Safety
Risk Reduction Specialist to contribute to TrailMark Communications outlets
TrailMark welcomes Einar Jensen, Risk Reduction Specialist for South Metro Fire Rescue at Station #19. Einar brings a wealth of expertise and experience with fire safety, injury prevention, disaster preparedness, and much more. Einar will be a contributor to our newsletter and other news outlets, on a variety of subjects, and will attend some of our HOA Board meetings. We are very fortunate to have Einar join our TrailMark family. Welcome to TrailMark, Einar!!
Photo by South Metro Fire Rescue
Home Fire Safety: Preventing Garage Fires
Although cooking is the most common source of home fires here in South Metro
Fire Rescue’s jurisdiction and across the nation, those fires typically are small.
Fires that start in the garage, on the other hand, occur less frequently, but tend to cause more damage because they
can burn secretly for several minutes before occupants or anyone else notices the blaze. Residents also tend to store
more expensive items within garages than kitchens.
The most common factors that lead to fires in garages, according to SMFR Lead Investigator Don Titzler, include
electrical wiring that overheats, overcharging batteries, and improper disposal of smoldering ashes.
Each of these fires can be prevented by following some simple tips.
Electrical Safety
Battery Charging
Disposal of Ashes
For information on home fire prevention and other safety topics, visit www.southmetro.org or contact us at ReducingRisk@southmetro.org.
Posted June 1, 2021
Although cooking is the most common source of home fires here in South Metro
Fire Rescue’s jurisdiction and across the nation, those fires typically are small.
Fires that start in the garage, on the other hand, occur less frequently, but tend to cause more damage because they
can burn secretly for several minutes before occupants or anyone else notices the blaze. Residents also tend to store
more expensive items within garages than kitchens.
The most common factors that lead to fires in garages, according to SMFR Lead Investigator Don Titzler, include
electrical wiring that overheats, overcharging batteries, and improper disposal of smoldering ashes.
Each of these fires can be prevented by following some simple tips.
Electrical Safety
- Major appliances (refrigerators, dryers, washers, etc.) should be plugged directly into a wall receptacle outlet. Don’t use extension cords and plug strips.
- Arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) shut off electricity when arcing occurs. Have a qualified electrician install them in your home and your garage.
- Call a qualified electrician or your landlord if you have frequent problems with blowing fuses or tripping circuit breakers, or if wall outlets are discolored or warm.
Battery Charging
- Use a proper battery charger/discharger.
- Use a fireproof safety bag, metal ammo box, or other fireproof container when charging, discharging, or storing lithium batteries.
- Do not leave charging batteries unattended.
Disposal of Ashes
- Only dispose of ashes that are cold to the touch. If they aren’t cold, they contain enough heat to start a fire if enough fuel and oxygen are present.
- When disposing of ashes from a fireplace or fire pit, place them in a fireproof container outside of your home.
- If the fireproof container is metal, place it on dirt, concrete, or asphalt to prevent heat from conducting to adjacent combustible surfaces.
For information on home fire prevention and other safety topics, visit www.southmetro.org or contact us at ReducingRisk@southmetro.org.
Posted June 1, 2021
The Wadsworth Ridge fire behind TrailMark
October 2010—Photo by Linda Jagiello
Red Flag Warnings and Wildfire Condition
By Einar Jensen, Risk Reduction Specialist
South Metro Fire Rescue
As winter loosens its grip on our region, there will be more Red Flag Warnings in weather forecasts. Red Flag Warnings describe conditions that make wildfires worse but in themselves do not cause wildfires.
Fire, remember, needs three ingredients: oxygen, heat, and fuel. Before a solid fuel can burn, it must be dry and it must contain enough heat that its molecules break apart into the fuel’s gaseous form. When a heat source is applied to a solid fuel, the fuel absorbs heat. Initially that heat causes any remaining water content to evaporate as steam. In a process called pyrolysis, the dry fuel absorbs more heat that causes its molecules to vibrate rapidly enough to fragment into the fuel’s gaseous form. It’s this gaseous form that burns in a flame.
There are three components of a Red Flag Warning: low humidity, hot air temperatures, and strong winds. Each of these components contributes to fire danger; together they can supercharge wildfires into raging infernos capable of destroying neighborhoods and injuring or killing people.
Relative humidity is the amount of moisture in the air. When air moisture is higher than fuel moisture, solid fuels absorb moisture from the air. However, when humidity is lower than fuel moisture, the air absorbs moisture from solid fuels. Thus, weather conditions with low relative humidity steal moisture from solid fuels increasing the speed at which they absorb heat for pyrolysis.
