Lee's Summit Firefighters Association

In all seriousness folks, over the next 7-10 days our area will be experiencing temp's that we haven't seen in many years. Some reports say wind chills this weekend could be as low as -30's. Here are some safety guidelines for you to follow #ForYourSafety. 1) See Bernie?.... don't be like Bernie. Stay inside. 2) IF you must go outside, dress in layers and do so in very short increments. Hypothermia and frostbite can set in very quickly.... 3) Stay dry! Having wet clothes from playing in the snow and/or sweating because of too many layers will cause hypothermia and frostbite. 4) Heated seats are great as long as the car has power. Lose that power and..... well....... Best to always have a heavy coat, gloves, stocking cap, scarf, etc in the vehicle with you in the event that you become stranded on the side of the road. 5) Make sure your vehicle has a full tank of gas and have a winter safety kit in case you get stranded. Fully charged cell phone, blankets, hand warmers, emergency safety lighting, small shovel, etc. are all "must have's" in the winter. 6) Make sure space heaters are at least 3' from all flammable items and that they have an auto shut-off feature in case they get knocked over or get too hot. 7) Portable propane heaters should only be used in WELL VENTILATED areas. They are not meant for indoors and can cause carbon monoxide poisoning which can lead to death.

Our crews have been out on calls over the past few hours and reporting treacherous road conditions as they begin re-freezing. I-470 and 50/350 Hwy have seen multiple accidents. We ask that, unless you absolutely must get out, PLEASE stay home #ForYourSafety and ours. Thank you and be SAFE everyone!!!!

Heating is the second leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries, and the third leading cause of home fire deaths. Local fire departments responded to an estimated average of 48,530 fires involving heating equipment per year in 2014-2018, accounting for 14% of all reported home fires during this time. These fires resulted in annual losses of 500 civilian deaths, 1,350 civilian injuries, and $1.1 billion in direct property damage.

Cancer is now the leading cause of death in firefighters. In 2019, more than 75% of the names added to the IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Wall of Honor in Colorado Springs, Colorado, were of members who died from occupational cancer. In 2018 research by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found that firefighters are 9 percent more likely to have a cancer diagnosis, and 14 percent more likely to die of cancer, than the general population.

Did you know that nearly 1/3 of all Christmas tree fires occur in the month of January? Time to take it down and get ready for SPRING!!! Play it safe #ForYourSafety.

Here's the news many of you have been asking about!!! Yes, we will be there once again for the families in our community who just need a hand up. While the situation is a bit different this year, the cause is still very much the same. You can mail in checks, use the QR code on the meme that will take you to our secure payment site, drop your donation in one of our black boots you may find in some of our local businesses.... We have the absolute BEST citizens and shoppers in the KC metro area. Last year, through your generosity from pocketful's of pennies to large checks, YOU donated a record $30,000.00!!! Kindness is needed now more than ever and we know you won't let the craziness of 2020 stop you from another fantastic year of giving back to your community. Remember, EVERY penny counts. Please be safe and have a very merry and blessed Christmas everyone!!!

Today we remember and honor the 2,403 military personnel and civilians killed during this horrible attack on our country. While the Japanese succeeded in temporarily breaking our defenses, they ultimately failed in their goal of defeating the U.S. and keeping our country out of the war. In the end, much like 9/11, the citizens of the U.S. became even more bonded in their resolve and patriotism to defeat those that believed that they could harm us.

32 years ago today, 6 Kansas City firefighters were killed in what will forever be remembered as one of the worst multiple firefighter line of duty deaths in the country up to that point. As a result of this tragedy, many new standards and federal regulations were put into place for both public and firefighter safety. KCFD Pumpers 30 & 41 were responding to a report of a truck on fire at a construction site. *The following information was provided by The Kansa...s City Star in a story last year. From Pumper 30: -Gerald C. Halloran, 57, had served more than 37 years and was considering retirement at the end of 1988. -Luther Eugene Hurd, 31, normally worked at Station 23 but volunteered to fill in at Station 30 that night. He was a 10-year veteran of the department. -Thomas Fry, 41, and had been a firefighter for more than 15 years. From Pumper 41: -James H. Kilventon Jr., 54, had served more than 27 years on the force. -Michael R. Oldham, 32, an 11-year veteran of the department. His father had been a firefighter. -Robert D. McKarnin, 42, had spent almost 20 years with the KCFD - serving all that time at Station 41. KCFD's "Hazmat 71" is numbered in honor of those members who came from Stations 30 & 41.

Thank you to ALL public servants, military personnel both here and abroad, and retail workers for your dedication but please especially remember and pray for our B-shifters and those on overtime at the stations, our dispatchers, and our LSPD officers and all of the staff working in our hospitals during this time working tirelessly to keep our great Lee's Summit residents safe.