Goodwill Fire Co #1, Jacobus,PA : Over 125 years of service to our community.PROUDLY VOLUNTEERING since 1879.

Goodwill Fire Co #1, Jacobus,PA
Over 125 years of service to our community.PROUDLY VOLUNTEERING since 1879.

Fire Prevention

Fire Prevention Logo

HOME FIRE SAFETY CHECKLIST:

Simple changes that could save your life

CHANGE YOUR SMOKE ALARM BATTERIES

The IAFC and fire experts nationwide encourage people to change smoke alarm batteries at least annually. An easy way to remember to change your batteries iswhen you turn you clock back in the fall. Replace old batteries with fresh,high quality alkaline batteries, such as Energizer brand batteries, to keep yoursmoke alarm going year long.

CHECK YOUR SMOKE ALARMS

After inserting a fresh battery in your smoke alarm, check to make sure the smoke alarm itself is working by pushing the safety test button.

COUNT YOUR SMOKE ALARMS

Install at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home, including one in every bedroom and one outside each sleeping area.

VACUUM YOUR SMOKE ALARMS

Each month, clean your smoke alarm of dust and cobwebs to ensure their sensitivity.

CHANGE YOUR FLASHLIGHT BATTERIES

To make sure your emergency flashlights work when you need them, use high quality alkaline batteries. Note: Keep a working flashlight near your bed, in the kitchen, basement and family room, and use it to signal for help in the event of a fire.

INSTALL FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

Install a fire extinguisher in or near your kitchen and know how to use it. Should you need to purchase one, the IAFC recommends a multi or all purpose fire extinguisher that is listed by an accredited testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratory.

PLAN AND PRACTICE YOUR ESCAPE

Create at least two different escape routes and practice them with the entire family. Children are at double the risk of dying in a home fire because they often become scared and confused during fires. Make sure your children understand that a smoke alarm signals a home fire and that they recognize its alarm.

Exit Drills In The Home

EXIT DRILLS IN THE HOME
In 1995, 3640 Americans died in home fires. That's roughly 10 people a day. Tens of thousands more were injured. People can survive even major fires in their homes if they are alerted to the fire and get out quickly and stay out.

HOW TO SURVIVE

Install smoke detectors and keep them in working order.

Make an escape plan and "practice" it.

Consider installing an automatic fire-sprinkler system.

PLAN YOUR ESCAPE
Once a fire has started, there is no time to plan how to get out. Sit down with your family today, and make a step-by-step plan for escaping a fire.

Draw a floor Plan of your Home, marking two ways out of every room - especially sleeping areas. Discuss the escape routes with every member of your household.

Agree on a Meeting Place, where every member of the household will gather outside your home after escaping a fire to wait for the fire department. This allows you to count heads and inform the fire department if anyone is missing or trapped inside the burning building.

Practice your escape plan at least twice a year. Have a fire drill in your home. Appoint someone to be the monitor, and have everyone participate. A fire drill is not a race. Get out quickly, but carefully.

MAKE YOUR EXIT DRILL REALISTIC
Pretend that some exits are blocked by fire, and practice alternative escape routes, Pretend that the lights are out and that some escape routes are filling with smoke.

Be Prepared
Make sure everyone in the household can unlock all doors and windows quickly, even in the dark. Windows or doors with security bars need to be equipped with quick-release devices, and everyone in the household should know how to use them.

If you live in an apartment building, use stairways to escape. NEVER use an elevator during a fire. It may stop between floors or take you to a floor where the fire is burning. Some high-rise buildings may have evacuation plans that require you to stay where you are and wait for the fire department.

If you live in a multi-story house and you must escape from an upper story window, be sure there is a safe way to reach the ground, such as a fire-resistant fire escape ladder. Make special arrangements for children, older adults and people with disabilities. People who have difficulty moving should have a phone in their sleeping area and , if possible, should sleep on the ground floor.

Test doors before opening them.
While kneeling or crouching at the door, reach up as high as you can and with the back of your hand touch the door, the knob, and the crack between the door and its frame. If you feel any warmth at all, use another escape route. If the door feels cool, open it with caution. Put your shoulder against the door and open it slowly. Be prepared to slam it shut if there is smoke or flames on the other side.

