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Official Department News
NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Cleighton
Tourtellotte, Deputy Chief / PIO
Ph:
508-987-6012
E-mail;
CTourtellotte@town.oxford.ma.us
Release: For immediate release
October 6, 2010
Community Enjoys Fire Department Open House
Oxford,
MA - The Oxford Fire – EMS Department recently held an Open House to kick
off Fire Prevention Week. The well attended event was held under sunny skies
from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm on Sunday, October 2, 2010 at Fire Headquarters. The
Oxford Fire – EMS Department has teamed up with the National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA) for this year’s theme of “Smoke Alarms: A Sound You Can
Live With.” This year’s campaign focuses on helping Oxford residents
understand NFPA’s residential smoke alarm recommendations.
Open house
attendees were greeted by uniformed members of the department and guided through
the fire station to several exhibits and activities. The Student Awareness of
Fire Education (S.A.F.E.) exhibit provided educational materials including
coloring books, pencil cases, and fire helmets, as well as video presentations
on fire safety and recent activities of the Oxford Fire – EMS Department.
The Oxford
Fire Explorers manned a booth to explain the Fire Explorer program and offer
applications to any youths age 14 – 18. Actual firefighting gear was on display,
and a demonstration of self-contained breathing apparatus showed visitors what a
firefighter might look and sound like when coming to their rescue.
Many
children, dressed in “turnout gear” were anxious to try their hands at fire
fighting at the children’s muster event. Participants directed a hose stream
into a model burning building to knock out simulated fire in the windows. All of
the future firefighters were successful in their brave attempts to quickly douse
the flames and save the house.
Visitors
were also treated to a live demonstration of a simulated automobile crash where
firefighters needed to use several rescue tools to help free a patient trapped
under a rolled over passenger van. Oxford Fire-EMS Recue 1 was called into
service as firefighters demonstrated the use of cribbing and low pressure air
bags to lift the overturned van off the patient. This demonstration was
conducted under the watchful eyes of Firefighter/EMT Danny Myhaver, while being
narrated by Fire Chief Sheri Bemis.
After a
self-guided tour of the many fire and rescue vehicles on display, attendees
enjoyed refreshments including cupcakes, warm apple cider, and homemade cake
provided by department members and the Oxford CERT Team. Many attendees also had
their picture or video taken by the Oxford Local Access TV crew.
Oxford
Firefighters also introduced for sale Pink Oxford Fire Department T-shirts to
raise money to fight breast cancer. The ”Lets Give Cancer the Boot”
T-shirts are available at Fire Headquarters for $10.00 each. All proceeds
will be donated directly to the “Susan G. Komen Fund for the Cure.”
This annual
event kicks off the department’s Fire Prevention Week educational program of
classroom and assembly presentations at the town schools by Lieutenant Sellers
and his team of fire educators. This year’s program will be presented to 1,310
students in Grades Pre-K through Grade 5, representing 48% of the total Oxford
school population. Funding for the fire prevention program continues with the
assistance of a Student Awareness of Fire Education (S.A.F.E.) Grant, in the
amount of $3,200, received for the tenth year in a row from the Massachusetts
Department of Fire Services.
Citing the
NFPA’s theme, Fire Chief Sheri Bemis said “We want this year’s campaign to serve
as a call to action for households in Oxford to inspect their homes to ensure
that their families have the full smoke alarm protection that’s recommended.”
For additional Fire Prevention activities, Halloween Safety Tips, and
information on “Let’s Give Cancer the Boot” T-shirts, visit the department’s web
site at
www.oxfordfire-ems.org.
The Oxford Fire Department would like to extend its thanks to Ret. Chief
Jeffery Wilson. Chief Wilson was a dedicated member of this department
for 35 years. We wish you a long and healthy retirement.
Congratulations Chief Sheri Bemis on her recent promotion.
NEWS RELEASE
Contact:
Cleighton Tourtellotte, Deputy Chief Tel. 508-987-6012
Sheila Donahue, Animal Control Officer Tel. 774-272-3681
Release:
For Immediate Release
National Pet Fire Safety Day July 15, 2010
OXFORD,
July 12, 2010 -
The Oxford
Fire-EMS Department and Oxford Animal Control is joining the National Volunteer
Fire Council (NVFC) and the American Kennel Club (AKC) for the third annual
National Pet Fire Safety Day on July 15 to spread awareness about how to prevent
pets from starting home fires and keep pets safe in the event of an emergency.
