Preventing the spread of a fire throughout the house, especially at night will give you and your family the best chance of escaping unharmed. Keeping your bedroom door closed at night and closing doors when escaping a fire in your home will help prevent the spread of fire and buy the Firefighters some additional time to protect your home.
Prevention, early detection, and rapid response against invasive
plants are investments to you and your neighborhood. Control costs increase exponentially
over time if infestations of invasive plants are allowed to persist. One mature
tumbleweed,
for example, can spread up to 250,000 seeds and germinate with very limited
amounts of moisture. This allows tumbleweeds to dominate other vegetation and can
become even a greater nuisance during the worst of droughts. Invasive plants such as tumbleweeds should be abated quickly and aggressively
to prevent infestations and to reduce the risk of a fire endangering you and
your loved ones.
A newly released analysis from CoreLogic reveals that a major earthquake along the San Andreas fault could damage twice as many homes as previously thought. The global property information and analytics firm based its data on revised earthquake risk science from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast. The forecast concludes that a large temblor could occur simultaneously in Northern and Southern California. READ MORE
A map shows California's topography, including areas along
Southern California is the perfect place to live, but it is also a perfect target for terrorism.
In this video, Harrison Ford describes how the 31 fire and emergency service agencies that serve Los Angeles created the Los Angeles Area Regional Training Group (RTG) to work together to provide a coordinated response in the event of a large scale disaster of terrorist event.
The La Habra Heights Fire Department is a proud members of the Los Angeles Area Fire Chiefs Association. As a member, our Firefighters receive the same training opportunities afforded to other Los Angeles County Fire Departments.
Your ability to get out depends on advance warning from smoke alarms and advance planning.
Create a home escape plan and develop and practice a home fire escape plan using NFPA's home escape plan grid (PDF, 1.1 MB).
Safety Tip: Fire can spread rapidly through your home, leaving you as little as one or two minutes to escape safely once the alarm sounds. Read all of NFPA's escape planning tips and download the NFPA free safety tip sheet.
In 2014, there were an estimated 367,500 reported home structure fires and 2,745 associated civilian deaths in the United States.
Fire can spread rapidly through your home, leaving you as little as one or two minutes to escape safely once the alarm sounds. A closed door may slow the spread of smoke, heat and fire.
Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room and outside each separate sleeping area. Install alarms on every level of the home. Smoke alarms should be interconnected. When one sounds, they all sound. Pull together everyone in your household and make a plan. Walk through your home and inspect all possible exits and escape routes.
Households with children should consider drawing a floor plan of your home, marking two ways out of each room, including windows and doors. Also, mark the location of each smoke alarm. For easy planning, download NFPA's escape planning grid (PDF, 1.1 MB). This is a great way to get children involved in fire safety in a non-threatening way.
Video: Have some fire-safety fun with The Let's Hear It For Fire Safety Kids. They sing and dance about what to do if there's a fire - Get Outside and Stay Outside!
Palm Tree Maintenance: According to the California Invasive Plant Council, Mexican fan palms are extremely invasive, and palm trees with untrimmed fronds harbor rats and snakes, and can be a fire hazard if neglected.
There are many other
types of palm trees that are lower-maintenance, more fire-wise and
environmentally better choices. Mexican
fan palms can become exceedingly tall, and what makes it an extraordinary
fire hazard is the “petticoat” of dead fronds that stay on the tree from year
to year if not removed.
The dead fronds may be easily ignited, and in a fire,
the fronds can fly all over, igniting new fires where they land. Very tall palm
trees are dangerous to trim, so it is recommended that you hire only the most
qualified personnel to perform the work. If you have Mexican fan palms on
your property, check to make sure they are being maintained to reduce fuel for
a potential fire.
As a community, La Habra Heights can never be too prepared. Visit the Ready.Gov website for tips and information about National Preparedness month. Wildfire season is a 24/7/365 possibility in Southern California, don't get caught unprepared. America's PrepareAthon! is a grassroots campaign for action to increase community preparedness and resilience. Join others around the country to practice your preparedness!
The La Habra Heights Fire Department encourages all residents to take advantage of the new Los Angeles County Emergency Alert System Los Angeles County has implemented an emergency mass notification system that will be used to contact County residents and businesses via recorded phone messages, text messages or e-mail messages in case of emergency. The system, called Alert LA County, will be used by the County’s Emergency Operations Center to notify residents and businesses of emergencies or critical situations and provide information regarding necessary actions, such as evacuations. The system utilizes the telephone companies’ 911 database and is able to contact land-line telephone numbers, whether listed or unlisted. If the call is picked up by an answering machine, the system will leave a recorded message. If the number called is busy or does not answer, the system will redial the number in an attempt to deliver the message. The system is also TTY/TDD compatible. READ MORE
CERT training will develop a citizen’s disaster response skills, such
as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical
operations. They will learn how to prepare for emergencies, what supplies to
have, how much food and water, as well as how to protect their families in an
emergency.
