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A publication of

SOUTHERN LAKES NEWSPAPERS OCTOBER 2020

SAFETY FIRST

Fire Prevention

Page 2

FIRE PREVENTION 2020

Heyer

Thank You

Firefighters & First Responders

We Than Local Fi k You refighte rs For All You Do!

Hardware

200 Hwy. 67 & B, Walworth, Wis. 356611

(262) 275-6133 fax: (262) 275-9467 www.heyerhardware.com

356638

Thank You Firefighters & EMTs

SALEM AUTO SERVICE

Derrick Funeral Home and Cremation Services has been a family owned and operated business in the Lake Geneva area for over 100 years.

Tim & Danny & Josh

Our staff will be more 800 park dr than honored to help you lake geneva, wi with everything from 53147 pre-planning to personalization of the service you choose.

(262) 843-3636

8515 Antioch Road (Hwy. 83), Salem, WI 5-Union Grove Lumber 12/21/09 11:49 AM Page 1 Since 1951

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Home Center HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 7-5:30; Sat. 7:30-3; Sun. 10-1 1024 10th Ave. • Union Grove, WI

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Burlington Dairy Queen

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FIRE PREVENTION 2020

At a time when home safety technology has never been smarter, upgrade your level of protection today.

Page 3

E YOU’VE & SERVIC 0 YEARS! 2 QUALITY R E V FOR O TRUSTED

Expires 12/31/20 Expires 12/31/2020 381116

STOCK PHOTO Safety First

The latest in home fire safety Thanks to enhanced safety technology, you can better protect against the threats of smoke, fire and carbon monoxide, allowing you to go about your busy lifestyle without skipping a beat. When upgrading your protection, make sure to install alarms with the latest safety enhancements. Alarms should be installed on every level of the home, including in each bedroom and outside every sleeping area. According to the National Fire Protection Association, 60% of fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms and dead batteries cause 25% of smoke alarm failures, making it crucial to regularly check your alarms and replace the batteries. Helping to address this issue, one of the greatest advancements in alarm technology in recent years has been the development of 10-year sealed battery alarms. Offering convenient protection, this enhanced technology eliminates the risk of having an alarm deactivate due to battery removal, making battery replacements and lowbattery chirps a thing of the past. Upgrading to 10-year alarms will give you one less thing to worry about.

For ultimate home safety, select a combination smoke and CO alarm for protection from the threats of smoke, fire and CO. Known as the silent killer, CO is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas, making it impossible to detect without an alarm. A variety of smoke and CO alarms, including hardwired, combination and 10-year battery-powered models, are available to meet specific needs and local requirements. Alarms with voice and location technology use a loud, pre-recorded human voice that lets you know the type and location of danger when fire or CO is detected. Studies show that children aged 6 to 10 are awakened more readily by voice rather than a beeping alarm, making this technology ideal for homes with young kids. Plus, voice and location alarms, such as the First Alert Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm with Voice and Location, help save time by identifying where smoke or CO is detected in the home, so you can determine the fastest and safest way out. For more information about home safety technology enhancements, visit (BPT) www.firstalert.com.

Safety First

P.O. Box 406 Elkhorn, WI 53121

Korey Kuehni, Proprietor/ Technician

Locally Owned & Operated

Complete Bumper to Bumper Auto Repair 416 S. 7th St. Delavan, WI 53115 (262) 728-2886

Hours: M–F 8 A.M. to 5 P.M.

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“Where Bowling is a Whole New Ball Game” Always Affordable • Clean Family Fun! Newly Remodeled Most Up-to-date Technology in the State by QubicaAMF

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ATM

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FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES: Call (262) 725-7701 EXT. 125

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Fire Prevention Awareness 2020

A publication of Southern Lakes Newspapers LLC 1102 Ann St., Delavan, WI 53115 • (262) 728-3411 EDITOR: ..............................................................................Tracy Ouellette CREATIVE DIRECTOR: .............................................................Heidi Schulz PAGE DESIGNER: ..............................................................Jennifer DeGroot ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: ................................................Vicki Vanderwerff

Elkhorn: (262) 742-3159 Expires 12/31/2020 WhitEWatEr: (262) 473-3400 Fax: (866) 804-1463

Create a fire safety plan to include pets Page 4

FIRE PREVENTION 2020

Fire safety measures are essential yet often overlooked. In addition to outlining the proper action to take should a fire break out, a fire safety evacuation plan can be an invaluable, life-saving tool. A fire safety plan should include all members of a household – including pets. The American Humane Society says each year more than 500,000 pets are affected by house fires. The National Fire Protection Association estimates that nearly 1,000 home fires each year are accidentally started by pets. Pets are curious animals and they may investigate open flames from unattended candles, fireplaces or grills. Pets may start fires by accidentally turning stove knob covers or biting on or playing with electrical wires and outlets. Young pets may be especially inquisitive and boisterous, so fires may be prevented by keeping young animals behind gates or in secure areas when there are open flames. There are many ways to safeguard everyone in the event of fire. Here are some steps to include in a fire safety plan. • Check and replace smoke and carbon monoxide detectors regularly. Monitored smoke detectors can be helpful if you regularly leave pets home alone, since firefighters will be alerted and can respond.