Air holds more moisture as its temperature increases because the air expands. Hotter air temperatures also preheat fuels, create tougher working conditions for firefighters, and can drive winds.
Wind results from temperature-induced air movement in the atmosphere. Wind can replace saturated air with dry air around fuels and fan flames with more oxygen. Strong wind can push wildfires into unburned fuels, push fire downslope, and carry embers—airborne chunks of burning fuel—downwind to create new wildfires.
South Metro Fire Rescue and other agencies often increase staffing or adjust the positioning of resources during Red Flag Warnings because of the potential for wildfires to grow and spread more rapidly than usual.
However, it’s critical that residents and visitors also adjust their behavior when the National Weather Service issues a Red Flag Warning. Those are the wrong days for agricultural burns, campfires, fireworks, or careless actions with heat sources.
Given the region’s current drought conditions and anticipated weather patterns, we expect several Red Flag Warnings this summer and autumn.
For information on wildfire preparedness and other safety issues, visit www.southmetro.org or contact us at ReducingRisk@southmetro.org.
Posted May 1, 2021
By Einar Jensen, Risk Reduction Specialist
South Metro Fire Rescue
As winter loosens its grip on our region, there will be more Red Flag Warnings in weather forecasts. Red Flag Warnings describe conditions that make wildfires worse but in themselves do not cause wildfires.
Fire, remember, needs three ingredients: oxygen, heat, and fuel. Before a solid fuel can burn, it must be dry and it must contain enough heat that its molecules break apart into the fuel’s gaseous form. When a heat source is applied to a solid fuel, the fuel absorbs heat. Initially that heat causes any remaining water content to evaporate as steam. In a process called pyrolysis, the dry fuel absorbs more heat that causes its molecules to vibrate rapidly enough to fragment into the fuel’s gaseous form. It’s this gaseous form that burns in a flame.
There are three components of a Red Flag Warning: low humidity, hot air temperatures, and strong winds. Each of these components contributes to fire danger; together they can supercharge wildfires into raging infernos capable of destroying neighborhoods and injuring or killing people.
Relative humidity is the amount of moisture in the air. When air moisture is higher than fuel moisture, solid fuels absorb moisture from the air. However, when humidity is lower than fuel moisture, the air absorbs moisture from solid fuels. Thus, weather conditions with low relative humidity steal moisture from solid fuels increasing the speed at which they absorb heat for pyrolysis.
Air holds more moisture as its temperature increases because the air expands. Hotter air temperatures also preheat fuels, create tougher working conditions for firefighters, and can drive winds.
Wind results from temperature-induced air movement in the atmosphere. Wind can replace saturated air with dry air around fuels and fan flames with more oxygen. Strong wind can push wildfires into unburned fuels, push fire downslope, and carry embers—airborne chunks of burning fuel—downwind to create new wildfires.
South Metro Fire Rescue and other agencies often increase staffing or adjust the positioning of resources during Red Flag Warnings because of the potential for wildfires to grow and spread more rapidly than usual.
However, it’s critical that residents and visitors also adjust their behavior when the National Weather Service issues a Red Flag Warning. Those are the wrong days for agricultural burns, campfires, fireworks, or careless actions with heat sources.
Given the region’s current drought conditions and anticipated weather patterns, we expect several Red Flag Warnings this summer and autumn.
For information on wildfire preparedness and other safety issues, visit www.southmetro.org or contact us at ReducingRisk@southmetro.org.
Posted May 1, 2021
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It's time to Clean your Dirty Dryer Ducts
By Einar Jensen, Risk Reduction Specialist
South Metro Fire Rescue
For many of us, spring cleaning begins in earnest in April. Targeting clutter in the garage and closets makes sense after a long winter and our global pandemic.
It’s also a great time to target fire hazards.
When was the last time you cleaned the lint screen in your clothes dryer? Most people clean the screen after every load. That’s the best practice, especially if your clothes shed as much as mine.
When was the last time you cleaned the duct work that vents air from your dryer? Lint, hair, and dust that collect in that ductwork is flammable. Worse, it collects along a channel for superheated air.
Remember, only three components are needed for a fire: oxygen, heat, and fuel. The fuel absorbs heat. Initially that heat causes any water content to evaporate, and then it causes solid fuels to disintegrate into their gaseous form. With adequate heat, those gaseous particles can ignite.
The ductwork from your dryer isn’t strong enough to prevent flames from escaping into walls. Fires in dirty duct work can grow into the dryer and laundry room, ignite the exterior wall, and spread fire within wall spaces.
A duct full of lint, such as the one in the photograph, also reduces the efficiency of your dryer, which means you spend more money on energy.
This spring, save money and prevent fires by cleaning the lint from inside and outside your dryer.
