Safety tips - Driving in snow and ice

With the imminent arrival of yet another snow storm we wanted to share these snow and ice driving tips with you:

The best advice for driving in bad winter weather is not to drive at all, if you can avoid it. Don't go out until the snow plows and sanding trucks have had a chance to do their work, and allow yourself extra time to reach your destination. If you must drive in snowy conditions, make sure your car is prepared (TIPS), and that you know how to handle road conditions.

It's helpful to practice winter driving techniques in a snowy, open parking lot, so you're familiar with how your car handles. Consult your owner's manual for tips specific to your vehicle.

Driving safely on icy roads

1. Decrease your speed and leave yourself plenty of room to stop. You should allow at least three times more space than usual between you and the car in front of you.
2. Brake gently to avoid skidding. If your wheels start to lock up, ease off the brake.
3. Turn on your lights to increase your visibility to other motorists.
4. Keep your lights and windshield clean.
5. Use low gears to keep traction, especially on hills.
6. Don't use cruise control or overdrive on icy roads.
7. Be especially careful on bridges, overpasses and infrequently traveled roads, which will freeze first. Even at temperatures above freezing, if the conditions are wet, you might encounter ice in shady areas or on exposed roadways like bridges.
8. Don't pass snow plows and sanding trucks. The drivers have limited visibility, and you're likely to find the road in front of them worse than the road behind.
9.Don't assume your vehicle can handle all conditions. Even four-wheel and front-wheel drive vehicles can encounter trouble on winter roads.

If your rear wheels skid...

1. Take your foot off the accelerator.
2. Steer in the direction you want the front wheels to go. If your rear wheels are sliding left, steer left. If they're sliding right, steer right.
3. If your rear wheels start sliding the other way as you recover, ease the steering wheel toward that side. You might have to steer left and right a few times to get your vehicle completely under control.
4. If you have standard brakes, pump them gently.
5. If you have anti-lock brakes (ABS), do not pump the brakes. Apply steady pressure to the brakes. You will feel the brakes pulse — this is normal.

If your front wheels skid...

1. Take your foot off the gas and shift to neutral, but don't try to steer immediately.
2. As the wheels skid sideways, they will slow the vehicle and traction will return. As it does, steer in the direction you want to go. Then put the transmission in "drive" or release the clutch, and accelerate gently.

If you get stuck...

1. Do not spin your wheels. This will only dig you in deeper.
2. Turn your wheels from side to side a few times to push snow out of the way.
3. Use a light touch on the gas, to ease your car out.
4. Use a shovel to clear snow away from the wheels and the underside of the car.
5. Pour sand, kitty litter, gravel or salt in the path of the wheels, to help get traction.
6. Try rocking the vehicle. (Check your owner's manual first — it can damage the transmission on some vehicles.) Shift from forward to reverse, and back again. Each time you're in gear, give a light touch on the gas until the vehicle gets going.
7. More Tips

Sources: National Safety Council, New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Washington State Government Information & Services

Kitchen fire in Clinton, NJ

Here is a news article about the recent kitchen fire on Lakeview Avenue in Clinton.  Great job to all who responded!

Express-Times Photo - BILL ADAMS

CFD Responses 11/19 - 12/31

Apologies for the delay in updating our response data. Hope everyone had a safe holiday season and are enjoying the new year. Following is an update of our calls since November 18, see previous posts for other activities during this period.

11/19/09 @ 9:59 am - Fire Box 9106 Level 1 - South Ridge Church for the fire alarm activation. Tower 45 responded mutual aid with QFC(91) to investigate. A smoke condition was found in the building due to an electrical appliance malfunction. Smoke was cleared from the building and all units returned to quarters at 1045 am.

11/20/09 @ 7:33 pm - Fire Box 4503 Level 1 - Leigh St @ Country Club Dr for the pole and wire fire. Chief 45 and Engine 452 responded and with Clinton PD assistance closed the road and notified JCP&L. JCP&L finally showed and released the fire units at 10:59 pm.

