Chloride CRT Team Installs Smoke Detectors

Chloride CRT Citizen Response Team
On Saturday August 27th the Chloride CRT Team installed smoke detectors around town. Three teams installed 38 smoke detectors in homes around Chloride making these homes safer. Most residents were elderly and their smoke detectors were outdated and may not have worked when needed.

One resident who was 90 years old was happy to receive her new smoke detectors. Her old smoke detector was installed in 1998, and her fire extinguisher was 27 years old. Needless to say, neither would have worked if needed.

Residents received smoke detectors as well as fire prevention and escape plan education. Most had no escape plan, or location to meet other family members if a fire should happen.

Thanks to all the CRT members who helped with the installation of these life saving alarms.

Jay Fleming

Need Standard Background Checks

Many agencies that use both volunteers and professionals to accomplish their mission require background checks. Each background check cost someone money along the way, either the person applying, or the agency. We need a standard background check that's valid for a certain amount of time.

I just went through a background check so I can deploy nationwide for the Red Cross Disaster Action Team. My wife just went though background checks for both the Red Cross and the Foster Care Review Board. How many background checks do they need to do?

We need a standard background check that's valid for one year. I understand there are different levels of background checks, so they could have one for volunteers and a higher level for someone who has access to sensitive information.

People should be given a card saying they passed a background check of a specific level that's valid for one year. This would save the agencies who require background checks money, and get volunteers and new employees on the job sooner.

FREE 10 Year Smoke Detector Installed FREE

The Chloride CERT Team in conjunction with the American Red Cross is offering to install up to 6 smoke detectors FREE. These smoke detectors have a 10 year life, so no changing batteries every 6 months.

The smoke detector is free, the installation is free, and fire safety education is free....

If you are interested contact me at OurCERTTeam@gmail.com to setup an appointment to have your free smoke detectors installed..

Jay

A Reasonable Alcohol Policy from Chandler Fire Department

A drug free work place is one thing, but including a substance like alcohol is going too far. I found only a few fire departments with an alcohol policy as strict as the LMRFD. I found that the Chandler Fire Department has a reasonable alcohol policy that protect the public, yet allows a a firefighter to have a beer at a family picnic, or off-duty with a fellow firefighter after a tough day.

Asking a volunteer to not use a lawful substance is wrong. What's next, no large soda drinks or fatty food at the fire station? That might be a better policy than no alcohol. You see half the firefighters who die each year, die from heart attacks, not fighting a fire.

It's funny you can't use alcohol if employed by the LMRFD, but you can use tobacco, a substance that kills 400,000 people a year? Go figure.....

www.chandleraz.gov/content/HR_DrugFreeWorkplace.pdf