For information on other safety issues, visit www.southmetro.org or contact us at ReducingRisk@southmetro.org.
Posted April 1, 2021
By Einar Jensen, Risk Reduction Specialist
South Metro Fire Rescue
For many of us, spring cleaning begins in earnest in April. Targeting clutter in the garage and closets makes sense after a long winter and our global pandemic.
It’s also a great time to target fire hazards.
When was the last time you cleaned the lint screen in your clothes dryer? Most people clean the screen after every load. That’s the best practice, especially if your clothes shed as much as mine.
When was the last time you cleaned the duct work that vents air from your dryer? Lint, hair, and dust that collect in that ductwork is flammable. Worse, it collects along a channel for superheated air.
Remember, only three components are needed for a fire: oxygen, heat, and fuel. The fuel absorbs heat. Initially that heat causes any water content to evaporate, and then it causes solid fuels to disintegrate into their gaseous form. With adequate heat, those gaseous particles can ignite.
The ductwork from your dryer isn’t strong enough to prevent flames from escaping into walls. Fires in dirty duct work can grow into the dryer and laundry room, ignite the exterior wall, and spread fire within wall spaces.
A duct full of lint, such as the one in the photograph, also reduces the efficiency of your dryer, which means you spend more money on energy.
This spring, save money and prevent fires by cleaning the lint from inside and outside your dryer.
For information on other safety issues, visit www.southmetro.org or contact us at ReducingRisk@southmetro.org.
Posted April 1, 2021
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Protect Yourself and Your Family by becoming WinterWise
By Einar Jensen, Risk Reduction Specialist South Metro Fire Rescue |
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Frankly, I appreciated winter much more when I was a child. Snow days, sledding, ice skating, snow forts, snow angels, watching steam rise from the creek behind my parents’ home. Now it also means icy roads and sidewalks, fire hydrants buried in snow, heating bills, and frostnip.
Presidents’ Day Weekend was particularly busy for South Metro Fire Rescue’s firefighters because of winter-related emergencies including ice rescues, home fires caused by fireplace ashes, falls, and broken commercial sprinkler pipes, but those emergencies are prevalent throughout the colder months.
The Community Risk Reduction Bureau of SMFR has started a new program to curb those emergencies and protect both our community and our firefighters: WinterWise.
Participation in WinterWise is open for individuals as well as neighborhoods, apartment complexes or buildings, commercial areas, and schools. Participation has several steps:
- 90% of sidewalks are cleared of ice and snow within 24 hours of the most recent snowfall;
- 80% of fire hydrants are cleared with a 36-inch radius within 24 hours of the most recent snowfall;
- Signage is posted near frozen bodies of water noting hazards; and
- Other outcomes as agreed upon with your Risk Reduction Specialist.
SMFR personnel will conduct observations of your area to determine whether those objectives are met. We are working on signage or other rewards to note WinterWise successes.
For information on WinterWise and other risk reduction topics, visit www.southmetro.org or contact us at ReducingRisk@southmetro.org.
Posted March 1, 2021
Presidents’ Day Weekend was particularly busy for South Metro Fire Rescue’s firefighters because of winter-related emergencies including ice rescues, home fires caused by fireplace ashes, falls, and broken commercial sprinkler pipes, but those emergencies are prevalent throughout the colder months.
The Community Risk Reduction Bureau of SMFR has started a new program to curb those emergencies and protect both our community and our firefighters: WinterWise.
Participation in WinterWise is open for individuals as well as neighborhoods, apartment complexes or buildings, commercial areas, and schools. Participation has several steps:
- Contact us at ReducingRisk@southmetro.org to express your interest in participating.
- Collaborate with a Risk Reduction Specialist to conduct a safety survey of your neighborhood, campus, or complex.
- Host or attend a 30-minute presentation on winter safety delivered by the Community Risk Reduction Bureau. These presentations are available virtually using Zoom or other platforms.
- Collaborate with your Risk Reduction Specialist to provide a newsletter or website post on winter safety topics pertinent to your needs.
- Meet the following outcomes of this program:
- 90% of sidewalks are cleared of ice and snow within 24 hours of the most recent snowfall;
- 80% of fire hydrants are cleared with a 36-inch radius within 24 hours of the most recent snowfall;
- Signage is posted near frozen bodies of water noting hazards; and
- Other outcomes as agreed upon with your Risk Reduction Specialist.
SMFR personnel will conduct observations of your area to determine whether those objectives are met. We are working on signage or other rewards to note WinterWise successes.
For information on WinterWise and other risk reduction topics, visit www.southmetro.org or contact us at ReducingRisk@southmetro.org.
