http://www.rwbfire.org//media/press_releases Press Releases en-us kscott@rwbfire.org Copyright 2010 2010-07-17T18:21:13+00:00 http://www.rwbfire.org/index.php/media/press_releases/vacationing_family_awakens_to_house_on_fire/ http://www.rwbfire.org/index.php/media/press_releases/vacationing_family_awakens_to_house_on_fire/ At approximately 2:15 a.m. this morning, Red, White and Blue Fire firefighters were called to a house fire on American Way in the Peak 7 neighborhood. When firefighters arrived, heavy smoke and flames were coming from the rear of the home. Crews from Red, White and Blue and Lake Dillon Fire worked through the night to extinguish and contain the fire, which had also spread to the adjacent hillside. One of the occupants woke up to get a glass of water and found the house on fire. She quickly roused the other people staying there and everyone evacuated the home safely. Once outside, they were assisted by a neighbor who had already called 911. "This family is extremely lucky considering the rapid spread and intensity of this fire", said Battalion Chief Paul Kuhn. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation and no dollar loss estimates are known at this time. Red, White and Blue Fire would like to remind our residents and guests about the importance of smoke detectors in the home and ensuring they operate properly by performing regular tests. 2010-07-17T17:21:13+00:00 http://www.rwbfire.org/index.php/media/press_releases/lakeview_circle_wildland_fire/ http://www.rwbfire.org/index.php/media/press_releases/lakeview_circle_wildland_fire/ At approximately 5 p.m. this afternoon, Red, White & Blue Fire District was called to a wildland fire behind Lakeview Circle in Farmer’s Korner. When firefighters arrived, they observed 10’ high, wind-driven flames within 50 feet of a house. They extinguished the flames and continued to douse the wildfire, which, when completely out, measured almost 2 acres in size. Firefighters from Lake Dillon Fire-Rescue, as well as the U.S. Forest Service assisted Red, White & Blue, bringing a total of 23 firefighters to the scene. Summit County Sheriff’s Office knocked door to door to talk with residents within the immediate area. The wildfire happened on private land and is believed to have been started by juveniles; however, a full investigation is under way. “We feel fortunate that early activation of the 9-1-1 system occurred, and that our firefighters were able to access the wildfire immediately,” said Battalion Chief Paul Kuhn. “As we move into our summer season and precipitation has dropped off, the public needs to start taking steps to keep themselves and their families safe from wildfire,” he said. No injuries were reported and crews will be monitoring the area throughout the night to make sure the fire is completely out. 2010-05-29T22:05:21+00:00 http://www.rwbfire.org/index.php/media/press_releases/dog_awakens_peak_7_family_to_gas_leak/ http://www.rwbfire.org/index.php/media/press_releases/dog_awakens_peak_7_family_to_gas_leak/ Red, White & Blue firefighters responded early Saturday morning to a 9-1-1 call of natural gas on American Way. When firefighters arrived on scene to the home, they were met by occupants of one of the two rental units, who stated that their dog awoke them at approximately 4:00 a.m. They immediately smelled natural gas, grabbed their 6 month old child and left the house. They attempted to knock on the second unit to awaken the residents, but were unsuccessful. Red, White & Blue knocked on the door of the upstairs occupied unit and were able to awaken the residents, assisting them to evacuate outside. Investigation revealed that a burner on the gas stove had been left on. After the house was ventilated, it was safe for the occupants to return inside. “The occupants are very lucky that the dog woke them up,” said Deputy Chief Jay Nelson. “With the amount of gas inside the house, it could definitely have had a very different outcome if a spark ignited that gas,” he said. 2010-02-02T17:37:41+00:00 http://www.rwbfire.org/index.php/media/press_releases/explosion_on_timber_trail_injures_one/ http://www.rwbfire.org/index.php/media/press_releases/explosion_on_timber_trail_injures_one/ At approximately 12:00 yesterday afternoon, Red, White & Blue was called to a chemical explosion at 382 Timber Trail. When firefighters arrived on scene, they found that a sprinkler head had activated and extinguished the fire, successfully containing it to the unventilated room. The fire appears to have been ignited by lacquer being sprayed during a remodel of the home. The cause of the fire is under investigation but does not appear to be intentional at this time. One adult was transported to a local area hospital with burns. 2010-02-01T17:53:38+00:00 http://www.rwbfire.org/index.php/media/press_releases/red_white_blue_fire_to_recognize_local_communities/ http://www.rwbfire.org/index.php/media/press_releases/red_white_blue_fire_to_recognize_local_communities/ Red, White & Blue Fire District, along with the Colorado State Forest Service, will hold a recognition ceremony on Monday, January 4, 2010, at 1 p.m., to recognize six homeowner’s associations that recently achieved “Firewise Community” status. Firewise Communities is a nationally-recognized program available to fire-prone communities that helps encourage and acknowledge actions that minimize home loss to wildfire. It uses a three-prong approach to bring together federal, state and local agencies to educate homeowners about wildfire risks specific to their area; the community then assesses its risk and creates its own network of cooperating homeowners which, in turn, identify and implement local solutions. The six homeowner associations are: Shock Hill, Highlands Park, The Pines at