CALL FOR HELP. Use a cell phone if your electrical power has been interrupted.
CLOSE ALL ENTRANCES, WINDOWS AND OTHER OPENINGS. This includes doors, garage doors, windows, vents and any other entrances to your residence or garage. Close shutters, heavy drapes, Venetian blinds or other window coverings. This action is recommended to prevent sparks from blowing inside your house and igniting there.
HAVE TOOLS & WATER ACCESSIBLE. Have a shovel, rake and long water hose accessible. Fill buckets and other bulk containers with water.
DRESS TO PROTECT YOURSELF. Wear cotton/woolen clothing including long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, gloves and a handkerchief to protect your face.
WET DOWN THE ROOF. If your roof is combustible, wet it down with a hose. Place the ladder you use for this task on the side of the roof opposite the fire.
TURN OFF RESIDENTIAL FUEL. If you use natural gas or butane, turn it off at the tank or the meter.
PREPARE THE AUTOMOBILES. Back as many vehicles as possible into the garage. Then close the garage door. In the event you evacuate, close the garage door behind you as you leave. If you do not have a garage or if the garage is full, park vehicles so they are heading in the direction of the evacuation route.
EVACUATE THE FAMILY. If evacuation becomes necessary, take your family and pets to a safe location.
From: http://www.firewise.org/
Posted by Colleen C.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Summer Safety Tips: BBQ Grills
The fine folks at Kingsford have put together safety tips for BBQ grilling. The Bon Carbo Volunteer Fire Department would like to share these with you!
Stay Safe!
Stay Safe!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Memorial Day Mud Race
It's that time of year again!
The Spanish Peaks Mud Racing Association will be holding the Memorial Day Mud Race on Sunday, May 30, 2010. We urge everyone to come and have a great time! The Mud Pit is located just off Exit 34, outside of Aguilar.
As always, the Spanish Peaks Volunteer Fire Department will be staging at the event - just in case.
The Spanish Peaks Mud Racing Association will be holding the Memorial Day Mud Race on Sunday, May 30, 2010. We urge everyone to come and have a great time! The Mud Pit is located just off Exit 34, outside of Aguilar.
As always, the Spanish Peaks Volunteer Fire Department will be staging at the event - just in case.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Summer Safety Tips: ATV Riding
As temperatures finally start to warm up, the Bon Carbo Volunteer Fire Department is seeing more ATVs on the road-and off. We encourage safe and fun ATV experiences!
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has put together a great site with safety tips, links to training courses, and upcoming legislation affecting ATVs. Please take a few minutes to visit!
Stay Safe!
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has put together a great site with safety tips, links to training courses, and upcoming legislation affecting ATVs. Please take a few minutes to visit!
Stay Safe!
Friday, May 14, 2010
How to Burn Debris Safely, Part 3 – Using a Burn Barrel
You can reduce the risk of wildfire when using a burn barrel to dispose of backyard debris if you make sure:
Your burn barrel is of all-metal construction and is in good condition. When checking your barrel, look at the walls and bottom to make sure rust hasn't weakened them, even in spots.
Make sure your barrel is properly ventilated by evenly spacing three 3" square vents near the bottom around the rim and backing each vent with a metal screen.
Put a metal screen on top of your barrel to keep sparks from igniting vegetation - it's recommended you use 14 gauge wire mesh size of 1/4" or finer.
Have a shovel, rake and plenty of water near the burn site.
NEVER use an accelerant in a burn barrel or burn pile. Especially if you like your eyebrows!
Start small and add as you go ... put small twigs and branches at the bottom of the barrel because they ignite quickly, and make sure to stir frequently to introduce new oxygen. After you've established a vigorous heat source from your twigs, etc., add leaves, needles, and bark in small increments and continue to stir frequently to make sure everything gets burned. You'll want to add to your fire gradually because if you have a lot of debris burning in your barrel at once, the intense heat it will generate can cause embers to fly high and over your control line.
REMEMBER, it's illegal to burn just about anything that isn't from a tree or shrub. That means you'll need to take your plastic items (surprisingly, that including window envelopes as they give off toxic fumes), tires, batteries, asphalt, treated wood, pesticide containers, petroleum products, etc. to the landfill.
When you're finished burning, make sure the fire is OUT! Pour water on it, stir it, then pour more water on it and monitor it for two hours to make sure it doesn't reignite. It's hard to believe, but days and even weeks after a fire is thought to be out, a burn pile or barrel can still hold heat! With warm spells, the humidity drops. Add a little Boncarbo wind gust and embers can not only be reignited, but they can be tossed willy-nilly which may just spell disaster for you and your loved ones.
