On this episode of the Post Podcast Ellis County Fire Chief and County Administrator, Darin Myers shares tips for keeping safe through preventative measures.
Transcript:
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James Bell
As Fort State University students move back into Hays for the upcoming semester, it's a good time to check those fire prevention measures. Fire Chief and County Administrator Darin Meyers stops by to share with us some safety tips on this episode of the Post Podcast.
Darin Myers
October 9 through the 15th is fire prevention this week, and state fire marshal starting to send out information in regards to what is going to catch capsulate this year, but I think time fire prevention week and just general fire safety topics is kind of a good thing to bring in, we got a lot of people moving back into the area for Fort Hays. And I thought it'd be good just to kind of mention is, you know, some of the new freshmen are moving into a new apartment new dorm, new fraternity sorority is just make yourself familiar with the place that you're living. Now, where the fire alarm panels are at how to activate the fire alarm, and one of the biggest savers lifesavers is smoke detectors. So if you're in an apartment, make sure you have them, they should be in every bedroom, in your in the residence, and then they should be outside of every living area, as well as on every floor. So make sure you have them. And then the second step is make sure they actually work. You know, if you can't reach them, you know, get you a broom handle or something and push the test button on there and make sure that they work and make sure the batteries are in there. And if not contact your landlord and get the batteries replaced. And it's the best thing that can happen in the middle of night. And the best way and the fastest way to detect a fire in the residence is having the smoke detectors in there.
James Bell
Absolutely. And what a simple and small measure. I mean, I'll give you an example in my home. Last time I moved in or not, I think it was the place before but I never tested them. They were there. They looked good. And I thought oh, okay, I finally after like three or four months oh my gosh, should hit that button. I did and it didn't do anything. There was no battery yet. There was no battery in it.
Darin Myers
Don't Don't don't assume that just because someone else isn't there before you that they didn't pull out the detectors or the batteries. Like you said. One thing to also consider nowadays, they always used to teach or we always used to teach as you change your batteries in your smoke alarms twice a year, every time you change your clock for spring and fall you replace your batteries. Smoke detectors nowadays, we're coming out with a lithium ion batteries that last you know, they're saying 10 years, we never have to replace them. But don't take that for granted that they are still working. If they you know their batteries do become faulty and they don't last always as long as you expect them to so you still want to test them. And you know, testing them drains the battery and it'll start chirping at you if it's not a full full alarm, but it will just do little chirps. And I'll let you know that the batteries are dead on. And to get the to get it either replace the battery or replace the smoke detector as well. And in the other piece to that is not just your smoke alarms, but your co detectors detecting the carbon monoxide, we get a lot of calls starting the city in the county, but throughout the nation about this time of year, not quite yet. But once it starts cooling down, everybody starts turning their furnaces on. And a faulty furnace or a hot water heater or stove can emit carbon monoxide in your home. And so it's nice to have a carbon monoxide detector as well. And make sure that those were actually working, some of them actually plug in down on the floor. But those those are are typically placed as was Frequenters. As often in your home as a smoke detector. Those are supposed to be just one on every floor. don't necessarily want them close to your kitchen or your furnace room though you want them separated more likely in your living area and sleeping area. But you don't want them close to those areas because when it is common to have carbon dioxide actually in your home at all times. But if they're too close to those servers like the the furnace, the sensors can actually become saturated. And then they can give you false readings and maybe not go off as when they're supposed to or go off too quickly because they're saturated. So make sure you have your smoke detectors and make sure you have your carbon monoxide alarms in your home.
James Bell
You don't want those carbon monoxide alarms to I wonder what's the best placement Do you want them high up near the ceiling Do you want to towards the floor I and I've seen it kind of everywhere in the in all the years that I've moved around.
Darin Myers
You're testing me on that one because I don't remember what the the vapor did stupid the the relation of carbon dioxide is to air if it's heavier or lighter. You always have smoke detectors up top because smoke rises so you just fold detectors up low. However, I've always seen carbon monoxide detectors, usually about a foot two off the floor and plugged into your your power outlets. And so it may be that it's best to have but you caught me on that one. I can't. I might be able to Google that while we continue to
James Bell
talk about you I think probably the most important thing is just have them in the house. Yeah, right. If it gets to a point where you're in danger, I would think no matter where it's at, it's gonna be beeping at you in one way or another. Yep. Very good. And you know, another question I had and when it comes to the fire safety in the home fire extinguishers, I've lived in places that have the little tiny ones I've lived in you don't they have the big full on ones, what's the what's the best recommendation there for you
Darin Myers
definitely have one just like.
