01/13/2012 3:04pm

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

Notice Posted: January 13, 2012
   
A public meeting/hearing will be held as follows:

DATE: January 17, 2012
TIME: 5:30 p.m.
PLACE OF MEETING: Tower’s Building- 520 Old Spanish Trail, Slidell, LA  70458

AGENDA:

 Call to Order
 Pledge of Allegiance and Prayer
 Roll Call
 Approval of Minutes
 Old Business:
 New Business:
    1. Chief’s Report
        a.) Firefighter of the Year
        b.) Years of Service Recognitions
    2. PMI Report
    3. DiGiovanni & Associates, CPAs LLC
    4. Attorney’s Report
    5. Adjournment

12/30/2011 7:19am

 

                                                        Press Release

 

Date:      12/28/2011

Contact: Fire Prevention Chief, Neil Ricca

Phone:    985 646-4387

 

Subject: Fireworks Safety

 

 

LEAVE THE FIREWORKS TO THE PROFESSIONALS      

 

FIREWORKS are spectacular to watch, but can be extremely dangerous in the hands of amateurs. When celebrating this New Year’s Eve, St. Tammany Fire District # 1 Fire Prevention Chief Neil Ricca urges families to attend public fireworks displays put on by professionals who follow state fire codes.

 

NFPA, whose mission is to increase fire safety worldwide, strongly supports local fire department efforts to limit and educate the general public use and handling of fireworks due to the unpredictable nature of such materials.

 

 “Playing with fireworks invites disaster”, says Fire Prevention Chief Ricca. “It’s just not worth the risk. As parents and adults, we have a responsibility to protect our children. While most parents work year round to keep their children safe, if they shoot fireworks off in their yards once a year, they are placing their children at substantial risk“, says Ricca.

 

Statistics from Louisiana SAFE KIDS and the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) show that in 2010, there were approximately 2,500 fireworks-related injuries among children ages 14 and under.

 

 

• Among different types of fireworks in 2010, sparklers were associated with the greatest number of estimated injuries at 1,200. There were 900 injuries associated with firecrackers and 400 associated with bottle rockets. Sparklers accounted for nearly half of the injuries to children ages 14 and under.   

  

If you choose to use fireworks, practice extreme caution and remember these safety guidelines recommended by National SAFE KIDS and NFPA and local safety advocates.

 

• ONLY ADULTS SHOULD HANDLE FIREWORKS. Children should leave the area immediately if their friends are using fireworks.

 

• DISCUSS SAFETY PROCEDURES WITH YOUR CHILDREN. Teach children to “stop, drop and roll” if their clothes catch fire and make sure they know how to call 911.  Show them how to put out fireworks by using water or a fire extinguisher.

 

• READ LABELS CAREFULLY AND FOLLOW DIRECTIONS. By law, all fireworks must carry a warning label describing necessary safety precautions.

 

• NEVER USE FIREWORKS INDOORS.

 

• BE SURE SPECTATORS ARE OUT OF RANGE BEFORE LIGHTING FIREWORKS.

 

• NEVER AIM OR THROW FIREWORKS AT ANOTHER PERSON.

 

• NEVER PLACE YOUR FACE OR ANY OTHER BODY PART OVER FIREWORKS.

 

• LEAVE PIECES OF FIREWORKS ON THE GROUND AFTER AN EVENT. SOME MAY STILL BE IGNITED AND CAN EXPLODE.

 

• NEVER CARRY FIREWORKS IN YOUR POCKET.

 

• ONLY LIGHT FIREWORKS ON SMOOTH, FLAT SURFACES AWAY FROM HOUSES, DRY LEAVES AND FLAMMABLE MATERIALS.

 

• SPARKLERS ARE NOT TOYS.  THEY CAN REACH 2,000° FAHRENHEIT--HOT ENOUGH TO MELT SOME METALS.

 

 

If you choose to use fireworks, follow local fireworks laws;

 

• FIREWORKS SALE AND USAGE IS AND HAS BEEN BANNED INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS OF SLIDELL.
• STATE LAW PROHIBITS ANYONE FROM OFFERING TO SELL OR SELLING FIREWORKS TO ANY CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF FIFTEEN

 

Ricca offers the following suggestions to safeguard your property from potential firework related damage:

 

Remove all pine straw and dry leave accumulations from roof tops and rain gutters.

Reduce your potential for exposure by cleaning the areas next to any structures on your property.

Wet down your roof tops and soak dry vegetation.

Walk around and do a visual inspection of your property prior to retiring for the night.

Please check smoke detectors again, to further ensure the safety of your family.

 

RICCA WOULD LIKE TO REMIND THE PUBLIC THAT ST. TAMMANY FIRE DISTRICT NO. 1 HAS RECEIVED GRANT MONIES TO PROVIDE FREE SMOKE ALARMS TO QUALIFIED RESIDENTS. CONTACT THE FIRE PREVENTION OFFICE @ (985)-646-4387 FOR MORE INFORMATION.

 

 

Fire Prevention… the single most effective strategy for reducing loss of life and property, through education, outreach and enforcement. 

