Ad-Express and Daily Iowegian, Centerville, IA

Local News

October 18, 2012

'City Wide Resiliency Day' Oct. 20 to share fire safety tips

CENTERVILLE — Centerville residents, don't be surprised when a volunteer shows up at your house this Saturday to talk about fire safety.

The Centerville Fire Department, city, American Red Cross and state fire marshal's office are working together to bring awareness and provide fire safety information to Centerville residents in what is being described as a "City Wide Resiliency Day" on Oct. 20.

Centerville Fire Department Capt. Vern Milburn said Centerville Rotary members and other local organizations have committed to the canvassing effort.

Milburn said the more volunteers that show up at the Centerville Fire Station Saturday starting at 8 a.m. the better chance they have to canvass every residence in town — 2,241 in all.

"I'm hoping for a pretty good turnout here on Saturday," Milburn said. "That would be good not only for us but for the Red Cross and the community to see that things are getting done and we're trying to get things done."

Milburn said volunteers will have "cheat sheets" to help answer questions and will be loaded with not only fire safety literature but with storm and tornado literature to leave behind with residents. Another thing volunteers will be doing is collecting names and addresses of homes where the owner doesn't have a smoke alarm but would like to get one, for free.

Centerville firefighters will take that information and on a later date go to all of those homes with smoke alarms and install one, Milburn said.

Milburn said the idea to canvass every residence in town came from Tony Burke and the Red Cross. Milburn said he realized it was a great opportunity to spread the message about fire prevention.

"We're always heavy into fire prevention," Milburn said. "Anything we can do to try and prevent a fire, we're in to that."

A lot of volunteers are needed to make it all happen. Want to get involved to help canvass every Centerville residence in one day to talk about fire safety?

Call Mary Kruger at (515) 471-8328, email mary.kruger@redcross.org, call the Centerville-Rathbun Lake Area Chamber of Commerce at (641) 437-4102 or call Milburn at (641) 856-2314 to sign up.

And if you volunteer, the American Red Cross will serve you lunch.

Last year, the Red Cross responded to about 63,000 home fires across the country by providing comfort and basic necessities to more than 82,000 families, according to a Red Cross press release.

“We respond to about one home fire every nine minutes across the country. The best thing you can do to protect your loved ones is to install a smoke alarm and  develop and practice a fire escape plan,” said Tony Burke, Chapter Support Officer. “Fires can spread very quickly, so everyone at home, school and work should know what to do when they hear the sound of a smoke alarm.”

The Centerville Fire Department recommends every level of the house and inside bedrooms have smoke alarms, replace smoke alarm batteries once a year, test the alarm monthly, develop an escape plan everyone remembers and knows where to meet, practice the plan twice a year and in case of fire call 911 or the local emergency number.

And it may not be such a bad idea to download the American Red Cross First Aid App to at the Apple App Store and on Google Play for Android to get access to life-saving information on what to do for common, everyday first aid emergencies. Or go to www.redcross.org/homefires for additional fire safety tips.

Business, too, should be prepared. Fire is the most common of all business disasters. According to the United States Fire Administration, non-residential building fires resulted in $2.4 billion in losses in 2010. Companies, schools and other organizations can learn how to prepare for fires and other emergencies by becoming a member of the Red Cross Ready Rating Program at www.readyrating.org. Complete a free, online assessment of your current readiness level and receive customized feedback with tips to improve preparedness.

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, visit redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

Text Only
Local News
  • Facilities open for use at Rathbun despite high water

    With high water levels at Rathbun Lake this spring, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the lake has crested and is lowering and that park facilities are open and ready for use.

