From Councilwoman Jackie Kell

First of all I would like to start off by congratulating the El Dorado Park South neighborhood for being recognized as having the best Social Revitalization Project in the whole United States, which gave you First Place in Social Revitalization. What an honor! A special recognition goes out to the original homeowners for their hard work to preserve the neighborhood’s history. The El Dorado Park South Association is a perfect example of dedicated residents who go the extra mile to bring out the unique character of their neighborhood. Also, a special congratulations to Grace Earl for her faith and vision by taking that step to enter the EPSNA into the national contest, which is sponsored by Neighborhoods U.S.A.

Again, the El Dorado South Park Neighborhood Association comes through with a bang! I want to personally thank you for you efforts and hard work to help the City with its budget crisis. While I was fortunate in better times to donate funds to support an extra concert in El Dorado Park where we had the pleasure of hearing the great tunes of the Elm Street Band, this year’s budget did not afford us the funds to hire the Elm Street Band for another great concert. However, as always, the El Dorado South Park Neighborhood Association showed their strength and proved that by working together miracles can happen and raised the funds to keep this wonderful event going. Again, thank you for your help!!!!!

As we start a new year, you may wish to take January as the month to go over safety checks, such as checking your smoke detectors. Here are some frequently asked questions regarding smoke detectors:

Should I test my smoke detector? How often?
Every detector comes with testing instructions. Activating the testing mechanism once a month should be sufficient. Always test battery powered detectors after a vacation or having been away from home for a week or more. The battery may have gone dead and you may have missed its warning alarm.

How should I care for a smoke detector?
Vacuum the detector once or twice a year to remove any dust or cobwebs. This will cut down on false alarms. Most battery powered smoke detectors will 'chirp' sporadically when the battery is weak. We recommend that batteries be changed once a year, perhaps a significant day -- your birthday, January 1st or when you change your clocks in the spring or fall.

What should we do if the smoke detector sounds?
If a smoke detector is sounding, there is a reason! Never ignore the sound of a smoke detector! You and your family must be able to escape quickly and safely. Here are some steps your family can take:

· Draw up and rehearse a fire evacuation plan from your house. See EDITH (Exit Drills In The Home) for more information.

· Make sure each family member knows two ways to escape from any room in the house.

· If you must go through a smoke-filled area, crawl on your hands and knees. There will be less smoke and heat at floor level.

· Make sure everyone knows the prearranged location outside of the house to meet. This way you can count noses and be sure everyone is safe.

· Call 9-1-1 from a neighbor's house or the nearest phone outside of your house.

Drills in the Home

Practicing the 'Great Escape' can save your life!

Home fire escape planning can mean the difference between life and death in a fire situation. A typical home fire can become deadly very fast. From the time the smoke alarm sounds, people may have as little as two minutes to escape. This means that everyone in the household must know what to do immediate and that takes planning and practice.

At 2 a.m., Jon and Mary were jolted awake by the sound of the smoke detector upstairs, near the bedrooms of their son Steve, 14, and daughter Molly 10. John and Mary were very worried about their children's safety, but they remembered the fire escape plan that the family had practiced just the week before, and after putting on their bathrobes and slippers, they immediately left the house and went to their family's designated emergency meeting place -- the Miller's house across the street.

Jon woke the Millers and asked them to call '911'. Mary watched anxiously for Steven and Molly to join her. The children both knew to keep their bedroom doors closed at night and (if they heard the smoke detector) to check them for warmth, using the backs of their hands, to determine if there was a fire on the other side. Each door felt warm and the children were able to escape through their bedroom windows, as they had practiced, using the fire escape ladders they kept in their closets. They joined Jon and Mary and together the family waited -- safe and accounted for -- until the fire department arrived. Jon's family members survived their house fire because they were prepared. How prepared is your family for fire? Do you have an escape plan that everyone knows and practices?

How do you make sure that everyone gets out as soon as they hear the smoke detector?
Make sure your smoke detector works. Test it regularly and change the batteries at least once a year. Train your family to recognize the sound of your smoke detectors and to take that sound very seriously. Follow your home fire escape plan and meet at a pre-designated location.

Plan Your Escape

A home fire escape plan is an emergency plan that you design with your family to identify at least one and possibly two emergency escape routes for every member of your family. Follow the instructions below to develop a fire escape plan for your family.

Designing the Plan

1. Using a large piece of paper and several colorful markers, draw a floor plan of your home, complete with doors, windows, stairs, and room identifiers.

2. Using your markers, identify at least one, and preferably two, different ways to exit every room.

3. The first way out would be the door and the second way out could be a window. If you must use a second-story window as an escape route, consider buying fire escape ladders to use as a means of emergency escape.

