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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (April 20, 2017)
vernonia rural fire protection district april20 2017 15 Vernonia Rural Fire Protection District It’s Almost That Time of Year! By Robert Schattschneider As I sit at my desk while writing this article, the heavy rain is pounding on the rooftop and living room windows. So my inspiration for writing doesn’t come from looking out the window or checking the local weather forecast. I guess it comes from wishful thinking and a strong imagination. Very soon the skies will clear, things will dry out, and we will get outside to begin yet another year of mowing the yard, planting our gardens, and cleaning up the mess that fall and winter dropped all over our yards and rooftops. That brings me to the topic of “Burn Permits.” Get yours early and get it out of the way. If you live within the Vernonia Rural Fire Protection District, you can pick up your 2017 Burn Permit at the fire department, which is located at 555 E. Bridge St. in Vernonia. The burn permits only cost $5 for the year, and you’ll receive a list of things that you CAN and CANNOT burn. Burning items that are prohibited could result in a costly fine. So, BEFORE you begin your open burning this year, please pick up your Burn Permit paperwork so you’ll be legal and know all of the rules for a safe burn season. Now, let’s move on to that dreaded topic of “Driving Safely.” When the drier weather gets here, so will the influx of bicyclists, motorcycles, joggers, and tourists who love to come to our sweet spot called Vernonia. Not all bicycle riders make full use of the Banks-Vernonia State Trail. You will still come upon them riding along the edge of Highway 47 and Scappoose-Vernonia Highway. So please be prepared to encounter them over every hill and around every bend in the road. The same holds true for the joggers. Although they aren’t as prevalent on the roadways like the bicyclists are, they still stray away from the trail on occasion. Now, any of you who have lived in or near Vernonia for any period of time, know how the motorcycles show up, especially on the weekends. They often tend to keep their speed closer to or just under the posted speed limits. They are much harder to see, especially if they aren’t using their headlights, so keep an extra eye out for them as the temperatures rise and things dry out. For those of you who do use the trail, please pay special attention to the warning signs that are posted throughout the trail. Those “Stop” signs are there for a reason! On several of the cross streets on Highway 47, traffic turning off of the highway onto one of these side streets are not able to see the foot and bicycle traffic approaching the intersections on the trail. There have been many close calls at these intersections because trail traffic did not obey the warning signs. So it’s also up to the trail users to pay close attention to traffic as well. Please do your part to help ensure that we all have a safe and enjoyable spring and summer here in Vernonia! Cooking and Kitchen Safety Tips for Older Adults Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries year after year. Adults over the age of 65 are at significantly higher risk of dying from a cooking-related fire. These tips will help you cook safely and minimize fire hazards in your kitchen. Cooking Safety • Do not cook if you are sleepy, have been drinking alcohol, or have taken medications that make you drowsy. • Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. Turn off the stove if you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time. • If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly. Use a timer to regularly remind you that you’re cooking. • Turn handles of pots and pans to the side so you don’t accidentally bump them and spill the contents. • Wear short, close-fitting, or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking. Loose clothing can easily catch fire if it comes in contact with a gas flame or electric burner. • Check the kitchen after you finish cooking to make sure the oven burners and other appliances are turned off. Kitchen Safety • Keep the stovetop and oven clean. Spilled or baked on food can ignite and start a fire. • Clean the exhaust hood and duct over the stove regularly. • Keep towels, dish cloths, and other flammable items away from the stove and other hot surfaces. • Plug countertop appliances into ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI)-protected outlets. • Unplug the toaster and other countertop appliances when not in use. • Never use an oven or stove for heating your home. For more information go to: http://www.esfi.org/resource CAN YOU FILL THESE BOOTS? Calls responded to March 1-31 Fire Emergency Medical Service Hazardous Condition Service Call Good Intent Severe Weather & Natural Disaster Special Incident No Emergency Found False Alarm Total 3 36 0 14 1 1 0 0 1 56 VOLUNTEERS WANTED Call Dean Smith for more information on free training (503)429-8252
