Dispose of Fireplace and Wood-stove Ashes Properly

Fireplace and wood-stove ashes retain enough heat to ignite other combustible materials for several days after a fire. It is important to learn the following ways to dispose of fireplace and wood-stove ashes properly:

·         DO NOT discard your ashes into any combustible container like a paper or plastic bag, a cardboard box, or a plastic trash can.

·         DO put ashes into a non-combustible metal container with a lid.

·         DO pour water into the container to make sure the ashes are cool.

·         DO keep your can OUTSIDE the home, away from combustibles.

·         DO teach all family members to be safe with ashes from your fireplace or wood stove.

As always, please make sure you test your smoke alarms monthly and replace batteries twice a year. Practice and plan a family home escape plan.

Learn How To Reduce Your Property Tax Bill By 50%

Automatic Fire Sprinklers

• Council Bill #25-03 - Effective 1/14/2004
  - Requires Fire Sprinkler Systems In New Single-Family Homes
• Council Bill #25-03 - Background
  - Requires Fire Sprinkler Systems In New Single-Family Homes

The Facts

• Automatic fire sprinklers have been in use in the U.S. since 1874.
• Fire sprinklers are widely recognized as the single most effective method for fighting the spread of fires in their early stages - before they can cause severe injury to people and damage to property.
• When one fire sprinkler head goes off to fight a fire the entire sprinkler system does NOT activate. Sprinklers react to temperatures in individual rooms.
• The chances of a fire sprinkler accidentally going off are extremely remote.
• Installation of fire sprinklers can provide discounts on insurance premiums.
• The costs for installing fire sprinkler systems in buildings 6 to 8 stories high ranges from under a dollar to about $2.00 per square foot in most new construction and from about $1.50 to $2.50 per square foot for retrofitting sprinklers in existing buildings.
• The installation of fire sprinklers in new residential construction is estimated to make up around 1% of the total building cost. (Similar to the cost of new carpet)
• Over 200 U.S. communities have residential sprinkler laws. Roughly 100 of these communities are in California. In downtown Fresno for example, there has been fire damage of only $42,000 during a 10-year period in which its sprinkler law has been in effect.
• According to the National Fire Protection Association, property damage in hotel fires was 78% less in structures with sprinklers than it was in structures without sprinklers during the years 1983-87. (Average loss per fire was $2,300 in sprinklered buildings and $10,300 in unsprinklered buildings.)
• Nearly half of all hotels and motels, according to a 1988 survey by NFPA, have sprinkler systems.
• NFPA has no record of a fire killing more than two people in a completely sprinklered building where the system was properly operating, except in an explosion or flash fire or where industrial fire brigade members or employees were killed during fire suppression operations.

MYTHS AND FACTS ABOUT AUTOMATIC FIRE SPRINKLERS

Automatic sprinkler systems have enjoyed an enviable record of protecting life and property for over 100 years. Yet, there are still common misunderstandings about the operation and effectiveness of automatic fire sprinkler systems:

Myth 1: "Water damage from a sprinkler system will be more extensive than fire damage."

Fact: Water damage from a home sprinkler system will be much less severe than the damage caused by water from fire-fighting hose lines or smoke and fire damage if the fire goes unabated. Quick response sprinklers release 8-24 gallons of water per minute compared to 50-125 gallons per minute released by a fire hose.

Myth 2: "When a fire occurs, every sprinkler head goes off."

Fact: Sprinkler heads are individually activated by fire. Residential fires are usually controlled with one sprinkler head. 90% of all fires are controlled with six or fewer heads and a study conducted in Australia and New Zealand covering 82 years of automatic sprinkler use found that 82% of the fires which occurred were controlled by two or fewer sprinklers.

Myth 3: "A smoke detector provides enough protection."

Fact: Smoke detectors save lives by providing a warning system but can do nothing to extinguish a growing fire or protect those physically unable to escape on their own, such as the elderly or small children. Too often, battery operated smoke detectors fail to function because the batteries are dead or have been removed. As the percent of homes in America that were "protected" with smoke detectors increased from zero to more than 70%, the number of fire deaths in homes did not significantly decrease.

Myth 4: "Sprinklers are designed to protect property, but are not effective for life safety."

Fact: Sprinklers provide a high level of life safety. Statistics demonstrate that there has never been any multiple loss of life in a fully sprinklered building. Property losses are 85% less in residences with fire sprinklers compared to those without sprinklers. The combination of automatic sprinklers and early warning systems in all buildings and residences could reduce overall injuries, loss of life and property damage by at least 50%.

Videos

Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition Videos ()

Download

 Fire Sprinklers – Montgomery County Tax Information (PDF, 148 Kb)

Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department is coordinating an American Red Cross Blood Drive

American Red Cross Needs You

              Blood Supplies are at Critically Low Levels

The Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department  is coordinating an American Red Cross Blood Drive. The Epiphany Lutheran Church is co-sponsoring the event and providing volunteer staffing as well as assistance marketing the event and soliciting donors.

