THE WATCH Together We Will Make A Difference!

IN MEMORY OF FIRE CHIEF GERRY GRAY

No words can capture the monumental impact Chief Gray had on our community, as no words can fully describe the effects of his loss. He was a trailblazer in finding ways to instantly communicate news and updates to us through social media. He came to our meetings and always championed our efforts. His humble demeanor and tireless spirit resonated with everyone he met. Together, with Chief Gray, we made a difference.

This special issue of The Watch reprints columns written by Chief Gray and includes words of remembrance from block captains and city officials. "He blended a little bit between his professional tweeting and his personal tweeting and they were from the same account so, I think that is what really personalized him for a lot of people is that he felt comfortable blending those parts of his life. I think it really exemplified who he was and what he felt in terms of his fire service. He didn't really distinguish as a fire chief versus a family man and a father. It was all one, it was his package."

-Barry Tippin, Redding City Manager

“Chief Gray loved this city and the members of his fire department. He truly cared about people and would always do the right thing. I will miss his calming demeanor and contagious smile. He was a true professional.”

-Roger Moore, Chief of Police

HOLY SMOKE, THESE ALARMS SAVE LIVES!!! (Originally Printed Winter 2018)

These devices, which hang largely ignored from the higher interior reaches of our home, provide a significant life-saving advantage to the occupants below. Ignored, that is, until the drifting steam from a shower or the overcooked bacon smoke in the kitchen sets off their annoying and persistent alarm. It is then that the ever-so-familiar family dance of wafting towels or pillows, to make them stop, begins. We have all experienced this - even fire chiefs.

But make no mistake, with over 100 years of data on this matter, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) shows a significant reduction of injuries and deaths in house fires equipped with working smoke alarms. There are essentially two major types of smoke alarms. Both are equally capable. An ionization model detects actual smoke particles and may be best-suited for those hallways near steamy bathrooms. The photoelectric models use infrared light to detect particles (including smoke and steam). Both types are equally capable, and I am not advocating one type over the other.

Remarkable advances in battery technology now provide us with enhanced protection in the form of maintenance- free smoke alarms. We strongly recommend these newer '10-yr battery units' (also called sealed units). These will protect your house for 10 years and require NO BATTERY REPLACEMENT. They cost a few bucks more than the standard replace-your-battery-every-six-months units, but will bring convenience-galore to your life. In ten years you simply discard the unit and replace it with another 10-yr unit.

Oh yeah, please remember that ALL SMOKE ALARMS should be replaced every 10 years as their detection performance degrades. Also, remember that at minimum, smoke alarms should be mounted to the ceiling of every bedroom, the family room, and in the hallway. Best wishes.

A FIERY DEAL FROM FIRE CHIEF GRAY... “YOU PROVIDE THE DEFENSE, WE'LL PROVIDE THE OFFENSE!” (Originally Printed Spring 2017)

The blessed rain this winter has done much good to address the dire drought impacts of the past five years. For this we can surely all be grateful. But, the dark clouds of winter have also produced an abundant crop of vegetation, which will burn violently this summer. Unfortunately, that time draws near again when our beautiful Redding skyline will be stained with the familiar smoke of fire season. And this one may be a particularly difficult season.

As this situation unfolds, our short-staffed fire department may be further impacted by the critical loss of nine firefighter positions in July, due to fiscal constraints and challenges. The title of the popular movie “The Perfect Storm” best describes my feelings about the outlook: Big fires, fewer firefighters. Or perhaps: Fewer firefighters, big fires. Either scenario does not bode well.

But let’s explore the positives of this situation: YOU can do much to protect YOUR property. Retired CalFire Chief Bill Hoeman once coined the fire season phrase “You provide the defense, we’ll provide the offense!” As it does every year, this saying rings true again this year. YOU PROVIDE THE DEFENSE. Property owners are urged to remove combustible vegetation from their property. Dead weeds, dead bushes, dead trees, and any combustible clutter should be removed from the property. Our department has setup a very easy-to-use online ‘Hazardous Vegetation Reporting’ form at http://reddingfire.org. You may easily report fire-prone vegetation and related fire hazards in our City.

Rest assured that all of the personnel at the Redding Fire Department will continue to work hard to provide you with the outstanding emergency & public services that we have been known for. “Chief Gray was a humble, intelligent, community minded leader that cared deeply for the men and women in the Redding Fire Department and for all of public safety. His love for this community and desire to stay engaged and keep the community informed through social media is almost impossible to match. I will truly miss his vision, sense of humor, and his strong desire to make Redding a better place.”

