Tis the season for fire hose testing

Each fall the firefighters of Inter-Canyon Fire/Rescue test all of the fire hose on all engines, tenders (water tankers) and the hose stored in the fire stations. 

Inter-Canyon Fire/Rescue Engine 631

This involves testing literally miles of hose at high pressures, examining the hose for any defects, rolling and stacking the tested hose and returning it to service.  Ten separate teams spend several hours each testing hose.  The hose is tested at a pressure of 250 psi, much higher than the pressure typically used during firefighting operations.

ICFR uses colored hose to identify each section

Standards for fire hose testing are published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The NFPA has published two separate standards for fire hose testing. NFPA Standard 1961 documents the procedures for design verification testing of all new fire hoses and NFPA Standard 1962 documents the testing procedures to be followed for in-service hoses to make sure they can continue to be used.  ICFR follows NFPA guidelines for hose testing.

Consider joining ICFR for the next hose testing season.  Learn more about how to join ICFR by calling our non-emergency number at our office 303-697-4413.

Identify Your Two Ways Out During Fire Prevention Week

If a fire strikes your home, do you have time to escape?  The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says a house fire can become life-threatening in minutes.  Inter-Canyon Fire/Rescue urges you to take a few minutes during Fire Prevention Week, October 7-13, 2012, to urge residents to “Have Two Ways Out!” -fire escape planning and practice.

In 2010, U.S. fire departments responded to 369,500 home structure fires. These fires caused 13,350 civilian injuries, 2,640 civilian deaths, and $6.9 billion in direct damage.   “One home structure was reported every 85 seconds in 2010,” says Dave MacBean, Chief of Inter-Canyon Fire/Rescue. “Fire is unpredictable and moves faster than most people realize.  Having a tried and true escape plan with two ways is essential to ensuring your family’s safety should fire break out in your home.” 

Inter-Canyon Fire-Rescue recommends the following tips for planning your family’s escape:

• Install and check proper function of smoke detectors in your home.
• Add a Carbon Monoxide detector to monitor for CO - the silent killer.
• Make a map of your home. Mark a door and a window that can be used to get out of every room.
• Choose a meeting place outside in front of your home. This is where everyone can meet once they’ve escaped. Draw a picture of your outside meeting place on your escape plan.
• Write the emergency telephone number for the fire department (911) on your escape plan.
• Have a grown-up sound the smoke alarm and practice your escape plan with everyone living in your home.
• Keep your escape plan on the refrigerator and remind grown-ups to have your family practice the plan twice a year or whenever anyone in your home celebrates a birthday.

ICFR EMS Staff Complete Advanced Stroke Life Support Course

Several additional members of Inter-Canyon Fire/Rescue EMS staff have now completed the Advanced Stroke Life Support course offered through Saint Anthony's Hospital. 

Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability in the U.S. 

Emergency treatments to limit the risk of disability are available but underutilized.  A practical stroke patient assessment tool suitable for routine use by EMS personnel, the Miami Emergency Neurologic Deficit Exam (MEND), is used to rapidly assess for stroke. The MEND exam training is an integral part of the ASLS course.

The MEND Exam:

• Is easy to learn, easy to use, & provides key information
• Enhances communication among EMS personnel, nurses, and physicians
• Is based on the NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS), incorporates the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale (CPSS), and takes less than 3 minutes to perform

EMS PERSONNEL

• On scene, first perform ABCs (airway, breathing, and circulation) of emergency care
• After ABCs, perform the three step Cincinnati Pre-Hospital Stroke Scale under “D” for disability
• En route, perform full MEND Exam if time allows (but NOT on scene)

Reduce your risks for stroke:
1.  Manage hypertension
2.  Manage diabetes
3.  Quit smoking

As the weather cools, risks for chimney fires heats up

As the weather cools, Inter-Canyon firefighters prepare to respond to chimney fires.  These fires can spread rapidly from the chimney into the surrounding structure and pose unique risks to homeowners and firefighters due to smoke, working on a slippery roof, and the heat of the fire.
More than one-third of Americans use fireplaces, wood stoves and other fuel-fired appliances as primary heat sources in their homes. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the fire risks when heating with wood and solid fuels.  Heating fires account for 36% of residential home fires in rural areas, such as the Inter-Canyon Fire Protection District, every year. Often these fires are due to creosote buildup in chimneys and stovepipes. All home heating systems require regular maintenance to function safely and efficiently.

Chimney and Fireplace Safety starts with you:

Keep Fireplaces and Wood Stoves Clean

• Have your chimney or wood stove inspected and cleaned annually by a certified chimney specialist.
• Clear the area around the hearth of debris, decorations and flammable materials.
• Leave glass doors open while burning a fire. Leaving the doors open ensures that the fire receives enough air to ensure complete combustion and keeps creosote from building up in the chimney.
• Close glass doors when the fire is out to keep air from the chimney opening from getting into the room. Most glass fireplace doors have a metal mesh screen which should be closed when the glass doors are open. This mesh screen helps keep embers from getting out of the fireplace area.
• Always use a metal mesh screen with fireplaces that do not have a glass fireplace door.
• Install stovepipe thermometers to help monitor flue temperatures.
• Keep air inlets on wood stoves open, and never restrict air supply to fireplaces. Otherwise you may cause creosote buildup that could lead to a chimney fire.
• Use fire-resistant materials on walls around wood stoves.

Safely Burn Fuels

• Never use flammable liquids to start a fire.
• Use only seasoned hardwood. Soft, moist wood accelerates creosote buildup.
• Build small fires that burn completely and produce less smoke.
• Never burn cardboard boxes, trash or debris in your fireplace or wood stove.
• When building a fire, place logs at the rear of the fireplace on an adequate supporting grate.
• Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended. Extinguish the fire before going to bed or leaving the house.
• Soak hot ashes in water and place them in a metal container outside your home.

Protect the Outside of Your Home

• Stack firewood outdoors at least 30 feet away from your home.
• Keep the roof clear of leaves, pine needles and other debris.
• Cover the chimney with a mesh screen spark arrester.
• Remove branches hanging above the chimney, flues or vents.

Protect the Inside of Your Home

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and inside and outside of sleeping areas. Test them monthly and change the batteries at least once a year. Consider installing the new long life smoke alarms.
• Provide proper venting systems for all heating equipment.
• Extend all vent pipes at least three feet above the roof.

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Recommendations provided by the US Fire Administration