31 Fire Safety Tips: Keep The Wreath Green
December 1, 2011
As part of the “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign, Escambia Fire Rescue and the City of Pensacola public safety officials have joined forces to promote fire safety during December with a month’s worth of holiday safety tips:
- Space heaters need space. Keep space heaters at least three feet away from anything that can burn, such as furniture, drapery and holiday decorations. Choose space heaters that turn off automatically if they tip over. Turn off space heaters before you go to bed or leave the room. Never leave them unattended.
- Use candles with care this holiday season. Candles should be kept at least one foot away from anything combustible and placed on a sturdy holder, away from the reach of children and pets. They should be extinguished prior to you going to bed and never left unattended.
- Live trees should be tested for freshness prior to purchase. If many needles fall off, either in your hand or on the ground, the tree is probably already dried out. Also, in a fresh tree, the needles are pliable and don’t break easily and the trunk is sticky to the touch. Dried out trees pose a greater fire hazard.
- When you set up your tree, make sure that it is not close to a heat source, including fireplaces, open flames, space heaters or heater vents. The more heat the tree is exposed to, the faster it will dry out. Live trees should be watered regularly and if it becomes dried out, it should be replaced immediately.
- If you are using an artificial tree this holiday season, make sure it is made of flame retardant materials. Trees that have lights built into them should be checked for damage prior to use. These trees can still catch on fire or cause an electrical shock if the wires are frayed or damaged.
- When using a ladder to hang lights or decorations, remember the three Ls of ladder safety. Locks should be properly engaged. Ladder should only be used on a Level surface. The Last (top) step or rung should not be used unless it is designed for that purpose.
- Prior to hanging holiday lights, inspect the entire set for damage and do not connect more than three strands together in succession, unless the directions indicate it is safe. When using extension cords or large numbers of lights, make sure you do not overload electrical outlets.
- Turn off all holiday lights prior to going to bed or leaving the house. Lighted decorative villages, nativity scenes and other electrical decorations should be treated as holiday lights. If these items are left on while they are unattended, a fire could occur and spread to other areas of your house.
- Too often, smoke alarms provide the only warning of a growing fire in your home. Install smoke alarms outside every bedroom and on every level of your home. To insure they are working, they should be tested monthly and the battery changed every year.
- Carelessness is a leading cause of accidental fires. Use extra caution when using things that could cause a fire such as irons, hair curlers and other hot items. These items should be turned off and unplugged when not in use. They should be kept away from combustible materials, even when cooling down.
- Tuck yourself in for a safe sleep. When using electric blankets or warmers make sure they have been tested and approved by an independent laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Always inspect them for damage before use and make sure to turn them off prior to falling asleep
- As the holidays approach, traffic congestion increases. Wearing a seat belt is not only the law; it’s a wise thing to do. Seat belts and child passenger safety seats save lives every day. Take a pledge today to start wearing your seat belt every time you ride in a car.
- Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires deaths. When cooking on the stove, make sure you stay in the room. If you have to leave, turn the stove off while you are out of the room. The simple act of watching what you cook can prevent a fire.
- When cooking on the stove, make sure the burners or elements are turned on only as high as needed to cook the food. Turning the stove on to high is likely to overheat food items and cause a fire. If your food starts to overheat, turn the stove down or off until the food is at the proper temperature.
- If a fire starts while cooking, don’t panic and make sure you don’t try to move it. Many burns occur when people try to move pans of burning materials. Instead use a lid, baking powder or a fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire, then turn off the burner and allow the pan to cool before moving it.
- Establish kid free zones in your home. These zones should be three foot buffer areas that children are not allowed in when items such as stoves, ovens, space heaters and other things that can burn are in use. Children must be taught about these zones and parents must enforce them.
- Are you giving someone a new bicycle as a gift this year? Don’t forget the helmet. Helmets should be worn by children and adults anytime they ride a bicycle, scooter, skate board or similar equipment. A helmet can be the difference between a few scratches or a brain injury.
- Fire safety is a family affair. Families should meet regularly to discuss fire safety rules, what to do in case of a fire and what each person’s role is when an emergency occurs. By reviewing this information, a family will be able to prevent many fires and reduce their fire risk.
- Children should be taught that matches and lighters are tools for adults. These items should be kept out of sight and away from the reach of children. Children should tell an adult if they find them lying around. Curious children cause numerous fires using these items every year.
- Teach every member of the family what to do in case their clothes catch on fire. Remember to: STOP, don’t run; DROP to the floor; cover your face with your hands and ROLL till the fire goes out. Finally, cool burns with cool water and call 911 for help.
- Have a plan in case you have a fire: Step 1 – Design an evacuation plan for your family. Make sure everyone understands what to do and where to go in case of an emergency. Know two ways out of every room and practice them to make sure you can do it.
