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ALTUS FIRE DEPARTMENT NEWS
October 1999
Upcoming Events & News
Fire Prevention Week was bigger than ever for AFD this year!
Chief Nick Haney
Altus Fire Department
This year we had a great time working with all of the agencies that participated in our Fire Prevention Day at Altus School. The kids were great and I think they really enjoyed the events of the week. This year we featured the "Be Cool About Fire Safety" video and packets that are distributed by Allstate Insurance Company. If you have not seen this video, it is very good and gets the attention of the kids and adults. The packets include a house plan drawing template, activity book, phone number magnet and sticker and a Junior Fire Marshal certificate with the "Cool Rules of Fire Safety". The total package also contains a speakers kit for presentation and is FREE of charge. Educators and emergency services or individuals can contact your local Allstate Insurance agent to order the kits. This is the best package and video for kids that I have seen. We also contacted other other local insurance agents and companies and obtained many very helpful brochures and educational materials. State Farm Insurance has a catalog with videos and other educational materials. Most are free of charge! We passed out plastic fire helmets and badges that we purchased to the students. We obtained the Arkansas Childrens Hospital Fire Safety Smoke House this year. We had hundreds of students and individuals go through it the three days we had it in Altus. I would like to thank the other agencies that showed up at the school and participated. They were, Franklin County EMS and the Vehicle Roll Over Simulator. Arkansas Forestry Commission brought a fire plow dozer and showed their equipment. Air Evac of Springdale landed at the school for a short time but got called to fly to a trauma accident. AFD and Altus Rural Fire Department had our trucks, gear and personnel and we had a great time.
AFD Smoke Detector Time Again
In the past three years, we have gone out into the community and installed smoke detectors and batteries that the fire department purchased as part of Fire Prevention Month. We have installed over 60 new detectors in homes and checked and replaced batteries or relocated detectors in nearly 100 homes in Altus. This year we purchased 40 more smoke detectors in addition to batteries. We will be knocking on doors in the community and checking existing detectors and batteries and installing new ones where we find defective or no detectors. If you would like for us to check or install a detector in your home free of charge, or would like a free fire safety inspection feel free to call me at 468-3647, 468-2428 or 264-3866. Smoke detectors save lives! This is a free service courtesy of The Altus Fire Department. We would like to remind residents to change your battery when you change your clock.
Open Burning In Altus City Limits
A reminder that open burning is prohibited except when and where permitted by law in the State Of Arkansas. Residents of Altus may only burn yard waste which is defined by the ADPC&E Arkansas Department of Pollution Control & Ecology as brush, yard clippings, leaves, fallen limbs and grass clippings. All other burning in Altus City Limits is prohibited. When burning you must have a water source such as a hose present at all times. Unattended fires are prohibited by state law.
BOO.....It's HALLOWEEN Time
We will have the fire station open on Halloween to give out treats and you never know, you might just see a trick or two. Speaking of tricks, heres something they do here; Due to something that seems to be a southern bible belt thing, the calendar seems to get rearranged because somewhere I think it is written, or so it appears, thou shalt not let kids trick or treat on Sunday. Only in the south!! Okra and trick or treating on October 30th. Don't forget to cut out the 30th and the 31st and glue them on your calendar backwards and then change your clock and smoke detector batteries on Sunday the 30th. You might miss or be late to church but I think it is okay to do that since that has something to do with the rearranging of modern southern calendars. Heck, I don't know. Seems confusing but, don't forget, Monday November 1st you still have to get up and go to work and we will be at the station with more trick and treats on Saturday night October 30th. I will be back with more confusing news soon....