The storm season looked to be tame this time of year.  For the most part, the Town of Priceville made through unscathed.  In the event “The Big One” comes, are you prepared to act?  Do you know your shelter is ready for you and your family/friends?  Are you able to enter and secure it from the inside?  Is it clear for you to enter?  It hasn’t become a swimming pool and there aren’t any creatures taking-up shelter.  Has it?  Do you have the necessary supplies in there (a decent list of storm shelter supplies can be found here)?  If you don’t have a storm shelter/safe room of your own, did you know the Priceville Town Hall has a storm shelter in the basement?  These are all questions we need to ask.
 
The last “major” question is, does someone around you (not living with you) know where your storm shelter/safe room is located?  Think about that one for a second.  What happens if your shelter gets covered by a tree or remnants of a house or car?  Does someone know where to look for you?  Do you want us to look for you?  This is where the Priceville Fire Department has a request.  If you could, print and fill out the Microsoft Word document below showing us where your storm shelter/safe room is located on your property.  When you are done, please mail it to us at the address below or email it to PricevilleVFD@gmail.com.
 
Priceville Volunteer Fire Department
ATTN: Storm Shelter
1638 S. Bethel Road
Decatur, AL 35603

Distractions are the number 1 cause of the car accidents we see.  From people messing with their car stereo, sending a text message, talking on their cell phones, to being in a heated rush to get nowhere, they all prevent you from doing the most important thing: driving safely.  I am sure everyone will nod their head to this and say they know, but you need to focus on the road and nothing else.  If a distraction comes up, don't be afraid to pull over and handle it.  You can then continue to drive uninhibited. 

Peer pressure can be an effective tool to discourage unsafe acts (not only while driving as it can be applied to drugs, alcohol, other life-altering decisions).  We are all willing to speak-up when small stuff occurs like when the cashier gives us incorrect change in a store, in a restaurant when our food isn't prepared correctly, or in school when we feel we are getting an unsatisfactory grade.  Why should it be any different when you see an UNSAFE act?  Click on the picture to the left to see a video from Speakuporelse.com.  Although a humorous approach to the issue, it demonstrates how one person can make a difference (the  Speakuporelse.com website has four videos with a similar message).  When you are done, click on the picture below and pledge yourself to speak-up against reckless driving.  It only takes ONE voice to make the difference.

That seems to be the motto of many services: the phone company, the cable company, and the local gas company.  We had Lou Ann Mitchell from Wheeler Basin Natural Gas Company come out and give us some information on natural gas emergencies.  The best advice they had was to call 811 before you dig anywhere in your yard.  They will then gladly come out and tell you if you have any hazards which might prevent you from digging that swimming pool or putting up a fence in your yard.

They stressed if you smell gas, or have identified some hazard with your gas system, to evacuate the area and call the fire department at 911 or their number at 256-974-9023.

If you click HERE, you will be able to download the same information we received as a fire department.

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Lately, driving around town, one can notice more children looking at you through the back window, or standing up, leaning between the front seats.  Trying to get the parent’s attention usually yields in dirty looks or other gestures of thanks.  Whether it is a trip from home to New York or from your house to the grocery store, all children need to be wearing a restraint while riding in a vehicle. 

I remember being a small child riding around in the back of my father’s pickup.  I also remember riding in my uncle’s muscle car and the seat belts were there “for decoration”.  It wasn't too long ago when mothers would carry their babies on their laps as the family went on an outing.  Times have changed, laws are becoming more stringent, and cars are becoming safer.  Children, however, are still dying due to not being properly restrained in a vehicle.

The Department of Transportation has statistics on highway fatalities.  Using their Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), you can narrow down statistics using their “Query” feature.  Alabama, in 2007, had 193 motor vehicle fatalities for those under the age of 15*.  Of those, 94 children were reported to not have been properly restrained.  In 2006, out of 227 fatalities, there were 126 unrestrained children.  In 2005, they comprised 86 of the 206 fatalities.  If you think about it, nearly HALF of those deaths may have been prevented had the children been restrained.  That is 306 children who might be alive if they had been wearing a seat belt or in a car seat.  That is also 306 drivers who thought it would never happen to them.

Here is the law as stated by Act 2006-623 effective July 1, 2006:
"(1) Infant only seats and convertible seats used in the rear facing position for infants until at least one year of age or 20 pounds.

"(2) Convertible seats in the forward position or forward facing seats until the child is at least five years of age or 40 pounds.

"(3) Booster seats until the child is six years of age.

"(4) Seat belts until 15 years of age."

It is also recommended to keep children in the back seat until the age of 12.  It is believed the air bag can do more harm than good for a child in the front seat.  This is why there is an airbag disable feature in some pickups.  Remember, Parents, you should wear your seat belts.  Children learn from the examples you provide.

If you, or someone you know, cannot afford a car seat, you might qualify for a free one through the Alabama Head Injury Foundation.  You can contact them at 1-800-823-3818.  For advice regarding car seat installation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website has good information regarding the LATCH system now required on car seats.

