FIRE PREVENTION/SAFETY MESSAGE

  October is Fire Prevention Month!

GENERAL MESSAGES

• Be Fire Safe!
• Change Smoke Detector Batteries!
• Have a Home Escape Plan!
• Clean Chmineys NOW before winter!
• DO NOT leave matches in the hands of CHILDREN!

  

  

FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE 

• To Schedule a Smoke Detector Inspection:                                       Call 825-7863

 NEXT SCHEDULED BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

• Tuesday, November 17, 2009 @ 7:00 PM

DUE DATE FOR NEXT QUARTERLY TAX PAYMENT

• December 15, 2009

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WASH HANDS/ALCOHOL GEL SNEEZE IN ARM STAY HOME WHEN SICK

WASH HANDS/ALCOHOL GEL SNEEZE IN ARM STAY HOME WHEN SICK

H1N1 Partner Briefing

Date: September 30, 2009

To: All Rhode Islanders

From: Director of Health, David R. Gifford, MD, MPH

Re: Information on H1N1 in Rhode Island

Local Influenza Activity Level:

 



Regional1, H1N1 predominant circulating strain Rhode Island

2: 2 hospitalized cases, 0 deaths National Report

3: 10,082 hospitalized cases, 936 deaths Sentinel Surveillance (% of visits due to influenza-like illness):

1.7%, Nation: 4.1%

Rhode Island: 3.3%, New England Region: Tamiflu available from area pharmacies for uninsured patients

Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines used to treat people who are very sick with flu (such as people who

need to be hospitalized). They may also be prescribed for sick people who are at high risk of flu-related

complications. Starting Monday, October 5, uninsured patients with valid Tamiflu prescriptions will be able to

get these prescriptions filled for free at Rhode Island Stop & Shop, Rite Aid, and CVS pharmacies. Patients

with insurance will continue to be processed through their insurance plans.

New flu guidance for community and faith-based organizations

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has developed a guide for community and faith-based

organizations to help them prepare for and respond to flu during the 2009-2010 season. These organizations

can help keep people healthy during the flu season. Leaders in these organizations can communicate

important health information to people, reinforce flu prevention messages, support local vaccination efforts,

and link vulnerable populations to vital resources. To read the complete guide, please see

http://flu.gov/professional/community/cfboguidance.html

. Stay home when you are sick

Staying home when you are sick is one of the best ways to prevent spreading your illness to other people.

People with flu-like symptoms should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible,

except to seek medical care. People should stay home from work, school, travel, shopping, social events, and

public gatherings until they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing

medications. People who work in healthcare settings should stay home for 7 days after the onset of symptoms

or until symptoms disappear, whichever is longer. If you are sick and you must leave home (for example, to

seek medical care), wear a facemask if you have one, cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, and wash

your hands often with soap and warm water or use alcohol-based hand gels. For more information about

caring for sick people at home, please see

http://www.health.ri.gov/flu/about/treatment/ and http://www.health.ri.gov/news/H1N1Advisories/CareOfIndividualsInTheHome.pdf

. Pneumonia vaccine reminder

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that certain people receive the

pneumococcal vaccine. Vaccination continues to be important for these individuals this year, since pneumonia

1

details see

Rhode Island reported Regional activity for the week of September 20-26. Influenza is circulating in 2 regions of the state. Forhttp://www.health.ri.gov/flu/about/surveillance/. 2

Influenza-associated hospitalizations and deaths since September 1, 2009 3

Influenza and pneumonia-associated hospitalizations and deaths from August 30 – September 19, 2009 WASH HANDS/ALCOHOL GEL SNEEZE IN ARM STAY HOME WHEN SICK

WASH HANDS/ALCOHOL GEL SNEEZE IN ARM STAY HOME WHEN SICK

is a serious potential complication of the flu. Pneumococcal vaccination should not be repeated more

frequently than once every five years. Last year, the recommendations for who should receive the vaccine

were expanded to include adults who smoke and adults who have asthma. For more information about who

should receive the pneumococcal vaccine, talk to your healthcare provider or see

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-ppv.pdf

. Resources

•

HEALTH at http://www.health.ri.gov; •

Archived partner briefings and regular news updates: http://www.health.ri.gov/news/flu/ •

H1N1 Information Line (M-F 8:30am- 4:30pm) 401-222-8022 •

H1N1 email address h1n1@health.ri.gov •

http://www.flu.govmore  ]  

Posted on October 6, 2009 by Kelvin J. Cochran, U.S. Fire Administrator

Stay Fire Smart! Don’t Get Burned is the theme for this year’s Fire Prevention Week. USFA is hosting a fire safety fair today at FEMA Headquarters in Washington, DC and fire departments across the county are conducting events throughout the week.

It is at this time of year we commemorate that tragic event that occurred on October 9, 1871. That event was the Great Chicago Fire which killed 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures, and burned more than 2,000 acres. The fire actually started the day before but did most of the damage on October 9th. Each year the week in which October 9th occurs is declared Fire Prevention Week.

Even with modern technology, advances in firefighting techniques and ongoing public education programs, fire departments in this country must respond to approximately 400,000 residential fires resulting in more than 3,000 deaths. A great number of these fires and deaths may have been prevented with a few easy steps.

Careless smoking, space heaters placed too close to flammables, children playing with matches or lighters, and overloaded electrical outlets or extension cords are frequent causes of home fires. However, the most common cause of home fires are activities related to cooking and these fires also cause the highest number of fire related injuries.

There are a few simple steps that will help prevent a fire from starting when cooking in the home:

• Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling or broiling. Many cooking fires start from “unattended” cooking.
• Wear short sleeves or close fitting rolled up long sleeves to cook.
• Keep all flammables away from the surface burners on your stove.
• Create a three foot “safety zone” around the cooking area to keep children from getting burned. Turn pan handles in so children won’t accidentally knock pans off the stove.
• When baking, set a timer to remind you to remove food from the oven and use oven mitts or pot holders when removing the food.
• Make sure microwave ovens and other cooking appliances are plugged directly into an outlet and not an extension cord.

Most importantly, stay alert! You won’t be if you are sleepy, drinking alcohol, or taking medicine that makes you drowsy.

Working smoke alarms are key tools in helping to save lives and preventing injuries if a fire should start in the home. Take time to properly install and maintain smoke alarms on every level of your home.

We have a great deal of information available on our Web site related to each of the common causes of residential fire, smoke alarms, residential sprinklers, and home escape plans. Please share this information with your loved ones and take time to talk with them to ensure you lower the risk of a home fire.