On behalf of Cherryvale Fire-Rescue, we would like to thank the Fire Education Association of Kansas (FEAK) for accepting our 2009 Fire Prevention Week in a Box mini-grant application.
Established in 1985, FEAKs purpose is to:
- Assist Kansas communities promote fire and life safety education
- Provide opportunities for training, education and interventions to those people dedicated to fire and life safety education and awareness
- Provide a fire and life safety network for the exchange of ideas and resources
The 2009 FPW in a Box mini-grant includes open house
materials for 100 adults and 100 children, which include a large FPW Banner,
posters, brochures for adults and kids, stickers, magnets, fire fact
newsletters, Sparky the Fire Dog bags and a
Let’s Get Started Guide.
Don’t forget that Fire Prevention Week is October 4th-10th, 2009. The theme for this year is “It’s Fire Prevention Week—Stay Fire Smart! Don’t Get Burned!” If you would like more information about FEAK or are looking for free Fire Prevention Week downloads for you or your family, you can check out FEAK’s website at www.feaks.org.
Once again, we would like to thank FEAK for their contribution to make Cherryvale a safer community as well as providing education for a fire safe Kansas!
On this page,
New open Burning ordinance enacted April 2009
Hydrant testing and flushing FAQs
After the fire, tips from Phoenix FD
Smokey Bear link to learn about fire prevention
Forgotten but not gone
Kansas State Health Officer and Director of Health
Kansas Department of Health and Environment
As the H1N1 flu epidemic enters its fourth month in Kansas, the lurid headlines and cable news frenzy that marked the early stages of the outbreak are over. Gone are the scenes of subway riders wearing face masks, of school doors closed because of the flu, of bewildered travelers unsure if they should take a vacation in Mexico or New York.
The pattern of cases here, as in other states, points to a distinctly higher risk for the young. The average age for confirmed cases in Kansas is just 17 years, with about 80 percent of cases occurring before the age of 35 years. Although the elderly would comprise a majority of severe cases in a normal flu season, cases of H1N1 flu are relatively rare in people over 65 years of age.
ORDINANCE NO. 09-4574: OPEN BURNING
ORDINANCE NO. 09-4574
SECTION 1: PURPOSE
1.0. Purpose.
This ordinance is intended to promote and safeguard the health, comfort, living conditions, safety
and welfare of the citizens of Cherryvale, by regulating the air pollution and fire hazards of open
burning and outdoor burning.
SECTION 2: APPLICABILITY
2.0. Applicability.
This ordinance applies to all outdoor burning and open burning within the city of Cherryvale.
2.1. This ordinance does not apply to grilling or cooking food using charcoal, wood, propane
or natural gas in approved cooking or grilling appliances.
2.2. This ordinance does not apply to the use of propane, acetylene, natural gas, gasoline,
kerosene or other approved devices intended for heating, construction or maintenance
activities.
2.3. An approved device is either a device that has been approved by “Underwriters
Laboratories” (UL) or the Fire Chief or his designee.
SECTION 3: SEVERABILITY
3.0. Severability.
Should any portion of this ordinance be declared unconstitutional or invalid by a court of
competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this ordinance shall not be affected.
SECTION 4: DEFINITIONS
4.0. Definitions.
4.1. "Campfire" means a small outdoor fire intended for recreation or cooking but does not
include a fire intended for disposal of waste wood or refuse.
4.2. "Clean wood" means natural wood which has not been painted, varnished or coated with
a similar material; has not been pressure treated with preservatives; and does not contain
resins or glues as in plywood or other composite wood products.
4.3. “Construction and demolition waste” means building waste materials, including but not
limited to waste shingles, insulation, lumber, treated wood, painted wood, wiring,
plastics, packaging, and rubble that results from construction, remodeling, repair, or
demolition operations on a house, commercial or industrial building, or other structure.
4.4. "Fire Chief" means the Chief of the City of Cherryvale Fire Department or other person
designated by the Fire Chief.
4.5. "Outdoor burning" means open burning or burning in a patio wood burning unit.
