Spotlight

IS THERE A LITTLE ORANGE FLAG IN YOUR YARD?  OR MAYBE SOME ORANGE PAINT MARKINGS?

If there are flags or markings in or on your yard or near your yard, it means somebody – a neighbor or someone planning to do construction work near your yard – has called Missouri One Call Systems to have all nearby utilities located.  When someone is going to dig up the ground for any reason, they are required to locate utilities first.  The company that locates the utilities will come out and mark with paint all the utility locations in the vicinity so that whoever is digging will not dig up a utility line.  Now you can find out what’s going on simply and easily.

Missouri One-Call Systems (MOCS) has added a helpful feature to their Website – the ability to research utility-locating work by area.  “Ticket Search” gives the general public the ability to obtain information about utility-locate work being done in their area, who’s digging in a specific area, and what they are doing.  Users can search by ticket number, if they have one, or they can define the search using other criteria such as date, address, excavator name, etc.  Click here to go directly to the "Ticket Search" page.

Safety and Emergency Management

The City's Emergency Management Plan is currently being revised; please check back soon. We also provide helpful articles and tip sheets on a variety of safety issues on this page.  These are organized seasonally (e.g., tornado safety during tornado season, pool safety tips during the summer, etc.).  If there is a safety issue you would like to see discussed here, please email the City's Public Information Officer at vonbehen@kirkwoodmo.org.
EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS

To contact the Kirkwood Safety / Emergency Management Department:

     Director, Safety/Emergency Management:  Christian Dunman
     Email:  dunmancl@kirkwoodmo.org
     Phone: 314-822-5808

Seasonal Safety and Informational Tips


Fireplaces and Wood-Burning Stoves:  Safety Tips from the Kirkwood Fire Department

The winter heating season is upon us, and the Kirkwood Fire Department would like to take this time to remind people of the dangers of wood-burning appliances. More than one-third of Americans use fireplaces, wood stoves, and other fuel-fired appliances as primary heat sources in their homes. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the fire risks when heating with wood and solid fuels.

Heating fires account for 36 percent of residential fires in rural areas every year. Often, these fires are due to creosote buildup in chimneys and stovepipes. All home heating systems require regular maintenance to function safely and efficiently. Here are some helpful safety tips from the Fire Marshal:

  • Have your chimney or wood stove inspected and cleaned annually by a competent and qualified chimney specialist.
  • Clear the area around the hearth of debris, decorations, and flammable materials.
  • Leave glass doors open while burning a fire. Leaving the doors open ensures that the fire receives enough air to ensure complete combustion and keeps creosote from building up in the chimney.
  • Most glass fireplace doors have a metal mesh screen which should be closed when the glass doors are open. This mesh screen helps keep embers from getting out of the fireplace area.
  • Close the glass doors when the fire is out to prevent air from the chimney top from getting into the room.
  • Always use a metal mesh screen with fireplaces that do not have a glass fireplace door.
  • Install stovepipe thermometers to help monitor flue temperatures.
  • Keep air inlets on wood stoves open and never restrict air supply to fireplaces. Otherwise, you may cause creosote buildup that could lead to a chimney fire.
  • Use fire-resistant materials on walls around wood stoves.

A Word About Space Heaters:

Be Safe with Space Heaters:  Having a portable space heater in your home may be a good way to cut down on heating bills, but exercising caution with these devices is vital to your family's safety. In 2008, U.S. fire departments responded to 66,100 home structure fires that involved heating equipment. These fires caused 480 civilian deaths, 1,660 civilian fire injuries, and $1.1 billion in direct property damage.

The leading factor contributing to ignition for home heating fire deaths (52%) was heating equipment too close to things that can burn, such as upholstered furniture, clothing, a mattress, or bedding. The Kirkwood Fire Department asks that all Kirkwood and Oakland residents use caution when operating space Space Heaterheaters and wood burning appliances. Remember: Never plug a space heater into an extension cord. Always maintain clearance around space heaters. Be safe!

MORE WINTER SAFETY TIPS (BELOW)


SPRING SAFETY TIPS

TORNADO SAFETY: WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO PREPARE

TORNADOES:  ARE YOU READY?

15 TORNADO SAFETY TIPS

TORNADOES:  A SLIDE SHOW

FOR KIDS:  TORNADO SAFETY LESSONS

SUMMER SAFETY TIPS

EXCESSIVE HEAT

SUNBURN SAFETY FOR KIDS

EXTREME HEAT:  KNOW THE TERMS

EXTREME HEAT - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

SUMMER SWIMMING SAFETY

Lightning Safety Tips

LIGHTNING STRIKES are also a summer safety issue. It may seem like a hassle when the lifeguard at Kirkwood Pool tells you to get out of the water because thunder has been heard, but the scary truth is that water is a deadly place to be when lightning strikes occur. July is the deadliest month for lightning strikes. Click here for information on staying safe during a lightning storm [Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration].


Fitness and Wellness

Click here to open a Parks & Recreation flyer on current fitness classes and programs being offered.  For more information about our classes, programs, and facilities, please visit the Parks & Recreation pages on this Website.


WINTER SAFETY TIPS:

BLIZZARD AWARENESS DEVELOPING A FAMILY DISASTER PLAN

PURCHASING A GENERATOR

GENERATOR SAFETY

JUST HOW COLD IS IT?

HYPOTHERMIA:  HOW TO RECOGNIZE IT

SHOVELING SNOW THE SAFE WAY

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU'RE STRANDED

WHAT CAUSES WINTER STORMS?

WHAT TO DO DURING A POWER OUTAGE

WINTERIZING YOUR CAR

Holiday Safety Tips

The Thanksgiving weekend kicks off the holiday season.  It's the first big shopping weekend before Christmas, and it's also a weekend when many people travel to visit friends and relatives. Thanksgiving is also one of the most dangerous holidays on Missouri's roadways.

Arrive alive this holiday, by following these safety tips:

  • Plan your trip.
  • Stay alert and make safety your first priority.  Inattention is a leading cause of traffic crashes.
  • Expect the unexpected.  Pay close attention to those motorists around you.
  • Drive the speed limit and obey all traffic rules and signs.  Speeding was a contributing factor in 30 percent of the fatal and personal injury crashes during the last holiday period.
  • Drive courteously.
  • Move over or slow down if you see emergency personnel on the side of the road with their lights flashing.
  • Minimize distractions:  Turn down the radio, and don't use your mobile phone while driving.
  • Turn on your headlights so others can see you.
  • Use safety belts and child safety seats.  The use of seat belts and child restraints is one of the most effective ways to prevent death and personal injury when a traffic crash happens.
  • Get plenty of rest before your trip.  Change drivers if you feel tired.
  • Don't drive if you have been drinking.
  • Allow plenty of distance before entering or crossing a roadway and when approaching oncoming traffic.

Information provided by the Safety Council of Greater St. Louis

Arrive Alive is the theme of the safety campaign sponsored by the
Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!