Station Gossip ﬁ the firehouse scene July Complete.pdfa full-time job, running a business with his...

the firehouse sceneIs a monthly publication of the

Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection District

PostageHarlem-Roscoe FirePO Box 450Roscoe, IL 61073

The Firehouse Scene - 2www.harlemroscoefi re.com

July 2011 Fire Chief Don Shoevlin Editor Sheryl Drost

Photo by Sheryl Drost

Firefi ghters Respond Mutual AidSee page 3Stay Safe This SummerSee pages 6&7

Station Gossip

Seems there is a rumor going around about the ring tones several of the guys have at the fi re station. They say its the loudest one so they can here it... Uh huh...Glad to see retired Chief Presley is home and healing! Hey, maybe we can fi nally get him to sit still long enough to work on our history book! Did you know, a cricket’s chirp frequency fl uctuates with temperature. What does this mean? You can tell the temperature (in Fahrenheit) by counting the number of times a cricket chirps in 15 seconds. Just add 37 to whatever number you reach and BAM you have an approximate outside temp!Most children drink water eagerly if offered. In fact, not encouraging water as the primary drink can backfi re. When offered the choice between something sweet and water, many kids will choose sweet. By using water as the primary hydration source and offering sugary drinks as an occasional treat only, parents can foster the habit of water drinking.Watermelon makes a great snack on hot days, It’s chock-full of fi ber, nutrients, and water!Apologies to FF Mike Helland, the department calendar has his birthday on the 16th, but it was the 6th. Mike, I got it right this month in this newsletter. But think of it this way, you get to celebrate your birthday twice!

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White Hat Brigade?

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Birthdays

July1st John Bergeron6th Adam Arnould Mike Helland7th Mike Drost Virgil Johnson9th Greg Wernick16th John Morgan17th Mark Schaffman18th William Null21st Tim Bergeron27th Doug Wolfe

August7th Tom Lake9th Jeff Morris11th Rico VanderHeyden15th John Barth25th Dona Zopp26th Bob Clark27th Mike Sherbon28th Keith Lincoln

Total Calls for 2011 To date - 1182

Firehouse Scene is a monthly newsletter produced by the Harlem-Roscoe F.P.D.

Editor-in-Chief - Don ShoevlinEditor & Layout - Sheryl Drost

The Firehouse Scene is available at Station One - 10544 Main Street in Roscoe and on the department’s web site after the second Sunday each month. www.harlemroscoefi re.com

E-mail submissions to: Sheryl @ fi [email protected]

From the Chief’s DeskBy Fire Chief Don Shoevlin

I would like to start out by wishing my predecessor a speedy recovery. Retired Fire Chief Presley recently had a medical procedure, but I assure you, he is well on his way back to being his old self again. The last report I received is that he is home resting, recouping and doing well.

I recently just returned from the annual Illinois Fire Protection Districts Meeting in Peoria. Myself, Asst. Chief O’Dell, Trustees Jerry Ocker and Bart Munger, and the District Attorney Nate Noble all attended. This show is geared for Chiefs, trustees and lawyers with many events, classes and seminars for each. The program curriculum covered Organization and Administration, Finances, Procurement and Legal Liability, Personnel and Human Resources. Being able to attend these conferences allows us to stay on top and bring the best back to you. The trustees and attorney took time away from their jobs and personal schedule. Thank you for your commitment to further your knowledge to better serve our district.

The dog days of summer are upon us. Remember to hydrate yourself, but please don’t forget about pets and check on our neighbors if they require.

Our next event will be National Night Out 2011. We will be at two locations. The Village of Roscoe will be at Life Church and the Village of Machesney Park will be at 251 & 173. It is on August 2 from 5:00 PM til 8:00 PM. This is a joint venture with fi re and law enforcement. There will be displays and activities for kids along with informational handouts. I hope you will be able to stop by one, if not both, locations to visit with us.

Other upcoming events will be the Roscoe Lions Club Fall Festival This will be held on 9/9, 9/10, and 9/11. This being the tenth anniversary of the tragic 911 event we, will be having a special memorial on 9/11 as well. The district has approved a fi refi ghter memorial to be made in front of Station 1. We will have a special dedication ceremony on 9/11 prior to the parade. Please watch for further information on this in the weeks to come.

We greatly appreciate all of your continuous support. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to call me or stop by. Don’t forget to keep up on the progress of your fi re department by visiting our website, www.harlemroscoefi re.com.

Gone,But not forgotten

To Rockton Fire Chief Kirk Wilson and his wife Tracy (both former Harlem-Roscoe Fire personnel), your Harlem-Roscoe Fire family sends our deepest sympathies and are heart-felt condolences on the tragic loss of your son, Mitchel. Please know we will always be here with plenty of hugs and we will always remember that little guy running around at our family Christmas parties and picnics that we watched grow up and become a young man. He truly touched the hearts of many!

I Didn’t Know That!Story & photo by Sheryl Drost

Many of us have not read this warning on the back of paint stain cans, but hopefully we will now.

“! DANGER: Rags, steel wool or waste soaked with this product may spontaneously catch fi re if improperly discarded. Immediately after each use, place rags, steel wool or waste in a sealed, water-fi lled metal container and dispose of according to local regulations!!”

Residents on Amy Ln. were done staining their wood fl oors on June 19 and put the rags in a cardboard box and set the box in the garage. You guessed it, the rags caught fi re by spontaneous combustion. Technically, the oil in the rags chemically reacted with the air in a process called oxidation, giving off heat. The rags acted like insulation holding in the heat, letting it build up to auto ignition temperatures.

Luckily, there wasn’t enough combustibles nearby and/or enough oxygen in the air-tight garage to fuel the fi re, and the fi re burned itself out. The fi re damaged a riding lawn mower and the box of rags; it could have been a lot worse! Harlem-Roscoe Firefi ghters checked the attic above the burned rags to make sure there was no fi re extension and ventilated the garage.

Harlem-Roscoe Fire Chief Don Shoevlin adds, “Another option to prevent spontaneous combustion is to spread the rags out fl at to dry so they can’t build up heat as the oil oxidizes.”

FF Knipp RetiresFirefi ghter Brad Knipp has turned in his equipment and will no longer be one of the old guys at Station Three. After 20 years of not only volunteering here at the fi re department, but holding down a full-time job, running a business with his wife, and oh, raising three kids, Brad has turned in his boots to be more available to his family as his kids enter the teen years. Brad, we thank you for your time and commitment and although we will miss seeing you on fi re calls, we know we will still be seeing you around the fi re station!

Captain Tim Bergeron, Chief Don Shoevlin and Lt. Mike Huffman presented Brad with his helmet shield.

The Firehouse Scene - The Firehouse Scene - Page 11 www.harlemroscoefi re.comwww.harlemroscoefi re.com

Out in the Community Photos by Sheryl Drost & Lt. Ron Klaman

Firefi ghters were out in the community several times this month from spraying water to cool kids down at a local Vacation Bible School to helping raise the fl ag at North Park Fire’s event, and to participating in NorthPointe Safety Day and three 4th of July parades.

Mutual Aid to Loves Park FireStory & Photos by Sheryl Drost

Harlem-Roscoe Fire responded to Loves Park Fire’s Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (M.A.B.A.S.) dispatch for a fi re at a 6-family apartment complex on N. 2nd St. on June 17. Harlem-Roscoe was to send an engine, an ambulance and a Chief to assist Loves Park Fire.