4.6. "Open burning" means kindling or maintaining a fire where the products of combustion
are emitted directly into the ambient air without passing through a stack or a chimney.
This includes burning in a burn barrel.
4.7. “Patio wood-burning unit” means a chimney, patio warmer, or other portable woodburning
device used for outdoor recreation and/or heating.
4.8. “Refuse" means any waste material except trees, logs, brush, stumps, leaves, grass
clippings, and other vegetative matter.
SECTION 5: GENERAL PROHIBITION OF OUTDOOR BURNING AND OPEN BURNING
5.0. General prohibition of outdoor burning and open burning.
Open burning and outdoor burning are prohibited in the city of Cherryvale unless the burning is
specifically permitted by this ordinance.
SECTION 6: OPEN BURNING OF TREES, LOGS, BRUSH, STUMPS, LEAVES, AND GRASS
CLIPPINGS
6.0. Burning trees, logs, brush, stumps, leaves, and grass clippings.
6.1. Open burning of refuse from a commercial or industrial establishment is prohibited.
6.2. Open burning of refuse from and at a one or two family dwelling is allowed if all of the
following conditions are met:
6.2.1. The burning does not create a nuisance. (e.g.no materials shall be burned that
create a foul or offensive odor or that cause smoke emissions that are reasonably
offensive to occupants of surrounding property)
6.3. Open burning of any material is prohibited, except the following:
6.3.1. Grass clippings
6.3.2. Leaves
6.3.3. “Clean” wood
6.3.4. Limbs and other tree debris.
6.3.5. Any other material burned by authorization of the Fire Chief or his designee.
(no burning will be allowed that is prohibited by KDH&E)
6.4. Open burning of trees, logs, brush, stumps, leaves, and grass clippings is allowed only in
accordance with all of the following provisions:
6.4.1. Prior to initiating any burning, the party initiating each burn shall notify the
Cherryvale Fire Department dispatcher of the location of the burning site, the
proposed time of burn, and the nature of the materials to be burned. Initiating a
burn prior to notification of the Fire Department shall be deemed a violation of
this ordinance.
6.4.2. The Fire Chief or his or her designee shall authorize or prohibit open and outside
burning on a day-to-day basis, based on current or expected weather conditions.
6.4.3. All allowed open burning shall be conducted in a safe, nuisance-free manner,
when wind and weather conditions minimize adverse effects and do not create a
health hazard or a visibility hazard on roadways or railroads. Open burning
shall be conducted in conformance with all local and state fire protection
regulations, specifically KAR 28-19-645, 28-19-646, 28-19-647, 28-19-648.
6.4.4. Outdoor campfires and small bonfires for cooking, ceremonies, or recreation are
allowed, provided they do not cause a nuisance.
6.4.5. Open burning under this section shall only be conducted at a location at least 25
feet from the nearest building which is not on the same property.
6.4.6. Except for campfires, or patio burners, open burning shall only be conducted
from sunrise to sunset, unless otherwise authorized by the Fire Chief.
6.4.7. Open burning shall be constantly attended and supervised by a competent person
of at least eighteen (18) years of age until the fire is extinguished and is cold.
The person conducting the open burn shall have readily available for use such
fire extinguishing equipment as may be necessary for the total control of the fire.
6.4.8. No materials may be burned upon any street, curb, gutter or sidewalk or on the
ice of a lake, pond, stream or body of water.
6.4.9. Except for barbecue, gas, and charcoal grills, no burning shall be undertaken
within 25 feet from any combustible material, combustible wall or partition,
exterior window opening, exit access or exit unless authorized by the Fire Chief.
6.4.10. No open burning may be conducted on days when the National Weather Service
office has issued a “red flag warning” for the city of Cherryvale.
SECTION 7: PATIO WOOD-BURNING UNITS
7.1. A patio wood-burning unit may be installed and used in the city of Cherryvale only in
accordance with all of the following provisions:
7.1.1. The patio wood-burning unit shall not be used to burn refuse.
7.1.2. The patio wood-burning unit shall burn only clean wood.
7.1.3. The patio wood-burning unit shall be located at least 15 feet from the nearest
structure which is not on the same property as the patio wood-burning unit.
