• Service all heating systems and all gas-, oil- or coal-burning appliances by a technician annually.
• Install a battery-operated and electric-powered carbon monoxide detector in your home and check or replace the battery when you change the time on your clocks each spring and fall. If the detector sounds, leave your home immediately and call 911.
• Contact a doctor if you believe you have carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Do not use gas-powered devices such as a generator, grill or stove inside your home, basement or near a near a window or door. Generators should be operated more than 15 feet from the home.
• Do not run any gas-powered motor inside a closed structure, such as a garage.
City of Livonia (Firefighter)
Applications for this examination must be received at the office of the Civil Service Department, 33000 Civic Center Drive, Livonia, MI 48154, no later than 5:00 p.m, Monday, February 27, 2012, in order to be accepted. Download info and application.
Many U. S. families have a home fire escape plan, but the majority of them never practice it, says a recent survey by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). They recommend practicing a home fire drill twice annually, while it wouldn't be a bad idea to practice it more than that to improve reaction time in case of a fire emergency.
The Livonia Fire Department has received a $360,000 federal grant for a new heavy-rescue truck, Mayor Jack Kirksey announced Wednesday.
“It's obviously a piece of equipment that can make a difference in terms of people's lives,” he said in making the announcement at a City Council study session.
A recent fire in Oklahoma City destroyed the home and most of the belongings of the man who lived there. The fire was started when a space heater was left on and placed too close to combustible materials. The homeowner said, “I barely made it out of the front door. I stood up, the smoke got to me, and I fell out of the door.
Relaxing with the family in front of the fireplace during the cold winter months is a wonderful way to pass some of the cold evenings we face here in Michigan. While we can get great pleasure out of this activity, if we do not properly maintain our fireplaces and chimneys, it can lead to a tragedy.
Having and practicing a home fire escape plan can save your life in the event of a fire, especially when it takes only a few minutes for a flame to grow large enough to engulf the contents of the average home.
The fire took place on Auburndale near the corner of Orangelawn in Old Rosedale Gardens. / Photo by Stacy Jenkins
An overloaded extension cord is suspected in a fire that caused extensive damage to the interior of a Livonia home Thursday afternoon.
ust a few days before Christmas in 1990, a Christmas tree in a Canton home burst into flames. The man tried to pull the burning tree out of the doorwall in the back of the home. The tree wedged in the doorwall and ignited nearby combustibles, quickly spreading the fire. He and his wife tried desperately to get their children out safely, but seven people died in that fire.
Candles used during Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and other holiday celebrations can be a beautiful way to express the symbolism and significance of an observance. As we enter the holiday season, candle users sometimes need a reminder that everyday safety messages still apply during the holiday season.
A memorial fund has been set up for the daughter of Courtney Johnson, who was killed on Sunday.
Johnson's husband and the father of the daughter, Benjamin Yee, 46, was charged Monday with first-degree murder, assault with a dangerous weapon and committing a felony with a firearm.
Lilly Richard, 6, visits with Santa. / John Stormzand | Staff Photographer
Reagan Pennycuff and her sister, Brynn, 4 1/2 months old, visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Right to work fight may hit Michigan
Lawmakers, activists watch battle in Indiana
By Jim Lynch
The Detroit News
38 Comments
Supporters and opponents of making Michigan a right-to-work state are closely watching Indiana's lawmakers debate the issue and gearing up for a possible battle in Lansing this year.
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Lansing area public safety faces changes
Editor’s note: This is the second in a two-part series on changes to fire services in Lansing and East Lansing.
Change is afoot in the East Lansing Fire Department.
Fire Chief Randall Talifarro is a few days into his position as interim chief for both the Lansing and East Lansing fire departments.
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Plans to merge Saginaw, Buena Vista and Bridgeport fire departments in 'holding pattern'
SAGINAW — Saginaw is seeking a state grant to study the possibility of starting a fire district with Buena Vista and Bridgeport townships.
Phillip A. Ludos, Saginaw’s assistant manager for public safety, said planning is in “a holding pattern” until the state responds to a $1.2 million grant request that includes about $20,000 to pay for the feasibility study.
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Busy Thursday for Farmington Hills Fire Includes Extrication with 'Jaws of Life'
Farmington Hills firefighters yesterday handled 31 emergency calls for service, including a rescue on M-5 using the "jaws of life".
Lt. Denny Hughes said several crews were dispatched to a two-car accident on west M-5 near Farmington Rd. around mid-afternoon.
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TAYLOR: City won’t fight arbitrator’s decision to call back firefighters
TAYLOR — The city will not appeal a state arbitration decision ordering 15 laid-off firefighters back to work.
