Archives for October 2019

Attleboro Fire Department Offers Halloween Safety Tips

October 30, 2019 by Leah Comins

ATTLEBORO – Chief Scott Lachance and the Attleboro Fire Department would like to offer residents some important safety tips as Halloween approaches to ensure everyone celebrates safely and responsibly.

“As Halloween approaches, we encourage parents and guardians to refer to these tips to ensure their children stay safe while enjoying the night’s activities,” Chief Lachance said.

The Attleboro Fire Department recommends that residents follow safety tips outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services:

Dressing Up

Wear well-fitting masks, costumes and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips and falls. Consider adding reflective tape to kids’ costumes and bags to help drivers see them.
If temperatures are cold during trick-or-treating time, be sure to have your kids wear long sleeves and warm clothing under their costume.
If a child is wearing a mask instead of make-up, make sure the eye holes are large enough to see through clearly. Consider non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as a safer alternative to masks. Always test make-up in a small area of skin first and always remove make-up before bedtime to prevent possible skin and eye irritation.
When shopping for costume pieces, look for and purchase ones that are labeled as flame retardant.
Swords, knives and other costume accessories should be short, soft and flexible. A child may be easily hurt by accessories if he or she stumbles or trips.

Trick-or-Treating

Children under 12 should always be accompanied by an adult. Avoid trick-or-treating alone.
If your older children are going out without parental supervision, go over ground rules first and set a curfew. Have them travel in a group, with a cell phone and flashlight. Make sure children know how to call 911 if they have an emergency.
Pedestrian injuries are very common on Halloween. Remind kids to stay in a group. They should walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic. Crosswalks should be used whenever possible and children should always look both ways before crossing the street.
Only go to homes with a porch light on. Never go into a home or car for a treat.
Examine all of your kids’ treats for choking hazards and tampering. Do not eat treats that have been opened, even partially. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers.

Keeping Your Home Safe for Trick-or-Treaters

Make sure your home is well-lit inside and out and that there is a clear path to your front door.
Keep all decorations like cornstalks and hay away from heat sources and lit candles.
Use battery-operated tea lights instead of candles in jack-o-lanterns.
Remember to put matches and lighters away in a high, locked cabinet so children cannot access them or be tempted to relight jack-o-lanterns by themselves.

As always, any suspicious person or vehicle should immediately be reported to Attleboro Police by dialing 911.

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Attleboro Fire Department Responds to House Fire

October 25, 2019 by Leah Comins

ATTLEBORO — Chief Scott T. Lachance reports that the Attleboro Fire Department responded to a house fire Thursday morning.

At approximately 11 a.m. yesterday, Attleboro firefighters were dispatched to 91 Wamsutta Road for a report of a fire. Upon arrival, first responders observed an active fire and initiated an attack to extinguish it.

Attleboro firefighters worked for approximately an hour, with mutual aid on scene from the Seekonk and Pawtucket Fire Departments to extinguish the fire before locating and eliminating hot spots. A North Attleboro Fire Department ambulance also responded to the scene.

Two firefighters were transported to an area hospital with minor injuries.

Nobody was home at the time of the fire, and the American Red Cross is working with residents to find alternative housing, as the house was damaged too severely to be occupied.

The fire is not believed to be suspicious, but the cause remains under investigation by the Attleboro Fire Department.

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Attleboro Fire Department Offers Safety Tips During National Fire Prevention Week

October 8, 2019 by Matthew Reid

ATTLEBORO — With National Fire Prevention Week kicking off over the weekend, Chief Scott Lachance and the Attleboro Fire Department would like to remind residents about safety precautions to take to prevent house fires and the appropriate actions to take in the event of a fire.

National Fire Prevention Week, organized by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) begins this year on Sunday, Oct. 6 and ends on Saturday, Oct. 12. The annual campaign seeks to educate and provide the public with valuable safety recommendations and steps they can take to prevent possible fires and react properly in the event of a fire.

The theme of the 2019 National Fire Prevention Week is “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!” in an effort to remind people of the critical importance of creating and practicing an escape plan should a fire start.

