The Hutto Fire Department struggles to keep up with the demands of the growing community, but can’t get the money to add on to its staff.

There are typically just five firefighters that are on duty at any given time. The five man crew usually handles most of the calls that come into the department which are EMS related. It’s when there’s a fire that they need more help and some residents are noticing.

“I don’t think it’s enough,” said Hutto homeowner, Jerry Gibson.

Gibson moved to Hutto when it was still a small country town of a couple of thousand residents. Now the city’s Web site shows more than 28,000 people call Hutto home. He wonders if five firefighters can do the job.

“I think we need more than that. It’s getting bigger around here and the houses are so close together where if we did have a fire, they’re pretty close, if they didn’t get there in time you could loose a whole block,” said Gibson.

Fire Chief Mark Moellenberg says the department doesn’t have enough money right now to add more firefighters. Instead, it relies on backup from Taylor, Round Rock, and Pflugerville.

“We call for help a lot,” said Chief Moellenberg.

The department has to rely on a separate county tax for Emergency Service Districts (ESDs) to pay its bills and its payroll.

“We do not compete for our tax dollars with the (City of Hutto) Parks with the (Hutto) Police or (Hutto) EMS or the (Hutto) garbage service. Our 10 cents is what we have to run the dept,” said Chief Moellenberg.

That’s 10 cents for every $100.00 collected from property taxes.

“That’s a very small percentage compared to most municipal fire deptartments and what they’re funded by,” said Chief Moellenberg.

Despite the staffing struggle the department has been able to handle most of its calls.

“We’ve had a situation at our house. They came immediately,” said Hutto homeowner, Melissa Pollins.

Pollins had a small fire at her home last year. The crew knocked it out by themselves.

“I think they’re doing the best they can with what they have to work with, but of course, if everything else is growing, maybe they should grow too,” said Pollins.

The funding problem is something a lot of Emergency Service Districts are facing; especially in areas where the towns are growing quickly. Chief Moellenberg says it’s up to state legislatures to decide if the ESDs will get more funding. Right now, there are no plans for any change.

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Less than one hour later, firefighters were summoned to a shooting near Lone Star and Gainer Drive. After a rapid assessment, a helicopter was summoned to transport the patient to Brackenridge Hospital in Austin. From the arrival of the first fire/rescue units until transport on the helicopter was 16 minutes, which is a very good time.

After a few hours back at the station mowing the lawns and cleaning and repairing small equipment, a request from the Coupland Fire Department was received. 2 Firefighters on a brush truck with extra medical equipment responded to the Town of Coupland and provided protection while units from Coupland, Taylor, Grainger, Thrall, and Elgin fought a large brush fire in the South-Eastern portion of the county. The Hutto Fire/Rescue truck was in Coupland for about 2 hours. The City of Hutto was still protected by 3 firefighters staffing Engine 1.

After supper dishes were cleaned and placed in the pantry, the shift prepared for bed. Just as lights out approached, firefighters were summoned to assist an EMS unit that was responding near the Legends of Hutto neighborhood for an individual suffering from a medical emergency. Firefighters arrived within 6 minutes and began providing care. Once EMS arrived, firefighters were cleared back to the station were the rest of the shift remained calm.

Always maintain a close eye on outdoor fires and stay in the close proximity until the fire is completely out. While preparing to burn anything out doors, make sure that you have water and hand tools near by in case your fire attempts to spread. Burn household items in an appropriate barrel or container with a screen or metal grate to keep all burning materials contained. Always remember to never try to burn aerosol cans; heated cans will explode.
In Summary:
• always check for any burn bans that may be in place in Williamson county
• Try to avoid burning outdoors on drier than normal and windy days
• Check the local news to see if there is any forecasted weather changes such as shifts in wind directions, high winds, or heavy wind gust
• Always maintain a close eye on outdoor fires and stay in the close proximity until the fire is completely out
• While preparing to burn anything out doors, make sure that you have water and hand tools near by in case your fire attempts to spread
• Always remember to never burn aerosol cans; heated cans will explode

For more information and safety tips, visit the Hutto Fire Department website at www.huttofirerescue.org

They are, left to right, Jim Burke, Tom Hines and Rob Bocanegra. They are the first full-time staff to be promoted.

photo and story by Nancy Royden

It wasn’t all that long ago that a new fire station was built on Exchange Boulevard to give firefighters in Hutto more room for a growing department.

