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As the new school year begins, the safety of our children is our top priority. Here are some essential tips to ensure a safe and successful school year:

Fire Safety at Home

1. Smoke Alarms: Ensure smoke alarms are installed in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of your home. Test them monthly.
2. Fire Drills: Practice fire drills at home. Make sure everyone knows two ways out of every room and a designated meeting place outside.
3. Cooking Safety: Never leave cooking unattended. Keep flammable items away from the stove and teach children about kitchen safety.

School Bus Safety

1. Waiting for the Bus: Stand at least three giant steps (6 feet) away from the curb. Wait until the bus stops completely before approaching.
2. Getting On and Off the Bus: Use the handrail to avoid falls. Make sure the driver can see you at all times.
3. Crossing the Street: Always cross in front of the bus, never behind. Look both ways before crossing.

Walking and Biking to School

1. Use Sidewalks: Always walk on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic.
2. Crosswalks: Cross streets at crosswalks or intersections. Look left, right, and left again before crossing.
3. Bike Safety: Wear a helmet every time you ride. Follow traffic signs and signals, and use bike lanes when available.

In the Classroom

1. Know the Exits: Familiarize yourself with the school’s fire evacuation plan. Know all of the ways out of your classrooms. Teachers and staff will be practicing fire drills over the next few weeks to assist.
2. Fire Drills: Participate in all school fire drills. Stay calm and follow the teacher’s instructions.
3. Emergency Contacts: Ensure the school has up-to-date emergency contact information for your child.

General Safety Tips

1. Stranger Danger: Teach children not to talk to strangers or accept rides from people they don’t know.
2. Buddy System: Encourage children to walk or bike to school with a friend or in a group.
3. Emergency Numbers: Make sure your child knows how to dial 911 and when it’s appropriate to do so.

By following these tips, we can help ensure that our children have a safe and enjoyable school year. If you have any questions or need further information, please contact your local fire department.

Stay safe and have a great school year!

Summer is the perfect season for hitting the road in your RV, trailer, or camper, but it also brings increased fire risks that every traveler should be aware of. High temperatures, dry conditions, and the use of propane, generators, and barbeques can quickly turn a fun trip into a dangerous situation if proper precautions aren’t taken. Whether you’re a seasoned road warrior or a first-time camper, following a few essential fire safety tips can help keep your summer adventures safe and worry-free.

When Transporting Cylinders:

• Ensure propane cylinders are upright and secure during transport.
• Keep cylinder valves closed and protected during transport.
• Plug or cap cylinder outlets during transport.​​​​​​​

When Using Cylinders:

• Ensure cylinders are upright and secure on a firm footing.
• Check cylinder connections and hoses for leaks by brushing a 50/50 mix of liquid soap and water onto all connections and hoses. Rising bubbles when you turn on the valve indicate a leak. Tighten connections or repair the hose until there are no bubbles.
• Keep cylinders away from flame, heat, and exits.

Using Propane in your RV or Camper:

• Keep all combustion exhaust vents on the exterior wall of your RV or camper clear of obstructions.
• Use stovetop burners or ovens only for cooking and not as a source of heat.
• Propane appliances require an adequate supply of fresh air for proper combustion. Ensure your RV or camper is properly ventilated to prevent build-up of carbon monoxide.
• Install a carbon monoxide alarm and propane leak detector.

Barbecue Safety:

• Ensure barbecues are on firm, level footing.
• Keep barbecues well away from the side of your RV, camper or tent, and other combustibles.
• Make sure igniter buttons work properly before turning the gas on. If there is no igniter, insert a long match or barbecue lighter through the side burner hole before you turn on the grill controls.
• Keep barbecues clean of grease to prevent flare-ups.
• Stay by the grill when cooking and keep kids and pets at a safe distance.
• Turn off all burner controls and tank valves after each use.  
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See the Technical Standards and Safety Authority’s website for more safety tips.

The Office of the Fire Marshal is spreading the word about an alarming trend spreading across social media and our schools. This new viral challenge is seeing students purposely tampering with their school supplied Chromebooks and laptops in an attempt to cause the device to short-circuit and stop functioning.

While this may seem like a harmless joke to get out of school work, it can quickly become a dangerous and even life threatening situation. With these devices containing lithium-ion batteries, short circuiting or damaging the electronic components can quickly lead to the devices and their batteries overheating or catching fire, making it far more serious than a simple joke.

When a lithium-ion battery is damaged in such a manor, it can easily catch fire on it’s own and enter what is called “thermal runaway.” This means the battery will burn hotter and faster, creating its own fuel and oxygen to continue burning, and can be incredibly hard to extinguish. The fires caused can quickly spread through the intense heat, and the gases produced are incredibly toxic. The damages created by this type of fire can be extensive, not to mention dangerous to health and life.

This is about more than just a joke, or tech misuse, or getting out of class early. This is about kids safety in schools, about the consequences of intentionally starting a fire and the cost of the damages, and about stopping a silly trend before it takes lives.

Talk to your kids or students about lithium-ion battery safety, and the dangers of potentially starting a fire at school or home. Going viral on TikTok is not worth the potential damages, or loss of life.

For more lithium-ion battery safety advice, visit the Charged For Life website.