the firehouse scene Is a monthly publication of the Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection District February 2014 Fire Chief Don Shoevlin Editor Sheryl Drost Accidents Abound pages 6-7
From the Chief s Desk By Fire Chief Don Shoevlin Chaplains Corner By Chaplain Paul Myers January was a busy, snowy and cold month. The ground hog saw his shadow, so let s get these six more weeks done. I don t know, but I am beginning to wonder if we will get all of this snow melted before we begin the winter of 2014. As can be expected with the added winter weather in January, we were a little busy; we ran 277 calls for the month. The firefighters endured the elements and were able to ensure every request was answered. Well the time has come. It has seemed like forever, but as I write this, I do it from my office back at our headquarters station in Roscoe. We have taken it back from the construction crew. Not totally, but enough to re-occupy. There is still work going on and will be into the spring season. I would like to thank every involved with this project for their commitment to excellence and taking pride in their work. Enough thanks cannot go out to Matt Kolinski, the onsite construction superintendent. He was the person who brought it all together while working closely with the architect and the trades. The steadfast efforts from the team of our architectural firm FGM, headed up by Jason Estes, were so helpful with fulfilling our plans and vision. We will be holding a dedication open house in the spring. On March 15 and 16 we will be participating in the RoRo Expo held at Hononegah High School. Please stop by our booth to see us. Think SPRING! The annual Spring Dinner will be on March 22 this year. Watch your mail for further information. Dinner will be served from 5:00 8:00 with take out and local delivery available as well. Remember to check out our website www. harlemroscoefire.com to keep up with the progress of the department, individuals and calls we have had. As always, don t hesitate to contact me or stop by if I can be of any assistance. L-r Chaplains Everett Peterson, Chuck Hansel, Sue Null, Bob Clark, Bill Null and Paul Meyers get fi tted up with fi re gear. We are proud to let you know that we are beginning to function in a manner that is consistent with Chief Shoevlin s goals for 2014 Chuck, Bob, Sue, Everett, Bill and I began carrying pagers in late 2013, and starting January 18th, began a weekly oncall system, where one of us is on call for a week at a time. We began auto-response for confirmed fire calls, possible pulseless calls, and calls involving trauma to children. For major accidents, especially on I-90, the chaplain on call will stage at the closest fire station and be ready to ride to the scene on an available apparatus if requested by the incident commander. The Chief has assigned us identifiers, and they are listed below: 781 Paul Meyers 782 Bob Clark 783 Sue Null 784 Bill Null 785 Chuck Hansel 786 Everett Peterson Even though we will be auto-responding, we still wish to be called by any incident command for any situation which may require assistance from us; we experience joy and gratitude when we assist you. But most importantly, we are here for the HRFD personnel and their families as well. Now that Station #1 is reaching completion, you will find that the chaplain on call will be holding office hours in our new office, so that you will be able to stop in and say hello or share what may be on your mind. We are not here for ourselves. We are here for you, helping those who help others! Call on us! The Firehouse Scene - Page 2
By Chief Shoevlin I had a very positive and final construction meeting. We received our certificate of occupancy on Friday 1/31/14. We are not totally completed with the project, but have signed off on a significant completion agreement to allow us to occupy. Chief Shoevlin making do while waiting for furniture and window coverings to come in. We passed the county health inspection as our annual spring dinner is fast approaching. The construction superintendent will remain on site until we have a final completion. There are still many small items to complete along with some outside work which will be done when the weather breaks. Our firefighter s have moved back in and are excited and relieved at the same time. This will be my last construction update as I will note items regarding the building in my normal monthly article as they are completed. Please don t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. The night shift crews are happy to be out of the condo and sleeping at the station. The front doors were installed just under the wire on Jan. 31. The lounge chairs aren t getting much use yet as the fi refi ghters are spending a lot of their time moving things back into the station. The bay fl oors are still being worked on and won t be ready til middle of Feb. Lt. Radi Huggard washes one of the ambulances, which is something the firefi ghters have had to do a lot more of with all the construction dust. The Firehouse Scene - Page 3
