LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

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Since 2004

Tag: lsfd

  • 2 Loveland, Ohio residents and dog saved because of working smoke alarms

    2 Loveland, Ohio residents and dog saved because of working smoke alarms

    Loveland-Symmes firefighters had recently replaced the home’s smoke alarm batteries 

     

    Loveland, Ohio – A senior couple and their pet were saved Saturday morning when their home ignited in fire, filling it with toxic smoke. They were alerted and were able to escape due to a working smoke alarm.

    At 6:45 AM on Saturday, June 14, a 1st alarm was transmitted for a dwelling fire on Marbea Drive in the City of Loveland, Ohio. The Loveland-Symmes Fire Department (LSFD) responded with regional automatic mutual aid partners from Deerfield Township, Miami Township-Clermont, and the cities of Montgomery, Sharonville, and Blue Ash.

    Smoke alarms woke the couple and when they opened their bedroom door they faced heavy smoke. First responders arrived at 6:48 AM and faced intense fire conditions. The occupants were found in the rear yard as they had escaped safely.

    A passerby stayed with the couple, and paramedic crews checked them out as they were shaken but physically uninjured.

    Firefighters were able to save some of the couple’s personal paperwork, prescriptions, and other important items, according to the Department.

    Investigators are working on determining the cause. LSFD, in coordination with the family and the Red Cross, made sure the couple had a place to stay and were taken care of.

    Message from LSFD Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder

    ONCE AGAIN WE ARE REMINDED: WORKING SMOKE ALARMS SAVE LIVES!

    This morning’s fire could have had a much more tragic outcome, and the community could be mourning several losses. Thankfully, the home had working smoke alarms. 
     
    Firefighters from LSFD, through our regular community-wide smoke alarm canvassing program, had recently replaced the home’s smoke alarm with new batteries.

    Roughly three out of five fire deaths happen in homes with either no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. More than one-third (38 percent) of home fire deaths result from fires in which no smoke alarms are present. The risk of dying in a home fire is cut in more than half in homes with working smoke alarms!  

    LIFE SAVING TIPS FOR HOMEOWNERS, RENTERS, SLEEP-OVERS  & FOR DORMITORIES 

    Working smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms save lives by quickly giving you and your loved ones an early warning signal that something is wrong. Fire spreads fast, and carbon monoxide is a silent killer. Working alarms are the most critical component of your escape plan.

    • Be sure to have the right type of alarm. Alarms must be approved by Underwriters Laboratories (look for a UL mark) and have an audible end-of-life warning. All new and replacement smoke alarms should have a sealed 10-year battery that is non-replaceable and non-removable.
    • Have both smoke alarms and a CO alarm (or a combination smoke/carbon monoxide alarm). One type of alarm is not a substitute for the other.
    • If your alarm still uses removable batteries, be sure to change them twice a year. A great reminder is changing batteries on days when clocks are changed for daylight saving time. Replace these alarms with ones that contain sealed 10-year batteries as soon as possible.
    • Have a smoke and CO alarm installed on every floor in your home.
    • Make sure to install smoke alarms outside of individual sleeping areas.
    • Be aware that CO alarms don’t substitute for smoke alarms.
    • Know the sound differences between your smoke and CO alarms.

    If you are unable to purchase a smoke alarm, the Loveland-Symmes FD will provide one and install it for you at no cost. This service is also available from other area fire departments in each community.

    The Loveland-Symmes Fire Department in conjunction with the American Red Cross will come out and test your smoke detectors, inspect their location, and or replace defective batteries and detectors. We will also install a new detector on each door of your home if needed. Please submit your information to the Fire Prevention Request Form and the best time to come out to your home. Please email  web-fireprevention@lsfd.org to get more information and schedule a time to check/change your smoke detectors.

  • Fire Safety Concerns for Aluminum Wiring in Homes

    Fire Safety Concerns for Aluminum Wiring in Homes

    This article was written by Captain Trey Foust of the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department

    Loveland and Symmes Township, Ohio – During the 1960’s and 1970’s, aluminum wiring became a popular choice for electrical installations in homes. It was seen as an affordable alternative to copper wiring, which had become expensive due to high demands for copper. However, over the years, it has become evident that aluminum wiring poses significant safety risks, in relation to fire hazards. Residents may be at a greater risk of a fire if their home has aluminum wiring.

