Don't Drink and Drive - Innocent People Die

Texas has edged out California once again as the state with the most alcohol-related motor-vehicle fatalities and the highest number of fatalities with drivers over the .08% legal limit. These drunk driving statistics have shown improvement however. In 1982, the highest number of alcohol related deaths were reported, when 2,801 of our fellow citizens died. The lowest number were reported in 2008, with 1463. The percentage of traffic fatalities that were alcohol related was highest in 1982 also, with 66%. That percentage dropped to its lowest level in 2008 also, showing 43% of traffic fatalities as alcohol related.

For the most recent year reported, out of all traffic fatalities, 38% involved a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher, down from 61% in 1982.

COMING UP...

• Haunted House? - YES, we will be having a haunted house this year at the Fire Department for those who are wondering. It will be bigger and even better than the last if you can imagine that.. Check back here on the website closer to September for pricing and other information. Rules will be posted as well the closer we get to that time.
  
• A&M Fire Scool - On July 25-30, we will be sending 6+ fireman to this school to further their education in the fire service.

CONGRATULATIONS...

• To all the fireman who have worked so hard to get their State Introductory and Basic SFFMA Certifications. These firemen have put in many many hours of training in all aspects of firefighting and vehicle extrication.
• Mike Garrett for finishing his ECA and now has the Status of Commissioned Firefighter. Mike is one of our paid firemen and works Monday - Friday in addition to training hours.

WELCOME New Members and Prospective Members...

• As we continue to grow as a Fire Department and Family, more and more individuals are starting to come out to the Fire Department to see what it's all about and see if maybe their is a place for them.
• We encourage YOU to come out and see for yourself what we have to offer you. We have meetings every Monday Night at 7pm and you are welcome and encouraged to come see what it's all about. Minimum age is 18, however we do have a Jr. Firefighter program that starts at the age of 16. Click the link on the left (Junior FF Program) for more information.

PreFire Planning in Progress

The Noonday Fire Department is currently in the process of doing Pre Fire Plans in our district.

What does this mean to you?

Commercial buildings are the target of the planning at this time. All commercial buildings in the Noonday District will be a part of this planning. This will not affect the homeowners at this time, however, in an indirect way it will be a benefit to the homeowners as this is part of lowering your ISO Rating thereby reducing homeowner insurance costs.

How is a Pre Fire Plan Done?

The Fire Department will come to your business and measure the inside and outside of the structure. All rooms will be measured, notes will be made of the contents if applicable and basically how the structure is made, where all water, gas and electrical shutoffs are located. we will obtain information about any hazardous materials and their location and once this is done, these drawn out plans are put into a CAD system that will allow Incident command to pre-plan ahead of the firemen the dangers that may be ahead of them and better allow the fireman to do their jobs more efficiently and most of all Safely.

Why are we doing this?

Actually, All fire departments in Smith County are doing this. There is one main reason we are going to this length. SAFETY. As you know, Noonday lost two of its bravest on August 3rd 2007. There are no guarantees in firefighting, but one thing is for sure, we will do everything we can to create a safer firefighting experience and in addition the likelyhood of a better outcome to your business is increased as well.

Thank you and we look forward to speaking with you soon. If you would like to set up an appointment for your business, please contact Assistant Chief Gary Aarant @ 903-561-1170 or Todd Havard @ 903-561-3949 Monday-Friday 8am to 5pm and we will be happy to work with you any way we can.

Gary Aarant
Asst. Fire Chief
Noonday Fire Department
gary@noondayfire.com