Ithaca Fire Department

The Ithaca Fire Department hopes everyone has fun and is safe this Halloween!

Change Your Clocks, Test Your Smoke Detectors This Sunday we change the clocks back one hour at 2:am, ending daylight saving time. This is a great reminder to test your smoke and CO detectors, and if they are battery operated, to change out the batteries for fresh ones. A small investment in your family's safety! If you have questions or need assistance, contact your local fire house.

*** Weather Concerns*** The first cold snap and winter weather may be headed our way over the next few days. Now is the time to make sure your gutters are cleaned out, your sump pumps are working and your furnaces are ready for the colder months ahead.... Starting Thursday we are expecting - Rain...mixing with snow late. Low 31F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precip 90%. Temperatures continue to drop until Saturday when things should start to clear up and warm up. Allow extra time for driving, stay warm, be prepared and stay safe!

Fire Extinguished at Titus Towers High Rise The Ithaca Fire Department was dispatched to Titus Towers # 1, at 800 South Plain Street around 10:30 a.m. Thursday morning for a fire alarm activation. Firefighters had been downtown training just before the alarm came in, so they were on the road or close to the scene when they were called out. Upon arrival, crews checked the fire alarm panel to see where the activation was in the building. Firefighters from the Truck Com...pany tried to contact the occupant of the involved apartment on the intercom system, with no luck. Others made their way up to the second floor to investigate the alarm. Once there, firefighters noticed smoke in the second-floor hallway of the 14 story residential building. They quickly entered the apartment and found a kitchen fire burning and a person in a wheelchair in the living room. They used an extinguisher to knock down the fire, removed the person out to the hallway and called for an ambulance. Other firefighters were requested to the scene. The blaze was completely extinguished, and the area was checked for any fire spread. Smoke was removed from the building, and the occupant was checked out by Paramedics from Bangs Ambulance. The Ithaca Fire Department credits a working smoke detector and fire alarm system for the early notification and quick response for keeping this fire to the original apartment.

Man Rescued from Cascadilla Creek Gorge Trail Just before 2:00 pm on Sunday, Tompkins County 911 took a call for a man who was found injured by a passerby on the Cascadilla Creek Gorge Trail in Ithaca. The Ithaca Fire Department, Bangs Ambulance, Cornell Environmental Health and Safety, Ithaca Police, Cornell Police and EMS were all dispatched to the creek area to try and locate the injured individual. Rescue crews hiked up the trail from Stewart Ave. while other c...rews came down from behind Cascadilla Hall on the Cornell Campus, to try and locate his exact location. The man was found about midway on the trail, 50 feet or so up on an embankment. It was unclear on how the semi responsive man came to be there. It was extremely difficult to climb up to the victim, so two firefighters rigged up a rope system, donned safety gear and rappelled down to the man. The difficult terrain was a challenge to get through and crews on the top could not see the victim, so they were guided down by the rescuers below. Once they were able to make their way to the victim, firefighters secured the man into a rescue basket and he was lowered down the rest of the way to the trail. A combination of Police, Fire and Bangs Paramedics along with Cornell Rescuers, teamed up and carried him out of the narrow and winding trail, to an awaiting ambulance. A LifeNet helicopter was brought in and landed at the airport to transport the victim. The entire rescue took about two hours. The condition of the man is unknown at this time and Cornell Police are investigating the circumstances of the event.

Man Rescued from Car after Rollover A man was injured on Seneca Street in the City of Ithaca early Saturday morning, when his vehicle rolled over and trapped him inside. The call came in around 1:20 am Saturday morning and when Emergency Responders arrived, they found a man trapped in a convertible that crashed into a work trailer near Plain Street and rolled over onto its roof. Ithaca Firefighters worked for about 25 minutes to raise the vehicle and free... the man from the car, while Ithaca Police shut down the road and gathered information on what exactly happened. A helicopter was called but was unable to fly due to the weather conditions, so Bangs Ambulance transported the injured man by ground to Upstate Medical Center for treatment of his injuries. The Ithaca Police Department is investigating the accident.

