Front row, Councilman Tom Card, Vice-Mayor Jerry Petty, Councilman Larry Sewell, Mayor Mike Steele, Councilman Denny Manning, Public Safety Director Eddie Phillips. Back row, Deputy Fire Chief Mike Flynn, Fire Pup, Public Education Officer Jeff Duncan. Click to enlarge.
The Residential Fire Safety Institute awarded East Ridge the 2006 Life Safety Achievement Award for fire prevention and education.
Mayor Mike Steele also proclaimed October to be Fire-Prevention Month in East Ridge.
East Ridge recorded no residential fire deaths in 2006. East Ridge Public Safety Director Eddie Phillips said the city also received a federal fire grant and will be providing hundreds of 10-year battery smoke detectors to at-risk citizens, including seniors, children and low-income.
“Prevention and education are very cost-effective compared to the traditional approach of relying on fire suppression,” said Roy L. Marshall, director of the RFSI.
East Ridge has won this award 11 times, more than any other fire department in Tennessee. Chief Phillips said someone is lost to fire every two and a half hours in the United States, and Tennessee is number two in the nation for fire deaths. Nationwide the Residential Fire Safety Institute recognized 675 fire departments for 2006.
Larry Clark reported that the River Rescue project cleared 401 square feet of trash from Spring Creek Oct. 6, including 24 tires, two mattresses and an auto gas tank.
“It’s spotless there around Springvale Park,” said Mr. Clark, commending Boy Scout Troop 74. “Lord willing, we’ll be doing it again next year.” He said 25 residents of East Ridge volunteered to help, the most since the project’s inception.
Donald Payne is requesting permission to move a home from Anderson Estates to Oakdale Avenue. His request has been denied once because Oakdale residents said they were afraid the new owners will not take care of the home. Mr. Payne said he has moved 20 homes in East Ridge without problem. He said he will personally bring the house up to code and obtain the certificate of occupancy.
The commission ruled that 15-day notice was not given for the permit’s public hearing and postponed the vote until proper notice has been published.
The Shrine Circus performs at the Camp Jordan Arena this Thursday through Sunday with three shows on Saturday and two on Sunday.