Carbon Monoxide Awareness

With the arrival of cold temperatures & winter we switch our homes from the cooling breeze of the air conditioner to the warmth of the furnace. Furnaces, fireplaces, portable heaters, generators, and home appliances that are fueled by propane, natural gas, or heating oil can 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.

COVID 19 CONTINUES

Please keep in mind the number of persons in the Community contracting COVID-19 is increasing every day. We all are trying to return to our normal daily routines however, more time is needed for a vaccine to be developed and administered.

In the meantime, continue to practice everyday preventive actions as recommended by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They are working to help keep you and the community safe from the threat of a novel, or new corona virus. Take the following everyday steps to help avoid the spread of not only the Covid but all respiratory viruses:

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, throw the tissue away, and then wash your hands.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Continue social distancing, staying six feet apart.
Recommend wearing a face mask when in public.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects or surfaces such as

remote controls and doorknobs.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Stay home if you are sick. Call your doctor if you develop fever, cough, or difficulty breathing.

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.

Welcome to Union Fire Protection District

Carbon Monoxide Awareness

Union Fire Recognized as Business of the Month

Union Chamber of Commerce

COVID 19 CONTINUES

Use caution when open burning

CONGRATULATIONS to our new division chief

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