The next session will be on October 1st, 8th,
and 15th. To sign up for the CERT training please contact La Habra’s
Emergency Management Coordinator, David Gonzalez, at 562-383-4306 or dgonzalez@lahabraca.gov.
In addition, citizens can also think about participating in
the Great California Shakeout on October 20th. This event will help
you and your family be more prepared to survive and recover quickly from
California’s next big earthquake. For more information about participating
please visit: www.shakeout.org/California.
CERT training will develop a citizen’s disaster response skills, such
as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical
operations. They will learn how to prepare for emergencies, what supplies to
have, how much food and water, as well as how to protect their families in an
emergency.
The next session will be on October 1st, 8th,
and 15th. To sign up for the CERT training please contact La Habra’s
Emergency Management Coordinator, David Gonzalez, at 562-383-4306 or dgonzalez@lahabraca.gov.
In addition, citizens can also think about participating in
the Great California Shakeout on October 20th. This event will help
you and your family be more prepared to survive and recover quickly from
California’s next big earthquake. For more information about participating
please visit: www.shakeout.org/California.
Communication is the key to emergency planning. Sometimes planning is the hardest part or preparation.
"Preparation doesn't require doing everything, but it does require doing something"
Approach your planning like you would if you were having a BBQ for Labor Day. There are so many moving parts to planning a BBQ. Who to invite. Getting the BBQ ready. Do I have propane in the BBQ? What are the sides dishes and drinks. Then there is the timing... How long will the steaks take to cook? Medium? Rare? Well Done? .... AHHHH!!!! So Many Decisions!!!.
Disaster preparation is no different than planning a BBQ. Break it into small parts and address each one individually. Break it into smaller parts, finish that one piece, then move to the next.
The La Habra Heights Fire Department encourages everyone to start with a few basic steps.
1. COMMUNICATE YOUR PLAN today. It may not be a complete plan, but it is a good starting point.
2. Download the FEMA Disaster Preparedness App to help you get your plan going.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) There are no locally acquired vector-borne cases of Zika reported in California. There are 2,245 travel-associated cases reported in the continental United States, 170 laboratory confirmed travel-associated cases are in California, and 40 of those are in Los Angeles County. Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes are present in Los Angeles County, however no Zika Virus has been identified in vectors at this time.
How to Prevent Zika Virus Infection Avoid travel to areas with Zika virus disease
All people who do travel to areas with Zika should protect themselves from mosquito bites.
Pregnant women should avoid travel to areas with Zika because of the chance of severe birth defects in the baby, if the mother gets infected.
Currently, there is no evidence of local mosquito-borne transmission of Zika in Los Angeles County.
Avoid mosquitos when traveling to affected areas
Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved bug spray. These will contain DEET, Picaridin or IR3535 as ingredients.
Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants or clothing specially treated to avoid mosquito bites.
Stay indoors when possible and make sure any open windows or doors have screens to keep mosquitos out.
Pregnant women should take extra precaution because of the link to birth defects
Pregnant women should avoid traveling to areas with Zika and, if they do go, avoid mosquito bites.
If you are pregnant and traveled to an area with Zika, call your doctor and talk about your travel, even if you aren’t sick.
Zika virus can be sexually-transmitted
If you are pregnant and your partner traveled to an area with Zika, see your doctor and talk about their travel.
Men who live or have traveled in a Zika-affected areas and whose partner is pregnant are advised to properly use condoms during sexual activity or abstain from sex with the pregnant partner throughout their entire pregnancy.
Public Health is Working for You
Due to the rising concern about Zika virus, Public Health has been quick to respond by:
Investigating possible cases of Zika virus infection in our communities.
Updating our website and sharing information and education on Zika virus with residents.
Reaching out to medical providers and people more likely to travel to countries with Zika.
Working closely with vector control agencies.
Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes are present in Los Angeles County, however as of August 29, 2016, no Zika Virus has been identified in vectors..
The constant drum of words continues to sing the song over and over from every Fire Department that has the threat of a wildfire in their community. EVACUATE and EVACUATE NOW!
So why do Firefighters stress the importance of evacuating early and not waiting to see if you can "Wait it Out"? Why don't we want you staying to try to protect your home? Because as Firefighters most of us have "Been There... Done That" sometime in our career. A wildfire is an ugly beast that you really don't want to meet.
