From the Eastford Independent Fire Company #1, Inc.

The EIFC wishes Eastford Elementary School a happy and safe 2026-2027 school year. Car drivers, bicycle riders, and walkers — use caution when moving around town. Eastford may be small in population compared to some towns, but we can experience the same traumatic events, so be cautious!

Happy Fall on Sept. 22, at 8:04 p.m.!

The department responded to 24 “911” emergency calls in August.

All members are participating in a mandated physical examination in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association’s NFPA 1582 Standard. The physical is a structured medical and fitness evaluation designed to ensure that firefighters remain physically, mentally, and emotionally capable of performing their duties safely.

Eastford’s upcoming social event for all ages alike is Halloween! Ghosts, ghouls, and monsters aren’t the only things to be afraid of on Halloween. Accidents and mishaps increase dramatically when children trick-or-treat. To avoid the many dangers children and adults face while trick-or-treating, use common sense. Be aware of potential hazards and take precautions to eliminate them. Consider participating in sanctioned large and town-wide events to bypass any chaos or danger.

In keeping with NFPA Standards, smoke alarms at home, carbon monoxide safety, and escape planning should be the norm for the fall and winter seasons.

• Smoke Alarms at Home: Smoke alarms are a key part of a home fire escape plan. When a fire starts, smoke spreads fast. Working smoke alarms give you early warning so you can get outside quickly. Fact: Smoke alarms should be installed inside every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level. Roughly two out of three fire deaths happen in homes with no working alarms or not working. Test alarms at least once a month, replace conventional batteries when the time changes, and replace any smoke alarm that is more than 10 years old.

• Escape Planning: Plan ahead! If a fire breaks out in your home, you may have only a few minutes to get out safely once the smoke alarm sounds. Everyone needs to know what to do and where to go if there is a fire. Fact: Only one of every three households has actually developed and practiced a home fire escape plan. Practice the escape plan at least twice a year when seasons change.

• Carbon Monoxide Safety: Often called the silent killer, carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas created when fuels such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane burn incompletely. In the home, heating and cooking equipment that burns fuel can produce carbon monoxide. Fact: A person can be poisoned by a small amount of CO over a longer period of time or by a large amount of CO over a shorter amount of time.

- Submitted by Jeannine Spink