Fire House Facts
Date:
10/06/2009Summary:
Sunday September 27, 2009 through Saturday October 3, 2009Contact:
The Yuma Fire Department responded to 226 emergency calls for service
- 6 Commercial Assignments
Including: various false alarms - 11 Motor Vehicle Crashes (21 total patients)
Including: 1 involving a motorcycle, and 1 involving a fence - 178 Other Medical Emergencies (serious to minor)
Including: 9 for difficulty breathing, 16 for chest pain, 18 fall victims, 5 unconscious people, 4 seizure cases, 5 diabetic emergencies, 1 for a possible poisoning/overdose, 14 patients with mental problems, 2 calls for a child locked inside of a vehicle, and misc. other illnesses and injuries - 31 Special Duty, Public Assistance, and Residential Assignments
Including: a snake removal, a fire in the garage of a home, 2 calls for an unauthorized burn of brush and trash, the smell of natural gas inside of a residence, a vehicle fire, a fire in a stall of a public restroom, a fire pit smoking that was not completely extinguished after its use, an electrical smell inside of a residence that was found to be a burned out floor fan, food that burned on a stove while an occupant was sleeping, a trash can fire, rescuing a man in a canal, and various alarms
Wildfires
Last week the Yuma Fire Department responded to 2 calls for unauthorized burning of materials, and 1 for a fire pit that was not completely extinguished after its use. On Sunday, YFD personnel were sent for mutual aid to a wild land fire burning in California. There is also a serious wild land fire currently burning in Williams, Arizona. This reminds us that we live in an arid area that does present risks for fire. With the weather cooling down, you might be thinking about outdoor recreation.
- Use extreme care in the use of all fire, and potential fire causing activities, whether it is for industrial, home, or recreational use.
- Make sure campfires and smoking materials are fully extinguished.
- Use spark arrestors in mechanical equipment such as chain saws and off-road vehicles.
- When you pull off a roadway, be sure not to park in grassy areas.
- Check the regulations on fires. Many areas will be closed to all fires (including charcoal grills) due to the extreme dry conditions
- Be aware of other weather conditions, such as the wind speed and direction. Un-permitted fires are unlawful and also result in unnecessary Fire Department responses.
Fortunately Yuma does not have much of the "wildland-urban interface" where brush and forest lands enter into our community, but we do have large amounts of agricultural land. Traditionally our biggest threat has been along the river. Development of parkland areas along the river, like the West and East Wetlands, has reduced the threat to the community by reducing fuel and adding green space areas. However, this threat is not completely eliminated and if you are traveling to other areas of our state or surrounding states, please use caution and obey all fire regulations. Every year, wildfires account for millions of dollars in property damage, and cause serious injuries and deaths.
Reminder that this week is Fire Prevention Week! "Stay Fire Smart - Don’t Get Burned!!!"