7.1.4. The patio wood-burning unit shall not cause a nuisance to neighbors.
SECTION 8: BURNING PROHIBITED
8.1. Except for barbecue, gas, and charcoal grills, no burning shall be undertaken during
periods when the County Commissioners of Montgomery County or the Cherryvale Fire
Department has issued a burning ban applicable to the area.
SECTION 9: LIABILITY
9.0. Liability.
A person utilizing or maintaining an outdoor fire shall be responsible for all fire suppression costs
and any other liability resulting from damage caused by the fire.
SECTION 10: RIGHT OF ENTRY AND INSPECTION
10.0. Right of entry and inspection.
The Fire Chief or any authorized officer, agent, employee or representative of the City of
Cherryvale may inspect any property for the purpose of ascertaining compliance with the
provisions of this ordinance.
REPEAL. Section 6-207 of the City of Cherryvale’s Code and all other ordinances in conflict herewith are
hereby repealed.
PASSED AND APPROVED by the Governing Body of the City of Cherryvale, Kansas, this 20
th day ofApril, 2009.”
Hydrant testing is complete for 2009
Fire Hydrant Flushing Fire Hydrant Flow Testing
Questions & Answers
Fire Hydrant Flushing
Have you ever been driving in Cherryvale and noticed a firefighter standing by a fire hydrant with water gushing out of it? Have you ever wondered why they're "wasting" so much water? There are good reasons for the use of this water. The workers you see flushing fire hydrants work for the Cherryvale Fire Department, and they are trained in sound and proven water system maintenance practices. Flushing fire hydrants is one of the most important maintenance practices that can be performed on a water distribution system.
When a worker fully opens a fire hydrant for the flushing process, the following are checked and recorded:
Visible and audible leaks
Proper operation of valve
Flushing out corrosion & rust
Water pressure
Flow of gallons per minute
If ignored, corrosion and rust can cause problems such as: severe rusty water, reduced water pressure, lower chlorine level. Replacing water that has been standing in the system with fresh water is especially important in dead end main areas and low flow areas in the system. Flushing one fire hydrant may cost between $5 - $10, which includes wages, water cost and equipment. The cost of flushing fire hydrants is money well-invested. So, the next time you see a firefighter flushing a hydrant, honk, wave and rest assured that they are working hard to protect the safety of the public, improve water quality and properly maintain the water distribution system.
Fire Hydrant Flow Testing
Flow testing of fire hydrant is done by the Cherryvale Fire Department to identify the amount of water a certain fire hydrant can deliver during an emergency situation. This service is done on a continuing basis so that problems can be identified and then eliminated. All hydrants will be color coded so that Fire Department personnel can identify what gallons per minute an individual fire hydrant can deliver.
Questions & Answers
Why is the water pressure low?
Your water pressure may be low due to the flushing of fire hydrants, which lowers the water pressure in the area that is being tested.
Why is my water discolored?
Due to the fire hydrant flushing, customers could experience a temporary discoloration of water, which is due to the unsettling of rust in the water main.
What should I do about the discolored water?
Run the cold water for about five minutes - this should clear up the water.
My clothes have been discolored from the rust, what should I do?
You should clean them with a rust remover.
Is the water safe to drink?
Yes. If the water would be unsafe for any reason to drink, a boil alert would be issued.
If you would like further information about this topic, please feel free to contact Ron Davis, Fire Chief at (620) 336-2121.
The Web's Community & Resource for Fire, Rescue, EMS & Safety |
After The Fire
(Adapted from the City of
Phoenix Fire Dept.)
Recovering from a fire may take a long time and many of the things you have to do will be new to you.
If you are not insured, your recovery from a fire loss most likely will be dependent upon your own resources. Private organizations that can help include the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. You also could talk with your church or synagogue. Local civic groups such as the Lions or Rotary Clubs also can be of help.
