Join BAFA and w4 Country from 6am-9:30 am

The Brighton Area Fire Authority will be hosting Breakfast with Bubba and the w4 County (102.9 fm) on Friday May 31, 2013 at Station 31 located at 615 W. Grand River Ave.

This will be the fourth consecutive year hosting the great morning show and showcasing some of Brighton’s Best.  The fire department apparatus will be on display along with:

• Smoke alarm questions answered and register to receive a free smoke alarm!
• Residential Sprinkler Demonstration
• Address Sign display
• Fire safety games for kids and parents
• Live broadcast of w4 Country with lots of promotions
• Showcase of great Brighton Coffee and other business
• Live demonstration utilizing the “Jaws of Life” on new Ford vehicles

This community event is a great chance for you to stop by and interact with your fire department as well as witness the live radio broadcast.  As in years past, we will be taking votes for Brighton’s best coffee, so if your short on time, swing by and get a cup of fresh coffee and vote for your favoriate!

You can visit our facebook event page for more information, check in, and even set a reminder!

See you Friday!

Information on State’s Oldest Program June 5, 2013

The Brighton Area Junior (Cadet) Program will be hosting a informational night to bring in parents and teens who have shown interested in the public safety field or community leadership. Many people may not know the Brighton Area Fire Authority (BAFA) has a program targeting the young adults who have interests in the firefighting and EMS field.

This informational night is to bring light to the program and explain the positive experience that one’s young adult (Ages 16-18) would have. It will also explain to the parent what expectations and standards are needed to be a member. An overview of the program will be explained as well as stories from current and past members will be presented. Parents with interested teens are encourage to bring them along to get the full impact of the stories and expectations.

The Brighton Area Junior (Cadet) Program is an interactive program involving young woman and men in early adult hood with the desire to become leaders and have interest in helping the community. The Juniors (Cadets) is an integrated program within the Brighton Area Fire Authority. Juniors (Cadets) define their skill sets and abilities working hand in hand with the firefighters of the authority. These young adults posse a strong role in the authority as well as the community.

They join the department at an early age and quickly become part of the brother and sister hood within. Once a member of the program they will train and work closely with the firefighters. They work under the strict supervision of advisors who they report directly to. A range of responsibilities are outside of training are given to them to teach them responsibility, personal accountability, attention to detail and many additional lessons. These lessons are not only built but strengthened through their time and training, and their self satisfaction and self esteem grow.

Many past Juniors (Cadets) have moved on to become full-time firefighters, fire officers, and fire chiefs. Although at times the tasks can be demanding strong individuals are built and they exceed past their own expectations.

Pizza and pop will be provided. Please RSVP by calling 810-229-6640 during daytime hours.

This event will be held June 5th @ Brighton Fire Station 32 (Old US 23 & Hyne) at 7pm.

Pizza and pop will be provided. Please RSVP by calling 810-229-6640 during daytime hours.

Questions regarding this event can directed to Lieutenant Lauren Brookins moc.erifaeranothgirbnull@snikoorbl or Firefighter Aaron Gage moc.erifaeranothgirbnull@egaga

Cadet Informational night (Flyer)

Genoa Township, City of Brighton, and Brighton Township sirens to be tested on the Second Saturday of April 2013.

The Brighton Area Fire Authority will be testing the sirens in Genoa Township, City of Brighton, and Brighton Township on Saturday April 13, 2013 at noon. This is an additional test beyond the typical test conducted on the first Saturday of every month.

The test is purely precautionary and working to ensure the sirens are fully operational during this peak severe weather season. The Fire Authority would ask that citizens take time to review standard tornado safety and review shelter locations, emergency preparedness, and response when a tornado siren is activated in a true emergency.

Any questions please call the Brighton Area Fire Authority at 810-229-6640.

The Brighton Area Fire Authority is responsible for enforcing the Fire Code in occupancies located in Brighton City, Brighton Township and Genoa Township including temporary facilities.  Temporary facilities can include tents, membrane structures, and other facilities that are intended for occupancy.

These facilities are typically associated with public and private events and advanced coordination is required.  Depending on the activity, a civic events or other temporary use permit may be required by the municipality in addition to BAFA.  If you are one of the many that would like to put up a tent for your event this year, here are a couple of general reminders:

Size Requirements:

An operational permit is required to operate an air-supported temporary membrane structure or a tent having an area in excess of 400 square feet (37 m2).

Exceptions:

1. Tents used exclusively for recreational camping purposes.
2. Tents open on all sides, which comply with all of the following:
3. Individual tents having a maximum size of 700 square feet (65 m2)
4. The aggregate area of multiple tents placed side by side without a fire break clearance of not less than 12 feet (3658 mm) shall not exceed 700 square feet (65 m2) total.
5. A minimum clearance of 12 feet (3658 mm) to structures and other tents shall be provided.

Duration:

Temporary tents, air-supported, air-inflated or tensioned membrane structures shall not be erected for a period of more than 180 days within a 12-month period on a single premises.