Engine 702 crew assisted with ventilation on the roof of the structure and Chief Shoevlin was assigned rear sector command. The ambulance crew helped with rehab; luckily no one was injured.

Engine 702 crew works on ventilation.

Chief Shoevlin had rear sector command.

Engine 702 crew rehab with the ambulance crew.

Car FireStory & photos by Sheryl Drost

Harlem-Roscoe Firefi ghters responded to a report of a car fi re on June 27. They arrived to a fully involved fi re in a 4-door car. Foam was needed to extinguish this fi re; magnesium parts burning in the vehicle would fl are up when water was used.

Firefi ghters begin their attack on the fi re.

Foam was used to fi nish putting the burning magnesium out.

The car was destroyed by the fi re.

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Safe Summer DrivingBy Lt. Ron Klaman

Imagine this…… it’s sunny (got your shades on), it’s 82 degrees (got the top down), your favorite song’s on the radio (you reach down to turn it up) and you don’t see that car run the stop sign! IT CAN HAPPEN!

I wanted to say a few words about safe driving. Any time you’re behind the wheel is the time for safe driving, but summer time seems to add just a bit more to think about. Motorcyclists are out enjoying the weather (and the gas mileage), but are nowhere as easy to see as cars and trucks. With kids being out of school and playing all over, you never know when they could be darting out into the street. They could be running after a ball or sprinting over to the ice cream truck. People are out walking and biking, or out jogging in the fresh air. These are just a few examples of added observations to our daily commute in the summer. We always need to be paying attention to the road while behind the wheel.

Ok, now it’s a “bright” sunny day. It is 96 degrees and you have the air on “Max”. Your second favorite song is on the radio, and with the windows rolled up it is quite comfortable in the car. Can you hear that distant siren, or see the lights on the fi re truck approaching you from behind?

Well since you check your mirrors about every fi ve seconds like you were taught in Drivers Ed, you do. And just as you were taught in class, you “CURB RIGHT FOR LIGHTS AND SIRENS”. This is the safest way for “Responding” emergency vehicles and traffi c to navigate the roadways.

With the quiet passenger compartments of today’s newer vehicles, it is sometimes diffi cult to hear a siren from a distance. That is why it is important to always check your surroundings. If you are approached by an emergency vehicle, don’t panic. Turn on your right blinker, and calmly merge to the right. Whether that be into the slow lane or off of the road onto the shoulder and stop. Please do not block intersections. You never know where we might be turning. Always check your mirrors before returning to the roadway and be on the look-out for a second emergency vehicle or the other motorists on the road.

In closing try this. Use a “Defensive Driving” method to your driving. ALWAYS expect the unexpected. Maybe you will be less likely to be taken by surprise while behind the wheel. Be an observant driver: watch for kids, motorcycles, fi re trucks, ambulances and that occasional “other guy” who might not be paying attention. Remember, NO TEXTING while driving. Enjoy your summer and “Be Safe!”

~ Mosquitoes are insects that have been around for 30 million years. They have chemical sensors that can detect mammals from 100 feet away; they have heat sensors to detect warm-blooded creatures; and they have visual sensors that detect movement and contrast in colors. The fi rst activity of an adult mosquito is to mate. The females lay their eggs and then live from days to months afterward. The male mosquito dies within days after mating.

Station TourPhoto by Sheryl Drost

The kids from Stepping Stones Day Care in Roscoe stopped by the fi re station for a tour on July 7.

Hamilton Beach Recalls Toasters Due to Fire HazardJune 30, 2011

Hazard: The heating element in these toasters can remain energized indefi nitely when an item

is placed in the toaster which may ignite the contents, posing a fi re hazard if the toaster is near fl ammable items.

Incidents/Injuries: Hamilton Beach has received 15 reports of toasters that did not pop-up as intended, including three reports of minor damage to kitchen cabinets. There were no reports of injuries.

Description: The Hamilton Beach recall involves model 22600 toasters with specifi c series codes. These series codes begin with the letters C or D, and have the format of CXXXXBI or DXXXXBI, where XXXX is a four-digit number ranging from 0190 through 5290. The model number and series code are printed on the bottom of the toaster. The toaster has a chromed steel exterior, a front control panel with a rotary toast shade selector and function buttons arranged in an arc, a front removable crumb tray and Hamilton Beach printed across the front of the toaster.

Sold at: Mass merchandisers and department, grocery and home center stores nationwide and various online retailers from February 2008 through June 2011 for between $30 and $40.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled toasters and contact the fi rm to receive instructions on how to obtain a free replacement toaster.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Hamilton Beach at (800) 379-2200 anytime, or visit the fi rm’s website at www.hamiltonbeach.com. General toaster safety information available from Hamilton Beach at (http://tinyurl.com/43va5sd) (pdf).

Lightning and Fires and Bees, Oh my!Photos by Sheryl Drost & Marcia Soppe

A family was rousted from their beds after lightning struck their home on Dearborn Ave. on June 15. The strike caused a fi re in the furnace sending the family out into the pouring rain, and into the shelter of their vehicle, as they waited for help to arrive. The fi re was quickly extinguished and a positive pressure fan was used to rid the home of smoke.

Firefi ghters head in with an attic ladder to check for any fi re extension.

Fire trucks are lined up out front in the pouring rain.

Grass FirePhoto by Sheryl Drost

Firefi ghters responded a couple times this month out to I-90 to extinguish some grass fi res on the sides of the highway.

Dumpster FirePhoto by Sheryl Drost

Firefi ghters responded to a report of smoke behind a row of large apartment buildings on Andrews Dr. The culprit was a fi re in a large dumpster.

FFs Shannon Burbach and Chris Farr make quick work of putting out the fi re in the large dumpster.

The Firehouse Scene - The Firehouse Scene -Page 9 www.harlemroscoefi re.comwww.harlemroscoefi re.com

Drowning Doesn’t Look Like DrowningPublished: June 16th, 2010 by Mario Vittone

Mario Vittone has nineteen years of combined military service in the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. His writing on maritime safety has appeared in Yachting, Salt Water Sportsman, On-Scene, Lifelines, and Reader’s Digest magazines. He has lectured extensively on topics ranging from leadership to sea survival and immersion hypothermia. He is a marine safety specialist with the U.S. Coast Guard.

The new captain jumped from the deck, fully dressed, and sprinted through the water. A former lifeguard, he kept his eyes on his victim as he headed straight for the owners who were swimming between their anchored sportfi sher and the beach.

“I think he thinks you’re drowning,” the husband said to his wife. They had been splashing each other and she had screamed but now they were just standing, neck-deep on the sand bar. “We’re fi ne, what is he doing?” She asked, a little annoyed. “We’re fi ne!” The husband yelled, waving him off, but his captain kept swimming hard. ”Move!” He barked as he sprinted between the stunned owners. Directly behind them, not ten feet away, their nine-year-old daughter was drowning. Safely above the surface in the arms of the captain, she burst into tears, “Daddy!”

How did this captain know, from fi fty feet away, what the father couldn’t recognize from just ten? Drowning is not the violent, splashing, call for help that most people expect. The captain was trained to recognize drowning by experts and years of experience. The father, on the other hand, had learned what drowning looks like by watching television.

If you spend time on or near the water (hint: that’s all of us) then you should make sure that you know what to look for whenever people enter the water. Until she cried a tearful, “Daddy,” she hadn’t made a sound. As a former Coast Guard rescue swimmer, I wasn’t surprised at all by this story. Drowning is almost always a deceptively quiet event. The waving, splashing, and yelling that dramatic conditioning (television) prepares us to look for, is rarely seen in real life.

