Emergency Preparedness

Floods are among the most frequent and costly natural disasters in terms of human hardship and economic loss. As much as 90 percent of the damage related to all natural disasters (excluding draught) is caused by floods and associated debris flow. Most communities in the United States can experience some kind of flooding. Melting snow can combine with rain in the winter and early spring; severe thunderstorms can bring heavy rain in the spring or summer; or hurricanes can bring intense rainfall to coastal and inland states in the summer and fall. Regardless of how a flood occurs, the rule for being safe is simple: head for higher ground and stay away from floodwater. Even a shallow depth of fast-moving floodwater produces more force than most people imagine. You can protect yourself by being prepared and having time to act. Local radio or television stations or a NOAA Weather Radio are the best sources of information in a flood situation.

Based on FEMA 30 Tips for Emergency Preparedness

» Chief's Safety Message

Water Safety

July and August summer weather will give us many opportunities to enjoy the lakes and rivers. Fire District 3 would like each of our community members to be safe during the water activities.

Water activities can bring many hazards. Here are some reminders of how to reduce your risk during water activities.

Learn to swim. The best thing you can do to stay safe in and around the water is to learn to swim. This includes anyone participating in any water sport or boating activity.
Children or inexperienced swimmers should take precautions, such as wearing a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal floatation device (PFD) when around the water.
Watch out for the dangerous “too’s” – too tired, too cold, too far from safety, too much sun, too much strenuous activity. Be knowledgeable of the water environment you are in and its potential hazards, such as deep and shallow areas, currents, depth changes, obstructions and where the entry and exit points are located. The more informed you are, the more aware you will be of hazards and safe practices.
Pay attention to local weather conditions and forecasts. Stop swimming at the first sign of bad weather.
Enter the water feet first. Enter headfirst only when the area is clearly marked for diving and has no obstructions.
Do not mix alcohol with swimming, diving or boating. Alcohol impairs your judgment, balance, and coordination, affects your swimming and diving skills, and reduces your body's ability to stay warm.
Know how to prevent, recognize, and respond to emergencies. Be able to activate emergency services.

For persons operating a boat, PWC or skiing here are some additional tips.

· Know your local laws and regulations. Washington State and Pend Oreille County have special laws governing the use of personal water craft (PWC) which address operations, registration and licensing requirements, education, required safety equipment and minimum ages.

· Operate your PWC with common sense. Follow the traffic pattern of the waterway. Obey no-wake and speed zones.

· Use extreme caution around swimmers and surfers. Run your PWC at a slow speed until the craft is away from shore, swimming areas, and docks. Avoid passing close to other boats and jumping wakes. This behavior is dangerous and often illegal.

· Coast Guard-approved life jackets should be worn by the operator of the PWC as well as any riders.

· Ride with a friend. PWCs should always travel in groups. You never know when an emergency might occur.

· Alcohol and operating a water craft doesn’t mix. Alcohol impairs your judgment, balance, and coordination. For the same reasons it is dangerous to operate an automobile, people should not operate a boat or PWC while drinking alcohol.

· Wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket.

· Be sure the boat and ski equipment are in good shape.

· Always turn the boat motor completely off when you approach a fallen skier.

· Watch the water ahead of you at all times.

· Have an extra person aboard to watch and assist the skier.

· Run parallel to shore and come in slowly when landing. Sit down if coming in too fast.

· Use proper hand signals to signal boat operator.

· Do not ski at night or in restricted areas.

Hopefully some of these tips can aid in having a safer summer around the water. Many of our tips are common sense. Please take an extra moment this summer to be safe.

Chief Mark Havener

Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3

» Public Education Workshops Online

The community that is protected by Pend Oreille County Fire District No. 3 is growing and diverse. The need to continually improve our public education delivery to the community is ever present. Fire District No. 3 is now producing online workshops designed to provide basic fire prevention and life safety information through the Internet. Click on the computer icon at the right to view available programs.

» Smoke Detector Program

Finally, as in every season, have working smoke alarms installed on every level of your home, test them monthly and keep them clean and equipped with fresh batteries at all times.

As our children learn from the time they start attending school, Smoke Detectors Save Lives! It is an unfortunate fact that many of our homes are not equipped with working smoke detectors.

Through a grant received from a FEMA Fire Prevention and Safety program, Pend Oreille County Fire District No. 3 was recently able to purchase smoke detectors and spare 9-volt batteries for district residents.

» FREE SMOKE DETECTOR » FREE 9-VOLT BATTERY » FREE INSTALLATION

One of the goals of this program is to provide working smoke detectors, free of charge, for homes in our community. Along with working smoke detectors, we encourage our community residents to practice fire safety and have a home fire escape plan. Know when and how to call for help. And remember to practice your home escape plan. SMOKE DETECTOR REQUEST

» Family Emergency Preparedness Guidelines

Pend Oreille County Fire District No. 3 has free information available at the Diamond Lake Station on disaster preparedness. We are also available to come out and speak to your community group on preparedness topics. If you have any questions or want to seek additional information you can contact Fire District No. 3 through the listings on our Contacts page.