Four O’Clock, Park Forest Estates, White Wolf and Summit Estates. Five of the associations are in the Town of Breckenridge limits, and one is in Summit County. These are the only communities in Summit County to achieve this national recognition. “We are encouraged and proud that leaders from these homeowners associations took the initiative and action to promote and create defensible space around their homes as well as reducing wildfire danger in our community,” said Fire Chief Gary Green. “By working collaboratively on our community’s greatest risk, we are able to achieve success,’ he said. The Shock Hill Association (SHA), located off of Ski Hill Road, initiated the local movement to become Firewise certified. John Quigley, Vice President of SHA, explained what this means to him. “This is a tremendous honor for our community to be nationally recognized for our homeowners’ efforts to create defensible space around our homes, and for our Association’s efforts to improve the forest health of our open space by removing dead trees and slash to reduce wildfire hazards,” he said. The public is invited to attend the ceremony, located at their main station at 316 N. Main St., Breckenridge. 2010-01-04T17:37:55+00:00 http://www.rwbfire.org/index.php/media/press_releases/small_electrical_fire_at_breckenridge_ski_and_ride_school/ http://www.rwbfire.org/index.php/media/press_releases/small_electrical_fire_at_breckenridge_ski_and_ride_school/ Red, White & Blue Fire District was called this morning to a strong electrical smell at the Breckenridge Ski and Ride School at Beaver Run at 620 Village Road. When they arrived on scene, firefighters observed no smoke, and started to investigate the evacuated area. The cause of the fire originated at the electric hot water heater, whose wires had apparently loosened and arced, causing the insulation surrounding them to melt. “The teachers did the right thing,” said Fire Marshal Jay Nelson. “As soon as they noticed the electrical smell, they removed the children from the area and called 9-1-1,” he said. No injuries were reported and the center remained open. 2009-12-29T17:22:37+00:00 http://www.rwbfire.org/index.php/media/press_releases/fire_districts_offer_tips_on_cold_weather_and_home_heating_safety/ http://www.rwbfire.org/index.php/media/press_releases/fire_districts_offer_tips_on_cold_weather_and_home_heating_safety/ Over the past week, temperatures have dropped well below the zero degree mark. Homeowners are turning up their thermostats and local fire districts have been responding to broken pipes in buildings throughout the County. Below are some tips to keep your home and business safe and warm this winter season. - Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors monthly and replace the batteries, as necessary, to ensure proper working order. - Check any fire sprinkler systems containing antifreeze to make certain the mixture of anti-freeze to water is correct. - Ensure thermostats are set properly to prevent freeze-ups of fire sprinkler systems or domestic water, especially in dwellings that are second homes, seasonally occupied or vacant. Recommended temperature is 60 degrees. - Ensure your fireplace has a sturdy mesh screen to prevent sparks from flying into the room and always allow ashes to cool before disposing in a metal container. - Have your chimney cleaned annually to prevent soot and creosote build-up. - Learn how to shut off your water valves in the event you have a pipe burst. - Service water heaters, fireplaces and furnaces in advance of the severe cold to ensure adequate heat provision and to ensure safe operation. - Keep or maintain a 36-inch (3 foot) clearance between space heaters and electric baseboard heaters and anything that can burn such as furniture, drapes, etc. - Turn off portable space heaters when you leave the room or go to bed. - Check heating units and appliances in mechanical closets, sprinkler control valve rooms and crawl spaces to make sure these heaters are both “on” and working correctly. - As we move further into the snow season, keep an eye on roof ice dam and snow build-up. Falling ice dams and snow are a significant source of injuries and fire and pose a great risk to gas and electric lines. Have a contractor remove ice and snow and storms pass, if necessary. - Keep hydrants clear of snow and accessible in case of an emergency. - Keep the garage door shut to prevent against unnecessary heat loss. - Ensure your home’s address is visible from the road by re-painting with contrasting or reflective paint and clear away branches and/or snow blocking visibility. “As always, please feel free to contact your local fire department with any questions or if you would like us to conduct a free home safety check,” said Red, White & Blue Fire Captain Kim Scott. 2009-12-16T17:22:33+00:00 http://www.rwbfire.org/index.php/media/press_releases/discovery_hill_controlled_burn_scheduled/ http://www.rwbfire.org/index.php/media/press_releases/discovery_hill_controlled_burn_scheduled/ Red, White and Blue Fire District and the Town of Breckenridge have continued their partnership of working together to protect our community from the risk of wildfire with a second controlled burn process. Last November, trees in a section above Discovery Hill in the Highlands Park subdivision were cut down to create an open area designed to slow a wildfire by removing fuel sources, otherwise known as a “fuel break”. The remaining slash from this fuel break will be burned over the course of the next month as weather conditions allow. Each large pile may burn into the night and smoke may be visible for several days after and as far away as Frisco. Those with serious respiratory issues should consider remaining indoors during these controlled burns. For