The Instinctive Drowning Response – so named by Francesco A. Pia, Ph.D., is what people do to avoid actual or perceived suffocation in the water. And it does not look like most people expect. There is very little splashing, no waving, and no yelling or calls for help of any kind. To get an idea of just how quiet and undramatic from the surface drowning can be, consider this: It is the number two cause of accidental death in children, age 15 and under (just behind vehicle accidents) – of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult. In ten percent of those drownings, the adult will actually watch them do it, having no idea it is happening (source: CDC). Drowning does not look like drowning – Dr. Pia, in an article in the Coast Guard’s On Scene Magazine, described the instinctive drowning response like this:

Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfi lled, before speech occurs.Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and re-appear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water, permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs.

This doesn’t mean that a person that is yelling for help and thrashing isn’t in real trouble – they are experiencing aquatic distress. Not always present before the instinctive drowning response, aquatic distress doesn’t last long – but unlike true drowning, these victims can still assist in their own rescue. They can grab lifelines, throw rings, etc.

Look for these other signs of drowning when persons are in the water:

Head low in the water, mouth at water levelHead tilted back with mouth openEyes glassy and empty, unable to focusEyes closedHair over forehead or eyesNot using legs – VerticalHyperventilating or gaspingTrying to swim in a particular direction but not making headwayTrying to roll over on the backLadder climb, rarely out of the water.

So if a person falls overboard and looks O.K. – don’t be too sure. Sometimes the most common indication that someone is drowning is that they don’t look like they’re drowning. They may just look like they are treading water and looking up at the deck. One way to be sure? Ask them: “Are you alright?” If they can answer at all – they probably are. If they return a blank stare – you may have less than 30 seconds to get to them. And parents: children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and fi nd out why.

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BeesPhoto by Sheryl Drost

It seems a semi truck hauling bees stopped at Loves Truck Stop for gas on June 20 and a few thousand of the bees thought the canopy above them was something they wanted to check out. Well, you guessed it, the truck pulled away and the bees were left without a home.

The exact same thing happened just last year, so Chief Shoevlin knew just what to do; A local bee keeper was called to the scene. The department’s aerial truck was used to get the bee keeper up to the bees. He put a box with a honeycomb and some bees in it above the swarm and the bees went into the box. The box was left up there for a few hours till most of the bees were safely inside.

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06/20/11 Ventura Blvd. 06/30/11 Swanson Rd.

06/09/11 Rockton Rd. 06/12/11 Prairie Hill Rd.

06/09/11 Forest Hills & Burden Rd.

Accidents Photos by Sheryl Drost & Marcia Soppe

06/12/11 Prairie Hill Rd. 06/15/11 Hwy 251

Children drown quickly and silently—in a matter of sec-onds. Adults who were present when a child drowns were often distracted in some way, by talking on the phone, chatting with other adults around the pool, or reading.

What you can do about it:

• Actively supervise your children around water, and have a phone nearby to call for help in an emergency.

• When there are several adults present and children are swimming, use a Water Watcher card to designate an adult as the Water Watcher to prevent gaps in supervi-sion.

• Download the Water Watcher Card.

Curious children, especially those younger than 4 years old, can easily find and fall in to bodies of water like pools, tubs and buckets. Often they are discovered too late to save.


• Never leave a child alone when in or near a body of water—even if it’s less than a few inches.

• For pool owners, make sure your pool has four-sided fencing and a self-closing, self-latching gate.

• Hot tubs should be covered and locked when not in use.

Drowning victims who are rescued from the water need CPR immediately—before the paramedics arrive. It can prevent brain damage and be the difference between life and death.

What you can do about it

• Get certified.

• There are plenty of CPR classes available to meet busy schedules.

• Contact your local health department, hospital or visit their Web site to locate a local American Red Cross Chapter that offers courses year-round.

Children from non-swimming households are eight times more likely to be at-risk of drowning. Minority children have especially low rates of swimming ability and high rates of drowning.


• Enroll your child in swimming lessons.

• If you do not know how to swim either, enroll in a parent-child learn-to-swim class.

• To find swimming lessons, contact your local parks and recreation department, an aquatics center or visit the YMCA Web site to find a YMCA near you.

Nearly 5,000 boating accidents occur each year in open waters (lakes, rivers and oceans) and more than 700 people drown. Of those who drown, nine out of 10 are not wearing a life jacket. Also, alcohol use is involved in up to one in five reported boating fatalities.


• Have your child wear a life jacket every time you go boating or are on a dock.

• Avoid or moderate your alcohol consumption when boating.

• If you and your family boat frequently, consider taking a boating safety class through the U.S. Coast Guard.

www.safekids.org

06/20/11 McDonald Rd. 06/16/11 Second St.

Danger: DehydrationIn hot weather, it’s harder to stay hydrated. Many of us have a refi llable water bottle attached to our person (or stroller) at all times, But kids are less likely to remember to drink

fl uids – especially when they’re having fun playing outside – so they need your help.

Children are also more prone to dehydration than adults. It can happen if they take in less fl uid than they lose through, for example, sweating on a hot summer day.

Moms-to-be need extra liquids to meet the demands of pregnancy, such as producing additional blood to nourish their growing baby. Staying hydrated also helps prevent urinary tract infections, constipation, and hemorrhoids, all common during pregnancy.

Pregnant women: Experts usually recommend six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day, plus another glass or two during hot weather.

Becoming overheated is particularly dangerous for pregnant women. In the fi rst trimester, excessive heat can cause birth defects, specifi cally neural tube defects such as spina bifi da. (The neural tube is the beginning of a baby’s nervous system.)

When an expectant mom overheats and becomes dehydrated, the uterine muscle tends to contract, which may lead to pre-term labor. It is recommended that they drink water and sports drinks designed to help replace electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and chloride.

While dehydration can affect the amniotic fl uid to some degree, amniotic fl uid levels are usually the result of how well the placenta is working, rather than hydration.

Babies - birth to 12 months: Newborns can’t regulate their body temperature, so they get overheated easily. In general, babies under age six months should not be given water. Until then, they’ll get all the hydration they need from breast milk or formula, even in hot weather. Drinking extra water places them at risk for water intoxication (over dilution of the bloodstream), which can cause seizures.

Kids - 12 months to 8 years: Make sure kids have ready access to water and encourage them to take a water break after an hour of playing outside; if it must be fl avored, that’s okay.

Other snacks with water in them are fi ne, including ice pops and snow cones, as long as you watch the total daily sugar and calorie intake.

The Firehouse Scene - The Firehouse Scene - Page 7

Seniors in HeatThe following article is from: http://www.egyptianaaa.org

I knew there was a problem the moment I stepped into the house. It was one of those stunningly hot Illinois summer days, and the house was absolutely stifl ing. The house belonged to “Nellie,” one of the senior citizens that I helped periodically in my position as a

social service worker for a county senior citizen agency.

Nellie was in her seventies, and had some health problems, including an eye condition which severely affected her vision. She spent her money cautiously, but she had enough resources to maintain herself comfortably, and she did have a window air conditioner. My experience with Nellie up to that time told me that although she had some limits in her functional abilities, her mind was quite clear. She knew what she needed, and knew how to go about getting her needs met.