- Have a plan in case you have a fire: Step 2 – Crawl low under smoke and feel closed doors for heat. If the door is warm, find another way out. If you are trapped, close doors and stuff the door cracks to keep smoke out. Call 911 and tell them exactly where you are. Signal for help from a window if possible.
- Have a plan in case you have a fire: Step 3 – Pay special attention to young children, elderly people and the disabled. Be sure to include them in your plan. Get out as fast as you can and stay out. Never go back inside. Once you’re safely out, go to a neighbor’s house and call 911.
- Looking for a last minute gift? Don’t know what to get that special somebody! Give them the gift of fire safety. Smoke alarms and fire extinguishers make great gifts. Not only do they say I really care, they protect them throughout the year and truly are the gifts that keeps on giving.
- Remember to be safety conscious, and from all of us at Escambia County Fire Rescue and the Pensacola Fire Department, we wish you a happy holiday.
- Have a fire extinguisher available in your home. Check it regularly to make sure it is charged. When using an extinguisher, use the PASS method: Pull the pin. Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire. Squeeze the trigger lever. Sweep the stream side-to-side at the base of the fire.
- Never use a range, oven or industrial heater as a supplemental heater for your home. These items are not efficient at warming your home and they greatly increase your risk of fire. These items may also become a lethal carbon monoxide source.
- Have fireplaces and chimneys inspected by a professional yearly. Cover your fireplace with a metal screen or glass doors to prevent sparks from causing a fire. Also, never burn gift wrapping materials or Christmas trees in it. Combustible materials should be kept at least three feet away from the fireplace
- You should never smoke in bed or a chair that you may fall asleep in. When smoking, make sure to use a deep ashtray and keep them away from furniture. Smoking material should be thoroughly extinguished when you are finished with them.
- All good things must eventually come to an end. The longer your decorations stay up, the greater the fire hazard. Use care when taking down your decorations and lights. Inspect them for damage and discard any that are. Use caution when packing them to prevent damage.
- Be safe and responsible. Don’t drink and drive. If you plan to celebrate the New Year, have a designated driver before you go out. If you need a ride call a friend or a taxi. Continue to practice these safety tips throughout the year and we’ll all have a happy and safe New Year.
FBI, IRS Search Santa Rosa Commissioner’s House, Business
December 1, 2011
Federal agents searched the home and business of Santa Rosa County Commissioner Bob Cole on Wednesday.
Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service agents reportedly removed boxes and paperwork and laptop computers from Bob Cole’s Automotive Professionals on Long Street in Pensacola, located between North 9th Avenue and Langley Avenue.
FBI and IRS agents also searched buildings on property with Cole’s home on Riverstone Road in East Milton.
Questions about the purpose of the visit were referred to the U.S. Attorney’s office, which declined to comment because the nature of the agents’ business was not public record.
Man Charged With Credit Card Fraud, Stealing Water Tank
December 1, 2011
A Flomaton man is facing felony charges after allegedly using his sister-in-law’s debit card without permission and for stealing large watering tank from a field off Highway 168.
Joshua Brian Ellis, 27, was charged with fraudulent use of a credit card and petit theft for using his sister-in-law’s debit card. He allegedly withdrew $294 on two different occasions at Pen Air Federal Credit Union and used the card for a $40 purchase at Century Foods.
Surveillance video from Pen Air showed Ellis using the ATM card, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report, leading to the charges. He was not charged with debit card use at Century Foods because no surveillance video was available.
In an unrelated incident, Ellis was charged with felony grand theft for stealing a large stainless steel water tank valued at $400 from a field at Highway 168 and Shaw Road and selling it to Advance Environmental Recycling in Flomaton, according to a Sheriff’s Office report.
Ellis was being held in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $12,500.
One Enters Plea In ‘Anything For A Buck’ Undercover Operation
December 1, 2011
An Escambia County man pleaded guilty Wednesday afternoon to 24 federal charges stemming from the recent “Anything for a Buck” undercover operation.
Jacobi F. Foster, age 28 of Pensacola, entered the plea on charges that he possessed over 30 firearms, including multiple assault rifles, and sold them to undercover law enforcement. He also pleaded guilty to distributing cocaine to undercover agents four times while selling the firearms.
Because of his felony criminal history, Foster faces up to life in prison when he is sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Casey Rodgers in February 2012.
Foster was one of 75 Escambia and Santa Rosa county residents arrested during the joint federal and state operation. Undercover agents and investigators purchased 270 firearms, including handguns, rifles, assault rifles and sawed-off shotguns, and more than 2,600 rounds of ammunition. In over 100 individual drug deals, they also obtained illegal drugs, including cocaine, marijuana, heroin, hydrocodone, xanax, and oxycodone.
Hurricane Season Ends (With Video)
December 1, 2011
The Atlantic hurricane season officially ended at midnight Wednesday. That does not mean that a tropical system is out of the question; there has been a tropical storm recorded every month except February.
