Hello from District 7. I hope everyone is doing well. I believe spring has sprung and summer is upon us. As they say that’s a wrap, the 2018 St. Joseph convention is in the history books and a good time was had by all that attended. Thank you to the St. Joseph Fire Department for the hospitality.
At the convention, the fire prevention posters were judged. I want to say thank you to the FFAM Auxiliary who have the difficult task to choose which artist has the best poster and when I see the posters, I wish I could say everyone is a winner and in a way they are because they won from their department or district.
The theme was Plan Two Ways Out, Every Second Counts. Sixty-six posters were submitted from seven districts or departments. With that being said, I’m challenging all directors, departments and districts to get the word out and let’s get more posters for next year. I want to give a thank you to Gail Hagans for the question she asked, “Who is able to submit posters?” School curriculum/schedules can be difficult, and departments often aren’t able to get the poster contest in their local schools. This poster contest is open to all organizations including Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, home-school kids or even just kids in your community. As long as they fit within the grade requirements and are sponsored by their local department, their poster can be submitted. I challenge everyone that reads this to go out and spread the word. Fire prevention is every day, not just in October.
This year’s winners will be the guests of the Missouri State Fair Fire Department. The winner and immediate family will get passes for the fair and the winner will get a carnival wrist band and prize money and, if they wish, they are welcome to have lunch or supper with the crews.
1st and 2nd Grade Division
1st Place – Dylan Wall, Iberia FD
2nd Place – Journi Vail, Iberia FD
3rd Place – Raygen Crum, Paris FD
3rd and 4th Grade Division
1st Place – Annie Barton, Madison-West Monroe FPD
2nd Place – McKenna Shelton, Iberia FD
3rd Place – Kiya Smith, Little Dixie FPD
5th and 6th Grade Division
1st Place – Abigail Wheeler, Paris FD
2nd Place – Erica Loveit, Galt FPD
3rd Place – Karlie McGee, Madison-West Monroe FPD
Congratulation to all the winners and thank you to all that entered a poster. I hope to meet all the winners at the Missouri State Fair in August. If the sponsoring departments/districts would help to contact the winners and have them contact Secretary Miller at 660-429-1327 to make the arrangements.
I want to welcome the new Assistant Director to District 7, Andy Caldwell from Boles Fire Protection District. Thank you to Ed Kriska for your service as Assistant Director and enjoy your retirement.
With summer about to be in full swing let’s talk about some summer safety awareness. Heatstroke, heat exhaustion and heat cramps are serious. Those most at risk include:
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Infants and young children
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Elderly people
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Pets
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Individuals with heart or circulatory problems or other long-term illness
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People who work outdoors
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Athletes and people who like to exercise – especially beginners
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Individuals taking medications that alter sweat production
Heat Exhaustion
When the body loses an excessive amount of salt and water, heat exhaustion can set in. People who work outdoors and athletes are particularly susceptible.
Symptoms are similar to those of the flu and can include severe thirst, fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting and, sometimes, diarrhea. Other symptoms include profuse sweating, clammy or pale skin, dizziness, rapid pulse and normal or slightly elevated body temperature.
Uncontrolled heat exhaustion can evolve into heatstroke, so make sure to treat the victim quickly:
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Move them to a shaded or air-conditioned area
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Give them water or other cool, nonalcoholic beverages
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Apply wet towels or take a cool shower
Heat cramps
Heat cramps are muscle spasms that usually affect the legs or abdominal muscles, often after physical activity. Excessive sweating reduces salt levels in the body, which can result in heat cramps.
Workers or athletes with pain or spasms in the abdomen, arms or legs should not return to work for a few hours. Instead:
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Sit or lie down in the shade.
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Drink cool water or a sports drink.
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Stretch affected muscles.
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Seek medical attention if you have heart problems or if the cramps don’t get better in an hour.
The best way to avoid a heat-related illness is to limit exposure outdoors during hot days. Air conditioning is the best way to cool off, according to the CDC. Also:
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Drink more liquid than you think you need and avoid alcohol
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Wear loose, lightweight clothing and a hat
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Replace salt lost from sweating by drinking fruit juice or sports drinks
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Avoid spending time outdoors during the hottest part of the day, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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Wear sunscreen; sunburn affects the body’s ability to cool itself
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Pace yourself when you run or otherwise exert your body
When we think of water safety, we often think of the potential for young children to drown. But drowning also is a concern for teens and young adults. While drowning is more common for children 5 and younger, it’s the second leading cause of death for people age 5-24. According to NSC data, 737 people age 5 to 24 drowned in 2014.
Swimmers should keep in mind:
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Don’t go in the water unless you know how to swim; swim lessons are available for all ages
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Never swim alone
• Learn CPR and rescue techniques
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Make sure the body of water matches your skill level; swimming in a pool is much different than swimming in a lake or river, where more strength is needed to handle currents
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If you do get caught in a current, don’t try to fight it; stay calm and float with it, or swim parallel to the shore until you can swim free
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Swim in areas supervised by a lifeguard
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Don’t push or jump on others
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Don’t dive in unfamiliar areas
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Never drink alcohol when swimming; alcohol is involved in about half of all male teen drownings, according to KidsHealth.org
And in closing, I hope everyone has a great and safe Memorial Day and the next time you see a member in the Armed Forces or a Veteran, stop and say thank you, because without them, we could not do what we are doing today. The Missouri State Fair is getting closer and the work detail for the fire station is June 8-10. Hope to see ya and take care until we meet again.
Robert (R.B.) Brown
District 7
FFAM
