June 2010

By Chris Knight

The 66th annual “Pioneer Days Festival” will be here before you know it on Friday, July 2, Saturday, July 3 & Sunday July 4 in Greenhills and your GFD volunteers are proud to be a part of the fun! We are happy to operate the beer booth again as one of only two fundraisers we hold each year. You’ll be able to purchase Bud, Bud Lt, Bud select, O’Doul’s and coolers in various flavors all in 16oz. Bottles. As always, the GFD asks everyone choosing to support our booth to drink responsibly and to have a safe holiday weekend. Everyone will be ID’d and given a colored bracelet to indicate that they are of legal age to purchase from our booth. Saturday features one of our favorite events of the whole year, the Greenhills 4^th of July parade. Anyone who has stood along the parade route in the past knows that when the GFD comes around it’s time to cover your ears. Our volunteers like to really crank it up as a way to salute this great nation on its birthday and to say thanks to you for your continuing support every year. Come on out and join us!

The Greenhills Fire Department members want to remind grilling enthusiasts and basic backyard cooks alike to remember grilling safety as the outdoor cooking season heats up. Last month we had a close call on Ingram involving a grill being used under a covered porch. While unattended, materials near the grill ignited and started a fire that caused damage to the roof and could easily have spread to the rest of the house if not caught in time. In 2003-2006, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 7,900 home fires involving grills, hibachis, or barbecues each year, causing 120 reported injuries and $80 million in direct property damage. Taking steps to keep grills a safe distance away from kids, pets, and things that can burn like branches, deck railings, and overhangs will help prevent home fires and injuries caused by grills. Six out of seven home grill fires involved a gas grill and the leading contributing factor was a leak or break in hoses or other equipment. The leading factor in charcoal grill fires was something that could burn too close to the grill. Check the gas cylinder hose for leaks before using it for the first time each year. A light soap and water solution applied to the hose will quickly reveal escaping propane by releasing bubbles. If you determine your grill has a gas leak, by smell or the soapy bubble test, and there is no flame:

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  • Turn off the gas tank and grill.
  • If the leak stops, get the grill serviced by a professional before using it again.
  • If the leak does not stop, call the fire department.

If you smell gas while cooking, immediately get away from the grill and call the fire department. Do not attempt to move the grill. Use only equipment bearing the mark of an independent testing laboratory. Follow the manufacturers’ instructions on how to set up the grill and maintain it. Never store propane gas cylinders in buildings or garages. If you store a gas grill inside during the winter, disconnect the cylinder and leave it outside. For more information about safe grilling practices, visit www.NFPA.org.

            We are getting close to the delivery date for our two new life squads which are almost identical to the current lifesquads except for the new chassis and some minor differences in the exterior GFD graphics. Jeff Palmer and his new life squad committee members deserve credit for making the most of your taxpayer dollars with the purchase of these two partially refurbished vehicles. The “box” that contains the equipment storage and the patient area is actually removed from the old squads, refurbished and placed onto a new chassis (the front part of the vehicle along with the wheels and underside) saving the cost of an entirely new life squad. For the price of a single new ambulance, we are able to replace both of our aging ambulances.

                        Did you know that 73% of firefighters in the United States belong to a volunteer department? If you have ever thought about becoming a volunteer firefighter/EMT there is no better place to take the first step than at the only all-volunteer firehouse in the county, Greenhills Volunteer Fire Department. Just call 589-3583 and leave your name and number so that we can get you all of the information you’ll need to get started. You can also visit us on the web at www.GHFD.org!

 See you in August!