Posted March 1, 2021
Fire Hydrants need clearance
During the WinterWise program with Risk Reduction Specialist Einer Jensen (South Metro Fire Rescue), Einer brought up a safety precaution to those who have fire hydrants in their yards... After a heavy snowstorm, fire hydrants throughout the neighborhood should be cleared 3 ft. around, so that if needed, firefighters wouldn’t have to spend time digging out before connecting their hoses. In an emergency, every second counts.
Posted February 19, 2021
During the WinterWise program with Risk Reduction Specialist Einer Jensen (South Metro Fire Rescue), Einer brought up a safety precaution to those who have fire hydrants in their yards... After a heavy snowstorm, fire hydrants throughout the neighborhood should be cleared 3 ft. around, so that if needed, firefighters wouldn’t have to spend time digging out before connecting their hoses. In an emergency, every second counts.
Posted February 19, 2021
An invitation to you:
WinterWise
February 18th at 6 p.m.
Presentation will be via a Zoom Link sent to your email.
We Coloradans love the snow and enjoy many of its benefits: free moisture, sports activities, or just
staying cozy inside our homes. However, snow and cold can add layers of danger to our families.
In January 2016, the South Metro Fire Rescue community experienced tragedy when three teenaged boys fell through the ice on a pond in Parker. Two of the boys died. In December 2020, an unleashed dog died after falling through ice into a pond in Highlands Ranch.
Ice also causes problems on roadways and sidewalks. According to the CDC, approximately 1 million Americans are injured annually as the result of falling on ice and snow. Tragically, these injuries are fatal for about 17,000 people each year.
Our firefighters have additional challenges when accessing fire hydrants, roads, or homes during snowstorms because of heavy snow and slippery ice.
Please join us on February 18 at 6 p.m. for our WinterWise program where you can learn tips for improving your safety and helping our firefighters during the snowy season.
Sign Up: https://forms.gle/u7XeqgRcRVF1NS3e8
WinterWise
February 18th at 6 p.m.
Presentation will be via a Zoom Link sent to your email.
We Coloradans love the snow and enjoy many of its benefits: free moisture, sports activities, or just
staying cozy inside our homes. However, snow and cold can add layers of danger to our families.
In January 2016, the South Metro Fire Rescue community experienced tragedy when three teenaged boys fell through the ice on a pond in Parker. Two of the boys died. In December 2020, an unleashed dog died after falling through ice into a pond in Highlands Ranch.
Ice also causes problems on roadways and sidewalks. According to the CDC, approximately 1 million Americans are injured annually as the result of falling on ice and snow. Tragically, these injuries are fatal for about 17,000 people each year.
Our firefighters have additional challenges when accessing fire hydrants, roads, or homes during snowstorms because of heavy snow and slippery ice.
Please join us on February 18 at 6 p.m. for our WinterWise program where you can learn tips for improving your safety and helping our firefighters during the snowy season.
Sign Up: https://forms.gle/u7XeqgRcRVF1NS3e8
Celebrate your Heart in February by Learning CPR
By Einar Jensen, Risk Reduction Specialist
South Metro Fire Rescue
By Einar Jensen, Risk Reduction Specialist
South Metro Fire Rescue
Imagine yourself at the grocery store, pushing the cart along an aisle scanning the shelves for the best deal on frozen spinach. A middle-aged man pushing a cart toward you stops, clutches his chest as sweat beads on his face, and slumps to the floor. One minute he was shopping for his wife and three children and now he’s dying in the frozen food aisle because his heart stopped. It can happen that quickly. A clerk calls 911. Firefighters are only minutes away, but those minutes may be the difference between life and death.
Do you know CPR? Are you ready to assist this patient?
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a leading cause of death among adults in the United States, killing roughly 320,000 Americans annually, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). Generally considered a problem among the elderly, SCA also strikes middle-aged adults, teenagers, and children.
Adopting healthier lifestyles—more exercise, better nutrition, cessation of smoking—can reduce the risk of SCA, but some factors such as family history and genetics can’t be mitigated. Prevention isn’t enough; patients also rely on bystanders—loved ones or strangers—to react promptly and safely make a difference.
Learning how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and operate an automated external defibrillator (AED) can make that difference. The South Metro Safety Foundation offers certification courses in CPR and AED use. Check out its schedule at www.southmetrofoundation.org.
If the patient is an adult, bystanders also can use Hands-Only CPR. This technique is especially useful in the Era of COVID because you don’t need to deliver breaths to the patient.
To perform Hands-Only CPR safely, follow these steps:
• Make sure the area is safe for you. You don’t want to become injured while saving the life of someone else.