On this day, however, Nellie was uncharacteristically vague. She knew it was hot. She knew her air conditioner was not working. But her only plan to meet this emergency was to wait for her son from Wisconsin to visit her. She thought he might visit that weekend. She seemed to be in a heat induced “daze,” which was impairing her judgment and ability to understand that she was in a dangerous situation.

Fortunately, she accepted my help in this situation. The son was called, the air conditioner was repaired, and Nellie recovered. She once again was the “take charge” Nellie I had come to know.

The situation scared me, and even though that was years ago, I have never forgotten the effect that excessive heat can have. There are older people in Illinois who have survived many a summer without air conditioning, but to do so requires that they be “heat smart.” That means taking special precautions against the heat.

Avoid Summer Dangers - Be “Sun Smart”http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/jun/20/avoid-common-summer-dangers-by-being-sun-smart/

Time in the sun can lead to big risks, especially for seniors, children and people with chronic conditions like heart disease. They can be in greater danger of dehydration, heat exhaustion, heatstroke and sunburn.

The rays of the sun do not discriminate. People of all complexions and ethnicities can become sunburned or overheated. Sunburn may not appear for a few hours. After excessive exposure to the sun, some people who are genetically prone may develop moles, freckles, skin cancers, splotches or sun spots.

The FDA is working to reduce confusion about sun blocks and sunscreens. By mid-2012, sunscreen lotions and sprays that claim to be effective in preventing skin cancer and premature aging of skin must meet two criteria: The sunscreen must have an ultraviolet sun protection factor of 15 or greater. Also the sunscreen must provide broad spectrum UV protection from both ultraviolet B and ultraviolet A rays.

Starting in the summer of 2012, sunscreens makers who claim their products are sweat-proof or waterproof must be able to prove these assertions scientifi cally. Similarly, a manufacturer must also provide evidence to support a claim of a SPF level over 50.

Children and pets who cannot fi nd a cool retreat from the sun and heat are in great peril. Locked cars can be particularly dangerous. UVA rays can pass through the glass that can cause sunburn and skin cancer. The sun’s heat can also build up quickly in a locked car. Dogs can suffer brain and organ damage after just 15 minutes in high heat.

Many seniors don’t sense when they have had too much sun or heat, leading to heat exhaustion or heatstroke. Heatstroke symptoms include a high temperature, dizziness, nausea, rapid pulse, cramps, and hot dry skin.

Low-income elderly people might choose to stay in locked up houses with closed windows, even when the weather service issues a heat warning. They may sit or sleep just next to a fan in a hot closed home -- despite the fact that they might have a working air conditioner.

The sun’s rays and heat can be hazardous for healthy adults such as runners, bikers, sunbathers, and people who play outdoor sports in all seasons. Others at high risk are gardeners, outdoor workers such as landscapers, farmers, roofers and construction crews. Men account for nearly two-thirds of heat-related deaths

What you should doApply a broad spectrum sunscreen to protect against both UVA and UVB with an SPF rating of 30 or higher. Apply the sun block or screen 30 minutes before sun exposure to allow penetration. Reapply every two hours.If your sunscreen is likely to be washed or wiped away, apply the sunscreen more often. Also use lip balm.Never leave children or pets in a closed, parked vehicle that could expose them to excessive heat. This advice also covers ill or elderly adults.Don’t leave the engine and air conditioner running in a locked vehicle. A child, confused adult or pet can accidentally shift a gear and cause the vehicle to move. Bumped buttons and dials can also turn off the car air conditioner.Protect yourself from ultraviolet light. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and lightweight, loose-fi tting clothing that protects your skin from the sun and can keep you from getting too hot. Stay out of the sun during the hottest times of the day if possible. If you must be outdoors, try to use the cooler morning hours for work or exercise. Pace yourself. Find shade and take a cold water, juice or tea break.Check on family and friends at least two times a day if they are likely to be especially sensitive to the sun and heat. Ask seniors to take a walk in a mall, go to a movie, or visit another cool place out of the sun or a hot house.Consider taking vitamin D and calcium supplements to protect your bones. The sun is a good source of vitamin D, but excessive sun exposure can damage your skin and cause you to get too hot.Stay indoors in an air-conditioned place if you can. Help seniors get an air conditioner and fan if feasible.Cool baths and ice water can cool you off. Remind seniors and children.

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Bee, Wasp and Hornet Stings Illinois Department of Public Health

For most people, a sting from a member of the Hymenoptera order (for example, bees, wasps, hornets, ants, etc.) usually results in nothing more than a painful swelling that disappears in a matter of hours. However, some people suffer allergic reactions to these kinds of stings. Symptoms of allergic reactions include dizziness, headaches, abdominal cramps or extreme nausea.

Other warning signs of an allergic reaction include breathing diffi culties and hives or swelling in an area of the body other than where the sting occurred. The fi rst allergic reaction is usually not severe, but should serve as a warning. The fi rst sting sensitizes the victim, and additional stings result in increasingly severe reactions. Consult a physician the fi rst time an allergic reaction occurs. If you are seriously allergic, your doctor may advise desensitization or that you carry a special kit containing emergency medicines to combat the allergic reaction.

If the stinger remains in the skin, remove it by gently scraping away or by gently teasing it out with a clean pointed instrument. Do not squeeze; this may inject more venom into the skin. Thoroughly wash Hymenoptera stings, and all insect bites, with soap and water. Apply an antiseptic anti-infl ammatory ointment or cream, or a paste made of baking soda and water, to relieve itching and to prevent infection. If more serious symptoms occur, especially those indicating an allergic reaction, seek medical attention promptly.

Whether or not you are allergic to Hymenoptera stings, they are unpleasant and an experience to avoid. Follow these tips to discourage the attention of bees, wasps and hornets:

Avoid scented products such as perfume, hair spray, suntan lotion, cosmetics, deodorant, shaving lotion, etc. Do not wear brightly colored and patterned clothes. Do not go barefoot, especially through vegetation. Do not swat at bees and yellow jackets with bare hands. Move slowly and steadily, and gently brush the insects off. Do not sit on or handle wet towels, washcloths, etc., without fi rst making sure no insect is drinking the moisture. When a bee or a wasp gets into a moving car, remain calm; safely pull the car off the road, open the window and allow it to escape. Keep garbage in tightly sealed containers. Hypersensitive persons should wear a bracelet or necklace or carry a medical alert card indicating they are susceptible to shock-like symptoms or unconsciousness after a bee sting. Insect repellents used to repel mosquitoes will not repel wasps and bees. Use a bee catcher with a sugary liquid in it such as Mountain Dew.Finally, be watchful when cooking, eating, and drinking outdoors, especially during yellow jacket season, which heightens in late summer. Check for insects on food and in open drink containers before eating and drinking. Keep food covered.

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Surviving the Summer

Protect Pets From Summer Scorchers http://www.allpetnews.com/6-summer-dangers-for-pets

It may not be common knowledge, but dogs and cats can get sunburned just like their owners, especially in places like their tender noses or their bellies where their fur is shortest. Be sure to keep your pets in shaded areas for longer periods of time than in the sun.

It is extremely important not to leave your pet in a parked vehicle for any amount of time, due to the possibility of heat stroke. Animals with fl at faces, like pugs and Persian cats, are more susceptible to heat stroke since they cannot pant as effectively. Symptoms of overheating include: excessive panting, diffi culty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, seizures and elevated body temperatures over 104 degrees Fahrenheit. If you suspect overheating, sponge the animal with lukewarm water and seek veterinary care.