Now its leaders are determining where a second station should be built.

"We know we will need one and need it soon," Mark Moellenberg, chief of Hutto Fire Rescue, said.

There is land already available for the second station on the south side of FM 1660 in the area near Ray Elementary School. However, the department wants to use a consulting firm to help them evaluate growth in the area.

"They would be putting validation as to why this is a good location," he said. "Maybe it doesn’t go in first on 1660."

He said it is important the department does not place the station in the wrong place.

"That’s a very expensive mistake, and we don’t want to make it," he said.

Moellenberg said there are several things to consider when evaluating where to put a new station, such as population and business growth, response time to assistance calls and call volumes.

Mollenberg said when going on calls on the south side of FM 1660, firefighters can sometimes see a train coming down tracks before they come to a crossing gate and go in the opposite direction so they don’t waste valuable time. He also said the train operators are getting better about not blocking railroad crossings that block traffic from getting to the others side of the highway.

City Manager Ed Broussard, who approved hiring a consulting firm, said the facility study will give the department a well thought-out plan for dealing with growth in the area and conducting one is the best thing to do in the long run.

photo and story by NANCY ROYDEN

Each year more than 6,000 people die and an estimated 300,000 suffer disabling illnesses as a result of unintentional poisoning by solid and liquid substances. Unintentional poisonings can happen to anyone, at any time, in any situation.

Home unintentional poisonings, however, can be prevented. While child-resistant packaging has greatly reduced the number of fatalities among children under five years of age, parents, grandparents, and other caregivers must still be cautious. Following label directions for all products, including medication dosages, and proper storage of potentially toxic products are important precautions to heed.

Statistics
Poisonings from solids and liquids such as drugs, medicines, poisonous houseplants, cleaning products, and pesticides caused 6,300 deaths in the home in 1998 alone.
An additional 500 deaths in the home in 1998 were due to poisonings from gases and vapors such as carbon monoxide.
These deaths are not all among children. Another age group at risk is adults age 25 through 44. Many adults are unintentionally poisoned when they do not follow label directions on medications or household chemicals.
You can keep yourself and family members safer by being aware of potential hazards and observing these suggestions from the National Safety Council on ways to poison-proof your home.

Bathroom
Have a “child-proof” cabinet that locks. Even if your medicine cabinet is “high up,” youngsters are inquisitive and avid climbers. They can easily reach a cabinet by climbing from the toilet (or other convenient object) to the sink and thus reach into the cabinet.
Use child-resistant caps and keep medication lids tightly closed. A child-resistant cap is meaningless if not properly fastened after each use.
Never take medication in front of a child, or refer to pills as candy. Kids often mimic adults. Also, something that tastes awful to an adult may not faze a small child.
Always follow the recommended dosage set forth by your doctor for all medications.
Some mouthwashes contain enough alcohol to poison small children. Consider alternative products.
Some toilet bowl cleansers are dangerously caustic and capable of burning tissue if ingested.

Bedroom

Mothballs and crystals should be hung in containers. If such products are used in closets or chests, they should be out of the reach of toddlers.
Keep personal care items are such as hair spray, cologne, perfumes, nail polish remover, nail glue remover, and astringents where children can’t get into them.

Living Room

People who visit may carry medications in coat pockets, jackets, and purses, all of which are perfect hunting grounds for a curious child. Hang garments and store purses where children are not likely to get at them.
Children may be exposed to different lead sources in your home. Small children may chew on window sills, eat paint chips, or suck on their hands or toys, exposing themselves to lead dust. Lead poisoning can cause serious medical problems, especially in young children. Be sure your home is lead safe. See our lead poisoning fact sheet for more information.

