The men and women of the Bon Carbo Volunteer Fire Department would like to encourage members of the community to help the earthquake victims in Haiti in whatever ways they can. We also urge you to use caution when considering where to send your financial support. As we have learned from past tragedies, the suffering of others is often further compounded by scam artists trying to steal money intended for victim's assistance.
CBSnews.com has compiled a list of respectable charitable organizations, as well as information on how to look for loved ones in Haiti. You can find that list by clicking here.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families, and also to the thousands of support personnel on the ground in Haiti.
Posted by Keisha
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Well-belted kids
You’re just going to the store or for a short drive over to the neighbors. You live on a dirt road and no one ever speeds, including you. The kids are sleeping, and they need to be able to get more comfortable.
Ever said these words when thinking about whether or not to belt your kids into the car? According to healthychildren.org, each year thousands of children are killed or injured in car crashes - and a lot of those deaths and injuries could have been prevented with proper seat belt usage.
Infants should be in a rear-facing car seat, preferably in the back seat, until they reach a minimum of 20 pounds and are a year old. If your child outgrows his or her infant only seat, a convertible car seat is the next step up. This seat can be placed in either the rear or forward-facing position and gives larger infants, who haven’t yet reached their first birthday, a bit more room while still in the rear-facing position.
Once your little one has reached 20 pounds (and made a huge mess of his or her first birthday cake), they can sit in a forward-facing car seat. This seat should have a five-point harness system for maximum safety.
School-aged children can sit in booster seats, which come in a variety of sizes. One, for younger children, is a complete seat with a bottom and back, allowing the vehicle's seat belt to fit them properly. Older children can use a booster seat with only a bottom, provided they are tall enough that the seat belt sits across their chest. Booster seats should be used until a child reaches 4’9” tall and is 8-12 years old.
Older children can use seat belts, but Dr. Arlene Greenspan of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says all children younger than 13 should sit in the back seat. This provides the best protection.
Your car insurance carrier may provide car seat installation service, in which a qualified technician will come out and make sure your children's car seats are installed properly.
If you need more information to help you purchase the best car seat for your child, please visit healthychildren.org.
Posted by Keisha
Ever said these words when thinking about whether or not to belt your kids into the car? According to healthychildren.org, each year thousands of children are killed or injured in car crashes - and a lot of those deaths and injuries could have been prevented with proper seat belt usage.
Infants should be in a rear-facing car seat, preferably in the back seat, until they reach a minimum of 20 pounds and are a year old. If your child outgrows his or her infant only seat, a convertible car seat is the next step up. This seat can be placed in either the rear or forward-facing position and gives larger infants, who haven’t yet reached their first birthday, a bit more room while still in the rear-facing position.
Once your little one has reached 20 pounds (and made a huge mess of his or her first birthday cake), they can sit in a forward-facing car seat. This seat should have a five-point harness system for maximum safety.
School-aged children can sit in booster seats, which come in a variety of sizes. One, for younger children, is a complete seat with a bottom and back, allowing the vehicle's seat belt to fit them properly. Older children can use a booster seat with only a bottom, provided they are tall enough that the seat belt sits across their chest. Booster seats should be used until a child reaches 4’9” tall and is 8-12 years old.
Older children can use seat belts, but Dr. Arlene Greenspan of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says all children younger than 13 should sit in the back seat. This provides the best protection.
Your car insurance carrier may provide car seat installation service, in which a qualified technician will come out and make sure your children's car seats are installed properly.
If you need more information to help you purchase the best car seat for your child, please visit healthychildren.org.
Posted by Keisha
Saturday, January 16, 2010
About Wildfire
Fire has been an essential part of our environment for millennia, shaping natural ecosystems such as forests and rangelands.
Fire is a vital and natural component of healthy forests, especially in the West. Many species, such as lodgepole pine, partially depend on fire to spread their seeds.
Three components must be present before a fire can start: oxygen, heat and fuel. In the context of wildfires, fuel is any living or dead material that will burn, such as dry leaves, pine trees, fallen branches, grasses and even homes.