Danger: DehydrationIn hot weather, it’s harder to stay hydrated. Many of us have a refi llable water bottle attached to our person (or stroller) at all times, But kids are less likely to remember to drink

fl uids – especially when they’re having fun playing outside – so they need your help.

Children are also more prone to dehydration than adults. It can happen if they take in less fl uid than they lose through, for example, sweating on a hot summer day.

Moms-to-be need extra liquids to meet the demands of pregnancy, such as producing additional blood to nourish their growing baby. Staying hydrated also helps prevent urinary tract infections, constipation, and hemorrhoids, all common during pregnancy.

Pregnant women: Experts usually recommend six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day, plus another glass or two during hot weather.

Becoming overheated is particularly dangerous for pregnant women. In the fi rst trimester, excessive heat can cause birth defects, specifi cally neural tube defects such as spina bifi da. (The neural tube is the beginning of a baby’s nervous system.)

When an expectant mom overheats and becomes dehydrated, the uterine muscle tends to contract, which may lead to pre-term labor. It is recommended that they drink water and sports drinks designed to help replace electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and chloride.

While dehydration can affect the amniotic fl uid to some degree, amniotic fl uid levels are usually the result of how well the placenta is working, rather than hydration.

Babies - birth to 12 months: Newborns can’t regulate their body temperature, so they get overheated easily. In general, babies under age six months should not be given water. Until then, they’ll get all the hydration they need from breast milk or formula, even in hot weather. Drinking extra water places them at risk for water intoxication (over dilution of the bloodstream), which can cause seizures.

Kids - 12 months to 8 years: Make sure kids have ready access to water and encourage them to take a water break after an hour of playing outside; if it must be fl avored, that’s okay.

Other snacks with water in them are fi ne, including ice pops and snow cones, as long as you watch the total daily sugar and calorie intake.

The Firehouse Scene - Page 6 The Firehouse Scene -

Seniors in HeatThe following article is from: http://www.egyptianaaa.org

I knew there was a problem the moment I stepped into the house. It was one of those stunningly hot Illinois summer days, and the house was absolutely stifl ing. The house belonged to “Nellie,” one of the senior citizens that I helped periodically in my position as a

social service worker for a county senior citizen agency.

Nellie was in her seventies, and had some health problems, including an eye condition which severely affected her vision. She spent her money cautiously, but she had enough resources to maintain herself comfortably, and she did have a window air conditioner. My experience with Nellie up to that time told me that although she had some limits in her functional abilities, her mind was quite clear. She knew what she needed, and knew how to go about getting her needs met.

On this day, however, Nellie was uncharacteristically vague. She knew it was hot. She knew her air conditioner was not working. But her only plan to meet this emergency was to wait for her son from Wisconsin to visit her. She thought he might visit that weekend. She seemed to be in a heat induced “daze,” which was impairing her judgment and ability to understand that she was in a dangerous situation.

Fortunately, she accepted my help in this situation. The son was called, the air conditioner was repaired, and Nellie recovered. She once again was the “take charge” Nellie I had come to know.

The situation scared me, and even though that was years ago, I have never forgotten the effect that excessive heat can have. There are older people in Illinois who have survived many a summer without air conditioning, but to do so requires that they be “heat smart.” That means taking special precautions against the heat.

Avoid Summer Dangers - Be “Sun Smart”http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/jun/20/avoid-common-summer-dangers-by-being-sun-smart/

Time in the sun can lead to big risks, especially for seniors, children and people with chronic conditions like heart disease. They can be in greater danger of dehydration, heat exhaustion, heatstroke and sunburn.

The rays of the sun do not discriminate. People of all complexions and ethnicities can become sunburned or overheated. Sunburn may not appear for a few hours. After excessive exposure to the sun, some people who are genetically prone may develop moles, freckles, skin cancers, splotches or sun spots.

The FDA is working to reduce confusion about sun blocks and sunscreens. By mid-2012, sunscreen lotions and sprays that claim to be effective in preventing skin cancer and premature aging of skin must meet two criteria: The sunscreen must have an ultraviolet sun protection factor of 15 or greater. Also the sunscreen must provide broad spectrum UV protection from both ultraviolet B and ultraviolet A rays.

Starting in the summer of 2012, sunscreens makers who claim their products are sweat-proof or waterproof must be able to prove these assertions scientifi cally. Similarly, a manufacturer must also provide evidence to support a claim of a SPF level over 50.

Children and pets who cannot fi nd a cool retreat from the sun and heat are in great peril. Locked cars can be particularly dangerous. UVA rays can pass through the glass that can cause sunburn and skin cancer. The sun’s heat can also build up quickly in a locked car. Dogs can suffer brain and organ damage after just 15 minutes in high heat.

Many seniors don’t sense when they have had too much sun or heat, leading to heat exhaustion or heatstroke. Heatstroke symptoms include a high temperature, dizziness, nausea, rapid pulse, cramps, and hot dry skin.

Low-income elderly people might choose to stay in locked up houses with closed windows, even when the weather service issues a heat warning. They may sit or sleep just next to a fan in a hot closed home -- despite the fact that they might have a working air conditioner.

The sun’s rays and heat can be hazardous for healthy adults such as runners, bikers, sunbathers, and people who play outdoor sports in all seasons. Others at high risk are gardeners, outdoor workers such as landscapers, farmers, roofers and construction crews. Men account for nearly two-thirds of heat-related deaths

What you should doApply a broad spectrum sunscreen to protect against both UVA and UVB with an SPF rating of 30 or higher. Apply the sun block or screen 30 minutes before sun exposure to allow penetration. Reapply every two hours.If your sunscreen is likely to be washed or wiped away, apply the sunscreen more often. Also use lip balm.Never leave children or pets in a closed, parked vehicle that could expose them to excessive heat. This advice also covers ill or elderly adults.Don’t leave the engine and air conditioner running in a locked vehicle. A child, confused adult or pet can accidentally shift a gear and cause the vehicle to move. Bumped buttons and dials can also turn off the car air conditioner.Protect yourself from ultraviolet light. Wear a wide-brimmed hat and lightweight, loose-fi tting clothing that protects your skin from the sun and can keep you from getting too hot. Stay out of the sun during the hottest times of the day if possible. If you must be outdoors, try to use the cooler morning hours for work or exercise. Pace yourself. Find shade and take a cold water, juice or tea break.Check on family and friends at least two times a day if they are likely to be especially sensitive to the sun and heat. Ask seniors to take a walk in a mall, go to a movie, or visit another cool place out of the sun or a hot house.Consider taking vitamin D and calcium supplements to protect your bones. The sun is a good source of vitamin D, but excessive sun exposure can damage your skin and cause you to get too hot.Stay indoors in an air-conditioned place if you can. Help seniors get an air conditioner and fan if feasible.Cool baths and ice water can cool you off. Remind seniors and children.

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Bee, Wasp and Hornet Stings Illinois Department of Public Health

For most people, a sting from a member of the Hymenoptera order (for example, bees, wasps, hornets, ants, etc.) usually results in nothing more than a painful swelling that disappears in a matter of hours. However, some people suffer allergic reactions to these kinds of stings. Symptoms of allergic reactions include dizziness, headaches, abdominal cramps or extreme nausea.

