Potentially Dangerous Situation: Gasoline Sold as Kerosene

 

Alexander County Fire Marshal Russell Greene informed The Times on Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 12, that recent customers at All American Raceway, at 6901 Millersville Road in Taylorsville, who believed they were purchasing kerosene, in fact were buying gasoline. The fuel should be used accordingly.

A house fire in Stony Point on Tuesday night, Oct. 11, was caused by a kerosene stove which burst into flames after the homeowner had put what she believed to be kerosene in the tank. However, the kerosene pump had dispensed gasoline, as it appears to have been improperly filled in the store’s tanks.

Customers are urged to use caution, said Greene, and should NOT use this fuel for heating purposes.

UPDATE: Greene said the mix-up occurred due to the fact that All American Raceway converted their kerosene pump to a non-ethanol gasoline pump. The store owner has been cooperative and has voluntarily placed the pump out of service until proper labeling can be established. This issue has been referred to the N.C. Dept. of Agriculture, Division of Motor Fuels.

SOURCE: The Taylorsville Times (http://www.taylorsvilletimes.com)

Alexander Rescue Squad Plans Public Annual Meeting March 10th

In a notice to the public and general membership, the Alexander Rescue Squad and E.M.S., Inc. will hold the annual meeting of the corporation on Thursday, March 10, 2016, at 7:30 p.m. at the corporation’s principal address.Alexander Rescue Squad is located at 197 Emergency Street, Taylorsville, N.C.28681.

All active and life members along with the general public are encouraged to attend.

The principal purpose of the meeting will be to hold the election of Board Members and Officers. For further information please contact the corporate office at 828-632-9410.

Trick-or-Treat with Alexander Rescue Squad

The members of Alexander Rescue Squad would like to invite you to bring your ghost's and goblins by our station on Halloween night, Friday, October 31st, from 6-9 pm for Trick-or-Treat, and to check out our trucks and equipment. Our station is located at 197 Emergency Street in Taylorsville behind the police department. Get more information about our event by liking our page on Facebook, and join the event by clicking on the following link: https://www.facebook.com/events/718032621613937/. We hope to see you all there.


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Alexander County Ranks 3rd for Best Chance of Being in a Fatal Crash in North Carolina

According to an article recently posted by AAA Carolinas, Alexander County was ranked 3rd in a list of counties with the "Best Chance of Being in a Fatal Crash" in North Carolina.

"Graham, Alleghany, Alexander, Bladen and Vance counties top AAA’s list of dangerous counties for traffic fatalities last year. The five counties combined for 40 traffic deaths, despite having only two percent of the state’s total vehicle miles traveled."

[SOURCE:http://carolinas.aaa.com/media/Pages/TRAFFIC-FATALITIES-DECLINE-BUT-AVERAGED-THREE-DEATHS-A-DAY-LAST-YEAR-IN-NORTH-CAROLINA.aspx]

Alexander Rescue Squad would like to encourage you to please use caution and stay alert to the traffic around you as you're driving. It's easy to get distracted by a phone, radio, or even a child, and distracted driving is one of the leading causes of traffic accidents nationwide. We also ask that you keep in mind the soon coming presence of school buses on the roadways, and prepare now to start allowing yourselves extra time to get to and from your destination during school times. Remember to NEVER pass a stopped school bus, and always be ready to stop immediately, around bus stop areas, should a child run out in front of your vehicle.

These few simple things could make the difference in a child or other loved one losing their life. Lets change these statistics in the upcoming years, and make Alexander county one of the safest county's to drive through.

 Click here to read the FULL ARTICLE.

[SOURCE: http://carolinas.aaa.com]

Silver Alert Issued For Missing Alexander County Man

***SILVER ALERT: THIS IS A MISSING/ENDANGERED ADULT NOTICE * * *

 

The Alexander County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a missing adult who may be suffering from dementia or other cognitive impairments. The missing individual, identified as Billy Leroy Bowman, is an 83-year-old white male, approximately 5′-9″ tall, 170lbs, is bald with blue eyes. Billy Bowman was last seen Monday, April 14th, 2014 at the Highway 16 Superette located on NC Highway 16 south in Taylorsville. He is believed to be driving a tan-colored 1996 Ford Taurus LX 4-door sedan, NC license plate WXR-1778 which has a broken UNC vanity plate on the front of the vehicle. Billy is possibly headed to the Gaston County area to visit his wife at Stanley Total Living. Billy has been described as being confused recently but no official diagnosis of dementia has been made yet.

