CITY OFFICIALS RECEIVE TRAINING AWARDS FROM KENTUCKY LEAGUE OF CITIES
CITY MANGER STOKES RECEIVED – Level II – Excellence in City Governance
FIRE CHIEF GUNN RECEIVED – Level I- Achievement in City Governance
LEXINGTON, KY – Nearly 200 city officials from across the state were recognized for their educational achievement during the City Officials Training Center (COTC) Awards Program at the 2016 KLC Conference & Expo on October 5, 2016. The annual conference drew in nearly 500 city officials and leaders from across the commonwealth.
The City Officials Training Center is a voluntary education program administered by the Kentucky League of Cities (KLC). City officials can complete education levels by attending KLC events and by submitting outside training credit from other municipal training. There are three levels of achievement: Level I – Achievement in City Governance, Level II – Excellence in City Governance and Level III – Masters of City Governance. To maintain the masters an additional 15 hours of courses must be completed annually.
“The COTC program provides a variety of training that better equips our city leaders across the state to serve their local communities. With this achievement and the amount of training it represents, citizens are the real winners because our communities are reaping the benefits of better informed leaders,” said J.D. Chaney, KLC deputy executive director. “This is an impressive feat and a testament to the dedication of these city officials.”
This year 104 city officials received the Level I- Achievement in City Governance award. This honor requires the city official to attend 30 hours of approved training with one hour of ethics training.
This year 50 officials received the Level II – Excellence in City Governance award. This honor requires the city official to attend 60 hours of approved training with two hours of ethics training.
It is extremely Important that you have working and up to date smoke detectors in your home. If you need free smoke detectors installed in your home call the:
Fulton Fire Department
Monday thru Friday 8 am to 3 pm at 270-472-1423.
Replacing your smoke alarms
Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old. To determine the age of your smoke alarm, look at the back where you will find the date of manufacture. Smoke alarms should be replaced 10 years from the date of manufacture.
Immediately replace any smoke alarm that does not respond properly when tested.
Replace combination smoke-carbon monoxide alarms according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Family activity: check your smoke alarms
Download a calendar tearsheet (PDF, 228 KB), and put it in an important place in your home. Remember to have a grown-up test your smoke alarms once a month. Tear off the correct month when the test is finished.
Installing your smoke alarms correctly – and making sure they are in working order – is an important step to making your home and family safer from fire.
NEW! A smoke alarm installation program in your community can make a measurable difference in reducing deaths and injuries from fire. The updated “Planning and Implementing a Successful Smoke Alarm Installation Program” Web version (PDF, 1 MB) Print version (PDF, 5 MB) is a comprehensive guide including everything you’ll need to get started, from tips on how to select volunteers, to pointers on soliciting donations and publicizing your program.
It’s important to have enough smoke alarms in your home. Fire research has demonstrated that with today’s modern furnishings, fires can spread much more rapidly than in the past when more natural materials were used. Because of this, having a sufficient number of properly located smoke alarms is essential to maximize the amount of available escape time. For many years NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, has required as a minimum that smoke alarms be installed inside every sleep room (even for existing homes) in addition to requiring them outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. (Additional smoke alarms are required for larger homes.) Homes built to earlier standards often don’t meet these minimum requirements. Homeowners and enforcement authorities should recognize that detection needs have changed over the years and take proactive steps make sure that every home has a sufficient complement of smoke alarms.
Installing smoke alarms
Choose smoke alarms that have the label of a recognized testing laboratory.
Install smoke alarms inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.
On levels without bedrooms, install alarms in the living room (or den or family room) or near the stairway to the upper level, or in both locations.
Smoke alarms installed in the basement should be installed on the ceiling at the bottom of the stairs leading to the next level.
Smoke alarms should be installed at least 10 feet (3 meters) from a cooking appliance to minimize false alarms when cooking.
Mount smoke alarms high on walls or ceilings (remember, smoke rises). Wall-mounted alarms should be installed not more than 12 inches away from the ceiling (to the top of the alarm).
If you have ceilings that are pitched, install the alarm within 3 feet of the peak but not within the apex of the peak (four inches down from the peak). Figure A.29.8.3.1 from NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code (2013 edition).
Don’t install smoke alarms near windows, doors, or ducts where drafts might interfere with their operation.