Low-intensity fires reduce fuel buildup on the forest floor, thus helping prevent susceptibility to insect infestations and disease outbreaks. Additionally, fire helps recycle nutrients back into the soil and creates a fertile environment for seeds to germinate. Forest fires can enhance wildlife habitat and improve access and appearance.
Historically, fires caused by lightning and ignited by Native Americans helped maintain open forests and grasslands.
By the 1900s, however, Americans grew to fear fire — whether natural or human caused — due to damages to personal property, farmland, livestock and wildlife, and threats to human life. As a result, fire suppression became the norm.
The great fires of 1910 burned more than 3 million acres in the Northern Rockies of Idaho and Montana, took the lives of 78 firefighters and cost the USDA Forest Service more than $20 million (adjusted for inflation). This historic event, known as "The Big Blowup," prompted a decision to put out forest fires as quickly as possible. Now, almost 100 years later, fire suppression has led to severe changes in America's forests.
A century of fire suppression has produced dangerous accumulations of fuels, causing hotter and more intense fires when they do eventually burn. Because of the arrangement of these fuels, fire travels to the top of the forest instead of staying close to the ground. These crown fires are extremely threatening to soils, habitat, property and people.
Excessive fire suppression and fuel buildup have negative impacts on forest health and the humans and wildlife that inhabit the area. However, land managers and homeowners can take preventive measures to reduce the occurrence of catastrophic crown fires. Such actions include clearing dead and downed materials, thinning tree stands and removing other hazardous fuels. Allowing naturally occurring fires to burn without interference or applying fire through prescribed burning can help prevent intense crown fires and maintain a healthy forest.
Article from http://csfs.colostate.edu/pages/wf-about.html
Posted by Colleen C.
Fire is a vital and natural component of healthy forests, especially in the West. Many species, such as lodgepole pine, partially depend on fire to spread their seeds.
Three components must be present before a fire can start: oxygen, heat and fuel. In the context of wildfires, fuel is any living or dead material that will burn, such as dry leaves, pine trees, fallen branches, grasses and even homes.
Low-intensity fires reduce fuel buildup on the forest floor, thus helping prevent susceptibility to insect infestations and disease outbreaks. Additionally, fire helps recycle nutrients back into the soil and creates a fertile environment for seeds to germinate. Forest fires can enhance wildlife habitat and improve access and appearance.
Historically, fires caused by lightning and ignited by Native Americans helped maintain open forests and grasslands.
By the 1900s, however, Americans grew to fear fire — whether natural or human caused — due to damages to personal property, farmland, livestock and wildlife, and threats to human life. As a result, fire suppression became the norm.
The great fires of 1910 burned more than 3 million acres in the Northern Rockies of Idaho and Montana, took the lives of 78 firefighters and cost the USDA Forest Service more than $20 million (adjusted for inflation). This historic event, known as "The Big Blowup," prompted a decision to put out forest fires as quickly as possible. Now, almost 100 years later, fire suppression has led to severe changes in America's forests.
A century of fire suppression has produced dangerous accumulations of fuels, causing hotter and more intense fires when they do eventually burn. Because of the arrangement of these fuels, fire travels to the top of the forest instead of staying close to the ground. These crown fires are extremely threatening to soils, habitat, property and people.
Excessive fire suppression and fuel buildup have negative impacts on forest health and the humans and wildlife that inhabit the area. However, land managers and homeowners can take preventive measures to reduce the occurrence of catastrophic crown fires. Such actions include clearing dead and downed materials, thinning tree stands and removing other hazardous fuels. Allowing naturally occurring fires to burn without interference or applying fire through prescribed burning can help prevent intense crown fires and maintain a healthy forest.
Article from http://csfs.colostate.edu/pages/wf-about.html
Posted by Colleen C.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Prepare for anything in 2010!
