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I'M THE SECURITY DIRECTOR FOR JEFFERSON PARISH.
TODAY I'M HERE WITH OUR DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES, STEVEN GIRES.
STEVEN, HOW YOU DOING? LOOK, WE'RE OUT HERE TODAY WITH THE ONSET OF HURRICANE SEASON.
UM, AND WE WANNA TALK ABOUT SOMETHING I THINK EVERYONE IN JEFFERSON PARISH KNOWS ABOUT, TO BE FRANK.
UM, PORTABLE GENERATORS AND THE SAFETY THAT COMES WITH THAT THIS YEAR IS JUST YOUR STANDARD PORTABLE GENERATOR.
EVERYONE'S SEEN 'EM, THEY COME IN TWO VARIETIES.
WE HAVE, UH, THIS VARIETY AND SOME OF THE, YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE WHOLE HOUSE GENERATORS, YOU KNOW, A GENERAC CHIEF.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST WAY TO INSTALL THIS AT A HOUSE, UH, IN JEFFERSON PARISH LIKE THIS? SHOULD I, UH, SHOULD I PUT IT UNDER MY PORCH IN THE GARAGE? WHERE, WHERE SHOULD THIS BE FOR IT TO BE SAFE? THIS IS A GREAT TOPIC, JOE.
YOU KNOW, UH, WHEN WE HAVE THESE STORM EVENTS, WE HAVE A LOT OF TIMES THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF PREVENTABLE DEBTS THAT ARE CAUSED BY, THAT ARE CAUSED BY IMPROPER GENERATOR USE AND CARBON MONOXIDE PARTS.
SO THIS IS A GREAT THING TO TALK ABOUT.
SO WHAT WE ALWAYS TELL EVERYBODY TO DO IS THE 20 20 20 RULE.
OKAY? SO THE FIRST 20 WE TALK ABOUT IS HAVING IT 20 FOOT AWAY FROM YOUR HOUSE.
SO WE WOULD REACH IT OUT FROM THE HOUSE TO HERE, HAVE TO GENERATOR THAT FAR AWAY FROM THE HOUSE.
UM, THE OTHER IMPORTANT THING IS LOOK AT YOUR EXHAUST.
SO YOU SEE THE EXHAUST RIGHT HERE IS FACING, YES.
YOU WANT THE EXHAUST FACING AWAY FROM THE HOUSE AND ALSO BE CONSIDERATE TO YOUR OTHER NEIGHBORS.
'CAUSE JUST 'CAUSE YOU'RE 20 FEET AWAY FROM YOUR HOUSE, YOU ALSO WANT IT TO BE 20 FEET AWAY FROM YOUR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE TOO.
OKAY? ANOTHER THINGS WE WANNA REMEMBER IS DON'T EVER START A GENERATOR OR RUN A GENERATOR INSIDE YOUR HOUSE, INSIDE YOUR GARAGE, UNDER A CARPORT, A SHED, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, OKAY? BECAUSE WITH THE DIFFERENT WINDS, THE, UH, CARBON MONOXIDE, THE FUMES WILL GO DIFFERENT PLACES AND CAN GET INTO YOUR HOUSE OR YOUR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSES.
OKAY? NOW, LET'S SAY, LOOK IT, IT'S STORM TIME.
UM, I'M INSIDE, YOU KNOW, FOR CONVENIENCE.
I, I'M SOMETIMES 20 FEET'S A, A GOOD DISTANCE.
BUT WHAT ABOUT, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT ME PUTTING IT MAYBE UNDER MY PORCH OR MAYBE IN MY GARAGE? YEAH, SO THAT'S NOT, THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT A GOOD IDEA.
UM, DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOUR HOUSE WILL FILL UP WITH THE EXHAUST FUMES TO COVER MONOXIDE IF YOU'RE RUNNING IT.
AND, UM, IT DEFINITELY COULD, COULD BE FATAL TO YOU INTO YOUR FAMILY.
SO WE ASK YOU TO KEEP IT OUTSIDE THE HOUSE, 20 FEET AWAY, OKAY? EXHAUST FACING AWAY, UM, FOR YOUR SAFETY AND YOUR FAMILY'S SAFETY.
OKAY? NOW, LET'S JUST SAY, I DON'T KNOW, HYPOTHETICALLY, SOMEBODY, UH, HAS IT TOO CLOSE TO THEIR HOUSE EITHER, UM, A FAMILY MEMBER OR NEIGHBOR FOR WHATEVER REASON, UH, IT WAS INAPPROPRIATELY UH, POSITIONED.
IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO DETECT THAT EXHAUST? UH, YOU KNOW, I, I WOULD THINK I WOULD SMELL IT.
