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Yield The Right Of Way For Emergency Vehicles

Do you know what to do when an emergency vehicle is approaching?

• Don’t play your radio so loud that you can’t hear what’s going on outside.
• If you are approaching an intersection and hear sirens, stop before the intersection and look in all directions to locate the emergency vehicle.
• Never block the intersection.
• If it is coming from your front or sides, just remain stopped until it passes you completely .
• If you hear sirens but don’t see the emergency vehicle, slow down and check your mirrors to see if it’s approaching from behind you. If so, don’t panic. Move to the edge of the road that is closest to you with your blinker on to indicate that you are headed in that direction.
• Continue to move carefully in the direction you’ve chosen until you are out of the way and then stop.
• Don’t pull back onto the road until the emergency vehicle has completely passed.
• Never attempt to follow an emergency vehicle after it has passed in order to beat the traffic. It is illegal and it is also dangerous, because emergency vehicles often make sudden stops and turns.

ICE
(In Case of Emergency)

The "ICE" campaign started in Britain and word is spreading in the United States. The idea is to use the cell phone as a source of information for emergency personnel responding to accidents, disasters, etc. By storing the letters I C E into the cell phone address book, users can save the name and number of someone who should be contacted in an emergency. With ICE, first responders and hospital staff can turn to a victim's cell phone and know who to contact immediately. Think carefully about who you use as your ICE contact. They should be able to give critical information about the victim and consent for emergency medical treatment.

Remember

• Make sure the person you use has agreed to be your ICE contact
• Your ICE contact should have a list of people to contact on your behalf (other family members, your work place)
• Your ICE contact is someone easy to contact
• ICE contact knows about any medical conditions you may have, that could affect your treatment (allergies, current medications)
• Minors should use parents (legal guardian) as ICE contact or an immediate family member authorized to make life or death decisions on behalf of parents (legal guardian)

Cooking Fires

Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the United States. It is also the leading cause of fire injuries. More than 4,000 Americans die each year in fires and more than 20,000 are injured. Eighty-two percent of all fire deaths occur in the home. Many of them might be alive today if they only had the information they needed to avoid such a disaster. Deaths due to fires caused by cooking are particularly preventable. Never leave cooking unattended. If you must leave the kitchen while cooking, turn off the stove or have someone else watch what is cooking. A serious fire can start in just seconds. You should always clean cooking surfaces regularly to prevent grease buildup which can ignite. If a fire breaks out while cooking, turn off the heat & cover the pan. Never use water to extinguish a grease fire. Click here to watch a safety video of a grease fire.

Here are a few more tips on Kitchen Safety:

• Heat oil gradually to avoid burns from spattering grease. Use extra caution when preparing deep-fried foods.
• When cooking, do not wear clothing with loose sleeves or dangling jewelry.
• Keep the kitchen off limits to young children.
• Keep towels, pot holders and curtains away from flames and heating elements.
• Don't store things over the stove. People can get burned while reaching.
• Never use the range or oven to heat your home.

Need A Smoke Alarm?

The "Save Your Neighbor" program in the City of Houma was started by a Local 1405 member to ensure that every home had a smoke alarm. If you live in the city limits of Houma, you can get a FREE smoke alarm and fire extinguisher. All you need to do is contact the Houma Fire Department at 873-6391.

DID YOU KNOW?
Using the wrong type of extinguisher on a fire could be dangerous and actually make the situation much worse, but don’t let that scare you away! It’s as easy as A B C. Fire extinguishers are labeled with a letter according to the type of fire on which they might be used.

The most common extinguisher types are:

• Type A is labeled with a green triangle on the extinguisher. It is used for ordinary combustibles such as wood, paper, cloth, rubber and most plastics.
• Type B is labeled with a blue square and it is used to extinguish flammable liquids like gasoline, oil, grease, paint and solvents.
• Type C is labeled with a yellow circle and is used on electrical fires involving wires, fuse boxes, energized electrical equipment and other electrical sources.