11/21/09 @ 9:07 pm - Fire Box 2548 Level 1 - Hunterdon Developmental Center(HDC) for the fire alarm. Chief 45, Engine 452, and QFC Engine 912 responded to investigate and found alarm was caused by water leaking into a smoke detector. All units were cleared at 9:30 pm.

11/29/09 @11:01 am - Fire Box 4501 Level 1 - A&P parking lot for the smoking car. Engine 451 responded with Captain 451 and investigated. Found a car with minor oil leak and owner was going to repair it. All units cleared at 11:15 am.

12/03/09 @ 5:41 am - Fire Box 1401 Level 2 - Washington Ave, High Bridge Boro for wires burning on outside of residence. Tower 45 and Chief 45 responded mutual aid with HBFD as part of the structure fire assignment. HBFD arrived in minutes and handled the situation quickly and cancelled the remainder of the assignment. All units were back in quarters at 6:01 am.

12/03/09 @ 11:47 pm - Fire Box 4501 Level 1 - The Red Mill for the fire alarm activation. Chief 45, Deputy 45, Engine 452 and Tower 45 responded and made entry into the building to investigate. Found alarm was caused due to power problems, system was secured and turned over to key holder who responded. All units were back in quarters at 12:33 am 12/04/09.

12/07/09 @ 10:20 am - Fire Box 4601 Level 1 Special Call - Center St, Clinton Township for an electrical problem in building with smoke in several offices. Engine 451 was requested by AHCO(46) to assist at the scene. Engine 451 responded and assisted in securing the situation and returned to service @ 11:50 am.

12/08/09 @ 10:34 am - Cover Assignment - Engine 451 to cover QFC(91) while they operated at a structure fire in Raritan Township.

12/08/09 @ 10:55 am - Fire Box 2548 Level 1 - HDC for the fire alarm activation. Engine 451 and Engine 912 responded and determined there was no problem and cleared all units at 11:07 am.

12/08/09 @ 11:09 am - Cover Assignment - Engine 451 was diverted from QFC to cover Raritan Township Fire Company(21). THe cover assignment was completed at 1:00 pm.

12/08/09 @ 11:24 am - Fire Box 2118 Level 1 - Route 202 in Raritan Township for the MVA. Engine 451 responded from the cover assignment and handled the call for RTFC(21). Engine 451 was back at the cover assignment at 11:54 am.

12/10/09 @ 11:56 am - Fire Box 4501 Level 3 - Main St, Clinton for an electrical fire in a business. Chief 45, Engine 451, Ladder 14, Engine 461, Engine 912, and Squad 18(FAST) responded on the first alarm. Units found a light smoke condition on the second floor and a charred outlet. Power to the building was secured and members checked for fire extension and found none. Fire Marshal 45 was notified and all units were cleared by 12:52 pm.

12/12/09 @ 3:43 am - Fire Box 2548 Level 1 - HDC for the fire alarm activation. Captain 452, Engine 451 assisted by QFC(91) found a water leak caused the alarm. The water was secured and the facility took care of the building. All units were back in quarters at 0436.

12/13/09 @ 5:48 am - Fire Box 4601 Level 1 - Spruce Drive in Clinton Township for the fire alarm. Engine 451 requested on the mutual aid assignment with AHCO(46). Cancelled at dispatch, 46 Fire handled the incident.

12/13/09 - Fire Box 4505 Level 1 - Interstate 78 EB for an MVA. Engine 451 responded and investigated. No FD action was needed and Engine 451 reutrned to quarters.

12/14/09 @ 11:08 am - Fire Box 4508 Level 1 - Holiday Inn for the fire alarm. CFD as well as AHCO(E-461) and HBFD(L-14) are assigned to this box. Chief 45 responded and arrived at 11:12 am. Chief 45 investigated and determined the alarm activation was false and cancelled all responding units. All units were back in service at 11:21 am.

12/17/09 @ 1:31 pm - Fire Box 4505 Level 1 - Interstate 78 WB for the MVA. Chief 45 and Engine 451 responded. A small fluid spill was the only hazard and absorbent was applied. Al units were back in quarters at 1:50 pm.

