Armstrong Spallumcheen Fire Department
3840 Mill Street V0E 1B0 Armstrong, BC, Canada

Just a reminder from the ASFD.....BE KIND! The pink shirt day brings awareness to a very real problem. Please reach out to your children and let them know the bullying is NOT OK! There are great resources available at https://www.pinkshirtday.ca/ They define what bullying is, provide support for your children, support for your family and info regarding cyberbullying. Check it out and take 10 minutes tonight to talk about it with your children.

https://www.facebook.com/burnfundbc/?__cft__[0]=AZWUU7vgDXsLTHbiZ7XQqS4ONvORdBWFFdlsgLu8rAwc0uVriu43UcerTIdmXNYCsMbz1DFfo5AxdaqbXg8LWyoTrzZ8l1LLv2tHrqNOpxmqevhLpY6Vz4GDnr0jIRQXbs3xZ62lANUGBwcWOJK8ydJohNb_DUyz6bpT2LCEB9Vb8Q&__tn__=-UC-R February 7 - 13 is Burn Awareness Week. This years theme is Electrical Safety. Follow Technical Safety BC or The BC Professional Firefighters Burn Fund to learn more

Bad things can happen even when responders have good situational awareness. There's no guarantees. This incident occurred at FDNY today. Source: The Secret List

Too Hot for Tots is a great program for parents of children 0-5 years old. Burns are the leading cause of children under the age of 5 and can require lengthy, painful treatments and can result in permanent scarring. For more information on how you can burn proof your home, visit www.burnfund.org or www.bcchildrens.ca/safestart In case of a burn Cooling the burned area will lessen the severity of the injury if the procedure is performed immediately following the burn inciden...t. Children need to know the correct procedure for cooling a burn injury. Within seconds of a burn injury the burned area should be placed in, or flushed with, cool water. Keep the burned area in the cool water for 10 to 15 minutes. NEVER use ice, ointments or butter. If they are burned, tell children to immediately seek assistance from an adult. If the burn injury is severe, immediately seek emergency assistance. Instruct children how to dial 9-1-1, or your community’s local emergency number. IMPORTANT: Children will sustain more severe burns at lower temperatures and in a shorter period of time than adults due to their thinner skin. Exposure for just five seconds to water which is 60C (140F) (This is the temperature of the average home's hot water as it comes from the tap.) can result in a full thickness or third degree burns, which would require hospitalization and skin grafts.

***** FIRE SAFETY DURING A WINTER STORMS ****** We live in the sunny Okanagan, but we have in the past had some significant snowfallsanyone remember December 31st 2019 or Snowmageddon 2015! Were you prepared? Winter storms create new challenges for your home escape plan and can make access for firefighters very difficult. Here are a few things you can do to stay fire safe and be prepared in case of a long duration power outage. ... 1. Ensure that your escape routes are kept free of snow. 2. Make sure your house number is visible, we can’t help if we can’t find you 3. Be ready in case the power goes out, have flashlights and extra batteries. 4. If the heat stops working, use extra layers of clothes and blankets to stay warm. If you use alternative heat sources, keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet (1 meter) away. 5. Generators should be used outdoors. Keep them away from windows and doors. 6. Test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms once a month 7. Stay away from downed wires and report them to authorities. 8. Check on your neighbors that may need extra help.

As we turn the page on 2020 and move forward into 2021, we would like to thank you all for your continued support. This year’s New Year’s celebrations will look very different to most of us, but however you choose to celebrate, please be responsible. From all of us at the Armstrong-Spallumcheen Fire Department ... Have a Safe and Happy New Year! See more

Best wishes for a safe and merry Christmas from all of us at the Armstrong-Spallumcheen Fire Department!

The weather man says it’s gonna snow tomorrow. Please give yourself some extra time to get to where you going and drive to road conditions. If you happen to come across an emergency scene on the highway, please remember to slow down, move over and obey all traffic controllers and signs. Drive safe!

Remember to test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms monthly.

**********Annual Santa Run Canceled************* It is with heavy hearts that the ASFD has to announce that our annual Santa run has been canceled. This is a long standing tradition for us and one that we look forward to every year. The decision was made after the provincial guidelines were extended on December 7, 2020 by Dr. Bonnie Henry. The Santa run is not just about bringing Santa through our communities, it also gives people a chance to donate food to the food bank. C...hristmas is always a hard times for families and this year, more families are feeling the Christmas financial stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ASFD would like to encourage you to drop off your donations at the Armstrong Food Bank or any of our local businesses that are collecting food donations: Askews Foods, 3305 Smith Drive Valley First Credit Union, 2575 Patterson Ave. The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 35, 2526 Pleasant Valley Blvd.

It's almost Christmas and even though things will look very different this year, the dangers of a house fire are still the same. More than one-third of home decoration fires are started by candles and more than two of every five decoration fires happen because decorations are placed too close to a heat source. Here are some safety tips and a short video on how to keep your house safe, but still festive during the holiday. ... Be careful with holiday decorations. Choose decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant. Keep lit candles away from decorations and other things that can burn. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both. Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Read manufacturer’s instructions for number of light strands to connect. Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so the cords do not get damaged. Keep decorations away from windows and doors. . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rkS3FesySU