An
estimated 500,000 pets are affected annually by home fires, and nearly 1,000
house fires each year are accidently started by the homeowner’s pets. “Not many
pet owners realize that their pet can actually be the cause of a devastating
fire,” said AKC spokesperson Lisa Peterson. “Simple preventative measures, such
as flameless candles and removing stove knobs when leaving the house, can mean
the difference between life and death for your four-legged friends.”
The Oxford
Fire-EMS Department and Oxford Animal Control offer the following tips to help
educate pet owners on how to prevent their beloved pet from starting a fire, as
well as how to keep their pets safe.
·
Extinguish
open flames – pets are generally curious and will investigate cooking
appliances, candles, and even a fire in your fireplace. Ensure your pet is not
left unattended around an open flame and make sure to thoroughly extinguish any
open flame before leaving your home.
·
Remove
stove knobs – Be sure to remove stove knobs or protect them with covers before
leaving the house – a stove or cook top is the number one piece of equipment
involved in your pet starting a fire.
·
Invest in
flameless candles – the candles contain a light bulb rather than an open flame,
and take the danger out of your pet knocking over a candle. Cats are notorious
for starting fires when their tails turn over lit candles.
·
Secure
young pets – Especially with young puppies, keep them confined away from
potential fire-starting hazards when you are away from home, such as in crates
or behind baby gates in secured areas.
·
Practice
escape routes with pets – Keep collars and leashes at the ready in case you have
to evacuate quickly with your pet or firefighters need to rescue your pet.
Visit
www.oxfordfire-ems.org for more information on keeping
your pets safe from fire. Information flyers are also available at Oxford Fire
Headquarters, 181 Main Street and Oxford Town Hall, 325 Main Street.
Time
to Check Your Smoke Alarms
This weekend,
March 13 and 14, we will all be setting our clocks to Daylight Saving Time. The
time change is a good reminder to check your smoke alarms. According to the
National Fire Protection Association, more than 66 percent of home fire deaths
that occurred between 2003-2006 were in homes without a working smoke
alarm. A working smoke alarm significantly increases your chances of surviving
a deadly home fire.
A properly
installed and maintained smoke alarm is the only thing in your home that can
alert you and your family to a fire 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Whether
you’re awake or asleep, a working smoke alarm is constantly on alert, scanning
the air for fire and smoke. Smoke alarms must be maintained! A smoke
alarm with a dead or missing battery is the same as having no smoke alarm at
all, so test your smoke alarm monthly by pushing the “test” button, if it has
one.
Smoke alarms are
powered by either a battery or are hardwired into your home’s electrical system.
Hardwired smoke alarms are usually equipped with a backup battery. If your
smoke alarm is powered by battery, the battery needs to be replaced annually
unless it is a long-life battery (check the owner’s manual). All batteries
should be maintained and replaced in accordance with manufacturer’s guidance.
Choose an annual
date, such as the time change, when you will remember to maintain your smoke
alarm in tip top condition. Check the manufacturer’s expiration date on the
label, replace the batteries if needed, and clean dust away from the slots so
that smoke can enter freely. All smoke alarms, hard-wired and battery powered,
should be replaced every ten years. These simple steps will help ensure that
you and your family will have the best chance of surviving if fire should
strike.
USFA has a fire
safety campaign called Install. Inspect. Protect. which provides
information about home smoke alarms and fire sprinklers. Please visit the
campaign Web site at
www.usfa.dhs.gov/campaigns/smokealarms/.
Oxford Fire and EMS to
Bolster Fire Prevention Efforts with FM Global Grant
Oxford, Massachusetts–The Oxford Fire and EMS
received a $2,500 fire prevention grant recently from FM
Global, a leading property insurer of the world’s largest businesses based in
Johnston, R.I.
FM Global representatives presented the award to
Enter who from your agency will be accepting
the grant award at the
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located on
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in
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The award will be used to assist with prefire planning to efficiently collect
and track data related to local community buildings. The information will help
the fire service respond in an emergency situation.