Permit Application & Inspection:

A detailed site and floor plan for tents or membrane structures with an occupant load of 50 or more shall be provided with each application for approval. The tent or membrane structure floor plan shall indicate details of

• The means of egress facilities,
• Seating capacity and arrangement of the seating
• Type of heating and electrical equipment.
• Egress lighting if the canopy is utilized during non-daylight hours

The entire tent, air-supported, air-inflated or tensioned membrane structure system shall be inspected at regular intervals, but not less than two times per permit use period, by the permittee, owner or agent to determine that the installation is maintained in accordance with this chapter.

An inspection report shall be provided and shall consist of maintenance, anchors and fabric inspections.

Materials:

Before a permit is granted, the owner or agent shall file with the fire code official a certificate executed by an approved testing laboratory certifying that the tents and membrane structures and their appurtenances; sidewalls, drops and tarpaulins; floor coverings, bunting and combustible decorative materials and effects, including sawdust when used on floors or passageways, are composed of material meeting the flame propagation performance criteria of NFPA 701 or shall be treated with a flame retardant in an approved manner and meet the flame propagation performance criteria of NFPA 701, and that such flame propagation performance criteria are effective for the period specified by the permit. Membrane structures or tents shall have a permanently affixed label bearing the identification of size and fabric or material type.

Access:

Fire apparatus access roads shall be provided in accordance with Section 503 of the International Fire Code 2012 Edition which can be found online for free.

As stated before, these are some of the general reminders for you to consider when applying for a tent permit. For the full details of the Tents and Other Membrane structures portion of the fire code, feel free to contact the Brighton Area Fire Department at (810)229-6640, and ask for an inspector. Please visit the Commonly Requested Forms Page in the Online Resources directory and look for; Tent – Event Application for additional details and Permit Application.

One July 2, 2012 The Brighton Area Fire Authority (BAFA) has gone on-line to receive inspection reports from service providers on various systems in your building.  The adopted fire code requires that systems such as Automatic Sprinkler Systems, Wet-Chemical Kitchen suppression systems as well as fire alarm systems be maintained in accordance with the appropriate standard.

This maintenance is required to be documented and submitted to the Fire Authority.  Business located in Genoa Township, City of Brighton, and Brighton Township should register with IROL as a business in our jurisdiction.

• Detailed instructions can be found here

This is at no cost to a business owner and will be provide a central portal as well as free inspection tools to help keep your business safe.  Please advise your service providers (system maintenance companies) of this reporting change.

• Service Provider Letter

We know that this change will greatly increase our efficiency and provide a single point for service providers to submit their reports.  If you have any questions please contact one of our inspectors.

Fireworks are causing a big bang this season and not just up in the sky. Many Michiganders were previously forced to travel to Indiana and Ohio to buy consumer fireworks. A new law was passed that now allows the sale of consumer fireworks in the State of Michigan that includes high projectiles like roman candles, bottle rockets and aerials, in addition to the traditional sparklers, party poppers and a variety of ground based devices.  According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 60% of all firework injuries occur during the 30 days around the 4th of July.

The CPSC States:

More than half of these injuries were the result of unexpected ignition of the device or consumers not using fireworks as intended. Fireworks injuries most often resulted in burns to the hands and head, including the eyes, face, and ears. According to the special study, sparklers, firecrackers, and aerial devices were associated with the most incidents.

This new law will surely bring an increase of firework use in the state – and with that an increase in resident responsibility on the use and safety of these devices. The Brighton Area Fire Authority fears an increase in the number of injuries and burns due to most users not familiar with these new aerial devices. We encourage residents to work with local vendors and those running the stores and ask what a specific device does, what the clearances should be and how to store fireworks along with how to best put something out if it doesn’t go off. And to remember that anything shot off your property, also needs to land back on your property.

The Michigan Bureau of Fire Services and the state Fire Marshal’s office is handling the approval and inspection process of the tents and facilities looking to sell consumer fireworks and the new vendors and businesses coming into town have went through the permitting process.

If you do decide to try out the bigger fireworks this year use some common sense safety rules which include:

• Fireworks shall only be ignited from your property and land on your property.  Fireworks can not be discharged from the roadway, schools, parks, and other public areas
• Wear appropriate footwear and hand protections and always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on how to launch them.
• It is best to store fireworks outside of your home in a garage or shed and have them secured inside of a metal container
• Keep fireworks out of the reach of children.
• Always have an adult closely supervise fireworks activities if older children are allowed to handle devices.
• Avoid buying fireworks that are packaged in brown paper because this is often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and that they could pose a danger to consumers.
• Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.
• Never try to relight or handle malfunctioning fireworks. Soak them with water and throw them away.
• Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
• Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.
• Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.
• After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire

Some great resources for your use:

• Another, much safer, alternative to launching your own fireworks is to attend one of the many professional firework displays put on by many of the surrounding communities! Here is a link for the upcoming displays.
• If you have questions or concerns over the new law regarding fireworks in the State of Michigan visit this site from the state.
• If you would like to see examples of the different fireworks classifications.