Car Fire Photos by Sheryl Drost Harlem-Roscoe Firefighters responded to I-90 for a car fire on Jan. 12. The engine compartment was fully involved with fire when units arrived on scene. The fire was quickly brought under control and no one was injured. BUGLE ALARM Monthly article written by a Harlem-Roscoe Fire Offi cer. Highway Safety By Capt. Ryan Alms Take the appropriate steps to stay safe on the road. If you re planning on hitting the highway, the American Red Cross offers these important car travel safety tips to help get you to your destination safely: On the Highway Buckle up, slow down, don t drive impaired. Be well rested and alert. Use caution in work zones. Give your full attention to the road. Avoid distractions such as cell phones. Observe speed limits driving too fast or too slow can increase your chance of being in a collision. Make frequent stops. During long trips, rotate drivers. If you re too tired to drive, stop and get some rest. Be respectful of other motorists and follow the rules of the road. Don t follow another vehicle too closely. If you plan on drinking, designate a driver who won t drink. Clean your headlights, taillights, signal lights and windows to help you see, especially at night. Turn your headlights on as dusk approaches, or if you are using your windshield wipers due to inclement weather. Don t overdrive your headlights. If you have car trouble, pull off the road as far as possible. Prepare for the Unexpected Carry a Disaster Supplies Kit in your trunk. Pack high protein snacks, water, First Aid kit, flashlight, small battery-operated radio, an emergency contact card with names and phone numbers, extra prescription medications and important documents or information you may need. Let someone know your destination, your route, and when you expect to arrive. If your car gets stuck along the way, help can be sent along your predetermined route. Find out what disasters may occur in the place where you are traveling, especially if they are disasters you have never experienced before. Find out how you would get information in the event of a disaster (local radio systems, emergency alert systems). Pay attention to the weather forecast for your destination. Travel and weather web sites can help you avoid storms and other regional challenges that could impact your safety. The Firehouse Scene - Page 4
Firefighters Finish Probation Photos by Sheryl Drost Four of the new firefighters have sucessfully served their 6-month new firefighter probationary period. The group was given the firefighter s oath and then pinned by a family member during a ceremony on Jan.7. A Final Farewell By Sheryl Drost Harlem-Roscoe Firefighters are mourning the loss of Ret. Firefighter/Inspector Robert Schoonover. Bob passed away on Jan. 30th after a battle with cancer. Bob served the fire department a total of 30 years; first as a firefighter, then as a fire inspector. Bob served under four Fire Chiefs, Chief Cobby Rogers, Chief Ben Alexander, Chief Jack Brown and Chief Oscar Presley. Bob s father William and brother Ike also served on the department and his brother Chuck Schoonover is currently serving as a Fire Prevention Inspector. Trustees Al Bach and John Donahue give the fi refi ghter s oath to David Leslie, Ryan Messinger, Josh Wilkerson and Zach Barton. Left Zach Barton s mother and right, Ryan Messinger s father had pinning honor. In a Time s Rekindled interview I did with Bob back in 2005, Bob s most memorable call was at the Rockton Paper Mill in 1959. The fire was burning hundreds of bales of paper inside the building and it was hot! Bob said, Back then we didn t have SCBAs. We would go in and fight the fire for about 10 minutes. We would then come out and they would give us oxygen. Then it was back into the building for another 10 and back out for more oxygen. You had the nozzle on a fog spray and could get some air right behind the spray that you could breathe. One of the funny calls Bob also remembered a fire in a small house that used to be where the gas station is on Hwy 173 and Hwy 251. Bob said, We got there right away and couldn t understand why the house had already almost burned to the ground. Come to find out the guy that lived there found the fire and went to the Prairie Moon Bar to call the fire department. Well, he had a couple beers first and then remembered his house was on fire and finally made the phone call! Left, Josh Wilkerson s dad and right, David Leslie s children had pinning honors. 01/04/14 Training - SCBA The Firehouse Scene - Page 5
Accidents Photos by Sheryl Drost, Marcia Soppe & Chief Shoevlin 01/09/14 Harrison St. 01/10/14 Swanson Rd. 01/18/14 Willowbrook Rd. 01/29/14 Roscoe Rd. 01/20/14 Hwy 251 & Williams Dr. The Firehouse Scene - Page 6 01/20/14 Roscoe Rd.