Because fire continues to be the leading cause of
commercial and industrial property damage worldwide, FM Global has contributed
millions of dollars to fire services and related agencies around the globe
working to prevent fire for more than three decades. Locally, the company has
awarded grants to a number of Massachusetts-based organizations.
“At FM
Global, we believe the majority of property damage is preventable—not
inevitable—and we are pleased to make funding available to organizations, like
the Oxford Fire and EMS, that share the same philosophy,” said Michael
Spaziani, manager of FM Global’s Fire Prevention Grant Program. “After all, it’s
much better to prevent a disaster than to recover from one.”
FM Global’s highly competitive Fire Prevention Grant
Program (www.fmglobal.com/grants)
awards grants quarterly to fire departments—as well as national, state,
regional, local and community organizations worldwide—that best demonstrate a
need for funding, where dollars can have the greatest impact on preventing,
preparing for and controlling fire in the community.
Established
nearly 175 years ago, FM Global
(www.fmglobal.com)
ranks 766 among FORTUNE magazine’s largest
companies in America. More than one out of every three FORTUNE 1000 companies
and similar-sized organizations operating in more than 130 countries work with
FM Global to develop robust property insurance and engineering solutions to
protect their business operations from property risk. The company has been
named “Best Property Insurer in the World” by
Euromoney magazine and “Best Global Property Insurer” by Global Finance
magazine. The company is rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best and AA (Very Strong)
by Fitch Ratings.
Oxford Fire Department Has
Well Attended Open House
Oxford, MA - The Oxford Fire – EMS
Department recently held an Open House to kick off Fire Prevention Week. The
well attended event was held under sunny skies from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on
Sunday, October 4, 2009. The Oxford Fire – EMS Department teamed up with the
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) for this year’s theme of “Stay
Fire Smart! Don’t Get Burned.” This year’s campaign focused on ways to
keep homes fire safe and prevent painful burns.
Open house attendees were greeted
by uniformed members of the department and guided through the fire station to
several exhibits and activities. The Student Awareness of Fire Education (S.A.F.E.)
exhibit provided educational materials including coloring books, fire helmets
and stickers, as well as video presentations on fire safety and recent
activities of the Oxford Fire – EMS Department.
Many children were anxious to try
their hands at fire fighting at the children’s muster event. Here children were
able to dress in scaled down firefighter turnout gear and direct a hose stream
into a model burning building and knock down flames in the windows. Many future
firefighters were successful at their attempts under guidance from siblings and
parents. Firefighter James Kaufman, who constructed and maintains the burning
house prop on his own time, supervised this “training.”
Older children and adults took
advantage of the department’s brand new portable fire extinguisher live fire
training system. This equipment was recently purchased by the department with a
federal Assistance to Firefighters Fire Prevention and Safety Grant. This
realistic and safe training experience allows trainees to really feel the heat
enhancing the realism of the training experience. Proper selection and use of
portable fire extinguishers was taught to several residents who had never used a
fire extinguisher before today by Fire Inspector Lieutenant Kenneth Sellers.
Attendees were also treated to a
live real time demonstration of a simulated automobile crash where firefighters
needed to use several rescue tools to help free an injured driver. Oxford
Fire-EMS Recue 1 was called into service as firefighters demonstrated the use of
manual, electric and hydraulic rescue tools to safely and quickly disassemble
the automobile around the patient. This demonstration was conducted under the
watchful eyes of Assistant Chief/EMS Coordinator Sheri Bemis, while being
narrated for local access television by Lieutenant Scot Wilson of Rescue 1.
After a self-guided tour of the
many fire and rescue vehicles on display, attendees enjoyed refreshments
including firefighter cupcakes, apple cobbler, cookies and punch provided by
department members and the Oxford CERT Team. Many lucky attendees also had their
picture taken with “Puddles” the department’s fire prevention mascot.
This annual event kicked off the
department’s Fire Prevention Week educational program of classroom and assembly
presentations at the town schools by Lieutenant Sellers and his team of fire
educators. This year’s program was presented to 1,310 students in Grades Pre-K
through Grade 5, representing 48% of the total Oxford school population.
While Fire Prevention Week is an
opportunity to practice fire safety in the home, we hope that residents will
keep these lessons with them year round and “Stay Fire Smart!” For additional
Fire Prevention information and activities, as well as Safe Driving tips, you
can visit the department’s web site at
www.oxfordfire-ems.org.
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