Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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18 UCW MAY 11-17, 2016 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM BATTALION CHIEF MICHAEL MARTIN, Fire Marshal, Faye eville Fire/Emergency Management Department, Contribu ng Writer. 433 Hay Street Fayetteville, NC 28301-5537 www.FayettevilleNC.gov (910) 433-1FAY (1329) /cityoffayettevillegovernment Insta Join Team Fayetteville! Follow Your City on Social Media: Engaging You About Your City Government Engaging You About Your City Government Bringing the Message Home: Preventing Fires at Home A Residential Life Safety Initiative by the Fayetteville Fire/Emergency Management Department by BATTALION CHIEF MICHAEL MARTIN You have just entered the kitchen after a long day at work. You turn on the stove and place your dinner in a pan. The pan is placed on the stove and you leave the kitchen to do the 20 other things you have to do before bed. There are not enough hours in the day, right? As you are upstairs folding the mountain of laundry that has been accumulating on the bed, you suddenly hear the unmistakable sound of the smoke alarm and the realization comes that your inability to multi-task has just cost you dinner…and possibly much more! Situations like the one above are not uncommon due to the busy lives that most of us lead, but it could have also been much worse. What if a smoke detector was not installed? The answers are unlimited but we could be faced with the loss of many of our beloved personal items, the loss of our home or even the loss of life. The response to fires and other emergencies that occur in and on residential property account for almost 60% of the total responses by the Fayetteville Fire/Emergency Management Department. Of the 29,871 total responses (including all fire and EMS responses) for the calendar year 2015, 17,330 of those were to residential properties. While commercial businesses and industries have periodic fire inspections conducted by our inspectors to promote fire safety, there is no ordinance that allows the process to extend to most residential properties. In lieu of codified jurisdiction, the Fire Department has developed several fire and life safety education programs specific to private residences intended to foster a partnership with City residents in an effort to reduce the loss of life and property within our homes. A description of these programs is noted below: Cooking Fire Awareness Campaign According to the National Fire Protection Association, cooking related incidents are the leading cause of home structure fires and their associated civilian injuries. Of the 419 structure fires that the Fayetteville Fire/Emergency Department responded to in 2015, 202 (or 48%) of those fires were determined to be cooking related. In an effort to combat this national trend, the Fire Department has initiated a public campaign to address this statistic. The implementation of simple tools such as timers can bring attention to cooking activities that are often "pushed to the back burner." Smoke Alarm Home Safety Program The installation of smoke alarms are an absolute necessity within any home. As the story at the beginning of the article indicates, early detection of any fire is the key to minimum property damage and risk of injuries or loss of life. Upon request, firefighters from your neighborhood fire station will come to your house to install smoke alarms if you do not have one, free of charge. Home Safety Inspections/Community Paramedicine Program We often do things on a daily basis that make life very convenient, with electrical cords and candles being a perfect example. While they may be convenient, the improper use of electrical cords and candles could turn out to be dangerous. At your request, firefighters from your local station will accompany you through your home and highlight common hazards known to cause fires and injuries. The Fire Department has also partnered with Cape Fear Valley Medical Center to establish the Community Paramedicine Partnership Program. In this program, the Fire Department provides home inspections to patients who have been released from hospitalization due to chronic health conditions. Special hazards such as in-home oxygen use and the use of mobility-devices are discussed to ensure that the patient can quickly evacuate the home in the event of an emergency. Specialized Safety Presentations Your City firefighters are also qualified to deliver presentations on specialized topics to include fire safety for older adults, home fire escape plans, disaster preparation and an array of others. These programs have been established in order to reduce the occurrence of preventable incidents that may have a negative impact to our community. If you are interested in any of these programs or have any questions regarding fire or life safety concerns, please contact Capt. Ronnie Willet, Fire/Life Safety Educator, at 433-1413 or Battalion Chief Michael Martin, Fire Marshal, at 433-1427. t ra d e keyst ro ke s for p u tt i n g st ro ke s . Log on. Search some courses. Get the fun rolling. NC Tourism_Ad Layouts_4C_NEWS_9.88x5_FINAL.indd 4 6/4/14 4:48 PM