Lynbrook Fire Department Fire Prevention

You should. Just knowing how to call for help in an emergency can help save a life. Take a few moments to read this information. Share it with your family and friends. Know how to make the right call-

When you think someone is badly hurt or suddenly sick and in danger, call EMS immediately. EMS stands for emergency medical services. One call connects you with a whole emergency medical team- technicians, paramedics, physicians and nurses who are especially trained to handle these situations.

Call EMS when you think someone's life is threatened, when someone faints or collapses, has persistent chest pain or difficulty breathing, or is badly injured. If you are not sure if it is an emergency, do call EMS.

Going to a doctor's appointment, getting a scraped knee bandaged or filling a prescription to not require professional EMS assistance. Calling EMS in non-emergencies does tie up the system and make it harder for EMS personnel to do their job responding to serious emergencies. Again, if you are not sure if it's an emergency, do call EMS.

KNOW YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS

You may know your local Emergency Medical Services a the ambulance service, the rescue squad, the fire department, the paramedics, or 9-1-1. What's important is to know how to contact them.

In communities with a 9-1-1 system, simply dialing 9-1-1 in an emergency connects you to EMS, the police and fire department.

When should you call an ambulance instead of driving to the emergency department? Ask yourself the following questions:

Is the victim's condition life-threatening?

Could the victim's condition worsen and become life-threatening on the way to the hospital?

Does moving the victim need the skills or equipment of paramedics or emergency medical technicians?

Would the distance or traffic conditions cause a delay in getting the victim to the hospital?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, or if you are unsure, it's best to call an ambulance. This is even true though you can sometimes get to the hospital faster by driving than by calling an ambulance. Paramedics and emergency medical technicians communicate with the physician in the emergency department by radio. they are trained to begin medical treatment on the way to the hospital. This prevents any delay that should occur if the patient is driven to the emergency department. The ambulance can also alert the emergency department of the patient's condition in advance.

If you live in a community with a single emergency number, call for help is easy. Just dial 9-1-1. If your community does not have the 9-1-1 emergency number, keep the numbers of the fire, police, and emergency medical services near your telephone. When you call for help, speak calmly and clearly. Give your name, the address, phone number, location of the victim (such as upstairs in the bedroom) and the nature of the problem. Don't hang up until the emergency operator tells you to. They may also need additional information or to give you instructions.

Information on when to call an ambulance provided by the American College of Emergency Physicians

You've called for help. The ambulance is on the way. What do you do while you wait?

If the emergency operator gives you specific instructions, remember them and carry them out. Don't move someone who is injured unless they are in danger. Do try to keep them as warm as possible. If someone else is with you, send them to meet the police and ambulance. Make it easy for the police and ambulance driver to spot you by turning on a porch light or marking your location with a flare or bright cloth if you are outside.

Emergency Dispatch Operators answer emergency calls, obtain the who what and where information, and send help on the way.

Emergency Medical Technicians or EMT's, have various levels of training. Some EMT's drive the ambulance, assist with rescues, and perform basic emergency care. Other EMT's are emergency dispatch operators who send ambulances and emergency vehicles to the emergency scene.

Paramedics are EMT's with the highest level of training. They perform medical procedures at the scene of the emergency or in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. Using a radio to communicate, paramedics often get instructions from physicians.

Emergency Nurses are specially trained to help and treat emergency patients. They are the first contact at the emergency room, they meet the ambulance, get the patients medical information and arrange for the doctor to see the patient.

Emergency Physicians are doctors who specialize in treating people who are seriously injured or who have become sick and very suddenly, such as heart attack victims.

Fire in the United States
The U.S. has one of the highest fire death rates in the industrialized world. About 5,000 people die every year in this country as the result of fire, and another 25,500 are injured.

About 100 firefighters are killed annually in duty-related incidents. Each year, fire kills more Americans than all natural disasters combined. Fire is the third leading cause of accidental death in the home; at least 80 percent of all fire deaths occur in residences.

More than 2 million fires are reported each year. Many others go unreported, causing additional injuries and property loss. Direct property loss due to fires is estimated at $9.4 billion annually.

Class "A" Extinguishers For fires in ordinary combustible materials such as wood, paper and textiles where a quenching, cooling effect is required.
Class "B" Extinguishers For flammable liquid and gas fires, such as oil, gasoline, paint and grease where oxygen exclusion or flame interruption is essential.
Class "C" Extinguishers For fires involving electrical wiring and equipment where the non-conductivity of the extinguishing agent is essential. This type of extinguisher should be present wherever functional testing and system energizing takes place.
Class "D" extinguishers Designed for use on flammable metals. Type 1: The extinguishing agent for type 1 Class D is Sodium Chloride. The type 1 Class D extinguisher is effective at controlling magnesium, sodium, potassium, sodium potassium alloys, uranium, and powdered aluminum metal fires. Type 2: The extinguishing agent for type 2 Class D is a copper based dry powder. The copper compounds smother the fire and provides an excellent heat sink for dissipating the heat of the fire.	Flammable Metals

It is estimated that over 40 percent of residential fires and three-fifths of residential fatalities occur in homes with no smoke alarms. In the early 1970’s, the cost of protecting a three bedroom home with professionally installed alarms was approximately $l000; today the cost of owner-installed alarms in the same house has come down to as little as $10 per alarm, or less than $50 for the entire home.

The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that approximately 200 people per year are killed by accidental CO poisoning with an additional 5000 people injured.

% COHb	Symptoms and Medical Consequences
10%	No symptoms. Heavy smokers can have as much as 9% COHb.
15%	Mild headache.
25%	Nausea and serious headache. Fairly quick recovery after treatment with oxygen and/or fresh air.
30%	Symptoms intensify. Potential for long term effects especially in the case of infants, children, the elderly, victims of heart disease and pregnant women.
45%	Unconsciousness.
50%+	Death.

The Lynbrook Fire Department has a speakers bureau that is available on request by any organization, school or association in the village. This bureau can provide a speaker covering such topics but not limited to: Fire Prevention and Safety, EMS Education and Baby Sitting Safety. You can request a guest speaker for your organization by calling 599-1410.

The Lynbrook Fire Department is charged with the responsibility of inspecting commercial establishments in the village for fire safety code violations. The Lynbrook F.D. will also inspect residential homes at the owners request. There are no fees for inspections. You may contact our fire inspectors office by filling out the form below or calling 599-1410, be sure to leave a message if the office is unoccupied and someone will return your call shortly.

To request an inspection, report a potential fire hazard, make a comment regarding fire inspections, or request a guest speaker, call 516-599-1410.

In Medical Emergencies, Make The Right Call

What is carbon monoxide (CO) and why do I need a carbon monoxide detector?

What are the medical effects of carbon monoxide and how do I recognize them?