and Paramedics, Local 1664. Click here to see editorials in The Washington Post and in The Gazette newspapers supporting County ambulance reimbursement.

There are basically three choices:

1.  Approve ambulance reimbursement from insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid to bring in $14 million this year and $170 million over the next ten years;

2.  Reduce critical County services, including public safety; or

3.  Increase taxes.

I choose the first option. It just makes sense.

As I travel around the County, I meet many residents who have asked for facts and accurate information on the EMS Transport Fee. For more information, you can go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/emstransportfee.

Whatever your perspective, please vote in the upcoming general elections as they are critical to our ability to maintain Montgomery County as the special place it is today to live, work, play, and age with dignity. In addition to voting in person on Tuesday, November 2 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at your polling location, you may vote by absentee ballot. Absentee ballot request forms can be downloaded here and must be returned by October 26, 2010.

This year, for the first time, you may cast your vote at any one of the Early Voting Centers inthe County between Friday, October 22 and Thursday, October 28 from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. (except Sunday, October 24). I urge you to consider joining the thousands of County voters who will be taking advantage of this highly efficient means of carrying out our civic duty.

Sincerely,

Ike Leggett
County Executive

Listen to Fire Chief Bowers discuss the Ambulance Reimbursement Program

Fire Chief Bowers discusses the Ambulance Reimbursement program on our Blog Talk Radio program.  This show originally aired on October 14. 

Listen to internet radio with Bill Delaney on Blog Talk Radio

Clothes Dryer Fires

Yesterday, Sunday, MCFRS personnel responded to two separate fires in clothes dryers in local homes. Over the last several months, MCFRS has responded to a noticeable number of this type of home fire.

As I mentioned in a Blog Posting on May 13, 2010 (read here) a vast majority of these fires are not due to an electrical malfunction of some sort but by actions we take or FAIL to take. A lack of maintenance, buildup of lint, placing inappropriate items in the dryer and inadequate venting are frequently cited as contributing factors.

Preventing this type of fire from starting in your home is relatively simple. Please take a moment to go to our web site and learn some “Do’s” and “Don’ts” as it relates to dryers: Clothes Dryer Fire Safety Tips

In addition, please take a moment to read an interesting document from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission regarding Clothes Dryer Maintenance.

Please spread the word, and these safety tips, to all friends and family!

As always, please stay safe!

Bill

Daniel The Intern Returns!

Despite my lack of blog articles over the past month, I have continued my internship into the school year. Here are a few interesting things I have done since my last post:

The Montgomery County Agricultural Fair is always a great opportunity for the Fire & Rescue Service to teach the public about fire safety and their services but it takes weeks of hard work to make it run smoothly. The firefighters and engines that attend have to be coordinated so there are still plenty dispersed around the county to run calls and that is no easy feat. My job was to help move box after box of literature and handouts to the fair. Once it was all set up though, it was worth it. The fair was very busy and we taught many people about fire safety. We also had informational fliers about the relatively new MC311 service in Montgomery County which people learned about. In addition to the information, we also drew out home evacuation plans with kids and practiced calling 911 on a simulator.

I took a break from the fair one day to do a ride-a-long with Assistant Chief McAdams who oversees the county during his shift, including personnel and significant incidents. Although the day started out slowly, we hit the road around lunch. After spending a few minutes at Fire Station 31, they got a call and we left too. Shortly after that, we went to a car collision and luckily there were only minor injuries.

This reminded me of the SGA's project last year at my high school about drunk driving and its consequences. It involved a scenario where a drunk driver had crashed his car and the jaws of life were used to extract him and his friends. They broadcasted the scene from the parking lot over all the TVs so we got to watch. Although they did not have to use the jaws of life in this collision, it immediatley reminded me of the SGA's spring project last year.

I also went to the Office of the Fire Marshal and learned about what they do, such as checking to make sure fire codes across the county are being followed in new buildings, old buildings, and in new communities. As a High School senior, I am applying to colleges this fall and the University of Maryland, College Park, is on my list. I have heard all about their Fire Protection Engineer program from many people in the Fire & Rescue Service and am looking into it myself. Another interesting day was spent with a Fire Inspector. Even though the follow-up visits to various small buildings in the morning were quick and easy, we did spend some time inspecting houses in a new community that was mainly not furnished or bought yet. With the increase in new regulations regarding sprinklers, smoke detectors, and carbon monoxide detectors, it is important to make sure they are being followed. Often times, a builder will try to get around something, such as not putting another sprinkler or smoke detector in a room.

One day I enjoyed was the one I spent at the Emergency Communication Center (ECC) – the place where our 9-1-1 calls go. Being able to sit amidst the computer monitors and see everything happen was very interesting, especially because I did not think I would be able to spend time with them like I did. Back in August, Bill Delaney and I went to a house fire with extraordinary circumstances and it took a lot of coordination from the people at the ECC keep everything running smoothly.

As the first quarter of the school year comes to a close, my friends with internships and I are now settled into our internships. In the second quarter of the school year, I hope to learn more about the different jobs in the Fire Marshall's office and to continue doing more ride alongs.

-Daniel