 

 

***END***

 

12/16/2011 4:00pm

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

Notice Posted: December 16, 2011
   
A public meeting/hearing will be held as follows:

DATE: December 20, 2011
TIME: 5:30 p.m.
PLACE OF MEETING: 34780 South Range Rd., Slidell, LA  70460

AGENDA:

Call to Order
Pledge of Allegiance and Prayer
Roll Call
Approval of Minutes
Old Business:
    1.)  2012 Proposed Budget

New Business:
    1.)  Chief’s Report
          a.)  Reconsideration of Millage Renewal- Date of Vote Resolution 
          b.)  Years of Service Recognitions
    2.)  PMI Report
    3.)  DiGiovanni & Associates, CPAs LLC
    4.)  Attorney’s Report
    5.)  Adjournment

12/14/2011 9:34pm

“It’s Fire Prevention Week! Protect Your Family From Fire!” was the theme for Fire Prevention Week 2011. Since 1922, Fire Prevention Week has been observed on the Sunday through Saturday period in which October 9 falls, but for St. Tammany Fire Protection District No.1, every week is Fire Prevention Week. Throughout 2011, the members of the FD1 Fire Prevention Bureau and the Fire Suppression Division brought the fire safety message to 9,220 citizens of the Slidell area Fire Protection District.

 

According to Chief of Fire Prevention Neil Ricca, “This year’s fire prevention education activities were a huge success!” The 2011 Fire Prevention Activities of Fire District No.1 included 80 events. During these events, the fire and life safety message was delivered to 1,118 adults and 8,102 children. Throughout the year, FD1 visits schools, churches, civic groups, businesses and safety fairs to provide information and practical hands on training to keep citizens safe from the effects of fire.

 

The Fire Prevention Bureau utilizes several tools including a 911 phone simulator to demonstrate how to call for assistance during an emergency. Working smoke alarms are used to familiarize individuals with the sound made by these devices and the need to evacuate a building when heard. A 32’ Fire Safety Trailer that can be filled with “theatre” smoke is used to simulate conditions similar to those in a house fire to show citizens how to “Crawl low under smoke!”, check doors to determine if they are safe to open, and execute their escape through exterior doors and windows to get outside. Members of the community are also taught that once they are safely out of their house, they are to stay outside and go to their meeting place with the rest of their family until the Fire Department arrives. The Bureau also uses a “Stop, Drop and Roll” mat to teach kids how to extinguish a fire on their clothes. Finally, “Eddie” a talking fire truck is used to reinforce the fire prevention messages taught to children by the Fire Prevention Officers.

 

The Fire Prevention Bureau also provides free fire safety and fire extinguisher training to local businesses, retirement communities, Senior Citizen groups as well as the Boy and Girl Scouts. The Fire Prevention Bureau also participates in the annual Safe Kids event held at Ochsner Northshore Hospital. This year, the Fire Prevention Bureau has partnered with the Louisiana State Fire Marshall’s Office to provide smoke alarms to those in need through “Operation Save a Life.”

 

Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire, an 1871 conflagration that killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres. Fire Prevention Week is designed to keep the public informed about the importance of Fire Prevention. The members of St. Tammany Fire Protection District No.1 work every day to keep the Fire Prevention Message alive and to protect the citizens of the District and their property safe from the effects of fire.

 

Fire Prevention Week 2012 is scheduled for October 7-13, 2012.

 

For more information about the St. Tammany Fire Prevention Bureau, “Operation Save a Life” or to schedule a free voluntary home safety inspection or public education event contact the St. Tammany Fire Protection District No.1 Fire Prevention Bureau at (985) 646-4387

 

For more information about St. Tammany Fire Protection District #1 visit us at www.SlidellFire.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Captain Van Joffrion

PIO / Fire Prevention Officer

 vjoffrion@SlidellFire.org

Cell        (985) 201-5566

 

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11/11/2011 2:19pm

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING

Notice Posted: November 11, 2011
   
A public meeting/hearing will be held as follows:

DATE: November 15, 2011
TIME: 5:30 p.m.
PLACE OF MEETING: Tower’s Building- 520 Old Spanish Trail, Slidell, LA  70458

AGENDA:

 Call to Order
 Pledge of Allegiance and Prayer
 Roll Call

Approval of Minutes

Old Business:
     a.)  2012 Proposed Budget

New Business:

1.  Chief’s Report
     a.)  Taffy Morrison- Fit As A Firefighter
     b.)  Years of Service Recognitions
2.  PMI Report
3.  DiGiovanni & Associates, CPAs LLC
4.  Attorney’s Report
5.  Adjournment

11/09/2011 7:48am

A Nationwide Emergency Alert System Test Will Take Place on November 9, 2011

 

 The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will conduct the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS).

 

The nationwide test will occur on (Today) Wednesday, November 9 at 1 p.m. central time and may last up to three and a half minutes. The public will hear a message indicating that "This is a test." The audio message will be the same for radio, television, and cable, however what the viewer will see across the TV will say “The Primary Entry Point Network has issued an Emergency Action Notification” and it will not say “This is a Test”.

 

 Please do not call 9-1-1 during this time unless you are experiencing a true emergency.