• Tap and Shout. Tap the patient’s shoulders and shout at the person to check for level of responsiveness. A patient who talks, blinks, or moves still may need an ambulance, but CPR is only effective for unresponsive (dead) patients.
• Tell someone to call 911. If you are alone, call 911 on your cell phone and activate the speaker-phone mode.
• Tell another bystander to get an AED if one is available.
• Kneel beside the patient’s chest.
• Check for breathing. Look at the patient’s chest to see if it is moving, which would suggest the patient is breathing. If the chest is not moving…
• Place the heel of one hand on the lower half of the patient’s sternum: that’s the bone in the middle of the chest where all the ribs come together. Place your other hand on top of your first hand. Straighten your arms and position your shoulders directly above your hands.
• Push down about 2 inches and then release the pressure so the chest returns to its regular position. That was a compression. Perform compressions at the rate of 100-120 per minute. That’s a beat similar to the songs Stayin’ Alive, Uptown Funk, or Baby Shark.
Continue doing compressions until help arrives (other bystanders or firefighters), or you are too tired to continue, or the scene becomes unsafe for you, or the patient recovers.
Bystander CPR is an important link in the Chain of Survival, according to the AHA, because it improves the heart’s ability to respond to electricity from an AED, medications from paramedics, and surgery from nurses and doctors.
For information on heart wellness and other risk reduction topics, visit www.southmetro.org or contact us at
ReducingRisk@southmetro.org.
Posted February 1, 2021
Do you know CPR? Are you ready to assist this patient?
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a leading cause of death among adults in the United States, killing roughly 320,000 Americans annually, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). Generally considered a problem among the elderly, SCA also strikes middle-aged adults, teenagers, and children.
Adopting healthier lifestyles—more exercise, better nutrition, cessation of smoking—can reduce the risk of SCA, but some factors such as family history and genetics can’t be mitigated. Prevention isn’t enough; patients also rely on bystanders—loved ones or strangers—to react promptly and safely make a difference.
Learning how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and operate an automated external defibrillator (AED) can make that difference. The South Metro Safety Foundation offers certification courses in CPR and AED use. Check out its schedule at www.southmetrofoundation.org.
If the patient is an adult, bystanders also can use Hands-Only CPR. This technique is especially useful in the Era of COVID because you don’t need to deliver breaths to the patient.
To perform Hands-Only CPR safely, follow these steps:
• Make sure the area is safe for you. You don’t want to become injured while saving the life of someone else.
• Tap and Shout. Tap the patient’s shoulders and shout at the person to check for level of responsiveness. A patient who talks, blinks, or moves still may need an ambulance, but CPR is only effective for unresponsive (dead) patients.
• Tell someone to call 911. If you are alone, call 911 on your cell phone and activate the speaker-phone mode.
• Tell another bystander to get an AED if one is available.
• Kneel beside the patient’s chest.
• Check for breathing. Look at the patient’s chest to see if it is moving, which would suggest the patient is breathing. If the chest is not moving…
• Place the heel of one hand on the lower half of the patient’s sternum: that’s the bone in the middle of the chest where all the ribs come together. Place your other hand on top of your first hand. Straighten your arms and position your shoulders directly above your hands.
• Push down about 2 inches and then release the pressure so the chest returns to its regular position. That was a compression. Perform compressions at the rate of 100-120 per minute. That’s a beat similar to the songs Stayin’ Alive, Uptown Funk, or Baby Shark.
Continue doing compressions until help arrives (other bystanders or firefighters), or you are too tired to continue, or the scene becomes unsafe for you, or the patient recovers.
Bystander CPR is an important link in the Chain of Survival, according to the AHA, because it improves the heart’s ability to respond to electricity from an AED, medications from paramedics, and surgery from nurses and doctors.
For information on heart wellness and other risk reduction topics, visit www.southmetro.org or contact us at
ReducingRisk@southmetro.org.
Posted February 1, 2021
2021 South Metro Fire Rescue Citizens Academy
• Letter and Application
• 2021 Citizens Academy Schedule
Apply now for this behind-the-scenes tour of your fire department! The application period for this highly sought-after opportunity closes on February 15.
Posted February 1, 2021
• Letter and Application
• 2021 Citizens Academy Schedule
Apply now for this behind-the-scenes tour of your fire department! The application period for this highly sought-after opportunity closes on February 15.
Posted February 1, 2021
Carbon Monoxide is a Secretive Enemy in Our Homes
By Einar Jensen, Risk Reduction Specialist
South Metro Fire Rescue
Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a product of incomplete combustion. Although it is a component of smoke, it is odorless and colorless and difficult to notice in small quantities without mechanical detectors. Burning any fuel -- natural gas, propane, heating oil, kerosene, coal, charcoal, gasoline or wood -- produces the gas. Chimneys and other ducts generally expel the unburned gases outside the home, but faulty ventilation of furnaces, hot water heaters, fireplaces, cooking stoves, and grills allow it to accumulate inside.