 

The vehicle should look similar to this:

 

Anyone who has seen Billy Leroy Bowman or his vehicle is asked to call the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office at 828-632-2911.

 



 

 

Alexander Rescue Squad Plans Public Annual Meeting March 13th

In a notice to the public and general membership, the Alexander Rescue Squad and E.M.S., Inc. will have the annual meeting of the corporation to be held on Thursday, March 13, 2014, at 7:30 p.m. at the corporation’s principal address. Alexander Rescue Squad is located at 197 Emergency Street, Taylorsville, N.C.28681.

All active and life members along with the general public are encouraged to attend.

The principal purpose of the meeting will be to hold the election of Board Members and Officers. For further information please contact the corporate office at 828-632-9410.

Annual Fundraiser to Begin

As a volunteer organization, Alexander Rescue Squad relies heavily on the support of the citizens we serve. Our annual fund raiser is about to get underway, and with the amount of scams and fraudulent activities in the world today we wanted to give you a heads up about the letter you will be receiving.   The attached letter is an official copy of what Alexander County property owners should be seeing in the mail sometime in the next week. We feel that sending our request by mail gives you time to talk it over with other family members and budget your contribution. Any contribution you may wish to send will certainly be appreciated. We are a totally volunteer, non-profit, tax exempt corporation. By making a tax-deductible (if eligible) contribution today, we will be able to continue our efforts to provide the quality service that you have been accustomed to for the past 50 years. Remember, even if you can't afford to help us we will still be there for you.

For more information please visit our website at www.alexanderrescue.org

Are You Prepared For Winter Weather???

There is still a lot of uncertainty in the different forecasts and models on the winter storm for the first part of next week. While none of the forecasts are confident on the type of precipitation or amount, they are all pretty much in agreement that we will experience some type of winter weather and that it has the potential to be a significant event.

We encourage you to make preparations now, in the event there is a significant impact to our area next week. Here are a few things you may want to make sure you have on hand, in case you are unable to get out or in the event of an extended power outage.

·        Water (1 gallon per person per day for at least 3 days)

·        Food (at least a 3 day supply of non-perishable food)

·        Medications (enough to last 3-5 days)

·        First aid kit

·        Batteries (for flashlights, portable radios etc.)

·        Weather Radio (battery operated or hand crank)

·        Flashlights or Lanterns

·        Cell phone with charger

·        Manual can opener for food

·        Learn how to shut off water valves (in case a pipe bursts)

·        If you have an alternative heating source (kerosene heater, wood stove, etc.), make sure the units are clean, serviced, and ready to be used should you need them. If you do use an alternative heating source such as a kerosene heater, be sure to have a working, battery operated, Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detector and ensure your home is properly ventilated.  DO NOT use cooking equipment such as outdoor grills as a heating source inside your home.

These are just a few simple things you can do before the storm to be better prepared should this winter storm have a substantial affect on our area.

STAY SAFE!!!

Benefit Breakfast for Alexander Rescue Squad

 

The First United Methodist Church in Taylorsville, will be having a benefit breakfast on Saturday, February 15th, 2014, from 7-10am. All proceeds will go to support our organization. Please come out and enjoy a great breakfast and fellowship with the local community. A special THANK YOU to the First United Methodist Church of Taylorsville for your generosity to our organization!

 

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Patient is carried out from trail of Rocky Face Park

 

Alexander Rescue Squad and Vashti Fire Dept. members use a device known as "The Wheel" attached to a Stokes basket to retrieve a teenage boy who had a medical emergency on a trail at Rocky Face Park on Oct. 25, 2013.     Updated: Oct. 26, 6:35 pm   Medical emergency at Rocky Face Park necessitates Rescue Squad carryout    A high school field trip to Rocky Face Park took a serious turn when one youth had a medical emergency while hiking one of the park's trails.    It was observed that students and teachers from Alexander Central High School were on the Grindstone Trail inside the park when one student had breathing difficulty. Alexander County EMS, Alexander Rescue Squad, and Vashti Fire Department members responded to the park. As a paramedic hiked in to the boy, who was about 3/4 mile from the parking area, Rescue Squad members readied an ATV and special trailer to perform the carryout operation to retrieve the patient, as he was unable to walk out on his own.    According to Alexander Rescue Squad Captain Terry Foxx, the boy is 15 years old. Special device used for rough terrain    Rescue and Vashti Fire members brought the boy out of the woods using a special device made by Foxx which quickly mounts a detachable V-shaped frame with a large wheel and tire (nicknamed "The Wheel") beneath a Stokes basket. It is used for manuvering an immobile patient over rough terrain. The trail was so rife with narrow switchbacks that bringing the ATV and trailer combination directly to the boy was not feasible. Thus, the "Wheel" device came in especially handy in this rescue mission. Foxx noted that he had seen commercially made versions of the device and decided he could fashion one for the Squad, which he did awhile ago. The student was treated by EMS at the Park.     "ACHS teachers reacted quickly to the situation and 911 was called immediately. The Vashti Fire Department’s First Responders, EMS, and the Alexander County Rescue Squad responded, were prepared for the terrain, and were able to get to the student in a timely matter.  Everyone communicated thoroughly and we are thankful the young man is okay," said Alisha Stamey, Park Ranger for Rocky Face Park.   [Source: The Taylorsville Times]

