Here are recent Fire Chief's columns from
The Arizona Republic
City
of Phoenix Public Information Office - News Clippings - azcentral.com
- June 6, 2009
"Mean Season" is here, so take steps to stay safe this summer
It will be no surprise that we are headed toward high triple digit numbers over the next 120 days. With that comes a change of lifestyle for just about everybody here in the Valley. Whether you are a resident or visiting, the hazards change dramatically and can range from a personal decision to hike Camelback Mountain or a group decision to have a family barbecue around the family swimming pool.
I know that you hear me plead every summer for water safety, brush fire safety, and mountain trail safety, but the bottom line is that we are entering into what is known as the “mean season.” My heart goes out time after time for families who suffer a tragic loss and for the firefighters who have to endure these summer months when responding to emergencies that include a brush fire in an alley that extends to a person’s home and burns it down, a child slipping into an unsecured pool, or a young adult who suffers from heatstroke on one of our mountain trails.
Most times these tragedies can be eliminated with just an ounce of prevention. It’s not rocket science and we can all chip in to try to keep our families just a little bit safer. Water safety tends to go to the front burner in summer months. Kids are always curious about water, but in the summer this curiosity increases as do our distractions. The first step to a safe summer with a swimming pool is a barrier – basically a fortress around your swimming pool that denies entry to kids under the age of six. When you are in or around the pool, make sure you have a designated child watcher – somebody who keeps an eye on the little ones at all times. And then remember that knowing CPR saves lives.
The unthinkable can become a reality in just a few seconds. It becomes irreversible in the time it takes to answer the front door or make a sandwich. In the last decade, the numbers of drowning incidents have fluctuated, but in the end, one is too many. So here’s to a safe summer around our swimming pools.
Brush fires involve a little bit of hard labor and common sense. Simply put, a 30-foot brush-free zone around your property along with a clean alley will keep those burning grass and brush fires away from your family homes and businesses. Whether or not the fire starts from power lines that have fallen, kids playing with matches, or cigarettes flicked from a window, once that fire has started, it will consume fuel up to and including your house. So think about whatever you have stacked against your fence line and your property. Whatever fuel you’re giving that fire can lead to your house and can make a difference when our firefighters respond to extinguish the blaze before it consumes your family’s home or business.
Lastly, we touched on it in our last article, but please remember when you’re hiking our mountain trails to be hydrated, wear proper shoes, and listen to what your body is telling you. Don’t overextend yourself. This cycle can be irreversible if you go from dehydration to heatstroke. You may put yourself and our firefighters in harm’s way to make a rescue.
In fact, this is good general information for any projects you have at home. Drink lots of water, do the work in the early morning hours, and if your body says it’s time to cool off, then my best advise would be to listen to what your body is telling you.
The “mean season” is here. We might as well hunker down and enjoy it. Arizonans have been doing this for hundreds of years and we’re no different. We just need to be smart about living in the desert. Be safe!
CPR Classes
- United Phoenix Fire Fighters Association (602) 277-1500
- American Red Cross (602) 336-6660
- American Heart Association (602) 414-5330
Water Safety - Phoenix Fire Department Customer Service (602) 495-5555
Brush Fire Safety - Phoenix Fire Department Fire Prevention (602) 262-6771
Send comments to Bob Khan at firechief.pfd@phoenix.gov or call (602) 26-CHIEF.