Halloween Safety Tips

The nights are cooler and that means that Halloween is upon us. We want everyone to have a safe and fun time, free of accidents and mishaps this Halloween season. Please observe the following safety tips when trick-or-treating and celebrating:
· Know the route your kids will be taking if you aren't going with them.

· The best bet is to make sure that an adult is going with them. If you can't take them, see if another parent or a teen aged sibling can go along.

· Know what other activities a child may be attending, such as parties, school or mall functions.
· Make sure you set a time that they should be home by. Make sure they know how important it is for them to be home on time.

· Help your child pick out or make a costume that will be safe. Make it fire proof, with high visibility and with the eye holes large enough for good peripheral vision.

· If you set jack-o-lanterns on your porch with candles in them, make sure that they are far enough out of the way so that kids costumes won't accidentally be set on fire.

· Make sure that if your child is carrying a prop, such as a scythe, butcher knife or a pitchfork, that the tips are smooth and flexible enough to not cause injury if fallen on.
· Teaching your kids basic everyday safety such as not getting into cars or talking to strangers, watching both ways before crossing streets and crossing when the lights tell you to, will help make them safer when they are out Trick or Treating.
· Secure emergency identification (name, address, phone number) discreetly within Halloween attire or on a bracelet.
· Review with your children the principle of "Stop-Drop-Roll", should their clothes catch on fire.

· Only approach homes that are well lit.

· Carry a flashlight or other light emitting device to increase visibility and to light your way while trick-or-treating.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!!
(Source: Halloween-Safety.Com)

Man Electrocuted

Emergency crews responded to a reported injured patient on Highway 83 and Espejo Molina Rd just past nine o’clock last night. On arrival they found two Sherriff’s Deputies performing CPR on a male patient in the back of a pickup truck. The Sherriff Department initially responded to the call as the incident occurred in the Rio Bavo/El Cenizo area. Laredo Fire Department Emergency Medical Technicians quickly took over and transported him in critical condition to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.

The man, in his early forties, was electrocuted when he was working on a water heater at a nearby residence.

As a reminder, always shut-off electricity, read instruction manuals and consult an electrician as needed when working with electrical equipment.

MVA in Central Laredo

Three teens were sent to a local hospital after having an accident while driving eastbound on Plum St. The injuries were describes as non life threatening.

FIRE PREVENTION SAFTY TIPS (PART IV)

Did you know?
Smoke alarms are less likely to be present or operating in manufactured homes.
There is a higher fire death rate per one hundred manufactured homes as compared to other home fires.
Cooking is the leading cause of fires in manufactured homes.
Having a working smoke alarm reduces one's chance of dying in a fire by nearly a half.
By following today’s simple fire safety tips, survival rates are boosted dramatically. Please share them with your readers and viewers because knowledge is the best fire protection.


Manufactured Home Safety Life-Saving Tips
Have a minimum of two smoke alarms installed in your home regardless of sleeping space arrangements.
Test smoke alarm batteries every month and change them at least once a year. Consider installing a 10-year lithium battery-powered smoke alarm, which is sealed so it cannot be tampered with or opened.
Maintain your home heating system by having it serviced at least once a year by a professional.
Do not store combustibles or flammables near heat sources.
Never overload outlets, extension cords or electrical circuits. If the circuit breaker trips or fuses blow, immediately call a licensed electrician to check your system.
Develop and practice a home fire escape plan with your family.
If there is a fire, get out immediately and stay out. Go to a neighbor's home and call the emergency phone number in your area. In most areas, the number is 911.
Space heaters need their space. Keep heaters at least three feet away from drapes, clothing or other combustible materials.
Install skirting material to keep leaves and other debris and combustible items from blowing under your manufactured home.
(Source: United States Fire Administration)

Fire Prevention Week III

Laredo, TX: It’s Fire Prevention Week and this year’s theme is “Prevent Home Fires”. In continuing with Fire Prevention Week efforts, we want to take this opportunity to offer today’s safety message
Did you know?
Eighty-two percent of all fire deaths occur in the home.
Each year about 300 people are killed and $280 million in property is destroyed in fires attributed to children playing with fire.
Deaths due to children playing with fire are particularly preventable.
Having a working smoke alarm reduces one's chance of dying in a fire nearly one-half.
By following today’s simple fire safety tips, survival rates are boosted dramatically. Please share them with your readers and viewers because knowledge is the best fire protection.



