Fire Safety – And “What To Do” After A Fire – U.S. Fire Administration

U.S. Fire Administration
Fire Prevention What you can do to reduce the risk factor.
After a fire – what to do…
Steps To Take After A Fire
More Resources:
More Help After A Fire

MALL & SHOPPING SAFETY

Take a few precautions when you shop and you’ll be “taking a bite out of crime”.
Personal Safety at Malls
The threat of physical assault does not necessarily increase along with the crowds, especially during holiday periods. It’s when you’re far from the crowd, in distant reaches of parking lots or other isolated areas of the mall that you are most vulnerable.
To protect better yourself: Be Alert & Be Aware!
Always try to walk to and from your vehicle with another person. If you are shopping alone, consider walking near other shoppers in the parking lot.
If shopping alone and leaving at night — particularly if you’re carrying several bundles — ask a security officer to accompany you to your car. Most malls will provide that service.
Inside a mall, avoid darkened hallways and other backroom areas, especially near closing time.
Avoid using bathrooms that are tucked away in a back area of a mall concourse or department. If you can, find a bathroom near the mall’s food court or other well-trafficked area. And always accompany your child to the bathroom.
Never use a video arcade or toy store as a baby sitter; predators are on the prowl for unattended children. More then 100,000 children are abducted every year — often in malls or department stores, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCME).
Find out whether the malls and stores you frequent have procedures to search for a missing child. Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Target are among retailers participating in a program developed by the NCME. The program, called “Code Adam,” was named after Adam Walsh, a 6-year-old Florida boy who was killed after being abducted from a shopping mall in 1981. As soon as a child is reported missing, employees scour the aisles. If the child doesn’t turn up after 10 minutes, the police are notified.

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Cooking Safety – Turkey Fryers

If you run into problems cooking up your turkey or other menu problems visit the following website offered by Sunset Magazine.
Sunset Magazine offering Holiday Cooking Tips
Frying Your Turkey? Some Safety Advice Regarding Turkey Fryers
It’s become a food favorite – the deep-fried turkey! While some people rave about this tasty creation, Underwriters Laboratories Inc.’s (UL) safety experts are concerned that backyard chefs may be sacrificing safety for good taste.

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Beat The Heat & Stay Safe

When It’s HOT!
During extreme heat a Power Emergency can be declared and S.D.G. & E. will ask all customers to take immediate conservation steps, such as:

Set your air conditioning thermostat to 78 degrees or higher, health permitting.

Turn off unnecessary lights and computers.

Do not use any major appliances, ie. dishwashers, washing machines, dryers and electric stoves.

Please turn off pool filtering systems.

People who are temperature sensitive can visit Cool Zones throughout the county.

In addition to conserving energy, be prepared for possible outages. Keep emergency supplies on hand, including fresh batteries and flashlights and non-perishable food and water. Consider purchasing wind-up flashlights.

Have an emergency plan in place if a member of your household depends on life-support or needs other medical equipment. This may include a back-up power source or transportation to another facility. For other outage preparation suggestions, view our online tips.

For more information on saving energy, or the energy situation, please visit
www.sdge.com.
More Safety Reminders:

People are advised to drink plenty of fluids, avoid spending prolonged periods in the sun and check up on relatives and neighbors during the late-summer heat wave.

Cool Zones now in operation – the county has centers for senior to escape the heat. For a list of designated cool zones for San Diego County call 1-800-510-2020

What should I do if I’m in a hot environment?
Pace yourself. If you are not accustomed to working or exercising in a hot environment, start slowly and pick up the pace gradually. If exertion in the heat makes your heart pound and leaves you gasping for breath, STOP all activity. Get into a cool area or at least in the shade, and rest, especially if you become lightheaded, confused, weak, or faint.
CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES
OES Launches Heat Preparedness Web Page
The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services has launched a Heat Preparedness Web site that provides tips and information on how to beat the heat and stay safe this summer. The site includes preparedness tips for people and their pets, as well as links on energy conservation, phone numbers for local emergency management offices, and links to utilities statewide.
In the event of a heat emergency, this site will also provide directions to cooling centers that are setup statewide, as well as additional news and information to keep the public safe.
Visit the Heat Preparedness site at -
“Be Prepared For The Heat!”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Extreme Heat