Never paint smoke alarms. Paint, stickers, or other decorations could keep the alarms from working.
For the best protection, interconnect all smoke alarms. When one smoke alarm sounds they all sound. Interconnection can be done using hard-wiring or wireless technology.
When interconnected smoke alarms are installed, it is important that all of the alarms are from the same manufacturer. If the alarms are not compatible, they may not sound.
There are two types of smoke alarms – ionization and photoelectric. An ionization smoke alarm is generally more responsive to flaming fires, and a photoelectric smoke alarm is generally more responsive to smoldering fires. For the best protection, both types of alarms or combination ionization-photoelectric alarms, also known as dual sensor smoke alarms, are recommended.
Keep manufacturer’s instructions for reference.
Testing smoke alarms
Smoke alarms should be maintained according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button.
Make sure everyone in the home understands the sound of the smoke alarm and knows how to respond.
Follow manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning to keep smoke alarms working well. The instructions are included in the package or can be found on the internet.
Smoke alarms with non-replaceable 10-year batteries are designed to remain effective for up to 10 years. If the alarm chirps, warning that the battery is low, replace the entire smoke alarm right away.
Smoke alarms with any other type of battery need a new battery at least once a year. If that alarm chirps, warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away.
When replacing a battery, follow manufacturer’s list of batteries on the back of the alarm or manufacturer’s instructions. Manufacturer’s instructions are specific to the batteries (brand and model) that must be used. The smoke alarm may not work properly if a different kind of battery is used.
Interconnected smoke alarms increase safety
In a Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) survey of households with any fires, including fires in which the fire department was not called, interconnected smoke alarms were more likely to operate and alert occupants to a fire.1 People may know about a fire without hearing a smoke alarm.
When smoke alarms (interconnected or not) were on all floors, they sounded in 37% of fires and alerted occupants in 15%.
When smoke alarms were not on all floors, they sounded in only 4% of the fires and alerted occupants in only 2%.
In homes that had interconnected smoke alarms, the alarms sounded in half (53%) of the fires and alerted people in one-quarter (26%) of the fires.
You can now sign up to receive news notices and postings to the City of Fulton’s new website. Simply click on the subscribe to updates located next to contact us or the link below. Enter in your information and automatically you will start to receive alerts. Alerts could include events, public safety announcements, or local news. Subscribe for Updates
The purpose of a stop sign is to prevent accidents, injury and death, which could occur should a motorist drive through an intersection without taking necessary and legal precautions. When stop signs are present at an intersection, it means that the only safe way of travelling across is by stopping and monitoring traffic on both sides before proceeding, usually because oncoming traffic is obscured by parked cars, structures, trees and the like. When motorists fail to stop and look both ways, they could be hit by another vehicle, or hit someone themselves. The Fulton police Department has received complaints of motorists not stopping at stop signs. The Fulton Police Department will begin to watch and enforce the regulations of the law to prevent the tragedy of an accident, injury and or death. “Please stop at the required stop signs”.
Every smoke alarm has an expiration date: What’s yours?
Fulton Fire Department urges all City of Fulton residents to know how old their smoke alarms are, and to replace them every 10 years.
October 03, 2016 – Does your home have a smoke alarm? According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the answer is likely yes: NFPA research shows that most American homes have at least one. But do you know how old your smoke alarms are? If you’re like most people, you’re probably not so sure.
A recent survey conducted by NFPA revealed that only a small percentage of people know how old their smoke alarms are, or how often they need to be replaced. That lack of awareness is a concern for The City of Fulton Fire Department and NFPA, along with fire departments throughout the country, because smoke alarms don’t last forever.
“Time and again, I’ve seen the life-saving impact smoke alarms can have in a home fire, but I’ve also seen the tragedy that can result when smoke alarms aren’t working properly,” says Assistant Chief Terry Rudolph of the City of Fulton Fire Department. “That’s why we’re making a concerted effort to educate City of Fulton residents about the overall importance of smoke alarms, and that they do have a life limit.”
NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm Code®, requires smoke alarms be replaced at least every 10 years, but because the public is generally unaware of this requirement, many homes have smoke alarms past their expiration date, putting people at increased risk.