There is one more key thing- if you are ever involved in a serious car accident, you should replace the car seat.  Regardless if the seat looks good to you, the seat did its job in protecting your child once, but there is no guarantee it will perform as admirably a second time.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has a list of criteria you can use to determine if the accident you were in warrants the need to dispose of a car seat.  If you are worried about who will pick up the bill for a new seat, you should verify with your insurance agent that the replacement of a car seat is included during reparations for the accident.

 *The age of 15 was used in the statistics because that is where the Child Restraint Law ends.  No, it doesn’t mean those of us over the age of 16 are not required to wear a seat belt.  It just means that law viewed those up to, and including, the age of 15, as children.  The rest of the values used in the queries were Alabama, ages 0-15, and restraint system-use of “None Used”.  There may be detractors because “None Used” also encompasses those not killed in a motor vehicle but killed as a result of a motor vehicle.

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Why does a city have a volunteer fire department?  The primary reason is the tremendous cost of the manpower.  From a recent job posting, the City of Huntsville had a job posted for firefighters ranging in salary from $35,000 to $53,500 per year.  For the sake of easy math, let us say $40,000 is the annual pay for a small town firefighter (realize this also doesn’t account for experience, level of certification, or seniority due to rank).   Then you add employee benefits (insurance, state retirement, worker’s comp) of around 40% and you are up to $56,000 per person.  Then you have, at a bare minimum, 9 firefighters and 1 chief.   Those 10 people are 3 firefighters per 24 hour shift, and one chief, covering an entire city from one station.  How realistic does that sound?  The City of Decatur has 8 fire stations with more than 3 on shift at one time.  Anyway, those ten firefighters would cost $560,000 per year.  Our nearly 40 member department would cost the city $2.24 million per year.  That doesn’t include the operating cost for the trucks/station/equipment.  Per the year 2000 census, the Town of Priceville had only 1631 people living in it.  Imagine the taxes those 1631 would have to pay…  When you start looking at the numbers, you can see how much of a service a volunteer department provides. 

Why do all of the people listed in the “Members” tab volunteer?  We don’t get any pay or any tax breaks from the state.  Despite that, it is easy to answer: being able to help someone in need makes everyone feel good at the end of the day.  It is infectious.  It has an effect on your mind, body, and soul.  Besides that, you become part of a social network of truly fine individuals.  You get to learn new skills to apply to your life.  You earn the respect of those around you.

Click on the picture next to this article and open it in another tab.  This is a commercial recently aired on television.  It had such a powerful message that it got me off the couch and right to the computer to share with you.  It demonstrates the necessity of giving back to the community.  Although we here at PricevilleFire.com are partial to the volunteer fire service, there are many ways of giving back.  You can feed the hungry, read to the elderly, coach a little league team, help the local Habitat for Humanity, teach CPR with American Heart Association or the Red Cross, volunteer at your church, or any other function that fulfills the needs of those around you.  There are so many, it would be hard to list them all.  In these poor economic times, there are many foundations looking for support with many more that need the support.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.  Like the commercial says, “Don’t almost give…”

It is Friday, 5:30 PM- that means it is rush hour.  You look up ahead to see traffic starting to clog up.  Man, this is going to interfere with your dinner/family/life plans... Whatever reason it may be, you are not happy because you would rather be anywhere but here.  You notice this nuisance is due to a car accident where an impatient person shot through a red light, T-boning another car.  Fire department, EMS, and police are on the scene and have traffic flowing in one lane.  You finally get your chance, and you are going to take it.  You race through your portal to the other side of the accident to where the open road awaits.  You shoot by the scene, narrowly missing a fireman by a few feet, but nonetheless, you are homeward bound...

All of this sounds quite dramatic, but it is the real thing.  The orange cones we set up are used in hopes you might give us the space we need to work on the scene.  They will not prevent you from hitting us.  The times we really feel this is an issue is when we work wrecks on the Interstate.  During these situations we want you to move to the lane furthest from us and slow down.  Remember, there is a Move-Over Law that took effect in 2006 that requires vehicles to move into the furthest lane from emergency workers working on the roadside.  Frequently, we will use fire trucks to act as barriers for us, but that does not negate the need for you to pull over or reduce your speed.  Trying to give ourselves enough room to safely work the scene comes first, allowing traffic to flow is secondary.  If you click on the picture with this article, you will see a video regarding this issue.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us with your concerns.  Remember to drive safe out there, you aren't the only one who wants to go home at the end of their day...

In 2008, we were evaluated by Insurance Services Office (ISO for short) with a score of 4/9 in the city, and 5/9 outside of the city limits.  This is an improvement over the previous score of 6/9.  What does this mean?  In short, it means lower insurance prices for those who live within the fire district of Priceville.  You could save money when we get better ISO ratings. 

We had an inspector come and inspect us over a few days.  The evaulation is based upon a few things: the Fire Department, the hydrant and water supply system, and our 911 dispatchers.  Factors include response time, equipment on our trucks, how much water we can get to a fire, our level of training, number of dispatchers used to cover our district, pre-planning of scenes, number of personnel responding, and so on.  Anyway, after the inspection, the inspector returns to their office and determines a score. 