The Oakland Hills Firestorm, October 21, 1991, Oakland, California. The fire ultimately killed 25 people and injured 150 others. The 1,520 acres destroyed, included 2,843 single-family dwellings and 437 apartment and condominium units.
This video will give you a pretty graphic example of the chaos, confusion that occurs during a wildfire. What you can't experience is the amount of heat that radiates hundreds of yards in front of the fire, the blowing embers that look like snow, yet sting like bees, or the inability to catch a breath because of the thick rancid smoke, and don't forget the burning eyes and complete loss of the ability to even open your eyes.
Now... Imagine being a Firefighter trying to get into a community to fight the fire, but you can't get in because people are stranded in their cars because the thick smoke has blocked the road or caused the engine to quit running. The Firefighters are trapped, burned over and injured, their lives changed forever.
Protect your community by letting us do our job. Prepare early. Leave early. If we can't protect your home, you can't protect your home. Don't risk your life or the life of a Firefighter by thinking you can stop a wildfire.
During disasters we have many different concerns. In La Habra Heights we are always aware that evacuation and sheltering plans will be critical during a disaster. What about horses? How do we protect our children? The organization "Save the Children" has some valuable tips on what to do before the disaster strikes, like how to create an "ICE Card" (In Case of Emergency) and how to plan before it does.
Please take the time to do the little things needed to prepare as provided at "Save the Children".
An important step in earthquake preparedness is to inspect your home and its surroundings for possible hazards and then take action to lessen those hazards. Remember: anything can move, fall, or break during an earthquake or its aftershocks.
The following is a basic checklist to help you identify and correct possible home hazards.
Rooms in the Home
Look for the following hazards in each room:
Windows and other glass that might shatter
Unanchored bookcases, cabinets, refrigerators, water heaters, and other furniture that might topple
Heating units, fireplaces, chimneys, and stoves that could move or fall
Areas that could be blocked by falling debris
Securing Appliances
Secure your large appliances with flexible cable, braided wire, or metal strapping.
Install flexible gas and water connections on all gas appliances. This will significantly reduce your chances of having a major fire after an earthquake.
Brace and support air conditioners, particularly those on rooftops.
The typical water heater weighs about 450 pounds when full. In an earthquake, the floor on which it is standing tends to move out from under the heater, often causing it to topple. The movement can also break the gas, electric, and water-line connectors, posing fire or electric shock hazards, and can shatter the glass lining within the water heater.
Here are two suggestions on how to secure your water heater:
Wrap at least a 1 /2-inch wide metal strap around the top of the water heater and attach it to wall studs with 3-inch lag screws. Attach another strap about 2/3 of the way down from the top of the water heater. OR...
Wrap steel plumber's tape around the entire water heater at least twice. Then secure the tape to two different wall studs with 3-inch lag screws.
Securing Items in the Bathroom
Replace glass bottles from your medicine cabinet and around the bathtub with plastic containers.
Hanging and Overhead Items
Inspect and anchor overhead light fixtures, such as chandeliers.
Move heavy mirrors and pictures hanging above beds, chairs, and other places where you sit or sleep. Otherwise, anchor these items with wire through eyescrews bolted into wall studs. Or place screws on both sides, top, and bottom of the frame and screw these into the studs.
Determine whether the full swing of your hanging lamps or plants will strike a window. If so, move them.
Secure hanging objects by closing the opening of the hook.
Replace heavy ceramic or glass hanging planters with light-weight plastic or wicker baskets.
Shelves, Cabinets, and Furniture
Identify top-heavy, free-standing furniture, such as bookcases and china cabinets, that could topple in an earthquake.
Secure your furniture by using:
"L" brackets, corner brackets, or aluminum molding to attach tall or top-heavy furniture to the wall
eyebolts to secure items located a short distance from the wall
Attach a wooden or metal guardrail on open shelves to keep items from sliding or falling off. Fishing line can also be used as a less-visible means of securing an item.
Place heavy or large objects on lower shelves.
Use Velcro®-type fastenings to secure some items to their shelves.
Secure your cabinet doors by installing sliding bolts or childproof latches.
Hazardous Materials
Identify poisons, solvents, or toxic materials in breakable containers and move these containers to a safe, well-ventilated storage area. Keep them away from your water storage and out of reach of children and pets.
Inspecting and Securing Your Home's Structure
Examine the structural safety of your house. If your house is of conventional wood construction, it will probably be relatively resistant to earthquake damage, particularly if it is a single-story structure.
