I thought that I would write about the things that cause fires on the outside of our homes. The weather has finally changed, ushering in outdoor activities. Since more and more people are going outside, it is important to think about those things that can cause a fire on the outside. As always, my list will not cover everything that might happen, but it is designed to make the readers think about their homes and potential issues. I had originally titled this “The Deck,” but it is about any fire on the outside of a home. Your deck is a…

An interesting thing happened at our home Monday. Our grandson had spent the night Sunday. It was Monday morning, and we had been up for a little while. I set my alarm clock, but got up before it went off. It started going off, and I asked my wife what it was. Our grandson got up quickly, took my hand, and led me outside. After a few moments, I realized that he was treating the alarm clock like an activating smoke alarm and led me to a safe place. When we got outside, I asked him about his grandma, who…

James 4:14 states, “Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” We have experienced great tragedy in our Chesterfield community recently. In the period of a week, two children were killed on the railroad tracks and two children died after being left in a hot vehicle. There is hardly a day that goes by that we do not hear about another structure fire that has displaced the occupants. There are also few days that an ambulance or engine does…

Though life may be going great right this moment, are your affairs in order? If you have family willing to walk with you through anything, then you might be OK when something catastrophic occurs. I have said this before and I am saying it again: Everyone needs an advocate! A close family is the best advocate you can have, but what if you have no family, or maybe you have family, but they are unwilling to step up? You must take care of this before you are unable to take care of yourself. If you are legally married, though I…

Though we are a little over a week away from Memorial Day, more and more people are headed to the water, compliments of this warm weather. Fishing from the shore, fishing from a boat, boating and walking along the beach are just a few of the activities taking place. Sadly, there have been drowning cases this early in the season. Therefore, I think it prudent to write about water safety. Where children are concerned, parental supervision is an absolute necessity when water is in play. Just like cooking requires our full attention, so does watching children around water. This is…

Winter has finally given way to spring. As happy as I am that temperatures have risen, there are many things that we must keep in mind with this change. Outdoor activities are increasing, which means our awareness must go up for what could injure us. I will touch on some things that come to mind, but know that there are many others that we must watch out for. One of the first things to remember is to stay hydrated. Temperatures have already made it to the 90s, increasing the possibility of each of us becoming overheated. Dehydration can come on…

I was reading the battalion comments in the Chesterfield Fire & EMS Daily Business Plan. The chief officer was writing about some of the recent fires that presented challenges to fire crews. In the fires discussed, units arrived to houses that had heavy fire involvement upon arrival. Let’s address the responsibilities of the fire service and the public once a fire occurs. Responsibilities of the fire service •A rapid turnaround following an incoming call by the Emergency Communications Center. •Once the call is transmitted to the stations, firefighters need to be ready to respond at all hours of the day…

I watched a news report this morning about a rapidly progressing fire in a dance studio in New Jersey. Thankfully, no one lost their life, but some of the building occupants had to escape from a second-floor balcony. A rapidly advancing fire will cause people to jump from the second floor or the 80th floor. The fire in New Jersey was reported to have started on the first floor. There are many things that I do not know about the building, like layout, the presence or absence of smoke alarms, a fire alarm system or a sprinkler system. Let me…

The longer I live and the more I drive, the crazier the things that I see people do. Of all the things that I write about, driving or riding in a motor vehicle puts one in harm’s way more than anything else. I will go in a few directions with this article, knowing that most of the offenders will not read it. It is important that we always drive defensively. The point of driving is to prevent a motor vehicle collision, no matter who has made the mistake. So fasten your seatbelts, check your rearview mirror and side mirrors and…