If you are trapped, close all doors between you and the fire. Stuff the cracks around the doors to keep out smoke. Wait at a window and signal for help with a flashlight or by waving a light colored cloth. If there is a phone in the room, call the fire department and report exactly where you are.

GET OUT FAST . . .
In case of a fire, don't stop for anything. Do not try to rescue possessions or pets. Go directly to your meeting place, and then call the fire department from a neighbor's phone, a portable phone, or an alarm box. Every member of your household should know how to call the fire department.

Crawl low under smoke.
Smoke contains deadly gases, and heat rises. During a fire, cleaner air will be near the floor. If you encounter smoke when using your primary exit, use an alternative escape route. If you must exit through smoke, crawl on your hands and knees, keeping your head 12 to 24 inches (30 - 60 centimeters) above the floor.

. . . and stay out
Once you are out of your home, don't go back for any reason. If people are trapped, the firefighters have the best chance of rescuing them. The heat and smoke of a fire are overpowering. Firefighters have the training, experience, and protective equipment needed to enter burning buildings.

Play IT Safe
Smoke Detectors. More than half of all fatal home fires happen at night while people are asleep. Smoke detectors sound an alarm when a fire starts, waking people before they are trapped or overcome by smoke. With smoke detectors, your risk of dying in a home fire is cut nearly in half. Install smoke detectors outside every sleeping area and on every level of your home, including the basement. Follow installation instructions carefully, and test smoke detectors monthly. Change all smoke detector batteries at least once a year. If your detector is more than 10 years old, replace it with a new one.

Automatic fire-sprinkler systems.
These systems attack a fire in its early stages by spraying water only on the area where the fire has begun. Consider including sprinkler systems in plans for new construction and installing them in existing homes.

NOW, use what you've learned,
SET UP YOUR PLAN, including two ways out, a meeting place and
CONDUCT A PRACTICE DRILL to determine if anything has been overlooked.
EVERYONE in the household NEEDS TO PARTICIPATE for it to be successful.
It may SAVE YOUR LIFE.

This information is also available in a brochure provided by the
National Fire Protection Association
Battery Park, Quincy MA 02269-9101

Fire Prevention Children Activities

Dear Parents,

We are learning about community helpers. Try doing the following
activities to help your child learn more about the firefighter and fire safety.

FIRE DRILL

Make a plan for getting out of your home in case of fire and establish a safe place outside for everyone to meet. Practice following your plan with your child on a regular basis. At the end of your fire drill, have your child show how he or she would get help by pretending to run to a neighbor’s house and dialing 9-1-1.

FIREFIGHTER HATS

For each child, use plain newsprint (or newspaper) to make a folded paper hat. Secure all loose edges with tape. Let the children use crayons or felt-tip markers to color their hats red. Fold back one corner of each hat and staple it in place. Then attach a yellow construction paper badge shape on which you have written a numeral of the child’s choice. Variation: For each child, trim a large piece of red construction paper into an oval shape. Then use the oval to make a head size version of the firefighter finger puppet hat.

FIREFIGHTER FINGER PUPPETS

Let each of the children make one or more firefighter finger puppet hats. For each hat, give a child an oval shape (about 2 inches long) cut from white constructionpaper. Let the child use a crayon to color both sides of the oval red. Cut out a finger hole, as indicated by the dotted line in the illustration, and fold as indicated by the solid line. Use a black felt tip marker to add a numeral of the child’s choice to the hat. Draw a face on the child’s finger as shown and top the finger with the child’s firefighter hat.

Encourage the children to manipulate their puppets while singing songs or telling stories.

Fire Prevention Badges

Cut badge shapes out of white index cards. Let the children decorate their badges with colored felt tip markers or crayons. Use a black tip marker to write one of these sayings on each child’s badge.

"(Child’s Name)" does not play with matches or lighters

"(Child’s Name)" knows how to stop, drop and roll.