Other warning signs of an allergic reaction include breathing diffi culties and hives or swelling in an area of the body other than where the sting occurred. The fi rst allergic reaction is usually not severe, but should serve as a warning. The fi rst sting sensitizes the victim, and additional stings result in increasingly severe reactions. Consult a physician the fi rst time an allergic reaction occurs. If you are seriously allergic, your doctor may advise desensitization or that you carry a special kit containing emergency medicines to combat the allergic reaction.

If the stinger remains in the skin, remove it by gently scraping away or by gently teasing it out with a clean pointed instrument. Do not squeeze; this may inject more venom into the skin. Thoroughly wash Hymenoptera stings, and all insect bites, with soap and water. Apply an antiseptic anti-infl ammatory ointment or cream, or a paste made of baking soda and water, to relieve itching and to prevent infection. If more serious symptoms occur, especially those indicating an allergic reaction, seek medical attention promptly.

Whether or not you are allergic to Hymenoptera stings, they are unpleasant and an experience to avoid. Follow these tips to discourage the attention of bees, wasps and hornets:

Avoid scented products such as perfume, hair spray, suntan lotion, cosmetics, deodorant, shaving lotion, etc. Do not wear brightly colored and patterned clothes. Do not go barefoot, especially through vegetation. Do not swat at bees and yellow jackets with bare hands. Move slowly and steadily, and gently brush the insects off. Do not sit on or handle wet towels, washcloths, etc., without fi rst making sure no insect is drinking the moisture. When a bee or a wasp gets into a moving car, remain calm; safely pull the car off the road, open the window and allow it to escape. Keep garbage in tightly sealed containers. Hypersensitive persons should wear a bracelet or necklace or carry a medical alert card indicating they are susceptible to shock-like symptoms or unconsciousness after a bee sting. Insect repellents used to repel mosquitoes will not repel wasps and bees. Use a bee catcher with a sugary liquid in it such as Mountain Dew.Finally, be watchful when cooking, eating, and drinking outdoors, especially during yellow jacket season, which heightens in late summer. Check for insects on food and in open drink containers before eating and drinking. Keep food covered.

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Surviving the Summer

Protect Pets From Summer Scorchers http://www.allpetnews.com/6-summer-dangers-for-pets

It may not be common knowledge, but dogs and cats can get sunburned just like their owners, especially in places like their tender noses or their bellies where their fur is shortest. Be sure to keep your pets in shaded areas for longer periods of time than in the sun.

It is extremely important not to leave your pet in a parked vehicle for any amount of time, due to the possibility of heat stroke. Animals with fl at faces, like pugs and Persian cats, are more susceptible to heat stroke since they cannot pant as effectively. Symptoms of overheating include: excessive panting, diffi culty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, seizures and elevated body temperatures over 104 degrees Fahrenheit. If you suspect overheating, sponge the animal with lukewarm water and seek veterinary care.

The Firehouse Scene - The Firehouse Scene - Page 5www.harlemroscoefi re.comwww.harlemroscoefi re.com

06/20/11 Ventura Blvd. 06/30/11 Swanson Rd.

06/09/11 Rockton Rd. 06/12/11 Prairie Hill Rd.

06/09/11 Forest Hills & Burden Rd.

Accidents Photos by Sheryl Drost & Marcia Soppe

06/12/11 Prairie Hill Rd. 06/15/11 Hwy 251

Children drown quickly and silently—in a matter of sec-onds. Adults who were present when a child drowns were often distracted in some way, by talking on the phone, chatting with other adults around the pool, or reading.


• Actively supervise your children around water, and have a phone nearby to call for help in an emergency.

• When there are several adults present and children are swimming, use a Water Watcher card to designate an adult as the Water Watcher to prevent gaps in supervi-sion.

• Download the Water Watcher Card.

Curious children, especially those younger than 4 years old, can easily find and fall in to bodies of water like pools, tubs and buckets. Often they are discovered too late to save.


• Never leave a child alone when in or near a body of water—even if it’s less than a few inches.

• For pool owners, make sure your pool has four-sided fencing and a self-closing, self-latching gate.

• Hot tubs should be covered and locked when not in use.

Drowning victims who are rescued from the water need CPR immediately—before the paramedics arrive. It can prevent brain damage and be the difference between life and death.

What you can do about it

• Get certified.

• There are plenty of CPR classes available to meet busy schedules.

• Contact your local health department, hospital or visit their Web site to locate a local American Red Cross Chapter that offers courses year-round.

Children from non-swimming households are eight times more likely to be at-risk of drowning. Minority children have especially low rates of swimming ability and high rates of drowning.


• Enroll your child in swimming lessons.

• If you do not know how to swim either, enroll in a parent-child learn-to-swim class.

• To find swimming lessons, contact your local parks and recreation department, an aquatics center or visit the YMCA Web site to find a YMCA near you.

Nearly 5,000 boating accidents occur each year in open waters (lakes, rivers and oceans) and more than 700 people drown. Of those who drown, nine out of 10 are not wearing a life jacket. Also, alcohol use is involved in up to one in five reported boating fatalities.


• Have your child wear a life jacket every time you go boating or are on a dock.

• Avoid or moderate your alcohol consumption when boating.

• If you and your family boat frequently, consider taking a boating safety class through the U.S. Coast Guard.

www.safekids.org

06/20/11 McDonald Rd. 06/16/11 Second St.

Lightning and Fires and Bees, Oh my!Photos by Sheryl Drost & Marcia Soppe

A family was rousted from their beds after lightning struck their home on Dearborn Ave. on June 15. The strike caused a fi re in the furnace sending the family out into the pouring rain, and into the shelter of their vehicle, as they waited for help to arrive. The fi re was quickly extinguished and a positive pressure fan was used to rid the home of smoke.

Firefi ghters head in with an attic ladder to check for any fi re extension.

Fire trucks are lined up out front in the pouring rain.

Grass FirePhoto by Sheryl Drost

Firefi ghters responded a couple times this month out to I-90 to extinguish some grass fi res on the sides of the highway.

Dumpster FirePhoto by Sheryl Drost

Firefi ghters responded to a report of smoke behind a row of large apartment buildings on Andrews Dr. The culprit was a fi re in a large dumpster.

FFs Shannon Burbach and Chris Farr make quick work of putting out the fi re in the large dumpster.


Drowning Doesn’t Look Like DrowningPublished: June 16th, 2010 by Mario Vittone

Mario Vittone has nineteen years of combined military service in the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. His writing on maritime safety has appeared in Yachting, Salt Water Sportsman, On-Scene, Lifelines, and Reader’s Digest magazines. He has lectured extensively on topics ranging from leadership to sea survival and immersion hypothermia. He is a marine safety specialist with the U.S. Coast Guard.

The new captain jumped from the deck, fully dressed, and sprinted through the water. A former lifeguard, he kept his eyes on his victim as he headed straight for the owners who were swimming between their anchored sportfi sher and the beach.

“I think he thinks you’re drowning,” the husband said to his wife. They had been splashing each other and she had screamed but now they were just standing, neck-deep on the sand bar. “We’re fi ne, what is he doing?” She asked, a little annoyed. “We’re fi ne!” The husband yelled, waving him off, but his captain kept swimming hard. ”Move!” He barked as he sprinted between the stunned owners. Directly behind them, not ten feet away, their nine-year-old daughter was drowning. Safely above the surface in the arms of the captain, she burst into tears, “Daddy!”