As always, if your smoke alarms do not work or you do not have a smoke alarm contact the Brighton Area Fire Authority (810-229-6640) and we will replace or install them for free! Working smoke alarms dramatically increase your chances of surviving a fire.

Brighton Area Employment Open House

Are you looking to serve your community?  Are you a professional looking for some additional income?  Why not consider looking into the Brighton Area Fire Authority as a paid on call firefighter.  You can stop by our Station 34, 2755 Dorr Road Genoa Township this Saturday (June 23, 2012) from 10am-2pm for a tour and meet with our staff to see what it takes.

• Free training for firefighter I/II, Medical First Responder
• Flexible Hours
• Great work environment
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Much More….

For more information on employment please contact our Human Resources Director Anne Campbell at moc.erifaeranothgirbnull@llebpmaca or call us at 810-229-6640

Genoa Township BAFA Open House Flyer

Join Brighton Area Fire as we Host Bubba and W4 Country

For the Third year in a row, Brighton Area Fire Authority will host Bubba and W4 Country’s annual firehouse friday.  We are truly honored to showcase our community and organization on June 1, 2012 from 6:00 am-10:00 am.

Stop on by and visit with the morning show cast, register for various contests, and interact with the outstanding firefighters from Brighton Area Fire Authority.  During the event we will:

• Sample Brighton’s Best Coffee and vote for your favorite
• Live Fire Demonstration
• Extrication Demonstration on 2011 Lincoln MKS and airbag demonstration
• Visit with Freddy the Fire Truck
• Games and more for the kids
• Learn about our junior program and employment opportunities with BAFA!

You can also get your picture taken with Sparky, Smokey and Bubba!  This is a great change to see what your fire department is all about.  Stop on by on your way into work or bring the kids by on the way into school.

Download the flyer and post at your work

Although scald burns can happen to anyone, young children, older adults and people with disabilities are the most likely to incur such injuries.  Most scald burn injuries happen in the home, in connection with the preparation or serving of hot food or beverages, or from exposure to hot tap water in bathtubs or showers.  Both behavioral and environmental measures may be needed to protect those vulnerable to scalds because of age or disability, or because they do not have control of the hot water temperature in multi-unit residential buildings.

The severity of a scald injury depends on the temperature to which the skin is exposed and how long it is exposed.  The most common regulatory standard for the maximum temperature of water delivered by residential water heaters to the tap is 120 degrees Fahrenheit/48 degrees Celsius.  At this temperature, the skin of adults requires an average of five minutes of exposure for a full thickness burn to occur.  When the temperature of a hot liquid is increased to 140o F/60o C it takes only five seconds or less for a serious burn to occur.  Coffee, tea, hot chocolate and other hot beverages are usually served at 160 to 180o F /71-82o C. Spills of liquids at that temperature can cause burns severe enough to require skin graft surgery.  Since immediate removal of the hot liquid from the skin may lessen severity, splash and spill burns may not be as deep as burns suffered in a bathtub.

High risk groups

 Young Children (0 – 4 years)

Young children have thinner skin resulting in deeper burns than adults for the same temperature and length of exposure to a scalding substance.  The proportion of a child’s body that is exposed to any given amount of a scalding substance is also greater: the same cup of spilled coffee will burn a much larger percent of a small child’s body.

 Older Adults

Older adults, like young children, have thinner skin so hot liquids cause deeper burns with even brief exposure.  Their ability to feel heat may be decreased due to certain medical conditions or medications so they may not realize water is too hot until injury has occurred.

Preventing Scald Burns

Bathroom

 How hot is the water? Use a thermometer

 Set your water heater at 120o F

 Install special tub spouts and shower heads that prevent hot water burns

Kitchen

 Turn pot handles towards the back of the stove so children cannot pull them down

 Use oven mitts when cooking or removing a lid from a hot item to prevent steam burns

Radiators

 Car- Do not remove cap up till engine has cooled

 Home- Do not remove or release pressure valves, all repairs should be done by a professional

Treating Scald Burns

 Cool it with running water. Do this right away

 Keep burned area in cool water for 3 minutes or longer. Do not put ice, butter or lotion on the burn. This could make it worse

 Call your doctor or 911 if the burn looks bad.

For additional information of prevention of burns http://burn.iaff.org/

Providing Aid to our First Responders

The Livingston County DART is made up of dedicated men and women looking to serve their community.  DART provides services by responding to larger incidents and taking care of our first responders.  This service provides proper nutrition, warm gloves, and  other resources to first responders.

If you would like more information please contact Roy Seifried at 517-546-0347 or via email at ten.tsacmocnull@8ffutsr.

If you are interested in serving, please complete the application and submit it to Brighton Area Fire Department.