WHAT, WHAT DO YOU THINK ON THAT? YES SIR.
SO ONE OF THE OTHER TWENTIES THAT WE USE IS CALLED A $20 DETECTOR.
SO FOR ABOUT 20 BUCKS YOU CAN GET A BATTERY OPERATED CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR.
OKAY? THESE, UH, YOU CAN PUT THESE INTO YOUR HOME, YOU CAN GET 'EM AT ANY, ANY BOX STORE OR ANY, ANY PLACE LIKE THAT.
AND THIS WILL DETECT CARBON MONOXIDE.
OKAY? CARBON MONOXIDE IS A COLORLESS, ODORLESS GAS.
YOU WON'T SMELL IT, YOU WON'T SEE IT.
YOU WON'T DO NOTHING, JOE, BEFORE YOU REALIZE THE EFFECTS ARE COMING ON, IT MIGHT BE TOO LATE.
OKAY? SO A SIMPLE $20 BATTERY OPERATED CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR CAN SAVE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY'S LIVES.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE BEST $20 WE HAVE EVER SPENT.
OKAY? WE RECOMMEND THAT EVEN EVERY HOUSE THAT HAS A GENERATOR HAS ONE, BUT IT'S ALSO NOT A BAD IDEA TO HAVE ONE, EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE A GENERATOR.
'CAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE RUNNING A GENERATOR.
IF FOR SOME REASON WITH THE WINDS, THE EXHAUST COULD GET BLOWN INTO YOUR HOUSE.
SO THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST $20 YOU COULD SPEND, UH, FOR YOUR FAMILY.
SO PRETTY MUCH YOUR RECOMMENDATION AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S RECOMMENDATION IS IF WE HAVE ONE OF THESE RUNNING, WE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY HAVE THIS AT THE SAME TIME.
YOU GOTTA HAVE ONE OF THOSE IN YOUR HOUSE.
WHAT ABOUT A MINIMUM OF ONE? WHAT ABOUT, UH, FIRE AND SMOKE ALARMS? IS THAT SOMETHING YOU THINK WE SHOULD DEFINITELY HAVE WITH THIS OR JUST IN GENERAL? DEFINITELY.
SO THE OTHER 20 THAT WE TALK ABOUT IS ALLOWING A 20 MINUTE COOL DOWN.
SO WHEN YOU RUN YOUR GENERATOR, BEFORE YOU TYPE TO DO ANY TYPE OF SERVICE OR REFUELING, YOU WANNA LET YOUR GENERATOR COOL FOR AT LEAST 20 MINUTES, OKAY? 'CAUSE A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE WILL TRY TO REFILL THE GAS TANK TOO FAST AND THAT COULD SET A FIRE, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A GENERATOR CATCHING ON FIRE, YOU BEING INJURED IN YOUR HOUSE, CATCHING ON FIRE.
SO YOU BROUGHT UP A GREAT POINT ABOUT SMOKE DETECTORS.
SO SMOKE DETECTORS SAVE LIVES EVERY SINGLE DAY WITH OPERATIONS.
YOUR LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS WILL ACTUALLY COME OUT AND INSTALL SMOKE DETECTORS IN YOUR HOUSE AT FREE, AT NO COST.
SO WE LIKE EVERYBODY TO DO IS NOW IS THE TIME, TAKE THE TIME NOW TO GET IN YOUR HOUSE, CHECK YOUR SMOKE DETECTORS IS AS EASY AS PRESSING AND HOLDING A BUTTON RIGHT HERE.
OKAY? THAT WILL MAKE THE SMOKE DETECTOR GO OFF AND MAKE SURE IT WORKS.
IF IT'S A BATTERY OPERATED SMOKE DETECTOR, CHECK THE BATTERIES.
UM, IF THEY NEED TO BE REPLACE, REPLACE 'EM.
NOW MAKE SURE YOU SMOKE DETECTORS ARE IN THE PROPER LOCATIONS, OKAY? UM, WE RECOMMEND THEM BEING AROUND THE LIVING AREAS AND WHERE YOU SLEEP AT, YOU WANT TO HAVE ONE IN THE BEDROOM, OUTSIDE THE BEDROOM.
AND THEN THE, UH, THE OTHER THING IS SMOKE DETECTORS HAVE A, HAVE A LOT.
SO THEY'RE ONLY GOOD FOR A LIFE EXPECTANCY OF ABOUT 10 YEARS.
OKAY? SO IF YOUR SMOKE DETECTOR IS MORE THAN 10 YEARS OLD, MAKE SURE YOU GET IT REPLACED.