How did this captain know, from fi fty feet away, what the father couldn’t recognize from just ten? Drowning is not the violent, splashing, call for help that most people expect. The captain was trained to recognize drowning by experts and years of experience. The father, on the other hand, had learned what drowning looks like by watching television.

If you spend time on or near the water (hint: that’s all of us) then you should make sure that you know what to look for whenever people enter the water. Until she cried a tearful, “Daddy,” she hadn’t made a sound. As a former Coast Guard rescue swimmer, I wasn’t surprised at all by this story. Drowning is almost always a deceptively quiet event. The waving, splashing, and yelling that dramatic conditioning (television) prepares us to look for, is rarely seen in real life.

The Instinctive Drowning Response – so named by Francesco A. Pia, Ph.D., is what people do to avoid actual or perceived suffocation in the water. And it does not look like most people expect. There is very little splashing, no waving, and no yelling or calls for help of any kind. To get an idea of just how quiet and undramatic from the surface drowning can be, consider this: It is the number two cause of accidental death in children, age 15 and under (just behind vehicle accidents) – of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult. In ten percent of those drownings, the adult will actually watch them do it, having no idea it is happening (source: CDC). Drowning does not look like drowning – Dr. Pia, in an article in the Coast Guard’s On Scene Magazine, described the instinctive drowning response like this:

Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfi lled, before speech occurs.Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and re-appear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water, permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs.

This doesn’t mean that a person that is yelling for help and thrashing isn’t in real trouble – they are experiencing aquatic distress. Not always present before the instinctive drowning response, aquatic distress doesn’t last long – but unlike true drowning, these victims can still assist in their own rescue. They can grab lifelines, throw rings, etc.

Look for these other signs of drowning when persons are in the water:

Head low in the water, mouth at water levelHead tilted back with mouth openEyes glassy and empty, unable to focusEyes closedHair over forehead or eyesNot using legs – VerticalHyperventilating or gaspingTrying to swim in a particular direction but not making headwayTrying to roll over on the backLadder climb, rarely out of the water.

So if a person falls overboard and looks O.K. – don’t be too sure. Sometimes the most common indication that someone is drowning is that they don’t look like they’re drowning. They may just look like they are treading water and looking up at the deck. One way to be sure? Ask them: “Are you alright?” If they can answer at all – they probably are. If they return a blank stare – you may have less than 30 seconds to get to them. And parents: children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and fi nd out why.

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BeesPhoto by Sheryl Drost

It seems a semi truck hauling bees stopped at Loves Truck Stop for gas on June 20 and a few thousand of the bees thought the canopy above them was something they wanted to check out. Well, you guessed it, the truck pulled away and the bees were left without a home.

The exact same thing happened just last year, so Chief Shoevlin knew just what to do; A local bee keeper was called to the scene. The department’s aerial truck was used to get the bee keeper up to the bees. He put a box with a honeycomb and some bees in it above the swarm and the bees went into the box. The box was left up there for a few hours till most of the bees were safely inside.

Mutual Aid to Loves Park FireStory & Photos by Sheryl Drost

Harlem-Roscoe Fire responded to Loves Park Fire’s Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (M.A.B.A.S.) dispatch for a fi re at a 6-family apartment complex on N. 2nd St. on June 17. Harlem-Roscoe was to send an engine, an ambulance and a Chief to assist Loves Park Fire.

Engine 702 crew assisted with ventilation on the roof of the structure and Chief Shoevlin was assigned rear sector command. The ambulance crew helped with rehab; luckily no one was injured.

Engine 702 crew works on ventilation.

Chief Shoevlin had rear sector command.

Engine 702 crew rehab with the ambulance crew.

Car FireStory & photos by Sheryl Drost

Harlem-Roscoe Firefi ghters responded to a report of a car fi re on June 27. They arrived to a fully involved fi re in a 4-door car. Foam was needed to extinguish this fi re; magnesium parts burning in the vehicle would fl are up when water was used.

Firefi ghters begin their attack on the fi re.

Foam was used to fi nish putting the burning magnesium out.

The car was destroyed by the fi re.

The Firehouse Scene - The Firehouse Scene - Page 3 www.harlemroscoefi re.comwww.harlemroscoefi re.com

Safe Summer DrivingBy Lt. Ron Klaman

Imagine this…… it’s sunny (got your shades on), it’s 82 degrees (got the top down), your favorite song’s on the radio (you reach down to turn it up) and you don’t see that car run the stop sign! IT CAN HAPPEN!

I wanted to say a few words about safe driving. Any time you’re behind the wheel is the time for safe driving, but summer time seems to add just a bit more to think about. Motorcyclists are out enjoying the weather (and the gas mileage), but are nowhere as easy to see as cars and trucks. With kids being out of school and playing all over, you never know when they could be darting out into the street. They could be running after a ball or sprinting over to the ice cream truck. People are out walking and biking, or out jogging in the fresh air. These are just a few examples of added observations to our daily commute in the summer. We always need to be paying attention to the road while behind the wheel.

Ok, now it’s a “bright” sunny day. It is 96 degrees and you have the air on “Max”. Your second favorite song is on the radio, and with the windows rolled up it is quite comfortable in the car. Can you hear that distant siren, or see the lights on the fi re truck approaching you from behind?

Well since you check your mirrors about every fi ve seconds like you were taught in Drivers Ed, you do. And just as you were taught in class, you “CURB RIGHT FOR LIGHTS AND SIRENS”. This is the safest way for “Responding” emergency vehicles and traffi c to navigate the roadways.

With the quiet passenger compartments of today’s newer vehicles, it is sometimes diffi cult to hear a siren from a distance. That is why it is important to always check your surroundings. If you are approached by an emergency vehicle, don’t panic. Turn on your right blinker, and calmly merge to the right. Whether that be into the slow lane or off of the road onto the shoulder and stop. Please do not block intersections. You never know where we might be turning. Always check your mirrors before returning to the roadway and be on the look-out for a second emergency vehicle or the other motorists on the road.

In closing try this. Use a “Defensive Driving” method to your driving. ALWAYS expect the unexpected. Maybe you will be less likely to be taken by surprise while behind the wheel. Be an observant driver: watch for kids, motorcycles, fi re trucks, ambulances and that occasional “other guy” who might not be paying attention. Remember, NO TEXTING while driving. Enjoy your summer and “Be Safe!”

~ Mosquitoes are insects that have been around for 30 million years. They have chemical sensors that can detect mammals from 100 feet away; they have heat sensors to detect warm-blooded creatures; and they have visual sensors that detect movement and contrast in colors. The fi rst activity of an adult mosquito is to mate. The females lay their eggs and then live from days to months afterward. The male mosquito dies within days after mating.

Station TourPhoto by Sheryl Drost

The kids from Stepping Stones Day Care in Roscoe stopped by the fi re station for a tour on July 7.

Hamilton Beach Recalls Toasters Due to Fire HazardJune 30, 2011

Hazard: The heating element in these toasters can remain energized indefi nitely when an item

is placed in the toaster which may ignite the contents, posing a fi re hazard if the toaster is near fl ammable items.

Incidents/Injuries: Hamilton Beach has received 15 reports of toasters that did not pop-up as intended, including three reports of minor damage to kitchen cabinets. There were no reports of injuries.

Description: The Hamilton Beach recall involves model 22600 toasters with specifi c series codes. These series codes begin with the letters C or D, and have the format of CXXXXBI or DXXXXBI, where XXXX is a four-digit number ranging from 0190 through 5290. The model number and series code are printed on the bottom of the toaster. The toaster has a chromed steel exterior, a front control panel with a rotary toast shade selector and function buttons arranged in an arc, a front removable crumb tray and Hamilton Beach printed across the front of the toaster.