Friday was the 21-day deadline for the ruling, which awarded back pay, seniority and benefit reimbursement for 18 union members.
Three were called back to work in December; 15 were still waiting to be brought back.
Read More...
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Michigan Fire Fighters Respond to Political Attacks
The Michigan Professional Fire Fighters is launching a public education campaign to fight a wave of anti-worker legislation fueled by Gov. Rick Snyder and his allies in the Michigan Legislature.
Includes summary of legislation that impacts firefighters and working families of Michigan and links to full details and status (there may be a small time delay) at the Michigan Legislature web site. NOTE: New session started January 2011.
House Bills:
HB 4003: PUBLIC EMPLOYEE (Opsommer) Clarifies definition of public employee regarding recognition of union based on receipt of government subsidy or interlocal agreement. Amends 1947 PA 336 by amending sections 1 and 14 (MCL 423.201 and 423.214) section 1 as amended by 1999 PA 204. Full Text
HB 4052: UNION ACTIVITIES (Pscholka) Prohibits use of taxpayer-funded equipment, supplies, and facilities for union or political activities. Amends 1947 PA 336 by amending section 9 (MCL 423.209). Full Text
HB 4054: RIGHT TO WORK (Knollenberg) Permits local right to work zones. Amends 1939 PA 176 by amending section 14 (MCL 423.14) and by adding section 14a. Full Text
HB 4059: EMPLOYER CONTRACTS (Knollenberg) Prohibits public employer contracts that pay union officials for time conducting union business Amends 1947 PA 336 by amending section 10 (MCL 423.210). Full Text
HB 4060: PENSION (Geiss) Limits amount of defined benefit pension of municipal fire and police as a percent of base pay. Amends 1937 PA 345 by amending section 6 (MCL 38.556), as amended by 2003 PA 8. Full Text
HB 4123: PENSION (Geiss) Local government; audits; pension board subject to audit by municipalities; require. Full Text
HB 4135: POLICE/FIRE BOARD (Durhal) Makes membership of trustees of certain police and fire retirement systems a prohibited subject of collective bargaining. SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR on 5/10/11.Full Text
HB 4140: UNIFORM EMPLOYEE HEALTH CARE (Melton) Creates a uniform health coverage plan for public employees and implements the plan. Full Text
HB 4152: PUBLIC EMPLOYEE WAGES (Knollenberg) Freezes wages and benefits for certain public employees during contract negotiations. PASSED; GIVEN IMMEDIATE EFFECT ON 5/18/11.Full Text
HB 4172: HEALTH CARE BENEFITS (Farrington) Labor; public service employment; public employee contribution to employer-provider health care benefits; increase. Full Text
HB 4181: DISABILITY COMPENSATION (Brown) Worker's compensation; disabilities; occupational cancer; provide presumption for certain firefighters regarding. Full Text
HB 4205: GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS(Haveman) Labor; arbitration; compulsory arbitration of labor disputes in police and fire departments; repeal. Full Text
HB 4206: GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS (Haveman) Labor; arbitration; reference to repealed law; remove. Full Text
HB 4214: FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY (Pscholka) Local government; other; local government and school district fiscal accountability act; create. Assigned PA 4'11 with immediate effect on 3/17/11. Full Text
HB 4216: FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY (Pscholka) Local government; financing; reference to local government and school district fiscal accountability act; provide for in the revised municipal finance act. Assigned PA 5'11 with immediate effect on 3/17/11. Full Text
HB 4217: FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY (Pscholka) Elections; recall; reference to local government and school district fiscal accountability act; provide for in the Michigan election law. Assigned PA 6'11 with immediate effect on 3/17/11. Full Text
HB 4218: FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY (Pscholka) Cities; home rule; reference to local government and school district fiscal accountability act; provide for in the home rule city act. Assigned PA 7'11 with immediate effect on 3/17/11. Full Text
HB 4219: REVENUE SHARING (Knollenberg) Revenue sharing; other; revenue sharing distribution; require to be distributed evenly based on population. Full Text
HB 4246: COLLECTIVE BARGAINING (Pscholka) Labor; collective bargaining; certain provisions in public service contracts; require. Full Text
HB 4257: REVENUE SHARING (Forlini) Revenue sharing; other; revenue sharing formula; modify. Full Text