Firefighters refer to CO as a narcotic or asphyxiant gas because it depresses the central nervous system, which results in reduced awareness, intoxication, loss of consciousness and, in the worst cases, death. In fact, CO causes more deaths in fire situations than any other toxic product of combustion.
Normally, the blood’s hemoglobin combines with and carries oxygen in a loose chemical combination called oxyhemoglobin. Too much or too little oxygen is toxic to our cells, but oxyhemoglobin delivers just the right amount for our cells to produce the energy they need to survive. Inhaling CO creates carboxyhemoglobin instead. In fact, it forms 200 times more readily than oxyhemoglobin and remains in the bloodstream for many years continually interrupting our cells’ ability to produce energy. Concentrations of the gas in our blood above five-hundredths of one percent (500 parts per million) are considered dangerous. When the level increases above one percent, unconsciousness and death can occur without physiological signs.
Install detectors in sleeping areas because most CO poisonings outside of firefighting situations occur while people are sleeping and not aware of feeling sick. Kitchens and locations near cooking appliances are not good sites because grease and smoke accumulations can clog the sensing elements. Steam and water vapor can damage the sensing elements of detectors placed in bathrooms, saunas, and greenhouses. The volume of exhaust from most vehicles makes garages unsuitable for detectors.
If a CO alarm activates in your home, go outside and call 911. It is an emergency. South Metro Fire Rescue’s firefighters will respond, treat any patients, and try to determine the source.
If you have questions, please contact us at ReducingRisk@southmetro.org.
Posted January 1, 2021
By Einar Jensen, Risk Reduction Specialist
South Metro Fire Rescue
Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a product of incomplete combustion. Although it is a component of smoke, it is odorless and colorless and difficult to notice in small quantities without mechanical detectors. Burning any fuel -- natural gas, propane, heating oil, kerosene, coal, charcoal, gasoline or wood -- produces the gas. Chimneys and other ducts generally expel the unburned gases outside the home, but faulty ventilation of furnaces, hot water heaters, fireplaces, cooking stoves, and grills allow it to accumulate inside.
Firefighters refer to CO as a narcotic or asphyxiant gas because it depresses the central nervous system, which results in reduced awareness, intoxication, loss of consciousness and, in the worst cases, death. In fact, CO causes more deaths in fire situations than any other toxic product of combustion.
Normally, the blood’s hemoglobin combines with and carries oxygen in a loose chemical combination called oxyhemoglobin. Too much or too little oxygen is toxic to our cells, but oxyhemoglobin delivers just the right amount for our cells to produce the energy they need to survive. Inhaling CO creates carboxyhemoglobin instead. In fact, it forms 200 times more readily than oxyhemoglobin and remains in the bloodstream for many years continually interrupting our cells’ ability to produce energy. Concentrations of the gas in our blood above five-hundredths of one percent (500 parts per million) are considered dangerous. When the level increases above one percent, unconsciousness and death can occur without physiological signs.
Install detectors in sleeping areas because most CO poisonings outside of firefighting situations occur while people are sleeping and not aware of feeling sick. Kitchens and locations near cooking appliances are not good sites because grease and smoke accumulations can clog the sensing elements. Steam and water vapor can damage the sensing elements of detectors placed in bathrooms, saunas, and greenhouses. The volume of exhaust from most vehicles makes garages unsuitable for detectors.
If a CO alarm activates in your home, go outside and call 911. It is an emergency. South Metro Fire Rescue’s firefighters will respond, treat any patients, and try to determine the source.
If you have questions, please contact us at ReducingRisk@southmetro.org.
Posted January 1, 2021
Photo by Charlie Waltman
Ice Safety is Simple: Stay Off
By Einar Jensen, Risk Reduction Specialist
South Metro Fire Rescue
It’s a chilly winter morning and you are walking your dog, Annie, around the neighborhood. Suddenly the dog sees a goose on the ice on Fairview Reservoir, begins barking and pulls away from you. Midway to the goose, the ice breaks and Annie splashes into the water.
Sound familiar?
Your role, as a resident or bystander is simple. Stay off the ice and call 911. South Metro Fire Rescue’s firefighters are trained and equipped to rescue people and pets from icy lakes and ponds.
You are not. You don’t have the training or the special equipment.
If your dog runs onto the ice and falls in, stay on shore and call 911. If you see a person after they fell through the ice, call 911.