    June 18, 2013

  • IHCC Honor Roll students OTTUMWA -- Indian Hills Community College has released the names of the students who were on the college's academic Honor Roll for the 2013 Spring Term. To be included on the Honor Roll, an IHCC student must be enrolled full-time and have a grade poi

    June 18, 2013

  • 061813 Parkinson's photo Local man is catalyst for Parkinson's Support Group Thanks to Jerry Boblenz, a Parkinson’s Support Group is starting in Appanoose County. Mercy Medical Center will be holding an initial meeting on Thursday, June 20 at 5:30 p.m. in the south cafeteria of the hospital. Thinking that he probably had a p

    June 18, 2013 1 Photo

  • Kirkwood Community College announces graduates CEDAR RAPIDS -- Kirkwood Community College has announced the graduating class of 2012-2013. College faculty and administration joined friends and family in saluting the grads at commencement ceremonies at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena in Cedar Rapids, M

    June 18, 2013

  • Truman State University announces Spring 2013 President's List KIRKSVILLE, Mo. -- Truman State University has released the Spring 2013 President's List. To qualify for this list, an undergraduate student must attain a semester 4.0 grade point average and must complete 12 semester hours of credit. Founded in 186

    June 18, 2013

  • Appanoose County road work County road work The Appanoose County Secondary Road Department reports the following road travel restrictions started Monday for 150th Avenue from 15129 150th Avenue to approx. 0.20 miles north of 15129 150th Avenue to replace a culvert. It is expe

    June 18, 2013

  • 061813 Loebsack photo Congressman Loebsack tours Rathbun Lake Watershed Of the many hats worn by John Sellers -- including Rathbun Land and Water Alliance Board Member, conservation minded landowner, Wayne County Supervisor and Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioner -- he added tour guide to the list when Cong

    June 18, 2013 1 Photo

  • Moravia blood drive Moravia Ruritan will hold a Moravia Community Blood Drive on Tuesday, June 25 at 1:30-6:30 p.m. at the Nazarene Church Fellowship Hall in Moravia. Blood donors are especially needed during the summer months as blood donations tend to decrease this t

    June 18, 2013

  • CHS Honor Roll Centerville High School fourth quarter Honor Roll * indicates 4.0 Ninth Grade Bailey, Braden *Barger, Alyssa Dean Becker, Desmond Chance *Boyle, Colleen Frances Bridges, Alissa Katelyn Butler, Wesley Michael *Caylor, Emily Marie Chapman. Melissa Lyn

    June 18, 2013

  • WEEKLY CALENDAR MONDAY 17 CENTERVILLE LEGION?POST 214, meets the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Continental at St. Joseph's in the meeting room to the right of the V.A. office. APPANOOSE COUNTY WEEKLY MEALS, invites everyone to enjoy a free meal and fe

    June 18, 2013

  • Itinerary for administrator search

    One item on the agenda for tonight's Centerville City Council meeting that goes into some detail is the itinerary for the search for a city administrator. Tonight's council meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.

    June 18, 2013

  • Conger answers call to service in FEMA Corps SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Rachel Conger, of Centerville, is one of 154 Sacramento-based young people serving in the nation's first class of FEMA Corps, a new unit of the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps solely devoted to disaster preparedness

    June 18, 2013

  • Centerville School Board approves several resignations, new employment contracts The Centerville School Board held a regular meeting and public hearing on Tuesday, June 11. The public hearing, held first, regarded the sale of the Cincinnati and Mystic Elementary buildings. The cities of Cincinnati and Mystic have both offered to

    June 18, 2013

  • 061713 McConville photo Local doctor retires after 37 years Thirty-seven years ago, Dr. Brad McConville returned to Centerville and began to practice what was described at the time as his “brand of medicine.” His brand of medicine included a solo practice in the early years which included being on call at all

    June 17, 2013 1 Photo

  • Administrator candidate What started as a list of 11 potential administrators for the city of Centerville has been narrowed down to five, four men and one woman. The Centerville City Council Tuesday night, June 4 during a work session meeting at City Hall were guided throug

    June 14, 2013

Obituaries
Featured Ads
Poll

The Iowegian wants readers to think about Centerville's search for a city administrator. So far the Daily Iowegian has published information about four of the city administrator candidates with the fifth profile to be published on Friday. Here are the names of the five candidates in the search: Patrick Antonen, Joe Gaa, Darrel Steven Carlyle, Chelsea Huisman and Alan Johnson. Who do you like? So, the question of the week is, "Based on what you have read so far about the five city administrator candidates, which one would you pick?"

A. Patrick Antonen
B. Joe Gaa
C. Darrel Steven Carlyle
D. Chelsea Huisman
E. Alan Johnson
     View Results
Iowegian on Facebook