At some point during the school year and summer, you may begin to consider the possibility of having your children care for themselves throughout the day. Self-care can be a rewarding experience for children who are ready for it. It can help them develop independence and responsibility and can give them confidence in their own abilities. However, if your child is not ready, self-care can be a frightening ... (Full Story & Photos)

Each year, children start many fires. Many of these fires are started with matches and lighters. Children set fires for many reasons; they may be curious about fire, crying for help, or engaging in delinquent behavior. Children as young as two have been able to operate lighters and start fires with them. Any act of fire setting, regardless of the reason, is dangerous and must be handled appropriately.

In ... (Full Story & Photos)

Each year more than 15,000 people are seriously burned when their clothes catch on fire. In more than half of the incidents, flammable liquids or vapors were present on, or around the person's clothing. But it can happen in many ways. A person's loose sleeve may catch fire on a hot stove. Someone may be working with gasoline or some other flammable liquid and then light a cigarette. They might spray ... (Full Story & Photos)

One of the primary causes of residential fire deaths and injuries for children under the age of 10 is playing with a heat source, which includes lighters and matches. When it comes to children, safety should be a priority and when it comes to fire safety, it is no exception.

Kids and Fire Safety- Facts and Stats:
• Every day, at least one child dies from a home fire and another 293 children are injured ... (Full Story & Photos)

On Tuesday, June 18th, during the 132nd Annual Maryland State Firefighter's Association Convention in Ocean City, Ridge VFD and members were recognized with multiple State awards.

🏆 MSFA Hall of Fame Induction – Philip "Heavy" Ridgell
🏆 Robert H. Shimer, Past President, Administrator of the Year Award – Johnny Wathen
🏆 Fire Prevention Awards:
✔️ 1st Place - Class IV Year-Round Program
... (Full Story & Photos)

On June 7, 2024, our Department and Auxiliary members gathered for a fun evening of Pizza, Ice cream, and Foam! This event was put on by our Social and Fire Prevention Committees as part of the Health and Wellness Initiative we are doing this year within our department. During the evening, families enjoyed time together, delicious carnival pizza, and a lesson on how their Mom's, Dad's, and grandparents, ... (Full Story & Photos)

The following products were recently recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC):

1) Product: CHZHVAN Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Hazard: The detectors can fail to activate, posing a risk that consumers will not be alerted to a fire.

For more information visit: https://tinyurl.com/3cys964n
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2) ... (Full Story & Photos)

On Monday, May 21st, members of the Ridge VFD and Ridge Volunteer Rescue Squad participated in a joint mass casualty incident (MCI) drill involving a multiple vehicle accident with multiple victims. The scenario involved a two-vehicle collision that entered the Ridge VFD Carnival Grounds while filled with a crowd. The goal of the drill was to practice MCI triage, hone extrication skills, crew communications, ... (Full Story & Photos)