Happy Thanksgiving

Vehicle Crashes in to Raytown Drug Store

Raytown Fire Protection District

Press Release

Vehicle Crashes in to Raytown Drug Store

PIO Assigned: Matt Mace, Interim Fire Chief  

Follow up Info: Matt Mace, Interim Fire Chief

Date: Location: 10004 E 63^rd Street, Raytown, MO   

Time of the call: 12:31

First Unit on the scene: Raytown P-51

Number of Units: 3

Number of Firefighters: 12

Injuries: 1

Property Loss/Damage: Unknown

Contents Loss: Unknown

Property Saved: Unknown          

Additional information: A pickup truck traveling on Raytown Road lost control, left the roadway, and came to rest approximately 12 feet inside of Fox’s Drug Store.  A single male occupant of the truck was treated on the scene and transported with life threatening injuries to a local hospital. 

**END**

SMOKE DETECTORS SAVE LIVES

Remember to change your batteries regularly

Holidays in the Fire Station

In the living room, children play on the floor while their parents sit in armchairs, dinner plates in their laps.

Around the corner in the kitchen, other parents and kids sit around a dinner table, a full Thanksgiving spread sitting on the counter nearby.

It could be any number of holiday gatherings, but this one was happening at Raytown Fire Protection District station No. 2 on Saturday night, where the 5 firefighters and paramedics on duty invited their families in for their own holiday dinner and tree trimming party.

“On holidays, we gather together just like any other family” states Captain Phillip Giegerich. 

“We spend about one-third of their lives together in this station and we always say that this is our second family," explains Interim Fire Chief Matt Mace  

At the Raytown Fire Protection District, three crews split up 24-hour shifts that start and end at 7 a.m. So there's a one-in-three chance that your crew will be working on Thanksgiving or any other single holiday.

The firefighters, and their families enjoyed a wide-ranging spread on Saturday: turkey, ham, green-bean casserole, cheesy corn, all manner of pies.

Following dinner all of the children and grandchildren helped decorate the fire station Christmas tree.  

"My daughters and grand-daughters love it," said Tom Ratterman, a firefighter/paramedic. "They like to see what I do and the people I work with."

Of course, one key difference between this gathering and those elsewhere is that many members of this "family" may at any moment be called to don fire gear and head out to an emergency.

Several family members can recall sitting down to a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner here, only to have the alarms go off right away.

“We just keep eating and wait patiently for our husbands and dads to return”, Val Ratterman states. "When the alarm sounds, they go, and we know to just hang out and they will return as soon as they can," Val said.

If you would like more information about this posting or the Raytown Fire Protection District in general please contact Matt Mace at 816-737-6034 or email at Mattm@raytownfire.com.

Thanksgiving Safety

With Thanksgiving approaching, the Raytown Fire Protection District is urging anyone frying a turkey to take safety precautions so their celebration doesn’t turn into tragedy.

More cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year, according to State Farm claims data. In fact, grease and cooking-related claims more than double on Thanksgiving Day compared to an average day in November. With the popularity of turkey frying, people are at risk for fryer-related fires and injuries.

U.S. fire departments are responding to more than 1,000 fires each year in which a deep fryer is involved. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), deep fryer fires result in more than $15 million in property damage each year and hot oil splatter can cause serious burns to an adult or life threatening injuries to a child. 

Turkey fryers use a substantial quantity of cooking oil at high temperatures and pose a significant danger.

The number one rule to remember is never fry a frozen turkey. Make sure it’s thawed and dry and that the grease is heated to about 350-degrees.

Even following the proper safety guidelines, grease can splash all over the place and start a small fire which could get out of control. That’s why you should wear a long sleeved shirt, pants (not shorts) and eye protection. Please make sure you have everything you need in case there’s trouble like the lid to the pot and a ABC class fire extinguisher, not a garden hose. Another important thing to remember is that oil remains hot for hours after the unit is turned off.

While we do not encourage turkey frying, we do offer some tips to make sure you and your family are safe should you decide to attempt this at home.

•  Never use Turkey Fryers on wooden decks or in a garage.
• Make sure the fryer is used on a flat surface to reduce tipping.
• Never leave the fryer unattended. Most units do not have thermostat controls. If you don’t watch the fryer carefully, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire.
•  Never let children or pets near the fryer while in use. Even after use, use caution; the oil inside the cooking pot can remain dangerously hot for hours.
•  Do not overfill the fryer.
• Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and be careful with marinades. Oil and water don’t mix, and water causes oil to spill over, creating a fire or even an explosion hazard.

If you would like more information about the dangers of turkey fryers, please contact Matt Mace at 816-737-6034 or email at Mattm@raytownfire.com.

Request for proposal

Request for proposal

The Raytown Fire Protection District will accept sealed proposals for replacement of the Fire District’s computer server and associated work until 3:00 PM on 11/27/2013. Proposals must be submitted at 6020 Raytown Trfwy., Raytown, MO 64133. A mandatory pre-bid meeting for interested vendors will be held at the same location on 11/20/13 at 9:00 AM. Instruction for submitting proposals and scope of work information may be obtained at the above address. Questions should be directed to Battalion Chief Mike Hunley at (816) 737-6034. The Raytown Fire Protection District reserves the right to reject any and all proposals.

To read the actual RFP document click here: RFP for server replacement

Raytown Fire Protection District trains with KCFD for fighting high-rise fires.

Raytown firefighters train for a situation that's often times more hazardous than others. Fires occurring in high-rise buildings ( structures greater than 75 feet tall) are in a category all to themselves. More space with more people could make putting out a fire more challenging. But the Raytown Fire Protection District with the aid of KCFD is trying to instill new techniques, which should aid in the extinguishment of these types of fires. Smoke rises, and so does this training, Since September 11, 2001 the fire service has studied the techniques used to extinguish high-rise fires and as a result of these studies it has become apparent change was needed.

"These types of fires do not happen often, obviously. But when they do it takes a lot of work and coordination to be able to handle a high rise operation correctly." Matt Mace, Interim Chief of the Raytown Fire Protection District.

"Previously, we would use an inch and three quarter attack line for high rise buildings, but now firefighters use a two and a half inch attack line. With the hoses we were using prior to what we have now, it wouldn't supply us with enough water, so we couldn't provide enough volume of water for the fire.” Ty Helphrey, Captain Raytown Fire Protection District.

“Raytown crews will continue to attend this training over the next three days.  By doing this,  all of our personnel will have an opportunity to attend. While attending this training KCFD will be standing by in our stations to provide coverage to Raytown citizens. “Matt Mace, Interim Chief of the Raytown Fire Protection District.

To watch the the training click here: KCFD high-rise training