Sold at: Mass merchandisers and department, grocery and home center stores nationwide and various online retailers from February 2008 through June 2011 for between $30 and $40.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled toasters and contact the fi rm to receive instructions on how to obtain a free replacement toaster.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Hamilton Beach at (800) 379-2200 anytime, or visit the fi rm’s website at www.hamiltonbeach.com. General toaster safety information available from Hamilton Beach at (http://tinyurl.com/43va5sd) (pdf).

Birthdays

July1st John Bergeron6th Adam Arnould Mike Helland7th Mike Drost Virgil Johnson9th Greg Wernick16th John Morgan17th Mark Schaffman18th William Null21st Tim Bergeron27th Doug Wolfe

August7th Tom Lake9th Jeff Morris11th Rico VanderHeyden15th John Barth25th Dona Zopp26th Bob Clark27th Mike Sherbon28th Keith Lincoln

Total Calls for 2011 To date - 1182

Firehouse Scene is a monthly newsletter produced by the Harlem-Roscoe F.P.D.

Editor-in-Chief - Don ShoevlinEditor & Layout - Sheryl Drost

The Firehouse Scene is available at Station One - 10544 Main Street in Roscoe and on the department’s web site after the second Sunday each month. www.harlemroscoefi re.com

E-mail submissions to: Sheryl @ fi [email protected]

From the Chief’s DeskBy Fire Chief Don Shoevlin

I would like to start out by wishing my predecessor a speedy recovery. Retired Fire Chief Presley recently had a medical procedure, but I assure you, he is well on his way back to being his old self again. The last report I received is that he is home resting, recouping and doing well.

I recently just returned from the annual Illinois Fire Protection Districts Meeting in Peoria. Myself, Asst. Chief O’Dell, Trustees Jerry Ocker and Bart Munger, and the District Attorney Nate Noble all attended. This show is geared for Chiefs, trustees and lawyers with many events, classes and seminars for each. The program curriculum covered Organization and Administration, Finances, Procurement and Legal Liability, Personnel and Human Resources. Being able to attend these conferences allows us to stay on top and bring the best back to you. The trustees and attorney took time away from their jobs and personal schedule. Thank you for your commitment to further your knowledge to better serve our district.

The dog days of summer are upon us. Remember to hydrate yourself, but please don’t forget about pets and check on our neighbors if they require.

Our next event will be National Night Out 2011. We will be at two locations. The Village of Roscoe will be at Life Church and the Village of Machesney Park will be at 251 & 173. It is on August 2 from 5:00 PM til 8:00 PM. This is a joint venture with fi re and law enforcement. There will be displays and activities for kids along with informational handouts. I hope you will be able to stop by one, if not both, locations to visit with us.

Other upcoming events will be the Roscoe Lions Club Fall Festival This will be held on 9/9, 9/10, and 9/11. This being the tenth anniversary of the tragic 911 event we, will be having a special memorial on 9/11 as well. The district has approved a fi refi ghter memorial to be made in front of Station 1. We will have a special dedication ceremony on 9/11 prior to the parade. Please watch for further information on this in the weeks to come.

We greatly appreciate all of your continuous support. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to call me or stop by. Don’t forget to keep up on the progress of your fi re department by visiting our website, www.harlemroscoefi re.com.

Gone,But not forgotten

To Rockton Fire Chief Kirk Wilson and his wife Tracy (both former Harlem-Roscoe Fire personnel), your Harlem-Roscoe Fire family sends our deepest sympathies and are heart-felt condolences on the tragic loss of your son, Mitchel. Please know we will always be here with plenty of hugs and we will always remember that little guy running around at our family Christmas parties and picnics that we watched grow up and become a young man. He truly touched the hearts of many!

I Didn’t Know That!Story & photo by Sheryl Drost

Many of us have not read this warning on the back of paint stain cans, but hopefully we will now.

“! DANGER: Rags, steel wool or waste soaked with this product may spontaneously catch fi re if improperly discarded. Immediately after each use, place rags, steel wool or waste in a sealed, water-fi lled metal container and dispose of according to local regulations!!”

Residents on Amy Ln. were done staining their wood fl oors on June 19 and put the rags in a cardboard box and set the box in the garage. You guessed it, the rags caught fi re by spontaneous combustion. Technically, the oil in the rags chemically reacted with the air in a process called oxidation, giving off heat. The rags acted like insulation holding in the heat, letting it build up to auto ignition temperatures.

Luckily, there wasn’t enough combustibles nearby and/or enough oxygen in the air-tight garage to fuel the fi re, and the fi re burned itself out. The fi re damaged a riding lawn mower and the box of rags; it could have been a lot worse! Harlem-Roscoe Firefi ghters checked the attic above the burned rags to make sure there was no fi re extension and ventilated the garage.

Harlem-Roscoe Fire Chief Don Shoevlin adds, “Another option to prevent spontaneous combustion is to spread the rags out fl at to dry so they can’t build up heat as the oil oxidizes.”

FF Knipp RetiresFirefi ghter Brad Knipp has turned in his equipment and will no longer be one of the old guys at Station Three. After 20 years of not only volunteering here at the fi re department, but holding down a full-time job, running a business with his wife, and oh, raising three kids, Brad has turned in his boots to be more available to his family as his kids enter the teen years. Brad, we thank you for your time and commitment and although we will miss seeing you on fi re calls, we know we will still be seeing you around the fi re station!

Captain Tim Bergeron, Chief Don Shoevlin and Lt. Mike Huffman presented Brad with his helmet shield.


Out in the Community Photos by Sheryl Drost & Lt. Ron Klaman

Firefi ghters were out in the community several times this month from spraying water to cool kids down at a local Vacation Bible School to helping raise the fl ag at North Park Fire’s event, and to participating in NorthPointe Safety Day and three 4th of July parades.

the firehouse sceneIs a monthly publication of the

Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection District

PostageHarlem-Roscoe FirePO Box 450Roscoe, IL 61073

The Firehouse Scene - www.harlemroscoefi re.com

July 2011 Fire Chief Don Shoevlin Editor Sheryl Drost

Photo by Sheryl Drost

Firefi ghters Respond Mutual AidSee page 3Stay Safe This SummerSee pages 6&7

Station Gossip

Seems there is a rumor going around about the ring tones several of the guys have at the fi re station. They say its the loudest one so they can here it... Uh huh...Glad to see retired Chief Presley is home and healing! Hey, maybe we can fi nally get him to sit still long enough to work on our history book! Did you know, a cricket’s chirp frequency fl uctuates with temperature. What does this mean? You can tell the temperature (in Fahrenheit) by counting the number of times a cricket chirps in 15 seconds. Just add 37 to whatever number you reach and BAM you have an approximate outside temp!Most children drink water eagerly if offered. In fact, not encouraging water as the primary drink can backfi re. When offered the choice between something sweet and water, many kids will choose sweet. By using water as the primary hydration source and offering sugary drinks as an occasional treat only, parents can foster the habit of water drinking.Watermelon makes a great snack on hot days, It’s chock-full of fi ber, nutrients, and water!Apologies to FF Mike Helland, the department calendar has his birthday on the 16th, but it was the 6th. Mike, I got it right this month in this newsletter. But think of it this way, you get to celebrate your birthday twice!

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