Come join us Friday, June 7th, 2013 at Tamarack Country Club in Shiloh, IL for a great day of golfing fun with a shotgun start promptly at 11:00am!  This tournament is our primary fundraising activity! It allows us to provide a wide array of services to the community, including education and our medical oxygen program for seniors.
 
Your generous support has made this event a success for over 10 years and we're once again asking for your help! There are several ways in which you can assist - tiered hole sponsorships, forming a team of four golfers, donating attendance prizes or by purchasing raffle tickets.
 
Tax deductible hole sponsorships are available the following donation levels:
~$500 (or more) - Chief Sponsor
~$250 -499 - Deputy Chief Sponsor
~$100 -249 - Assistant Chief Sponsor

If you're interested in hole sponsorships, donating attendance prizes, forming a team or purchasing raffle tickets, please contact Firefighter and Golf Committee Chair, Don Midkiff  at 618.616.9685 or via e-mail st dmidkiff (at) ofallon.org

Thank you for your continued support!
 

It’s finally spring! With the weather warming and the grass greening many of you will be dusting off the grill and preparing for backyard barbeques. The U.S. Fire Administration suggests some tips to make sure your barbeque is safe.  Never leave a grill unattended and be sure your grill is far enough away from siding, deck railings, roof overhangs and low hanging trees or surrounding shrubbery. Establishing a safe zone of at least 3 feet around the grill can help keep pets, children and structures safe. Remove any grease and debris buildup around or in the grill to ensure it does not ignite.

If you are using a propane grill:

• Inspect the hoses and fittings to ensure they are secured firmly and free of visible damage. Before the first use of your propane grill you can check for leaks by applying a mixture of soap and water to the hose, if there is a leak the solution will bubble
   - If you locate a leak, turn off the propane tank and grill and have it serviced by a professional
• Ensure the propane cylinder is free of defects and that it is certified by an independent testing lab, such as UL
• Follow all the instructions from the grill manufactrer
• Never grill indoors, including your garage, as it can increase your risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and fire
   

If you are using a charcoal grill: 

• Store matches and lighter fluid separate from each other and out of reach of children. Talk to your children about why matches are dangerous and what to do if they ever find them laying around
• Only use charcoal lighter fluid to ignite briquettes
• When disposing of charcoal coals,  first ensure they are cooled then dispose of them in a metal container. Never put them in a trashcan or leave them in your garage

For more information about grilling and cooking safety, please visit the USFA website.

It's time to spring forward again! Remember when you change your clocks, to change your smoke detector batteries!  It is PROVEN that working smoke detectors save lives. Changing your smoke detector batteries is also a good time to inspect your detector to ensure it's functioning optimally. Here are some general tips that you should consider:

• Test smoke detectors at least once a month using the test button, and make sure everyone in your home knows what their sound means.
• If a detector "chirps," warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away.
• Use a can of compressed air to blow out any dust that has settled in the detector. Excess dust could cause false alarms.
• Most manufacturers recommend that smoke and CO detectors are replaced every 10 years. Check the back of your detector to see when it was made.

We responded to over 800 calls for service in 2012. We're already training hard and working hard in 2013 but we'd like to take a moment to recognize the top 10 reponders for last year.  Thanks for your dedication guys!

Firefighter Kevin Bachesta - 593
Lieutenant Brad White - 582
Firefighter Brian Butler - 472
Firefighter Frank Hautly -472
Firefighter Richard Bennett - 443
Captain Steve Donahue - 439
Firefighter Chris Wickline - 421
Firefighter Brandon Holt - 371
Firefighter Jon Williams - 362
Firefighter R.J. Fechtler - 338

*Chief Officers excluded

Happy Holidays from the O'Fallon Fire Department!  As you prepare to celebrate with family and friends, please be sure to keep your home safe from holiday decoration fires. If you've purchased a live tree, don't forget to water it regularly. If your tree is dropping a lot of needles and loosing color it could become a fire hazard. Also, remember to keep candles a safe distance from drapes or any items that could fall onto them and start a fire. Finally, be sure that your holiday lights are in good condition and are certified by a testing laboratory (such as UL) to ensure they meet proper safety standards.  For more information on holiday decoration safety, please visit the National Fire Protection Association's website.

