Putnam County Fire/Rescue

PUTNAM COUNTY FIRE/RESCUE

610 Old Phoenix Road
Eatonton, Georgia 31024
Phone: (706) 485-0469
Fax: (706) 485-9793

Shane Hill, Fire Chief

Always Ready, Proud to Serve

FIRE STATIONS

P Station #1 - City – Marion Street – 706-485-2531

P Station #2 – Flat Rock – 147 Pea Ridge Road – 706-485-7760

P Station #3 - Harmony – 610 Old Phoenix Road – 706-485-7091

P Station #4 – Twin Bridges – 561 Twin Bridges Road – 478-968-5550*

P Station #5 – Crooked Creek – 160 Crooked Creek Drive – 706-485-2298*

P Station #6 - Rockville – 310 Rockville Road – 706-485-4160*

P Station #7 – Long Shoals – 111 Crowe Drive – 706-485-8800*

P Station #8 - Willard – 277 Hillsboro Road – 706-484-0210*

P Station #9 – Rock Eagle – Glades Road*

P Station #11 – Sugar Creek – Parks Mill Road – 706-342-0603*

*Volunteer Only Stations

Thank you for your interest in joining Putnam County Fire/Rescue as we strive to deliver

comprehensive emergency services to the residents and visitors of Putnam County.

Application Procedure

1. Receive Application packet.

2. Meet with appropriate station captain and/or district captain to express need, availability, and expectations of both emergency services as well as potential applicant.

3. Completed application packet to be turned into Putnam County Fire Chief's Office.

4. Once "approved to be processed" status received from Putnam County Fire Chief or his/her designee then packet will be forwarded to Human Resources.

5. Human Resources will process all necessary paperwork and schedule any follow up necessary with applicant via contact info supplied on application by applicant.

Click here for Volunteer Application

Click here for Volunteer Authorization

Click here for Personnel Information Sheet

Happy ThanksgivingClick HERE for Thanksgiving Safety Tips

Does everyone in your home know what the smoke alarm sounds like? Did you remove the batteries when they started chirping instead of replacing them? If it did sound, would you know what to do?

Putnam County Fire Rescue is teaming up with the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) during October 9-15, 2011, to let our community know: “It’s Fire Prevention Week. Protect your Family from Fire!” As always, the focus of FPW is to prevent home fires. This year, the campaign is also urging people to protect their homes and families with planning and life-saving technology -- like smoke alarms!

Smoke alarms are an important part of a home fire escape plan. Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half. Unfortunately, many homes have smoke alarms that just don’t work. In fact, according to the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), roughly two-thirds of home fire deaths happen in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. About one in five of smoke alarm failures were due to dead batteries.

Putnam County Fire Rescue is urging you to use this week to be sure that your smoke alarms are equipped to help protect your family from fire by putting the following tips into action:

Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of the home (including the basement), outside each sleeping area, and inside each bedroom. Larger homes may need additional smoke alarms. Never remove or disable smoke alarms.
Interconnection of smoke alarms is highly recommended; when one smoke alarm sounds, they all do. (This is particularly important in larger or multi-story homes, where the sound from distant smoke alarms may be reduced to the point that it may not be loud enough to provide proper warning, especially for sleeping individuals.) A licensed electrician can install hard-wired multiple-station alarms. Wireless alarms, which manufacturers have more recently begun producing, can be installed by the homeowner.
There are two types of smoke alarm technologies – ionization and photoelectric. An ionization smoke alarm is generally more responsive to flaming fires – like a pan fire or the smoke from cooking. A photoelectric alarm is generally more responsive to smoldering fires – like a cigarette, overheated wiring or something hot like a space heater. Install both types of alarms in your home or combination ionization and photoelectric alarms that take advantage of both technologies.
Test smoke alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button. If an alarm “chirps,” warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away.
All smoke alarms, including alarms that use 10-year batteries and those that are hard-wired alarms, should be replaced when they’re 10 years old (or sooner) if they do not respond properly when tested.

Putnam County Fire Rescue can be reached at (706) 485-0469, e-mail shill@netcommander.com

For more information about Fire Prevention Week and smoke alarms, visit NFPA’s Web site at www.firepreventionweek.org or www.FPW.org.

OP/ED Smoke Alarms for People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

By Shane E. Hill, Chief PCFR:

Smoke alarms are an important part of a home fire escape plan. When working properly, they can cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half. For most of us, hearing the “beep – beep – beep” of our home smoke alarm is a clear signal to get out and stay out. But what if you couldn’t hear the sound of the smoke alarm?

