October 19, 2009- PRESS RELEASE

Change Your Clock Change Your Battery

As the time change approaches on Sunday, November 1, the Brighton Area Fire Department wants to remind residents to make another change that could save their lives – changing the batteries in their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

Communities nationwide witness tragic home fire deaths each year.  Approximately every 3 hours a home fire death occurs somewhere in the nation and 80 percent of those occur in homes without working smoke alarms.  Non-working smoke alarms rob residents of the protective benefits home fire safety devices were designed to provide.  The most commonly cited cause of non-working smoke alarms: worn or missing batteries.

Changing smoke alarm batteries at least once a year is one of the simplest, most effective ways to reduce these tragic deaths and injuries.  In fact, working smoke alarms nearly cut in half the risk of dying in a home fire.  Additionally, the International Association of Fire Chiefs recommends replacing your smoke alarms every ten years.

To save lives and prevent needless injuries in our community, the Brighton Area Fire Department has joined forces with Energizer and the International Association of Fire Chiefs for the 22^nd year of the Change Your Clock Change Your Battery campaign.  The program urges all Americans to adopt a simple, lifesaving habit; changing smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector batteries when changing clocks back to standard time each fall, this year on November 1.  Americans are encouraged again to check the batteries during the spring time change on March 14, 2010.

“The peak time for home fire fatalities is between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when most families are sleeping,” says Fire Marshal O’Brian.  “Smoke alarm maintenance is a simple, effective way to reduce home fire deaths.  Children and senior citizens are most at risk, and a working smoke alarm can give them the extra seconds they need to get out safely.”

In addition, Fire Marshal O’Brian recommends residents use the “extra” hour they save from the time change to test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors by pushing the test button, planning “two ways out” and practicing escape routes with the entire family.  Families should also prepare a fire safety kit that includes working flashlights and fresh batteries.  During the spring, communities should use the time change on March 14, 2010 as an opportunity to check the batteries in emergency power kits.

Flameless Candle Order Form

April 27, 2009- Press Release

The recent storms from last week serve as a simple reminder.  Do you know what to do when severe weather strikes?  The Brighton Area Fire Department would like to remind you of precautions that can be taken during severe weather.

A Tornado/Severe Thunderstorm Watch is issued whenever conditions exist for severe weather to develop.  Watches are usually for larger areas and give people time to prepare.

A thunderstorm warning means a thunderstorm is occurring or will occur soon.  If you are advised to take shelter, please do so immediately.  A Tornado Warning is issued by the local weather service office whenever National Weather Service doppler radar indicates a thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado or whenever a tornado is spotted by a credible source.

When a tornado warning is issued the sirens will be activated and typically broadcast on local TV, radio or weather service radio.  If a tornado warning has been issued for your area:

·         Quickly move to shelter in the basement or lowest floor of a permanent structure.

·         In homes and small buildings, go to the basement and get under something sturdy like a workbench or stairwell.  If no basement is available, go to an interior part of the home on the lowest level.  A good rule of thumb is to put as many walls between you and the tornado as possible.

·         In schools, hospitals and public places, move to designated shelter areas.  Interior hallways on the lowest floors are generally best.

·         Stay away from windows, doors and outside walls.  Broken glass and wind blown projectiles cause more injuries and deaths than collapsed buildings.  Protect your head with a pillow, blanket or mattress.

·         Mobile homes and vehicles offer virtually no shelter.  Leave them and go to the nearest shelter.  Highway overpasses do not offer shelter.

·         If there is no shelter nearby, the best alternative is to find a low spot away from trees, fences and poles, but not in a place subject to flooding.  Shield your head with your arms.

·         If you are boating or swimming, get to land and shelter immediately.

Additional information is available at Michigan Committee for Severe Weather Awareness, www.mcswa.org. or visit www.ready.gov for information on being prepared.

For additional details, please contact Fire Marshal O’Brian at 810-229-6640.

April 22, 2009- PRESS RELEASE

BRIGHTON AREA FIRE AUTHORITY, Brighton, MI, ANNOUNCES

2009 Arson Awareness week - May, 3-9 2009

This year’s Arson Awareness Week (AAW) theme is “Arson for Profit”.

The goal of this year’s AAW, May 3-9, is to focus public attention on arson for profit.  By drawing people’s attention to the alarming statistics about arson for profit, we hope to expand the resources and support necessary to reduce this crime.  There are many motives for arson, the crime of deliberately and maliciously setting fire.  Arson for profit or economic arson is when businesses or individuals set fires to reduce financial loss, recoup initial investments or dispose of depreciated assets usually for a payout from insurance companies.

Arson for profit is insurance fraud, a criminal method of obtaining money from a fire loss policy. The losses for arson are staggering!