    The Risks of Aluminum Wiring

    The primary safety concern with aluminum wiring lies in its material properties and the way it interacts with electrical systems over time.

    Key risks associated with aluminum wiring:

    • Thermal Expansion & Contraction: Aluminum expands and contracts more than copper when exposed to the heat generated by electrical currents. Over time, this expansion and contraction can loosen connections, leading to arcing and overheating, both of which significantly increase the risk of fire.
    • Oxidation: Aluminum reacts with oxygen in the air to form aluminum oxide, a substance that is less conductive than the base metal. This oxidation increases resistance at connections, causing them to heat up and potentially ignite nearby flammable materials.
    • Galvanic Corrosion: When aluminum wiring is connected to copper wiring or terminals, a chemical reaction called galvanic corrosion can occur. This process deteriorates the connection, leading to increased resistance and heat generation.
    • Brittleness: Aluminum is softer and more prone to damage than copper. Over time, aluminum wires can become brittle, increasing the likelihood of breaks or fractures, which can lead to arcing and sparks.

    Signs of Potential Issues

    Homeowners with aluminum wiring should be aware of warning signs that could indicate electrical problems, such as:

    • flickering lights;
    • unusual warmth or discoloration around outlets or switches;
    • a smell of burning plastic;
    • sparking when plugging in or unplugging appliances.

    Fire Statistics

    Studies have shown that homes with aluminum wiring are more likely to experience electrical fire compared to homes with copper wiring. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), homes built with aluminum wiring are 55% more likely to have a fire hazard at connections than homes with copper wiring.

  • Carrington Crossing condominium fire displaces 35 residents

    Carrington Crossing condominium fire displaces 35 residents

    Loveland, Ohio – Around midnight the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department (LSFD) responded a fire at the Carrington Crossing condominium complex on Carrington Lane and immediately went to a 2nd alarm.

    The fire started on the second floor of the three story building and spread to the roof, throughout the attic of the other units and eventually involved the entire building. The second floor where the fire started collapsed.

    About 35 people were displaced from 24 units however no one was injured and all residents escaped on their own.

    LSFD reported that based upon multiple calls and reports of people on balconies, “Battalion 62 struck a second alarm prior to arrival.”

    Per Chief Otto Huber, “The fire started after a resident used a burning tool on her fingernails and something began to melt. She caught the overflow in a container and thought she had it under control but it got so hot it caught fire and ignited, rapidly going up the wall of her condo, over the firewall separating her unit from others and then into the attic.”

    This video was posted on the LSFD Instagram page:

  • Residents of Loveland & Symmes Township: Upcoming Citizens Fire Academy

    Residents of Loveland & Symmes Township: Upcoming Citizens Fire Academy

    Loveland, Ohio. – The Loveland Symmes Fire Department (LSFD) is looking for City of Loveland and Symmes Township community members to attend their Citizens Fire Academy, starting Wednesday evening, July 31. 
     
    The Citizens Fire Academy offers adult citizens from our community the opportunity to learn about their fire department. As an academy participant, you will get an introduction to the fire department and learn how firefighters and paramedics do their jobs.

    Classes will be held on Wednesday evenings from 7 PM to approximately 9 PM starting July 31 with graduation Monday, September 9th.

    The LSFD Citizens Fire Academy has a great history of success that we are very proud of. Past participants reported that they truly enjoyed the training and developed a much better understanding of the level of training and dedication firefighters need to perform their tasks. One participant said that she expected that most of the training would be in the classroom and was surprised that it was hands-on education as well.

    “Our Citizens Fire Academy is a fun and easy way to see demonstrations and participate in hands-on training at your own comfort level. You will meet some of our firefighters and have the opportunity to handle some of our equipment” said LSFD Chief Otto Huber. Examples include hose and ladder operations, the use of firefighting equipment, and the ability to see the vehicles and other equipment up close. Huber said, “Naturally this is done in a safe and supervised level and is for people of any ability whatsoever-everyone is welcome.”

    How to Sign up for the LSFD Citizens Fire Academy:

    SCAN THE QR CODE

    EMAIL: TFOUST@LSFD.org

    CALL: 513-697-2384

  • Preview: Loveland ‘s new Historic Downtown’s Station 63 fire house

    Preview: Loveland ‘s new Historic Downtown’s Station 63 fire house

    Rendering of a new firehouse for Historic Downtown

    Loveland, Ohio – The City recently promoted a glimpse of what a new fire station will look like that will be built in Historic Downtown. A new Station 63 will be located one block East of the current station.