People who are deaf (those with profound hearing loss) or hard of hearing (those with mild to severe hearing loss) can’t rely on sound to alert them to smoke or fire. Because the majority of fatal fires occur when people are sleeping – and because smoke can put people into a deeper sleep – it is important to have the necessary early warning of a fire to ensure that they wake up. Thankfully, there are technologies that appeal to other senses. Smoke alarms are available for people who are deaf which use strobe lights to wake the person. Additionally, you can install vibration equipment – like pillow or bed shakers – which are activated by the sound of the smoke alarm.

Recent research also shows that as people age, their ability to hear high-pitched sounds decreases. People with mild to severe hearing loss can use equipment that emits a mixed, low-pitched sound. This device is activated by the sound of a traditional smoke alarm. The low-pitched sound is more effective than the sound of a smoke alarm for waking people up in all age groups.

While these products use different alert methods, the same general rules for smoke alarms still apply:

Interconnection of smoke alarms is highly recommended; when one smoke alarm sounds, they all do. (This is particularly important in larger or multi-story homes, where the sound from distant smoke alarms may be reduced to the point that it may not be loud enough to provide proper warning, especially for sleeping individuals.) A licensed electrician can install hard-wired multiple-station alarms. Wireless alarms, which manufacturers have more recently begun producing, can be installed by the homeowner.
There are two types of smoke alarm technologies – ionization and photoelectric. An ionization smoke alarm is generally more responsive to flaming fires – like a pan fire or the smoke from cooking. A photoelectric alarm is generally more responsive to smoldering fires – like a cigarette, overheated wiring or something hot like a space heater. Install both types of alarms in your home or combination ionization and photoelectric alarms that take advantage of both technologies.
Test smoke alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button. If an alarm “chirps,” warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away.
All smoke alarms, including alarms that use 10-year batteries and those that are hard-wired alarms, should be replaced when they’re 10 years old (or sooner) if they do not respond properly when tested.

Unfortunately, many homes in Putnam County, and in communities throughout the U.S., still do not have the appropriate level of smoke alarm protection. Research from the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) shows that roughly two-thirds of home fire deaths happen in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. About one in five smoke alarm failures was due to dead batteries. That’s why Putnam County Fire Rescue is teaming up with the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) during October 9-15, 2011, to let our community know: “It’s Fire Prevention Week. Protect your Family from Fire!” As always, the focus of FPW is to prevent home fires. This year, the campaign is also urging people to protect their homes and families with planning and life-saving technology -- like smoke alarms!

The Putnam County Fire Department urges residents, during Fire Prevention Week and the weeks to follow, to support “It’s Fire Prevention Week. Protect your Family from Fire!” locally. We strongly encourage all to participate in improving the safety of their homes and families by learning more about the importance of smoke alarms and other ways to protect your home and family from fire.

For more information about fire safety, Putnam County Fire Rescue can be reached at (706) 485-0469, e-mail shill@netcommander.com and/or at the following link http://www.putnamcountyga.us/fire_dept.asp. For more information about Fire Prevention Week and smoke alarms, visit NFPA’s Web site at www.firepreventionweek.org.

Sincerely,
Shane E. Hill, Chief
Putnam County Fire Rescue

Fire Prevention Tips:

Smoke Alarm Safety

Smoke alarms can act as a warning to get out of a building when a fire occurs, but they are only effective when working properly. Every home and business should be equipped with smoke alarms that are installed correctly and tested regularly. Please make sure that your smoke alarms are properly installed, connected, and working.

The right way to install smoke alarms:

Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the basement, making sure there is an alarm outside every separate sleeping area. New homes are required to have a smoke alarm in every sleeping room and all smoke alarms must be interconnected.
Hard-wired smoke alarms operate on your household electrical current. They can be interconnected so that every alarm sounds regardless of the fire's location. This is an advantage in early warning, because it gives occupants extra time to escape if they are in one part of the home and a fire breaks out in another part. Alarms that are hard-wired should have battery backups in case of a power outage, and should be installed by a qualified electrician.
If you sleep with bedroom doors closed, have a qualified electrician install interconnected smoke alarms in each room so that when one alarm sounds, they all sound.
If you or someone in your home is hearing impaired, consider installing an alarm that combines flashing lights, vibration, and/or sound.
Mount smoke alarms high on walls or ceilings (remember, smoke rises). Ceiling-mounted alarms should be installed at least four inches away from the nearest wall; wall-mounted alarms should be installed four to 12 inches away from the ceiling.
If you have ceilings that are pitched, install the alarm near the ceiling's highest point.
Don't install smoke alarms near windows, doors, or ducts where drafts might interfere with their operation.
Never paint smoke alarms. Paint, stickers, or other decorations could keep the alarms from working.

