Wilton Firefighters use hydraulic rescue tools and other extrication equipment to remove the driver from a motor vehilce accident on Ridgefield Road. Photo © Witlon Fire Department. All rights reserved.
National Burn Awareness Week (Feb. 5th-11th)
With National Burn Awareness Week approaching, The Wilton Fire Department would like to take the opportunity to remind residents of the dangers that fire can present. This year’s campaign is BE BURN AWARE. Statistically, in the average year, 18,300 Americans are injured and more than 3,500 perish in fires. Of these, roughly 10-15% are children under the age of 14. Children under 5 years of age account for 52% of child fire deaths. Young children, because of their age, are much less likely to escape a fire in the home than adults. With the winter months upon us, the chance of a fire is even greater as home owners turn to alternate heating sources. It is an excellent time to review what it is that you can do to prevent fires and protect your children from fires and burn injuries.
- Have working smoke alarms on each level of the home and in each sleeping area. Have them connected so that if one goes off, they all go off.
- Home fire sprinklers are the ultimate in home fire protection. They can mean the difference between a small fire that is quickly extinguished and absolute tragedy.
- Have an escape plan and practice it regularly with your family.
- Keep a 3’ ‘kid free zone’ around the stove when cooking
- Set your hot water temperature at no greater than 120 degrees and always check the temperature before placing a child in the bath.
- Have chimneys inspected annually and cleaned if necessary. Ashes from the fireplace should be disposed of in a metal container with a lid and away from buildings.
- Space heaters should be kept well away from anything that can burn. Check the cord for signs of damage and only plug into a circuit which can handle the load.
- Matches and lighters are for adults only. Keep them stored where children cannot access them.
More information on National Burn Awareness Week can be found at firecorps.org or feel free to contact us with any questions that we may be able to answer. Remember to BE BURN AWARE.
A Christmas Tragedy, Something to Be Learned
The lessons learned in the Stamford Christmas day tragedy are clear and unequivocal. We mourn the loss of the Badger Family and pray for Ms. Badger during this unimaginable horror.
We also owe it to our own families and guests to make safety a more prominent part of our lifestyle. During this week we learned that tragedy always lurks too close and can strike swiftly and without warning. On behalf of every member of the Wilton Fire Department, I encourage every resident to make these 4 safety focused New Years resolutions:
1) Resolve to have working smoke detectors in each sleeping area in
your home
2) Resolve to have a working carbon monoxide detector
3) Resolve to have an emergency plan, meeting place and disaster kit
4) Resolve not to drive distracted especially by cell phones and texting
The Wilton Fire Department is here to help you be successful keeping these resolutions. If you have questions about a safety plan for you home, how or where to install your smoke or carbon monoxide detector call us and we will help. Call us, because your life and the lives of your loved ones is worth it.
Quick FactsQuick Facts
The Wilton Fire Department protects an area of approximately 26.8 square miles with a population of 18,000. Wilton has two station stops on the Danbury Branch of the Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line, Wilton Center and Cannondale. Wilton is located about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of New York City.
The Wilton Fire Department provides 24-hour fire, rescue, emergency medical service, and hazardous material mitigation from two fire stations. Fire Headquarters is located at 236 Danbury Road (US 7) in the Town Hall Municipal Campus. Station 2 is located at 707 Ridgefield Road (CT RT. 33) in North Wilton. Both stations are staffed 24 hours a day by career Firefighter/EMT's..
Updates & Advisories
This page updated: 12/23/2011. © Witlon Fire Department. All rights reserved..