12/20/09 @ 4:23 pm - Fire Box 4501 Level 2 - Investor Savings Bank in the Town of Clinton for heavy black smoke from the chimney. Units assigned to this box were CFD, AHCO(E-461), HBFD(L-14), QFC(E-912), LFC(FAST). Chief 45 arrived at 4:24 pm and investigated. The problem was found to be a faulty boiler and the assignment was held to Engine 452 only. Access was made and the boiler shut down. All units were back in quarters at 5:16 pm.

12/20/09 @ 10:39 pm - Fire Box 2549 Level 1 - Interstate 78 WB at Exit 13 for the MVA. Engine 451 arrived at 10:47 pm and assisted EMS. Engine 451 stood by until the cars were removed and returned to quarters at 11:45 pm.

12/21/09 @ 7:00 am - Fire Box 4502 Level 1 - Route 31 SB at Georges Place for the MVA. CFD units cancelled at 7:05 no need for fire apparatus.

12/21/09 @ 3:18 pm - Fire Box 9106 Level 1 - Route 513 near Walmart for the MVA. Engine 452 responded but was cancelled before arrival. This was a mutual aid assignment with QFC(91). Engine 452 was ready for service at 3:25 pm.

12/21/09 @ 5:02 pm - Fire Box 4501 Level 4 - Main Street for the odor of gas. Deputy 45 and Engine 451 responded and found the cause to be axle grease leaked from a car. All units back in quarters at 5:35 pm.

12/23/09 @ 8:18 pm - Fire Box 1403 Level 2 - Pleasant Rd in High Bridge Boro for the Chimney Fire. Tower 45 is part of the first alarm mutual aid with HBFD. Tower 45 crew assisted HBFD and other departments extinguish the fire that was contained in the chimney. All CFD units were back in quarters at 9:06 pm.

12/26/09 @ 7:31 pm - Fire Box 9106 Level 1 - TJ Maxx for an electrical fire in the parking lot. CFD responds mutual aid with QFC on this box. CFD secured the area around the electrical box. QFC units search for and found breakers and shut down the parking lot lights that were arcing. The fire went out and CFD was released by command. All units were back in quarters at 7:56 pm.

12/27/09 @ 10:10 am - Fire Box 2545 Level 1 - Overlook Drive in Union Township for the dumpster fire. Chief 45 arrived at 10:12 am and found a working dumpster fire. Engine 451 arrived and extinguished the fire. The cause was determined to be fire place ashes disposed of in the dumpster. All units were back in quarters at 10:40 am.

12/27/09 @ 11:12 pm - Fire Box 1401 Level 2 - Mill St High Bridge Boro for smoke in the basement. Tower 45 is on the first alarm to assist HBFD(14). Chief 14 arrived and found a furnace malfunction was the cause and 14 Fire handled the call, all mutual adi was cancelled. CFD units were back in service at 11:18 pm.

12/30/09 @ 5:02 pm - Fire Box 4601 Level 2 - Surrey Ct in Clinton Township for the oven fire. Chief 45 and Tower 45 responded mutual aid with AHCO(46). CFD was cancelled by 46 Fire as the fire was out on arrival and they would handle the call. CFD was back in quarters at 5:10 pm.

12/31/09 @ 8:06 am - Fire Box 2548 Level 1 - HDC Cottage 8 for the fire alarm. Engine 451 and Tower 45 responded and arrived at 8:15 am. QFC Engine 912 held at station due to snow and ice conditions. CFD units investigated and determined the alarm was caused by a power issue and cancelled all units. CFD units were back in quarters at 8:29 am.

CFD Awards Dinner

On Saturday December 12, 2009 the members of the Clinton Fire Department held our annual Christmas Party and Awards Dinner. The evening was attended by members and invited guests in honor of the hard work the members put in in 2009. Several presentations were made at during the evening.