According to the NFPA, a person may only have a two-minute window to escape from a fire after a smoke alarm is activated.

“National Fire Prevention Week is a terrific opportunity for residents of all ages to become familiar with the many ways to prevent a home fire emergency,” Chief Lachance said. “And families are also encouraged to create a home escape plan should a fire occur, and practice drills to make sure everyone knows how to get to safety as quickly as possible if the need arises.”

The Attleboro Fire Department wishes to share the following safety tips provided by NFPA:

Home Fire Escape Planning and Practice

Create a home escape plan, and make a map. Share that plan with all members of your household. Designate a minimum of two ways to get out of each room, if possible.
Teach children how they can escape, should they need to get out of the home on their own.
Make sure all doors and windows to the outdoors are easy to open.
Designate an outside meeting place a safe distance away from the home where everyone in your household should meet in the event of a fire.
Practice a fire drill at home with your entire household, once at night and once during the day time, twice a year. Make sure everyone in your household practices using different routes to exit your home.
In the event of a fire and while practicing fire drills, close doors behind you as you leave.
If you are evacuating and there is smoke, get low and proceed beneath the smoke.
If the smoke alarm sounds, exit the building and call 911 once you are outside the building. Never go back inside while the fire is ongoing.

Smoke Alarms

Smoke alarms can mean the difference between life and death in a fire. Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half. Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement.
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.

Cooking

Unattended cooking is the leading cause of fires in the kitchen. Always stay in the kitchen when you are frying, boiling, grilling or broiling food. If you are simmering, baking, slow cooking or roasting food, check it regularly and do not leave the home while food is cooking.
Keep anything that can catch fire away from your stove top.

Heating

Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fires during the winter months. Space heaters are most often involved in home heating equipment fires.
All heaters need space. Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet (1 meter) away from heating equipment.
Have a 3-foot (1-meter) “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
Purchase and use only portable space heaters listed by a qualified testing laboratory.
Have a qualified professional install heating equipment.
Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected by a qualified professional at least once a year.

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Attleboro Fire Department to Host Open House During National Fire Prevention Week

October 3, 2019 by Benjamin Paulin

Attleboro Firefighter and SAFE Coordinator Paul Jacques hands out plastic firefighter helmets at the Attleboro Fire Department’s 2018 open house. (Photo courtesy Attleboro Fire Department)

ATTLEBORO — Chief Scott T. Lachance and the Professional Firefighters of Attleboro Local 848 are pleased to announce that the Attleboro Fire Department will be hosting its annual open house as part of their programming for National Fire Prevention Week.

Fire Prevention Week is coming up on Oct. 6-12. This year’s theme, “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!” is aimed at educating everyone about the small but important actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe.

WHEN:

Saturday, Oct. 12 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

WHERE:

South Attleboro Fire Station, 1476 West St., South Attleboro

WHAT:

The open house, sponsored by Papa Gino’s, is aimed at teaching families fire safety and prevention practices.

Those who attend will receive safety tips such as “stop, drop and roll,” learn how to plan escape routes and how to crawl safely through a smoke filled room.

In addition, Papa Gino’s, the Attleboro-based pizza chain, will provide free pizza and children’s fire safety coloring sheets.

“We hope to see a large turnout of families coming out to enjoy some pizza, spend some time at the station with our firefighters and learning about important fire safety tips,” said Attleboro Firefighter and SAFE Coordinator Paul Jacques.

Papa Gino’s is celebrating its 25th anniversary of sponsoring fire safety open houses throughout New England to encourage families to learn about fire safety. For the past 25 years, Papa Gino’s has helped to educate more than 2 million people about fire prevention and safety.

During the month of October, Papa Gino’s will provide customers with fire prevention coloring sheets and certificates for kids.

“We look forward to this event every year and it’s a great way to get some face-to-face time with the residents we serve,” Chief Lachance said.

For more information about the Attleboro Fire Department Open House, please contact Firefighter Jacques at 508-922-4394.

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