An ice rescue has four deliberate stages:
Self-Rescue: If you fall through the ice, find the ice edge where you fell in because it is the strongest. Put your elbows on the ice surface, kick your legs so they float behind you, kick harder to push yourself forward and climb onto ice. Once on the ice, roll on your side to safety.
If you can’t kick hard enough to get onto the ice, your arms will freeze on the ice, which will keep your head above the water if you pass out from hypothermia or exhaustion.
If someone else has fallen through the ice, coach them through a self-rescue while reminding them that help is on the way.
Reach: When they arrive, firefighters will attempt to reach the person or animal with a branch, pole or ladder.
Throw: If reaching doesn’t work, firefighters will throw a life ring, life vest, or rope to the person.
Go: If needed, firefighters trained and equipped for ice rescue crawl onto the ice to rescue the person or animal. They have special protective suits and equipment, including a rope that connects them to rescuers who remain on shore.
Although a sheet of ice may appear strong, it often hides cracks, air pockets and weaker layers that can surprise even the most prepared among us.
The best advice: Stay Off the Ice. If a person or animal falls in, call 911.
Posted December 14, 2020
By Einar Jensen, Risk Reduction Specialist
South Metro Fire Rescue
It’s a chilly winter morning and you are walking your dog, Annie, around the neighborhood. Suddenly the dog sees a goose on the ice on Fairview Reservoir, begins barking and pulls away from you. Midway to the goose, the ice breaks and Annie splashes into the water.
Sound familiar?
Your role, as a resident or bystander is simple. Stay off the ice and call 911. South Metro Fire Rescue’s firefighters are trained and equipped to rescue people and pets from icy lakes and ponds.
You are not. You don’t have the training or the special equipment.
If your dog runs onto the ice and falls in, stay on shore and call 911. If you see a person after they fell through the ice, call 911.
An ice rescue has four deliberate stages:
Self-Rescue: If you fall through the ice, find the ice edge where you fell in because it is the strongest. Put your elbows on the ice surface, kick your legs so they float behind you, kick harder to push yourself forward and climb onto ice. Once on the ice, roll on your side to safety.
If you can’t kick hard enough to get onto the ice, your arms will freeze on the ice, which will keep your head above the water if you pass out from hypothermia or exhaustion.
If someone else has fallen through the ice, coach them through a self-rescue while reminding them that help is on the way.
Reach: When they arrive, firefighters will attempt to reach the person or animal with a branch, pole or ladder.
Throw: If reaching doesn’t work, firefighters will throw a life ring, life vest, or rope to the person.
Go: If needed, firefighters trained and equipped for ice rescue crawl onto the ice to rescue the person or animal. They have special protective suits and equipment, including a rope that connects them to rescuers who remain on shore.
Although a sheet of ice may appear strong, it often hides cracks, air pockets and weaker layers that can surprise even the most prepared among us.
The best advice: Stay Off the Ice. If a person or animal falls in, call 911.
Posted December 14, 2020
Holiday Movies are Full of Safety Messages
By Einar Jensen, Risk Reduction Specialist
South Metro Fire Rescue
Emergencies don’t stop during the winter holiday season. In fact, many injuries and incidents, from heart attacks to cooking fires, increase between November and January.
Watching Christmas movies is one of my holiday traditions and I’ve realized that several of my favorite movies contain safety messages. I hope these movies and their risk reduction tips resonate with you and your families.
By Einar Jensen, Risk Reduction Specialist
South Metro Fire Rescue
Emergencies don’t stop during the winter holiday season. In fact, many injuries and incidents, from heart attacks to cooking fires, increase between November and January.
Watching Christmas movies is one of my holiday traditions and I’ve realized that several of my favorite movies contain safety messages. I hope these movies and their risk reduction tips resonate with you and your families.
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A Christmas Story. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. 1983.
It’s so important to buy age-appropriate gifts for children (and adults). A gift in the wrong hands can lead to injured eyes, bonked heads, choking, burns, and other injuries. |
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National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Hughes Entertainment. 1989.
This movie is ripe with safety messages including making good choices when decorating your homes and businesses with holiday lights. Strings of holiday lights are not designed for permanent installations and make sure the lights outside are designed for outside conditions. |
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The Ref. Touchstone Pictures and Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films. 1994.
During a dinner scene in this movie, actors wear wreaths with burning candles on their heads in honor of Santa Lucia. That’s not a good idea. Candles should only be used on solid, noncombustible surfaces, and remember to blow out each candle before you leave the room. |
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Die Hard. Gordon Company and Silver Pictures. 1988.
It’s easy to take your feet for granted. Wear socks to keep your feet warm and shoes that stabilize your ankles and provide good traction on slippery surfaces. |
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Elf. New Line Cinema. 2003.
