Grill Safely This Memorial Day

On Friday, May 28, 2010, at 4:00 P.M. Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers will team with Chef Jack McDavid of Jack’s Firehouse Restaurant located 2130 Fairmount Avenue to demonstrate barbecue grilling safety tips.

The Philadelphia Fire Department wants to ensure that people practice safe barbecuing during the summer. Jack's Firehouse Restaurant, located in an historic firehouse dating back to 1902, is famous for their fine barbecue cuisine, and provides an excellent location to demonstrate the finer points of safety around the grill.

Commissioner Ayers stated “Educating people to act safely when using portable outdoor cooking equipment, is the best way to prevent barbecue fires from occurring.” In anticipation of the large number of people expected to barbecue this summer, Commissioner Ayers will use a graphic presentation to illustrate the affects of unsafe grilling practices. During this presentation he will provide safety tips for users of charcoal and propane grills.  Fire Commissioner Ayers will also display a propane tank with an “Overfill Prevention Device”, designed to prevent gas leaks. All propane tanks in use must contain an Overfill Prevention Device (OPD). These new tank valves can help prevent fires and explosions attributed to overfilled portable cooking equipment. The (OPD) will not allow gas to flow unless the tank is connected. The National Fire Protection Agency instituted the use of this new propane tank valve in 2002.

The grilling equipment used in this demonstration will be provided by Lowe’s Home Improvement Stores, whose support we acknowledge, bringing safe products and information to Philadelphia and the surrounding area.

Commissioner Ayers and the Philadelphia Fire Department wants all Philadelphians to enjoy a safe summer grilling, and is pleased to offer this educational demonstration.



Fire Commissioner Ayers reminds everyone to follow these tips: 

• Do not wear loose fitting clothing while cooking. 
• Never, under any circumstances, should children (supervised or unsupervised) be allowed to start outdoor cooking equipment. 
• Barbecue grills are not allowed on apartment building balconies or decks.  
• Barbecue grills are allowed on porches and decks of one and two family homes. 
• Never store a spare LPG (propane) container under or near the grill. 
• Never store LPG cylinders inside your home.  
• Always turn off the valves when not in use. 
• When purchasing a gas grill, select one that bears the approval mark of an independent testing laboratory. 
• Do not transport LPG cylinders in the trunk of a passenger vehicle. 
• To guard against the possibility of damage or explosion, burners tubing, and piping should be clean and free from insects, dust and debris.

Wally Wise Guy's Wise Words of the Week: National Hurricane Preparedness Week - Prepare for Hurricane Season

Hurricanes are violent storms which can bring intense winds, heavy rain, a storm surge, floods, coastal erosion, landslides, and tornadoes. While it is difficult to predict the exact time, place, and force of hurricanes, residents of the Atlantic and Gulf Coast states must be prepared. The season for hurricanes runs from June through November, with most hurricanes occurring mid-August to late October. Each season, on average, six hurricanes form in the Atlantic Ocean of which two become major hurricanes.

PREPARING FOR A HURRICANE

• Familiarize yourself with the terms that are used to identify a hurricane threats. Hurricane Watch: Issued when there is a threat of hurricane conditions in 24 to 36 hours. Hurricane Warning: Issued when dangerously high water and rough seas are expected in 24 hours or less. 
• Plan your evacuation route and where you will go if told to evacuate.
• Have a Go Bag of emergency supplies ready in case you have to evacuate 
• Secure your property.
• To protect your windows from high winds, cover them with pre-cut plywood or hurricane shutters.
• Bring in all outdoor furniture, decorations, garbage cans and anything else that is not tied down. 
• Keep all trees and shrubs well trimmed. 
• If you have a car, fill the gas tank in case you have to evacuate.

For more information check out the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management's Coastal Storms page or read the National Hurricane Preparedness Week Presidential Proclamation.