 

The National-level EAS is a public alert and warning system that enables the President of the United States to address the American public during extreme emergencies. Similar to local EAS tests that are conducted frequently, the Nationwide Test will involve broadcast radio and television stations, cable television, satellite radio and television services and wire line providers across all states and territories.

 

Over the past two years and as part of ongoing national preparedness planning efforts, FEMA, the FCC and other federal partners, State, local, tribal and territorial governments, EAS Participants, and others in the EAS Community have been working toward making this test a reality.

 

As the federal, state, tribal, territorial and local governments prepare for and test their capabilities; this event serves as a reminder that everyone should establish an emergency preparedness kit and emergency plan for themselves, their families, communities, and businesses. Anyone can visit http://www.Ready.gov for more information about how to prepare for and stay informed about what to do in the event of an actual emergency.

 

For more information about St. Tammany Fire Protection District #1 visit us at www.SlidellFire.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Captain Van Joffrion

PIO / Fire Prevention Officer

 vjoffrion@SlidellFire.org

Cell        (985) 201-5566

 

11/05/2011 7:09am

St. Tammany Fire District No. 1 reminds us…

 It’s time to “Change Your Clock / Change Your Battery”

SLIDELL, LA., November 2, 2011– As the fall time change approaches, St. Tammany Fire Protection District No. 1 wants to remind residents to make another change that could save their lives — changing the batteries in their smoke alarms. Nine volt Energizer Batteries will be available, free of charge, at Fire Stations through Sunday, November 13th, while supplies last, to adults only, with a limit of two per household.

An average of three children a day dies in home fires, and 80 percent of those occur in homes without working smoke alarms. The most commonly cited cause of nonworking smoke alarms is worn or missing batteries.

Changing smoke alarm batteries at least once a year is one of the simplest, most effective ways to reduce these tragic deaths and injuries. In fact, working smoke alarms nearly cut in half the risk of dying in a home fire. Additionally, the International Association of Fire Chiefs recommends replacing your smoke alarms every eight to 10 years.

To save lives and prevent needless injuries in St. Tammany Parish, St. Tammany Fire Protection District No. 1 has joined forces with the International Association of Fire Chiefs and Energizer brand batteries for nearly two decades with the “Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery” campaign. The program urges all Americans to adopt a simple, life-saving habit: changing smoke alarm batteries when changing clocks back to standard time each fall, this year November 2.

Neil Ricca, Chief of Fire Prevention, recommends residents use the “extra” hour they save from the time change to test smoke alarms by pushing the test button, planning “two ways out” and practicing those escape routes with the entire family.

For more information about St. Tammany Fire Protection District #1 visit us at www.SlidellFire.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Captain Van Joffrion

PIO / Fire Prevention Officer

 vjoffrion@SlidellFire.org

Cell        (985) 201-5566

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11/04/2011 1:01pm

NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING

Notice Posted: November 4, 2011
   
A Special meeting/hearing will be held as follows:

DATE: November 9, 2011
TIME: 5:30 p.m
PLACE OF MEETING: 34780 South Range Rd., Slidell, LA 70460

AGENDA:

1. Resolution to seek voter approval for the renewal of our 35-mill property tax on the March 2012 ballot

2. Presentation by CVS representatives regarding the Station 17 Relocation Project

 

 

11/02/2011 10:30pm

Slidell Safe Kids Safety and Wellness Fair

Set for November 5th

SLIDELL, LA – St. Tammany Fire Protection District No. 1 has teamed up with Ochsner North Shore to host this year’s Slidell Safety and Wellness Fair in memory of Pam Nash.   The event is set for Saturday, November 5^th from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm at Ochsner Medical Center – North Shore (100 Medical Center Drive in Slidell).  A range of activities for the whole family will be featured, including:

• Educational booths on fire, bicycle and water safety
• Information on poison control, healthy eating and proper hand washing
• Fall-themed activities and crafts
• A children’s costume contest
• A bicycle parade – decorate your bicycle in a fall theme or like an emergency vehicle
• Fire truck and ambulance tours
• Inflatables and games
• Refreshments

For more information about St. Tammany Fire Protection District #1 visit us at www.SlidellFire.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Captain Van Joffrion

PIO / Fire Prevention Officer

 vjoffrion@SlidellFire.org

Cell        (985) 201-5566

 

 

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11/02/2011 1:38pm

St. Tammany Fire Protection District No.1 Public Meeting Venue Changed

 

During the regular monthly meeting of the St. Tammany Fire District No. 1 Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, 18 October 2011, the BOC voted to change the location of their monthly meetings to the Towers Building.  It is hoped that this location will provide the public with more convenient access to the meetings and encourage more public participation.  This change in venue is consistent with our desire to be transparent and accessible.  This change is to be effective beginning Tuesday, 15 November 2011, which is the next regularly scheduled meeting of the BOC.     

 

 

For more information about St. Tammany Fire Protection District #1 visit us at www.SlidellFire.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Captain Van Joffrion

PIO / Fire Prevention Officer

 vjoffrion@SlidellFire.org

Cell        (985) 201-5566

 

 

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