Each morning as the big yellow bus rounds the corner, parents send their children off to school with the expectation they will remain safe.  As children strap on backpacks filled with books, pick out their always important back to school outfits and ultimately kick off another school year we each must do our part to assure our children remain safe.

Schools in San Carlos Park Fire District are back in session Thursday, August 10th and SCPFD would like to remind its residents to SLOW DOWN.  SCPFD will be posted at the high traffic areas and school zones throughout San Carlos Park reminding residents that school is back in session and encouraging safe driving behaviors.

While driving, pedestrians can be very hard to see.  Due to their smaller size, children may be especially difficult to see if they are standing between parked cars on the side of the road. For drivers, remember to slow down and be especially alert in the residential neighborhoods and school zones; take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs; and enter and exit driveways and  alleys slowly and carefully.  Remind your children to cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and  crosswalks; never run out into the streets or cross in between parked cars; and to make sure they always walk in front of the bus where the driver can see them

Be on the lookout for students and your SCPFD Firefighters on the 10th and join us in accepting the responsibility to keep safety in mind during your commute so we may be sure children return home safely each evening.

As I sit here writing this post, the temperature outside is 90 degrees! Moreover, the “feels like” temperature is 102 degrees.  But wait, if it’s ONLY 90 degrees outside, then how can it feel like 102?

The “feels like” temperature or heat index is a result of humidity.  Heat index, calculated from the air temperature and relative humidity, is the heat stress that your body is subjected to. The heat index is the number to watch for during hot summer months. To calculate the heat index yourself visit the National Weather Service at:  http://www.crh.noaa.gov/jkl/?n=heat_index_calculator or enter the phrase “Heat Index Calculator” into any search engine.

Elevated temperatures, humidity, and heat index lead to a greater chance of heat related illness. Each year many fall victim to extreme heat. Heat related illness happens when people’s bodies are unable to compensate and properly cool themselves.  Signs of heat related illness include:

-Skin that feels hot and dry, but not sweaty
-Confusion or loss of consciousness
-Frequent vomiting/nausea
-Shortness of breath or trouble breathing

When the temperature and heat index are high try to stay indoors in air-conditioned areas. If you must go outside, take the following precautions:

-Drink more fluids, regardless of your activity level. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.
-Don’t drink liquids that contain caffeine, alcohol, or large amounts of sugar–these actually cause you to lose more body fluid.
-Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
-Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a hat or using an umbrella.
-Limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours and take frequent breaks.
-NEVER leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle.
-If you have a chronic medical problem, ask your doctor about how to deal with the heat, about drinking extra fluids, and about your medicines.

If you don’t have air conditioning, or know an elderly relative or neighbor who doesn’t have it, think about ways to get into a cool environment for at least part of the day. Go to a movie, shopping mall, supermarket, or public library.

For more information please call feel free to call us at 267-7525. Until the next time, stay cool and stay safe!

For those needing  information on the Annual San Carlos Park 4th of July Parade please contact Bonnie Jasper at 239-878-7624. Thank you.

The parade will be held on Tuesday, July 4th at 8:30 am and leave from the Sunshine Ace Hardware Plaza traveling up Sanibel Road. It is truly great to celebrate our nation’s independence with those we serve.  The parade route is pictured below. We hope to see you there!

The 2016 SCPFD Annual Report is Now Available for download. Click on the link below to take a look back with us through 2016.

2016 Annual Report

To view Annual Reports from past years CLICK HERE

Early on the morning of January 14th,  Peg Sujack was passing by a home on Timberlakes Drive when she noticed smoke coming from the side of the home. Instead of disregarding the smoke or blaming it on morning fog as so many others would have done, she went to the door and awoke the 76 year old resident who was sleeping inside allowing him adequate time to escape the residence unharmed.

It was this action that earned Ms. Sujack the Prestigious San Carlos Park Fire District Citizen Lifesaving Award at the March Board of Commissioners Meeting. This is the first time in the District’s history this award has been given.

As a direct result of Peg Sujack’s actions, the fire was confined to the garage walls and garage attic space. According to the Battalion Chief on-scene, “There is no doubt in my mind without the actions of this good Samaritan it is likely the fire would have spread throughout the attic causing irreparable damage to the entire home and possibly the loss of the life of the resident sleeping inside”.

San Carlos Park Fire District would like to congratulate Ms. Sujack and thank her for her good Samaritan actions and lifesaving efforts.  It is because of citizens like her that our community is truly a safe and wonderful place to live and serve.

This morning the San Carlos Park Fire District introduced the newest member of its fleet- Engine 51, a 2017 Pierce Velocity Pumper, during a Push-In Ceremony, a fire service tradition dating back nearly 200 years.

The Push-In ritual dates back to the 1800’s when horse drawn pumpers were used throughout the nation’s Fire Service.  Horses commissioned for service would be washed along with the pumper at their newly assigned firehouse and backed into the firehouse bay. The firefighters would then fit the new horse with its harness placing the company in service. After every run, firefighters had to hand push their pumpers back into the bay and ready themselves for the next alarm.

When new horses or pumpers were purchased by neighboring firehouses, department chiefs, and citizens from the surrounding community would attend the ceremony to celebrate the new powerful addition to their neighborhood firehouse. Local clergy came to bestow blessings upon the horse throwing holy water unto it for long life, strength, speed and good health. The blessing would serve to ward off any evil spirits.  Today, fire departments continue to celebrate this tradition with the help of a driver in the seat and the engine’s transmission in reverse.

This morning,in the spirit of tradition, San Carlos Park Fire District’s newest apparatus was wet-down, wiped dry by attendees, blessed by the Chaplin, and slowly pushed backwards into the bay by firefighters.

Join us at the Southwest Florida Shave for a CURE St. Baldricks Day event at Gulf Coast Town Center.

Saturday, March 25th from 1:00pm-5:00pm.
The event will take place in the Market Square.

For more information on the event or to register visit: www.StBaldricks.org/events/SWFLShave4aCure

February, the month when love is celebrated with Valentine’s Day through chocolate hearts and messages of devotion is also home to American Heart Month.  How very appropriate, in the month that we think with our hearts, we also are reminded to think about our hearts.

About every 26 seconds, an American has a coronary event.  Do you have the knowledge and skills necessary to respond if your loved one suffers a cardiac emergency? According to the American Heart Association,  immediate CPR can double or even triple a victim’s chance of survival. Learn how to mend a broken heart this Valentine’s Day with San Carlos Park Fire District.

SCPFD is hosting a sweetheart of a deal this Valentine’s Day. Show your loved one how much you care by learning how to respond in the event of an emergency at our FREE American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR/AED certification class. This course, normally $35.00, is being offered for FREE to residents on February 14, 2017 at 9:30 am in honor of Valentine’s Day. Limited space is available; please call 267-7525 to reserve your spot today.  Though it may not be the most conventional way to spend Valentine’s Day, if someone you love ever needs CPR, it’s the greatest gift you can give them.