• Take inventory of where pets like to hide or nap. This can prove helpful if you need to evacuate a home quickly due to fire. Remember that pets can sense stress and may be more difficult to catch if they feel something is amiss, advises the ASPCA. Therefore, try to remain as calm as possible. • Keep pets near exits when you are not home to make it easier for firefighters to enter the house and save the animals. The Red Cross also recommends placing collars and leashes as well as pet carriers near the exits. • Invest in a pet safety sticker and hang it in a visible window to alert firefighters that you have pets inside. The sticker includes important information, such as the number of pets, type of pets and veterinarian contact information. • Plan escape routes and practice evacuations. Make sure at least one family member is in charge of grabbing pets and getting outside safely so others can focus on evacuation. Identify all exits and what to do if one or more exits is impassable. • Have a game plan should the house be damaged and uninhabitable. Line up a place to meet outside and explore pet-friendly accommodations at a hotel, friend or family member’s house.

Fire safety plans should include all members of the household, which includes companion animals.

(METRO CREATIVE)

STOCK PHOTO Safety First

If you have children and want to make this a family activity:

If your family is all adults:

• Make a map of your home. Mark a door and a window that can be used to get out of every room. • Choose a meeting place outside in front of your home. This is where everyone can meet once they’ve escaped and where firefighters can see you and know you are out. Draw a picture of your outside meeting place on your escape plan. • Write the emergency telephone number for the fire department on your escape plan. • Sound the smoke alarm, and practice your escape drill with everyone in your home. • Keep your escape plan on the refrigerator, and practice the drill twice a year or whenever anyone in your home celebrates a birthday.

• Walk through your home, and identify two ways out of each room. • Choose a meeting place outside in front of your home. This is where everyone can meet once they’ve escaped and where firefighters can see you and know you are out. • Make sure everyone knows the emergency number for your local fire department. • Practice your escape drill twice a year.

U.S. Fire Administration www.usfa.fema.gov

FIRE PREVENTION 2020

Page 5

Learn about fire escape plans In the event of a fire, remember that every second counts, so you and your family must always be prepared. Escape plans help you get out of your home quickly. In less than 30 seconds, a small flame can get completely out of control and turn into a major fire. It only takes minutes for a house to fill with thick black smoke and become engulfed in flames. Prepare and practice your fire escape plan twice a year with everyone in your household, including children and people with disabilities. It’s also a good idea to practice your plan with overnight guests. Some tips to consider when preparing your escape plan include: • Draw a map of each level of your home and show all doors and windows; • Find two ways to get out of each room; • Make sure all doors and windows that lead outside open easily; • Only purchase collapsible escape ladders evaluated by a recognized testing laboratory – use the ladder only in a real emergency; • Teach children how to escape on their own in case you cannot help them; • Have a plan for everyone in your home who has a disability; and • Practice your fire escape plan at night and during the daytime. Security bars require special precautions Security bars may help to keep your

family safe from intruders, but they can also trap you inside in the event of a deadly fire. Windows and doors with security bars must have quick release devices to allow them to be opened immediately in an emergency. Make sure everyone in the family understands and practices how to properly operate and open locked or barred doors and windows. Immediately leave the home When a fire occurs, get out fast – you may only have seconds to escape safely. Take the safest exit route, but if you must escape through smoke, remember to crawl low, under the smoke and keep your mouth covered. The smoke contains toxic gases, which can disorient you or, at worst, overcome you. Never open doors that are hot to the touch When you come to a closed door, feel the doorknob and door to make sure that fire is not on the other side. If either is hot, leave the door closed and use your secondary escape route. If the door feels cool, open it slowly. Be ready to shut it quickly if heavy smoke or fire is present. If you can’t get out, close the door and cover vents and cracks around doors to keep the smoke out. Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number. Say where you are and signal for

help at the window with a light-colored cloth or a flashlight.