01/30/2014 Bridge St. and Hwy 251 02/05/14 Hwy 251 West Frontage Rd. 02/05/14 I-90 mm4.5 02/14/14 McCurry Rd. 01/25/14 - Hwy 173 east of Forest Hills Rd. Heavy extrication The Firehouse Scene - Page 7
EMS Corner By BC Jay Alms Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning in Your Home What is Carbon Monoxide (CO)? Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless gas often formed in the process of incomplete combustion of organic substances, including fuels. It is dangerous because it interferes with normal oxygen uptake for humans and other living organisms needing oxygen to live. Why should I be concerned about Carbon Monoxide (CO)? CO is a gas that can build up to dangerous concentrations indoors when fuel-burning devices are not properly vented, operated, or maintained. Because it has no odor, color or taste, CO cannot be detected by our senses. It is estimated that unintentional CO exposure accounts for an estimated 500 deaths in the United States each year. Poisoning contributes annually to more than 2,000 deaths in the United States. In addition, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 8,000 to 15,000 people each year are examined or treated in hospitals for non-fire related CO poisoning. Breathed over long periods of time, low concentrations of CO may also contribute to other illness. Fortunately, simple measures can be taken to prevent CO problems. One such action is the installation of a CO alarm to detect potentially deadly conditions. What are the sources of CO? are properly vented and maintained. Know the symptoms of CO poisoning. Finally, to detect potentially deadly conditions, install and maintain CO alarms in your home in accordance with Minnesota s CO alarm law. 1. Properly vent and maintain fuel-burning appliances. Homes with fuel-burning appliances such as gas furnaces, water heaters, ovens, and fireplaces or homes with attached garage are more likely to have CO problems than those homes not using these appliances. You should have your fuel-burning appliances checked by a qualified heating contractor every year to look for possible problems. The following signs may indicate a CO problem: Streaks of soot around fuel-burning appliances; Absence of an upward draft in your chimney; Excess moisture found on windows, walls, or other cold surfaces; Excessive rusting on flue pipes, other pipe connections, or appliance jacks; Orange or yellow flames (should be blue) in your combustion appliances; Smoky smells-don t assume your fire alarm works; Fallen soot in the fireplace; Small amount of water leaking from the base of the chimney vent, or flue pipe; Damaged or discolored bricks at the top of your chimney Rust on the portion of the vent pipe visible from the outside. Never use a barbeque grill or portable gas generator indoors. Never heat your home using an oven designed for cooking. In general, CO is produced when any material burns. More is produced when there isn t enough oxygen for efficient burning. Common sources of CO in homes include fuel-burning devices such as: furnaces, gas or kerosene space heaters, boilers, gas cooking stoves, water heaters, clothes dryers, fireplaces, charcoal grills, wood stoves, lawn mowers, power generators, camp stoves, motor vehicles and some power tools with internal combustion engines. Smoking is another common source of CO that can negatively impact indoor air quality. What concentrations of CO are typical in the home? Ideally, CO concentrations indoors are expected to be the same as CO concentrations outdoors. In the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, CO concentration in the outdoor air ranges from 0.03-2.5 parts per million parts (ppm). This is averaged over an 8-hour period. These averages are below the federal standard of 9 ppm for CO in outdoor air. In general, concentrations are lower in rural areas and higher in urban areas. Finding CO concentrations higher indoors than outdoors indicates an indoor source of CO, or a source very close to your home. How can I protect myself and my family from CO poisoning? Simple measures can be taken to prevent CO problems. Make sure that all your fuel burning appliances and heating devices The Firehouse Scene -Page 8 2. Know the symptoms of CO poisoning. The health effects of breathing in CO depend on the concentration of CO in the air, the duration of exposure, and the health status of the exposed person. For most people, the first signs of exposure to low concentrations of CO include mild headache and breathlessness with moderate exercise. People with heart disease are more likely to be affected by CO, even at low concentrations. Continued exposure can lead to flu-like symptoms including more severe headaches, dizziness, tiredness, and nausea that may progress to confusion, irritability, and impaired judgment, memory and coordination. CO is called the silent killer because if the early signs are ignored, a person may lose consciousness and be unable to escape to safety. Under certain conditions, lethal concentrations of CO have occurred within 10 minutes in the confines of a closed garage with a car engine running inside or when a portable generator is used in or near a house. How can I tell the difference between CO poisoning and the flu? It could be CO poisoning if: You feel better when you are away from your home: Several people in the home gets sick at the same time (the flu is usually passed from person to person);