Trick-or-Treat with Alexander Rescue Squad

The members of Alexander Rescue Squad would like to invite you to bring your ghost's and goblins by our station on Halloween night, October 31st, from 6-9 pm for Trick-or-Treat, and to check out our trucks and equipment. Our station is located at 197 Emergency Street in Taylorsville behind the police department. Get more information about our event by liking our page on Facebook, and join the event by clicking on the following link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1408634952701326/ . We hope to see you all there.


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Alexander Rescue Brings Home The Victories

The North Carolina Association of Rescue and EMS recently held its 57^th Annual Rescue Convention on the weekend of July26^th through July 28^th, 2013. This year’s convention was held in Greenville, N.C. at The Greenville Convention Center. Each year during the convention various competition events are held. Among those include Technical Rescue (Heavy Competition), the Craig Helms Memorial Rescue Challenge and Basic Life Support (First Aid) Competition. Teams from all across the state compete in the fun and fellowship in an effort to receive the “Top Gun” award. Each year Top Gun status is awarded to the first place teams in each of the events. As many times in the past, Alexander Rescue Squad entered and competed in the competition. After several weeks of practice the teams were able to show off their skills during the events. 

In the Technical Rescue Competition (Heavy Rescue), the scenario was a tractor overturned on top of two patients involving a power pole as well as a transformer. The teams had to secure the scene and safely lift the tractor simultaneously off of both victims.  The event was scored based on the team’s accuracy for completing various evolutions for stabilizing the tractor, properly placing jacks and air bags for the raise and simultaneously raising both ends at the same time. Points were also awarded for team and personal safety.

Congratulations for a job well done to Alexander Rescue Squad’s Technical Rescue Team. The 2013 “Top Gun” team members included Tiffany Getz – Co Captain, Zenda Townsend– Co-Captain, Roxann Byers, Emily Eckard, Andrea Adkins, and Neal Icenhour.  Richard Smith served as the team’s training coach.

Other competitions included the Craig Helms Memorial Rescue Challenge, which netted Alexander Rescue another first place. The scenario was a utility worker suffering from a heart attack at the top of the utility pole. The teams had to safely lower the patient to the ground as well as support the patient medically. Rescue Challenge Team members Richard Smith and Tiffany Getz competed in this event and were awarded first place for their efforts.

The Basic Life Support Challenge saw one senior team (Neal Icenhour and Andrea Adkins) and one junior team (Jordan Byers and Mackenzie Townsend) in competition. Both teams placed second in the event. The scenario was a boat which had ran aground, striking a nest of bees and ejected one patient from the boat, leaving another in the boat having an allergic reaction to the bee stings. The patient who was ejected was unconscious on the ground with head trauma. 

The entire event gave Alexander Rescue Squad members the opportunity to practice and perform various skills they could face at anytime while serving the citizens of Alexander County. Alexander Rescue is a non-profit volunteer rescue squad, providing rescue services and back up EMS to all of Alexander County. 

Other Squad members receiving accolades at the convention were Squad Captain Terry Foxx who was reelected and installed as the Vice Commander of the North Carolina Association of Rescue and EMS and Tim Pennell who was presented the 2013 H. Elwood Inscoe Director of the Year Award. 

Alexander Rescue Squad is a proud member of the United Way of Alexander County and if you are interested in becoming a member please join us at one of our regular meetings. The Squad meets the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month at 7:30 PM at our base located at 197 Emergency Street, Taylorsville. If you would like more information please email us at info@alexanderrescue.org or contact our base at 828-632-9410.