    The current Station 63 firehouse at the intersection of East Loveland Avenue and State Route 48 will be relocated to 220 East Loveland Avenue adjacent to The Trails at East Loveland senior apartment community.

    In making the announcement, Loveland-Symmes Fire Department fire Chief Otto Huber said, “I would like to thank the citizens’ working group who helped evaluate the new location. The station will provide much needed safety upgrades for our firefighters and will help us provide service to the community for decades to come.”

    The new station will be one-third larger and have two road entry points. One from from O’Bannon Avenue and one from East Loveland Avenue, and features more lot space to maneuver equipment according to City Hall.

    The Current Fire Station in Historic Downtown on East Loveland Avenue and State Route 48.

    At more than 10,000 square feet, the station will feature two pull-through apparatus bays, one back-in bay, training rooms, ample storage for fire and EMS equipment, full living quarters, office space, and public restrooms. The building will be one story with garage door heights of 14 feet.

    The City says that it did not financially, make sense to renovate the existing firehouse and that multiple safety upgrades were needed. “For instance, today’s code would require an elevator to be installed — a huge expense for a building lacking other needed modern amenities. The current station has no pull-through bays, and its intersection location poses challenges.”

    “There were many reasons to rebuild the station, but the key reason came back to response time. Having pull-through bays and more access points dramatically can improve crews’ response,” explained Assistant City Manager Cory Wright.

  • Symmes Township Fire Department Achieves ISO 1 Classification

    Symmes Township Fire Department Achieves ISO 1 Classification

    Phil Beck, Jodie Leis, and Ken Bryant

    Symmes Township, Ohio – The Symmes Township Trustees (pictured above placing the new ISO classification placard on their 100’ Sutphen platform) announced to residents the improved ISO 1 classification for their community.

    Symmes Township provides fire, rescue, and emergency medical services through a joint fire service agreement with the neighboring City of Loveland. The Loveland-Symmes Fire Department (LSFD) provides this service as a career fire and EMS department operating from four (4) stations strategically located throughout the township and the city.

    Symmes Township Trustee President Ken Bryant (Provided Photo)

    The LSFD is dual accredited nationally through the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) and the Commission on Ambulance Accreditation (CAAS).

    Symmes Township Trustee President Ken Bryant stated, “We are incredibly proud of the LSFD for working so hard over many years to accomplish this goal. Our Loveland-Symmes firefighters and paramedics work tirelessly to save lives and property and to keep our residents, businesses, and visitors safe and are an integral part of our township.

    Mrs. Jodi Leis said, “It is our firefighters’ proactive involvement in nearly every aspect of our community that helps make Symmes Township a great place to live, work and play.”

    Symmes Township Trustee Jodi Leis (Provided Photo)

    “This accomplishment was only possible because of the work of our dedicated staff, the support and guidance of our elected officials, and the continued support of our residents.” stated Fire Chief Otto J. Huber. “The mission of the LSFD is to provide the most technologically advanced fire and EMS with the highest trained professionals, and to deliver that service to our residents with loyalty and compassion. Our members live that mission every day” the Chief added.

    Trustee Phil Beck said “As elected officials, we take the responsibility of providing emergency services to the residents as our highest priority. This improvement in our fire department’s rating brings added value to our residents which is the benchmark we try to achieve when making decisions on our residents’ safety and spending their tax dollars.”

    ISO is an independent organization that evaluates fire protection efforts in communities across the country. The organization collects information on communities and analyzes the data using its Fire Suppression Rating Schedule.

    This Fire Suppression Rating Schedule evaluates four primary categories of fire suppression – fire department, emergency communications, water supply, and community risk reduction. Fire services are ranked between 1 and 10.

    The Class 1 ISO rating will rank the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department as one of only 383 Fire Departments in the U.S. that are ISO 1 classified. To ensure the best is serving their community, LSFD’s chief fire officers and captains also hold credentials in their capacities through the Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPSE), the Ohio Fire Chiefs Foundation Executive Leadership Program, the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program, as well as, related professional leadership training and fire command certification programs.