The family members who are most affected spend the most time in the home; Symptoms occur or get worse shortly after turning on a fuel-burning device (furnace, oven, fireplace) or running a vehicle in attached garage; Indoor pets also appear ill (pets may experience symptoms first); You don t have a fever or generalized aching and swollen lymph nodes typical with a cold or virus or flu; or Symptoms appear at the same time as signs of inappropriate ventilation, maintenance, or operation of fuel-burning devices. 3. Install and maintain CO alarms in your home. Illinois State Law requires that homes have at least one operational CO alarm within 15 feet of every room legally used for sleeping. All CO alarms should be certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory to conform to the latest Underwriters Laboratory (UL) Standards. Follow the manufacturer s instructions for placement of your CO alarm and also note the suggested replacement date. For additional information on CO alarms, contact: Capt Ryan Alms @ Harlem-Roscoe Fire Dept State Fire Marshal Can I experience CO poisoning from tobacco smoke? Tobacco smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke, contains CO in addition to many other hazardous chemicals and particles. Concentrations of CO in second hand smoke are too low to cause immediate poisoning, but breathing second-hand smoke for a long time can adversely affect the health of those exposed to it. Are some people at greater risk of CO poisoning than others? Yes, some people are at greater risk of CO poisoning. People at greater risk include individuals with: respiratory conditions (such as asthma and emphysema); cardiovascular disease; anemia (such as sickle cell anemia); and individuals engaging in strenuous physical activity; the elderly, children and fetuses. Remember, anyone can become sick and die from CO poisoning when exposed to very high CO levels. Can CO be a problem during the summer? Yes. Although CO problems are more common during the heating season, vehicles including boats and some other fuel burning devices such as non-electric heaters for camping and fishing are used year-round and can be sources of CO during recreational activities. CO poisoning has resulted from the use of fuel burning devices during power outages. Portable generators are capable of producing carbon monoxide levels that are several hundred times the levels emitted by a modern car exhaust and can kill people in a very short time. As recommended by CDC, portable generators should be placed at a minimum of 25 feet away from and down wind of a house. Be sure that there are no vents or openings, including window air conditioners, near the generator that would allow exhaust to enter into your home. Where else could I experience CO poisoning? Anytime you are near a fuel-burning device, there is a risk of CO exposure. Because vehicles are a common source of CO problems, MDH recommends that you not run or idle your vehicle in an attached garage. Instead, back your vehicle out right away. MDH also recommends that you check that your vehicle s exhaust pipe is not blocked, for example, by snow during the winter. Fatalities due to CO inhalation have also occurred from boat motors. Be sure to follow manufacturer s guidelines and warn children about potential dangers near parts of the boat where exhaust concentrations could be high. Dangerous concentrations of CO may also be produced by burning fossil-fuel appliances, such gas stoves or charcoal grills in any enclosed space including campers, tents, and ice fishing houses. Inhalation of paint removers containing methylene chloride can also result in carbon monoxide poisoning. Be sure to follow directions and use products containing methylene chloride and other chemicals in well-ventilated areas. The EMS/ Fire crews here at Harlem-Roscoe Fire deal with these incidents a couple of times a week throughout the year. The ambulances & fire trucks are equipped with devises to detect not only in the air we breathe but we can also measure CO levels in your bloodstream. Please be sure your CO detectors as well as your smoke & fire detectors are in good operating condition. Both detectors have a shelf life of 5-7 years. The replacement detectors today have been improved with 10 year batteries. They are cheap insurance policies to protect your family. Test them weekly!! John predicts... 23 snowfalls... As of Feb 5, 5 left The Firehouse Scene -Page 9