Date:                2/20/2012
Start Time:      12:00 PM
End Time:        6:00 PM
Where:             Burtonsville Fire Department #15
Address:         13900 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904

Donor Registration:
On-line scheduling makes blood donation even easier (you may need to register as a new user to registration system): CLICK HERE  to register!

Or you can e-mail your available time(s) to EMT David Chen at: davidandreneechen@yahoo.com
or call 301-706-5456.

For more information on blood donation and first time donors click on link below
http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/first-time-donors

Our Community, Neighbors, and Friends Need YOU
Save a Life – Donate Blood Now!

NORAD Exercise Planned For the National Capital Region, Washington, D.C.

I wanted to make everyone aware of a training exercise going on very early tomorrow morning that may create some noise.  Please take a moment to read the below press release from NORAD and do not be alarmed if you hear very loud, low flying aircraft between 3 - 5 AM tomorrow morning.

-Bill

NORAD exercise planned for Washington, D.C.

Feb. 7, 2012
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The North American Aerospace Defense Command and its geographical component, the Continental United States NORAD Region (CONR), will conduct exercise Falcon Virgo 12-05 Thursday, Feb. 9, from 3-5 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time) in the National Capital Region, Washington, D.C.

The exercise is comprised of a series of training flights held in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Capital Region Coordination Center, the Joint Air Defense Operations Center, Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Coast Guard and CONR’s Eastern Air Defense Sector.

Exercise Falcon Virgo is designed to hone NORAD’s intercept and identification operations as well as operationally test the NCR Visual Warning System. Civil Air Patrol aircraft, Air Force F-16s and a U.S. Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter will participate in the exercise.

These exercises are carefully planned and closely controlled to ensure CONR’s rapid response capability. NORAD has conducted exercise flights of this nature throughout the U.S. and Canada since the start of Operation Noble Eagle, the command’s response to the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

In the event of inclement weather, the exercise will take place the following evening. If bad weather continues, officials will then make a decision to postpone or cancel the exercise.

As the Continental United States geographical component of the bi-national command NORAD, CONR provides airspace surveillance and control, and directs air sovereignty activities for the CONUS region. CONR and its assigned Air Force and Army assets throughout the country ensure air safety and security against potential air threats.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, CONR fighters have responded to more than 3,400 possible air threats in the United States and have flown more than 59,000 sorties with the support of Airborne Warning and Control System and air-to-air-refueling aircraft.

It’s Burn Awareness Week! Theme This Year: Scalds - A Burning Issue

Most burns occur in the home, usually in the kitchen or bathroom.  Scald injuries affect all ages. Young children and the elderly are most vulnerable. This is why Montgomery County Fire & Rescue and the American Burn Association want to provide you with information on scald injury prevention and recommends the following simple safety tips to decrease the risk to yourself and those you love from scalds:

• Set home water heater thermostats to deliver water at a temperature no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit.  An easy method to test this is to allow hot water to run for three to five minutes, then test with a candy, meat or water thermometer.  Adjust the water heater and wait a day to let the temperature drop.  Re-test and re-adjust as necessary. 
• Provide constant adult supervision of young children or anyone who may experience difficulty removing themselves from hot water on their own.  Gather all necessary supplies before placing a child in the tub, and keep them within easy reach. 
• Fill tub to desired level before getting in.  Run cold water first, then add hot.  Turn off the hot water first.  This can prevent scalding in case someone should fall in while the tub is filling.  Mix the water thoroughly and check the temperature by moving your elbow, wrist or hand with spread fingers through the water before allowing someone to get in. 
• Install grab bars, shower seats or non-slip flooring in tubs or showers if the person is unsteady or weak. 
• Avoid flushing toilets, running water or using the dish- or clothes washer while anyone is showering. 

• Install anti-scald or tempering devices.  These heat sensitive instruments stop or interrupt the flow of water when the temperature reaches a pre-determined level and prevent hot water that is too hot from coming out of the tap. 

Cooking-related scalds are also easy to prevent.  Some things you can do to make your home safer from cooking-related burns include:

• Establish a “kid zone” out of the traffic path between the stove and sink where children can safely play and still be supervised.  Keep young children in high chairs or play yards, a safe distance from counter- or stovetops, hot liquids, hot surfaces or other cooking hazards. 

• Cook on back burners when young children are present. Keep all pot handles turned back, away from the stove edge.  All appliance cords should be coiled and away from the counter edge. 

• During mealtime, place hot items in the center of the table, at least 10 inches from the table edge. 

• Use non-slip placemats instead of tablecloths if toddlers are present. 

• Never drink or carry hot liquids while carrying or holding a child.  Quick motions may cause spilling of the liquid onto the child.