Designate a meeting place Designate a meeting location a safe distance in front of your home. For example, meet under a specific tree or at the end of the driveway or front sidewalk to make sure everyone has gotten out safely and no one will be hurt looking for someone who is already safe. Make sure everyone in your home knows how to call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number and that your house number can be seen day or night from the street. Once out, stay out Remember to escape first and then notify the fire department using the 9-1-1 system or proper local emergency number in your area. Never go back into a burning building for any reason. Teach children not to hide from firefighters. If someone is missing, or pets are trapped inside your home, tell the firefighters right away. They are equipped to perform rescues safely. How fire-safe is your home? There’s no way to know how fire-safe your home is until you do a fire-safety walkthrough. It’s important to conduct a fire-safety walkthrough of your home on a regular basis. Use the following tips to help you in your walkthrough:

• Keep clothes, blankets, curtains, towels, and other items that can easily catch on fire at least three feet from space heaters and away from stove burners; • Place space heaters where they will not tip over easily; • Have chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a professional; • Always use a metal mesh screen with fireplaces and leave glass doors open while burning a fire; • Never leave cooking unattended; • Be sure your stove and small appliances are off before going to bed; • Check for worn wires and do not run cords under rugs or furniture; • Never overload electrical sockets; • Keep lighters and matches out of the reach of children; • Never leave cigarettes unattended and never smoke in bed; and • Make sure cigarettes and ashes are out – the cigarette needs to be completely stubbed out in the ashtray or run under water. Source: www.usfa.fema.gov. Families should create an emergency escape plan and then practice the plan with their children so everyone knows what to do in the event of a fire or other disaster. Get the kids involved while creating a plan and have them draw out their personalized escape path. STOCK PHOTO Safety First

Page 6

FIRE PREVENTION 2020

Auto Parts Specialists mybumpertobumperstore.com

Burlington Auto Parts

New Membership Information $45 one time new member fee

2020/2021 Annual Dues

burlingtonautopart@sbcglobal.net

701 N. Pine Street Burlington, WI 53105 Phone: 262-763-9184 Fax: 262-763-5290 381094

SELLING AN ESTATE? DOWNSIZING? MOVING?

WISCONSIN

• 1-14 employees @ $145 • 15-49 employees @ $220 • 50 or more employees @ $395

Please contact Greg Gaskins, Executive Director, for more information on joining and member benefits

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www.genevalakewest.com • chamber@genevalakewest.com

381099

Hours: Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Thank You Local Firefighters! We Appreciate You!

east troy office 2546 E. Main Street P.O. Box 866 F East Troy

FULL SERVICE REALTOR/BROKER • AUCTIONS •

(262) 642-2530 F (800) 236-8766 www.firstcitizensww.com FULL SERVICE ATM AVAILABLE 24 HOURS

Quality Consignments Welcome

OPEN: Monday-Thursday 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Friday 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., Saturday 9:00 a.m.-noon

Call Rick at (262) 490-7170 381110

Rick@hagenauauctions.com • www.hagenauauctions.com

KCG Accounting Service

DRIVE-UP OPEN 8:00 a.m., Monday-Saturday MEMBER FDIC

381111

Shari Higgins • 262-547-7872

8029 Racine Ave., Wind Lake

DECORATE A GINGERBREAD HOUSE

262-895-7702 Accounting • Business Consulting Tax Preparation

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27

River Crest Tire & Auto Service

Thank You, Firefighters

219620

880 Main Street Mukwonago, WI 53149

Go to: jseventswi.com 381198

Over 85 Years In The Community We deliver a comprehensive range of smart, sustainable water solutions to homes, business and industry around the world. Our industry leading and proven portfolio of solutions enables our customers to access clean, safe water. Whether it’s improving, moving or enjoying water, we help manage the world’s most precious resource. Smart, Sustainable Water Solutions. For Life.

www.rivercrestauto.com

262-363-4789

381113

381196

FIRE PREVENTION 2020

Page 7

Women still make up less than 10 percent of the U.S. fire service New report breaks down career and volunteer firefighters by gender; provides industry insight

Staying on top of common electrical and other potential hazards in your home can keep your family safe from harm and protect your property from damage now and in the future. STOCK PHOTO Safety First