AGAIN, ALL OF THE LOCAL DEPARTMENTS IN JEFFERSON PARISH, UH, PARTICIPATE IN OPERATION SAVE A LIFE.
YOU GIVE THEM A CALL, THEY'LL COME OUT AND INSTALL SMOKE DETECTORS IN YOUR HOME AT NO COST.
UH, AND PLEASE SPREAD THIS MESSAGE TO YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
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NEED SMOKE DETECTORS, CALL FOR THEM TOO.THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL COME OUT.
SO THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS JUST EAST BANK, WEST BANK, ALL OUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE VERY PROACTIVE WITH HELP ASSIST US GET FIRE ALARMS AND SMOKE ALARMS IF WE JUST DON'T HAVE CRIME AVAILABLE.
AND THIS IS PROGRAMMED THROUGH THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, THROUGH THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE.
SO THIS IS A, A BIG CAMPAIGN THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH TO EVERYBODY, NOT JUST IN JEFFERSON PARISH BUT THROUGHOUT THE STATE BECAUSE OKAY, THAT'S GREAT.
THIS A LITTLE SMOKE DETECTOR CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE AND YOUR FAMILIES.
ALRIGHT CHIEF, UM, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
UM, AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING OUR FIRST RESPONDERS DO DURING THESE TIMES.
WE JUST WANT EVERYBODY IN JEFFERSON PARISH TO BE SAFE AND REALIZE THAT POST AND PRE HURRICANE THERE ARE A LOT OF DANGERS, BUT IF WE TAKE STEPS TO INCREASE OUR SAFETY, IT'S GONNA BE BENEFICIAL TO ALL OF US AND OUR NEIGHBORS.
JOE, I JUST WANNA ADD A COUPLE EXTRA POINTS TOO ABOUT WHEN THEY, THEY'RE ACTUALLY GONNA USE THESE GENERATORS.
UM, PORTABLE GENERATORS ARE REALLY MADE TO BE USED EXTENSION CORD TO PLUG IN ONE OR TWO APPLIANCES.
A LOT OF TIMES YOU SEE THAT PEOPLE PUT, UM, INTERLOCKS ON THEIR HOUSES SO THAT THEY CAN TRY TO BACK FEED THEIR HOUSE.
IF THAT'S NOT DONE PROPERLY, IT COULD BE DANGEROUS TO TIRE LINEMEN.
SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE YOUR GENERATOR AND IF IMPROPERLY HOOKED UP, IT COULD BACK FEED THROUGH YOUR HOUSE'S WIRING TO THE TRANSMISSION LINES BEHIND YOUR HOUSE.
OKAY? AND IF ENERGY IS OUT THERE WORKING ON THE LINES, THIS COULD BE DEADLY OR DANGEROUS FOR THEM AND IT ALSO WILL SLOW DOWN THE RESTORATION PROCESS 'CAUSE THEY HAVE TO GO OUT AND FIND OUT WHOSE GENERATOR IS CAUSING THAT PROBLEM.
OKAY? SO IF YOU'RE GONNA USE IT, MAKE SURE THEY ALSO USE IT SAFELY IN THOSE MEANS.
UM, IF THEY'RE USING EXTENSION CORDS, MAKE SURE IT'S THE RIGHT GAUGE EXTENSION CORD THAT THEY'RE NOT USING TOO LONG OF AN EXTENSION CORD THAT CAN CAUSE A PROBLEM.
AND ALSO PEOPLE HAVE HOME HOUSE GENERATORS THAT ARE, THAT ARE PERMANENTLY INSTALLED ON THEIR FACILITIES.
UH, SO THEY HAVE A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT STEPS THAT THEY HAVE TO MEET TO DO THAT.
BUT THIS IS A GREAT TIME FOR THOSE PEOPLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE BEING PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND THAT THEY'RE SERVICED PROPERLY AND THAT THE EXHAUST IS PAINTED AWAY FROM THEIR HOUSE.
SO, AND THEY JUST, A COUPLE EXTRA THINGS WE CAN THROW IN THERE, THEY SHOULD STILL HAVE THESE, UM, CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS.
NO MATTER IF YOU'RE USING A PORTABLE GENERATOR OR A HOME HOUSE GENERATOR, YOU NEED TO HAVE THE CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS AND YOU NEED TO HAVE THE SMOKE DETECTORS IN THE HOUSE.
YEAH, NO, WE DEFINITELY WANNA LOOK OUT FOR OUR, UH, LINEMEN AS WELL.
THAT'S A, A BIG PORTION OF, OF RESPONSE RECOVERY OUT HERE.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANNA LET US KNOW? NO, THAT'S ABOUT IT.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR HELP WITH THIS.