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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (May 9, 2018)
8A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL MAY 9, 2018 Are you ready? D ISASTER P REPAREDNESS The Creswell Emergency Preparedness Fair. The fair will take place on Saturday, May 19, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Cobalt Activity Center. Importance of electrical safety during National Electrical Safety Month State Fire Marshal Urges Citizens To Take Steps During Wildfi re Awareness Month May is Wildfi re Awareness Month in Oregon and State Fire Marshal Jim Walker is asking homeowners to use this oppor- tunity to make sure their home is protected from wildfi re. In a unifi ed proclamation, governors from Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, and California have joined to encourage homeown- ers to begin thinking about the approaching fi re season. This year’s Wildfi re Awareness Week theme asks: Have you done enough to protect your home from wildfi re? “The roof is the most critical part of the house when it comes to wildfi re protection,” says State Fire Marshal Jim Walk- er. “Embers can collect and ignite on the roof, in gutters, and enter unscreened openings around the house. Although non-combustible roofi ng mate- rial is preferred, regardless of the construction, keep roofs, gutters and eaves clear of all leaves, pine needles and other fl ammable debris.” The Oregon Offi ce of State Fire Marshal, in collaboration with Keep Oregon Green, the Or- egon Department of Forestry, Oregon forest protective associ- ations, and federal wildland agencies are taking this oppor- tunity to promote defensible space around homes before fi re strikes this summer. To reduce the risk, fi re offi - cials suggest removing dead vegetation a minimum of 30 feet around your house. In most cases, trees and healthy plants do not need to be removed. However, trees should be pruned and grass kept short and green to keep fi re on the ground and more manageable by fi re crews. If you’re thinking of landscaping, ask your local nursery or OSU Extension agent about fi re resistant plants. Homeowners should also keep access in mind for large fi re trucks. Long driveways should be at least 12 feet wide, have 10 feet of vegetation clearance from the centerline out, and about 14 feet overhead. Large vehicle turnaround areas are critical for your safety as well as fi refi ghter safety. It is the homeowners’ respon- sibility to protect their homes by building defensible space. For more information, visit the websites for Keep Oregon Green, Oregon Department of Forestry, or call your nearest ODF or forest protective asso- ciation offi ce. Flipping a light switch. Plugging in a coffee- maker. Charging a laptop or iPhone. These ac- tions are second nature for most of us. Electric- ity makes our lives easier, but its potential for shock and fi re-related hazards are often taken for granted. That is why the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) actively supports Nation- al Electrical Safety Month, an annual campaign sponsored by Electrical Safety Foundation Inter- national (ESFI), which raises awareness of poten- tial home electrical hazards and the importance of electrical fi re safety, each May. “Computers, kitchen appliances, heaters, fans, air conditioners – any equipment powered by electricity has the potential to be involved in an electrical fi re,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA’s vice president of Outreach and Advocacy. “The good news is, people can take simple steps to greatly reduce electrical hazards like learning the proper way to plug in appliances, safeguarding electrical outlets in the home, and more.” According to a recent NFPA report, U.S. Home Structure Fires, during 2011 – 2015 electrical distribution or lighting equipment was involved in the ignition of 34,000 reported home structure fi res, on average, per year. These fi res involved equipment such as wiring, lighting, cords and plugs. The report also states that electrical distri- bution or lighting equipment ranked fi rst in direct property damage and third among the major fi re causes in the number of home fi res. To help address this issue, NFPA and ESFI ask residents to adhere to the following safety tips: Check electrical cords to make sure they are not WHAT TO BRING: COTTAGE GROVE HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE Welding Supplies and Gases