What happens to the body as a result of exposure to extreme heat?
People suffer heat-related illness when the body’s temperature control system is overloaded. The body normally cools itself by sweating. But under some conditions, sweating just isn’t enough. In such cases, a person’s body temperature rises rapidly. Very high body temperatures may damage the brain or other vital organs. Several factors affect the body’s ability to cool itself during extremely hot weather. When the humidity is high, sweat will not evaporate as quickly, preventing the body from releasing heat quickly. Other conditions that can limit the ability to regulate temperature include old age, youth (age 0-4), obesity, fever, dehydration, heart disease, mental illness, poor circulation, sunburn, and prescription drug use and alcohol use.

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Cigarette Smoking & Cancer

Key Points
Cigarette smoking causes 87 percent of lung cancer deaths and is responsible for most cancers of the larynx, oral cavity and pharynx, esophagus, and bladder (see Question 1).
Secondhand smoke is responsible for an estimated 3,000 lung cancer deaths among U.S. nonsmokers each year (see Question 2).
Tobacco smoke contains thousands of chemical agents, including over 60 substances that are known to cause cancer (see Question 3).
The risk of developing smoking-related cancers, as well as noncancerous diseases, increases with total lifetime exposure to cigarette smoke (see Question 4).
Smoking cessation has major and immediate health benefits, including decreasing the risk of lung and other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease (see Question 5).
Tobacco use, particularly cigarette smoking, is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States. Cigarette smoking alone is directly responsible for approximately 30 percent of all cancer deaths annually in the United States
(1). Cigarette smoking also causes chronic lung disease (emphysema and chronic bronchitis), cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cataracts. Smoking during pregnancy can cause stillbirth, low birthweight, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and other serious pregnancy complications
(2). Quitting smoking greatly reduces a person’s risk of developing the diseases mentioned, and can limit adverse health effects on the developing child.
What are the effects of cigarette smoking on cancer rates? – Answer: Cigarette smoking causes 87 percent of lung cancer deaths
(1). Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women (3). Smoking is also responsible for most cancers of the larynx, oral cavity and pharynx, esophagus, and bladder. In addition, it is a cause of kidney, pancreatic, cervical, and stomach cancers (2, 4), as well as acute myeloid leukemia (2).
Are there any health risks for nonsmokers?
The health risks caused by cigarette smoking are not limited to smokers. Exposure to secondhand smoke, or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), significantly increases the risk of lung cancer and heart disease in nonsmokers, as well as several respiratory illnesses in young children (5).
(Secondhand smoke is a combination of the smoke that is released from the end of a burning cigarette and the smoke exhaled from the lungs of smokers.)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Institute of Environmental Health Science’s National Toxicology Program, and the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have all classified secondhand smoke as a known human carcinogen – a category reserved for agents for which there is sufficient scientific evidence that they cause cancer (5, 6, 7).
The U.S. EPA has estimated that exposure to secondhand smoke causes about 3,000 lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers and is responsible for up to 300,000 cases of lower respiratory tract infections in children up to 18 months of age in the United States each year (5).
For additional information on ETS, see the NCI fact sheet Environmental Tobacco Smoke, which can be found at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/ETS on the Internet.
What harmful chemicals are found in cigarette smoke?
Cigarette smoke contains about 4,000 chemical agents, including over 60 carcinogens (8).
In addition, many of these substances, such as carbon monoxide, tar, arsenic, and lead, are poisonous and toxic to the human body. Nicotine is a drug that is naturally present in the tobacco plant and is primarily responsible for a person’s addiction to tobacco products, including cigarettes. During smoking, nicotine is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream and travels to the brain in a matter of seconds. Nicotine causes addiction to cigarettes and other tobacco products that is similar to the addiction produced by using heroin and cocaine (9).
How does exposure to tobacco smoke affect the cigarette smoker?
Smoking harms nearly every major organ of the body (2). The risk of developing smoking-related diseases, such as lung and other cancers, heart disease, stroke, and respiratory illnesses, increases with total lifetime exposure to cigarette smoke (7). This includes the number of cigarettes a person smokes each day, the intensity of smoking (i.e., the size and frequency of puffs, the age at which smoking began, the number of years a person has smoked, and a smoker’s secondhand smoke exposure.
How would quitting smoking affect the risk of developing cancer and other diseases?
Smoking cessation has major and immediate health benefits for men and women of all ages. Quitting smoking decreases the risk of lung and other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease. The earlier a person quits, the greater the health benefit. For example, research has shown that people who quit before age 50 reduce their risk of dying in the next 15 years by half compared with those who continue to smoke (3). Smoking low-yield cigarettes, as compared to cigarettes with higher tar and nicotine, provides no clear benefit to health (2). For additional information on quitting smoking, see the NCI fact sheet Questions and Answers About Smoking Cessation, which can be found at www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/cessation on the Internet.
What additional resources are available?
For additional information about cancer or tobacco use, call 1-800-4-CANCER or visit the NCI’s Web site about tobacco at http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/tobacco on the Internet.
For help with quitting smoking, call NCI’s smoking cessation quitline at 1-877-44U-QUIT or visit NCI’s smoking cessation Web site at http://www.smokefree.gov on the Internet.
Information about the health risks of smoking is also available from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) at 1-800-CDC-1311 (1-800-232-1311) or via their Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco on the Internet.
Selected References
Ries LAG, Eisner MP, Kosary CL, et al. (eds). SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2001, National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, 2004 (http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2001).
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2004.
American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2004. Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society, 2004.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Targeting Tobacco Use: The Nation’s Leading Cause of Death. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2003.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1992.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Report on Carcinogens: Tenth Edition. Research Triangle Park, NC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Toxicology Program, 2002.
International Agency for Research on Cancer. Tobacco Smoke and Involuntary Smoking. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, Vol. 83. Lyon, France, 2004.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tobacco Use in the United States. Retrieved September 30, 2003, from: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/overview/tobus_us.htm.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Nicotine Addiction: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, Center for Health Promotion and Education, Office on Smoking and Health, 1988.
Related Resources
Publications (available at http://www.cancer.gov/publications)

