Warwick firefighters responded to 30 calls in April

Warwick - The Warwick Fire Department answered 30 calls for help during April, including seven motor vehicle accidents and a rescue, according to the monthly report prepared by Capt. Michael Contaxis and firefighter Kevin Columba. The department has responded to 164 emergency calls from Jan. 1 through April 30. Here’s how the April calls broke down: Automatic alarm -7 Motor vehicle accidents - 7 Carbon monoxide alarm - 3 Mutual aid-3 Smoke investigation- 2 Illegal burn- 2 Wires down and burning - 1 Structure fire - 1 Appliance fire- 1 Gas leak- 1 Rescue- 1 Other- 1 Fire prevention According to information from the U.S. Fire Administration, arson can devastate a community, resulting in the decline of the neighborhood through increased insurance premiums, loss of business revenue and a decline in property values. Arson is difficult to prosecute, but the effects are felt throughout the community: workers lose jobs, towns and cities lose tax dollars, burned buildings create blighted areas, and innocent people are injured or killed. Uncontrolled arson, along with other serious crime, creates rampant fear among residents, business customers, and potential visitors. If the community’s streets seem out of control, people will be afraid to come into that area to visit or do business. These conditions can quickly lead to a second stage where residents who can afford to move out begin selling homes, even at a loss, to escape before the bottom drops out. Property tax collections plummet, giving the community less and less resources to fight back. - Here are some tips on how to prevent arson: Keep leaves, firewood, overgrown brush and shrubbery, and other combustibles away from buildings. Locked doors and windows when a building is unoccupied and board up abandoned buildings. Store all flammable liquids such as paints, gasoline, and aerosols in an approved storage location, e.g., locked cabinets, locked storage units, locked garages (preventing access to kids), etc. Report suspicious activity near houses or other buildings to the local police and support Neighborhood Watch programs.