The Eureka Fire Department, in conjunction with Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1852, has recognized three firefighters for outstanding service to the community. Volunteer Firefighters Alan Holt and Jeff Long, and Fire Engineer Karl Churchwell were honored with "Special Recognition and highest praise for alertness, personal courage, and ever efficient guardianship of life and property".

Volunteer Firefighters of the Year: Alan Holt and Jeff Long

Alan has been a Volunteer Firefighter since September 1993. He is the Volunteer President and is always available for extra projects within the Fire Department.

Jeff has been a Volunteer Firefighter since December 1995. He is the Volunteer Secretary/Treasurer and recently completed his Firefighter 1 Academy and EMT 1. Alan and Jeff are both dedicated to the Fire Department and to helping the citizens of Eureka.

Firefighter of the Year: Karl Churchwell

John McFarland
Fire Chief

The local Fire Service has learned of a possible life safety problem in our community.

It has come to the attention of the Humboldt County Fire Prevention Officers that a sprinkler head, produced and sold under the brand name Omega between 1982 and 1996 by the Omega Sprinkler Company has been known to possibly malfunction. When used with steel pipe systems, and/or in systems containing ethylene glycol (antifreeze), the "O" ring can be affected by solvent action and consequently, prevent the sprinkler head from activating.

Affected models include the following: C-1, C1-A, C1-A PRO, C1A PRO ID, EC20, EC20-A, EC-20 AID, HEC-12, HEC-12 ID, HEC 12 PRO, HEC 12A PRO, HEC-12 RES, HEC 20, HEC 20 ID, R-1, R-1A, AC, M and Flow Control.

If you own or maintain a building with a sprinkler system, we strongly urge you to contact your sprinkler contractor in order to have your system assessed. While Model numbers are stamped on the head or shaft of the individual sprinklers and may be immediately visible to you, we do not recommend that individuals inexperienced with sprinkler systems manipulate sprinkler heads, as improper handling can trigger the sprinklers.

Additional information regarding this issue can be obtained online from Underwriter's Laboratories (UL), the National Fire Sprinkler Association, or the American Fire Sprinkler Association.

The Humboldt County Fire Prevention Officers want you to know that after more than 126 years of practical use, the automatic sprinkler system has become the recognized central focal point for attaining effective fire and life safety. One important fact still stands: there has never been a multiple loss of life among building occupants protected by a properly designed, installed and maintained fire sprinkler system.

Ralph Altizer
Assistant Chief and Fire Marshal