As the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for more than 90 years, NFPA is promoting this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Don’t Wait – Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years,” to better educate the public about the critical importance of knowing how old their smoke alarms are and replacing them once they’re 10 years old. Fire Prevention Week is October 9-15, 2016.
The City of Fulton Fire Department is joining with American Red Cross this month to conduct training and start receiving more free smoke alarms to install after the training is complete. We will also be in the schools speaking and handing out fire prevention information and supplies.
To find out how old your smoke alarm is and its expiration date, simply look on the back of the alarm where the date of manufacture is marked. The smoke alarm should be replaced 10 years from that date (not the date of purchase). The City of Fulton Fire Department also says smoke alarms should be tested monthly, and that batteries should be replaced once a year or when they begin to chirp, signaling that they’re running low.
For more information on smoke alarms and this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Don’t Wait: Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years”, visit www.firepreventionweek.org.
Half of home fire deaths result from fires reported between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when most people are asleep. Only one in five home fires were reported during these hours.
One quarter of home fire deaths were caused by fires that started in the bedroom. Another quarter resulted from fires in the living room, family room or den.
Three out of five home fire deaths happen from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
In 2014, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 367,500 home structure fires. These fires caused 2,745 deaths, 11,825 civilian injuries, and $6.8 billion in direct damage.
On average, seven people die in U.S. home fires per day.
Cooking equipment is the leading cause of home fire injuries, followed by heating equipment.
Smoking materials are the leading cause of home fire deaths.
Most fatal fires kill one or two people. In 2014, 15 home fires killed five or more people resulting in a total of 88 deaths.
During 2009-2013, roughly one of every 335 households had a reported home fire per year.
Smoke alarms
Three out of five home fire deaths in 2009-2013 were caused by fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in reported home fires in half.
In fires considered large enough to activate the smoke alarm, hardwired alarms operated 94% of the time, while battery powered alarms operated 80% of the time.
When smoke alarms fail to operate, it is usually because batteries are missing, disconnected, or dead.
An ionization smoke alarm is generally more responsive to flaming fires and a photoelectric smoke alarm is generally more responsive to smoldering fires. For the best protection, or where extra time is needed to awaken or assist others, both types of alarms, or combination ionization and photoelectric alarms are recommended.
“Don’t Wait – Check the Date: Replace Your Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years!” That’s the theme for Fire Prevention Week this October 9-15. So don’t delay – check the date of your smoke alarms today! Click Here for More Info
Every smoke alarm has an expiration date: What’s yours?
Fulton Fire Department urges all City of Fulton residents to know how old their smoke alarms are, and to replace them every 10 years
October 03, 2016 – Does your home have a smoke alarm? According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the answer is likely yes: NFPA research shows that most American homes have at least one. But do you know how old your smoke alarms are? If you’re like most people, you’re probably not so sure.
A recent survey conducted by NFPA revealed that only a small percentage of people know how old their smoke alarms are, or how often they need to be replaced. That lack of awareness is a concern for The City of Fulton Fire Department and NFPA, along with fire departments throughout the country, because smoke alarms don’t last forever.
“Time and again, I’ve seen the life-saving impact smoke alarms can have in a home fire, but I’ve also seen the tragedy that can result when smoke alarms aren’t working properly,” says Assistant Chief Terry Rudolph of the City of Fulton Fire Department. “That’s why we’re making a concerted effort to educate City of Fulton residents about the overall importance of smoke alarms, and that they do have a life limit.”
NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm Code®, requires smoke alarms be replaced at least every 10 years, but because the public is generally unaware of this requirement, many homes have smoke alarms past their expiration date, putting people at increased risk.
As the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for more than 90 years, NFPA is promoting this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Don’t Wait – Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years,” to better educate the public about the critical importance of knowing how old their smoke alarms are and replacing them once they’re 10 years old. Fire Prevention Week is October 9-15, 2016.
The City of Fulton Fire Department is joining with American Red Cross this month to conduct training and start receiving more free smoke alarms to install after the training is complete. We will also be in the schools speaking and handing out fire prevention information and supplies.
To find out how old your smoke alarm is and its expiration date, simply look on the back of the alarm where the date of manufacture is marked. The smoke alarm should be replaced 10 years from that date (not the date of purchase). The City of Fulton Fire Department also says smoke alarms should be tested monthly, and that batteries should be replaced once a year or when they begin to chirp, signaling that they’re running low.
