Alarming Five-Fold increase in
Middle-Tennessee pool Drownings and Near-Drownings prompts warning for WilliamsonCounty parents
A
strong public safety warning about the dangers of swimming pools comes in the
wake of 19 drownings or near-drownings treated by doctors at the Monroe Carell
Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt since May 27, 2010.
Thomas Abramo, M.D.,
professor of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine and director of Pediatric
Emergency Medicine, said the Emergency Department has seen almost five times
the number of children involved in drownings or near-drownings.
Nineteen children
involved in swimming pool accidents have been brought by either ambulance or
helicopters. Eight of those children died. Last year over the same period, four
children were treated, resulting in one death. "This is a crisis and parents need to
focus and keep a constant eye on their kids," Abramo said. "All of
the cases involved a situation where it appears that the person responsible for
watching the child took their eyes off them, even if for a second."
Abramo said caretakers
should not be looking at e-mail, texting, or even talking on the phone.
"Watch the child
and make that the only thing you do," he cautioned. "Otherwise you
may very well be one of those parents in our pediatric intensive care unit
worrying about the life of your child."
At the time of this
writing (July 2), Caleb, a 19-month-old boy, was critically ill and on life
support in the Pediatric Critical Care Unit after a near-drowning at the boy’s
father’s home.The boy did not survive.
Nicole, the boy’s
mother, stated "He got away for just a second. I want to warn all families to watch their
children. We are grieving so bad." The above-ground pool where the accident
happened has now been destroyed. "Parents,
please, do what you can and do not turn your back," she added. "A
pool isn't worth having if this happens to your child."
Pool safety tips from the AmericanAcademy of Pediatrics can
be found at www.aap.org/family/tipppool.htm
The Williamson County Rescue Squad is Bringing Important Information to You!
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Williamson County Endures 1,000 Year Flood
During this past weekend from Friday April 30th to Sunday May 2nd Williamson County received record rainfall creating what is now being termed a 1,000 year flood. Franklin, Williamson's County Seat, recorded 17.87 total inches during that time period. Williamson fire districts from across the county responded to hundreds of rescue calls including a few house fires. In total county units racked up a total of nearly 400 calls in the three day span.
Please follow the links below to donate, volunteer, or help in other ways. Williamson County and the greater Nashville area greatly appreciate your support in these hard times.
Flood Damage Clean Up Advice
After-Flood Safety
for your Loved Ones & Home…
The effects of the
flooding in WilliamsonCounty will be felt for
months to come.Whether you are dealing
with conditions at your own residence or business, or lending a hand to help
others, keep the tips and recommendations below in mind (provided by the Flood
Safety Education Project)…
Flood waters contain many contaminants and lots
of mud. After a flood, cleaning up is a long and hard process. Below is a list
of common techniques for sanitizing and cleaning flooded items:
First things first: call your
insurance agent. If your insurance covers the damage, your agent will tell
you when an adjuster will contact you. List damage and take photos or
videotape as you clean. You'll need complete records for insurance claims,
applications for disaster assistance and income tax deductions.
Electrical system-
The system must be shut off and repaired and inspected by an electrician
before it can be turned back on. Wiring must be completely dried out- even
behind walls. Switches, convenience outlets, light outlets, entrance
panel, and junction boxes that have been under water may be filled with
mud.
Heating and cooling systems and ducts-
Will need inspection and cleaning. Flood-soaked insulation should be
replaced.
Appliances-
Appliances will get stains, odors, silt deposits, and gritty deposits and
need to be serviced, cleaned and sanitized. Running equipment before it is
properly cleaned could seriously damage it and/or shock you. Professional
cleaning is recommended for electronics, TVs and radios, washing machines,
dryers, dishwashers, and vacuum cleaners. The hard exterior can be hand
cleaned. All metallic appliances that have been flooded should be properly
grounded to prevent electric shock. Mud or dirt in a grounded outlet or
adapter may prevent the grounding system from working, and you could be
electrocuted.
Pump out the basement-
If your basement is full or nearly full of water, pump out just 2 or 3
feet of water each day. If you drain the basement too quickly, the
pressure outside the walls will be greater than the pressure inside the
walls. That may make the walls and floor crack and collapse.
Contaminated mud-
Shovel out as much mud as possible, then use a garden sprayer or hose to
wash away mud from hard surfaces.
Clean and
disinfect every surface.
Scrub surfaces with hot water and a heavy-duty cleaner. Then disinfect
with a solution of 1/4 cup chlorine bleach per gallon of water or a
product that is labeled as a disinfectant to kill germs.
In the kitchen-
Immerse glass, porcelain, china,
plastic dinnerware and enamelware for 10 minutes in a disinfecting
solution of 2 tablespoons of chlorine bleach per gallon of hot water.
Air-dry dishes. Do not use a towel.
Disinfect silverware, metal
utensils, and pots and pans by boiling in water for 10 minutes. Chlorine
bleach should not be used in this case because it reacts with many metals
and causes them to darken.
Cupboards and counters need to be
cleaned and rinsed with a chlorine bleach solution before storing dishes.
