If a fire were to occur in your neighborhood, would the firefighters be able to find the fire hydrant near your home?

The Orland Fire Protection District is encouraging residents to "Adopt-A-Hydrant" near their home. Residents who adopt fire hydrants will help the Fire District by keeping them clear of snow in the winter.

Please make it a point to uncover your fire hydrant after each snowfall. Clear a path approximately 3 feet around the fire hydrant. This will allow firefighters enough room to attach hoses to the fire hydrant if the need should arise. Remember water is the main tool firefighters use to extinguish fires. Delays in locating and hooking up to the fire hydrant could hamper fire suppression and possibly raise the risk of injury and property damage.

The "Adopt-A-Hydrant" program is a volunteer program and it is not necessary to advise the fire department of which fire hydrant you have adopted.

On behalf of the Orland Fire Protection District we thank you for helping keep the community safe.

CANDLE SAFETY

Candles are one of the leading causes of house fires. The following guidelines will help keep you out of trouble if you burn candles at home.

Always keep a burning candle within sight. Extinguish all candles when leaving a room or before going to sleep.

Never burn a candle on or near anything that can catch fire. Keep burning candles away from furniture, drapes, bedding, carpets, books, paper, flammable decorations, etc.

Keep candles out of the reach of children and pets. Do not place lighted candles where they can be knocked over by children, pets or anyone else.

Trim candlewicks to ¼ inch each time before burning. Long or crooked wicks cause uneven burning and dripping.

Always use a candleholder specifically designed for candle use. The holder should be heat resistant, sturdy and large enough to contain any drips or melted wax.

Be sure the candleholder is placed on a stable, heat-resistant surface. This will also help prevent possible heat damage to counters and table surfaces and prevent glass containers from cracking or breaking.

Keep the wax pool free of wick trimmings, matches and debris at all times.

Always read and follow the manufacturer's use and safety instructions carefully. Don't burn a candle longer than the manufacturer recommends.

Keep burning candles away from drafts, vents, ceiling fans and air currents. This will help prevent rapid, uneven burning, and avoid flame flare-ups and sooting. Drafts can also blow lightweight curtains or papers into the flame where they could catch fire.

Always burn candles in a well-ventilated room. Don't burn too many candles in a small room or in a "tight" home where air exchange is limited.

Don't burn a candle all the way down. Extinguish the flame if it comes too close to the holder or container. For a margin of safety, discontinue burning a candle when 2 inches of wax remains or ½ inch if in a container.

Never touch a burning candle or move a votive or container candle when the wax is liquid.

Never use a knife or sharp object to remove wax drippings from a glass holder. It might scratch, weaken, or cause the glass to break upon subsequent use.

Place burning candles at least three inches apart from one another. This is to make sure they don't melt one another, or create their own drafts that will cause the candles to burn improperly.

Use a candle snuffer to extinguish a candle. It's the safest way to prevent hot wax from splattering.

Never extinguish candles with water. The water can cause the hot wax to splatter and might cause a glass container to break.

Be very careful if using candles during a power outage. Flashlights and other battery-powered lights are safer sources of light during a power failure. Never use a candle during a power outage to look for things in a closet, or when fueling equipment - such as a lantern or kerosene heater.

Make sure a candle is completely extinguished and the wick ember is no longer glowing before leaving the room.

Extinguish a candle if it smokes, flickers repeatedly, or the flame becomes too high. The candle isn't burning properly and the flame isn't controlled. Let the candle cool, trim the wick, then check for drafts before re-lighting.

Never use a candle as a night light.

Ice Safety . . . Is the ice safe yet?

Ice Safety

• Always consider ice covered waterways unsafe.
• The thinnest ice is most often in the center of the water body.
• Never go out on the ice alone.  Have your partner walk a good distance away from you.  If you fall through, your partner can call 9-1-1.
• Never drive on the ice.  This includes motor vehicles, ATVs and snow mobiles.
• Slush on a water body is dangerous.  Slush indicates the ice is no longer freezing from the bottom.

What should I do if I fall through the ice?

• Stay calm.  Have your partner call 9-1-1.
• Use ice claws if you have them to pull yourself out of the water.  (Ice claws are two ice picks or screwdrivers attached with a cord.)
• Try to swim onto the ice using your hands and/or ice claws and kicking your feet.  If the ice breaks, keep trying.  Remember, the thinnest ice is in the center of the water body.
• Once on the ice do not stand up.  Instead try to distribute your weight over a large area by sliding or rolling to shore.  Follow the same route you took before you fell in.  Your original route was safe until you fell in.

What if my pet falls though the ice?

• Stay calm.  Call 9-1-1. 
• Do not go out on the ice to save your pet.  If your pet fell through the ice, you will too.  Save your pet by staying on the shore and calling 9-1-1.

What if I see someone fall through the ice?

• Stay calm.  Call 9-1-1.
• Tell the person who fell through that you have called for help.
• Do not attempt to save the person, unless you are professionally trained and have a rescue team with you.  If they fell though the ice, you will too.