For more information on smoke alarms and this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Don’t Wait: Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years”, visit www.firepreventionweek.org.
Plan ahead
Since 1922, Fire Prevention Week has been observed on the Sunday through Saturday period in which October 9 falls. Here are dates for future FPW campaigns:
2017: October 8-14
2018: October 7-13
Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire, the tragic 1871 conflagration that killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres. The fire began on October 8, but continued into and did most of its damage on October 9, 1871.
Commemorating a conflagration According to popular legend, the fire broke out after a cow – belonging to Mrs. Catherine O’Leary – kicked over a lamp, setting first the barn, then the whole city on fire. Chances are you’ve heard some version of this story yourself; people have been blaming the Great Chicago Fire on the cow and Mrs. O’Leary, for more than 130 years. But recent research by Chicago historian Robert Cromie has helped to debunk this version of events.
The ‘Moo’ myth Like any good story, the ‘case of the cow’ has some truth to it. The great fire almost certainly started near the barn where Mrs. O’Leary kept her five milking cows. But there is no proof that O’Leary was in the barn when the fire broke out – or that a jumpy cow sparked the blaze. Mrs. O’Leary herself swore that she’d been in bed early that night, and that the cows were also tucked in for the evening.
But if a cow wasn’t to blame for the huge fire, what was? Over the years, journalists and historians have offered plenty of theories. Some blamed the blaze on a couple of neighborhood boys who were near the barn sneaking cigarettes. Others believed that a neighbor of the O’Leary’s may have started the fire. Some people have speculated that a fiery meteorite may have fallen to earth on October 8, starting several fires that day – in Michigan and Wisconsin, as well as in Chicago.
Listen as NFPA’s Casey Grant and best-selling author Lauren Tarshsis of the ‘I Survived’ book series talk about the lessons we learned from the Great Chicago Fire in 1871.
The biggest blaze that week While the Great Chicago Fire was the best-known blaze to start during this fiery two-day stretch, it wasn’t the biggest. That distinction goes to the Peshtigo Fire, the most devastating forest fire in American history. The fire, which also occurred on October 8th, 1871, and roared through Northeast Wisconsin, burning down 16 towns, killing 1,152 people, and scorching 1.2 million acres before it ended.
Historical accounts of the fire say that the blaze began when several railroad workers clearing land for tracks unintentionally started a brush fire. Before long, the fast-moving flames were whipping through the area ‘like a tornado,’ some survivors said. It was the small town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin that suffered the worst damage. Within an hour, the entire town had been destroyed.
Nine decades of fire prevention Those who survived the Chicago and Peshtigo fires never forgot what they’d been through; both blazes produced countless tales of bravery and heroism. But the fires also changed the way that firefighters and public officials thought about fire safety. On the 40th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire, the Fire Marshals Association of North America (today known as the International Fire Marshals Association), decided that the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire should henceforth be observed not with festivities, but in a way that would keep the public informed about the importance of fire prevention. The commemoration grew incrementally official over the years.
In 1920, President Woodrow Wilson issued the first National Fire Prevention Day proclamation, and since 1922, Fire Prevention Week has been observed on the Sunday through Saturday period in which October 9 falls. According to the National Archives and Records Administration’s Library Information Center, Fire Prevention Week is the longest running public health and safety observance on record. The President of the United States has signed a proclamation proclaiming a national observance during that week every year since 1925.