    Township Administrator Kim Lapensee stated, “Building strong relationships with our neighbors along with our township’s strong efforts to manage with strategic planning while maintaining fiscal reasonability to the taxpayers shows how grassroots township government can and does work for the people.”

    Story from the Symmes Township monthly newsletter

  • Loveland-Symmes Fire Department receives Accredited Agency status

    Loveland-Symmes Fire Department receives Accredited Agency status

    LSFD remains one of only nine organizations in the State of Ohio that have received Accreditated Agency status

    Loveland, Ohio – The Loveland-Symmes Fire Department (LSFD) has received Accredited Agency status with the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) for meeting the criteria established through the CFAI’s voluntary self-assesment and accreditation program.

    LSFD is one of more than 250 agencies to achieve Internationally Accredited Agency status with the CFAI and the Center for Public Safety Excellence, Inc. (CPSE).

    CFAI is dedicated to assisting the fire and emergency service agencies throughout the world in “achieving excellence through self-assessment and accreditation in order to provide continuous quality improvement and the enhancement of service delivery to their communities.” The CFAI process is voluntary, and provides an agency with an improvement model to assess their service delivery and performance internally and then works with a team of peers from other agencies to evaluate their completed self-assessment.

    “LSFD’s achievement of Accreditated Agency status demonstrates the commitment of the organization to provide the highest quality of service to our community.” said LSFD Chief Otto Huber. “We have been able to use the CFAI’s process as a proactive mechanism to plan for the future of this agency and locate areas where we can improve on the quality of services we provided.”

    This recent achievement of Accreditated Agency status is the second consecutive five year period that LSFD has earned this distinction. LSFD remains one of only nine organizations in the State of Ohio that have received Accreditated Agency status.

  • Loveland-Symmes Fire Department awarded five Samsung/Android tablets

    Loveland-Symmes Fire Department awarded five Samsung/Android tablets

    by Bruce Hawk,

    The Ohio Division of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) selected the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department (LSFD) as an awardee of five Samsung/Android tablets.

    The advancements in technology have allowed for improvements in the ability or firefighters to document the care that they provide to their customers. Tablets can be utilized to assist in the process of documenting critical patient care more effectively. In addition, tablets can provide valuable information to emergency responders during critical incidents. The ability to decrease the amount of time spent documenting actions allows for an increase of focus to be given to the actual patient care being provided.

    Jon Frye, Deputy Chief of Communications and Technology for the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department stated, “These tablets will allow our firefighters to continue to provide the highest quality of care to our customers. LSFD continues to remain on the cutting edge of technology.”

    Captain Bruce Hawk is the Public Information Officer of the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department

    The Loveland-Symmes Fire Department is continuously seeking methods to improve the emergency response capabilities for our EMS. These tablets will directly impact the Loveland-Symmes Fire Department’s ability to effectively document the care we provide to our customers. LSFD continues to adhere to their mission statement, “to provide the most technologically advanced fire and rescue service with the highest trained professionals and to deliver that service to our customers with loyalty and compassion.”

  • Local Fill-a-Fire-Boot Campaign on August 12

    Local Fill-a-Fire-Boot Campaign on August 12

     

    Loveland, Ohio – Members of the Loveland Symmes Fire Department will take to the streets on August 12 from 8:30 AM until noon to raise funds for the Firefighter Cancer Support Network. Chief Huber said, “I am very proud of our staff as they recognize the growing cancer problem within the fire service and step up to be part of the solution.” 

    Firefighters across the country are being diagnosed with work related cancers everyday.  The chemicals that firefighters are exposed to in today’s fire related emergencies far exceed anything seen in the industry in the past 50 years. The State of Ohio has recently passed cancer presumption legislation to assist firefighters with receiving the care they need and deserve.

    Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder

    Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder, a board member of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation said, “We have a long way to go in changing the landscape of protecting our firefighters to the exposure they receive on the fire ground. Our department is up to the challenge and are making great strides everyday to better serve and protect our members.”

    During the boot drive, the Loveland and Symmes communities will see LSFD firefighters along main roads.

    If you would like to donate, you may stop at any of LSFD’s four fire stations or call 513-583-3001.  If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Captain Bruce Hawk at 513-683-6118 or bhawk@lsfd.org.

    New offerings for your child at VisionArts studio in Loveland

    Help your child improve their academic performance this school year by enrolling them in the creative arts program at VisionArts studio in Loveland!