Category: Public Safety Education

Bites and Stings About 40 people die and 500,000 visit hospital emergency rooms in the United States each year as a result of insect stings. The deaths are caused by insect sting anaphylaxis, a severe reaction that requires immediate…

Brush Fire Safety Wildfires burned nearly 200,000 acres in Florida in the first six months of 2006. The state generally has about 4,000 wildfires and loses about 175,000 acres of woodlands a year.

In 1998, the state’s worst wildfire season in more than a decade, wildfires burned about a half million acres and destroyed 342 homes and 34 businesses. Nearly 200,000 acres burned in neighboring St. Johns, Flagler and Volusia counties…

Carbon monoxide Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause serious illness and death. Any device that burns fuel produces carbon monoxide or CO. The effects of CO exposure vary from person to person depending on the concentration and length of exposure. At lower levels, CO exposure symptoms include headaches, dizziness, and nausea…

When a fire occurs, there’s no time for planning. Sit down with your family or business today and plan a step by step escape route. 1) Draw a diagram of your room, home or office 2) Plan 2 ways out of every room 3) Make sure windows and doors easily open 4) Use a rope ladder if there is not a fire escape route…

Fire accidents can and will happen no matter how much we try and prevent them. We must be prepared if they do. It is always good to know where your fire extinguisher is and how to use it. Many fire extinguishers are combinations of two or more of these types. It is very important not to use water or Type A extinguisher on a grease or electrical fire because it can spread or splash the grease and an electrical current can flow up the extinguisher stream and give you a big charge…

Barbecue / Grilling Safety Each year in the United States, outdoor barbecue grills cause more than 6,000 fires, more than five fatalities, about 170 injuries and $11 million in damage. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, most of the gas grill fires and explosions are caused by gas leaks, overfilled propane tanks and blocked tubes.
Outdoor chefs can minimize the risk of fire or injury by following some simple but practical safety rules…

Heat Stress High temperature and humidity stress the body’s ability to cool itself and can lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Both are medical emergencies and require immediate attention. Heat stroke is the most serious and can be life threatening.
Heat Exhaustion Symptoms…

ICE (In Case of Emergency) If you should become incapacitated or in an accident, emergency workers need a quick way to find out who to contact. Paramedics, police and firefighters can waste valuable time trying to figure out which name in a cell phone to call in an emergency. They need to talk immediately to a family member or close friend so you can get the medical attention you need as soon as possible…

Install Suwannee County Rescue recommends that you install at least one smoke detector on every level of your home, including the attic and basement. Even better is one in every bedroom. Smoke detectors are designed to wake you up if a fire starts while you are sleeping. Be sure your smoke alarms are near bedrooms and other sleeping areas of your home…

Workplace Safety About four workers out of every 1,000 are killed on the job each year, with the top four causes being highway accidents, homicides, falls and contact with objects and equipment. Although workplaces can be dangerous, state and federal regulations are in place to ensure workers’ safety. The sites listed below contain detailed information about workplace hazards, safety and health topics, illnesses, injuries and working conditions. They also provide information about filing an OSHA complaint or requesting a health hazard investigation…