Kitchen

Check under the sink and in cabinets. Look for stored products that could be hazardous when accessible to young children. These could include such items as bleaching agents, rust removers, drain cleaners, ammonia, oven cleaners, detergents, furniture polish, floor wax, metal polish, wax remover, and wall/floor/toilet bowl cleaners. Even food extracts, such as vanilla and almond, are potential poisons. If products cannot be moved, install safety latches on cupboard doors to keep inquisitive youngsters out.
Cleaning compounds and foods should never be stored together.
Keep all substances in their original containers. Using beverage bottles or cans for storing cleaning fluids, liquid floor wax, and other household mixtures is very hazardous. Children, and even adults, might mistake the contents for the original beverage. Also, labels on original containers give important usage and safety information.
Keep potentially hazardous cleaning compounds capped. Do not leave an uncapped contaner unattended even “just a minute” if toddlers are present.

Additional Precautions

Keep the numbers of your local poison control center (or national toll-free number, 800-222-1222) or family doctor posted near the telephone. Have the original container and its label when you call.
Keep syrup of ipecac available but use only when instructed to by a doctor or poison control center.
Use safety latches or combination locks to prevent curious children from getting into cabinets and drawers. Don’t let children watch you open them. Kids learn fast.
Many poisonings of youngsters happen when the household routine has been interrupted. Examples of such changes include: when a parent is ill; when a family is moving; when a family is on a trip; when there is a guest in the home; when there is family tension; when seasonal products are in use. In addition, hungry or tired children are prone to putting the first available object they find into their mouths.
Throw out unneeded or expired medicines (OTC and prescriptions). Look for the expiration date. Out-of-date medications may be ineffective and/or dangerous.
For handling poisonings and other emergencies, everyone should be trained in First Aid.

Especially for Older Adults

Request medicine labels be printed in larger type.
If one type of child-restraint closure is difficult to use, ask your pharmacist for a different kind (especially if there are young children around).
Make sure you are taking the medicine you intended; turn on the lights and double-check the label, especially when you are sleepy or sick.
Avoid dosage errors - use dosage containers indicating day of week and/or time of day; don’t leave it to memory.
If you are taking two or more medications (prescription or OTC), be sure to check with your pharmacist to avoid unexpected drug interactions.
Consider a dedicated medicine storage area—even if there are no kids in the house.

Pets are Susceptible, Too!

Poisonous anti-freeze tastes sweet to dogs and cats—clean up spills and leaks immediately and store carefully.
Avoid feeding pets human food—chocolate can poison and kill a dog. Onions are potentially harmful. Pets are healthier eating food specially formulated for what they need.
Don’t spray or store cleaning or pesticide products near pet food or water dishes.
Make sure animals can’t get at bait products while they are in use.
In the event of a spill, be sure to keep animals out of the area until it is cleaned up.
Don’t forget about wildlife. Spraying products on a windy day can carry the product into the water supply for wild animals.

(Permission to reprint granted by the National Safety Council, a membership organization dedicated to protecting life and promoting health.)

Protect Your Head. Wear A Helmet.

* Never ride a bicycle without a helmet. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) and the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommend that bicyclists wear a helmet that complies with the CPSC standard.
* Bicycle helmets can reduce head injuries by Eighty-five percent. Select a helmet that fits snugly and sits flat on the head.
* For children, use the extra padding that comes with the helmet to ensure a proper fit. This padding can be removed as the child’s head grows.

Assure Bicycle Readiness. Make sure Your Bicycle is Adjusted Properly.

* Make sure you can stand over the top tube of your bicycle. Adjust your bicycle to fit you (see Owner’s Manual).
* Before using your bicycle, check to make sure all parts are secure and working well. The handle bars should be firmly in place and turn easily. Your wheels must be straight and secure.
* Add a carrier to the back of your bicycle if you need to carry things.