-Captain Bill Schueller, Redding Police Department

"He seemed like a genuine public servant, out to help people live as safely as possible."

-Barbara Braun, Block Captain

"I had the pleasure of working on Earth Day next to the booth of the Redding Fire Department. Chief Gray was doing his usual stellar job, and there are some people who just consistently put out good energy, and he was one of them. It’s very sad to lose him but we can all take inspiration from him and try to be that kind of person."

-Tom O’Mara, Volunteer, RPD Neighborhood Watch Unit A FIERY MISSIVE FROM FIRE CHIEF GRAY (Originally Printed Fall 2016)

This is that interesting time of the year when cooler temperatures may suggest that the fire danger has diminished. But make no mistake – we are still very much in fire season! In fact, the conditions are ripe for significant wildfire incidents in and around our community as the fuel moistures in vegetation (amount of water in live and dead plants) are at critically low levels now. Fuel moisture is a primary predictor of how intensely a wildfire will burn and is one of the main reasons that we normally don’t experience winter-season wildfires.

So, continue to remain vigilant against the threat of wildfire. Also, it is never too late to clear combustible vegetation and materials from around your home and property. If you need more information on how to protect yourself during wildfires then please visit our Redding Fire Department website. Near the bottom of our main webpage we have a ‘Fire Season Safety Tips’ link. As always, please contact us at 225-4141 if you have any questions related to fire safety matters.

A HOME HEATING FIERY MISSIVE FROM FIRE CHIEF GRAY (Originally Printed Winter 2017)

I am often asked if things ‘calm down’ for our fire department during the winter months. This is understandable following our typical long north state wildfire season. What many folks may not understand is that this is another busy time for us in regards to house & building fire responses. In fact, the months of November through February mark the busiest period for these types of fires. Many of these incidents are attributed to home heating activities and equipment.

Flue fires keep us busy. While burning wood in your fireplace or wood stove, the lining of your chimney or stove pipes gradually accumulates sticky combustible goo called ‘creosote’. Once sufficient creosote builds up, it will ignite inside the pipe or chimney when you light your fireplace or wood stove. The problem here is that the temperature of the burning creosote is often high enough to spread to the rest of the house. The best prevention for this is a good cleaning & inspection every year by a qualified technician. You certainly can do this job yourself, with the appropriate brushes and equipment, however, be forewarned: it is a very messy job. I have seen certain commercial products for sale in stores which claim to ‘clean’ the creosote by burning it off. I have no opinion on the effectiveness of these commercial products. I still believe that a good annual cleaning will greatly reduce your chance of a flue fire – or worse.

Please ensure that your home heating equipment remains in good working order. We recommend an annual inspection by a qualified technician. This includes your central heating equipment in your attic or wall-mounted heaters.

Lastly, watch those smaller electric space heaters. Do not place them close to combustible materials (mattress, curtains, etc.). Heartbreaking to see a house burn because an electric space heater ignited the surroundings. Modern versions of these space heaters have a ‘kill switch’ that automatically turns the unit off if a child or pet knocks it over. Unfortunately, there are still many old heaters out there that do not have this safety feature. Enjoy our wonderful winter season. The professionals of the Redding Fire Department are here to serve you. Please contact us if you have any questions at 225-4141.

"Chief Gray always took the time to send out information about weather and fire related conditions. His kindness and concern was always evident in his well-written posts on Nextdoor. It always touched my heart that he never failed to mention watching out for our neighbors and especially the elderly who may need some help. His concern and compassion for the community was very evident in his interactions. He will be missed."

-Gail Paulsen, Block Captain

"We can all take comfort that his leadership inspired so many of us to be kinder, more engaged, and to remain optimistic. Perhaps that is his legacy--leading by example and influencing others to become positive change makers."

-Terri Moravec, Volunteer, RPD Neighborhood Watch Unit

HELP US HONOR CHIEF GRAY AT THE SAFETY FAIR

The City of Redding is holding its first ever Safety Fair on August 7th, 2018, from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. The event will showcase safety information from our local government and business community and provide attendees resources to protect their neighborhoods, property, and family. Chief Gray was one of the founding members of the committee organizing the Safety Fair and he was passionate about making this event successful.

To honor his memory, eight “Thin Red Line” flags will be available at the Safety Fair for members of the community to sign their names or leave words of remembrance. The flags will be delivered to each of the eight Redding Fire Stations and will hang from the walls so that those brave firefighters who continue to serve our community never forget Chief Gray.