Halloween Safety Halloween is an exciting time of year for kids, and to help ensure they have a safe holiday, here are some tips from the Ithaca Fire Department. Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure that costumes are short enough to prevent tripping. Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and Trick-or-Treat bags for greater visibility. ... Because masks can limit or block eyesight, consider non-toxic makeup as a safer alternative. When shopping for costumes and accessories, purchase those with a label clearly indicating they are flame resistant. Have a flashlight with fresh batteries for all children and their escorts. Teach children how to call 9-1-1 if they have an emergency or become lost. Carving a Pumpkin Small children should never carve pumpkins. Children can draw a face with markers, then parents can do the cutting. Consider using a flashlight or glow stick instead of a candle to light your pumpkin. Candlelit pumpkins should be placed on a sturdy table, away from curtains and other flammable objects, and should never be left unattended. On the Trick-Or-Treat Trail: A parent or responsible adult should always accompany young children on their neighborhood rounds. If your older children are going alone, plan and review the route that is acceptable to you. Agree on a specific time when they should return home. Only go to homes with a porch light on and never enter a home or car for a treat. Stay in a group and communicate where they will be going. Carry a cell phone for quick communication. Remain on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk. If no sidewalk is available, walk at the far edge of the roadway facing traffic. Have fun, be safe! Happy Halloween

Fire Prevention Week Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen! October 4th 10th is National Fire Prevention Week and the Ithaca Fire Department wants the community to know that this year’s theme is, Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen!... Cooking is the #1 cause of home fires and home fire injuries. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of fires in the kitchen. Never leave cooking food unattended. Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling or broiling. If you have to leave, even for a short time, turn off the stove. If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you’re cooking. You have to be alert when cooking. You won’t be alert if you are sleepy, have taken medicine or drugs, or consumed alcohol that makes you drowsy. Always keep an oven mitt and pan lid nearby when you’re cooking. If a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan to smother the flame. Turn off the burner, and leave the pan covered until it is completely cool. Have a kid-free zone of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried. The Ithaca Fire Department also reminds everyone, as always, to have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home, practice exit drills and be prepared! Fire Prevention Week is recognized annually by the National Fire Protection Association and fire departments and safety agencies across the country.

The Ithaca Fire Department is sad to report that retired Firefighter George H. Apgar Sr. has passed away. George Sr. worked for the Ithaca Fire Department for 30 years, from June 1963 until he retired in June 1993. A true career of service to Ithaca! The Apgar legacy has been a fixture in the Fire Dept. and the Ithaca community. His son, George Apgar Jr. is currently a Lieutenant at IFD and the entire department mourns the loss. With fond memories and great love and prayers, we are all thinking of George's family. Rest well old friend.

Dorm and Apartment Fire Safety Whether it is your first place, or you have called it home for many years, most colleges, apartment owners and rental agencies have regulations and prohibited items that they don’t want being used in their buildings. The Property Maintenance Code of New York State section 403.2 states: " cooking shall not be permitted in any rooming unit or dormitory unit, and a cooking facility or appliance shall not be permitted to be present in the... rooming unit or dormitory unit. Cooking and Heating are the leading causes of fires in our country. Following manufactures recommendations, room use policies and using common sense can go a long way towards fire safety. Among many items listed as Prohibited in most college’s Residential Life Policies and apartment leases are: Electric fry pans, hot plates, hot pots. Extension cords, multi-plug adapters, non-surge protected power strips, dimmer switches. Halogen lamps, lava lamps, sun lamps, heat lamps. Electric blankets, space heaters. They are listed as Prohibited for good reason. These items, if not used properly can, and have, caused fires in our area. A few tips from the Ithaca Fire Department to keep you, your roommates and neighbors safe are: Be sure any appliances you buy or use are Underwriters Laboratories (UL) listed. Don’t use cheap knock offs! Don’t use electric fry pans, hot plates, hot pots in your room. Extension cords are meant for temporary use. Don’t use them as a permanent means for getting electricity somewhere. Don’t use non-surge protected power strips, and don’t daisy chain one strip to another, to another. Any heating or heavy draw appliance should be plugged directly into an outlet, not a strip or extension cord. Be cautious when using electric blankets, space heaters, halogen lamps, lava lamps, etc. Always follow manufactures recommendations and don’t drape anything combustible over or near them. Finally, when in doubt, check with your landlord, Resident Assistant or electrician about the use of an electrical appliance. While the device may be new, and UL listed, the building may have older wiring, that was never designed to handle large electrical loads, and could cause a fire. Follow these simple rules to keep you, your roommates and neighbors safe. For more information and safety tips, contact us and follow the Ithaca Fire Department on Facebook.