The 2011 season was the third most active in recorded history, with 19 named storms — including seven hurricanes. Hurricane Irene caused more than $10 million in damage from the Caribbean to the Bahamas to the northeastern U.S. Along the Gulf Coast, our only taste of tropical weather this season was rain from Tropical Storm Lee.
The following video from NOAA shows the entire 2001 Atlantic hurricane season in just 4.5 minutes.
Woman Sentenced For 8.5 Mile Wrong Way Drunken Police Chase
November 30, 2011
A 61-year Cantonment woman has been convicted on charges that she led deputies on a drunken chase through North Escambia with a breath alcohol level two and a half times the legal limit.
Elizabeth Ann Dawson of Lakeview Avenue was convicted of driving under the influence and felony fleeing and eluding police. She was sentenced to a total of 30 days in jail and 24 months probation for the July incident. She was also ordered to perform 50 hours of community service and attend substance abuse counseling. Her driver’s license was revoked for 12 months, and ignition interlock was ordered for her car, and she was ordered to pay a $3,079 fine and $1,500 in court costs.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office first received emergency calls about Dawson headed north in the southbound lane of Highway 29 near Quintette Road about 11 p.m. on July 15. Multiple calls were received as she continued north through Molino.
An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office sergeant gave chase as he observed Dawson continuing to drive in the wrong lane near Highway 29 and Highway 97. The deputy drove parallel to Dawson in the northbound lane as additional deputies caught up to the pursuit. Deputies from the Century area responded south on Highway 29 during the chase, attempting to stop southbound traffic to avoid a collision.
Dawson continued northbound in the southbound lane until the eight mile pursuit ended when she stopped just south of Bogia Road — over 13 miles away from Quintette Road where 911 callers first reported her in the wrong lane.
Once stopped and out of her vehicle, Dawson was unable to stand without bracing herself, and keep telling deputies with slurred speech that she was sorry, according to the arrest report.
Dawson failed a field sobriety test and had a breath alcohol level of .199 and .192, the report states. The legal limit in Florida is .08.
Dawson was also ticketed for driving on the wrong side of the road.
500 Words: Judge Orders Drug Offender To Write Essay
November 30, 2011
A Cantonment man was ordered Tuesday by an Escambia County Judge to write a 500 word essay as part of his punishment for failing to comply with his drug court sentence.
Brandon Matthew Ritchey, 25, was first arrested on charges of marijuana possession and smuggling contraband into a detention facility. He was referred into the county’s drug court program with a long list of conditions, including time in a 12-step program, and ordered to find a job at least 20 hours per week.
Ritchey was back in court Tuesday for non-compliance. Judge Terrell remanded him into custody and ordered him to write a 500 word essay on “personal responsibility and accountability”.
CVS Pharmacies Will No Longer Fill Pain Prescriptions From Some Doctors
November 30, 2011
The pharmacy chain CVS said Tuesday it has notified some Florida doctors that it will stop filling prescriptions they write for certain controlled substances such as the painkiller oxycodone.
The company did not detail its reasons or how many doctors are affected. But it pointed to trying to stop prescription-drug abuse, an issue that has made Florida a magnet in recent years for users and traffickers.
“While we regret any inconvenience this may cause for our customers, we treat the dispensing of controlled substances with the utmost care and seriousness,” company spokesman Mike DeAngelis said in an email. “CVS/pharmacy is unwavering in its compliance and measures to prevent drug abuse and keep controlled substances out of the wrong hands.”
Paul Sloan, president of the Florida Society of Pain Management Providers, described the move as “blacklisting physicians.”
“This is just another hysteria driven response to a problem that is based on false data provided by Florida medical examiners and law enforcement,” Sloan said.
In the North Escambia area, CVS operates stores in Century, Cantonment and Pensacola.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
Winning Fantasy 5 Ticket Sold In Molino
November 30, 2011
A winning ticket in Tuesday night’s Florida Lottery Fantasy 5 drawing was sold in Molino.
The Quick Pick ticket, with numbers 5-8-9-23-28, was sold at the Molino First Stop, 6530 Highway 95A. The ticket was one of four winning tickets in the drawing.
Each of the four winning tickets are worth $51,429.93 each. There were also 375 tickets with four correct numbers worth $88 each, and 11,126 with three of five numbers worth $8 each.
The other winning tickets were sold in Port Orange, Plantation and Pembroke Pines.
Flomaton Cheerleader Performs In Disney Parade
November 30, 2011
Ronna Tullis from Flomaton High School was one of more than 500 student cheerleaders and dancers from across the country to perform in the Thanksgiving Day Parade last week at Walt Disney World in Orlando.
The individuals invited to perform in the parade were part of a select group of cheerleaders chosen as cheerleading and dance All Americans during Universal Cheerleaders Association and Universal Dance Association summer camps across the country.
Pictured top: Ronna Tullis from Flomaton High School performed in the Thanksgiving Day Parade last week at Walt Disney World in Orlando. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.