HB 4326: STATE RULES (Farrington) Prohibits adoption of rules by state agencies from being more stringent than federal regulations. Vetoed by the Governor 11/30/2011.Full Text
HB 4572: COMPENSATION/BENEFITS (Johnson) Public employees and officers; compensation and benefits; cap on public employer contributions to health insurance; create. Full Text
HB 4588: UNION DUES (Shirkey) This bill prohibits public employers from collecting union dues from all public employees. This bill could have an impact equivalent to Right to Work legislation. Full Text
HB 4760: VILLAGE EMPLOYEES (Bumstead) Prohibits minimum staffing requirements for village employees. Full Text
HB 4761: VILLAGE EMPLOYEES (Bumstead) Prohibits minimum staffing requirements for village employees. Full Text
HB 4762: CITY EMPLOYEES (Denby) Prohibits minimum staffing requirements for city employees. Full Text
HB 4763: COUNTY EMPLOYEES (Denby) Prohibits minimum staffing requirements for county employees. Full Text
HB 4764: COUNTY EMPLOYEES (Crawford) Prohibits minimum staffing requirements for employees of an optional unified form of county government. Full Text
HB 4765: COUNTY EMPLOYEES (Crawford) Prohibits minimum staffing requirements for county employees. Full Text
HB 4879: DISCLOSING INFORMATION (LeBlanc) Create privilege for information obtained by agent of a labor organization in course of representing union member. Full Text
HB 4880: CRIMES REPORTING (LeBlanc) Requires reporting discovery of dead body. Full Text
HB 4884: EMERGENCY MANAGERS (Jackson) Expands powers and duties of emergency managers. Full Text
HB 5002: WORKERS COMP REFORM (Jacobsen) Worker's compensation; definitions; definition of disability and conditions on compensation for covered injuries; modify. Approved by the Governor 12/19/2011.Full Text
HB 5023: PROHIBITED STRIKES (Lyons) Labor; public service labor disputes; classes of public employees subject to penalties for engaging in a prohibited strike; expand. Full Text
HB 5024: MASS PICKETING (McMillin) Labor; fair employment practices; remedies for mass picketing; modify. Full Text
HB 5025: UNION MEMBERSHIP DUES (Poleski) Labor; hours and wages; employer deduction of union membership dues from wages; require annual written consent of employee. Full Text
Senate Bills:
SB 0007: HEALTH CARE (Jansen) Labor; public service employment; mandated public employee contribution to employer-provider health care benefits; provide for. APPROVED BY GOVERNOR 9/24/2011. Full Text
SB 008: LOCAL GOVERNMENT (Jansen) Local government; intergovernmental affairs; municipal partnership act; create. PRESENTED TO GOVERNOR 12/6/2011.Full Text
SB 0009: PUBLIC EMPLOYEE (Jansen) Labor; public service employment; reference to municipal partnership act; provide for in public employment relations act. PRESENTED TO GOVERNOR 12/6/2011.Full Text
SB 0010: ELECTIONS (Jansen) Elections; other; reference to municipal partnership act; provide for in the Michigan election law. TIE BAR WITH: SB 0008'11 Full Text
SB 0011: PUBLIC EMPLOYEE (Jansen) Labor; public service employment; definition of public employee; clarify regarding persons who receive payments from government subsidies. Full Text
SB 0012: EMPLOYMENT SECURITY (Jansen) Employment security; employers; certain practices in the calculation of contribution rate; prohibit. Full Text
SB 0014: HEALTH & SAFETY (Jansen) Labor; health and safety; Michigan occupational safety and health act; repeal. Full Text
SB 0094: DISABILITY COMPENSATION (Rocca) Worker's compensation; disabilities; occupational cancer; provide presumption for certain firefighters regarding. Full Text
SB 0116: COLLECTIVE BARGAINING (Meekhof) Labor; collective bargaining; right-to-work zones; allow local units of government to establish. Full Text
SB 0120: COLLECTIVE BARGAINING (Proos) Labor; collective bargaining; right-to-work zones; allow local units of government to establish. Full Text
SB 0142: PROPERTY TAX (Caswell) Property tax; personal property; personal property of certain businesses; exempt. Full Text
SB 0397: ARBITRATION (Jones) Labor; arbitration; procedures for arbitration of police and fire labor disputes; revise. Full Text
SB 0409: INCOME TAX (Hansen) Income tax; deductions; certain pension income; exclude. Full Text
SB 0729: RIGHT TO TEACH (Meekhof) Labor; organizations; public school employer agreement for bargaining fee for certain personnel; prohibit. Full Text
SB 0806: EMPLOYMENT SECURITY (Brandenburg) Employment security; general amendments; improved solvency of unemployment system; provide for. APPROVED BY GOVERNOR 12/19/2011.Full Text