more information on air quality and affects of fires, visit http://www.airnow.gov, or consult your health professional. The Town of Breckenridge and Red, White and Blue received a federally-funded Wildland Urban Interface grant in 2007, with the goal of planning fuel breaks, reducing fuel loads around high-risk subdivisions and educating the public to help prevent and defend against wildfires in our changing forest. The Discovery Hill fuel break is the first in a series and is designed to give firefighters a foothold to defend against a catastrophic wildfire. This fuel break will be used as a model for future projects in the Upper Blue valley. Red, White and Blue and the Town urge citizens to learn more about protecting your property. A recommended source is http://www.firewise.org. The Firewise Communities program serves as a resource for those who are working toward a common goal of reducing the loss of lives, property, and resources to wildland fires. Their approach emphasizes community responsibility for planning the design of a safe community and individual responsibility for safer home construction and design, landscaping, and maintenance that is compatible with our natural surroundings. The Discovery Hill fuel break is on Breckenridge’s Open Space land. Large-pile burn permits have been issued from the State of Colorado, Red White and Blue Fire and the Town of Breckenridge. Immediately prior to burning, a notice will be sent to Breckenridge-area residents via SCAlert. To sign up for this and other important information, please visit: http://www.scalert.org . For confirmation of the burning, please contact Red, White and Blue at (970) 453-2474. 2009-11-03T16:48:35+00:00 http://www.rwbfire.org/index.php/media/press_releases/red_white_blue_fire_responds_to_wildfire_/ http://www.rwbfire.org/index.php/media/press_releases/red_white_blue_fire_responds_to_wildfire_/ At approximately 11:00 this morning, Red, White & Blue Fire District was called to a wildland fire on Mt. Quandary in Blue River. When firefighters arrived to County Road 851, they observed light smoke approximately ¼ mile off of the road. Red, White and Blue firefighters, along with U.S. Forest Service firefighters, hiked in with portable water and tools to assess the fire and start extinguishing the flames. Firefighters hiked up steep terrain of heavy blown down trees and beetle kill area to access the fire, which was approximately 6000 square feet, with tree torching and a ground fire with three foot flame lengths. The fire was called in by a hiker, who stated he witnessed lightning in the area and called 9-1-1. “With early access to 9-1-1, as well as a quick response by emergency personnel, crews were able to contain this fire before it spread,” stated Battalion Chief Paul Kuhn. “Luckily, no structures or people were in the area at the time,” he added. The cause of the fire is undetermined. Red, White & Blue responded with nine personnel and worked in conjunction with the USFS teams to extinguish the fire. “This is a good reminder to the public that we are in wildfire season, and fires do happen at 11,000 feet,” said Captain Kim Scott, PIO. “People should be taking precautions to keep their homes and family safe from the threat of wildfire,” she said. Crews are still on scene to make sure the fire is completely out. Dense vegetation was cut and removed to limit the fuel around the fireline which was dug to contain the fire. Safety precautions were put in place, with personnel placed above the fire as well as some who were monitoring the weather. All Red, White & Blue personnel are certified as wildland firefighters and respond routinely to wildfires in the County. 2009-07-22T20:34:34+00:00 http://www.rwbfire.org/index.php/media/press_releases/red_white_blue_recognizes_life-saving_efforts/ http://www.rwbfire.org/index.php/media/press_releases/red_white_blue_recognizes_life-saving_efforts/ Red, White & Blue Fire District recognized one civilian and nine of their firefighters for life-saving efforts last night during a Breckenridge Town Council meeting last night. Chief Gary Green presented to Council, District Board members and the public, the actions taken by Red, White & Blue firefighters on two separate incidents over the past two months, each of which resulted in saving a life. He also presented a Life Saving Award to Laura Anderson, an employee at Grand Timber Lodge. Chief Green described the first incident, which occurred on March 6, where a 31 year -old male was found in cardiac arrest. When firefighters arrived on scene, CPR was in progress by a Breckenridge Police officer. Red, White & Blue firefighters helped with advanced cardiac life support interventions and resuscitated the man, while at the same time, coordinating a challenging removal from the building. The second incident, which occurred on May 4, involved an older female who was found in cardiac arrest. Laura Anderson, an employee at Grand Timber Lodge, initiated CPR and stayed on scene until Red, White & Blue firefighters arrived to continue life-saving efforts, ultimately restoring her pulse. “These two incidents are great examples of inter-agency cooperation and community involvement,” said Chief Green. “Without the early initiation of CPR, these two folks may not have survived,” he said. The firefighters recognized were: Battalion Chief Paul Kuhn, Captains Chris Sutton and Ryan Roberts; Paramedics Tally McNeil, Bret Bonenberger; Steve Webster and John Zeising; and Firefighters Emmalee Moore and Bobby Gertson. Red White & Blue is strategically positioned throughout the Upper Blue Valley to respond quickly and safely to any emergency and provide paramedics that are trained in advanced life support, treatment and patient transport. 2009-05-27T17:04:27+00:00