The Cave Spring Volunteer Fire Department has posted its incident report for April 2012. Volunteer firefighters responded to 47 calls, bringing this year’s total to 230. For more information about the department or interested in joining visit us at cavespringfire.org or facebook.com/csvfd.

The Cave Spring Volunteer Fire Department relies heavily on our community to help us so we can be there for you. Donations from residents and businesses provide the funding that we need to equip our volunteers with protective gear and state-of-the-art equipment. If you would like to support our efforts and provide a donation, they can be mailed to: Cave Spring Volunteer Fire Department, 4212 Old Cave Spring Road, Roanoke, VA 24018. You are also welcome to stop by the station and deliver your donation in person anytime during the week after 6 p.m. and anytime on weekends. We encourage you to come and see what your donation means to everyone in our community.

SAFTEY TIP: Everyone must know what to do and where to go when the smoke alarm sounds. Take a few minutes with everyone in your household to make a home fire escape plan, following the instructions below.

1. Draw a floor plan of your home : You should draw a plan for each level of your home.

2. Include all possible emergency exits : Draw in all the doors, windows and stairways. This will show you and your family all possible escape routes at a glance. Include any features, such as the roof of a garage or porch, that would help in your escape.

3. Show two ways out of every room, if possible : The door will be the main exit from each room. However, if the door is blocked by smoke or fire, identify an alternate escape route, which could be a window. Make sure that all windows can open easily and that everyone knows how to escape through them to safety.

4. Does anyone need help to escape? Decide in advance who will assist the very young, older adults or people with disabilities in your household. A few minutes of planning will save valuable seconds in a real emergency.

5. Choose a meeting place outside : Choose a meeting place a safe distance from your home that everyone will remember. A tree, street light or a neighbor’s home are all good choices. In case of fire, everyone will go directly to this meeting place so they can be accounted for.

6. Call 911 from outside your home: Don’t waste valuable seconds calling the fire department from inside your home. Once you have safely escaped, call 911 from a cell phone or a neighbor’s home.

7. Practice your escape : Review the plan with everyone in your household. Walk through the escape routes for each room with the entire family. Use this walk-through exercise to check your escape routes, making sure all exits are practical and easy to use. Then hold a fire drill twice a year and time how long it takes. In a real fire, you must react without hesitation as your escape routes may be quickly blocked by smoke or flames.

– Submitted by Josh Waagmeester, Cave Spring Volunteer Fire Department