Kids and Bike Helmets: The Right Fit

Bike helmets are not optional equipment. A helmet is your last line of defense in an accident - never ride without one!

Helmets have been shown in studies to reduce the risk of head injury by 85 percent and the risk of brain injury by 90 percent. Your child is 14 times more likely to survive a bike crash if he/she is wearing a helmet. Each year in the United States, approximately 250 children die in bicycle-related accidents, and about half a million are injured in bicycling accidents. Although it's estimated that 75% of the serious injuries could have been avoided if a helmet was worn, only about 20% of children in the United States wear a helmet.

Montgomery County requires anyone under age 18 to wear a bicycle helmet when riding or being carried on a bicycle, including a bicycle with training wheels, on a public street, right-of-way, sidewalk or bicycle path in the County.

For more information, go here: Bike Safety and Bike Helmets

MCFRS New Media & Social Outreach

Just a reminder that we can be found throughout the Internet! Please take a moment to look at some of what we are doing. You can sign up for many of these sites and interact with us!

MCFRS Virtual TV

MCFRS on Twitter

Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Facebook page

MCFRS Blog Talk Radio

MCFRS Blog

ENewsletter

MCFRS on Zannel

8830 Piney Branch Road Two Alarm Fire

Silver Spring, MD July 12, 2009 - At approximately 7:35 PM last night units from Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, and Prince Georges County, responded to 8830 Piney Branch Rd. (Pineway Towers Condominiums) in Silver Spring for a reported building fire with people trapped.

Units arrived on the scene to find a residential hi-rise building with fire and toxic smoke showing from the 12th floor. Battalion Chief Officer 701 arrived to the rear of the building and reported seeing fire from the top floor and requested a second alarm worth of equipment and personnel to the scene. An aggressive interior attack and search and rescue operations were initiated. First arriving fire fighters rescued at least a dozen occupants from the 12th floor to safer areas on the floors below.

Upon arriving on the scene, the Fire Investigators were able to identify and interview the residents from the fire apartment. Four occupants were home at the time of the fire and they advised that the smoke alarms sounded and when they investigated they found smoke coming from a rear bedroom. The four exited the apartment and called 911.

The investigation revealed that a number of electronic components were plugged into an undersized extension cord in the room of origin. An apparent failure of the electrical cord occurred which was the cause of the fire.

One Firefighter was transported due to dehydration and one civilian was injured from falling debris. Red Cross was on the scene assisting with the numerous people that were displaced from their apartments

LOCATION: 8830 Piney Branch Rd (Pineway Towers Condominiums)
ORIGIN/CAUSE: Bedroom / Accidental
DAMAGE: 600,000
INJURY: Two – 1 F/F, 1 Civilian
DISPLACEMENT: Approx - 80
Smoke alarm and building alarms activated

Photo provided by FEI Junghans

Car Crashes Into Home

Wheaton, MD July 11, 2009 - At approximately 6:10 PM, units from Montgomery County Fire and Rescue responded for a report of a car crashing into a home. Upon arrival, units found a single vehicle into a home located at 11553 Daffodil Lane.

The driver of the vehicle sustained serious injuries and was transported to a local trauma center.
There was one resident of the house who was home at the time and uninjured. At this time, the home has been determined to be unsafe to occupy.


Photos courtesy of Captain Oscar Garcia.

Structure Fire Goes To Two Alarms

On 7/10/09 at approximately 11:47 PM Montgomery County Fire and Rescue units responded for a building fire at 15853 Crabbs Branch Way - which is part of the Franklin Office Park. Units arrived on scene with fire showing from the roof, and a defensive attack was initiated. The fire
was quickly extinguished and no occupants were found during search and rescue operations.

The area of origin is believed to be on the second floor. A partial collapse of the second floor and the roof occurred posting units 15847 - 15857 as unsafe to occupy.

ORIGIN/CAUSE: Under investigation / Undetermined

DAMAGE: $425000

INJURY: None

DISPLACEMENT: Three offices displaced




Photos courtesy of FEI Maxwell