A life-saving test: check your smoke alarms regularly:

Test your smoke alarms once a month, following the manufacturer's instructions.
Replace the batteries in your smoke alarm once a year, or as soon as the alarm "chirps" warning that the battery is low. Hint: schedule battery replacements for the same day you change your clocks from daylight savings time to standard time in the fall.
Never "borrow" a battery from a smoke alarm. Smoke alarms can't warn you of fire if their batteries are missing or have been disconnected.
Don't disable smoke alarms even temporarily. If your smoke alarm is sounding "nuisance alarms," try relocating it farther from kitchens or bathrooms, where cooking fumes and steam can cause the alarm to sound.
Regularly vacuuming or dusting your smoke alarms can keep them working properly. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Smoke alarms don't last forever. Replace yours once every 10 years. If you can't remember how old the alarm is, then it's probably time for a new one.
Consider installing smoke alarms with "long-life" (10-year) batteries.
Plan regular fire drills to ensure that everyone knows exactly what to do when the smoke alarm sounds. Hold a drill at night to make sure that sleeping family members awaken at the sound of the alarm.
If you are building a new home or remodeling your existing home, consider installing an automatic home fire sprinkler system. Sprinklers and smoke alarms together cut your risk of dying in a home fire by 82 percent – a savings of thousands of lives a year.

Help Emergency Personnel Locate Your House -

Get Your Blue Number Sign - click HERE for details

FIRE SAFETY SELF SURVEY

The survey is intended to provide a means for education associated with potential fire risk in the home and lowering fire loss in our community. It is not intended to invade a property owner’s privacy. This survey can be a valuable tool in minimizing your risk to fire and other safety risks. If you have questions, or would like Fire Department personnel to assist you with the survey, please contact us.

Exterior Survey	Yes	No
1) Are the house numbers plainly visible from the street?
2) Are exit doors free from obstruction by furnishings, storage, toys, etc?
3) Are security lights free from animal nesting material?
4) Are roof, gutters, and area around structure free of build-up of leaves, litter and other combustibles?
5) Is combustible storage kept away from exit doors and windows?
6) Is firewood kept out of garage and away from ignition sources?
7) If there are security bars on windows or doors, can they be opened from the inside?
8) Is gasoline stored up off the floor in the garage and away from ignition sources?

Safety Equipment	Yes	No
1) Have you tested your smoke detectors to assure operational status?
2) Have you developed a Home Fire Escape Plan for your family?
3) Do you practice the plan with your family annually?
4) Have you tested your smoke detectors while family members are asleep to determine if they can hear the audible warning?
5) Have you replaced your smoke detectors after 10 years of use?
6) Have you replaced the batteries in your smoke detectors annually?
7) Do you have portable fire extinguishers suitable for use in your home and family members know how to use them properly?

Interior Survey	Yes	No
1) Are all exits and exit pathways clear and unobstructed?
2) Is there a minimum of 36-inch clearance around all heating appliances and gas fired water heaters?
3) Has your gas fired furnace been inspected by a qualified technician to prevent carbon monoxide build-up by cracked heat exchangers or leaking fittings?
4) Is all storage kept in a neat and orderly manner away from heat sources such as light fixtures, heating appliances, fireplaces, wood stoves and electrical supply panels?
5) Are there any holes in the ceilings or walls that could expose combustible wood or allow for fire spread into the attic or walls?
6) Are electrical extension cords only used to provide temporary power to equipment? Extension cords should not be used as a replacement for permanent power supply. Protected, multi-plug strip plates of proper size are permitted for use when additional outlets are needed.
7) Are appliance cords free from fraying, crimping and kept out from under table or furniture legs and carpeting?
8) Are there cover plates on all electrical light switches, outlets and supply panels?
9) Are the circuit breakers or fuses in your service panel of the proper sizes/capacity for the service provided?
10) Is the heating and air conditioning unit cleaned and new filters installed on a regular basis?
11) Has your fireplace chimney been cleaned within the last two years?
12) Do you burn only seasoned dry wood in your fireplace or wood stove?
13) Do you keep a close eye on materials cooking on the stove or in the oven?
14) Are bedroom doors closed while family members sleep?
15) Are seasonal decorations kept away from ignition sources like fireplaces, stoves or heating appliances?
16) Are listed cords for outside use used for exterior decorations and or lighting?
17) Are smoking materials or candles extinguished before leaving the home or going to bed?

AMBULANCE AND PERSONNEL NOW STATIONED AT

TWIN BRIDGES FIRE STATION

South Putnam County residents now have an ambulance and personnel stationed at the Twin Bridges Fire Station. On Saturday, August 13, 2011 there was a press event and open house to celebrate this new service.