MEDIA ADVISORY - New Technology, New 10-Year Alarms, New Law, New Effort to Protect Homes

Media Contacts: Bruce D. Bouch, Office of the State Fire Marshal, 410-653-8999

Mark E. Brady, PGFD Chief Spokesperson, 240-508-7930

New Technology, New 10-Year Alarms, New Law, New Effort to Protect Homes

The Fire Service constantly strives to increase the number of homes with working smoke alarms. However, convincing residents that a working smoke alarm dramatically increases the chances of surviving a home fire has proven to be rather challenging. As we entered the 21st century, the United States Fire Administration (USFA) estimated that 94 percent of all U.S. households had a smoke alarm. We believe, based on community canvassing, that in 30 percent of those households the smoke alarm was inoperable, as the device had no battery or a dead battery. In the combined 36 percent of homes without a smoke alarm, or a working smoke alarm, according to the USFA, is where 75 percent of fire fatalities have occurred and continue to occur. Nearly 2,500 fire fatalities occur each year in the U.S. with fire service leaders estimating that 1/3 of these people could have been saved if they had a working smoke alarm.


An additional challenge is the over-aged smoke alarms found in homes during safety checks. Smoke alarm manufacturers recommend that a smoke alarm be replaced every 10 years. Battery-powered smoke alarms were first introduced in 1970. By 2000, smoke alarms were installed in 94 percent of U.S. households. How old is your alarm? A manufactured date is listed on the back of alarms. Check the date, and replace the device if the date is close to or past the 10-year mark. If there is no date, it is well past the 10-year point and should be replaced immediately.

The Prince George’s County Fire/Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department believes that technological advances in the manufacturing of smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors will save lives, including the lives of firefighters entering homes to rescue occupants who were never alerted by a working smoke alarm. The 10-year smoke alarm currently available allows the installed device to operate for up to 10 years without having to change the battery. This action alone will reduce the high percentage of residential fire fatalities occurring in residences that have no smoke alarm or one that is inoperable due to a battery issue.

Installing the 10-year smoke alarm will also provide homeowners with a fresh date to begin a 10-year countdown to replacement, thereby eliminating older smoke alarms that may not operate. A local volunteer fire department will provide details of a federal grant and their goal of installing new 10-year alarms in every home within their primary response area.

Fire service leaders from local, County, State, and Federal organizations will gather to discuss new State of Maryland legislation requiring 10-year smoke alarms with a hush feature; a local Fire/EMS Department's goal to install 10-year alarms in every home within their primary response area; and the benefits of working smoke alarms for firefighters and their families. Additionally, a leading manufacturer of smoke alarms will discuss the advances in technology with the 10-year alarms.

Homes within walking distance of the Capitol Heights Fire/EMS Station will be visited by
firefighters that will install the new 10-year alarms.


WHAT: Press Conference – 10-Year Smoke Alarms

WHEN: Monday, May 20, 2013, 11:00 am

WHERE: Capitol Heights Fire/EMS Station 805, 6061 Central Avenue

WHO: MD Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown along with other elected/civic leaders have been invited, MD State Fire Marshal William Barnard, County Fire Chief Marc Bashoor, Capitol Heights Volunteer President James McClelland, National Fallen Fire Fighters Foundation Executive Director Ron Siarnicki and Survivor Cathy Hedrick and Neal Zipser from KIDDE.

Community Advisory Council Forum in Seat Pleasant

Metzerott Road Fire

At around 4:00 pm, Tuesday, May 14,  firefighters from Prince George's and Montgomery County were alerted to a building fire. Fire/EMS units arrived at 1836 Metzerott Road in Adelphi to find fire and smoke coming from an 8th floor apartment balcony.  This is a 20-story high-rise apartment building.

Residents were evacuating the structure and a 2nd Alarm was requested by first arriving firefighters.

Firefighters made their way to an apartment on the 8th floor, east wing, and found a fire on the balcony with some extension to the interior. The fire was quickly contained and extinguished. Residents were advised to shelter in place as the situation was brought quickly under control with little to no smoke in the building hallways.

No injuries were reported and only the apartment of origin will be displaced.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation and fire loss is estimated at $1,200.

