Page 45 - Sonoma County Gazette February 2017

Winter Home Heating Fire – Facts
Like most West County agencies, Russian River Fire ghters were kept busy with storm and ood related calls in early January. In the ve day period from the start of the storms until the water receded below ood stage, crews responded to a total of 59 incidents, including: 15 medical aids; 3 water rescues; and 28 hazardous conditions. Many thanks to our crews and those of the Sonoma County Road Department, Sonoma County Sheri ’s O ce and PG&E.
• 905 people die in winter home res each year.
• $2,091,000,000 in property loss occurs from winter home res.
• 67 percent of winter res occur in one- and two-family homes.
• Cooking is the leading cause of all winter home res.
• Heating was the second leading cause of home res following cooking.
• Home heating res peaked in the early evening hours between 5 and 9 p.m.
with the highest peak between 6 and 8 p.m. This four-hour period accounted
As a reminder, the Russian River Fire Protection District Board of Directors will hold their next meeting on February 8th at 6pm at the re station at 14100 Armstrong Woods Rd in Guerneville. We hope you’ll consider attending.
for 30 percent of all home-heating res.
• Home heating res peaked in January (21 percent) and declined to the lowest
point during the summer months from June to August.
• Con ned res, those res con ned to chimneys, ues or fuel burners,
RUSSIAN RIVER FIRE:
RR 2016 Incidents
Type Total
Public Assist 33 Illegal Burning 28 Other Service Calls 46 Good Intent Calls 304 False Calls 24 Tree/Power Lines Down 70 Hazardous Conditions 28 Medical Aid 1,097 Vehicle Accidents 81 Other EMS Related Calls 9 Structure Fire 6 Vegitation Fire 3 Other Fire Related Calls 17 Total 1,747
BB 2016 Incidents
Type Totals
Agency Assist 18 Fire Alarm 31 Fire Boat 2 Fire Debris 3 Fire Investigation 6 Fire Structure 4 Fire Vegetation 11 Fire Vehicle 6 Hazardous Cond. 41 Hazardous Materials 0 Medical Aid 367 Non-Injury Accident 8 Ocean Rescue 33 Odor Investigation 6 Public Assist 28 Rescue 5 Smoke Investigation 2 Stand-By 1 Vehicle Accident 49 Vehicle Extrication 12 Water Rescue 6 Total Number of Calls 639
Graton 2016 Incidents
Type Total
Public Assist 31 Mutual Aid 62 Debris Fire 6 Fire Alarm 33 Gas Leak 4 Tree/Power Lines Down 53 Fire Investigation 13 Medical Aid 334 Other 23 Structure Fire 4 Traffic Collision 35 Vegetation Fire 5 Vehicle Fire 2 Total 608
Looking back to 2016, it was another busy year for our crews. We ended the year with 1,747 calls for service which has become the average in the last ve years. The breakdown looks like the chart shown.
accounted for 84 percent of home heating res.
• Twenty-nine percent of the non-con ned home heating res occurred because
Visit us online at russianriver re.org.
the heat source was too close to things that can burn.
• Ensure that your Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Alarms are
BODEGA BAY FIRE:
operational. Replace batteries as recommended by the mfg:.
It’s been a busy year in Bodega Bay and the surrounding area with 639 calls for service. Our annual report will be ready in a few short weeks. It will be available online.
Winter Home Heating Tips
Space Heater
Wood Stove
• Keep anything that can burn, such as bedding, clothing and curtains, at least 3 feet away from the heater.
• Make sure your wood stove is 3 feet from anything that can burn.
As always, please visit us at bbfpd.org or on Facebook for the latest goings on.
• Make sure the heater has an automatic shut-o , so if it tips over, it shuts o .
• Do not burn paper in your wood stove.
Elizabeth Martin was elected to serve as the Board President for 2017, David Kruppa was re-elected to the Vice President position.
• Turn heaters o when you go to bed or leave the room.
• Have your chimney inspected and cleaned each year by a professional.
Thank you all for your support.
• Plug portable heaters directly into outlets and never into an extension cord or power strip.
Furnace
GRATON FIRE:
• Only use portable heaters from a recognized testing laboratory.
• Have your furnace inspected each year.
As 2016 ended, the re ghters of the Graton Fire Protection District completed 608 calls – A New Record! Annually, the number of calls grows – 6 percent this year. This may not seem like much when compared with larger city departments, but Graton Fire still runs every call with volunteers – from the Fire Chief to the Trainees... they interrupt their paying jobs and personal lives to serve the community. Graton is one of the busiest volunteer re departments in Sonoma County. Thank you to all of our volunteers, employers, and families for
Fireplace
• Keep anything that can burn away from the furnace.
• Keep a glass or metal screen in front of the replace to prevent embers or sparks jumping out.
• Replace your furnace lters as recommended by the mfg.
• Do not burn paper in your replace.
• Only use kerosene heaters from a recognized testing laboratory.
• Put the re out before you go to sleep or leave your home.
• Make sure the heater has an automatic shut-o , so if it tips over, it shuts o .
• Put ashes in a metal container with a lid, outside, at least 3 feet from your home.
• Put the re out before you go to sleep or leave your home.
Kerosene Heater
• Refuel your cooled heater outside. Love your family? Practicing the E.D.I.T.H. Plan (Exit Drills
their understanding and support.
CAL FIRE:
in the Home) states loud and clear you love your family and you want them to understand what action they need to take in case of a re, or emergency in the home. When a re starts, seconds count. Implementing a family exit plan and practicing the plan provides family members “memory muscle” when a re or emergency occurs.
January Storms: Well... we asked for the rain and we got it! During just one day of the storms (1/10), Graton Fire responded to 39 calls – including 31 slides/ trees/power lines down, 3 tra c collisions, 3 water rescues, and 2 medical aids. This is typical of what many Western Sonoma County re departments experienced... it was crazy busy!
Follow these simple steps to create an E.D.I.T.H. Plan for your loved ones: maintain working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, draw an escape plan of your home, practice the plan (twice a year), get out and stay out, go to your meeting place and call for help. For more information on evacuation plans visit re.ca.gov
Thank you to everyone for your understanding with the road closures that forced people to nd new ways to get home. As always, if you nd a tree or power line in the roadway, call 9-1-1 and don’t approach it... often times the tree branches are hiding power lines. If you can remain on scene and alert other drivers safely until we or CHP arrives, that’s always helpful.
For additional “memory muscle” quiz kids on their home exit plan, while driving in the car, at the dinner table and when the family is out for a walk. Also, play the “what if game” with your children. Create a scenario where your family would need to implement the E.D.I.T.H Plan and see how the kid’s respond. Expand the game to include asking your children about exit plans in the movie theater, shopping malls, downtown library, grocery store, etc. Exit plans are needed everywhere! Know your exits!
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