Reno, NV (March 7, 2023) – Details for tomorrow’s (Wednesday, March 8) memorial procession for the Crew of Care Flight Fixed-Wing 56 for members of the public to pay their respects along the route. 

The procession will start at Walton’s Funeral Home located at Vine and 2^nd Street and will end at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, 4590 South Virginia Street.

The procession will start at 12:45 pm and will arrive no later than 1:15 pm.

Procession Route Segment:

• Starting from Walton’s travel EB on 2^nd Street to Greater Nevada Field. Veer right and follow 2^nd Street EB towards Kietzke Lane

• Follow E 2^nd Street past Renown Medical Center turning right (SB) on Kietzke Lane.

• Travel SB on Kietzke Lane for 4 miles passing through the intersections of Mill Street, Plumb Lane, Moana Lane, and East Peckham Lane.

• Follow Kietzke Lane to South Virginia Street turning right and proceeding NB on South Virginia Street.

• Arrive at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center

Minimal traffic disruptions will occur along the route. There will be no formal departure procession following the ceremony.

###

Reno, NV, Nov. 18, 2022 – We want our Washoe County families to have a safe Thanksgiving and holiday season.  Thanksgiving is the leading day of the year for home fires involving cooking equipment.

Here are some tips to follow that will assure the safety of you and your loved ones this Thanksgiving:

• Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop so you can keep an eye on the food.
• Stay in the home when cooking your turkey, and check on it frequently.
• Deep Frying turkey – Make sure the turkey is completely thawed before it is placed in a fryer.
• Never leave the fryer unattended because, without thermostat controls, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire. 
• Never use a fryer on a wooden deck, under a patio cover, in a garage or enclosed space.
• Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot and kids should stay three feet away.
• Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy or coffee could cause serious burns.
• Keep knives out of the reach of children.
• Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child.
• Keep matches and utility lighters out of the reach of children — up high in a locked cabinet.
• Never leave children alone in room with a lit candle.
• Keep the floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, pocketbooks or bags.
• Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day, Christmas Eve, and the day before Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving Day had more than three times as many fires when compared to a typical day in the U.S., according to the NFPA.

In 2019, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 1,400 home cooking fires on Thanksgiving, the peak day for such fires.  Unattended cooking is by far the leading contributing factor in cooking fires and fire deaths.  Cooking equipment was involved in almost half of all reported home fires and home fire injuries, and it is the second leading cause of home fire deaths.

On behalf of the firefighters and staff at Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue, we wish our residents a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving. We are thankful to serve you!

###

By Fire Chief Charles Moore, Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue

Wildfires are dangerous and chaotic, especially when they occur in residential areas as we have witnessed in the last few fire seasons.

Viewing an attack on a wildfire is no doubt a fascinating visual. The intricate coordination that air tankers and helicopters perform from the air can be an amazing experience to watch up close.  And observing fire engines maneuver into place gives residents comfort that firefighters are on the scene.  However, the longer our residents delay evacuation after an order is given, the greater are the complications for the firefighting effort.   

Conflicts between fire equipment and citizens leaving at the same time is what we want to avoid.   For instance, fire hoses, once pressurized cannot be driven over. Vehicles break the hose which compromises the suppression effort as well as puts firefighters in a dangerous position. Multiple fire engines may also block roadways.

Firefighters must make rapid decisions on where to deploy apparatus and fire hose, along with identifying structures to protect.  Our fire crews are focused on coordinating resources in the air, and on the ground.  First responders often have little time to follow-up and ensure nearby residents evacuate once announcements are made to leave their homes and neighborhoods. 

If we can protect you in place, we will, but the strategy behind fighting wildland fires is much like playing chess. We try to anticipate what is going to happen a few moves down the chess board based on terrain and weather conditions. At times, we may order evacuations that are more extensive than might have been required.

As sometimes happens, if we order evacuations that are greater than might have been necessary, residents may question the necessity of the order.  However, if we underestimate and people get trapped by fire, we may have to count foundations, or worse. Therefore, we will always err on the side of safety. 

When you receive notification to evacuate, we respectfully ask our residents to follow the order and leave the neighborhood. We recognize the stress and uncertainty that an evacuation can cause our citizens, and we do everything we can to minimize the inconvenience.  In most cases, residents can return in a matter of a few hours. Law enforcement will also provide a significant presence to safeguard your homes.

Citizens should know how to respond to wildfire or any disaster that could occur in your area – weather events, flooding, or man-made disasters.  Prepare to be self-sufficient for at least three days. This may mean providing for your own shelter, first aid, food, water, and sanitation. Make plans with your family and friends in case you’re not together during an emergency. Discuss how you’ll contact each other, where you’ll meet, and what you’ll do in different situations.  Check all types of media – internet, newspapers, radio, TV – for local information and updates.

The fall is especially a critical time to prepare because fuels are drying out and wind events can be intense. Be safe!