Farmington Hills Fire Shares Cold Facts About Ice

When is it safe to venture out onto ice in ponds and lakes?

The Farmington Hills Fire Department wants all residents to know that when it comes to judging whether a frozen pond or lake is safe, there really is no sure answer. You can't judge the strength of ice just by its appearance, age, thickness, temperature or whether or not the ice is covered with snow. Strength is based on all of these factors, plus the depth of water under the ice, size of the water body, water chemistry and currents, the distribution of the load on the ice, and local climatic conditions. Ice thickness should be checked prior to beginning any activity. If you have not done so, consider yourself in harm’s way. This can be done easily by using any of the following tools: Ice chisel Ice auger Cordless drill Tape measure For …

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Farmington Hills Fire Department Recommends Holiday Safety Tips

Use caution with trees, lights and decorations to reduce the risk for fire during the holiday season.

While decorating homes and businesses is a long-standing tradition, unfortunately when not done in an approved manner these same decorations may increase your chances of fire. The Farmington Hills Fire Department would like to remind everyone that all fires are preventable. Following a few simple fire safety tips can keep electric lights, candles and the ever popular Christmas tree from creating a tragedy: Holiday Lights - The importance of maintaining your holiday lights cannot be understated. Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Use only lighting listed by an approved laboratory.  Do Not Overload Electrical …

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Carve the Pumpkin, Not Your Hand, and Other Halloween Safety Tips

Prevention is key on Halloween. Here's what you can do to keep yourself and your family safe.

As Halloween approaches, registered nurse Donna Bucciarelli from Safety City U.S.A. and Beaumont Children's Hospital in Royal Oak is offering some practical safety tips for parents and their children. “There are just so many things that the trick-or-treaters can do to protect themselves, and things homeowners can do, too," Bucciarelli said. Here's how to keep your family safe this Halloween. “For many, the observance of Halloween begins with pumpkin carving," said Bucciarelli, trauma prevention coordinator and Safety City U.S.A. education program manager. "Never let your children help in carving or cutting your pumpkins. Instead, encourage them to draw the face on the pumpkin with crayon or marker. They can also help remove the seeds …

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