"(Child’s Name)" knows how to dial 9-1-1

FIRE TRUCK SCENES

Help the children make fire truck scenes. For each scene, give a child a small house shape and a fire truck shape cut from construction paper. Let the child glue his or her shapes on a plastic foam food tray. When the glue has dried, have the child use felt tip markers to draw smoke and flames coming out of his house. Make a hose for the fire truck by wrapping a small piece of masking tape around one end of a pipe cleaner. Poke the other end through the fire truck shape and secure it with tape to the back of the tray. Let the child wiggle the hose and pretend to put out the fire in the house.

MILK CARTON FIRE ENGINE

Open container top

Cut container top on three sides -- separate

Cut half way into container

Make two folds -- tape or glue down

Cover the milk carton with paper and have the children design their own fire truck

Illustration

CARDBOARD CARTON FIRE ENGINE

Select a rectangular cardboard carton, like the one in the illustration, to use for making a fire engine. Cut the bottom out of the carton with a craft knife. Open out the two long top flaps. Cut square holes in them as shown to make the flaps into "ladders". Let the children paint the ladders white and the rest of the carton red. When the paint has dried, attach two small yellow paper plates for headlights and four large black paper plates for wheels. Cut holes for handles in the front and the back of the fire engine. Add a section of garden hose to hang out the back hole. Let the children take turns climbing inside the fire engine and driving it to imaginary fire scenes.

STOP, DROP AND ROLL

Each time you have a fire drill, talk with the children about how they should "STOP, DROP AND ROLL" if their clothes catch on fire. Clear a large area in the room or take the children outside to a grassy area. Have the children start walking or running in place. At a given signal, have them stop what they are doing, drop to the floor or ground and roll over and over until the pretend flames are out.

Fireplace Safety Tips

The fireplace in your home is a source of warmth and relaxation for your family and friends. Like any home appliance, it should be safe, properly maintained, and good for the environment-inside and out.

Think "Fire Prevention"

Think "Clean"

Home Sprinklers

How Automatic Sprinklers Work

Automatic Sprinklers Systems supply water to a network of individual sprinklers, each protecting an area below them. These sprinklers open automatically in response to head and spray water on a fire to put it out or keep it from spreading. Contrary to popular belief, only those sprinklers near the fire are activated and discharge water.

Sprinklers Save Lives

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) records covering most of this century show no instances of fires killing three or more people in a house, apartment, hotel or motel where a complete sprinkler system was installed and operating properly.

The NFPA estimates that the risk of dying in a fire is cut by one-half to two-thirds in public buildings, stores, offices, auditoriums, factories, where sprinklers have been installed and in the growing number of private homes equipped with sprinkler systems.

Because sprinkler systems react so early in the course of a fire, they reduce the heat and flames and the amount of smoke produced in a fire. Every life-threatening aspect of a fire is reduced by sprinklers.

Sprinklers Save Property

NFPA studies show that automatic sprinklers systems also save thousands of dollars in property loss.

Sprinklers in the Home

Automatic sprinkler systems have been common in factories, warehouses, hotels, and public buildings throughout the 20th century. Since the early 1980s, sprinkler have become more popular to private homes, thanks to revised NFPA standards for installation that have made home sprinkler systems practical and more affordable.

Four-fifths of all fire deaths occur in homes, and according to a study by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 60 to 70 percent of those deaths could be prevented by adding sprinkler systems to houses and apartments.

Since 1980, sprinklers have been available specifically for residential use. These systems can be supplied with water through small-diameter piping from a household water supply in one- or two-family dwellings.

Thanks to the use of modern materials and designs, the cost of residential sprinkler systems has come down. Estimates suggest that installing such a system would add one to one-and-a-half percent to the cost of new housing. They can also be installed in existing buildings.

Homes with automatic sprinkler systems should also be equipped with smoke detectors. All residents should be familiar with these devices and should have a plan for escape in the event of fire.

Dispelling Myths about Automatic Sprinklers

Despite the proven, effectiveness of automatic sprinkler systems in slowing the spread of fire and reducing loss of life and property damage, many people resist the idea of home sprinkler systems because of widespread misconceptions about their operation.

