The
Rural Metro firefighters serving the Green Valley Fire District have taken
extra measures to be well prepared for any challenges that the ringing
in of 2000 could bring to Green Valley and surrounding communities.
Most
importantly, extra firefighters will be on duty beginning at 5 p.m. Dec.
31.
They will
staff additional apparatus that are committed to Green Valley.
All off-duty
firefighters will be “on-call” and are expected to respond and assist on-duty
crews should the need arise.
“We expect
the various technologies, computers, power companies and such, to make
it through midnight just fine,” said Capt Tom Louis. “We just hope the
human factor does as well.”
“If common
sense prevails, in spite of the consumption of adult beverages,” continued
Louis, “everyone can make it through New Year’s Eve safely.”
Avoid doing
the following:
•Setting bonfires
(illegal without a permit) or campfires near dry brush or too close to
structures.
• Drinking
and driving. Always have a designated driver.
•Discharging
firearms into the air.
• Calling
the fire stations directly for emergency assistance. 9-1-1 is best.
• Driving
to the fire station for help. You run the risk of crews being out on calls,
which will only delay getting help for your emergency because another station
will have to respond.
•Calling 9-1-1
simply to “see if it still works.”
The Rural
Metro Pima County Communications Center has installed all the necessary
software upgrades to ensure Y2K compliance for the computer-aided dispatching
system.
“9-1-1
will work,” stated Louis. “We just ask that calls to 9-1-1 be real emergencies
so as not to overload the system.”
“Celebrate,
but celebrate safely,” he concluded. “The fire department is ready for
emergencies on new year’s eve, but with the community’s help we can keep
them to a minimum.”