Stop It. Always Check Brakes Before Riding.

* Always control your speed by using your brakes. If your bicycle has hand brakes, apply the rear brake slightly before the front brake. Always keep your brakes adjusted. If you cannot stop quickly, adjust your brakes.
* Consult your Bicycle Owner’s Manual or have a bicycle shop adjust the brakes. When your hand brake levers are fully applied, they should not touch the handlebars. Each brake shoe pad should wear evenly and never be separated more than one eighth inch from the rim.
* Ride slowly in wet weather and apply your brakes earlier - it takes more distance to stop.

See and Be Seen.

* Wear clothes that make you more visible. Always wear neon, florescent, or other bright colors when riding a bicycle.

Avoid Biking at Night.

* It is far more dangerous to bicycle at night than during the day. Most bicycles are equipped for daylight use and need to be adapted for nighttime use.

If you must ride at night, you should do the following:

* Ride with reflectors that meet CPSC’s requirements. These should be permanently installed on bicycles for daytime use also. If a carrier is added, make sure the rear reflector remains visible.
* Add the brightest lights you can find to the front and rear of your bicycle.
* Wear retro-reflective clothing or material - not just white or florescent - especially on your ankles, wrists, back, and helmet.
* Only ride in areas familiar to you. Brightly lit streets are best. Always assume you are not seen by a driver.

Young Children Should NOT ride at night.
Stay Alert. Always Keep A Lookout for Obstacles in Your Path.

* Stay alert at all times. Watch out for potholes, cracks, expansion joints, railroad tracks, wet leaves, drainage grates, coverts, or anything that could make you fall.
* Before going around any object, scan ahead, and behind you for a gap in traffic. Plan your move, signal your intentions, and then do what you planned. If you are unsure, or lack the skill to handle an especially rough area, pull of to the right side of the road and walk your bicycle around the rough area.
* Be especially careful in wet weather and when there could be ice or frost on your path.
* Cross all railroad tracks at a ninety degree angle and proceed slowly.
* Use special care on bridges.

Go With The Flow. The Safe Way is The RIGHT Way.

* Ride on the right side in a straight predictable path. Always go single file in the same direction as other vehicles. Riding against traffic puts you where motorists don’t expect you. They may not see you, and may pull across your path, or turn into you.
* Young children,. typically under the age of nine, are not able to identify and adjust to many dangerous traffic situations, and therefore, should not be allowed to ride in the street unsupervised. Children who are permitted to ride in the street without supervision should have the necessary skills to safely follow the “rules of the road.”

Check for Traffic. Always be Aware of The Traffic Around You.

* Over seventy percent of car-bicycle crashes occur at driveways or other intersections. Before you enter any street or intersection, check for traffic. Always look left-right-left, and walk your bicycle into the street to begin your ride.
* If already in the street, always look behind you for a break in traffic, then signal, before going left or right. Watch for left or right turning traffic.

Learn Rules of The Road. Obey Traffic Laws.

* Bicycles are considered vehicles. Bicyclists must obey the same rules as motorists. Read your State drivers’ handbook, and learn and follow all the traffic signs, laws, and rules for operating a vehicle on the road.
* Always signal your moves. Be courteous to pedestrians and other vehicle operators.
* Never wear headphones while riding as they impair your ability to hear traffic.
* Become familiar with the accommodations that are available for bicyclists in your area. These include bicycle lanes and routes as well as off road paths.
* Take advantage of these whenever possible.

Don’t Flip Over Your Bicycle. Wheels Should Be Securely Fastened.

* If your bicycle has quick release wheels, it is your responsibility to make sure they are firmly closed at all times and to use the safety retainer if there is one.
* Check your wheels before every ride, after any fall, or after transporting your bicycle. Read your Owner’s Manual for instructions and follow them. If your are even slightly confused about what “firmly closed” means, talk to your bicycle dealer before you ride your bicycle.