April 18, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Create a zone around your house that will slow the wildfire down and possibly direct it around your home. To do this, you must view your yard as a fuel source. Fire will only burn if fuel is present. Fuel can be your landscaping, woodpiles, decks, etc. To create your defensible space, take the following steps within 30 feet of your home, 50 feet if you live in a heavily treed area or 100 feet if your home is on a hillside. If you live in California, a minimum of 100 feet is required (some areas may require more. Check with your local fire department).

April 3, 2013 (San Diego) – It’s springtime so naturally people and snakes begin to share the outdoors and encounters with snakes become inevitable. Were all enjoying the nice weather at taking more hikes and outdoor activity increases says Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna. California has a variety of snakes, most of which are benign. The exception is California’s only native venomous snake - the rattlesnake.

Rattlesnakes generally strike when threatened or deliberately provoked, but given room they will retreat. The potential of running into a rattlesnake should not deter anyone from venturing outdoors, but there are several precautions that can be taken to lessen the chance of being bitten when out in snake country - which is just about anywhere in California says Chief DiGiovanna.

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna       

February 20, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)--Who would think that the danger exists in doing such a daily household chore such as laundry? Recent incidents across the country point to the dangers of dryer fires. In fact, on average, over 13,000 fires start in our laundry rooms in the United States each year, resulting in deaths and close to $10 million in property damage says Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna. Nearly 4,000 of these fires arise from lint buildup and overheated motors that occur when people fail to clean their dryer vents. The following advice can help you prevent a disaster.

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

January 26, 2013 (San Diego) – It’s been unusually cold and more cold weather is in store this winter. During the cold winter months nothing beats a nice fire in the fireplace. Fires may keep us warm, however, there are hazards that need to be addressed says Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna.

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) encourages you to practice the following fire safety steps to keep those home fires safely burning says DiGiovanna. Remember, fire safety is your personal responsibility ...Fire Stops With You!

January 10, 2013 (San Diego) – People aren't the only ones who value a dry, cozy home in cold weather according to Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna. Rodents do, too. "As it gets colder, everything that was out tends to want to find some sort of harbor inside," says Chief DiGiovanna. They scurry in our walls and above our heads during the night, they raid our food and ruin it with their feces, and they reproduce wildly, creating more and more inhabitants for us to worry about. Rats, mice and squirrels also do a lot of damage to your home's structure, insulation, pipes and even electrical wiring.

December 20, 2012 (San Diego) – Well Christmas is officially here! The last couple weeks we have focused on both outdoor and indoor holiday safety. Christmas day will arrive soon and there’s a few additional safety tips to be aware of!

We’re going to be cooking more over the next few days and on Christmas. Be careful wearing loose clothing around open flames on the stove. Use a timer and use “post it’s” to remind yourself of cooking times in the oven (were going to be distracted more this week than ever). Do not cool hot pans with water if grease is in the. Have a fire extinguisher near-by and know how to use it. A lid placed over a pan on fire will remove oxygen and put the fire out! Be careful using candles at the dinner table (especially if toddlers are present).

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

December 5, 2012 (San Diego) -- During this busy time of year, there are more and more people on the road now than ever before. This is the “season” and we will likely be spending more time ourselves shopping, traveling, attending gatherings and rushing about during this time. This is when accidents occur as we have many distractions. If you or someone you love is in need of emergency assistance, you want help to arrive immediately.

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

Thanksgiving Cooking Safety Tips!

November 20, 2012 (San Diego)--Thanksgiving signifies the beginning of the Holiday Season and many of us will be spending more time in the kitchen preparing for the Holidays according Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna. Thanksgiving Day is the leading day for home cooking fires, with three times as many occurring on Thanksgiving as any other day of the year. In 2010, there were 1,370 fires on Thanksgiving, a 219 percent increase over the daily average. “Thanksgiving is a fun, festive holiday, but it’s also very hectic says DiGiovanna. “All the entertaining and distractions make it easy to forget about what’s cooking on the stovetop.”

November 15, 2012 (San Diego) – Fire prevention and flu prevention stages?

We just changed our smoke detector batteries with daylight savings this weekend for fire preventive measures. Flu season is among us and like fire prevention, it’s important to take cold/flu preventive measures. Emergency rooms become saturated this time of year due to those with the flu. Unfortunately this may delay those that have significant health/medical issues or injuries from getting treatment quickly according to Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna.

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

October 25, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--Wildfires are a major concern for us beginning today and into the weekend says Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna. Warm temperatures, with wind gusts anticipated to reach up to 60 mph in wind prone areas with relative humidity expected to be in the single digit area with little over-night recovery.

This warning applies to most all of the Southern California area. If a wildfire fire does develop under these conditions anticipate a rapid rate of spread due to low fuel moisture content!

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

October 4, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--The cooler weather is beginning to slowly settle in as we are now into Fall.  This is a great time for many of us to start those outdoor activities that we avoided during the summer heat. We have plenty of great spots to hike and enjoy the scenery here in East County (and surrounding area).

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna, East County Magazine’s “In-House Fire Chief”

September 5, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – We continue in our summer “monsoon season” which can quickly and unexpectedly bring flash floods. More people lose their LIVES in floods than in any other weather-related event. 80% of flood deaths occur in vehicles, and most happen when drivers make a single, fatal mistake - trying to navigate through floodwaters.

By Sam DiGiovanna, East County Magazine’s in-house Fire Chief

August 16, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--Below is a checklist of documents that are commonly lost in a fire. Under the type of document is the institution or agency to contact for a replacement. Do not forget to take any medications.

If you are asked to evacuate, please do so immediately… Don’t become part of the existing problem!