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Home My WebLink About2009 - Couplings Fall-Winter Newsletter uuwiuuuuwiwyiyiuuuuuuuuuuuuuwwyiva ,� 'n � - ! " Illllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll�llllii��°�°�°�°° i I A uuuuuuuu�, " C Ni IN E,CT 1 G T H E C 0, LII M U i `VIII TY W I"6° SII, T H R FII IIS EPIA STMENTEP' UIIIUUU➢➢ll��VU➢➢➢��UUUU➢UUUUUUUUUUUU➢�➢�UU1➢11111➢UIUll��I��D��I�➢➢UUUUUUU➢ �u�uu�uu�uuullu)Ulll➢➢➢➢➢➢➢��UUUUU��UUUUUUUUUUUUU➢JUU�u��u��u��u��uuUu�)Ull��IU�UU�)II�VI�V��u�Vu�u)I�)�UDUUU.. �UUD�u��u _,, Add 111111111111111 1111111�� 11111111 e By Tom Kiurski The heat is so intense you can feel it penetrate every layer of your protective clothing, as it pushes you to the floor. The smoke is so thick that you cannot see the person right next to you, assuming they are still there. The hose is your only protection from the impinging flames, and it is also your lifeline leading you out of the building. The burn chambers that Livonia Fire & Rescue have recently installed are a way to bring the realism of firefighting to the training atmosphere. A Federal grant helped us to acquire the training burn chambers, which went into service this past Spring. With the help of Aristeo Construction, we were able to plan a concrete pad and place the units onto their new home. The structures are mainly comprised of metal shipping containers, laid out in various configurations so that many training evolutions can be planned. It is vitally important that firefighters rely on senses other than sight, as almost every fire gives off large amounts of thick, toxic smoke. Of course we can put something over their masks, but when you add the heat of a real fire with real smoke, the realism is quite intense. "This allows an added dimension to our training program that couldn't be reproduced otherwise said Fire Chief Shadd Whitehead The safety features certainly are an added benefit, allowing firefighters and instructors more ways out of the structure if they are needed that the average building has. Ventilation openings can also be operated to exhaust off excess heat and smoke during the training evolutions. The burn chambers have several burn areas that can be the start of a training fire. This keeps firefighters guessing which area may be the origin of the fire. Weighted training dummies can be placed to further complicate firefighting efforts. One of the structures is two stories high, so this brings an added dimension to training. The new live fire training facility is located on the south side of Glendale, just east of Farmington Road. If you see smoke coming from that direction, that just may be your Livonia firefighters training to keep you safe! F uuuoiuuu llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllq 111111111111111111 E. . 0 Thanks for keeping informed about what your Livonia firefighters have in the way of education for you in this issue. What a great r way to keep you informed of what we do, you and allow to learn or be reminded of safety �! tips in the comfort of your own homes! If you have missed � any issues of "Couplings", you ' can go the the city's website at � www.ci.livonia.mi.us and go to the fire department's page and Y= catch up on previous issues and pl see some of our educational video Firefighters in the burn chamber during clips. Keep the comments coming, a live burn exercise. and enjoy this issue! Shadd This Spring, a house on the property of Mary- crest Manor (Middlebelt Road, north of Five Mile) was donated to the fire department for train- ing purposes, We partitioned off the front of the house from the back of the house and made a m classroom in the rear family room. In that room, we spent time going over the thermal imaging cameras that all fire engines have on them. Once through, we moved to the front por- tion of the house, that was completely smoke i filled. Each firefighter entered the house with an instructor, and had to rely on the image to find their way around. We are used to training with- out sight in smoky buildings, so this tool allows us to find our way faster, keeping in mind the ' landmarks detected and where they would be if the technology did fail. Belfol"ree, C,1"11,,",,Iil,,",Iill,"o',Ilill,lillislt"I'li,,i"4e(i1slill f b T'was the night before Christmas �i< when all through the house �i< Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse 4< When down through the chimney all covered with soot �i< came the "Spirit of Fire" an ugly galoot �i< His eyes glowed like embers his features were stern 4< as he looked all around him for something to burn �i< What he saw