December 2007

STATE FIRE MARSHAL URGES RESIDENTS TO CHECK/UPDATE SMOKE DETECTORS

On December 14^th, Ohio Fire Marshal, Michael Bell, regretfully reported that there have been 17 fire-related deaths in Ohio since November 24^th.  This number includes the deaths of 11 children.  In most of these fires, there was either no smoke detector present, or the ones in the home either didn’t work, or were placed in an ineffective location.

If you do not have smoke detectors in your home, we strongly encourage you to get them and have them installed as soon as possible.  If you need help deciding where to put them, please feel free to call our office at 875-5588 and we can send someone to help with that.  Our firefighters will even install the detector for you if you are not able to do it.  And, if you have a serious financial situation and cannot afford the smoke detector, Jackson Township will provide one at no cost.

Marshal Bell and Chief Sheets offer the following tips regarding smoke detectors: 

·         Install a smoke detector on each level of your home, and inside each bedroom.

·         Consider using dual sensor smoke detectors that combine ionization and photoelectric technology in one unit.

·         Check your smoke detectors monthly and change the batteries at least twice a year.

·         Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke detectors.

·         Do not remove batteries to put in other appliances, such as personal stereos or games.

·         If cooking smoke sets off the alarm, do not disable it.  Wave a towel, open a window or turn on the range fan to clear the smoke.

·         Smoke detectors wear out over time.  Replace your smoke detectors every 10 years.

·         Keep smoke detectors clean.  Dust and debris can interfere with their operation.  Vacuum over and around your smoke detector regularly.

·         Hard wired smoke detectors with battery back-ups should be considered .  When one smoke detector goes off, the others alert you to fire too.  The batteries in these types of detectors also should be changed twice a year.

As a department, we take the health and well-being of our residents very seriously.  We would rather visit your home to assist in making sure you have a smoke detector, which is properly installed, than to arrive at your house in response to a life-threatening fire.

Lloyd Sheets

 Fire Chief 
 

It's Tornado Season

Tornadoes are nature’s most violent storms. Spawned from powerful thunderstorms, tornadoes can cause fatalities and devastate a neighborhood in seconds. A tornado appears as a rotating, funnel-shaped cloud that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground with whirling winds that can reach 300 miles per hour. Damage paths can be in excess of one mile wide and 50 miles long. Every state is at some risk from this hazard.

Some tornadoes are clearly visible, while rain or nearby low-hanging clouds obscure others. Occasionally, tornadoes develop so rapidly that little, if any, advance warning is possible.

Before a tornado hits, the wind may die down and the air may become very still. A cloud of debris can mark the location of a tornado even if a funnel is not visible. Tornadoes generally occur near the trailing edge of a thunderstorm. It is not uncommon to see clear, sunlit skies behind a tornado.

The following are facts about tornadoes:

• They may strike quickly, with little or no warning.
• They may appear nearly transparent until dust and debris are picked up or a cloud forms in the funnel.
• The average tornado moves Southwest to Northeast, but tornadoes have been known to move in any direction.
• The average forward speed of a tornado is 30 MPH, but may vary from stationary to 70 MPH.
• Tornadoes can accompany tropical storms and hurricanes as they move onto land.
• Waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water.
• Tornadoes are most frequently reported east of the Rocky Mountains during spring and summer months.
• Peak tornado season in the southern states is March through May; in the northern states, it is late spring through early summer.
• Tornadoes are most likely to occur between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., but can occur at any time.

What to do Before a Tornado

Be alert to changing weather conditions.

• Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or to commercial radio or television newscasts for the latest information.
• Look for approaching storms
• Look for the following danger signs:
  • Dark, often greenish sky
  • Large hail
  • A large, dark, low-lying cloud (particularly if rotating)
  • Loud roar, similar to a freight train.

If you see approaching storms or any of the danger signs, be prepared to take shelter immediately.

What to Do During a Tornado

If you are under a tornado WARNING, seek shelter immediately!

Recovering from Disaster