Appleseeds articles from November 2006

Appleseeds archives from November 2006

Firefighting through the ages.
November 1, 2006... How would you feel if your house was on fire and firefighters arrived with some buckets? If you were lucky, they might also have hand-operated pumps that could squirt a few gallons of water at a time. Throughout much of history, those were the...

Fighting fire from head to toe.(safety equipment used by firefighters)
November 1, 2006... Fighting fires is dangerous business. Fire temperatures can reach 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Smoke can suffocate those who breathe it. And burning buildings or trees can collapse, crushing people. To protect themselves, firefighters use special...

The perfect firestorm.(Cedar fire 2003 )
November 1, 2006... What would it be like to have your home threatened by wildfire? In the fall of 2003, thousands of southern Californians found out. Ten days before Halloween, fire broke out in San Diego County. Fire crews gathered to fight it. Two hours...

At home in the sky: fire-lookout family.(An AppleCorps Adventure)
November 1, 2006... "Hurry! Hike faster!" my dad yells down to us from the mountaintop. He's standing on the catwalk, a narrow porch that wraps around our lookout tower. It's summer, and we're living in a small glass house perched on the summit of Coolwater Ridge...

"Big Ed" Pulaski: wildland firefighting legend.(Edward Pulaski)
November 1, 2006... Fire almost killed me in the summer of 1910. But it didn't, thanks to "Big Ed" Pulaski. He rescued me and 38 other wildland firefighters, and became a legend, I was battling wildfires in northern Idaho. Lightning had started the fires, and...

Smokejumpers to the rescue!
November 1, 2006... An airplane circles above Dutch Oven Gulch, Idaho, at 100 miles per hour. A man stands at the open side door of the plane, his hands firmly gripping the sides. His heart races. The plane bounces like a yo-yo in the wind; a fire rages 2,000 feet...

Marshmallows, anyone? How to build a safe campfire.
November 1, 2006... Mmm... s'mores... If you've ever had one, you know why they got that name--you always want some more! Of course, to make s'mores, you need a campfire. Let's learn how to safely build--and put out--a campfire. "You need three basic...

Prescription for a burn.
November 1, 2006... "Hello? Mr. Forest? This is the Conservation Department. The results of your annual checkup are in. We'd like to prescribe a nice, controlled fire to take care of the understory growth in your Northeast section. Would next Thursday work for...

Cayote's gift of fire.
November 1, 2006... Many American Indian stories tell how Cayote stole fire from fireflies and gave it to people. In one story, Coyote ties cedar branches to his tail and sneaks into a dance with the fireflies. During the dance, he lights the tip of his tall with...

For men only? Not! Do you think that firefighting is just for men?(Cover story)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... If you said yes, there are about 46,000 American women who would like to talk to you. Who are they? Female firefighters, of course! The first known American female firefighter was an enslaved African American named Molly Williams. She...

The great Chicago fire.
November 1, 2006... Sunday evening, October 8, 1871, began quietly in Chicago. Some of the city's 334,000 residents were at church. Others were home and many had gone to bed. In a small house on the Southwest Side, Patrick and Catherine O'Leary had a friend...

Sky high eyes.(picture of forest fires)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... There's a high-tech system for finding fires that really is high--sky high, in fact. With a combination of satellites, unmanned aircraft, and lots of computers, people on the ground are getting a clearer picture of forest fires. And that's a...

Learning the job: an interview with firefighter grant.(Lieutenant Warren Grant)(Interview)
November 1, 2006... My daughter met Lieutenant Warren Grant when he taught fire safety to her class at school. She learned a lot from Firefighter Grant. I wanted to learn from him, too, so I went for a visit... On a rainy Saturday morning in...

Smokey Bear.(forest fires)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Smokey Bear reminds us, "Only YOU can prevent forest fires." Did you know there once was a REAL Smokey Bear? In 1950, a terrible fire destroyed 17,000 acres of forest in New Mexico. Human carelessness caused that fire. Firefighters battling...

Top 10 fire safety tips.
November 1, 2006... * Equip your home with smoke alarms. * Make a home fire escape plan. * Keep the exits of your home clear of debris. * Take extra care in the kitchen... * Especially when cooking with hot oil. * Never leave lit candles...

Who is this firefighting hero?(FACE FACTS)
November 1, 2006... Ben Franklin was America's first fire chief. That's right! In 1736 he formed the first volunteer fire department--the Union Fire Company--in Philadelphia, PA.