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
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any one time at these 9 Lane County Transfer Stations;
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Oakridge, Rattlesnake, Veneta, and Vida during normal
operating hours. Also, Lane County accepts sharps,
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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.
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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
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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
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Businesses must pay for disposal of the waste, but most
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a contractor on their own. For more information about
this program, call Lane County Waste Management
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Year Round Collection Sites—Paint,
Electronics, and Fluorescent Lamps
Paint, Electronics, and Compact Fluorescent Bulbs
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collection programs. Check out the websites below to
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information.
PaintCare
www.paintcare.org
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www.oregonecycles.org
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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