Latest News
Halloween Fire Safety
by LT Gabe Balsamo in General
There are 10,300 fires during the three-day period around Halloween. These fires cause about 25 deaths, 125 injuries and $83 million in property loss.
North Madison Fire would like to help our community be safer during Halloween by sharing a few fire safety tips with our residents:
- Choose a costume without long trailing fabric. This can cause a child to trip or may touch flames in jack-o’-lanterns or other decorations.
- If you make your own costume, use materials that won’t catch on fire easily if they come in contact with heat or flame.
- Give your children flashlights or glow sticks so they can see where they are walking.
- Keep decorations away from candles, light bulbs or heaters.
- Consider using flameless candles or glow sticks in your jack-o’-lantern.
- Keep exits clear of decorations.
For more information about Halloween fires and fire safety, check out the U.S. Fire Administration’s website, where you can find Halloween social media cards to share and the Halloween fire data snapshot.
2015 Open House: Photos Wanted
by LT Gabe Balsamo in General
North Madison Fire would like to extend a big thanks to all of the residents and visitors who attended this year’s open house, it was a great success! Photos from the todays events will be available later this week. We would like to see some of your photos, please send them our way!
Gabe.Balsamo@nmvfc.org
Bedroom Burn Box 2015
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How old are your smoke alarms?
by LT Gabe Balsamo in General
Do you know how old your smoke alarms are? Like many products you use on a daily basis, smoke alarms don’t last forever. Manufacturers recommend that you replace them every 10 years. To check the date your smoke alarm was made, look at the back of the alarm or inside the battery compartment. If it’s time to replace your alarms, consider buying ones with ten-year lithium batteries.
For more information on smoke alarms, the U.S. Fire Administration .
Message from the Chief: Fund Drive Letter
by LT Gabe Balsamo in General
As part of our annual fund drive we mail out a request for donations and this year was no different. Unfortunately, due to technical issue, many of you may have received an envelope that was improperly addressed. On behalf of the entire company I would like to apologize for inconvenience or confusion this may have caused and assure you that we are working diligently to correct it. We hope to have it resolved shortly. You may open the letter and donate if you wish by mail or on our secure website. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me at: Chief@NMVFC.org
-Chief MacMillan
Fund Drive Letter:
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Hear the BEEP where you SLEEP
by LT Gabe Balsamo in General
“Smoke alarms save lives. If there is a fire in your home, smoke spreads fast and you need smoke alarms to give you time to get out. Having a working smoke alarm cuts the chances of dying in a reported fire in half. Almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
- Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of your home.
- Test your smoke alarms every month.
- Replace batteries every six months.
- When a smoke alarm sounds, get outside and stay outside.
- Replace all smoke alarms in your home every 10 years
The key message of this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, October 4-10, is to install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of your home, including the basement. Larger homes may need more alarms.”
For more info please vist the National Fire Prevention Agency
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Membership Announcement: Do You Have What It Takes?
by Christopher Steines in General
In order to provide professional fire, rescue, and medical services the North Madison Volunteer Fire Company relies on volunteers from our community. Volunteers just like you! We are currently accepting applications and would welcome any individual who is willing to donate their time and energy to such a worthy cause. If you think you have what it takes and want to contribute to your community in a significant way consider joining the Company and find out why so many of our staff members believe it is such an honor to serve in this organization.
Read moreFirefighting: The Importance of Training
by Christopher Steines in General
Many of the donations received by the North Madison Volunteer Fire Company are used for the specific purposes of maintaining the firehouse which provides our first responders with a safe place to conduct trainings and drills. While training may not seem like an important component of fire rescue and safety, the American Fire Service attributes improvements in training for fire personnel with a decline in the number of fire related deaths over the last decade. In addition to the fact that many lives can be saved as a result of training there are a wide range of reasons to provide fire training for all fire personnel:
- Training enables firefighters to learn new skills and techniques to make their jobs safer. Firefighters risk their lives to save others. However with the right training some of the risk to fire personnel can be managed.
- Training enables firefighters to respond more efficiently, reducing the property damage caused by fires. This can be essential in situations where fire damage to the community could be substantial.
- Training provides firefighters with needed experience. Volunteer firefighters need this experience in order to be effective in their jobs.
- Training keeps volunteer firefighters active and engaged. Because volunteers typically have full-time careers outside of the firehouse they need training to help them remain engaged and active in the field.
Training serves so many purposes that it is imperative for all firefighters, paid and volunteer. Financial support from the community helps to make training possible strengthening the capabilities of our fire service.
Read morePaid Versus Unpaid
by Christopher Steines in General
One of the most frequent questions asked by the community is: What is the difference between paid versus unpaid fire departments? The answer is simple: money.
- Paid firefighters are hired by the community and paid a salary for their service.
- Volunteer departments, on the other hand, are comprised of individuals who voluntarily give their time and risk their lives to make the community a better place.
- Volunteer departments do receive some support via tax revenues but also rely on the community to provide them with financial resources that go towards the upkeep of “command central” which houses all of the equipment and apparatus’.
This is why community support of volunteer fire companies is so important. Without the support of the community, volunteer fire companies cannot continue to provide effective fire, rescue, and medical service. This is also why these departments are lucky to have the support of so many dedicated professionals who are willing to give so generously of their time.
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