Michelle Harrison, President of the Clinton Emergency Services Foundation presented CFD President Jerry Malecki with a check in the amount of $6,000.00. The Emergency Services Foundation held fundraisers during 2009 to raise money for the Clinton Fire Department and the Clinton Rescue Squad. CFD greatly appreciates the hard work that Michelle and the rest of the Foundation members put in to assist us in buying equipment.

Bill Langston Sr. was recognized for going Exempt after serving the Clinton Fire Department for 63 years. We can not thank Bill enough for his service to the community. Henry Freyer was also recognized for going exempt with over 15 years of service.

The following is a list of members who joined the CFD during 2009:
Active Members: Steve Seguine, Rich Duffy, Christian Cole
Junior Members: Chris Bittenmaster, Justin Horvath, Tyler Platt, Kasey Stephens, Conner Shea, Tom Crampton

Years of Service awards:
10 Years - Quintus Joubert
20 Years - Jim Querry
30 Years - Jerry Malecki
35 Years - Drew Stephens

The following were recognized for responding to 50% or more of the alarms for the year:
Mike Burtnick - 52%
Jeff Hedden - 52%
Walt Dorf - 55%
Darrell Dulack - 56%
Jeffrey Plaisted - 56%
Craig Allen - 57%
Scott Wintermute - 65%
Jerry Malecki - 81%

The final award of the evening was Firefighter of the Year and was presented to Jerry Malecki. Jerry responds to a lot of calls but also did a lot of work behind the scenes and was greatly appreciated by the CFD Officers. Great job Jerry.

A special thank you to Lynn Wintermute and Carol Dorf for putting a wonderful evening together.

The festive season

The Clinton Fire Department prides itself on being a family organization.  Once you join as a member your family suddenly grows exponentially.  Your children suddenly have lots of extra uncles, aunts and cousins and you get a whole bunch of brothers and sisters.  

This time of the year our calendars are packed with social events such as the town Christmas parade, tree cutting and decoration and the Christmas party.  Honestly I'm not sure who has more fun, the kids or the adults - you be the judge.

Holiday Fire Prevention tips from USA.gov

According to the United Sates Fire Administration (USFA), each year fires occurring during the holiday season injure 2,600 individuals and cause over $930 million in damage. There are simple life-saving steps you can take to ensure a safe and happy holiday. By following these precautionary tips, individuals can greatly reduce their chances of becoming a holiday fire casualty:

Preventing Holiday Tree Fires

Special fire safety precautions need to be taken when keeping a live tree in the house. A burning tree can rapidly fill a room with fire and deadly gases.

* Selecting a Tree for the Holiday - Needles should be green and hard to pull back from the branches, and should not break if the tree has been freshly cut. The trunk should be sticky to the touch.o Old trees can be identified by bouncing the tree trunk on the ground. If many needles fall off, the tree has been cut too long, has probably dried out, and is a fire hazard.
* Caring for Your Tree - Do not put your live tree up too early or leave it up for longer than two weeks. Keep the tree stand filled with water at all times. Do not place your tree close to a heat source, including a fireplace or heat vent. Be careful not to drop or flick cigarette ashes near a tree.
* Disposing of Your Tree - Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood burning stove. When the tree becomes dry, discard it promptly. The best way to dispose of your tree is by taking it to a recycling center or having it hauled away by a community pick-up service.
* Never Put Lit Candles on a Tree - Do not go near a holiday tree with an open flame -- candles, lighters or matches.

Holiday Lights

* Maintain Your Holiday Lights - Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Use only lighting listed by an approved testing laboratory.
* Do Not Overload Electrical Outlets - Do not link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. Make sure to periodically check the wires -- they should not be warm to the touch.

Holiday Decorations

* Use Only Nonflammable Decorations - All decorations should be nonflammable or flame-retardant and placed away from heat vents.
* Never Put Wrapping Paper in a Fireplace - It can throw off dangerous sparks and produce a chemical buildup in the home that could cause an explosion.
* Artificial Holiday Trees - If you are using a metallic or artificial tree, make sure it is flame retardant.

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. Know when and how to call for help. And remember to practice your home escape plan.

Thanks to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation for posting this information!

Happy Thanksgiving!