made him grumble - his anger grew higher ° For there wasn't a thing that would start a good fire ° No door had been blocked by the big Christmas tree ° It stood in the corner leaving passageways free �i< The lights that glow brightly for Betty and Tim �i< had been hung with precaution, so none touched a limb �i< All wiring was new, not a break could be seen �i< and wet sand at its base kept the tree nice and green �i< The tree had been trimmed by a mother insistent �°�< that the ornaments used should be fire resistant �i< The mother had known the things to avoid 4< like cotton and paper and celluloid ° Rock wool, metal icicles and trinkets of glass �i< gave life to the tree - it really had class �i< And would you believe it, right next to the tree ° was a suitable box for holding debris �i< A place to hold wrappings of paper and string �i< from all of the gifts that Santa might bring. The ugly galoot was so mad he could bust �t� as he climbed up the chimney in utter disgust �i< For the folks in this home had paid close attention 4< to all of the rules of r l o f GOOD FIRE PREVENTION. e a CaIrefd�� Cod�k, During the holidays, the kitchen can be a very busy ' place. The elaborate meals, fantastic treats and family time are all thing to look forward to during the ,f end of the year. In order to celebrate safely, let's take a Zook at a few safety tips in and around the kitchen. �A Careful cooks should not walk away from the stove with the handles of the pots turned outward. Getting into the habit of turning them inward is worth the time it takes to avoid bumping the pot off the stove, spilling the hot contents and risking a burn injury to yourself or your loved ones. Unfortunately, a kitchen can be a hazardous place, with many safety concerns to address. Gas stoves should have safety guards on the knobs if children are present in the home. When cooking, wear tight- fitting clothes so that long sleeves do not dangle onto the hot surfaces. Using the rear burners also keeps our clothing further from the hot surfaces, especially if children might reach up to satisfy their curiosity. Microwave ovens are in almost every kitchen today, and can burn just as easily as conventional stoves. While we may not be able to see the heat source as easily in a microwave oven, food and their containers can get very hot. Liquids can boil in a short time. Use potholders to remove food from any oven, and carefully remove the wrapping from microwaved food, as steam can cause painful burns. Foods in a microwave oven may cook unevenly, so stir food thoroughly before testing it. If you do have a fire in your oven or on your stove, do not put water the fire. Put the lid on the pan and turn the heat off to the burner if the fire is on the stove. If the fire is in the oven, keep the oven door closed and turn off the oven. Cooking equipment fires are the leading cause of home structure fires and associated injuries, according to the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association). In 2005 alone, fire departments responded to over 146,000 house fires that involved cooking equipment. These fires caused 480 fire deaths, nearly 5,000 injuries and over $875 million in direct property damage. Take the time necessary so that you do not add to these grim statistics. In case of an Emergency Dail 90VII LIVONIA FIRE & RESCUE "FIRST AID KIT IN A CAN" , ............ N 1 ( VI � 1 � J r i o IIII Items can be put in an empty coffee container/can or a large zip lock bag and used at home, outings or for any minor emergency mi uuul uumi um By Tom Kiurski In 1871, the city of Chicago was the fastest-growing city in the world. It was a vital link between the manufacturing east and the agricultural west portions of the country. The buildings in Chicago were built quickly, J'J! I V jdii b0 wW ° 1 and the buildings very rarely followed any accepted building codes of the day. Between 1860 and 1871, an average of seven thousand buildings were erected each year in Chicago, mostly of wooden construction. The summer of 1871 was very dry, leaving the ground parched and the mostly wooden city of Chicago quite vulnerable. On the day before The Great Chicago Fire, M Cdr+ Wnw ! four blocks of the city had burned. This fire had left thirty Chicago firefighters off on injury, and the weary firefighters that remained were exhausted from the fire activity of the summer. On Sunday evening, October 8, 1871, just after nine o'clock, a fire broke out in the barn behind the home of Patrick and Catherine O'Leary at 13 DeKoven Street. How the fire started is still unknown today, but an O'Leary cow often