For the period of Friday September 5, 2008 to Thursday September 11, 2008 the Niagara Falls Fire Department responded to 97 calls for assistance.
Friday September 5 – At 10:11 AM fire units were dispatched for an unknown situation in the area of 13th Street and Ashland Avenue. Calls received in Central Alarm indicated everything from and unknown medical emergency to an automobile accident. Fire units arrived to find a vehicle that had collided with a fixed object with a lone female in the striking vehicle. Additional investigation determined that the victim was suffering from a gunshot wound to the side. Department medical technicians began to administer first aid and the victim was transported to a local hospital.
Saturday September 6 – Shortly after 8 PM the firefighters assigned to Truck One were alerted to respond to an incident involving young children in a locked vehicle. The situation was extremely dangerous as the vehicle was left running. Fortunately the children were unable to place the vehicle into drive. Firefighters used specialized tools to access the lock mechanism and were able to open the vehicle. While this incident was an accident, each year many children are seriously injured when left unattended in a vehicle. Leaving your child in a car, even for a short while is not only illegal but can have tragic results.
Sunday September 7 – The sound of screeching automobile tires filled the early morning air in the 1700 block of Welch Avenue. At 3:43 AM fire units from the Royal Avenue station were alerted to respond to a vehicle accident involving a car striking a house. Fire units arrived at the location and found that a vehicle had struck a parked car causing it to strike the home. The striking vehicle then continued on and struck a fence as well as another vehicle before it came to rest under the front porch of another home. The force of the impact caused significant structural damage to the porch when it dislodged a supporting column. The occupant of the vehicle was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The Building and Inspections Department was requested to respond to assess the structural damage to the home.
Thursday September 11 – Once again firefighters found themselves in the 2400 block of Fairfield Avenue for an outside fire. This area has been the location of a number of trash fires in recent months and this fire once again involved discarded tires. The fire was quickly extinguished and the fire department will be working with Public works to see that the area is cleaned up and that illegal dumping activities cease.
Cooking Safety Tips
• Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen, even for a short time, turn off the stove.
• Wear short, close fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking. Loose clothing can dangle onto stove burners and catch fire.
• Keep anything that can catch fire—potholders, towels, or curtains—away from your stovetop.
• Have a “kid-free zone” of at least three feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.
• Always keep an oven mitt and lid nearby when you are cooking. If a small grease fire starts in a pan, put on an oven mitt and smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the pan. Turn off the burner. Do not remove the lid until it is completely cool.
• If there is an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed to prevent flames from burning you and your clothing. Have the oven serviced before you use it again.
