carbon Monoxide awareness
Colder winter temperatures will soon be in our past as spring and summer approaches. We look forward to the spring breezes and the summer air conditioner. Always keep in mind fireplaces, portable heaters, generators, and home appliances that are fueled by propane, natural gas, or heating oil can always produce lethal amounts of carbon monoxide (CO) if not operating correctly or vented properly.
Hundreds of people die each year from unintentional CO poisoning known as the “silent killer.” CO is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas created when fuels, such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil and methane, burn incompletely. CO enters the body through breathing. CO poisoning can be confused with flu symptoms, food poisoning and other illnesses. Some symptoms include shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, light headedness or headaches.
Everyone is at risk for CO poisoning, but infants, pregnant women and people with physical conditions that limit their ability to use oxygen, such as emphysema, asthma or heart disease, can be more severely affected by low concentrations of CO than healthy adults. High levels of CO can be fatal for anyone, causing death within minutes. Fire departments across the nation respond to estimated 61,000 CO incidents a year.
The Union Fire Protection District would like to reduce the number of carbon monoxide incidents in and encourage everyone to install CO alarms inside your home to provide early warning of accumulating CO. Have your heating equipment inspected by a professional every year before cold weather sets in.
Keep in mind,
- CO alarms are not substitutes for smoke alarms. Know the difference between the sound of smoke alarms and CO alarms.
- Test CO alarms at least once a month.
- If your CO alarm sounds, immediately move to a fresh air location and call for help. Remain at the fresh air location until emergency personnel say.
- it is okay If the audible trouble signal sounds, check for low batteries or other trouble indicators.
The Union Fire Protection District wants everyone to be warm and safe. Make sure your home has carbon monoxide alarms.
change your clock change your battery
Daylight‐saving time begins Sunday, March 10th. The day comes with a theme: Change Your Clock Change Your Battery® The Change Your Clock Change Your Battery theme reminds us to change and test the batteries in our smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
The Union Fire Protection District reminds our residents that one simple step can help save their lives and the lives of those around them. Everyone is encouraged to change the batteries in their own smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, test the alarms and remind friends, family, and neighbors to do the same.
The Union Community has been witness to tragic home fire deaths and with everyone working together we can help reduce the number of home fire fatalities. Non‐working smoke alarms rob residents of the protective benefits home fire safety devices were designed to provide.
The most commonly cited cause of non‐working smoke alarms is worn or missing batteries.
Eighty percent of child fire fatalities occur in homes without working smoke alarms. It’s a statistic that could be reduced by adopting the simple habit of the Change Your Clock Change Your Battery.®
The peak time for home fire fatalities is between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when most families are sleeping. Smoke alarm maintenance is a simple, effective way to reduce home fire deaths.
Children and senior citizens are most at risk, and a working smoke alarm can provide the extra seconds needed to get out safely.
Any questions or concerns may be addressed by calling The Union Fire Protection District @ 636-583-2515
Use caution when open burning
The Union Fire Protection District is asking residents to use caution when open burning on their property. Open burning of tree limbs and residential brush is allowed only outside the Union City limits. The open burning period is limited to the period beginning September 16th and ending April 14th. Brush piles are limited to 16 square feet and the burning may occur between the hours of 10:00 a.m. & 4:00 p.m.
The Franklin County area has received favorable precipitation in the recent few weeks, yet conditions can become unfavorably dry in a matter of days. A resident who is burning on their property can quickly create an escalating out of control natural cover fire resulting in damage to others’ properties. Such fires have been known to spread to homes and structures destroying them.
Prior to open burning one should contact the Franklin County Communication Center at 636-583-2567 or Union Fire Protection District Station #1 at 636-583-2515 to confirm open burning will be allowed given the current or forecasted weather conditions.
Some guidelines to follow are:
· Burn piles should be limited to 16 sq. ft.
· Do not burn within 50’ of a structure
· Wind speed must be less than 10 miles an hour
· Humidity should be greater than 50%
· Keep a fire extinguisher, garden hose, dirt, or sand on hand as an extinguishing agent
All open burning should be constantly attended, and residents need to have the availability to call 911 if their open burning should get out of control. Household trash, tires, shingles, siding, and treated lumber should not be burned.
CONGRATULATIONS to our new division chief
Congratulations to Greg Miller. He has been promoted to Division Chief.
His primary responsibilities include overseeing the Fire Prevention Code and vehicle maintenance.
featured Apparatus Photo
Pictured is Station #3 Pumper 8234 at the Wing Fest Event held Saturday September 30th at Union City Park.
