Monday, October 8, 2012  Elizabethtown Fire Department would like to remind you that this is National Fire Prevention Week! This years theme is "Have 2 Ways Out". We encourage you to plan two escape routes from every room in your home and have a designated meeting place outside. It is important to test your smoke detectors monthly and change your batteries at least twice a year. Attached you will find a link to a resource guide you can use with your children to help plan your home escape routes.
 

On average, one house fire is reported every 85 seconds in the United States. U.S. fire departments responded to 369,500 home structure fires. These fires caused 13,350 civilian injuries, 2,640 civilian deaths, and $6.9 billion in direct damage. Cooking is the leading cause for house fires for the past 20 plus years. We remind you to never leave your cooking unattended.
 

Members will be providing fire prevention training at various locations over the next few weeks. If you would like us to come to your organization, school or business, please contact us at 717-367-5300.

Thursday, October 4, 2012  State-of-the-Art Siren System to be Tested for Three Mile Island

Full Volume Three Minute Siren Soundings to be conducted on the following dates and times:

1) Thursday, October 4th at 12:30pm

2) Thursday, October 18th at 12:30pm

There will be up to 6 siren soundings occurring every 1.5 hours on the following dates and times:

1) Thursday, November 1st beginning at 8am;  backup date of November 2nd for inclement weather

2) Thursday, November 15th beginning at 12:30pm if additional testing is needed.

Residents should contact their county Emergency Management Agency at the following numbers if they have any siren concerns or questions:

Lancaster County:  800-808-5236     Dauphin County: 717-558-6900     Lebanon County  717-272-7621

Thursday, September 20, 2012  Over the past two years, the Elizabethtown Fire Department has implemented increased training standards to comply with the NFPA 1001: Standard for Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications. Our personnel have been subjected to written tests and practical skill evaluations for the Job Performance Requirements set forth in NFPA 1001. We are proud to announce that 94% of our active firefighters have met or exceeded nationally recognized and sanctioned Professional Qualification standards!

The Pennsylvania Office of the State Fire Commissioner created a voluntary “Participating Department” program to verify a department’s certification level and to acknowledge those that have achieved a certain percentage of participation. These levels currently exist at 5, 10, 50, 75 and 100% participation rates.

In July, the Elizabethtown Fire Department (EFD) began the verification process with the State Fire Commissioner’s Office. During this process, our department provided a list of our firefighting personnel as well as their training records for authentication. We received word this week that we successfully completed the process and have been certified as a participating department at a rate of 75% making us only the fourth department of 78 fire departments in Lancaster County to reach this level (Note: currently no Lancaster County department has been certified to the 100% level).

Congratulations to the members for their accomplishment and thank you for all your hard work and dedication!

Friday, September 14, 2012  On Friday, September 14th, Elizabethtown Fire Department will be hosting a golf tournament fundraiser at Sunset Golf Course in Middletown, PA.   Elizabethtown is a 100% Volunteer Department responsible for raising nearly 60% of our operating expenses. 

Golfer registrations are now available.  Download the golfer registration form and return it to the address listed on the form.  www.firecompanies.com/MFC/public/userfiles/2012 Golfer Registration_Final.pdf

Saturday, September 8, 2012  Congratulations FF Bigler and Cortney as we welcome Bryce Allen Bigler into the world.  He was born on August 29th, 2012 at 04:40 hours.  He is 7 pounds, 7 ounces and 20 1/4 inches long.  Everything went well and everyone is in perfectly good health.

Sunday, August 19, 2012  A generous donation from the Rotary Club of Elizabethtown combined with grant money from FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security along with a community partnership with B&G Lumber of Elizabethtown have enabled the Elizabethtown Fire Department (EFD) to continue its current “Smoke Detector Life Safety Initiative” through which the department makes available life saving smoke detectors to the residents of the community that would otherwise be unable to afford them.

38% of fire related deaths occurred in structures without smoke detectors. Another 24% of deaths occurred in homes with detectors that failed to operate, usually due to dead or missing batteries (NFPA, 2011).

To combat these alarming statistics EFD implemented this program (along with many other departments across the state and nation) several years ago with detectors provided by a local television news agency. Over the course of the program, the supply of detectors has dwindled and budget constraints have made the survivability of the program difficult. EFD distributed the last of its detectors in April of this year and was set to use funds earmarked for the purchase of fire prevention materials that are usually distributed to young children during presentations throughout the year to keep the program going.

These funds in conjunction with the partnership formed with B&G Lumber, a local business who has agreed to sell the detectors and batteries to EFD at their purchase price, without profit, has enabled EFD to secure a greater number of detectors for the same cost further extending the life and reach of the program.

Any resident of the greater Elizabethtown area in need of smoke detectors (or new working batteries) that cannot afford them or is physically unable to install them can stop by the fire department or call 717-367-5300. 

Saturday, August 11, 2012  At 15:07 hours, Rescue 74-1 (shriner), Truck 74 (Smith) Lt. 74-1 (Myers) assisted by Rescue 71 (Bainbridge) responded to the 1800 block of Bainbridge Road for a crash with entrapment. Crews arrived to find one car on its roof and no entrapment. Crews assisted ems with two patients and clean debris. Units cleared the scene with 45 minutes.

Saturday, August 11, 2012  Around 1800 hours, Rescue Engine 74-1 and personnel made their way out to the West Donegal Township Building for National Night Out. Crews displayed the Rescue along with tools and gear provided by the volunteers. A big thank you to Northwest Regional Police for making this night happen for our community.

Below is an informational video produced by the Houston, Texas Office of Homeland Security containing tips to suriving an "Active Shooter Incident" that may occur in places of public assembly such as schools, malls, restaurants and many more.

http://youtu.be/5VcSwejU2D0