Cooking Fires Life-Saving Tips
Never leave cooking unattended. A serious fire can start in just seconds.
· Always wear short, tight-fitting sleeves when cooking.
Keep towels, pot holders and curtains away from flames and heating elements.
Clean cooking surfaces regularly to prevent grease buildup which can ignite.
If a fire breaks out while cooking, put a lid on the pan to smother it. Never throw water on a grease fire.
Heat oil gradually to avoid burns from spattering grease. Use extra caution when preparing deep-fried foods.
Never use the range or oven to heat your home.
Double-check the kitchen before you go to bed or leave the house. Make sure all small appliances are turned off.

Firefighters will conduct Fire Safety Presentations at the following schools today:
F. D. Roosevelt
3301 Sierra Vista
10/8/2008
9:00AM
Colonel Santos Benavides
10702 Kirby Dr.
10/8/2008
9:00AM
Bonnie Garcia
1453 Concord Hills Blvd
10/8/2008
1:15PM
Dovalina
1700 W Anna Avenue
10/8/2008
1:15PM

Fire Prevention Week part II

It’s Fire Prevention Week and this year’s theme is “Prevent Home Fires”. In continuing with Fire Prevention Week efforts, we want to take this opportunity to offer today’s safety message
Did you know?
Eighty-two percent of all fire deaths occur in the home.
Each year about 300 people are killed and $280 million in property is destroyed in fires attributed to children playing with fire.
Deaths due to children playing with fire are particularly preventable.
Having a working smoke alarm reduces one's chance of dying in a fire nearly one-half.
By following today’s simple fire safety tips, survival rates are boosted dramatically. Please share them with your readers and viewers because knowledge is the best fire protection.



Children & Fire Life-Saving Tips
· Keep matches, lighters and other ignitables in a secured drawer or cabinet out of the reach of children.
· Teach your children to tell you when they find matches and lighters.
· Teach children not to hide from firefighters, but to get out quickly and call for help from another location.
Show children how to crawl low on the floor, below the smoke, to get out of the house and stay out.
Develop and practice a home fire escape plan and designate a meeting place outside. Get out and stay out.
Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm.
· Demonstrate how to stop, drop to the ground, and roll if clothes catch fire.
· For more fire safety information for young children, visit www.usfaparents.gov.
Firefighters will conduct Fire Safety Presentations at the following schools today:
Farias
1510 Chicago St.
10/7/2008
9:00 AM
Honore Ligarde
2800 S. Canada
10/7/2008
9:00 AM
Prada
510 Soria Dr.
10/7/2008
1:15 PM
Santo Nino
2702 Bismark
10/7/2008
1:15 PM

IT’S FIRE PREVENTION WEEK

Laredo, TX: It’s Fire Prevention Week and this year’s theme is “Prevent Home Fires”. Prevention is our best defense against any fire; this is why we would like to take this opportunity to raise fire prevention awareness in our community with the objective of avoiding a loss or tragedy.
The efforts will include fire safety presentations at local schools as well as distributing fire prevention tips throughout the week.
Today’s Fire Safety Tip is as follows:
Everyday Electrical Safety
Keep lamps, light fixtures, and light bulbs away from anything that can burn, such as lamp shades, bedding, curtains, and clothing.
Replace cracked and damaged electrical cords.
Use extension cords for temporary wiring only. Consider having additional circuits or receptacles added by a qualified electrician.
Homes with young children should have tamper-resistant electrical receptacles.
Call a qualified electrician or landlord if you have recurring problems with blowing fuses or tripping circuit breakers,

Discolored or warm wall outlets, flickering lights or a burning or rubbery smell coming from an appliance.

Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire, the tragic 1871 conflagration that killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres. The fire began on October 8, but continued into and did most of its damage on October 9, 1871. (Source: National Fire Protection Association)