MYTH:	The water damage from sprinklers is worse that a fire.
TRUTH:	The truth is, a sprinkler will control a fire with a tiny fraction of the water used by the fire departments hoses, primarily because it acts so much earlier. Automatic systems spray water only in the immediate area of the fire and can keep the fire from spreading, thus avoiding widespread water damage.
MYTH:	Sprinklers go off accidentally, causing unnecessary water damage.
TRUTH:	Accidental water damage caused by automatic sprinkler systems is relatively rare. One study concluded that sprinkler accidents are generally less likely and less severe than mishaps involving standard home plumbing systems.
MYTH:	Sprinklers are ugly
TRUTH:	Sprinklers don't have to be unattractive. Pipes can be hidden behind ceilings or walls, and modern sprinkler fixtures can be inconspicuous - mounted almost flush with the walls or ceilings. Some sprinklers can even be concealed.

Installation

Commercial or Residential automatic sprinkler systems should be installed by a qualified contractor who adheres to NFPA codes and standards and/or with local fire safety regulations.

Safety Tips

Carbon Monoxide
"The Silent Killer"

What is Carbon Monoxide?

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a deadly gas produced by burning any fuel. When inhaled, CO rapidly displaces oxygen in the victims blood, resulting in serious illness, even death. Since Carbon Monoxide is completely invisible, odorless and tasteless, many people have no idea that they are being poisoned until it is too late. Fore this reason, CO is often called "The Silent Killer." Airtight design in today's modern energy efficient homes can contribute to the problem by confining CO contaminated air within the home.

Carbon monoxide is a common byproduct of vehicle exhaust and appliances that run on flammable fuel, such as gas. Appliances should always be checked to ensure that they are in good working order and properly ventilated by a qualified professional if necessary.

Common CO sources in the home include:
     • Furnaces (Oil/Coal/Gas)
     • Fireplaces
     • Gas Dryers
     • Gas Refrigerators
     • Ranges/Stoves (Gas/Coal)
     • Space/Area Heaters (Gas/Coal)

When used properly these appliances are not dangerous, but if not properly vented, or not burning correctly, they can be deadly.

What are the symptoms/dangers?

The symptoms of CO poisoning often imitate those of common illnesses such as the flu. Some studies have indicated an estimated 23.6% of people who have flu or stress symptoms could actually be suffering from CO poisoning. Victims of low level CO poisoning often experience the following symptoms:
     • Mild headaches          • Drowsiness
     • Shortage of breath      • Dizzy spells
     • Nausea
At higher levels CO poisoning can cause:
     • Severe headaches      • Impaired vision/hearing
     • Mental confusion        • Loss of consciousness
     • Fatigue                      • Vomiting
     • Coma
Severe CO poisoning can cause:
     • Irregular heartbeat      • Coma
     • Amnesia                   • Death
     • Brain damage

What can I do to protect my family?

Medical studies have shown a high percentage of the population is particularly vulnerable to CO, especially low levels over a long period of time. This high risk group includes fetuses, children, the elderly, and those with heart and lung disorders. When inhaled, CO combines with hemoglobin in red blood cells to form substances that work to decrease oxygen levels and eventually asphyxiate the victim.

The awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide combined with the use of CO detectors in the home will dramatically reduce the incidents of tragic deaths and frightening near misses that result from CO leaks.

It is recommended at least one CO detector be installed near the sleeping area of your home. Additional detectors are advised for the common living areas of the home or installed near (but not directly over) other emission sources such as heating appliances. However, detectors should not be located near a bathroom where humidity from a shower may affect it's operation. Also, fingernail polish and hair spray adversely affect CO sensors.

What do I do if my detector goes off?

If your CO detector does activate the first thing you should do is call 911. After calling 911 you should calmly evacuate family members and pets to outside the home or a neighbors house. DO NOT open windows and doors to air out the home, this will prevent firefighters from detecting the source. When the fire department arrives they will inspect the home with monitoring devices and then let fresh air in the house if it is necessary.