The scores are ranked from 1 to 10, 1 being the highest rating and 10 being lowest rating (think of it like a pitcher's ERA in baseball or a driver's lap time in NASCAR- the lower, the better).  The scores are reported in a fashion reflecting how far you live from a fire station and how far a hydrant is from your property being insured.  If you live within the city of Priceville, are within 5 road miles of a fire station, and have a fire hydrant within 1000 feet of your house, the ISO rating is a 4.  However, if you live in the city, are within 5 road miles of a fire station, but NOT within 1000 feet of a fire hydrant, the ISO rating is a 9.  This is how you end up with a score of 4/9.

For this reason, communities need a lot of money poured into them.  Cities will apply for grants to get improvements to their water supply and add new hydrants.  911 dispatchers will get outfitted with new radio equipment.  Fire departments will ask for new equipment to stock their trucks.  In our case, we are awaitng results from a grant to buy a new tanker truck to use in the areas without hydrants. You can also pay to have a hydrant installed.  If you are near a water line greater than 6 inches in diameter, you can then pay Northeast Morgan County Water and Sewer to install one for you. 

The Priceville Fire Department would like to thank Nucor Steel Decatur for their recent donations.  Their donation comes in two parts.  First, they offered to pick up the bill to fill the cascade air system.  Second, they offered us their fire extinguisher training system.  What does all of this mean?  Keep reading and you will know. 

While fighting a fire, we wear air cylinders on our back to provide us with clean air.  They are called Self Contained Breathing Apparatuses, or SCBAs for short.  They are like SCUBA tanks, but for firefighting.  Anyway, when the fire is out and we head to the station, we need to refill those cylinders.  We have two options available, a large air compressor or something called a cascade system.  Air compressors are very expensive ($30,000+ for base units) and not really feasible for small fire departments.  With the cascade system, we use a series of large cylinders with high pressure air to refill the SCBAs.  We pay NAFECO to use their compressor to fill those large cylinders when they get low (costs much, much less).  This is the service that Nucor offered to cover for us.  A special thanks to Maryemily Slate, their Cold Mill Plant Manager, and Chad Potter, their Controller, for making this donation possible.

The second donation is in the form of training equipment.  Fire extinguishers are usually the first line of defense in any fire.  A poorly used fire extinguisher is as bad as not using one at all.  Nucor teaches its employees how to use fire extinguishers with the BullEx Live Fire Training System.  Nucor has offered this training system to us to make us more proficient with fire extinguishers.  Special thanks go to Nucor's Safety Coordinator, George Stephenson, for his wonderful donation.

Priceville Fire Department cannot give enough thanks to Maryemily, Chad, George, and the entire Nucor team for your gracious donations.  This makes it possible for us to continue protecting our community. 

Christmas dinner has been joyfully polished off by your houseful of guests.  Everyone retreats to the living room to watch the kids play with their gifts and spend time together.  You look over at Grandpa, who has been unusually quiet for a short while, grab his chest and collapse in his chair.  This obviously is a medical emergency.  You quickly dial 9-1-1 to get some help.

Although a dramatic scenario, this is quite realistic.  Maybe you have already encountered such an event.  Now you place your faith in the responders who are dispatched to help.  That is where we come in.  You expect the fire department and ambulance to arrive as fast as possible to help Grandpa.  Below are a few suggestions to help us get to you faster:

-HAVE YOUR HOUSE WELL MARKED FROM THE ROAD-  Some people have numbers attached to their house, which at night, blend in to the shadows, paint, and various yard gnomes adorning your yard.  A well-marked mail box is a better option.  As seen from this example by Interstate Sign Products, having a clearly marked address is one of the best ways for us to find you in the event of your emergency.  The sign you see is approximately 10 dollars, comes with all of the numbers and the green, reflective sign.  All that is required on your part is about 10 minutes of time to put it together and a couple screws or zip ties to affix it to your mailbox.  Similar signs can be purchased at your local home improvement center or stores like WalMart, Target, or K-mart.

-HAVE SOMEONE COME OUTSIDE AND MEET US-  Obviously, keep them safely out of the roadway itself, but have them ready (with a flashlight if at night) to get our attention as we drive down the road.

-IF YOU CANNOT SEND SOMEONE TO THE ROAD, TURN THE OUTSIDE LIGHTS ON AT NIGHT- Some people are not as mobile as they used to be.  Have the front porch lights on, or have someone flashing them.  Our thought is if the lights are off, that house is full of sleeping people, and not having an emergency. 

-GIVE GOOD DIRECTIONS- The old approach, next to the old Johnson Farm, might help some of the older responders get to you, but it might be better to give more solid directions.  The third house on the left, red brick house with a green pickup in the yard, big American flagpole out front might be better.  Give some real distinguishing characteristics to help us find our way.

I hope this helps those of you who read this.  Helping us help you can ensure a faster, more desirable response out of the emergency services.  It just might determine if Grandpa sees the next Christmas dinner...