Clothes Dryer Safety Doing laundry is most likely part of your every day routine. But did you know how important taking care of your clothes dryer is to the safety of your home? With a few simple safety tips you can help prevent a clothes dryer fire. AND DON T FOrGET... Dryers should be properly grounded. Check the outdoor vent flap to make sure it is not covered by snow. Keep the area around your dryer clear of things that can burn, like boxes, cleaning supplies and clothing, etc. Clothes that have come in contact with flammable substances, like gasoline, paint thinner, or similar solvents should be laid outside to dry, then can be washed and dried as usual. Your Source for SAFETY Information NFPA Public Education Division 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02169 FACT! The leading cause of home clothes dryer fires is failure to clean them. www.nfpa.org/education The Firehouse Scene - Page 10
Birthdays Wood & Pellet Stove Safety As the temperature drops outside, wood and pellet stoves may be fired up inside the home. What you may not realize is that heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fires during the winter months. Smoke ALARM SENSE Install and maintain smoke alarms on EVERY level of your home, outside each sleeping area and inside each bedroom. carbon monoxide alarms For the best protection, interconnect the alarms. When one sounds, they all sound. TEST all smoke alarms at least monthly. February 10th Rob Gonia 15th Scott Jensen 24th Sean Laurent March 4th John Donovan 6th Steve Shoevlin 9th Josh Wilkerson 11th Eric Engstrom 16th Aaron Miller Adam Cox 25th 22nd Jay Alms 23rd Radi Huggard Justin Mayton 26th Nino Girardin 28th Jaime Wagner 29th Sheryl Drost Your Source for SAFETY Information NFPA www.nfpa.org/education Total Calls for 2013 277 The Firehouse Scene A red-tail hawk was hanging out on top of the training tower this week. The Firehouse Scene is a monthly newsletter produced by the Harlem- Roscoe Fire Prot. Dist. Editor-in-Chief - Don Shoevlin Editor & Layout - Sheryl Drost The Firehouse Scene is available at Station One - 10544 Main Street in Roscoe and on the department s website after the second Sunday each month @ www.harlemroscoefi re.com Email submissions to Sheryl: hrfdsdrost@gmail.com The Firehouse Scene - Page 11
Fun Snow Facts Chionophobia is a fear of snow. An average snowflake is made up of 180 billion molecules of water. People buy more cakes, cookies and candies than any other food when a blizzard is in the forecast. The average snowflake falls at a speed of 3.1 miles per hour. (5 kilometers) A single snowstorm can drop 39 million tons of snow, carrying the energy equivalent to 120 atom bombs! Around 12% of the Earth s land surface is covered in permanent snow and ice. Each year an average of 105 snow-producing storms affect the continental United States. A typical storm will have a snow-producing lifetime of two to five days and will bring snow to portions of several states. All snowflakes have six sides. Rochester, New York is the snowiest large city in the U.S., averaging 94 inches of snow a year. A blizzard occurs when you can t see for 1/4 mile. The winds are always 35 miles an hour or more. The storm must last at least three hours to be classed as a blizzard. If any of these conditions are less, it is only a snowstorm. Snow comes in a variety of colors, yellow, orange, green and even purple. Actually, it s colorless but it can contain dust or algae that give it different colors. Orange snow fell over Siberia in 2007 and pink snow (watermelon snow) covered Krasnodar (Russia) in 2010. Watermelon snow is common in mountains and has a sweet smell and taste. Pink snow, watermelon snow, may be pretty and sweet smelling, but it frequently contains nasty algae that will make you sick. When coal heated homes and factories, coal dust in the air was absorbed by clouds and led to gray snow. Because snow is so fluffy (meaning it s chock full of air), a relatively small amount of water can translate into a huge pile of snow. An inch of rain on average makes about 10 inches of snow. The size of a snowflake depends on how many crystals hook together. Most snowflakes are about 1/2-inch across. Station Funnies Let s hope it helps! Community CPR Class American Heart Association Health Saver CPR/AED Class Sat. Feb. 22, 2014 HRFD Fire Station #3 13974 Willowbrook Rd. Roscoe Call 815-623-7867 The Firehouse Scene - Page 12