Electrical Safety

Electrical Safety information for:
Parents -
Electrical Safety For Parents
For Kids -
Electrical Safety for Children
Always be safe!

MOCK Cocktail Drinks For Safer Celebrating

To be a caring party host – here are non-alcoholic drinks:

Mock Orange Julius Recipe
Yield: 3 Servings
6 oz Orange Juice Frozen – CONCENTRATE
1 c Milk
1 c Water
1/4 c Sugar
1 Egg
1/2 c Coconut milk
8 Ice cubes

Put in blender and blend until ice cubes are gone, about 2 minutes. Serve right away while frothy.

Mock Peach Daiquiri Recipe
Yield: 2 Cups
14 oz Peaches;*drained, reserve -juice
1 tb Lemon juice
6 -Ice cubes
1/3 c Milk, homogenized
1/2 c Peach juice
1/2 ts Rum flavoring
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Carbon Monoxide Dangers From The NFPA

From the National Fire Protection Association
December 17, 2006 – About 100 people have been poisoned by carbon monoxide (CO) produced by generators and charcoal grills used for warmth and light during the widespread power outages caused by a major storm in western Washington state, according to an AP report.
Although the popularity of carbon monoxide (CO) alarms has been growing in recent years, it cannot be assumed that everyone is familiar with the hazards of carbon monoxide poisoning in the home. Often called the silent killer, carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas created when fuels (such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane) burn incompletely. In the home, heating and cooking equipment that burn fuel are potential sources of carbon monoxide. Vehicles or generators running in an attached garage can also produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.
Facts & Figures
According to the National Safety Council, 200-300 unintentional-injury deaths a year are due to carbon monoxide poisoning.
The dangers of CO exposure depend on a number of variables, including the victim’s health and activity level. Infants, pregnant women, and people with physical conditions that limit their body’s ability to use oxygen (i.e. emphysema, asthma, heart disease) can be more severely affected by lower concentrations of CO than healthy adults would be.
A person can be poisoned by a small amount of CO over a longer period of time or by a large amount of CO over a shorter amount of time.
Symptoms of CO poisoning:
CO enters the body through breathing. CO poisoning can be confused with flu symptoms, food poisoning and other illnesses. Some symptoms include shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, light headedness or headaches. High levels of CO can be fatal, causing death within minutes.
The concentration of CO, measured in parts per million (ppm) is a determining factor in the symptoms for an average, healthy adult.
CO – concentration (parts per million) Symptoms
50 – No adverse effects with 8 hours of exposure.
200 – Mild headache after 2-3 hours of exposure.
400 – Headache and nausea after 1-2 hours of exposure.
800 – Headache, nausea, and dizziness after 45 minutes; collapse and unconsciousness after 1 hour of exposure.
1,000 – Loss of consciousness after 1 hour of exposure.
1,600 – Headache, nausea, and dizziness after 20 minutes of exposure.
3,200 – Headache, nausea, and dizziness after 5-10 minutes; collapse and unconsciousness after 30 minutes of exposure.
6,400 – Headache and dizziness after 1-2 minutes; unconsciousness and danger of death after 10-15 minutes of exposure.
12,800 – Immediate physiological effects, unconsciousness and danger of death after 1-3 minutes of exposure.
Source: NFPA’s Fire Protection Handbook, 19th Edition.
Safety tips in the home:
Install CO alarms (listed by an independent testing laboratory) inside your home to provide early warning of accumulating CO.CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each separate sleeping area. If bedrooms are spaced apart, each area will need a CO alarm.