Wally Wise Guy's Wise Words of the Week: Learn Life Saving Techniques During EMS Week

National EMS Week was established to heighten public awareness of emergency medical services and teach early activation of EMS through the proper use of the 9-1-1 emergency system. EMS agencies urge every citizen to:

• Learn Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). 
• Practice a comprehensive plan of home and highway safety. 
• Instruct all family members in the proper and appropriate use of 9-1-1 in an emergency.

These important techniques are the key to saving the life of a family member or a fellow citizen.

Wally Wise Guy's Wise Words of the Week: Building Safety Month - Make Sure Your Home is Safe

Here are 10 important tips for home disaster safety from the International Code Council: 

• Develop a family action plan and share with everyone in your family, so you will know where to go if an evacuation is called. Review at least two exit routes from your home or neighborhood to a designated meeting place for your family. Plan ahead for your pets as many shelters will not accept them.  
• Create a disaster supply kit that will allow you to remain in your home after a disaster or for use after evacuating to a safer location. Be sure the necessities in your kit are fresh and restored every six months.  
• Stay tuned to radio, TV and NOAA Weather Radio for official updates and critical life saving weather information. Remember, reception is usually best if placed near a window.  
• Flooded roads could have significant damage hidden by floodwaters. Never drive through floodwaters or on flooded roads. Do not attempt to cross a flowing stream. It takes only six inches of fast flowing water to sweep you off your feet and two feet of water to move an SUV-sized vehicle.  
• If you live in a high wind or hurricane prone area and do not have tested and code approved shutters for protection from windborne debris, temporarily protect your doors and windows by mounting exterior grade, 5/8” plywood and fastening it into place. Visit www.flash.org for detailed instructions on how to use plywood for emergency board up.  
• Secure lawn furniture and any other loose outdoor items that can become windborne and can cause injury or damage during storms with high winds. Don’t forget trash cans, grills, toys and potted plants.  
• Consider building or retrofitting to create a tornado safe room in your home. Follow ICC/NSSA 500 or FEMA 320 for detailed construction information and to ensure you achieve the highest level of protection for your family.  
• Use Surge Protective Devices (SPD) in your home to protect electronic appliances from all but the most severe electrical surges or direct strikes. The devices should be installed to afford the highest level of protection.  
• In wildfire prone areas, remove fine (dead grass, leaves, etc.) and course fields (dead twigs, branches, etc.) within 30 feet of a building to create a survivable space in case of wildfire. Be sure to remove dry leaf and pine litter from roofs, rain gutters, decks and walkways. 
• Before a winter storm, insulate all exposed water pipes outside the home. It is important to allow a slow trickle of water to flow during a winter freeze especially if the faucet is on an exterior wall. Remember, wrap and drip your pipes for the ultimate protection in a freeze.

For additional home safety information check out these Building Inspector Safety Tips.

Philadelphia Receives a 2010 Emergency Management Digital Distinction Award

Deputy Managing Director MaryAnn E. Tierney is pleased to announce that the Managing Director’s Office of Emergency Management has received the 2010 Emergency Management Digital Distinction Award for Best Process Improvement for its Integrated Public Warning System. The Emergency Management Digital Distinction Awards, a partnership between the Center for Digital Government and Emergency Management Magazine, recognize successful contributions to the first responder community's use of information technology.

The Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management’s Integrated Public Warning System uses a multi-medium digital approach to communicate emergency public information. These include ReadyNotifyPA, an emergency text alert and email message system; social media networking sites; digital billboards; and digital LED scrolls and HDTV flat screens on 39 newsstands in Center City Philadelphia.

“The use of digital technology has allowed us to greatly enhance our traditional methods of notifying the public and keeping them informed during emergencies,” said Deputy Managing Director for Emergency Management MaryAnn Tierney. “While we still use radio and TV for emergency notifications, using digital media allows us to leverage new and emerging technologies to reach as many people as possible in times of crisis.”