Sold Here Round-Up (PSW\FRQWDLQHUVGUXPVUDGLRDFWLYHZDVWHDVEHVWRV SUHVVXUL]HGF\OLQGHUVH[SORVLYHVRUHOHFWURQLFV)RU LQIRUPDWLRQDERXWGLVSRVDORIUDGLRDFWLYHZDVWHDVEHVWRV DQGH[SORVLYHVFDOO/DQH&RXQW\:DVWH0DQDJHPHQW 'LYLVLRQDW8SWRVHYHQ&RYHUHG (OHFWURQLF'HYLFHV&('V&DQEHUHF\FOHGIRUIUHHDW any one time at these 9 Lane County Transfer Stations; *OHQZRRG&RWWDJH*URYH&UHVZHOO)ORUHQFH0DUFROD Oakridge, Rattlesnake, Veneta, and Vida during normal operating hours. Also, Lane County accepts sharps, RLODQWLIUHH]HDQGEDWWHULHVRIDOOW\SHV\HDUURXQGDW DOOUHIXVHGLVSRVDOVLWHV&DOOIRUPRUH information. LANDSCAPE AND BUILDING MATERIALS Open 7 days a week! 79149 N. River Road SPRING Tune-Up We’ll make sure your system is running eff ectively and effi ciently. Call for details and an appointment today, and beat the spring rush! Only $99* Complete Heating & Cooling System Service Reasonable Rates • All Work Guaranteed Bring paint, household cleaners, lawn and garden chemicals, car care products, arts and crafts products, and just about any other household hazardous waste. The limit is 35 gallons of waste in total from each household. &KHFNODEHOVIRUZRUGVOLNHÁDPPDEOHFRUURVLYHSRLVRQ caution, and danger. For your safety it is always best to carry these items in a separate compartment (like the trunk of your car) with secured lids to eliminate spills in transport. DON’T BRING: We do welding repairs 541-942-4664 running across doorways or under carpets where they can get damaged. Have a qualifi ed electrician add more recepta- cle outlets in your home to reduce the use of ex- tension cords. Use light bulbs that match the recommended wattage in a lamp or other light fi xture. Check the sticker on the lamp to determine the maximum wattage light bulb to use. Residents should also have all electrical work done by a qualifi ed electrician, including schedul- ing electrical inspections when buying or remod- eling a home. In addition, residents should call a qualifi ed electrician or landlord when encoun- tering the following warning signs in a house or apartment: Frequent problems with blowing fuses or trip- ping circuit breakers A tingling feeling when touching an electrical appliance Discolored or warm wall outlets A burning or rubbery smell coming from an ap- pliance Flickering or dimming lights Sparks from an outlet “The National Electrical Code® is updated every three years to include the latest in proven safety technology, and ESFI is committed to edu- cating the public about the importance of upgrad- ing to stay up to code,” said ESFI President Brett Brenner. “To prevent electrical fi res and electric shock at home, have your house inspected annu- ally by a qualifi ed electrician.” SATURDAY 0$< SOUTH LANE COUNTY FIRE & RESCUE 233 HARRISON AVE COTTAGE GROVE SPONSORED BY LANE COUNTY, THE CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE, SOUTH LANE COUNTY FIRE & RESCUE COTTAGE GROVE STATION AND LANE ELECTRIC What about hazardous waste from businesses? Businesses which generate small amounts of hazardous ZDVWHPD\SUHUHJLVWHUWREULQJWKDWZDVWHWRWKLVHYHQW Businesses must pay for disposal of the waste, but most FDQVDYHPRQH\E\XVLQJWKLVSURJUDPUDWKHUWKDQKLULQJ a contractor on their own. For more information about this program, call Lane County Waste Management 'LYLVLRQDW Year Round Collection Sites—Paint, Electronics, and Fluorescent Lamps Paint, Electronics, and Compact Fluorescent Bulbs DQGWXEHVXSWRIHHWDUHDFFHSWHG\HDUURXQGDW YDULRXVORFDWLRQVLQ/DQH&RXQW\WKURXJKRQJRLQJ collection programs. Check out the websites below to ÀQGDORFDWLRQQHDU\RXRUFDOOIRUPRUH information. PaintCare www.paintcare.org 2UHJRQ(&\FOHV www.oregonecycles.org (&<&/( CFL Collection Sites List of Participating Lighting and Hardware Stores www.lanecounty.org/lamps Make sure all the pieces are in place to render you and your family prepared in the event of a natural disaster. • Listen to radio or television newscasts for the latest weather information, and follow all evacuation directions and suggestions. • Keep a stock of non-perishable food items as well as bottled water on hand inside your home. • Keep a 72 Hour Kit on hand inside your home that is easy to get to in the event of a disaster. For more information and tips on disaster response and preparedness, contact your local emergency services center. South Lane Fire & Rescue • 233 Harrison Ave, Cottage Grove 541-942-4493 • 55 South 1st Street, Creswell 541-895-2506 Twitter: @southlanefi re Facebook: southlanecountyfi reandrescue