Prevent home and chimney fires by having your chimney inspected and cleaned annually. Certified chimney specialists remove creosote deposits, ensure that all parts of your fireplace are in sound condition and inspect your chimney cap to ensure that no debris are preventing proper airflow. Remember to build fires from seasoned firewood and limit the amount of paper or cardboard you use to start the fire. Place cooled ashes from previous fires into a metal bucket or container with a lid. This container should be stored outside, at least 10 feet away from your house. Never empty ashes directly into a trash can and when in doubt, douse ashes with water to ensure they're sufficiently cooled. Even if you've already had your fireplace or wood burning stove in use this season, you can still get it inspected for peace of mind into 2013.

The O'Fallon Fire Department Explorer Post is holding a spaghetti dinner this Saturday!!
Join us October 27th from 4pm - 8pm at Engine House #2 (567 West Third St.) located at the intersection of Hwy 50 & 3rd St.
Tickets are just $7.00 per person or $10.00 for two! You may dine in or carry out! Dinner includes:
7-layer salad with home-made dressing, spaghetti with a delicious meat sauce, sauteed mushroom, hot rolls, drink and dessert!
Please contact Explorer Post Advisor Jason Bruns (Jbruns@ofallon.org) for tickets or questions.

Join us for our annual open house in honor of Fire Prevention Week! We're opening up Engine House #2 for three evenings! Bring the family out to look at firetrucks, meet the firefighters, practice using a fire extinguisher and learn about fire safety through this year's theme, "Have Two Ways Out!"

Open house is October 9th, 10th & 11th from 6:30pm - 8:30pm at Engine House #2 (located on the corner of Hwy 50 and 3rd Street)

Did you know every year there are an estimated 2,900 clothing dryer fires? The US Fire Administration estimates this accounted for 35 million dollars in property loss and caused 5 deaths and 100 injuries in a two year period. Almost half of all these fires were caused by operational deficiencies as a direct result of improper cleaning of the dryers lint traps, vents and the area surrounding the dryer. Follow these quick guidelines to keep yourself from becoming a statistic!
- Always clean the lint filter before and after each cycle.
- Clean the lint filter with a nylon brush at least every 6 months or as it becomes clogged.
- Be sure to check behind the dryer where lint can build up.
- Have gas-powered dryers inspected by a professional annually to ensure the gas line and connection are intact and free of leaks or defects
- Check the outside vents to be sure animals have not nested or obstructed it in any way

Also, never operate your dryer without a lint filter or with materials that may have come into contact with anything flammable. Remember to turn off your dryer if you have to leave home or if you otherwise cannot attend to it.

Visit the United States Fire Administration's website for more information

Come join us Friday, June 1st, 2012 at Tamarack Country Club in Shiloh, IL for a great day of golfing fun with a shotgun start promptly at 11:00am!  This tournament is our primary fundraising activity! It allows us to provide a wide array of services to the community, including education and our medical oxygen program for seniors.

Your generous support has made this event a success for over 10 years and we're once again asking for your help! There are several ways in which you can assist - tiered hole sponsorships, forming a team of four golfers, donating attendance prizes or by purchasing raffle tickets.

Tax deductible hole sponsorships are available the following donation levels:
~$500 (or more) - Chief Sponsor
~$250 -499 - Deputy Chief Sponsor
~$100 -249 - Assistant Chief Sponsor

If you're interested in hole sponsorships, donating attendance prizes, forming a team or purchasing raffle tickets, please contact Firefighter and Golf Committee Chair, Don Midkiff via e-mail or at 618.616.9685