Public Education & Life Safety

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Annually 1,500 people are killed and 10,000 people seek medical attention each year as a result of accidental carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless and tasteless toxic gas produced during the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, natural gas, oil, coal, wood and other similar fuels. Symptoms of CO exposure range from slight headache and discomfort and nausea, to confusion and staggering. With prolonged exposure or exposure to high levels, loss of consciousness and death can result.

In most homes CO is produced from gas water heaters, furnaces and ranges that are not working properly. The following list may also be possible sources for CO in the home:

  • Car fumes from an attached garage
  • Gas or wood burning fireplace
  • Portable heater
  • Gas clothes dryer
  • Furnace flue/chimney pipe leak

If your home is equipped with gas appliances, install a CO detector in the same room as the appliance and another by the sleeping areas in your home.

To be able to detect CO in your home you must have a CO detector. Evendale Fire Department (EFD) provides carbon monoxide detectors at a reduced rate of $10.00 each for all residents. For additional information call Evendale Fire Department at 563-2248.

What should I do if my CO alarm sounds?

  • * Make sure everyone in the house is OK. See if anyone has any of the symptoms above. IF SOMEONE IS SICK, LEAVE THE HOUSE AND CALL 911 !!!
  • If all are OK, check the reading on the CO detector. This is a 3 digit number that displays the CO level.
  • If the number is NOT zero, leave the house and call 911. Wait for the fire department to arrive and investigate the CO source.
  • Please do NOT open windows and doors prior to the arrival of the fire department.

This will assist us in finding possible sources for the alarm.

Smoke Detectors

Photoelectric VS. Ionization Smoke Detectors
There are two technologies for smoke detectors, photoelectric and ionization. Recent research has shown that photoelectric smoke detectors react faster than ionization detectors for smoldering fires. The majority of house fires are smoldering in nature. We now offer photoelectric detectors for residents and THEY ARE FREE TO ALL VILLAGE RESIDENTS.

Smoke detectors should be checked once a week by using the test button, and the batteries replaced twice a year. All smoke detectors greater than 10 years old should be replaced promptly. We recommend that old detectors be replaced with Photoelectric detectors. Make sure that all levels of your home have at least 1 smoke detector, especially around the sleeping areas. Stop by the Evendale firehouse, Monday through Friday, 8 AM- 6 PM to pick up these FREE lifesavers for your home.

Smoke Detectors...A Sound You Can Live With!

Public Address Outdoor Weather Sirens

The Village of Evendale currently operates 5 Public Address Outdoor Weather Sirens. These sirens are designed to give warning of a hazardous situation to those outside. The location of these sirens are: 2700 block of Medallion Drive, Evendale Elementary School, Spartan Drive, Evendale Shelter House and Sacred Heart Elementary School in Reading. In addition General Electric Aircraft Engine-Evendale Plant, provides 2 more sirens on their property. All of the sirens are tested at noon the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month.

All the sirens in the village have newer technology with a back up power supply.

Weather Radios

In an effort to provide all residents of Evendale with early weather warning, EFD provides weather radios (1 per house hold) at a reduced rate of $20.00. Normally these radios cost approximately $70.00 each.

The new SAME (Specific Area Message Encoding) system lets you program this weather radio so it sounds alerts only when your county or immediate area is threatened. A backlit display indicates the type of alert---tornado, flood, storm, blizzard, etc. The alarm can be set to disregard certain types of alerts. A 9V battery is included for back up if AC fails.

Radio Set Up Directions:

  1. When you turn on your Hazard Alert Radio for the first time, "SET LANGUAGE" displays.
  2. Use the arrow buttons and MENU/SELECT to select and confirm selections.
  3. Press MENU/SELECT to select features and the arrow buttons to navigate through the choices.
    1. Set LANGUAGE
    2. Set COUNTRY to USA
    3. Set STATE to Ohio
    4. Set COUNTY- Select a county or region. Optionally you can set multiple counties or regions(within 50 miles of set county) by selecting YES when prompt ADD ANOTHER? is displayed, otherwise select NO.
    5. (Optional) SET ALERT?- Select NO to keep default alerts(recommended). For further information on settings alerts, see pages 12-14 in user guide.
    6. SET UP displays when set up is finished. The radio autimatically searches all of the channels for the strongest weather broadcast.

Set Clock:

  1. To set clock, press and hold CLOCK button to enter setup mode.
  2. Press left/right arrow to select minute or hour, the selcted digit flashes.
  3. Press up/down arrow to change digits.
  4. Press the right arrow after setting the time to confirm your selection and exit. A beep sounds.

Evendale Knox Box Program

The Knox-Box(c) solution is a secure emergency access program developed for property owners and fire departments. When a fire breaks out or there is a medical emergency a Knox Box(c) allows immediate entry into the building or property without forced entry damage or delay.

A Knox Box(c) is a virtually indestructible box that is bolted to a building or flush mounted into the building. The cover has only one key, and that key is held by the fire department. Each government agency has their own special type of lock so no other fire department has access to the box. Inside the box is kept keys to the front door and any interior locked doors. In the event of an emergency, the fire department can gain access to areas with out unnecessarily damaging the property. The damage caused by forcibly opening some doors will more than pay for the cost of 1 Knox Box(c).

The Evendale Fire Department has a Knox-Box(c) Loaner Program for resident that have a temporary need for a Knox-Box(c). This could include sick or terminally ill family members staying at an Evendale address.

For security reasons a Knox-Box(c) must be ordered through the Evendale Fire Department. Property owners who want to change the keys held inside must schedule with the on-duty fire inspector to open their Knox Box(c). This can be done by calling EFD at 563-2248 Monday-Friday 9am to 4pm.

CPR - First Aid Classes

If a friend or family member experienced a heart attack or stopped breathing would you know what to do? If your answer is anything but an unqualified "yes", then you may want to check into CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation) classes.

CPR and First Aid Training classes are offered by the Evendale Fire Department for any group of five or more residents or village business employees. To request a special session or to learn more about additional safety training call the Evendale Fire Department at 563-2248.

Bike Helmets

The Evendale Fire Department in cooperation with Children's Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati offers bike and multi-sport helmets. Helmets come in a range of color and design and cost $6.00. To purchase a helmet stop by the Evendale Fire House. Since proper fit is the most important concern, all helmets are measured and fitted for the wearer. The wearer must be present at the time of purchase.