Sergeant Neal Icenhour

Public Relations Officer

Alexander Rescue Squad

Front Row Kneeling, (l-r), Jordan Byers, Mackenzie Townsend

Back Row Standing (l-r), Tiffany Getz – Co Captain, Zenda Townsend – Co Captain,

Neal Icenhour, Andrea Adkins, Roxann Byers, Emily Eckard and Richard Smith – Training Coach               

Highway Patrol Provides A Few Safety Tips As We Begin the School Year

RALEIGH- As the school year begins, more than 700,000 students will be transported on school buses each day across North Carolina.  Nationally, more than 450,000 public school buses travel about 4.3 billion miles a year to transport over 23.5 million children to and from school and school-related activities. Sadly, on the average five to six children are killed and about 5,500 are injured in school bus related accidents each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The most dangerous part of the school bus ride is when children get on and off the bus. Loading and unloading is where children are in the most danger of not being seen by the bus driver.  Specifically, the area 10-feet in front of the bus where the driver may be too high to see a child; 10-feet on either side of the bus, where a child may be in the driver’s blind spot; and the area behind the bus. Many pedestrian fatalities in school-bus related crashes are children between 5 and 7 years old.

To prevent these needless deaths and injuries, drivers, children and parents are advised to follow a few simple safety tips:

Drivers

• When backing out of a driveway or leaving a garage, watch out for children walking or bicycling to school.
• When driving in neighborhoods with school zones, watch out for young people who may be thinking about getting to school, but may not be thinking of getting there safely.
• Slow down. Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks in neighborhood.
• Slow down. Watch for children playing and congregating near bus stops.
• Be alert. Children arriving late for the bus may dart into the street without looking for traffic.
• Learn and obey the school bus laws in your state. Learn the "flashing signal light system" that school bus drivers use to alert motorists of pending actions:

• Yellow flashing lights indicate that the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop their vehicles.
• Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate that the bus has stopped, and that children are getting on or off. Motorists must stop their cars and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop sign is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving before they can start driving again.

Children

• Get to the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.
• When the bus approaches, stand at least three giant steps (6 feet) away from the curb, and line up away from the street.
• Wait until the bus stops, the door opens, and the driver says that it's okay before stepping onto the bus.
• If you have to cross the street in front of the bus, walk on the sidewalk or along the side of the road to a point at least five giant steps (10 feet) ahead of the bus before you cross. Be sure that the bus driver can see you, and you can see the bus driver.

• Use the handrails to avoid falls. When exiting the bus, be careful that clothing with draw strings, and book bags with straps don't get caught in the handrails or doors.
• Never walk behind the bus.
• Walk at least three giant steps away from the side of the bus.
• If you drop something near the bus, tell the bus driver. Never try to pick it up because the driver may not be able to see you.

Parents

• Teach children to follow these common sense practices to make school bus transportation safer.

Keeping our children safe takes teamwork and together we can make a difference!

For more information on North Carolina’s Stop Arm Law, please go to the following link: http://www.ncbussafety.org/SchoolBusSafety/SBSWlaw.html.

For more information on Highway Safety, please contact First Sergeant Jeff Gordon at (919)733-5027 or Jeff.Gordon@ncdps.gov.

Duke Energy and county officials to test nuclear and hydro sirens - Duke Energy

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -

Duke Energy will be testing nuclear sirens at the Catawba and McGuire nuclear stations and hydro plant sirens at Bridgewater, Rhodhiss and Mountain Island Lake. Residents near lakes Hickory, Lookout Shoals, Norman and Wylie also may hear these sirens. The tests will be conducted from 11:50 a.m. until noon on Wednesday, July 10.

No public action is required during these three-minute tests. By testing the sirens, state and county officials and Duke Energy ensure the sirens are operating properly. These siren tests are performed once each quarter.

Nuclear siren responseCounty emergency officials are responsible for sounding nuclear plant sirens. These sirens are a signal for residents to tune into a radio or TV station in their area that carries emergency alert messages. County officials use these stations to provide information to the public.

Hydro siren responseSirens located at the hydro plants are used to warn of an impending dam failure. If the sirens are sounded in an actual event, residents living downstream of these facilities should evacuate immediately. Residents should be aware that Duke Energy does not sound sirens for high water events.

Catawba Nuclear Station, located in York, S.C., is owned jointly by North Carolina Municipal Power Agency Number 1, North Carolina Electric Membership Corp., Piedmont Municipal Power Agency and Duke Energy.

