Rusk Volunteer Fire Department is there when needed
BY BOB GOLDSBERRY

Thank you to all of the individuals and businesses for your generous support and assistance to the Rusk VFD during our annual fundraiser. Your donations make it possible for the fire department to have the equipment and supplies necessary to protect the Citizens of Rusk and Cherokee County.

"Spring Cleaning" season is just about here and most of us are planning on working outside to clean up yards and areas around our homes. Careless debris burning is a major cause of wildland fires in Texas. Everyone needs to cooperate and exercise extreme caution with all potential sources of wildfire ignition, if senseless and potentially deadly wildfires are to be avoided.

Please follow these "tips for safe debris burning" from the Texas Forest Service:

• Stay abreast of wildfire danger levels and heed warnings and bans on outdoor burning.

•Check for and comply with bans on outdoor burning. Call Rusk City Hall at (903) 683-2213 or Cherokee County at (903) 683-2324 to check on any burn bans that may have been issued.

• Avoid burning trash, leaves and brush on dry, windy days.

• Check to see if weather changes are expected. Postpone outdoor burning if shifts in wind direction, high winds or wind gusts are forecast.

• Before doing any burning, establish wide control lines down to bare mineral soil at least five feet wide around any burn barrels and even wider around brush piles and other piled debris to be burned. The larger the debris pile, the wider the control line that is needed to ensure that burning materials won't be blown or roll off the pile into vegetation outside the line.

• Stay with all outdoor fires, until they are completely out.

• Keep water and hand tools ready in case your fire should attempt to spread.

• Burn household trash only in a burn barrel or other trash container equipped with a screen or metal grid to keep burning material contained.

• Never attempt to burn aerosol cans; heated cans will explode. Flying metal may cause injuries and the explosion may scatter burning material into nearby vegetation and cause a wildfire.

Working with the Texas State Fire Marshal Office, the RVFD will visit the Rusk ISD campuses with a Mobile Fire Safety Demonstration Unit.

The unit will visit the primary, elementary and intermediate campuses on Feb. 26, 27 and 28.

The Fire Safety House is an effective tool in teaching children kitchen safety, exit drills in the home and other home safety tactics, precautions and proper safety procedures in the event of a fire.

The Fire Safety House is mobile travel trailer that has been turned into a scaled down "kid-sized" functional house.

Children locate potential fire hazards in a kitchen, living room, and bedroom.

They practice simple methods of eliminating potentially dangerous situations. They feel a "hot" door and locate an emergency escape route.

Finally, the children exit as the safety house fills with a nontoxic, water-based "smoke."

For additional information, please call the Rusk Fire Department at (903) 683-2213