Fire House Facts
Date:
09/01/2010Summary:
From Sunday August 22, 2010 through Saturday August 28, 2010, the Yuma Fire Department responded to 381 emergency calls for service.Contact:
The Yuma Fire Department responded to 381 emergency calls for service:
- 10 Commercial Assignments
Including: A trash can fire endangering a building, a small fire inside of a maintenance shop, a small fire outside of a restaurant, a fire inside of an apartment complex, an over heated blower motor at a nursing home, and various alarms - 2 Hazardous Materials Assignments
Including: Diesel fuel spilled in a parking lot at a store, an aircraft leaking fuel - 1 Mutual Aid Assignment
Including: Assisting Winterhaven fire with a vehicle in a canal - 14 Motor Vehicle Crashes
Including: 1 involving a motorcycle, and 1 involving a vehicle towing another vehicle - 208 Other Medical Emergencies (serious to minor)
Including: 7 for difficulty breathing, 9 for chest pain, 31 fall victims, 5 unconscious people, 5 seizure cases, 13 people with psychiatric problems, 3 diabetic emergencies, 43 trauma injuries, 4 possible strokes, 1 allergic reaction, 2 near drownings (an adult and a 2 year old), and other illnesses and injuries - 146 Special Duty, Public Assistance, and Residential Assignments
Including: Over 100 calls during a four hour time frame from a monsoon storm (including power lines down, transformer fires, houses flooding, trees on houses, smell of natural gas, etc.), a kitten stuck in a wall, 4 vehicle fires, a residential fire from a candle left unattended in a bathroom, a house fire that claimed the life of a family pet, and various alarms
Monsoon Season is Here
A weekend storm caused over 100 emergency responses from the Yuma Fire Department during a 4 hour span. Some of those calls for service involved burning or damaged power lines/poles. Since it appears "monsoon" season is here, we probably can expect more summer storms to pass through our area. Here are some things to keep in mind.
Power Lines
Always treat any power lines as if they were live. Don't touch them! Leave that to the experts. Even if a line is not charged at that moment, it could become live without warning. A common time for lines to be down would be during or after a storm like we just experienced. Puddles or flowing water expand the area of danger, so be sure to stay well clear of them. Instead of stepping over them, go all the way around.
Power Outages and Intersections
If power is out, intersections may be dark and the traffic control lights may not be working. If that is the case, approach the intersection with caution and treat it as if it was controlled by four way stop signs. It is not just a good safety procedure, it is the law!
Slick Roadways and Reduced Visibility
Many traffic accidents seem to occur during or just after a rain storm. Roadways are slick and you need more room to stop. So slow down and use extra caution. Visibility is also reduced. Have you inspected your windshield wipers lately? Heat and direct sunlight can quickly age your wipers. Old and worn wipers can make visibility worse instead of better.
The time to make our personal and family plans/preparations are BEFORE the emergency occurs. We probably have not seen the end of "Monsoon Season," so be careful and drive safely!
For More Information
If you have questions or need more information, please contact Mike Erfert or Kayla Holiman at 373-4850.