Arson fires do not always go as planned especially when set by amateurs.  The blazes often leave clues that send the arsonists to jail for years.  Arson fires also can spread fast, sometimes burning adjacent properties and even killing or injuring innocent onlookers and the insurance crooks themselves.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, arsonists destroyed nearly $900 million in insured property and killed 295 civilians nationwide in 2007.

Arson for profit affects everyone through the loss of life, increased insurance premiums and related expenses for the fire and law enforcement professionals.  Arson for profit can only be curtailed by a collaborative effort and cooperation of fire investigators, laws enforcement, insurance professionals the legal system and an aware citizenry.

Any questions, please call Fire Marshal O’Brian at 810-229-6640.

February 10, 2009- Press Release

The Brighton Area Fire Authority warns residents to stay off the ice!

Many of us have enjoyed the recent unseasonably warm weather which has created thin ice.  This warmer weather has created a melting effect on our area ponds, lakes, and other water areas.  This ice has become unstable and Brighton Area Fire Authority is encouraging everyone to staff off the ice.

Brighton Area Fire Authority recommends the following:

• Gauging the strength of ice is very difficult. There is no such thing as 100% safe ice.

• The safety of ice is ever-changing.  It depends on a multitude of factors which include (but not limited to) the thickness, temperature, snow cover, depth of water under the ice, currents, local climate and distribution of weight on the ice.

• If you do venture on the ice, make sure you are with a partner and separated by a couple of feet.

• Ice seldom freezes uniformly.  It may be a foot thick in one location and only an inch or two just a few feet away.

• Ice formed over flowing water and currents is often dangerous.  This is especially true near streams, bridges and culverts.  Also, the ice on outside river bends is usually weaker due to the undermining effects of the faster current.

Brighton Area Fire Authority recommends if you see someone fall through the ice to contact 9-1-1 immediately.  Do not go on the ice to try to rescue any person or animal as you may become a victim yourself.  Try to visualize where the person fell through the ice and keep voice contact with the victim.

Again Brighton Area Fire Authority recommends that all persons stay off the ice until it can be determined that it is safe.

For additional details, please contact Fire Marshal O’Brian at 810-229-6640

February 9, 2009- Press Release 

Chief Marty DeLoach is proud to announce that the Brighton Area Fire Authority has been approved for a grant in round 23, of the 2008 Assistance to Firefighter Grants.  The application for a driving training simulator that will train, evaluate and provide consistent driving oversight to our staff was approved in the amount of $212,000.00.  The simulator will allow our staff to learn how to drive fire trucks with the real world obstacles and streets much like an airline pilot does with airplanes, in a simulator, without the real crashes.  The cost of new fire trucks edging over a half million dollars along with training on real streets makes this an excellent addition to our Fire Authority.  The unit will be mounted in a trailer so it can be shared with other departments and it can travel to all five of our stations for training. 

Our Fire Authority has been very successful in identifying our needs and writing grants that have been approved in the federal programs.  In 2005, we received an Assistance to Firefighters grant for new portable radios in the amount of $92,600.  In 2005, the Brighton Area Fire Authority received approval for a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant in the amount of $41,528 over a four-year period.  In 2006, our request for an accountability system was not funded, however the equipment was purchased through the Livingston County 911 funds to help with firefighter accountability.

In 2007, we received another Assistance to Firefighters grant for new Self Contained Breathing Apparatus in the amount of $247,000.00.  In 2007, we also received a portion of the largest regional grant funded so far.  Our portion was for $86,000.00, to purchase training equipment that will allow 16 different fire departments to share training and instructors while their staff remain in their own district and stations.

In total since 2005, the Brighton Area Fire Authority has received almost $700,000.00 in Federal Grants.  We are very fortunate to receive this money to help our firefighters serve our residents.  The last two grants are for training equipment, a critical element of any paid-on-call fire department.  It will help provide a dynamic training opportunity for our members, allowing some quality training on their schedule not ours. 

January 29, 2009- PRESS RELEASE

The Brighton Area Authority is proud to announce the promotions of five of our members, effective February 1, 2009.  The promotions will fill some vacant positions at 3 of our fire stations.  Our Assistant Chiefs, Jim Tester and John Bennington who are currently in charge of operations recommended these promotions and Chief Marty DeLoach approved them.  We believe the promotions will provide some added leadership for some of our stations.  All of the members, who were recommended for promotion, recently went through a specialized one-day training on tactical decision-making given by Southfield Fire Chief Pete Healy.    