Call your local fire department’s non-emergency number to find out what number to call if the CO alarm sounds.
Post that number by your telephone(s). Make sure everyone in the household knows the difference between the fire emergency and CO emergency numbers (if there is a difference).
Test CO alarms at least once a month and replace CO alarms according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
CO alarms are not substitutes for smoke alarms. Know the difference between the sound of smoke alarms and CO alarms.
Have fuel-burning heating equipment (fireplaces, furnaces, water heaters, wood and coal stoves, space or portable heaters) and chimneys inspected by a professional every year before cold weather sets in.
When purchasing new heating and cooking equipment, select products tested and labeled by an independent testing laboratory.
When using a fireplace, open the flue for adequate ventilation.
Never use your oven to heat your home.
When buying an existing home, have a qualified technician evaluate the integrity of the heating and cooking systems, as well as the sealed spaces between the garage and house.
Safety tips outside the home:
If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Do not run a vehicle, generator, or other fueled engine or motor indoors, even if garage doors are open. Make sure the exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not covered with snow.
During and after a snowstorm, make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow build-up.
Only use barbecue grills – which can produce CO – outside. Never use them in the home, garage or near building openings.
When camping, remember to use battery-powered lights in tents trailers, and motor homes.
If your CO alarm sounds
Immediately move to a fresh air location and call for help. Remain at the fresh air location until emergency personnel say it is ok.
If the audible trouble signal sounds, check for low batteries or other trouble indicators.
Updated: 12/06

Candle Safety

Basic Candle Safety Tips:

Never leave a burning candle unattended.
(Note): To avoid the following hazards consider using flameless – battery operated candles.
Do not burn candles on or near flammable materials.
Take action if you see excess soot.
Is there a draft? It could blow curtains into the burning candle.
Does the wick need shortening?
Trim wick to approximately 1/8 – 1/4″
Candles with a diamete of 3″ or more could burn over a considerable time so that the wax becomes liquid up to the edge of the candle. A wax wall will be formed around the wick impairing the flame.
A slight curve of the wick is appropriate. Should one side of the candle become too low, push the wick slightly to the opposite side, but only if the wick is warm.
The above is from the Association of European Candle Manufacturers.

Candles don’t cause fires, people cause fires. Burn your candles safely, use common sense.
More Candle Safety Tips

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Be A Waterwise Parent!

It’s been hot and the number of drownings locally have risen. SUPERVISION is key in preventing most of the tragedies we see involving children. Drowning is the silent killer – please, NEVER leave your child alone in or near water – NOT EVEN FOR A SECOND! -
Monica Zech, Safety Educator for the City of El Cajon
From the Safekids.org Website please read the following:
At the height of summer, cooling off in a pool, at the beach or a lake may top your child’s list of favorite activities. While most parents are aware of drowning risks, many don’t know that drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for kids ages 1 to 4, and the second leading cause for ages 1 to 14.
The stats don’t lie, it’s easy for a child to get into trouble around water.
Here are some drowning prevention tips to keep in mind:

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