Insurance Information
Valuing Your Property
Adjusting the Loss
Replacement of Valuable Documents and Records
Salvage Hints
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Insurance Information
If you are insured, your insurance will be the most important single component in recovering from a fire loss. A number of coverages are available such as - homeowner's, tenant's or condominium owner's insurance policies.
Your insurance policy is a contract between you and the insurer. The insurer promises to do certain things for you. In turn, you have certain obligations. Among your duties after a fire loss would be to give immediate notice of the loss to the insurance company or the insurer's agent.
Protect the property from further damage by making sensible or necessary repairs such as covering holes in the roof or walls. Take reasonable precautions against loss, such as draining water lines in winter if the house will be unheated for some time. The insurance company may refuse to pay losses that occur from not taking such reasonable care.
Make an inventory of damaged personal property showing in detail the quantity, description, original purchase price, purchase date, damage estimate and replacement cost.
Cooperate with the insurer or his/her adjuster by exhibiting the damaged property.
Submit, within a stated time period (usually 30 - 60 days), a formal statement of loss. Such a statement should include:
The time and cause of loss
The names and addresses of those who have an interest in the property.
These might include the mortgage holder, a separated or divorced spouse
or a lien holder.
Building plans and specifications of the original home and a detailed
estimate for repairs.
The damage inventory mentioned above.
Receipts for additional living expenses and loss of use claims.
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Valuing Your Property
A pre-fire inventory along with a videotape of all your property could prove to be a valuable record when making your claim.
When adjusting your fire loss or in claiming a casualty loss on your Federal income tax, you will have to deal with various viewpoints on the value of your property. Some terms used are listed below:
Your "personal valuation" is your attachment to and personal valuation of your property lost in a fire. Personal items have a certain sentimental value. This term is not meant to belittle their value to you but is used to separate feelings about the value from objective measures of value. It will be objective measures of value which you, the insurer, and the Internal Revenue Service will use as a common ground.
The "cost when purchased" is an important element in establishing an item's final value. Receipts will help verify the cost price.
Fair market value before the fire also is expressed as "actual cash value." This is what you could have gotten for the item if you had sold it the day before the fire. Its price would reflect its cost at purchase and the wear it had sustained since then. Depreciation is the formal term to express the amount of value an item loses over a period of time.
"Value after the fire" is sometimes called the item's "salvage value."
The cost to replace the item with a like, but not necessarily identical, item is the replacement cost.
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Adjusting the Loss
"Loss adjustment" is the process of establishing the value of the damaged property. This is the result of a joint effort among a number of parties. Basic parties to the process are the owner or occupant and the insurance company and its representatives.
The owner or occupant is required by the insurance contract to prepare an inventory and cooperate in the loss valuation process. An insurance agent may act as the adjuster if the loss is small. The insurer may send an adjuster who is a permanent member of the insurer's staff, or the company may hire an independent adjuster to act in its behalf. It is the insurance adjuster's job, as a representative of the insurance company, to monitor and assist in the loss valuation process and to bring the loss to a just and equitable settlement.
Either you or the insurer may hire the services of a fire damage restoration firm or fire damage service company. These firms provide a range of services that may include some or all of the following:
Securing the site against further damage
Estimating structural damage
Repairing structural damage
Estimating the cost to repair or renew items of personal property
Packing, transportation, and storage of household items
Securing appropriate cleaning or repair subcontractors
Storing repaired items until needed
It is important to coordinate with the insurance adjuster before contracting for any services. If you invade the insurer's responsibility area by contracting without its knowledge or consent, you may be left with bills to pay that otherwise would have been covered by the insurer.
