From the Fire Department
Fall Safety: A Season of Prevention, Preparedness and Community
As the leaves begin to change and cooler temperatures arrive, fall brings many opportunities to enjoy time with family, friends and neighbors. It also brings seasonal fire and safety hazards. The Violet Township Fire Department encourages everyone to take a few minutes this fall to prepare your home, protect your family and help keep our community safe.
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Keep your home safe this fall
As you transition from air conditioning to heating, take a moment to make sure your home is ready for cooler weather.
Heating safety matters. Have furnaces, fireplaces and other heating equipment inspected and serviced as recommended by the manufacturer. Keep anything that can burn – such as furniture, curtains, blankets and decorations – at least three feet away from heating equipment.
If you use a fireplace or wood-burning stove, have your chimney inspected and cleaned regularly. Always use a sturdy screen to prevent sparks and embers from escaping, and allow ashes to cool completely before disposing of them in a metal container with a secure lid.
Check your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms. Make sure alarms are installed on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Test them regularly and replace batteries as recommended. Remember: a working smoke alarm can provide the early warning your family needs to get outside safely.
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Fall decorating and outdoor safety
Fall decorations can make your home warm and inviting, but keep decorations away from open flames, fireplaces, heaters and other sources of heat. If you use candles, keep them in sturdy holders and never leave them unattended. Consider using battery-operated flameless candles as a safer alternative.
As leaves accumulate, keep them away from your home, garage, vehicles and outdoor equipment. Dry leaves can ignite easily, and piles of leaves near buildings can create additional hazards.
When using outdoor fire pits or recreational fires, follow local regulations and maintain a safe distance from structures, trees and combustible materials. Never leave a fire unattended, and make sure it is completely extinguished before leaving the area.
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Halloween safety
Magnific
Halloween is a favorite fall tradition, and a few simple precautions can help keep it fun and safe.
Choose costumes that fit properly and allow children to see clearly and move easily. Avoid costumes with long, trailing fabric that could create a tripping or fire hazard. Use flashlights or reflective materials so children are visible to drivers, and remind children to use sidewalks and cross streets at designated crossings.
Adults should accompany younger children while trick-or-treating and inspect treats before they are eaten.
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Prepare before an emergency happens
Fall is also an excellent time to review your family's emergency plan. Make sure everyone knows two ways out of every room, identify a safe meeting place outside your home and practice your escape plan.
Know your home’s address and teach children how and when to call 911. A few minutes of preparation now can make a tremendous difference during an emergency.
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You're Invited: Violet Township Fire Department Open House
The Violet Township Fire Department is proud to invite our community to our annual Open House!
Oct. 4, 1–3 p.m.
Station 592
8700 Refugee Rd.
Pickerington, Ohio 43147
Come meet your local firefighters, learn more about fire and life safety and spend some time with the members of the department who are here to serve our community. We look forward to seeing families, neighbors and friends at the station!
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Help us bring holiday cheer to local children
Freepik
The spirit of giving doesn't end with fall. Beginning on Thanksgiving and continuing through Christmas Eve, the Violet Township Fire Department will once again be collecting new, unopened toys for our annual toy drive.
Your generosity helps make the holiday season brighter for children and families in our community. As you begin your holiday shopping, consider picking up an extra new, unopened toy to donate.
Toy donations will be accepted from Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve. You can drop them off at:
Station 591: 21 Lockville Rd.
Station 592: 8700 Refugee Rd.
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From our family to yours
The Violet Township Fire Department wishes everyone a safe, healthy and enjoyable fall season. Whether you're gathering around the fireplace, enjoying a fall festival, celebrating Halloween or preparing for the holidays, please take a few moments to put safety first.
Stay safe, look out for your neighbors and remember that prevention starts with all of us.
October and November at the Pickerington Senior Center
A season of progress, connection and new opportunities for adults 50+
As the leaves turn and the holiday season approaches, the Pickerington Senior Center remains a vibrant hub for friendship, learning and activity. October and November offer countless opportunities to connect with friends and neighbors, try something new and enjoy our center – all while important improvements continue throughout our building.
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Kitchen remodel moving ahead
Work on our commercial kitchen remodel is underway and ahead of schedule. This long-awaited project will modernize portions of the kitchen, improve safety and efficiency and better support the growing number of people who use our center. The updated space will enhance our ability to serve members, host community programs and welcome future classes and special events.
We appreciate the patience and flexibility of our members as work continues. Each step brings us closer to a more functional kitchen that will serve Pickerington seniors and the wider community for years to come.
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Make the most of our Senior Center
With a wide range of activities and programs, there is always a reason to stop by the Pickerington Senior Center! Members can choose from fitness and wellness classes such as tai chi, chair yoga, strength & conditioning, TITLE Boxing, walking, balance and pickleball. These programs make it easier to stay active, build confidence and support healthy aging for every ability level.