Fire Prevention Week themes over the years
1927 Why this Mad Sacrifice to Fire?
1928 FIRE…Do Your Part – Stop This Waste!
1929 FIRE – The Nation’s Greatest Menace! Do Your Part to Stop This Waste!
1930 Fight Fire Waste with Fire Prevention. Do Your Part
1931 Do Your Part to Prevent Fire
1932 Your Life. Your Property 1933 Your Life. Your Property
1934 Now War on Fire
1935 What Would Fire Mean to You?
1936 Stop It
1937 Help Prevent Fires
1938 Is This Your Tomorrow?
1939 Was Somebody Careless?
1940 Keep Fire In Its Place
1941 Defend Against Fire
1942 Today Every Fire Helps Hitler
1943 Fires Fight for the Axis! (to emphasize home fire prevention)
Feed Fighters Not Fires (farm and rural campaign)
The War’s Over for This Plant (industrial use)
Was Somebody Careless? (general purpose)
1944 To Speed Victory – Prevent Fires (general purpose)
Feed Fighters, Not Fires! (farm and rural)
To Speed Victory, Defeat Fire (town plaster)
1945 We Burned the Enemy – Now Save Yourself from Fire
1946 FIRE is the Silent Partner of Inflation
1947 YOU caused 1,700,000 Fires last Year!
1948 Help Yourself to Fire Prevention!
1949 Flameproof Your Future!
1950 Don’t Let Fire Lick You
1951 Defend America From Fire
1952 Be Free From Fear of Fire
1953 Fire Feeds on Careless Deeds
1954 Let’s Grow Up – Not Burn Up
1955 Don’t Give Fire A Place to Start
1956 Don’t Give Fire a Place to Start
1957 Make Sure of Their Tomorrows – Don’t Give Fire a Place to Start 1958 Don’t Give Fire a Place to Start
1959 Fire Prevention is Your Job…Too
1960 Don’t Give Fire a Place to Start
1961 Don’t Give Fire a Place to Start
1962 Fire Prevention is Your Job…Too
1963 Don’t Give Fire a Place to Start
1964 Fire Prevention is Your Job…Too
1965 Don’t Give Fire a Place to Start
1966 Fight Fire
1967 Fire Hurts
1968 Fire Hurts
1969 Fire Hurts
1970 Fire Hurts
1971 Fire Hurts
1972 Fire Hurts
1973 Help Stop Fire
1974 Things That Burn
1975 Learn Not to Burn
1976 Learn Not to Burn
1977 Where There’s Smoke, There Should Be a Smoke Alarm
1978 You Are Not Alone!
1979 Partners in Fire Prevention
1980 Partners in Fire Prevention
1981 EDITH (Exit Drills In The Home)
1982 Learn Not To Burn – Wherever You Are
1983 Learn Not To Burn All Through the Year
1984 Join the Fire Prevention Team
1985 Fire Drills Save Lives at Home at School at Work
1986 Learn Not to Burn: It Really Works!
1987 Play It Safe…Plan Your Escape
1988 A Sound You Can Live With: Test Your Smoke Detector
1989 Big Fires Start Small: Keep Matches and Lighters in the Right Hands
1990 Keep Your Place Firesafe: Hunt for Home Hazards
1991 Fire Won’t Wait…Plan Your Escape.
1992 Test Your Detector – It’s Sound Advice!
1993 Get Out, Stay Out: Your Fire Safe Response
1994 Test Your Detector For Life
1995 Watch What You Heat: Prevent Home Fires!
1996 Let’s Hear It For Fire Safety: Test Your Detectors!
1997 Know When to Go: React Fast to Fire
1998 Fire Drills: The Great Escape!
1999 Fire Drills: The Great Escape!
2000 Fire Drills: The Great Escape!
2001 Cover the Bases & Strike Out Fire
2002 Team Up for Fire Safety
2003 When Fire Strikes: Get Out! Stay Out!
2004 It’s Fire Prevention Week! Test Your Smoke Alarms
2005 Use Candles With Care
2006 Prevent Cooking Fires: Watch What You Heat
2007 It’s Fire Prevention Week! Practice Your Escape Plan
2008 It’s Fire Prevention Week! Prevent Home Fires
2009 Stay Fire Smart! Don’t Get Burned
2010 Smoke Alarms: A Sound You Can Live With
2011 It’s Fire Prevention Week! Protect Your Family From Fire!
2012 Have 2 Ways Out!
2013 Prevent Kitchen Fires
2014 Smoke Alarms Save Lives: Test Yours Every Month
2015 Hear The Beep Where You Sleep. Every Bedroom Needs a Working Smoke Alarm!
2016 Don’t Wait – Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years
But if a cow wasn’t to blame for the huge fire, what was? Over the years, journalists and historians have offered plenty of theories. Some blamed the blaze on a couple of neighborhood boys who were near the barn sneaking cigarettes. Others believed that a neighbor of the O’Leary’s may have started the fire. Some people have speculated that a fiery meteorite may have fallen to earth on October 8, starting several fires that day – in Michigan and Wisconsin, as well as in Chicago.