Captain Schoppa Honored at 42nd Annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service

This weekend members of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department traveled to Emmittsburg, MD for the 42nd Annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service, the official national tribute to fallen firefighters. This year’s service honored 144 firefighters who died in the line of duty, including FCFRD’s own Captain Kimberly Schoppa. Her name was officially added to the memorial wall along with 79 firefighters who died in 2022 and 65 who died in previous years.

In addition to paying tribute to Captain Schoppa, our department members worked behind the scenes to ensure the weekend’s events went well, including performing honor guard duties and serving in the as part of the service’s fire service pipe and drums band. It was a fitting tribute to all fallen heroes both past and present.

Girls Fire and Rescue Academy Summer Camp

The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department is excited to announce dates for the 2023 Girls Fire and Rescue Academy summer camp. This year we are offering two separate camps, June 20 – 23 and June 27 – 30. The academy is open to rising 7th through 12th grade female students for the upcoming 2023 – 2024 school year. Participants should be a Fairfax County resident. The program is completely free of charge.

Learn more: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fire-ems/girls-academy

Reducing Occupational Cancer Risk After a Fire

It is Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month! Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department is committed to reducing occupational cancer risk. After fire incidents, firefighters go through a gross decontamination. Gear is then bagged and transported back to the fire station in an outside compartment or the fire hose bed of an engine. It is then picked up by the Logistics/Gear Center truck for transport to the gear cleaning center. Once clean, the gear is returned to the appropriate fire station by the logistics truck.

It is also recommended that crews shower and wash twice as soon as possible upon their return to the fire station from the fire scene.

Carbon Monoxide: A Colorless and Odorless Killer

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year more than 400 Americans die from unintentional CO poisoning not linked to fires, more than 20,000 visit the emergency room, and more than 4,000 are hospitalized. Take a moment to learn more about CO and how to protect you and your loved ones. 

CO combines with hemoglobin in our blood and robs the blood of the oxygen our body needs. Early symptoms of exposure are similar to the flu and include headache, fatigue, nausea, and confused thinking (so victims cannot think clearly enough to get assistance). Without treatment, the victim will lose consciousness, and if no help is given will lose their life.

CO is produced by combustion. Common causes are:

• Defective gas or oil furnaces and water heaters
• Cracked chimney flues
• Indoor use of charcoal grills
• Use of a gas oven or range to warm a room
• Running a car in an enclosed area such as a garage
• Running of a portable generator inside, or too close to, the home
• Closing the fireplace damper before the fire is completely out

CO poisoning is preventable. Actions you should take to protect your family are:

• Each year you should have a qualified technician inspect your gas furnace and appliances.
• Never allow your car to run in an enclosed area, especially if it is a garage attached to your house.
• Make sure your fireplace is in good repair and do not close the damper before the fire is out.
• Never use a generator inside your home, basement, or garage or less than 20 feet from any window, door, or vent.
• Install CO alarms to give your family a warning if CO is building up in your house.

CO alarms should be located on every floor and mounted according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If the alarm goes off, everyone should get out of the house at once and call the fire department by dialing 911 from a neighbor’s house. Do not ventilate your house by opening doors and windows. When the fire department personnel arrive, they will obtain CO readings in different areas of your home to determine the source of the CO.

Another very important point to remember is that you still need a working smoke alarm in every bedroom and on every level of your home!

Carbon monoxide (CO) Poisoning Fact Sheet – Select a Language:

• العربية pdf icon[PDF – 455 KB]
• 中文 pdf icon[PDF – 229 KB]
• Español pdf icon[PDF – 146 KB]
• Tiếng Việt pdf icon[PDF – 291 KB]

Help FCFRD Save a Life During Sudden Cardiac Arrest Emergencies! Download the PulsePoint App!

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) can happen to anyone, at any age, at any time. SCA is a leading cause of preventable death. For every minute that passes before help arrives, SCA survival decreases by 7%-10%.

In January of 2021, FCFRD launched the PulsePoint mobile app in Fairfax County. The PulsePoint app alerts resident bystanders nearby, trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), who can help victims before Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department firefighters and paramedics arrive. It also directs these potential resident rescuers to the exact location of the closest Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

The PulsePoint mobile app can be found in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.

Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

Getting ready to put up a real, or artificial, Christmas tree in your home? Before you do, you need to pause a moment and review some important information from our friends at the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI).

Did you know that 1/3 of all Christmas tree fires are a result of electrical failures or malfunctions? Many of these fires can potentially be prevented by following some of the simple steps outlined below.