Never hesitate to call for help if your CO detector is activated, helping you in these situations is what firefighters spend so much time training for and we are always willing to help.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, TRY THIS WEBSITE:

http://www.carbonmonoxidekills.com/drpenney.htm

Disaster Supplies Kit

Family Disaster Planning | Disaster Supplies Kit | Food Supplies
Storing Supplies | Water Storage | Your Evacuation Plan
Looking for a Home | Food and Water in an Emergency | Shelter-in-Place | Workplace Disaster Supplies Kit

PDF version of the Disaster Supplies Kit
Get the latest Acrobat Reader to ensure error-free PDF browsing.

There are six basics you should stock for your home: water, food, first aid supplies, clothing and bedding, tools and emergency supplies, and special items. Keep the items that you would most likely need during an evacuation in an easy-to carry container--suggested items are marked with an asterisk(*). Possible containers include a large, covered trash container, a camping backpack, or a duffle bag.

Water

Store water in plastic containers such as soft drink bottles. Avoid using containers that will decompose or break, such as milk cartons or glass bottles. A normally active person needs to drink at least two quarts of water each day. Hot environments and intense physical activity can double that amount. Children, nursing mothers, and ill people will need more.
Store one gallon of water per person per day.
Keep at least a three-day supply of water per person (two quarts for drinking, two quarts for each person in your household for food preparation/sanitation).*

Food

Store at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food. Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking, and little or no water. If you must heat food, pack a can of sterno. Select food items that are compact and lightweight. Include a selection of the following foods in your Disaster Supplies Kit:
Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits, and vegetables
Canned juices
Staples (salt, sugar, pepper, spices, etc.)
High energy foods
Vitamins
Food for infants
Comfort/stress foods

First Aid Kit
Assemble a first aid kit for your home and one for each car.

(20) adhesive bandages, various sizes.
(1) 5" x 9" sterile dressing.
(1) conforming roller gauze bandage.
(2) triangular bandages.
(2) 3 x 3 sterile gauze pads.
(2) 4 x 4 sterile gauze pads.
(1) roll 3" cohesive bandage.
(2) germicidal hand wipes or waterless alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
(6) antiseptic wipes.
(2) pair large medical grade non-latex gloves.
Adhesive tape, 2" width.
Anti-bacterial ointment.
Cold pack.
Scissors (small, personal).
Tweezers.
CPR breathing barrier, such as a face shield.

Non-Prescription Drugs

Aspirin or nonaspirin pain reliever
Anti-diarrhea medication
Antacid (for stomach upset)
Syrup of Ipecac (use to induce vomiting if advised by the Poison Control Center)
Laxative
Activated charcoal (use if advised by the Poison Control Center)

Tools and Supplies

Mess kits, or paper cups, plates, and plastic utensils*
Emergency preparedness manual*
Battery-operated radio and extra batteries*
Flashlight and extra batteries*
Cash or traveler's checks, change*
Non-electric can opener, utility knife*
Fire extinguisher: small canister ABC type
Tube tent
Pliers
Tape
Compass
Matches in a waterproof container
Aluminum foil
Plastic storage containers
Signal flare
Paper, pencil
Needles, thread
Medicine dropper
Shut-off wrench, to turn off household gas and water
Whistle
Plastic sheeting
Map of the area (for locating shelters)

Sanitation

Toilet paper, towelettes*
Soap, liquid detergent*
Feminine supplies*
Personal hygiene items*
Plastic garbage bags, ties (for personal sanitation uses)
Plastic bucket with tight lid
Disinfectant
Household chlorine bleach

Clothing and Bedding
*Include at least one complete change of clothing and footwear per person.

Sturdy shoes or work boots*
Rain gear*
Blankets or sleeping bags*
Hat and gloves
Thermal underwear
Sunglasses

Special Items

Remember family members with special requirements, such as infants and elderly or disabled persons

For Baby*

Formula
Diapers
Bottles
Powdered milk
Medications

For Adults*

Heart and high blood pressure medication
Insulin
Prescription drugs
Denture needs
Contact lenses and supplies
Extra eye glasses

Entertainment

Games and books

Important Family Documents

Keep these records in a waterproof, portable container:

Will, insurance policies, contracts deeds, stocks and bonds
Passports, social security cards, immunization records
Bank account numbers
Credit card account numbers and companies

Inventory of valuable household goods, important telephone numbers
Family records (birth, marriage, death certificates)
Store your kit in a convenient place known to all family members. Keep a smaller version of the supplies kit in the trunk of your car.
Keep items in airtight plastic bags. Change your stored water supply every six months so it stays fresh. Replace your stored food every six months. Re-think your kit and family needs at least once a year. Replace batteries, update clothes, etc.
Ask your physician or pharmacist about storing prescription medications.