On Tuesday January 25^th, 2009 the Brighton Area Fire Authority introduced the promotions to the members of the department at Brighton Area Fire Authority station 32.  Department members were able to express their congratulations to all of the members who were promoted.  Chief DeLoach introduced each of the Firefighters and mentioned a few short personal comments about each, prior to a ceremonial pinning of their new badge in front of their peers.  Each of the Firefighters dressed in their formal uniforms and asked someone from their family or the department to pin their badge on at the promotion ceremony.  Fire Marshal Mike O’Brian performed a short swearing in ceremony to culminate the formal portion of the evening.  The event was attended by approximately 50 to 60 people who stayed around for several hours exchanging stories and wishing all of our promoted officers well with the new challenges that come with their new positions. 

Kurt Bortels has been selected to be promoted to Fire Lieutenant and will be assigned to Station 32 on Old U.S. 23.  Kurt started at the Brighton Township Fire Department in 1999.  Kurt’s day job is a senior estimator for Belfor construction USA.  Over the years Kurt has held performed several roles for the Brighton Area Fire Authority including working on the “On the Job Training” program, that trains our new hires and serving as a department representative on the County Dive Rescue Team.  His most recent assignment has been as a Sergeant at Station 32.  As Lieutenant, Kurt will be assisting the station’s Captain to provide leadership on emergency scenes while working to develop and prepare our members at station 32.  Kurt is a Brighton Township resident and is married to Lynette and has two sons Jared and Josh.

Jason Hordos started at the City of Brighton Fire Department in 1997.  He currently works as a fire safety inspector for the State of Michigan.  Jason has worked in various roles in the organization including instructing students at our fire academy.  Jason has been a crucial element in the success of our “On the Job Training” program.  He has been working as a Sergeant at Station 34 on Dorr Road in Genoa Township.  In his new role as Lieutenant, he will work with the station’s Assistant Chief and Sergeants to provide leadership on emergency scenes while working with the Firefighters at his station.  Jason is a Genoa Township resident and has been married to his wife Debbie for the last 14 years.  In his spare time Jason enjoys just about anything sports related, especially golf and softball. 

Glen Bailey started at the Brighton Area Fire Authority in 2001 and has over 30 years of previous experience in the fire service in Indiana.  Glen has aided in developing new Firefighters in our “On the Job Training” program.  Glen worked with the contractor and visited the Chilson Road station every day as it was being built.  He was instrumental in ensuring the detail work was completed as expected during the construction of our new station 35.  He has recently served as a Sergeant at Station 34 and 35.  In his new role as Lieutenant, he will assist the station’s Assistant Chief and provide leadership on emergency scenes while working to develop our stations Sergeants.  Glen is a Genoa Township resident, is married to Allison and has three sons.   

Ron Savage started at The Brighton Area Fire Authority in 2001 and was assigned to station 32.  Ron has previous experience as a Firefighter serving in North Carolina and Walled Lake Michigan.  Ron has been a senior Firefighter at Station 32 providing support to our Firefighting staff and working as an engineer.  Ron is very proud to serve as a Firefighter for our citizens and residents.  He has sought additional roles with the fire authority; Ron has been on our fire investigative unit for several years.  Ron was excited after returning from a fire investigative class that was held on the other side of the state when the instructor used our department as a positive example on how to investigate fires.  As a Sergeant, Ron will work closely with the stations Firefighters working with the “On the Job Training” program.  Ron is a Brighton Township resident along with his wife Mitzi and son Ronnie.

Lauren Brookins is a product of our very successful Junior Firefighter Program.  This program takes High School students and mentors them to be responsible adults along with training them to be Firefighters.  After graduation from High School our Juniors can achieve full status as a Firefighter and work and respond to emergencies.  Lauren became a Senior Firefighter, Engineer and Aerial Platform Operator since joining the senior department in 2004.  She is currently assigned to Station 34 and has been actively working our day shift program over the last several years.  As a Sergeant, Lauren will work closely with the stations Firefighters and working with the “On the Job Training” program.  Lauren is a Genoa Township resident and has recently been asked to serve on the planning commission for the township. 

The Brighton Area Fire Authority is proud of the accomplishments of these Firefighters and officers.  When asked about the recent promotions, Fire Chief Marty DeLoach stated, “I am very proud of each individual’s accomplishments and promotions.  Each of them brings a vastly different set of skills, knowledge and tools to our emergencies, building on their diversity will make a great team.  I am certain each of these individuals will work with our other officers in providing management and leadership to our organization.  They are all committed to our community and have served our residents well for their entire tenure with the Brighton Area Fire Authority.  All of the officers look forward to their continued efforts in their new leadership roles for our Fire Authority. 

As always, for any additional information or fire safety tips/concerns, please feel free to contact Fire Chief DeLoach or Fire Marshal O’Brian at 810-229-6640.