Mark E. Brady
Chief Spokesman/PIO
Prince George's County Fire/EMS
240-508-7930

Updated Wednesday, 5-15-13 at 9:25 am

"She Tore Up Some Stuff Prior to our Arrival"

MEDIA CONTACT: Mark E. Brady, Chief Spokesperson, 240-508-7930

Earlier this month on Thursday, May 9, Prince George's County Firefighters from the Camp Springs area responded to an incident  involving a release of natural gas.  A high-pressure natural gas line had been struck and broken by a contractor while digging in the 7000 block of Berkshire Drive.  A strong natural gas odor permeated the air and as a result several homes in the neighborhood were ordered to evacuate.  When firefighters came upon a home in the "hot zone" with no response at the door, they forced entry to ensure everyone was OK and out of the house. 

In one of the homes, a dog was found inside along with high levels of natural gas.  The following letter was written by one of the owners to Prince George's County Government leadership and explains what happened next.

I would like to begin by saying thank you. You and the Prince George’s County Team are doing an excellent job. Since you have taken office, the county is taking on the biggest positive change I have seen in years and it is all thanks to you and your leadership.

Over a year ago, we began seeing signs around our Camp Springs neighborhood that advised us that WSSC would be replacing the water-mains. The replacement work began approximately two months ago. Everything had been going great until last week when unfortunately, the contractor that WSSC approved to do the work hit a gas line. Since we work during the day, our dog was left home alone.

I received a phone call from my alarm company, informing me that there had been a break-in at our home. My partner left his job and ran home immediately to find out exactly what was going on. The alarm company representative called me back to let me know that after the invasion occurred, they spoke through the alarm system to ask the intruders to identify themselves. To our benefit, it was a group of Prince George’s County Firefighters. The Firefighters identified themselves and informed the alarm company of the situation. The alarm company immediately called me to let me know that the firefighters were in our home because they were trying to evacuate the neighborhood because of the gas leak.

When my partner arrived in our neighborhood, Washington Gas and the Prince George's County Fire Department would not allow anyone in the neighborhood for safety reasons. However, eventually the fire department allowed him into the neighborhood and when he arrived at our home, we found a note written on a piece of cardboard that said:

“There was a gas leak outside of your house & we had to break your door in to make sure no one was home. Once in, we found high levels of gas & had to get your dog outside to fresh air. She was scared at first, but came outside after some coaxing. She pee’d and pooped around noon & hung out with us at the fire truck. We put her back inside & gave her fresh food & water.”

When my partner called me at work and read the note to me, I was amazed. The reason I was amazed is because I would not expect anyone to take care of a strange dog. In addition to them taking care of our baby, they opened all the windows for safety reasons. I truly give Captain D. Fletcher and his team an infinity amount of kudos for the work they did and the care that they showed by taking care of our baby and our home. This was truly going above and beyond the call of duty and I wanted to take the time out to say thank you. Thank you to the firefighters that stopped by and made it a point to watch out for our home as well as thank you to all of County Management for hiring and having such excellent professionals.

We turn on the news each day and it seems like every Washington, DC metro television station has a lot of negative news reports regarding Prince George’s County (not to mention having to go to work in Virginia and hearing the negative things that they have to say). As a proud Prince George’s County resident, I make it a point to tell of the wonderful things that are going on in our neighborhood. When I told my co-workers (whom 90% live in Virginia) about the excellent service we received from Captain Fletcher and his team, they were speechless. I believe I even have one co-worker convinced to move her and her family to our neighborhood.

Again, I just wanted to take the time out to say thank you to Captain Fletcher (PGFD# 16182) and his team for what they done for us back on May 9th around noon. Their response, professionalism, and compassion for our dog, home, and neighborhood will always be remembered. Please pass this letter of appreciation along to them and let them know that Duffy says, “thank you!”

Sincerely,

Name Withheld by PGFD PIO


Fire Fighter/Medic Captain Donny Fletcher and his crew from the Morningside Fire/EMS Station may not have realized what an impact their actions would have on these residents.  Captain Fletcher also probably never thought his handwritten notes would be published. 