What’s behind your walls? 3 household dangers you can’t always see

When it comes to keeping your family and home safe, you’re probably familiar with the most common household hazards that can occur. And chances are you have taken precautions to prevent most hazards by installing devices like smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers. But what about the dangers you can’t see? Hazards created in places like attics, basements, or even less visible spots like behind walls can cause significant home damage or health dangers if not addressed. Consider these suggestions for addressing several hidden hazards in your own home that may be out of sight but shouldn’t be out of mind. Is it time to check for radon risk? Because radon gas is colorless, odorless and tasteless, it can easily be overlooked. Yet high levels of the naturally occurring gas in the home can be carcinogenic over time. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends checking radon levels at least every two years as radon flow can increase over a timescale longer than a year. With that in mind, it’s important to get a radon test kit to determine whether your radon levels are problematic. If so, you will need to look into mitigation – which can be as simple as adding ventilation to your attic or sealing cracks in your foundation. Are your water pipes stable? We don’t always see or regularly inspect our pipes. A leaking pipe in your home may just seem like another annoyance, but if not addressed immediately, it can cause significant damage to floors, ceilings and furniture and may even attract bugs. Leaks almost always happen at the pipe

joints. While tape and fillers can help address a leak temporarily, you’ll need a plumber’s help to replace a pipe for a more permanent fix. Two steps that may help prevent leaking pipes: • If your home is older, ask your plumber if you have galvanized or polybutylene pipes; those materials may have eroded over time and could eventually fail; and • If you live somewhere that gets extremely cold in the winter, allow cold water to drip slowly and continually from each faucet and keep your thermostat at the same temperature 24-7. Are you aware that arc-faults can cause electrical fires? A term many homeowners may be unfamiliar with is arc-fault, a malfunction in electric wiring circuits that can be caused by loose connections or damaged cords. An arc-fault may occur when a homeowner accidentally damages an electrical wire by driving a nail into a wall or pinching a cord under furniture. That damaged wire can become a significant hazard, generating heat of up to 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit that could potentially spark an electrical fire within wood framing or insulation. In fact, according to the National Fire Protection Association, local U.S. firefighters responded to about 35,000 home electrical fires annually between 2012 and 2016 attributed to electrical distribution and lighting equipment. Fortunately, the threat of arc-faults and electrical fires can be significantly reduced by the simple installation of Leviton’s SmartlockPro AFCI outlet. A best-seller among Leviton’s highly effective portfolio of electrical safety devices for the home, AFCI outlets are designed to prevent electrical fires by interrupting your power when a dangerous arc is detected. Ask your local plumber to examine leaks, learn more about potential radon issues at EPA.gov and turn to www.leviton. com/electricalhero for more tips on how to prevent electrical fires. (BPT)

Recent media coverage has highlighted women assuming leadership positions in the fire service as well as filling rank and file roles, but the number of female firefighters in the United States remains relatively low, according to the U.S. Fire Department Profile released by the National Fire Protection Association recently. The news comes at a time when The Los Angeles Times reports that one of the nation’s largest fire departments will fall short of their 2020 female hiring goal; and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that women have surpassed the number of men working in America by more than one hundred thousand. The new NFPA report provides an overview of 29,705 local and municipal fire departments in the country; and estimates that in 2018, only 93,700, or eight percent, of the 1,115,000 firefighters in the United States were female. More specifically, 15,200 or four percent of career firefighters and 78,500 volunteer firefighters or 11 percent were women. Comparatively, 13 percent of police officers or detectives were female; 21 percent of paramedics or EMTs were women; and 20 percent of the U.S. military is made up of females, with each branch surpassing the number of females in fire uniforms. Women comprise 20 percent of the Air Force, 19 percent of the Navy, 15 percent of the Army and almost eight percent of the Marine Corps. The good news is that women in various parts of the country are taking lead roles and getting recognized in their communities. For example: • Tonya Hoover was appointed in early February to the second highest fire position in the country – Deputy U.S. Fire Administrator. The nation’s top female fire leader is responsible for the training of more than 100,000 first responders annually via the National Fire Academy; the National Fire Incident Reporting System, which documents and analyzes 27 million fire department emergency responses a year; and USFA’s fire prevention, public information and public education programs; • Tiffany Green, from Prince George’s County, Maryland recently became chief of the largest combination career and volunteer fire department in the nation; • Decatur, Georgia’s top three fire leadership positions are held by women; and • Fire shifts staffed completely by females are generating attention from the Bay Area of California to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Brockton, Massachusetts. “Today’s fire service plays a critical role in protecting people and property from a myriad of challenges. That role is enhanced when we prioritize the hiring and promotion of diverse candidates, including female firefighters, to be reflective of our communities and the overall US labor pool,” said Amy Hanifan, president of Women in Fire, which provides education, support and advocacy for fire service women. “It is refreshing to see positive signs of change in the fire service, and promising that there is a desire to cultivate even more change in the future.”

While women are gaining ground in the U.S. fire service, the number of female firefighters remains relatively low, according to a 2020 report. STOCK PHOTO Safety First

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FIRE PREVENTION 2020

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