General Disaster Preparedness Materials Children & Disasters

"Disaster Preparedness Coloring Book" (ARC 2200, English, or ARC 2200S, Spanish) Children & Disasters ages 3-10.
"Adventures of the Disaster Dudes" (ARC 5024) video and Presenter's Guide for use by an adult with children in grades 4-6.

To get copies of American Red Cross Community Disaster Education materials, contact your local Red Cross chapter.

The text on this page is in the public domain. We request that attribution to this information be given as follows: From "Disaster Supplies Kit." developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the American Red Cross.

DROWNING FIFTH LEADING CAUSE OF UNINTENTIONAL INJURY RELATED DEATH IN AMERICAN HOMES

The Home Safety Council Advises Families to Take Critical Safety Precautions Around Water

WASHINGTON, DC – Home Safety Council research shows that drowning is the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury related death in the home. While many American families work to reduce home hazards, water safety is an area that is often overlooked.

“Drowning is a sudden and silent danger,” says Meri-K Appy, president of the Home Safety Council. “Anything from buckets and bathtubs to outdoor pools and ponds can be the site of a tragic drowning if children are left unsupervised for any amount of time.”

The summer season marks the start of outdoor water-related activities and family gatherings around the pool. The Home Safety Council urges families to take the following basic safety precautions as they kick off the season, while keeping indoor water hazards in mind as well.

Swimming Safety and Pool Security

Practice constant adult supervision at all times when children are around any body of water. Adults must be within an arm’s reach of young children when they are near water.
Older children should not be left in charge of younger children in the pool area.
Assign specific adults to keep an eye on the pool at all times. When you have pool parties, formally assign adults to pool supervision shifts to ensure the children are watched closely throughout the party.
Install four-sided fencing that isolates the pool from the home. Four-sided pool fencing is proven to be an effective drowning prevention intervention. Pool fencing should be at least five feet high and have self-locking and self-closing gates.
Position gate latches out of the reach of young children and never prop the gate open or disable the latch.
Clear debris, clutter and pool toys from the pool deck and adjoining pathways to prevent slips and falls.
Keep a cordless, water-resistant telephone in the pool area and post emergency numbers near the pool area.
Enroll non-swimmers in swimming lessons taught by a qualified instructor.
Never swim alone. Even adults should always swim with a buddy.
Learn and practice lifesaving techniques, including First Aid and CPR. Require that anyone who cares for your children learn CPR.
Keep poolside rescue equipment close to the pool area.

Water Safety at Home

Young children are especially vulnerable to drowning risk areas inside the home including toilets, bathtubs and any large bucket. The Home Safety Council recommends these safety precautions to keep your children safe from potential water hazards.

Stay within touch supervision around water, always keeping children within an arm’s reach. Hazards include buckets, bathtubs, toilets, spas and all standing water.
Practice constant supervision during bath time. Never allow older siblings to supervise children in or around standing water.
Be aware that baby bath seats are not safety devices and should never substitute for adult supervision.
Drain the bathtub immediately after using it.
Keep bathroom doors closed and use door knob covers to prevent young children from accessing bathrooms unsupervised.
Use toilet seat locks and keep toilet lids shut.
Be sure all buckets are emptied immediately after use, turned over with the opening face down and stored out of children’s reach.
For additional information and resources to help you learn more and stay safe in and around your home, please visit www.homesafetycouncil.org.

About Home Safety Council

The Home Safety Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping prevent more than 20 million medical visits each year from unintentional injuries in the home. Through national programs and partners across America, the Home Safety Council works to educate and empower families to take actions that help keep them safer in and around their homes. To learn more about the Council’s programs, partnerships and resources visit the Home Safety Council at www.homesafetycouncil.org.