The Bon Carbo Volunteer Fire Department urges residents to prepare for any type of unseen emergency. While the weather may be lovely, the Colorado climate is still unpredictable; and with humidity levels creeping lower and lower, wild fire is again becoming a threat - even with snow still on the ground!
The men and women of the Bon Carbo Volunteer Fire Department want you and your family to be safe in 2010. The Los Angeles Fire Department has written an excellent blog regarding preparedness, and there are some great links that apply to everyone, regardless of your location.
http://lafd.blogspot.com/2010/01/prepare-for-whatever-comes-in-2010.html
Posted by Keisha
The men and women of the Bon Carbo Volunteer Fire Department want you and your family to be safe in 2010. The Los Angeles Fire Department has written an excellent blog regarding preparedness, and there are some great links that apply to everyone, regardless of your location.
http://lafd.blogspot.com/2010/01/prepare-for-whatever-comes-in-2010.html
Posted by Keisha
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Interview with the Bon Carbo Volunteer Fire Dept. Chief - Mary Aann Herzog
How long have you been with the Bon Carbo Fire Department?
I've been with the fire department 12 1/2 years as a firefighter and I was a Board member for a year or so before joining the team.
Why did you want to become a firefighter?
The thrill and community need.
What certifications and trainings have you had?
Several certified courses: Wildland S130/190, Wildland Fire Behavior S290, Wildland Urban Interface S215, Advanced Fire Training S131, Initial Attack IC S200, Incident Command I200 and NIMS 700 as well as medical triage training, emergency vehicle driver safety, and structure fire attack. I have completed the TAD First responder course. Also, regular training and practice on our emergency vehicles and equipment.
What is your favorite part of being a firefighter?
Honestly .... the rush. The feeling when the team gets the upper hand on the situation and you made a difference.
What do you do for a living?
I am self employed as a painter - houses inside and out.
What activities do you enjoy outside of being a firefighter?
Being home. Being with family. Being outdoors.
An occasional road trip. And I love my camera.
Posted by Colleen C.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Annual Appreciation Dinner - Part Two
Our annual Appreciation Dinner, hosted this year by Bon Carbo and held at the Holiday Inn across from Wal-Mart, was an enjoyable get-together. The Italian Buffet, that auxiliary members voted on previously, turned out to be a good choice ... dee-licious! The room was set up with round tables with white tablecloths and black napkins - very elegant. The auxiliary purchased centerpieces of Kwik-Shot Soot Stoppers and small fire extinguishers which added a decorative "flare" (pardon the pun) to the tables, along with curled ribbon strips in red, black and yellow.
Spanish Peaks' Chief Mike Zanolini spoke a few words and gave awards and gifts to members of his team, as did Bon Carbo Chief MaryAnn Herzog to her team (Photo #1 shows MaryAnn on the far left with Mike next to her). Auxiliary members were acknowledged with certificates of appreciation for their many volunteer hours and dedication.
WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME AND DONATE RESOURCES TO OUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND AUXILIARIES.
A special plaque (Photo #2) was given to Bon Carbo's former Captain, Liz Cedor, for her ten plus years of service to the community. In late August, Liz made the difficult decision to step down from the fire department. Needless to say (but it'll be said anyway), she is sorely missed.
During dessert, guests were asked to look at the bottoms of their chairs. One lucky person at each table sat in the WINNER seat and was rewarded with the Kwik-Shot or fire extinguisher to take home.
Come join our firefighters and/or auxiliary and be a part of the 2010 Appreciation Dinner festivities!
For information on how you can get involved and/or support our efforts with tax-deductible donations, please contact:
Bon Carbo Volunteer Fire Dept. Auxiliary
P.O. Box 26
14589 County Road 57.7
Boncarbo, CO 81024
(719) 846-2399
Office hours: Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
bcvfd_1@netzero.com
Spanish Peaks Volunteer Fire Dept. Auxiliary
P.O. Box 156
121 W. Main
Aguilar, CO 81020
(719) 941-4107
spanishpeaksbase@hotmail.com
Posted by Colleen C.
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