NECN Report
Sun, 14 Dec 2008
http://multimedia.boston.com/pub/m/21659027/door_to_door_checks_on_nh_s_elderly.htm?q=%22carbon+monoxide+poisoning%22
Monday, December 22, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
90 Percent Of Derry Without Power
DERRY, N.H. -- Some New Hampshire towns in the dark Saturday were in desperate need of aid.
Officials have opened shelters to offer a safe, warm place for residents among the hundreds of thousands who lost power.
Firefighters knocked on just about every door in town to make sure residents are safe. Fewer than 2,000 people have power in Derry out of the town's population of almost 35,000 people.
"It's like Katrina without the water," Derry Fire Chief George Klauber said. "We've been told to anticipate a number of days before power is restored. In some areas, up to two weeks."
Klauber and town officials held a news conference Saturday afternoon to explain the severity of the situation -- but because so many residents remain without power, unable to get the information, firefighters went door-to-door.
"Actually, we're not too bad. We have a generator. So, we do have heat and water," said Nancy Jervah, of Derry.
"We're here at our grandparents' because our power's out and the water's cold," said Maddie Gehrisch, who's staying with her grandmother.
Derry officials estimate about 200 roads blocked by strewn debris, fallen trees and downed wires. First responders have handled 400 emergency calls since Thursday night.
Many residents, like Dave Hastings, are doing their best to fend for themselves.
"Hopefully, they understand there's a substantial burden before they can catch up with us," he said.
Firefighters said the unprecedented extent of this power outage coupled with more cold weather settling in, means people should be ready to ask for help if they need it.
"We're tough New Hampshire people. They believe they can tough it out. This could be very long term," Klauber said.
Firefighters have asked WMUR News 9 to remind homeowners to really be thorough and thoughtful to avoid emergencies.
If you're leaving your home, make sure everything is off -- every appliance, every circuit breaker and, of course, the water.
Officials have opened shelters to offer a safe, warm place for residents among the hundreds of thousands who lost power.
Firefighters knocked on just about every door in town to make sure residents are safe. Fewer than 2,000 people have power in Derry out of the town's population of almost 35,000 people.
"It's like Katrina without the water," Derry Fire Chief George Klauber said. "We've been told to anticipate a number of days before power is restored. In some areas, up to two weeks."
Klauber and town officials held a news conference Saturday afternoon to explain the severity of the situation -- but because so many residents remain without power, unable to get the information, firefighters went door-to-door.
"Actually, we're not too bad. We have a generator. So, we do have heat and water," said Nancy Jervah, of Derry.
"We're here at our grandparents' because our power's out and the water's cold," said Maddie Gehrisch, who's staying with her grandmother.
Derry officials estimate about 200 roads blocked by strewn debris, fallen trees and downed wires. First responders have handled 400 emergency calls since Thursday night.
Many residents, like Dave Hastings, are doing their best to fend for themselves.
"Hopefully, they understand there's a substantial burden before they can catch up with us," he said.
Firefighters said the unprecedented extent of this power outage coupled with more cold weather settling in, means people should be ready to ask for help if they need it.
"We're tough New Hampshire people. They believe they can tough it out. This could be very long term," Klauber said.
Firefighters have asked WMUR News 9 to remind homeowners to really be thorough and thoughtful to avoid emergencies.
If you're leaving your home, make sure everything is off -- every appliance, every circuit breaker and, of course, the water.
Derry Fire Crews Respond To Slew Of Calls After Storm
DERRY, N.H. -- Emergency crews are working around the clock in communities hit hard by last week's ice storm.
WMUR News 9's Jean Mackin spent time with rescue workers in Derry, where people are still struggling to get 40 percent of the town back online.
"We want them to really take care and be safe," Derry fire Lt. Bill Gillis said.
Firefighters were called to a street near downtown Derry when a carbon monoxide call came in. They found that a concerned homeowner's carbon monoxide levels in his house were actually normal. Still, they decided to check on his neighbors as a courtesy.
At the first house, they discovered a generator running inside a garage. They opened the doors and told the homeowner to move it outside.
"It's funny because I came in here and got dizzy," said Paul Daniels, of Derry.
The night before, a house on Drew Road burned because a generator ignited while refueling was taking place close to the house.
Firefighters also delivered food to the emergency operations center, and distributed water from the Federal Emergency Management Agency
WMUR News 9's Jean Mackin spent time with rescue workers in Derry, where people are still struggling to get 40 percent of the town back online.
"We want them to really take care and be safe," Derry fire Lt. Bill Gillis said.
Firefighters were called to a street near downtown Derry when a carbon monoxide call came in. They found that a concerned homeowner's carbon monoxide levels in his house were actually normal. Still, they decided to check on his neighbors as a courtesy.
At the first house, they discovered a generator running inside a garage. They opened the doors and told the homeowner to move it outside.
"It's funny because I came in here and got dizzy," said Paul Daniels, of Derry.
The night before, a house on Drew Road burned because a generator ignited while refueling was taking place close to the house.
Firefighters also delivered food to the emergency operations center, and distributed water from the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Focus on Fire Safety: Holiday Fire Safety
With the onset of the holiday season, it is important to focus on fire safety and prevention. The celebration of the season brings with it increased usage of electric lights, decorations, candles, and the ever popular Christmas tree, all of which can be potential fire hazards. Additionally, cooking fires increase during the holidays as families and friends gather to celebrate. By following general fire safety precautions, potential holiday fires, deaths, and injuries remain preventable.
Christmas Trees
What’s a traditional Christmas morning scene without a beautifully decorated tree? If your household includes a natural tree in its festivities, take to heart the sales person’s suggestion – “Keep the tree watered.”