As always, keep your burn site a safe distance away from trees, overhanging branches, vehicles, and/or structures.
To be completely safe, consider an alternative to burning. Can you use your planned burn as compost to enrich your soil? Or how about building a shelter for the rabbits, etc. to live in - if you layer branches and twigs in different directions on top of small logs, you'll be making nesting areas for various wildlife.
If, heaven forbid, your fire gets away from you, call 9-1-1 immediately. You can always try to get the fire under control with the water, shovel, & rake you have nearby AFTER help is on the way.
Posted by Colleen C.
Your burn barrel is of all-metal construction and is in good condition. When checking your barrel, look at the walls and bottom to make sure rust hasn't weakened them, even in spots.
Make sure your barrel is properly ventilated by evenly spacing three 3" square vents near the bottom around the rim and backing each vent with a metal screen.
Put a metal screen on top of your barrel to keep sparks from igniting vegetation - it's recommended you use 14 gauge wire mesh size of 1/4" or finer.
Have a shovel, rake and plenty of water near the burn site.
NEVER use an accelerant in a burn barrel or burn pile. Especially if you like your eyebrows!
Start small and add as you go ... put small twigs and branches at the bottom of the barrel because they ignite quickly, and make sure to stir frequently to introduce new oxygen. After you've established a vigorous heat source from your twigs, etc., add leaves, needles, and bark in small increments and continue to stir frequently to make sure everything gets burned. You'll want to add to your fire gradually because if you have a lot of debris burning in your barrel at once, the intense heat it will generate can cause embers to fly high and over your control line.
REMEMBER, it's illegal to burn just about anything that isn't from a tree or shrub. That means you'll need to take your plastic items (surprisingly, that including window envelopes as they give off toxic fumes), tires, batteries, asphalt, treated wood, pesticide containers, petroleum products, etc. to the landfill.
When you're finished burning, make sure the fire is OUT! Pour water on it, stir it, then pour more water on it and monitor it for two hours to make sure it doesn't reignite. It's hard to believe, but days and even weeks after a fire is thought to be out, a burn pile or barrel can still hold heat! With warm spells, the humidity drops. Add a little Boncarbo wind gust and embers can not only be reignited, but they can be tossed willy-nilly which may just spell disaster for you and your loved ones.
As always, keep your burn site a safe distance away from trees, overhanging branches, vehicles, and/or structures.
To be completely safe, consider an alternative to burning. Can you use your planned burn as compost to enrich your soil? Or how about building a shelter for the rabbits, etc. to live in - if you layer branches and twigs in different directions on top of small logs, you'll be making nesting areas for various wildlife.
If, heaven forbid, your fire gets away from you, call 9-1-1 immediately. You can always try to get the fire under control with the water, shovel, & rake you have nearby AFTER help is on the way.
Posted by Colleen C.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Summer Safety Tips: Physical Activity
Summer is a time when many of us become much more active after a winter of forced inactivity. The Bon Carbo Volunteer Fire Departments wants you to be safe this summer!
Please read this article for tips on resuming physical activity in the summer!
Stay Safe!
Please read this article for tips on resuming physical activity in the summer!
Stay Safe!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Summer Safety Tips: Sunburns
With summer fast approaching, despite the cool temperatures, the Bon Carbo Volunteer Fire Department would like to share some Summer Safety Tips. This week: Sunburn!
Avoiding sunburn is always preferable to treating one. Remember to use sunscreen, and reapply often. If you're wearing light colored clothing, place a layer of sunscreen underneath your clothes before you get dressed-UV rays can penetrate light colored clothing! Trips to the bathroom during your daily activities can give you a chance to reapply sunscreen in these areas.
There are some amazing products on the market today. Consumer reports has an article with recommendations and tips.
If you do get a sunburn, RevolutionHealth has an article with treatment ideas.
Stay safe this summer!
Avoiding sunburn is always preferable to treating one. Remember to use sunscreen, and reapply often. If you're wearing light colored clothing, place a layer of sunscreen underneath your clothes before you get dressed-UV rays can penetrate light colored clothing! Trips to the bathroom during your daily activities can give you a chance to reapply sunscreen in these areas.
There are some amazing products on the market today. Consumer reports has an article with recommendations and tips.
If you do get a sunburn, RevolutionHealth has an article with treatment ideas.
Stay safe this summer!
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