Our center also offers a full calendar of social and recreational activities, including chair volleyball, cornhole, euchre, Texas Hold 'Em, bridge, bingo, trivia, ballroom dance, line dancing, classic movies and much more – along with our monthly member luncheon. We offer a variety of educational programs to keep you informed and engaged, including Friday Forums and specialized classes presented by the Fairfield County Sheriff's Department.
Be Septic Smart!
By Joe Ebel, Fairfield County Health Commissioner; Edited by Rachel Moresea, Environmental Health Director
One in five American households depend on a household sewage treatment system (HSTS) to treat their wastewater. Sometimes these systems are referred to as Septic Systems but may include septic tanks, leaching tile fields, mound systems, an aerobic treatment unit (ATU) or Aerator and other on-site treatment systems and components. Failure to maintain any of these sewage treatment systems can lead to backups, malfunctions and early failures that can result in costly repairs, pollute local streams and spread disease.
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How do you know if you have a household sewage treatment system?
If you pay a monthly sewer bill to your city or county water and sewer district, then you are on a public sewer system, where your wastewater discharges through the sewer lines to a sewage treatment plant that processes the wastewater and assures that it meets all health and environmental safety requirements before it is discharged back into our streams and rivers.
If you are not paying a sewer bill, then you are probably on some type of household sewage treatment system. The most common HSTS types in northwest Fairfield County include septic tanks with a leaching tile field or mound, an aeration system that discharges to a shallow leaching tile field or mound or an older aeration system that discharges directly into a stream, ditch or tile.
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How do you know if your HSTS is working?
A foul odor isn’t always the first sign of a malfunctioning sewage system. Call a professional if you notice any of the following: wastewater backing up into household drains; bright green and/or spongy grass in the yard, even during dry weather; pooling water or muddy soil around your septic system or in your basement; or a strong odor around the septic tank and leach field.
For aeration systems (ATUs), most problems are due to the aerator motor failing. Aerators have a motor or pump that mixes the sewage in the tank with oxygen to help the bacteria in the wastewater break down the sewage and digest the waste. If the motor fails, the system may continue to discharge untreated wastewater to the leaching tile field, causing failure, or worse, discharge wastewater directly to area streams where children, pets and others may come in contact with the sewage. That is why we recommend having your aerator under a service contract with a service professional who will check the operation of the system and do routine maintenance at least once a year. If you know that you have an aerator and you notice a foul odor, that the motor hasn’t been running or if a warning light appears on the control panel, have the system serviced right away.
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Why should you maintain your sewage system?
Doing routine maintenance of your sewage treatment system is good for your wallet, the environment and your health. Regular maintenance fees and pumping your tank every three to five years is a bargain compared to the cost of repairing or replacing a malfunctioning system, which can cost up to tens of thousands of dollars. The frequency of pumping required for your system depends on how many people live in your home and the size of the system.
Keeping ahead of failures protects your property value. An unusable sewage system or one in disrepair will lower your property value and will need to be disclosed to any potential buyer, not to mention pose a potentially costly legal liability.
Household wastewater is loaded with disease-causing bacteria and viruses, as well as high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus. If a sewage system is well-maintained and working properly, it will remove most of these pollutants. Insufficiently treated sewage from sewage treatment systems can cause groundwater contamination, which can spread disease in humans and animals. Improperly treated sewage also poses the risk of contaminating nearby surface waters, significantly increasing the chance of children and pets contracting a variety of infectious diseases.
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How can you extend the life of your sewage treatment system?
Don’t overload the commode. Don’t flush diapers, wipes or other items meant for a trashcan down the toilet.
Think at the sink. Limit use of your garbage disposal and avoid pouring fats, grease, solids and harsh chemicals down the drain. Your sewage system contains a collection of living organisms that digest and treat household waste. Pouring toxins down your drain can kill these organisms and harm your sewage system. Whether you’re at the kitchen sink, bathtub or utility sink, avoid chemical drain openers for a clogged drain. Instead, use boiling water or a drain snake. Never pour cooking oil or grease down the drain. Never pour oil-based paints, solvents or large volumes of toxic cleaners down the drain. Even latex paint waste should be minimized.
Don’t strain your drain. Use water efficiently and stagger use of appliances that use a lot of water, such as your washing machine or dishwasher. Repair leaking faucets and toilets to avoid flooding your system.
Pump your tank. Household septic tanks are typically pumped every three to five years. Aeration systems or systems with electrical float switches, pumps or mechanical components need to be inspected more often, generally at least once a year. A service contract is important for these systems because they have mechanical/moving parts.
Shield your field. Divert rain and surface water away and avoid parking vehicles and planting trees on your leach field or near your tanks.
Keep it clean. If you are on a well, test your drinking water regularly to ensure it remains clean and free of contamination.
For more information about sewage treatment system maintenance, please visit www.epa.gov/septicsmart, contact the Fairfield County Health Department at (740) 652-2800 or visit www.fairfieldhealth.org. For water conservation tips, visit /www.epa.gov/watersense