Furniture and
household items-
Take furniture, rugs, bedding and
clothing outside to dry as soon as possible. Use an air conditioner or
dehumidifier to remove moisture or open at least two windows to ventilate
with outdoor air. Use fans to circulate air in the house. If mold and
mildew have already developed, brush off items outdoors to prevent
scattering spores in the house. Vacuum floors, ceilings and walls to
remove mildew, then wash with disinfectant. Wear a two-strap protective
mask to prevent breathing mold spores.
Mattresses should be thrown away.
Upholstered furniture soaks up
contaminants from floodwaters and should be cleaned only by a
professional.
Wood veneered furniture is
usually not worth the cost and effort of repair.
Solid wood furniture can usually be restored, unless damage is severe.
Toys and stuffed animals may have
to be thrown away if they've been contaminated by floodwaters.
Photographs, books and important
papers can be frozen and cleaned later. They should be dried carefully
and slowly. Wash the mud off and store the articles in plastic bags and
put them in a frost-free freezer to protect from mildew and further
damage until you have time to thaw and clean them or take them to a
professional.
Ceilings and
walls-
Wallboard acts like a sponge when
wet. Remove wallboard, plaster and paneling to at least the flood level.
If soaked by contaminated floodwater, it can be a permanent health hazard
and should be removed. If most of the wallboard was soaked by clean
rainwater, consider cutting a 4- to 12-inch-high section from the bottom
and top of walls. This creates a "chimney effect" of air
movement for faster drying. A reciprocating saw with a metal cutting
blade works well, but use only the tip of the blade and watch out for
pipes, ductwork and wiring.
Plaster and paneling can often be
saved, but air must be circulated in the wall cavities to dry the studs
and sills.
The three kinds of
insulation must be treated differently. Styrofoam might only need to be hosed
off. Fiberglass batts should be thrown out if muddy but may be reused if dried
thoroughly. Loose or blown-in cellulose should be replaced since it holds water
for a long time and can lose its antifungal and fire retardant abilities.
On February 19th at approximately 1730 hours Engine Company 23 responded to the Ridgetop Court for a reported house fire. Engine Co. 23 arrived on the scene with heavy fire showing and deployed an 1.75" attack line through the front door. Fire conditions continued to deteriorate and a defensive operation was initiated. Master streams were deployed and the fire was knocked down. An offensive mode was then resume to mop up. Also responding were Rescue Co. 12, Engine Co. 24, Ladder Co. 39, and Tanker Co. 26. Mutual aid companies from the Franklin Fire Department were dispatched for a RIT team. The Fire Marshal's Office also conducted an investigation.
During the early morning hours of January 5th 2009, Companies from Station 23 and Station 14 responded to a residential structure fire along with companies from Station 28 (Peytonsville Fire Department). Heavy fire conditions were observed upon arrival and first arriving crews reported a defensive mode only. Crews fought throughout the morning to extinguish the fully involved house fire. The Fire Marshal's Office was also requested to perform an origin and cause investigation. No one was injured during the incident.
During the early evening hours of December, Station 14 was dispatch to a reported kitchen fire in a 3 story single family dwelling. Engine Co. 20 arrived on the scene and reported heavy smoke and fire visible from the A side of the structure. Engine 20 layed the initial attack lines and began offensive operations. Ladder 39 arrived on scene and supported the initial attack crew. Tankers from Stations 21 and 23 also arrived on the scene in addition to a Tanker Co. from Station 31 (Fairview Fire). Also responding were Rescue Co. 12 and Engine Co. 23 from Station 14. Suppression crews were able to hold the fire spread to the center of the residence with extension to the 3rd floor. An investigation was conducted by the Fire Prevention Division.
September 16th 2008- Mutual Aid Commercial Structure Fire
During the early morning hours, the Williamson County Rescue Squad was dispatched mutual aid to a commercial structure fire in Rutherford County. The fire occured at the Eagleville Grocery in the small residential community of Eagleville in Southern Rutherford County. 1402, Engine 24, Tanker 25, and Ladder 39 responded to the aid of the Eagleville Fire Department. Assitance Chief House arrived on the scene and reported heavy fire involvement throughout the structure. A tanker shuttle operation was intitiated by Tanker 25 and Engine 24 with the assistance of tankers from College Grove FD and Chapel Hill FD. Ladder 39 provided elevated master stream support. In all over a dozen different companies from many different districts in Rutherford and Williamson Counties.
Shortly after 2 a.m. on Sunday, May 11 WCRS stations were alerted to a reported structure fire at 340 Kinnie Road in Station 22's area. E22 arrived on scene and laid out a 4" supply line from the end of the driveway. 2240 (Capt. Sloan) arrived and reported a two-story, detached garage with heavy fire showing and established command. Further investigation revealed a severe exposure problem as the involved structure was only 5 feet from the main house with the fire directly impinging on the house. A 1-3/4" attack line was placed in service to protect the exposure. A 2-1/2" attack line was stretched to attempt a knockdown of the main body of fire. Water supply issues early in the operation proved to be the biggest obstacle, but diligent work by handline crews prevented extension to the main house and limited fire damage to the facia board on the roof line. E20 arrived and supplied water to E22 while setting up for a tanker shuttle operation. Tankers 25 and 26, along with mutual aid tankers from Brentwood FD and Fairview FD, provided water from hydrants located approximately one mile away. A mutual aid engine company from the Franklin FD provided additional manpower. WMC Medic 22 provided the rehab sector. Crews worked for approximately 3 hours knocking down and overhauling.
