Camp Beyond the Scars Winter Camp

A little bit about our Department's participation:
 
The non-profit Burn Institute - Inland Empire sponsored a winter camp for burn survivors ages 7-18 at the Presbyterian Conference Center, here in the City of Big Bear Lake, over Presidents' Day Weekend.  Fire Prevention Officer Michelle Caldwell volunteered as a camp counselor, working with a group of girls, 7-8 years old. 
 
All sorts of activities were made available to the children during their stay, including inner-tubing, sledding, games, a carnival, concert, special visits from a guide dog group and our own Moonridge Zoo, and much more. On the last night of camp, fire crews from all over Big Bear Valley, including Big Bear Lake Fire Protection District's own "C" shift firefighters (Captain Chuck Robillard, Engineer Kelvin McKelfish, Firefighter/Paramedic Ryan Harold, Firefighter/Paramedic Jeff Schwing, and Firefighter Nic Turner) joined the group for dinner and later provided tours of the fire equipment. 
 
The winter camp was a wonderful opportunity for children to forge friendships with others who share something in common and a chance for the youth to just be kids and enjoy many of the winter activities that Big Bear Valley has to offer. The camp was definitely a positive experience for all involved.
 
Click here to see article in the Press Enterprise. Be sure to click on the audio/visual slide show at the top of the article.

ASH DISPOSAL
IMPROPER ASH DISPOSAL CAUSES FIRES

A fireplace with a dancing fire lends a cozy feeling to any home, especially on a cold, blustery day. Fireplaces and other wood-burning equipment can provide efficient heat. After enjoying your home fire, properly disposing of ashes is vital. Improper disposal of fireplace or wood stove ashes causes fires, not only in homes, but also in dumpsters and trash trucks. Properly dispose of ashes by placing them in metal containers, never in paper or plastic bags nor cardboard boxes. Ashes can hold enough heat to start a fire for several days. Wet the ashes and make sure they are cold. If you dispose of ashes at a public dumpsite, do not put them in the trash dumpster but in the red dumpster marked "for ashes only". Your local fire departments waste valuable time putting out dumpster fires and fires in trash trucks which have been caused by improper disposal of ashes. Help to keep your home and our Valley safe!

SMOKE DETECTORS
A SOUND FOR LIFE!

If there were to be a fire in your home tonight, would your family survive? With properly placed and maintained smoke detectors you increase your chances of survival by 50%.

Most residential fire deaths occur between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. This is the time of greatest danger, when people are asleep. The primary killer is smoke and poisonous gases which overcome victims as they sleep. From the time a fire breaks out there is a limited amount of time that a person has to escape. With the early warning of a smoke detector, you can be awakened during the early stages of a fire while escape is still possible.

When purchasing smoke detectors for your home, be sure they are labeled by a nationally recognized fire testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratories (US).

For minimum protection, smoke detectors should be installed outside of each bedroom or sleeping area. It is also suggested that at least one should be placed on the other levels of your home for additional protection. Placement of your smoke detector is important. Because smoke rises, the detector should be mounted on the ceiling or high on a wall. If wall mounted, the top of the detector should be 4 to 12 inches from the ceiling. A ceiling mounted detector should be at least 4 inches from any wall. Take care to keep the detector away from drafts created by fans or air ducts. Also, if a hallway leading to bedrooms is more than 40 feet long, a detector should be placed at both ends. 

Once you've installed your smoke detectors, their maintenance is very important. Your detector should be tested a minimum of once a month by pressing the test button or using smoke. Replace the batteries according to the manufacturer's recommendations, or at least once a year, using the type of batteries recommended. Because dust and cobwebs can impair the sensitivity of the detector, follow the manufacturer's directions for cleaning.

Properly installed and maintained smoke detectors can provide you and your family with the necessary early warning to escape a home fire. For additional information on the purchase and placement of smoke detectors, contact the Big Bear Lake Fire Department at (909) 866-4668 or the Big Bear City Fire Department at (909) 585-2362.

CHANGE YOUR SMOKE DETECTOR BATTERIES WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR CLOCKS