Practicing the Plan

1. As you exit your home, close all doors behind you to slow the spread of fire and smoke.

2. If your primary exit is blocked by smoke or fire, use your second exit to escape.

3. If you must escape through smoke, stay low and crawl under the smoke to safety. Smoke will rise to the ceiling, leaving cooler, cleaner air close to the floor. Crawl on your hands and knees, not on your belly, because heavier poisons will settle in a thin layer on the floor. Keep your head 12-24 inches (30-60 centimeters) off the floor.

4. If you live in a high-rise building, use the stairs - never the elevator - in case of fire.

5. Make sure that windows open easily. You wouldn't want to have to break out a window during a practice drill. If your windows or doors have security bars installed, equip them with quick-release devices.

6. Pick an outside meeting place, far enough away to be safe. A good meeting place might be a tree, telephone pole, mailbox, or neighbor's home. In case of fire, everyone should gather at the meeting place. Make sure everyone can find the meeting place. Once family members start arriving at the meeting place, do a quick check to make sure everyone is accounted for. This way you can tell the firefighters if anyone is still inside.

7. If you have family members who may need assistance during an emergency escape, be sure to identify a helper.

8. Once outside, use a cell phone or a neighbor's phone to call 911 and alert the fire department.

9. Update and practice your fire escape plan at least twice a year. Appoint someone to be the monitor and make sure everyone participates and knows what to do.

10. Make your escape drill realistic. Pretend that some exits are blocked by fire or smoke and practice using alternate escape routes.

Escape Tips

Here are tips to help in escaping the fire:

1. React immediately to a smoke detector or other fire alarm.

2. NEVER go back inside a burning building.

3. Test doors before opening them. Using the back of your hand, feel the door, the door knob and the space between the door and its frame. If any of these are warm, there is fire on the other side of that door -- find another escape route. If they are cool to the touch, very slowly open the door and look outside to see if it's safe

4. Remember, a fire drill is not a race. Get out quickly, but carefully.

For more safety tips and crime prevention suggestions for your residence, please call my office at 570-3102, my staff will be happy to have the information mailed to you. The City also offers safety inspection of your residence.

Also, as many of you prepare to do your annual spring-cleaning, please remember that the City offers two free scheduled special collections of bulky items during the year. In addition, the local weekend Household Hazardous Waste Round-Up schedule for 2004 at Veterans Stadium will be held on March 27, 2004. For information please call, 570-2876, or you may also call my office at 570-3102.

While the City faced some tough budget decision in 2003, and will continue to face even tougher challenges in 2004, we have much to be grateful for.

Crime continues to drop in the City, and I am happy to report that the Fifth District has the lowest crime rate in the City. Again, this is part to the great job of Neighborhood Associations and Neighborhood Watch groups. You are the eyes and ears that are so much needed by the Police Department. Thank you!

Due to a public safety concern by a neighbor, to enhance public safety and reduce maintenance costs, the traffic controls at the intersection of Studebaker Road and Stearns Street will be upgraded.

Here is a summary of the work involved with the upgrading of the traffic signal at this intersection:

1) The traffic signal poles facing northbound traffic and southbound traffic on Studebaker Rd. located on the northeast and southwest corners of the intersection, respectively, will be replaced;

2) Secondary (10') traffic signal poles facing eastbound and westbound traffic on Stearns St. located on the northeast and southwest corners of the intersection, respectively, will be replaced;

3) The existing pedestrian signal indications and poles at the northeast and southwest corners will be removed and relocated to the new secondary traffic signal poles to be installed at the northeast and southwest corners of the intersection;

4) All existing traffic signal indications at the intersection will be replaced with 12" indications.

5) The traffic signal conduit and conductors across the east leg of the intersection will be replaced.

It is anticipated that these improvements will be completed by the end of March '04.

As we move forward, we continue to make progress with the repair of sidewalks. Since my lobbying efforts in 1998, we have fixed over 4,000 sidewalks in the Fifth District. I was fortunate to receive the support of my colleagues to start a Sidewalk Replacement Program, which we are now into our fifth year of an eleven-year program. The Council voted, again, to set aside funding for sidewalk repairs in 2004. I wish to thank everyone who continues to support me with my continued lobby efforts.

In addition, we continue to make improvements in our beautiful parks, and I am pleased to announce that the El Dorado Community Center Senior Wing is near completion.

Again, Happy New Year! I enjoyed visiting with you at National Night Out and look forward to working together to maintain the quality life in our neighborhoods.

ElDoradoSouth.com updated: August 02, 2005

Drills in the Home

ElDoradoSouth.com
updated: August 02, 2005