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Replacement of Valuable Documents and Records
| Item | Who to Contact |
| Driver's license | Local department of motor vehicles |
| Bank books | Your bank, as soon as possible |
| Insurance policies | Your insurance agent |
| Military discharge papers | Local Veterans Administration |
| Passports | Local passport office |
| Birth, death, marriage State Bureau of Records in the state certificates | State Bureau of Records in the state certificates of birth, death or marriage |
| Divorce papers | Circuit Court where decree was issued |
| Social Security or Local Social Security Office Medicare cards | Local Social Security Office |
| Credit Cards | The issuing companies, as soon as possible |
| Titles to deeds | Records department of city or county in which the property is located |
| Stocks and bonds | Issuing company or your broker |
| Wills | Your lawyer |
| Medical records | Your doctor |
| Warranties | Issuing company |
| Income tax records | The Internal Revenue Service Center where filed or your accountant |
| Auto registration title | Department of Motor Vehicles |
| Citizenship papers | The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service |
| Prepaid burial contracts | Issuing company |
| Animal registration papers | Society or county of registry |
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Salvage Hints
Clothing - Smoke odor and soot sometimes can be washed from clothing. The following formula often will work for clothing that can be bleached:
4-6 tbsp. of Tri-Sodium Phosphate
l cup Lysol or any household chlorine bleach
l gallon warm water
Mix well, add clothes, rinse with clear water and dry well.
Be aware that Tri-Sodium Phosphate is a caustic substance used as a cleaning agent. It should be used with care and stored out of reach of children and pets. Wear rubber gloves when using it. Read the label carefully. To remove mildew, wash the fresh stain with soap and warm water. Then rinse and dry in sun. If the stain has not disappeared, use lemon juice and salt, or a diluted solution of household chlorine bleach.
Cooking Utensils - Your pots, pans, flatware, etc., should be washed with soapy water, rinsed and then polished with a fine-powdered cleaner. You can polish copper and brass with special polish, salt sprinkled on a piece of lemon or salt sprinkled on a cloth saturated with vinegar.
Electrical Appliances - Appliances that have been exposed to water or steam should not be used until you have a service representative check them. This is especially true of electrical appliances. In addition, steam can remove the lubricant from some moving parts. If the fire department turned off your gas or power during the fire, call the electric or gas company to restore these services - DO NOT TRY TO DO IT YOURSELF.
Food - Wash your canned goods in detergent and water. Do the same for food in jars. If labels come off, be sure you mark the contents on the can or jar with a grease pencil. Do not use canned goods when cans have bulged or are dented or rusted.
If your home freezer has stopped running, you still can save the frozen food. Keep the freezer closed. Your freezer has enough insulation to keep food frozen for at least one day - perhaps for as many as two or three days. Move your food to a neighbor's freezer or a rented locker. Wrap the frozen food in newspapers and blankets or use insulated boxes. Do not re-freeze food that has thawed.
To remove odor from your refrigerator or freezer, wash the inside with a solution of baking soda and water, or use one cup of vinegar or household ammonia to one gallon of water. Some baking soda in an open container, or a piece of charcoal can be placed in the refrigerator or freezer to absorb odor.
Flooring and Rugs - When water gets underneath linoleum, it can cause odors and warp the wood floor. If this happens, remove the entire sheet. If the linoleum is brittle, a heat lamp will soften it so it can be rolled up without breaking. If carefully removed, it can be re-cemented after the floor has completely dried. Small blisters in linoleum can be punctured with a nail and re-cemented if you are careful. Dilute regular linoleum paste thin enough to go through a hand syringe and shoot adhesive through the nail hole. Weigh down the linoleum with bricks or boards. It usually is possible to cement loose tiles of any type. Wait until the floor is completely dry before beginning.
Rugs and carpets also should be allowed to dry thoroughly. Throw rugs then can be cleaned by beating, sweeping or vacuuming, and then shampooing. Rugs should be dried as quickly as possible. Lay them flat, and expose them to a circulation of warm, dry air. A fan turned on the rugs will speed drying. Make sure the rugs are thoroughly dry. Even though the surface seems dry, moisture remaining at the base of the tufts can quickly rot a rug. For information on cleaning and preserving carpets, call your carpet dealer or installer or qualified carpet cleaning professional.
Mattresses and Pillows - Reconditioning an innerspring mattress at home is very difficult, if not impossible. Your mattress may be able to be renovated by a company that builds or repairs mattresses. If you must use your mattress temporarily, put it out into the sun to dry. Then cover it with rubber or plastic sheeting. It is almost impossible to get smoke odor out of pillows. The feathers and foam retain the odor.
