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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 11, 2017)
SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017 (Editor’s note: Beginning with this issue of our monthly Coast Life section, we will be carrying a special feature written by new Siuslaw Valley Fire & Rescue Recruitment and Retention Coordinator Pete “Boa” Warren, who will give insights, tips and perspective from our local fire department each month.) A B Y P ETE “B OA ” W ARREN s the Recr uit- ment and Retention Coordinator f o r Deadwood, Swiss Home, Mapleton and SVFR F i r e Recruitment & Retention Coordinator for SVFR Departments, I am the result of a newly created, 4-year position thanks to a FEMA SAFER Grant. As the newest full-time member at Siuslaw Valley Fire and an 11-year vol- unteer, I’m responsible for recruiting and retaining trained volunteers to serve our communities. In the coming months, I’ll inform the public not only about my efforts as a recruiter, but also about the goals of area departments, training and develop- ment, tips and other fire department- related topics. For this initial column, I thought it would be appropriate to discuss what “inititates” every firefighter’s response to an emergency: The “tones” of his or her fire department pager. The tones, a specific sequence of notes emitted by pagers, are different for each fire department. This allows firefighters and responders to identify which department is being notified by 911 dispatchers, whether it be for Florence, Mapleton, Deadwood, etc. After sending the tones for a specific department, dispatchers announce the reason for the emergency response, such as house fire, motor vehicle acci- dent (MVA), search and rescue, ATV accident or other emergency situation. In addition, emergency information is transmitted to the cell phones of first responders as they head from home or work to their respective stations. Within minutes, residents hear sirens and see flashing lights that, hopefully, cause cars to pull over and make way for ambulances and fire trucks. Oftentimes, Facebook lights up with “What’s happening?!?” messages. What’s happening is that your local Emergency Response Team members and volunteers have initiated working towards a common goal: Helping some- one in need or protecting property which is in jeopardy. Each of these individuals is respond- ing to the need for help — not only by those needing assistance, but also their fellow firefighters responding to that same call. Most are volunteers who respond are ready to do so 24/7, throughout ous area. They do so thanks not only to the tones emitted by their pagers, but also the common call they all share in serv- ice to their communities. ______________________ Capt. Pete “Boa” Warren can be contacted at 541-997-3212, or the main SVFR station, 2625 Highway 101, or email Boa@svfr.org. Food safety tips in the event of power outtage The storm is passed but the power in many areas is just now being restored. With power outages for this length of time, there are concerns about safety of foods in deep freezers and refrigerators. What is safe and what is not? OSU Extension Service has resources available to help res- idents determine safety of your food. “The weather was on your side if you took advantage of it,” said Nellie Oehler, OSU Extension Faculty with the Lane County Extension Service. “Temperatures were well below freezing during the storm, so if your freezers were in an unheated area outdoors or in the garage or out building, your food would have been below 40°F. “Now that the temperature is warming put a thermometer in Over ars 50 Ye ce! n ie r e p Ex MODEL TRAIN ENTHUSIASTS CLEANING UP AFTER THE HOLIDAYS? SPRING CLEANING AROUND THE CORNER?… I’M LOCATED HERE IN FLORENCE. CALL ME TO BUY, SELL OR TRADE! the freezer and see if it is below 40°F. If so you can safely refreeze the food. The quality will be poorer but it will be safe.” However, if the temperature is above 40°F, Oehler suggests checking to see if there are any ice crystals left in the food. If so, those are safe to refreeze. “Cooked foods such as con- venience foods, pizzas, frozen (blanched or cooked) vegeta- bles should be discarded because harmful bacteria can multiply and some are not destroyed by cooking,” said Oehler. “Raw meats, fruits, juices, jams, etc. are ok if they are still cold or have ice crys- tals in them. The quality might be poorer so mark them and use them first.” Food along the inside wall of the freezer and those in the door will thaw first, where as those in the center will stay frozen longer. In the refrigerator, condi- ments such as catsup, pickles, commercial mayonnaise, jams and butter will be safe. Cooked foods should be discarded. OSU Extentions — Lane County has several publica- tions on its website to help ana- lyze food to determine whether or not it is safe to eat at www. extension.oregonstate.edu/lane /food-preservation/publica- tions. There are also several publi- cations on emergency food and water storage. For more information, call the OSU Extension Service Master Food Preserver mes- sage line and a certified Master Food Preserver at 541-344- 4885, or send messages via “ASK an Expert” by clicking the icon on the OSU Extension Service website at www.exten- sion.oregonstate.edu/exten- sion-ask-an-expert. 541-255-9822 - Larry landl316@live.com FTS Internet Lounge on Bay Street next to BJ’s Ice Cream CLASSES: STARTING IN JAN FTS Internet Lounge on Bay Street next to BJ’s Ice Cream is now off ering winter classes. Sign up now at Florencetechsolutions. com or call us at 541-991-3705 and we’ll do it for you. We off er a wide variety of classes such as intro to computers, both PC & Mac, Internet Security, Social Media, and iPad to name a few. If you are looking for something designed just for you. Contact us to create your own class by Inviting 5 or more of your closest friends and make it a party! Or schedule a one-on-one tutoring to suit your comfort level and specifi c needs! Sign up now FlorenceTechSolutions.com or call us at 541-991-3705 Simplify your financial life. Let’s talk. Andy Baber, AAMS® Financial Advisor . 