gets the credit. This theory has been discounted recently, but smokers near the garage or children playing with fire are now the accepted theory. The firefighters were first sent to the wrong neighborhood. When they finally arrived at the O'Leary's, they found the fire raging out of control. A strong, dry wind coming from the southwest made matters even worse, blowing the fire towards the very heart of the city.The blaze quickly spread east and north. Wooden houses, commercial and industrial buildings, and private mansions made for easy fuel and were all consumed in the blaze. Many sought refuge on the opposite shore of the Chicago River, which caught fire due to the grease and oil coating it, bringing fire to the downtown area. Many people panicked and jumped into the river to avoid being burned. Around this same time, the State Street Bridge, leading to the north side of the city, also caught fire and it began to devour the areas on the north side of the river as well. After two days, rain began to fall. On the morning of October 10, 1871, the fire died out, leaving complete devastation in the heart of the city. At least 300 people were dead, 100,000 people were homeless, 17,500 building were destroyed and $200 million worth of property was burned. The entire central business district of Chicago was leveled. Rumors of rampant looting brought the city under martial law, which kept watch for the remainder of the year. There were a few buildings that did not get destroyed. The Chicago Water Tower was one of them. The principal reason was because the Water Tower was one of the few buildings that wasn't made out of wood. It was made out of limestone. f" Of course the fire ruined it a little but after the fire, workers 6 made it even better than it had been before. That is why the wWater Tower still stands today. Within days of the fire being extinguished, the rebuilding began. Within three years, it once again dominated the western United States. If you visit downtown Chicago today, you can see the water tower still standing. The buildings there are a much safer version of those buildings that came and e ^ went before them. o"If lt��ie By Tom Kiurski Ever since early times, people have required a means of transporting their wounded and sick. In the late 15th century in Spain, surgical and medical supplies were brought together in special tents for the wounded called ambulancias. The war between France and the Austrians and Prussians in 1792 lead to the development of a lightweight, two wheeled vehicle which stayed with the troops and allowed surgeons to work on the battlefield. During the 1864 Convention in Geneva, an agreement was made by several European countries to recognize the neutrality of hospitals, of the sick and wounded, of all persons connected with relief service, and the adoption of a protective sign or badge. In American, a similar organization had been functioning during the Civil War-The Sanitary Commission, which, 20 years later, became the American Red Cross, brought into being in large part due to the efforts of Clara Barton. American hospitals initiated their own ambulance services during the late 1860's. Horsedrawn, these ambulances had a moveable floor that could be drawn out to receive the patient. Beneath the driver's seat was a container with: a quart of brandy, two tourniquets, six bandages, six small sponges, splint materials, blankets and a two-ounce vial of persulphate of iron. With the arrival of the automobile came a different type of ambulance, the first appearing in 1899. During World War I, many ambulances were adopted from buses and taxis. In 1937, the first air-conditioned ambulance was sold in America. Ambulance service has not been confined to ground units. During the Civil War, train ambulances and steam boat hospitals were used, and street car/trolley ambulances were popular in some cities in the late 1800's. The "medicopter" is commonplace now, taking patients through the air to the nearest appropriate medical facility. This service started as a means of evacuating combat patients in Korea and Vietnam. Today's ambulances " in Livonia are � staffed by licensed paramedic/ t firefighters with "� 5 J some amazing new T mf technology, from I Ililluuuuuu� �� m heart monitors that can defibrillate a heart attack victim . v �� wU to drugs that can treat life-threatening conditions on the scene when time is of the essence. v r ire "" ' ace alarms re I �.years ew units. old older 1h Win �e'i►/.Y�NR i•'r. r [' `4� rim ..i 7 �. ''-.� .��i,, 1fJf i � � M�l/GESU %EYOG%�CH/�G1NEY � , WILDFIRES/ J ANti►� 4' 11� li,