Two of the most recent additions to ReadyNotifyPA include Crime Alerts from the Philadelphia Police Department and alerts from the Sunoco Refinery. When a crime is reported in their area, the Police Department can send a text and email message to subscribers, alerting them about the crime. The Sunoco Refinery Alerts are used when an incident at the refinery has a public impact, whether or not it is an emergency. The refinery alerts can be for events that cause odors, noises, or visuals that are not normally present in the community. For example, an alert may be sent before the start up of construction activity or when equipment is placed back into service after maintenance or repairs which may be noticed by the community, such as flaring at stacks. In addition to these new categories, the public can also sign up for weather and traffic alerts through ReadyNotifyPA.

“We are also proud to report that CBS Always On, Philadelphia's Digital Newsstand Network, conducted the City's first street level emergency alert test on Wednesday, April 28 in cooperation with the Office of Emergency Management,” said Deputy Managing Director Tierney. The emergency test was conducted in conjunction with a Homeland Security exercise called Liberty RadEx taking place in Philadelphia last week. An emergency test tone and message appeared on newsstands' LED screens and High Definition TV screens for 30 seconds at the top of each hour that day. In the event of a large-scale emergency, people in Center City would be able to get up-to- the minute details and information through the CBS Always On network. The system has already been used since its installation -- to alert people to move their cars from snow emergency routes during this past winter's record snow storm.

The network of 39 newsstands in Philadelphia was launched in November, 2009 by the Newsstand Association of Philadelphia, Center City Direct and the seven CBS stations, including two TV and five radio stations in the Philadelphia market. The newsstand network is wired to provide Amber Alerts, storm warnings, information about terrorist attacks, evacuation information, natural disasters and more, coordinated through the City's Office of Emergency Management. By 2014, all newsstands in Center City will be outfitted with the new technology.

OEM has also established a presence on Blogger, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn. These sites are being used to provide weekly emergency preparedness tips and to broadcast advisories before, during and after emergencies to update the public on preparation activities and response operations.

Director Tierney also reports that the Philadelphia division of Clear Channel Outdoor and the Office of Emergency Management established an agreement in 2007 so that emergency messages can be displayed on eight digital billboards owned and operated by Clear Channel Outdoor Philadelphia. The majority of the digital billboards are located along a stretch of I-95 just south of the Philadelphia International Airport and north to Street Road, as well as several major roadways in the area. The digital billboard units are 14' high by 48' wide and are strategically located along routes that experience heavy daily rush-hour traffic and are major arteries to Philadelphia. Messages can be static or run in 8-second spots in a 24-hour rotation.

The Center for Digital Government and Emergency Management Magazine invited nominations for the inaugural Emergency Management Digital Distinction Awards, to recognize successful contributions to the first responder community's use of information technology. The Center for Digital Government is a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government.

All civilian government emergency management agencies; fire, public safety, police/law enforcement, criminal justice, emergency response, emergency medical services, disaster risk reduction or mitigation, homeland security, or other emergency management; all levels of government and all countries worldwide, were eligible to nominate projects for the award.

For a list of all the 2010 Emergency Management Digital Distinction Award winners, visit Emergency Management Magazine.

Job Opportunity: Training and Exercise Program Manager

The Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management is looking for a Training and Exercise Program Manager. The deadline to apply is May 26, 2010.

For the Job Description and information on how to apply, visit the Job Opportunities page of www.phila.gov/ready.

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Wally Wise Guy's Wise Words of the Week: National Pet Week - Prepare an Emergency Kit For Your Pets

Prepare your animals for any emergency by putting together this simple Pet Emergency Kit:

• A three-day supply of water, food and containers, non-spill bowls, and a can opener.
• Sturdy leashes, harnesses and carriers/cages to transport pets safely and ensure that they cannot escape.
• Information on feeding schedules, medical conditions, veterinarian’s phone number, proof of vaccination, pet license numbers, and microchip numbers.
• Medication for your pet (if needed).
• Plastic bags, paper towels, and wipes for clean-up.
• Photos of your pet.

For more information, visit the Pennsylvania State Animal Response Team website at http://sart.cas.psu and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals website at www.aspca.org.