1010 Highway 101 Florence, OR 97439 541-997-8755 www.edwardjones.com Member SIPC Lady Elks offer scholarships to local high school students The Florence Ladies of Elks, BPOE No. 1858, is accepting scholarship applica- tions from graduating seniors attending local area high schools. Students enrolled at Siuslaw, Mapleton, Reedsport, and Triangle Lake High Schools are eligible to apply. Students wishing to apply are advised to request an appli- cation from their guidance councilor, along with an infor- mation sheet detailing what to include when submitting the application packet. Deadline for applications is March 4. Cel e 70 brati Yea ng rs! Hoberg’s Complete Auto Repair www.hobergsautorepair.com 345 Hwy. 101 • P.O. Box 357 Florence, OR 97439-0012 541-997-2413 Kevin McMullen 3rd Generation Owner hobergsautorepair@gmail.com Serving Your Auto Needs Since 1945 Fire Marshall offers home heating safety tips As colder weather arrives, State Fire Marshal Jim Walker is urging Oregonians to use heating appliances wisely. “With the onset of cooler weather, I urge citizens to ensure all their heating appli- ances are in good working order,” says Walker. “Have your woodstoves, fireplace- sand chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qual- ified specialist before using them. Portable space heaters also pose a high risk. Use these with extreme caution and fol- low our space heater safety tips.” Although woodstove- and fireplace-related fires are more common, the most deadly home heating fires result from combustibles too close to portable electric heaters. From 2011 through 2015 in Oregon, there were 2,267 home heating-related fires resulting in nine deaths, 57 injuries, and more than $30.9 million in property loss. Although chimney and fire- place-related fires accounted for more than 66 percent of these fires, six of the nine fatalities occurred in portable heater-related fires. Oregonians can keep them- selves safer from heating- related fires using these safety tips: Portable Space Heaters • Only use portable space heaters with an automatic shut-off so if they’re tipped over they will shut off. • Give heaters space. Keep at least three feet of space between the heater and com- bustibles such as furniture, curtains, bedding, and papers. • Check heater electrical cords. Inspect for cracked or damaged cords, broken plugs, or loose connections. Replace before using the space heater. • Plug portable electric space heaters directly into a wall outlet. Never plug them into a power strip or extension cord. • Never allow children to play with, or around a heater. • Turn heaters off when not in use, before going to bed or when leaving the room. Electric Baseboard and Wall Heaters • Be aware of electric base- board and wall heaters. These heaters are thermostatically controlled and may turn on without warning when temper- atures drop. • Give these heaters space. Just as with portable space heaters, keep at least three feet of space between your base- board/wall heater and com- bustibles items such as furni- ture, curtains, bedding and papers. Fuel Burning Space Heaters • If using a fuel-burning space heater, make sure it is designed for indoor use. Read all manufacturer instructions and make sure it is properly vented. • Allow the heater to cool before refueling. Refuel out- side or in a well-ventilated area. • If you smell gas, do not light the heater or operate any electrical switches or thermo- stats. Leave the building and call 911, the fire department, or the gas company. Fireplaces and Woodstoves • Have chimney and wood- stove flues and vents inspected and cleaned every year by a qualified specialist. Ask them to check for creosote deposits, soot build-up or physical dam- age. • Always use a fireplace screen. Make sure the screen is made of sturdy metal or heat- tempered glass to prevent sparks from escaping. • Keep a clutter-free envi- ronment. Clear the area around the hearth of debris, decora- tions, and flammable materi- als. • Store kindling, fire logs, and wood at least three feet from any heat source. • Install stovepipe ther- mometers to help monitor flue and chimney temperatures. • Use proper fire starters. Proper fire starters include newspaper, kindling or spe- cially manufactured starters designed for indoor use. Never use flammable liquid, such as lighter fluid, kerosene or gaso- line to start a fire. • Never burn charcoal indoors. Burning charcoal can release lethal amounts of car- bon monoxide. • Use fire-resistant materials on walls around woodstoves. • Allow fireplace and wood- stove ashes to cool before dis- posing of them. • Dispose of ashes in a tight- ly covered metal container and place the container outdoors, at least ten feet from the home and any other nearby build- ings. Ashes may retain heat for days after they appear to be out. Smoke Alarms and Home Escape Plans • For increased protection, have working smoke alarms on every level of your home (including the basement), in each bedroom and outside any sleeping area (hallways). • Test smoke alarm batteries at least once a month by push- ing the test button. • Look at the date on the back of your smoke alarm, if it is 10 years old or older, replace it. If there is no date, it is more than 10 years old and should be replaced. • Ensure you have a home fire escape plan and practice it with your family. Carbon Monoxide Dangers • Carbon monoxide poison- ing can be fatal if not detected early. • Home heating and cooking equipment that burn fuels such as gasoline, wood, coal, natu- ral gas, propane, oil and methane are sources of carbon monoxide. • Make sure you have work- ing CO alarms on every level of your home, in every bed- room and outside each sleep- ing area. • Test and maintain your carbon monoxide alarms according to the manufactur- er’s instructions. Remember drivers to watch for emergency personnel The law requiring motorists to yield to emergency vehicles was signed into law in 2003, yet many motorists still fail to comply with the law. Whether it is from inatten- tion, being unaware of the law, or indifference, failure to act needlessly places police offi- cers, fire fighters, EMT and tow truck operators at risk of harm. Every year, police officers, firefighters and emergency medical workers are killed or injured while working along our nation’s highways, enforc- ing traffic laws or assisting at motor vehicle crashes. The law requires that any person operating a motor vehi- cle who approaches an emer- gency vehicle, roadside assis- tance vehicle, tow truck or ambulance which is stopped and displaying warning lights: • Must move into the lane furthest away from the emer- gency vehicle, or • Reduce their speed if unable to move into an adja- cent lane by at least 5 mph below the posted speed. If you are approaching the scene of a crash, carefully watch for emergency workers directing traffic and follow all of their instructions. —Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK The ‘tones’ of firefighting SIUSLAW VALLEY FIRE & RESCUE 7 B
