Fire House Facts
Date:
12/01/2009Summary:
Sunday November 22, 2009 through Saturday November 28, 2009Contact:
The Yuma Fire Department responded to 206 emergency calls for service
- 4 Commercial Assignments
Including: Burned toast in a kitchen at a business, an employee who activated a fire alarm system by hanging his jacket on the pull station, and various alarms - 22 Motor Vehicle Crashes
Including: 2 involving pedestrians, 1 involving a bicyclist, 1 involving a motorcycle, 1 involving a building, 1 head on collision, 1 rollover, and 2 involving 3 vehicles - 162 Other Medical Emergencies (serious to minor)
Including: 8 for difficulty breathing, 12 for chest pain, 25 fall victims, 4 unconscious people, 5 seizure cases, 2 diabetic emergencies, 1 possible stroke, 1 allergic reaction, 1 possible poisoning, 11 patients with mental problems, and misc. other illnesses and injuries - 18 Special Duty, Public Assistance, and Residential Assignments
Including: A carbon monoxide alarm sounding, 2 separate calls for a cat stuck inside of a swamp cooler/air conditioner (both successfully freed and released to their owners), a mattress fire inside of a residence, burned food on the stove at a residence, a small fire inside of a stove while resident was cooking a turkey (on Thanksgiving!), smoke inside of a residence after a log was lit in the fireplace without opening the flue, a garbage truck on fire, a fire set to cardboard boxes by juveniles at the skate park, a vehicle fire that was intentionally set, a commercial size dumpster fire, and various alarms
Holiday Decorating Safety
The weeks leading up to Christmas should be filled with anticipation, excitement, and good cheer. It is also a time to pay closer attention to safety. Some holiday decorations (especially homemade ones) may be more flammable and exposed to heat sources. Additional holiday lighting could lead to extension cords and outlets being overloaded. Even placing decorations in, on, and around the house can increase your exposure to fall related injuries.
Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Use only lighting listed by an approved testing laboratory. Do not link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. Make sure to periodically check the wires – they should not be warm to the touch. Do not leave holiday lights on unattended!
Have a safe and happy holiday season! For more information about fire safety and injury prevention, contact the Yuma Fire Department Public Information Office at 373-4855.
Follow the Yuma Fire Department on Twitter
Follow the Yuma Fire Department on Twitter. The address is www.twitter.com/YumaFireDept. (This link will take you to an external website that is not part of the City of Yuma official website.)