McGuire Nuclear Station, located in Huntersville, N.C., is owned by Duke Energy.

Duke Energy Carolinas owns nuclear, coal-fired, natural gas and hydroelectric generation. That diverse fuel mix provides approximately 20,000 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 2.4 million customers in a 24,000-square-mile service area of North Carolina and South Carolina.

Duke Energy is the largest electric power holding company in the United States with more than $110 billion in total assets. Its regulated utility operations serve approximately 7.2 million electric customers located in six states in the Southeast and Midwest. Its commercial power and international business segments own and operate diverse power generation assets in North America and Latin America, including a growing portfolio of renewable energy assets in the United States.

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 250 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at: www.duke-energy.com. 
CONTACT: Duke Energy Media Line
24-Hour: 800-559-3853

NOTICE TO PUBLIC AND GENERAL MEMBERSHIP

Alexander Rescue Squad and E.M.S., Inc.



 

The annual meeting of the corporation will be held on Thursday, March 14th, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. at the corporation’s principal address. Alexander Rescue Squad is located at 197 Emergency Street, Taylorsville, N.C. 28681.

 

All active and life members along with the general public are encouraged to attend.

 

The principal purpose of the meeting will be to hold the election of Board Members and Officers. For further information please contact the corporate office at 828-632-9410 or send us an email at info@alexanderrescue.org .

In Memory of Craig A. Helms

On December 11th, 2005, Alexander Rescue Squad lost a very well respected and dedicated member.  Craig Helms was a man that many people still admire.

At an early age Craig was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, a disease that caused him to eventually be forced to have a double lung transplant. After his first lung transplant, Craig's desire to help others was then focused into the rescue service. He served as a very active member of Alexander Rescue Squad, participating in extensive training and responding to emergencies. Against doctors wishes he continued to participate in each and every aspect of the rescue service. Several times while performing training exercises Craig would get short of breath and people would often say, "Craig why don't you take it easy". His response was most always "YOU NEVER GIVE UP".

After a while Craig's breathing problems got harder and harder to cope with and finally he had to be admitted to the hospital. Craig spent several days in Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC. He was placed on a waiting list for a lung transplant once again. Even though his days were much harder then we could imagine, he still managed to keep his smile and sense of humor.

Craig went on to get those new lungs he was waiting for on December 11th of 2005. Still to this day he is touching lives by the life he lived here on this earth. This post serves as a memorial and also a reminder that we can NEVER GIVE UP. Craig never gave up on that set of lungs he needed, and boy did he get them. He's not suffering anymore; he can breathe just fine. But I know if Craig could talk to us right now what he would say. He'd say...

"I know you guys miss me, and I miss you all too, but you know, you can see me again. You just have to make sure that you accept Jesus as your Savior and then we will spend eternity together. Make sure you settle things soon though; you never know when your day will come. I Love You and I'll see you all soon......NEVER GIVE UP..."

That’s the short story of the life of Craig Allen Helms, husband, father, and friend. May we never forget the life and the legacy that he left for us all and always remember that we can NEVER GIVE UP!!!

Respectfully,

Darren Chewning

Awards Given at Annual Christmas Party

Alexander Rescue Squad held its annual Christmas party and awards ceremony on Saturday, December 1st, 2012.

Members and families, along with a few other special guests enjoyed a wonderful meal provided by Sisters II Catering, while fellowshipping with friends and family. Following the meal there was an awards ceremony where several members were recognized.

The following awards were presented:

Squad Person of the Year - Keith Milsaps (presented by Stacey Pons)

Captains Choice - Keith Milsaps

Service Awards

Billy Killian - 25 years

Anthony St.Clair - 20 years

Derek Getz - 10 years

Other service awards were presented to Heather Ingram for 10 years and Gina Jordan for 15 years.

Nanthaniel Hines a Senior at Alexander Central and a member of Ellendale Fire Department was recognized by the Squad for his extrordinary service to his community and his fire department. Nathaniel has a physical impairment and is unable to hear without assistance of an implant. Nathaniel is an active member of the Alexander County Honor Guard and recently was involved with the opening of the new Alexander County Law Enforcement Center and a funeral for a fellow firefighter. Nathaniel's impairment doesn't prevent his willingness to serve his community and he gives back abundantly. He was given honorary membership as a Rescue Squad member.

A special thank you to Wilkes Rescue Squad for providing coverage for us during the event.