Christmas trees account for hundreds of fires annually. Typically, shorts in electrical lights or open flames from candles, lighters or matches start tree fires. Well-watered trees are not a problem. A dry and neglected tree can be.
Selecting a Tree for the Holidays
Needles on fresh trees should be green and hard to pull back from the branches, and the needles should not break if the tree has been freshly cut. The trunk should be sticky to the touch. Old trees can be identified by bouncing the tree trunk on the ground. If many needles fall off, the tree has been cut too long and, has probably dried out, and is a fire hazard.
Caring for Your Tree
Do not place your tree close to a heat source, including a fireplace or heat vent. The heat will dry out the tree, causing it to be more easily ignited by heat, flame or sparks. Be careful not to drop or flick cigarette ashes near a tree. Do not put your live tree up too early or leave it up for longer than two weeks. Keep the tree stand filled with water at all times.
Disposing of Your Tree
Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood-burning stove. When the tree becomes dry, discard it promptly. The best way to dispose of your tree is by taking it to a recycling center or having it hauled away by a community pick-up service.
Christmas Trees
What’s a traditional Christmas morning scene without a beautifully decorated tree? If your household includes a natural tree in its festivities, take to heart the sales person’s suggestion – “Keep the tree watered.”
Christmas trees account for hundreds of fires annually. Typically, shorts in electrical lights or open flames from candles, lighters or matches start tree fires. Well-watered trees are not a problem. A dry and neglected tree can be.
Selecting a Tree for the Holidays
Needles on fresh trees should be green and hard to pull back from the branches, and the needles should not break if the tree has been freshly cut. The trunk should be sticky to the touch. Old trees can be identified by bouncing the tree trunk on the ground. If many needles fall off, the tree has been cut too long and, has probably dried out, and is a fire hazard.
Caring for Your Tree
Do not place your tree close to a heat source, including a fireplace or heat vent. The heat will dry out the tree, causing it to be more easily ignited by heat, flame or sparks. Be careful not to drop or flick cigarette ashes near a tree. Do not put your live tree up too early or leave it up for longer than two weeks. Keep the tree stand filled with water at all times.
Disposing of Your Tree
Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood-burning stove. When the tree becomes dry, discard it promptly. The best way to dispose of your tree is by taking it to a recycling center or having it hauled away by a community pick-up service.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Fire-Based EMS ... The Right Choice for Public Safety
Time. It’s a precious commodity, and it waits for no one. When lives are on the line, seconds count. Fractions of seconds count.
Few individuals in our lives better understand the importance of time than the men and women of the fire service. Highly qualified public servants, trained to handle crises affecting both people and property – often simultaneously. The dedication and training of these professionals and their commitment to quality of care are just two of the many reasons why fire-based Emergency Medical Service is the clear choice for public officials and the communities they serve.
Higher Survival Rates
As communities evaluate their present emergency medical care needs, they may focus exclusively on patient transportation issues. Most research, however, has demonstrated that rapid, on-scene medical intervention produces the best patient outcomes. The fire service is best positioned to deliver this critical care, as well as rapid patient transport. Fire-based EMS provides a comprehensive approach to emergency care, with trained personnel capable of handling any complication. The bottom line – a better chance for survival, and patient survival is the true measure of quality for any prehospital emergency medical system.
Rapid Response Times
The fire service is known for its rapid mobilization. Fire fighters are the nation’s first responders and fire-based EMS get to the scene faster. A comprehensive response within time limits set by the emergency medical community should be the goal for other EMS providers. It is routine for the fire service.
Quality of Care
Unacceptably high workloads, stress and perceived lack of commitment to patient care by employers all take their toll on the single-role EMS provider. Unfortunately, the patients they serve also invariably suffer. The teamwork, efficient job performance, and continuous patient contact enjoyed by the fire service, on the other hand, affects patient care in a way that cannot be qualified by dollars. Nevertheless, these are critical areas of inquiry for those who are deciding between competing EMS systems for their communities.
Fire-Based EMS -- The Right Choice
Citizens need a system that works in the field, not only on paper. Decision makers, therefore, must look at what their community is getting for the price, particularly in the areas of response time, personnel capabilities and system efficiency. Only then can a community make an informed choice about a critical service, with the same confidence that they place in the rapid response and effective work of their fire department.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
The Great Boston Fire
It was on this date, November 9, in 1872 that Boston, Massachusetts, suffered their worst ever fire and what is still one of the most costly fire-related property losses in American history.The fire destroyed the entire financial district, causingthe deployment of milita to guard against looting.
It all started at 7:20 pm in the basement of a warehouse on Summer St. A quirk in the city’s tax laws exempted business stock that was stored in attics. So, as the fire spread from flying embers, they were landing on top of rooms stuffed with fire load.
The conflagration grew rapidly and the huge fire lit up the entire New England sky, prompting fire departments from every state around to load up pumpers and firefighters on railroad trains and converge on the city to aid. The railroads capitalized on the event by also carrying spectators on the rescue trains.
The city’s fire department was already suffering from a horse flu epidemic that had traveled across the country that year. Every horse in the fire department had been immobilized from the illness and the heavy, steam pumpers had to be pulled by the firefighters to the blazes.
Further complicating the efforts, the gas supply lines connected to street lamps and used for lighting in buildings could not be shut off promptly. Gas lines exploded and fed the flames.
The fire was finally contained 12 hours later, but not until it had leveled 65 acres of downtown property including 776 buildings. The dollar loss, converted to today’s equivalency, exceeded $3.5 Billion.
The fire was finally contained 12 hours later, but not until it had leveled 65 acres of downtown property including 776 buildings. The dollar loss, converted to today’s equivalency, exceeded $3.5 Billion.
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