For information on structural safety standards and qualified contractors in your area, contact your city or county government office on community development or building code enforcement.
The following suggestions will take an investment of time and money but will add stability to your home. If you want to do the work yourself, many hardware or home-improvement stores will assist you with information and instructions.
Foundation
Check to see if your house or garage is securely fastened to the foundation. (If your house was built before 1950, it probably does not have bolts securing the wood structure to the concrete foundation.) If your house is not secured to the foundation, take the following steps:
Using a hammer drill and carbide bit, drill a hole through the sill plate into the foundation. Holes should be approximately 6 feet apart.
Drop a 1/2- x 7-inch expansion bolt into each hole and finish by tightening the nut and washer.
Beams, Posts, Joists, and Plates
Strengthen the areas of connection between beams, posts, joists, and plates using the following hardware:
"T" and "L" straps
Mending plates
Joist hangers
Twin post caps
Nails and lag screws
Pay particular attention to exposed framing in garages, basements, porches, and patio covers.
Roof and Chimney
Check your chimney or roof for loose tiles and bricks that could fall in an earthquake. Repair loose tiles or bricks, as needed.
Protect yourself from falling chimney bricks that might penetrate the roof, by reinforcing the ceiling immediately surrounding the chimney with 3/4-inch plywood nailed to ceiling joists.
Learning to Shut Off Utilities
Know where and how to shut off utilities at the main switches or valves. Check with your local utility companies for instructions.
Teach all family members how and when to shut off utilities.
Gas
An automatic valve (Earthquake Command System) is commercially available that will turn the gas off for you in the event of an earthquake.
After an earthquake, DO NOT USE matches, lighters, or appliances, and do not operate light switches until you are sure there are no gas leaks. Sparks from electrical switches could ignite gas, causing an explosion.
If you smell the odor of gas, or if you notice a large consumption of gas being registered on the gas meter, shut off the gas immediately. First, find the main shut-off valve, located on a pipe next to the gas meter. Use an adjustable wrench to turn the valve to the off position.
Electricity
After a major disaster, shut off the electricity. Sparks from electrical switches could pose a shock or fire hazard. Carefully turn off the electricity at the main electrical breaker in your home.
Water
Water may be turned off at either of two locations:
At the main meter, which controls the water flow to the entire property; or
At the water main leading into the home. (Shutting off the water here retains the water supply in your water heater, which may be useful in an emergency.)
Attach a valve wrench to the water line. (This tool can be purchased at most hardware stores.) Also, label the water mains for quick identification.
The La Habra Heights Fire Department (LHHFD) recommends that all residents continually assess their emergency preparedness for wildfires. Serious drought conditions combined with an abundance of dry vegetation continues to plague much of California.
Should a fire occur in the city, we encourage homeowners to evacuate early. Residents shouldn't wait for a formal evacuation order since doing so can clog our roadways making it difficult for firefighters to get into an area, delaying our firefighting efforts and threatening your neighbors.
If you see a wildfire and aren't sure if the Fire Department is responding, call 9-1-1. Don't assume that someone else has already called.
If ordered to evacuate during a wildfire, do it immediately- make sure and tell someone where you are going and when you have arrived.
HAVE AN EVACUATION PLAN! Narrow streets create evacuation issues. Please use the most accessible route out of the city and don't blog roads for others evacuating or fire apparatus.
Many communities have text or email alerting systems for emergency notifications.To find out what alerts are available in your area, search the Internet with your town, city, or county name and the word “alerts.”
If you or someone you are with has been burned, call 9-1-1 or seek help immediately; cool and cover burns to reduce chance of further injury or infection.
Maintain an area approximately 30’ away from you home that is free of anything that will burn, such as wood piles, dried leaves, newspapers and other brush.
Connect garden hoses long enough to reach any area of the home and fill garbage cans, tubs, or other large containers with water.
Review your homeowner's insurance policy and also prepare/update a list of your home's contents.
For several hours after the fire, maintain a "fire watch." Check and re-check for smoke, sparks or hidden embers throughout the house, including the roof and the attic.
Use caution when entering burned areas as hazards may still exist, including hot spots, which can flare up without warning. Evacuate immediately if you smell smoke.
Cleaning Your Home
Wear a NIOSH certified-respirator (dust mask) and wet debris down to minimize breathing dust particles.
Discard any food that has been exposed to heat, smoke or soot.
Do NOT use water that you think may be contaminated to wash dishes, brush teeth, prepare food, wash hands, or to make ice or baby formula.
Photograph damage to your property for insurance purposes.
