Ramsey Resident - 2007 - March/April

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~ Public Safety The Facts are too Hot to Handle! Even though we spend a great deal of time in our kitchen, it is not the safest room in the home. Cool(ing fires are the #1 cause of home fires and home fire injuries. These fires claimed 2 lives, left 48 injured and caused over $2.5 million in property loss during 2003 in Minnesota. Nationally cooking fires cause hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries each year. These fires are usually preventable. But what can we do about it? 1. Learn the hazards in your l(itchen. 2. Learn how to reduce and minimize them. 3. Learn how to react properly when things go wrong. 4. Learn about bums and how to care for them. Take a Personal Responsibility Start by making a commitment to being aware of your surroundings and setting a good example. This will help you and others change unsafe behaviors you may not even be l(now you have. Keeping it clean... Keep cool(ing areas clean of grease and oil buildup Keep cool(ing areas clear of combustibles such as potholders, towels, rags, food packaging, etc. Don't use stovetop as a countertop While cooking... Keep children and pets out of cool(ing area while cooking Never leave cooking unattended Keep panhandles turned inward where they cannot be spilled Wear tight fitting sleeves, and don't reach across burn- ers When things go wrong... Remain calm For a pan fire, while wearing an oven mitt slide a lid over the pan and turn off the stove For a oven fire, keep the door closed and turn off the oven, then unplug For a microwave fire, keep the door closed and unplug the oven Calling fo help... Make sure everyone is out of the house and accounted for Call 911 from the neighbors home Keep a 10 lb. ABC fire extinguisher mounted near the exit If the fire has not grown beyond the area in which it started, use your fire extinguisher following the PASS method - Pull the pin, Aim at the fire Squeeze the handle, and Sweep back and forth If you have any questions, please call Jerry Streich at 763-433-9832. Outdoor Warning Sirens Sirens are the most effective method to warn the population at large of dangerous conditions in the shortest amount of time. People may be outdoors at ball games, in their yard, or anywhere else where they are not in contact with the normal news media outlets such as radio, TV or local public address systems. However, one of the most common misconceptions about outdoor warning sirens is that they will alert you to dangerous conditions even when you're indoors. While some people may live close enough to hear the sirens indoors, this is not their purpose. They are designed to advise people who are outside that a hazard exists. Newer structures are insulated better and are more lil(ely to keep sound out and sirens cannot be made louder to penetrate buildings because doing so would pose a danger to the hearing of people who are outdoors. A battery operated radio or TV is the best way to stay advised of possible dangerous conditions when indoors. Sirens in Anoka County are tested on the first Wednesday of each month at 1 :00 p.m. The first test is comprised of a steady signal for approximately one minute. A second test follows, which consists of a series of short blasts or a wa- vering (warbling) tone. The second test also lasts approximately one minute. In an actual emergency, sirens will sound for longer than one minute, between three to five minutes, and then will be repeated when the emergency has passed. Any questions or concerns regarding the purpose of the outdoor warning system can be directed to the Ramsey Police Department at 427-6812. 4 www.ci.ramsey.mn.us