Leather and Books - Wipe leather goods with a damp cloth, then a dry cloth. Stuff purses and shoes with newspapers to retain shape. Leave suitcases open. Leather goods should be dried away from heat and sun. When leather goods are dry, clean with saddle soap. You can use steel wool or a suede brush on suede. Rinse leather and suede jackets in cold weather and dry away from heat and sun.
Wet books must be taken care of as soon as possible. The best methods to save wet books is to freeze them in a vacuum freezer. This special freezer will remove the moisture without damaging the pages.
If there will be a delay in locating such a freezer, place them in a normal freezer until a vacuum freezer can be located.
Locks and Hinges - Locks (especially iron locks) should be taken apart, wiped with kerosene and oiled. If locks cannot be removed, squirt machine oil through a bolt opening or keyhole, and work the knob to distribute the oil. Hinges also should be thoroughly cleaned and oiled.
Walls and Furniture - To remove soot and smoke from walls, furniture and floors, mix together:
4 to 6 tbsp. Tri-Sodium Phosphate
1 cup Lysol or any chloride bleach
1 gallon warm water
Wear rubber gloves when cleaning. After washing the article, rinse with clear warm water and dry thoroughly.
Walls may be washed down while wet. Use a mild soap or detergent. Wash a small area at one time, working from the floor up. Then rinse the wall with clear water immediately. Ceilings should be washed last. Do not repaint until the walls and ceilings are completely dry.
Wallpaper also can be repaired. Use a commercial paste to repaste loose edges or sections. Contact your wallpaper dealer or installer for information on wallpaper cleaners. Washable wallpaper can be washed like an ordinary wall, but care must be taken not to soak the paper. Work from bottom to top to prevent streaking.
Do not dry your furniture in the sun. The wood will warp and twist out of shape. Clear off the mud and dirt by scrubbing with a stiff brush and a cleaning solution. You can also rub the wood surface with a 4/0 steel wool pad dipped in liquid polishing wax, wipe with a soft cloth and then buff. Remove the drawers and let them dry thoroughly so there will be no sticking when you replace them. Wet wood can decay and mold, so allow it to dry thoroughly. Open doors and windows for good ventilation. Turn on your furnace or air conditioner, if necessary. If mold forms, wipe the wood with a cloth soaked in a mixture of borax dissolved in hot water. To remove white spots or film, rub the wood surface with a cloth soaked in a solution of a half cup of household ammonia and a half cup of water. Wipe dry and polish with wax, or rub the surface with a cloth soaked in a solution of a half cup turpentine and a half cup of linseed oil. Be careful because turpentine is combustible.
Money Replacement - Handle burned money as little as possible. Attempt to encase each bill or portion of a bill in plastic wrap for preservation. If money is only half-burned or less (if half or more of the bill is intact), you can take the remainder to your local Federal Reserve Bank for replacement. Ask your personal bank for the nearest one. Or you can mail the burned or torn money via
FIRST CLASS REGISTERED MAIL to:
U.S. Treasury Department
Main Treasury Building, Room 1123
Washington, D.C. 20220
Mutilated or melted coins can be taken to the Federal Reserve Bank, or mailed via FIRST CLASS REGISTERED MAIL to:
Superintendent, U.S. Assay Office
32 Old Slip
New York, NY 10005
If your U.S. Savings Bonds have been mutilated or destroyed, write to:
U.S. Treasury Department
Bureau of Public Debt
Division of Loans and Currency
537 South Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60605
Attn: Bond Consultant
Include name(s) on bonds, approximate date or time period when purchased, denominations and approximate number of each.
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A fire is something that happens...
- On a television newscast!
- To somebody else's home!
- To another person's business!
- In a remote location - away from you and your family.
If you said TRUE four times, we all have some work to do. Let's be realistic! If you've never been the victim of a fire - or known someone who has, you are very fortunate. Let's keep it that way. Click here to learn how:
http://www.ou.edu/oupd/fireprev.htm