When notified of the actions of the firefighters and the very complimentary note, Fire Chief Marc S. Bashoor stated, "I am constantly amazed at the things our people do, job well done to Captain Fletcher and his crew for going above and beyond."

These are the notes that Captain Fletcher had left for the home owners once the
"all clear" was given and he returned the dog to his house.

Law Enforcement Ride has Rest Stop at District Heights Fire/EMS Station

The Law Enforcement United, Annual Memorial Bicycle Ride, traveled through Prince George’s County this morning.  The “Ride To Hope” contingent of approximately 50 law enforcement officers are in the final leg of their tour from Redding Pennsylvania, in route to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC.  Once in DC, the tour will meet up with a second contingent of 350 bicycle riders that are in route from Chesapeake Virginia. 

Each rider must be a current or retired law enforcement officer or family survivor of a fallen officer.  Each cyclist peddles to honor the sacrifice of their law enforcement colleagues and family members who have died in the line of duty.  The officers and survivors also ride to raise awareness and provide monetary support to Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) and the Officer Down Memorial Page (O.D.M.P.)

The group traveling from Redding Pennsylvania is on day three of their tour, and at 1030 hours, the cyclists utilized Fire/EMS Station 826 as rest stop.  The cyclists are being escorted by a large group of law enforcement motorcycles, medical staff, and logistical support vehicles.

http://www.lawenforcementunited.org/Default.aspx?pageId=1523949

Alan C. Doubleday

Battalion Chief 883 D-Shift

5900 Marlboro Pike

District Heights MD 20747

WASHINGTON POST - Prince George’s firefighters poised for large pay hikes

Prince George’s firefighters poised for large pay hikes

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By Miranda S. Spivack, Sunday, May 12, 5:37 PM

Prince George’s County is poised to give raises of as much as 22 percent to unionized firefighters, who have not received pay increases in three years, according to documents and interviews.

The raises could cost the county at least $9 million over two years, depending on the current pay levels of the 768 unionized firefighters. To get a raise, they must receive a positive performance evaluation and be eligible for the increases. The package, which also calls for firefighters to increase their pension contributions, was ratified by union members May 1 and awaits County Council review.

Officials in the administration of County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D), who negotiated the agreement with the union, declined to discuss the details of the deal, the result of talks that began last fall. Around that time, an arbitrator ordered the county to give police officers raises of up to12 percent to make up for wages lost to pay freezes.

Tom Himler, a top Baker aide who was part of the negotiating team for the firefighters’ contract, said he was withholding details of the agreement until the county concludes negotiations with other public employee unions in the next few weeks. A letter from the union to its members outlining the negotiated agreement with the firefighters shows that the contract is for two years and that the first raises would be paid July 1 .

“The big thing was getting everyone on the wage scale places on the step they are supposed to be on based on years of service,” said Andrew Pantelis, president of the Prince George’s County Professional Fire Fighters and Paramedics Association, who confirmed the details of the letter. The agreement also includes staffing increases that will place four firefighters at most stations around the clock, Pantelis said. Previously, some had been staffed with two firefighters during the day, augmented by volunteer firefighters in the evening, he added.

Of the 768 union members, about 100 would get only one raise, several would get two raises and the average increase would be about four raises, Pantelis said. “Those who will benefit the most from this are people with four to 10 years on the job,” he said.

The county is is negotiations for pay and benefits for about 60 civilian employees, Pantelis said.

Most of the county’s 6,000 employees are unionized and have recently begun to get salary increases after years of pay freezes and furloughs that began during the administration of former county executive Jack B. Johnson (D), Baker’s predecessor.

Baker asked county employees this year to take several unpaid days off. The council has accepted two pay increases in recent years, and members are paid $102,486, among the highest wages for local legislative bodies in the Washington region. The county’s 9,000 teachers, who negotiate with the school system rather than the Baker administration, recently received one-time lump sum payments of about 2 percent.

Last month, in neighboring Montgomery County, lawmakers approved a package of raises averaging 7 to 10 percent for most police, fire and general non-uniform employees for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The pay raises, a combination of cost-of-living and step increases, total about $32 million
.

Serious MVC with critical and fatal injuries at B...

Serious MVC with critical and fatal injuries at Bladensburg Road and 37th Place