Taking positive action today may help to ensure your Christmas is a safe and merry one.

Accessible information can be found: https://www.esfi.org/oh-christmas-tree-much-hazards-do-you-bring-thee/

Hybla Valley Building Fire Caused by Electrical Event Involving a Refrigerator

On Monday, December 5, at 7:07 p.m., units from Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department and the City of Alexandria Fire Department were dispatched for a reported building fire in the 2900 block of Woodlawn Trail in the Hybla Valley area of Fairfax County.

Units arrived on scene with smoke showing from a one-story, commercial building. Fire was located in the kitchen area and quickly extinguished. Crews found minor extension of the fire into the attic space and rapidly extinguished. No civilian or firefighter injuries were reported.

The business was closed at the time of the fire and unoccupied. A technician working on the exterior of the building saw smoke and reported the fire. There were working smoke alarms in the building.

Fire Investigators determined the fire was accidental in nature and started in the kitchen. The cause of the fire was an electrical event involving a refrigerator.

No one was displaced because of the fire. Red Cross services were not required. Damages as a result of the fire were approximately $93,750.

Get in S.T.E.P. and Make Sure to Fry The Turkey And NOT Your House

Using a Turkey Fryer this year to cook your Thanksgiving Dinner?  Get in S.T.E.P. (Safety Takes Every Person) With FCFRD This Holiday Season and make sure you fry the turkey and NOT your home!

If you must fry your turkey, please gobble up these tips from the Consumer Product Safety Commission:

• Use turkey fryers outside only and away from your home.
• Never use a turkey fryer in a garage or on a porch.
• Completely thaw and dry turkey before cooking
• Do not overfill the oil in the turkey fryer.
• If oil begins to smoke, immediately turn gas supply OFF.
• Never leave the turkey fryer unattended.

Get in S.T.E.P. (Safety Takes Every Person) With FCFRD This Holiday Season!

The holiday season is upon us! Unfortunately, this is also the time of year when Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department (FCFRD) starts to see an increase in home fires.

A large percentage of fires and injuries are totally preventable. With this in mind, Fire Chief John Butler is encouraging all Fairfax County residents to “Get in S.T.E.P. (Safety Takes Every Person) With FCFRD This Holiday Season”!

This seven-week campaign will focus on a variety of safety themes with a strong emphasis on ensuring all residents take an active role practicing and promoting safe behavior.

This week, FCFRD is highlighting heating safety. If you use a wood-burning stove or fireplace, make sure your chimney is clean and in good working order by having a licensed chimney sweep clean and inspect your chimney. This should be done at least once a year or possibly more if you use your fireplace or wood-burning stove frequently.

A dirty flue in your chimney can eventually result in a chimney fire that can spread to your home and cause significant damage. Please also make sure you use your fireplace or wood-burning stove safely and follow the recommended safety tips below.

• Never discard hot ashes inside or near the home. Place them in a covered metal container outside and well away from the house.

• If you use a wood-burning stove or fireplace, have a licensed chimney sweep clean and inspect your chimney at least once a year.

• Place a glass or metal spark screen in front of the fireplace and install caps on chimneys.

• Never use a flammable liquid (gasoline, kerosene, lighter fluid, etc.) to start a fire or rekindle a small one.

• Keep paper, clothing, trash, and other combustibles at least three feet away from your furnace, hot water heater, or wood-burning device.

• Follow manufacturer’s instructions carefully. Many “non-masonry” fireplace/chimney units have limitations on the amount of heat they can safely withstand.

You can follow the “Get in S.T.E.P.” campaign on our social media platforms. Please consider sharing all safety tips with family and friends and on your social media channels! The hashtag for the campaign is #SafeFairfax.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ffxfirerescue

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ffxfirerescue/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fairfaxcountyfirerescue/

NextDoor: https://nextdoor.com/agency/fairfax-county-fire-and-rescue-department/?i=rdpyqrszlyrlkhpqrrmx

I Checked My Smoke Alarm – Now What?

When you changed your clock over the weekend, you also checked your smoke alarms. Good job!

Having a working smoke alarm is just one important part of an overall plan to survive if your home catches fire. Another important part – a home fire escape plan.

Does your family have a home escape plan in case of fire? If not, you should.

Don’t know how to create a plan? We can help! Please take the time to go to our website to learn how to create a plan as well as use the worksheet provided to draw out your plan.

Go here: Family Home Fire Escape Plan

Once the plan is complete, take the time to test your plan by having a home fire drill. Also, please make sure you practice your plan at least twice a year.