Eagle Fire’s co-founder and CEO, Harry Hoffon, was recently featured in a video sharing his experience as a member of the Virginia Council of CEOs. See the clip below. He’s the one with the Eagle Fire shirt on.
Eagle Fire hosted a Lunch and Learn about Mass Notification on Monday, June 14th in Richmond, Virginia. Representatives from UTC Fire & Security presented at the event. Mass Notification Systems provide real-time information to all building occupants or personnel in the immediate vicinity of a building during emergency situations. If you would like to learn more about Mass Notification, please contact Eagle Fire.
Please join us for an insightful talk and panel discussion entitled…
Mass Notification: Its impact on Architecture and Engineering in America
A look at trends and developments in this dynamic and swiftly changing industry today.
Certificate of Completion for a two hour training session will be granted to qualifying attendees.
Please RSVP by Tuesday, June 1st.
Tiffany Clarke (804) 743-2500 ext.1343
tiffany.clarke@eaglefire.com
Eagle Fire, as part of the Virginia Chapter of the American Fire Sprinkler Association, is helping to organize a golf tournament on September 15th at Hunting Hawk Golf Course to raise money for the Central Virginia Burn Camp and the Old Dominion Professional Firefighters Burn Foundation. If you don’t already know, these are two great organizations that are making a difference in our community.
The Central Virginia Burn Camp provides children who have been hospitalized with burn injuries the opportunity to play, heal, and connect with other young burn victims and caring adults. This unique camp is truly therapeutic for these kids. Not only do the children have physical reminders of their burns, many of them also have emotional scars. The sad fact is that many of these children weren’t injured in a house fire or other accident —they were deliberately burned. The chance to connect with caring adults, healthcare professionals, and other kids who have similar physical and emotional wounds goes a long way toward helping these kids develop confidence, self-esteem, and regain a sense of trust. Plus it lets them just be kids for a week. he golf tournament accounts for about 80% of the annual budget for the Central Virginia Burn Camp.
The Old Dominion Professional Firefighters Burn Foundation is a partnership between professional firefighters associations and the Evan-Haynes Burn Center at the Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. The Foundation’s activities include:
• Supporting Richmond Metro firefighters and the family members of firefighters who have been hospitalized for burn injuries in performance of their duties
• Helps burn victims and families of victims receiving treatment at the Evans-Haynes Burn Center
• Funds medical and physical therapy equipment purchases and burn research
• Offers burn education and prevention programs
• Supports the Central Virginia Burn Camp
This year is the 17th year for the AFSA Golf Tournament. Last year 100 golfers played in the tournament. These participants, along with 50 sponsors, allowed the AFSA to make a $40,000 donation, split between the Central Virginia Burn Camp and the Old Dominion Professional Firefighters Association.
The National Fire Protection Association recently published a report about fires related to space heaters. The report stated that while space heaters cause 32% of home heating fire, they are involved in 79% of home heating fire deaths. Cold temperatures mean that special diligence needs to be paid to making sure space heaters are operated safely. Be sure to follow these safety tips:
Keep heaters 3 feet from anything flammable such as upholstered furniture, bedding and clothing.
When most people think about the holidays, family festivities and good cheer likely come to mind. What few of us consider is that the holidays also present an increased risk of home fires. Home fires during the holiday season often involve cooking, Christmas trees, candles and holiday decorations. By taking some preventative steps and following simple rules of thumb, most home fires can be prevented during the holidays and beyond.
Cooking
Unattended cooking is the leading cause of U.S. home fires and home fire injuries, with most cooking fires involving the stovetop.
Stay in the kitchen while you’re frying, grilling or broiling food. Keep anything that can catch fire away from the stovetop, and turn it off when you leave the kitchen, even if it’s for a short period of time.
If you’re simmering, boiling, baking or roasting food, check it regularly and use a timer to remind you that you’re cooking.
Create a “kid-free zone” of at least three feet around the stove and areas where hot food and drinks are prepared or carried.
If you have a cooking fire, just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire. Call 911 or the local emergency number immediately after you leave.
If you do try to fight the fire, be sure others are getting out and that you have access to an exit.
Keep a lid nearby when you’re cooking to smother small grease fires. Slide the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled. For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.
Candles
Candles are widely used in homes throughout the holidays; December is the peak month for home candle fires.
More than half of all candle fires start because the candles had been too close to things that could catch fire.
When burning candles, keep them at least 12” away from anything that can burn, and remember to blow them out when you leave the room or go to bed.
Use candle holders that are sturdy, won’t tip over and are placed on uncluttered surfaces. Avoid using candles in the bedroom, where two of five U.S. candle fires begin, or other areas where people may fall asleep.
Never leave a child alone in a room with a burning candle.
Consider using flameless candles, which look and smell like real candles.
Christmas Trees
U.S. fire departments annually respond to an average of 250 structure fires caused by Christmas trees. Nearly half of them are caused by electrical problems, and one in four resulted from a heat source that’s too close to the tree.
If you have an artificial tree, be sure it’s labeled, certified or identified by the manufacturer as fire-retardant. If you choose a fresh tree, make sure the green needles don’t fall off when touched; before placing it in the stand, cut 1-2” from the base of the trunk. Add water to the tree stand, and be sure to water it daily.
Make sure your tree is not blocking an exit, and is at least three feet away from any heat source, like fireplaces, space heaters, radiators, candles and heat vents or lights.
Use lights that have the label of an independent testing laboratory, and make sure you know whether they are designed for indoor or outdoor use. Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords, or loose bulb connections. Connect no more than three strands of mini-string sets and a maximum of 50 bulbs for screw-in bulbs.
Never use lit candles to decorate the tree.
Always turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving the home or going to bed.
After Christmas, get rid of the tree. Dried-out trees are a fire hazard and should not be left in the home or garage, or placed outside the home.
Bring outdoor electrical lights inside after the holidays to prevent hazards and make them last longer.
