Raytown soccer Page 2
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Free complimentary copy January 3, 2014 • Volume 1, No. 14
www.raytowneagle.com • 75¢
Raytown South Goes 4-2 In Great 8 Classic Raytown South came back with four straight victories after losing two games. Brad Destreich is in his seventh season leading the Cardinals. Tyrone Gibbs starred for the Cardinals with 17.3 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Sophomore Bryan Trimble added 11.7 ppg while Robert Hunt dished out four assists per game. Senior Rodney Johnson and freshman Elijah Childs also add quality depth to the games.
City Of Raytown Fall/ Winter Newsletter Mailed To Residents
Photo by Kris Wilson Helias’ Trevor Koelling hits the deck while battling Raytown South’s Elijah Childs (24) for a loose ball during Sunday’s action in the Joe Machens Great 8 Classic at Fleming Fieldhouse
Raytown Fire Ventilation Training Ever wonder why firefighters climb onto the roof of a building while it is on fire? They are normally up there to open up holes in the roof or upper-level windows, which could mean the difference between life and death for people trapped inside a structure. “Ventilation is really critical,” said Raytown Battalion Chief Ben Denney, “To relieve the heat and smoke and gases from a building is important for occupants and firefighters.” In order to prepare to ventilate under the most trying conditions, firefighters train in a variety of techniques, including tactics for opening the vents and crucial communication between incident commanders and firefighters on the roof and inside the building. If an occupant is trapped inside a building, in some cases, firefighters may not wait until a vent has been opened before entering. But there is inherent danger in entering such a structure or room within it, because there is a possibility of explosive, deadly consequences, resulting from a backdraft or flashover. In a backdraft, the introduction of oxygen to a closed room or building causes an explosion, when the oxygen ignites fuel gases, which were produced by the fire. “The fire is starving for air, so when it gets the air, it suddenly accelerates the fire,” Denney explained. The Raytown Fire Protection District is continually seeking a variety of
locations and types of structures to prepare for all scenarios. A two-story building that formerly housed the Toys“R”Us on Hillcrest road presented firefighters with the opportunity to work on a spacious flat roof. One of the challenges of venting a building is to cut a hole in the decking — normally about a 4-foot square — while avoiding damage to the rafters. If the rafters, which support the roof’s exterior, are inadvertently slashed, that could cause a disastrous roof collapse. Firefighters will tap on the roof with axe heads or other tools to try to sound out where the rafters are, but that does not always yield information, especially if there are multiple
layers of shingles or the fire scene is extremely noisy. “There are several potential hazards associated with ventilation”, Interim Fire Chief Matt Mace stated, “At the same time firefighters are on the roof, the roof supports could be rapidly deteriorating as a result of the fire. You have to always be aware of the possibility of a roof collapsing.” Firefighters often try to vent at the highest possible point of a roof, because that is the best place to remove the smoke and heat from the structure. A high point on the roof often yields the advantage of providing a place to sit or stand more safely than on a slope. But being at a higher elevation increases the risk of injury
in a fall. When the vent hole is opened, the smoke and fire rush toward the hole, which could possibly trap a firefighter. A key to success in fighting a fire is coordinating the attack between the firefighters on the roof and those inside the building. The incident commander, normally a battalion chief, can relay information by radio such as what part of the building inside is ablaze, so the firefighters on the roof can know the best spot to vent. “One of the first things to decide on a fire scene is where to vent,” said Ty Helphrey, captain of Raytown Engine 51. “The sooner we get it open, the better it is for us.”
The City of Raytown published an informational Fall/ Winter Newsletter that was intended to be mailed to every resident of Raytown but has to yet reach some neighborhoods in 64138 due to “postal issues” according to the City’s website. If you have not yet received your copy and have internet service, you can find the PDF form of the newsletter on the City website’s home page at www.raytown.mo.us. Public Information Officer, Brenda Gustafson, invites citizens to request a printed copy by emailing her at pio@raytown. mo.us or calling 816-737-6059. The newsletter’s “Tips for getting your home ready for winter and the holidays” covers home maintenance during winter months to keep homes safe. Applications for the Home Weatherization Program can no longer be acquired from the website URL printed in the newsletter. Weatherization services assistance has been turned over to the United Services Community Action Agency at 6323 Manchester Avenue where citizens can pick up applications or call 816-358-6868, extension 8306. The newsletter provides information about how the City has spent revenue from the ½ cent Capital Sales Tax and the 3/8 cent Transportation Sales Tax over the past five years. The Capital Sales Tax has purchased vehicles for the Police Department, Public Works, Code Enforcement and Animal Control, as well as financial software and police car laptop computers. The Transportation Sales Tax funded Continued on page 2