James Bell
Again, the most important thing is have one Walmart and Home Depot may
Darin Myers
like us after this, everybody's gonna be running into the store and pick up some more. Yes, definitely have one one of the best place to always keep it to good places, but the best and the most common place to put it underneath your kitchen, sink your your base cabinet there. But an ABC fire extinguisher. And what an ABC fire extinguisher is it is acceptable use for three different types of fires a type A fire, which is natural, so woods and trees, and then Class B is liquids and Class C would be electricity. So you have that ABC that will lay this electrical fire grease fire. Or if you just light your fire on a stove, your pizza in the stove on fire, you can use it. So definitely have that. They usually make him there, they're about biggest size you'd probably need is they're about four inches in diameter. They make home versions at the at the store, you can buy as big as you want. Because it just depends on how much space you want to take up. But they also make an extinguisher specifically for kitchens, which is a class que so it's more designed for your kitchen fires. If you want to buy one of those there, they are a little bit more expensive than a regular ABC extinguisher though.
James Bell
Alright, for safety, what's the what's a few dollars for safety? Exactly. I always I always love to be more prepared. My my wife teases me all the time, because I'm always like about that stuff. But anyway, that maybe that's just me. Well, before we run out of time, we've got our shift gears here. You've got a Fire School coming up from what I understand, right?
Darin Myers
Yeah. So each year, well, every month actually. So the Kansas State Firefighters Association has host different fire schools around the state. Not every single month because we have a conference in April, which we actually just hosted the annual State Conference here this year. But here in September, the 10th and 11th. We're hosting the regional Fire School. And so I guess it's somewhat of an invite if there's any fire departments for firefighters that are listed in this morning. We welcome everybody to come out on September 10 and 11th. And we'll be hosting it again this year at the high school. While vehicle extrication class, we'll have some chief officer classes, some skills training, we'll have a live burn trailer. Then we're also we'll be cooking up the day before a couple of pork butts to be able to feed everybody for lunch. So we'll have some free food for everybody for the lunch period. But one of the neat things this year's our fire school that we got approved for is on September 10 and 11th. But you know, it's been over 20 years now since 911 happened and last year was the first year that Fort Hays started it but they started a memorial stair climb out of Lewis field. And we're partnering up with Fort Hays this year. So it won't be on the 11th just because it's a Sunday, but on September 10 That morning, registration will start out at the Fort Hays lose field. And for registration of the stair climb, because everybody registered and at 747 which is our time for when the first tower was hit. We'll start the stair climb. And if you just want to do a walk around the track or he can actually climb the stairs and they'll have it all set up on the on the bleachers that you'll be able to climb 110 flights of stairs in honor and remembrance of those who sacrifice their lives back on 911 of 2001.
James Bell
But are good you know what a powerful way to help remember all of those victims?
Darin Myers
They are they are I've never actually attended one, we usually send our firefighters because I believe it's good to let them go out and promote that and experience that and fire departments from around the state to around the nation that happens that weekend every year. And we usually send several most we've ever sent was about seven down to a one time down to the one in which top but hopefully we'll have quite a few area firefighters joining us this year and come out to Lucasfilm It's a free event. It's just a you got to put some blood sweat and tears into climbing, climbing the stairs and walking the track to to complete it.
James Bell
Sure. Do they need to sign up at all? Or is it just kind of a show up and be
Darin Myers
there just show up. You don't have to for the stair climb. We actually don't even have to be on the fire department if you just want to come out and take part of the event. It's just registrations at seven and we'll give it about 30 minutes. Everybody lined up ready to go.
James Bell
Very good. We've got about a minute or so left. I want to hit on this. I saw you guys driving around. I think you're probably heading to a fire. He got some new vehicles in the fleet, right?
Darin Myers
Yeah. Not too long ago since well, it's been a while since we've actually Been in near to visit but we did get a new fire truck. We ordered it actually last January so about a year and a half ago but with the production delays and everything it took to get the actual the chassis up to South Dakota where they built the truck. We finally got it and the fire department, the members of company five here in Hayes spent about a month training on it they had to go out and do driver training and pump training, draft training and a lot of drills driving it around and etc. To make sure that they were fluent with the truck driving it safely and then operating it during a fire so got it in it's nice it's a very nice truck. I appreciate the County Commission support letting us purchase it it was well needed it replaced a truck that was about 27 years old. And got it and service. It's out and about it's it's a neat truck the let the firefighters have a lot of input on it and it's kind of a new color scheme that will have county fire departments black over red so the top of the cab and everything is black and the bottom half is red and looks pretty sharp and like said I'm appreciate appreciative that we got it. The firefighters are liking it, enjoying it. And it's kind of neat because it's it's a 27 year newer truck, but it's simpler to operate and kind of stopped us a few times because we thought it would be more complicated. It was simpler than it was. So that's I guess that's good news.
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