Sugar! While there tends to be plenty of candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup available during the holidays, remember to eat a balanced diet from the mainstream food groups, too. A balanced diet helps prevent diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, and general malaise. |
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Last Holiday. ImageMovers. 2006.
There are so many distractions during the holidays that even an open cabinet door can lead to an injury. Instead of wearing a helmet 24/7, be aware of your surroundings and fix potential hazards before an injury occurs. |
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Joyeux Noël. Sony Pictures Classics. 2005.
The holidays have a magical way of adding stress to our lives, whether it’s a rush of Black Friday shopping or discussions at the dinner table. This movie reminds us to give it a rest – Let It Go, to reference Disney’s Frozen (2013) – during the holidays. Grant your family members and yourself grace and stop the battles at least for a few hours. |
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It’s a Wonderful Life. Liberty Films. 1946.
On a related note, mental wellness is important throughout the year and especially during these winter holidays. If you, a loved one, or coworker is hurting from anxiety, depression, or other ailments, reach out to a therapist, a faith leader, a confidant, suicide prevention helplines such as 1-800-273-8255, or even 911 if you are having an emergency. |
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Finally, I hope we can all consider a modified message from How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (Cat in the Hat Productions 1966). COVID-19 will certainly change plans for most of us, but it can’t stop Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, or any other winter holiday from coming. Be safe out there and visit www.southmetro.org for other safety tips.
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Posted November 19, 2020
Show Gratitude this Thanksgiving by cooking with caution
By Einar Jensen, Risk Reduction Specialist
South Metro Fire Rescue
Thanksgiving is a holiday known for cooking and eating. Thanksgiving typically unites friends and family to cook together, eat together, and wonder how we ate so much together.
Although the number of people who unite in each home should be lower this year because of COVID-19, those who do come together have an opportunity to show their appreciation for one another by cooking safely.
Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires and fire injuries, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Three times as many cooking fires happen on Thanksgiving than any other day. The most common factor in these cooking fires is leaving the area where you are simmering, boiling, frying, grilling, or broiling food.
Stand by your pan and watch what you heat. That way, if a small fire does occur, you can react quickly and safely to extinguish it. Either smother the flames with a lid or turn off the heat to the appliance.
If you cook with the kitchen window open, you can keep small wisps of smoke from finding their way to the home’s smoke alarms. However, if the smoke alarm does activate, go outside to your family meeting place, make sure everyone is safe, and if needed call 911. If you’re confident the smoke was from the kitchen, send one person inside to verify the source and start clearing the kitchen and hallway of smoke.
Here are some other tips for cooking with caution:
By Einar Jensen, Risk Reduction Specialist
South Metro Fire Rescue
Thanksgiving is a holiday known for cooking and eating. Thanksgiving typically unites friends and family to cook together, eat together, and wonder how we ate so much together.
Although the number of people who unite in each home should be lower this year because of COVID-19, those who do come together have an opportunity to show their appreciation for one another by cooking safely.
Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires and fire injuries, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Three times as many cooking fires happen on Thanksgiving than any other day. The most common factor in these cooking fires is leaving the area where you are simmering, boiling, frying, grilling, or broiling food.
Stand by your pan and watch what you heat. That way, if a small fire does occur, you can react quickly and safely to extinguish it. Either smother the flames with a lid or turn off the heat to the appliance.
If you cook with the kitchen window open, you can keep small wisps of smoke from finding their way to the home’s smoke alarms. However, if the smoke alarm does activate, go outside to your family meeting place, make sure everyone is safe, and if needed call 911. If you’re confident the smoke was from the kitchen, send one person inside to verify the source and start clearing the kitchen and hallway of smoke.
Here are some other tips for cooking with caution:
- Maintain a kid- and pet-free zone within three feet of the stove, grill, and places hot food may be staged before serving.
- While serving food, help kids test and cool their food to prevent burns.
- Keep knives in places young hands can’t reach. Be careful reaching into dishwater and dishwaters if blades are present.
- Move combustibles away from burners.
- Position the grill at least 3 feet away from walls and move it from under eaves.
- Use turkey fryers outside on a sturdy, level surface.
- Determine the correct amount of oil for a fryer by first placing the turkey in the pot with water.
- Partially frozen turkeys cause hot oil to splatter. Thaw the bird completely before lowering it into the fryer.
If a fire or injury does occur that you can’t handle yourself, please call 911. Our stations are fully staffed on Thanksgiving with firefighters ready to help you. If you have questions about any safety topics, please visit www.southmetro.org or find our agency on social media.
Posted November 12, 2020
