70th Street and Washington Avenue Intersection:  The intersection of 70th Street and Washington Avenue will be closed starting Monday, October 10th for installation of storm sewer and reconstruction of the intersection.  Through traffic should use either 63rd Street or 73rd Street.  The roadway will be reopened November 30th.

Self-Defense Course Offered for Women:  The Windsor Heights Police Department is currently gathering contact information for area residents who may be interested in participating in a women's education and self defense course called Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.). Dates of the course have tentatively been set for four consecutive Thursday evenings in October (6, 13, 20, 27th from 6:00 - 9:30 pm) at the Windsor Heights Community and Event Center. Class size will be limited to twenty students and attendance at all classes is recommended to complete the program successfully. There will be a one-time registration fee of $25 due prior to the first class along with pre-event paperwork and waivers. Returning students are welcome at no charge.

The RAD program for women's basic self defense is the largest nationally recognized women's self defense organization in the world (www.rad-systems.com). Classes encompass twelve hours of education and awareness topics mixed in with hands-on, active self defense techniques and strategies. The final class in the series is a culmination of the material presented where three separate, active simulation scenarios are given to students to apply what they have learned in the classroom.

Participation in this course does encourage a moderate level of activity; however, women of all ages and abilities are encouraged to attend. The philosophy of RAD instructors is that this program should be easy to learn, easy to retain, and relatively easy to employ during real confrontational situations. Dennis McDaniel of the Windsor Heights Police Department, and long-time certified RAD instructor states, "The objective of the basic RAD program is to develop and enhance the options of self defense so that they may become viable options for a woman who is attacked. We work with our students to educate them on general awareness issues and also strive to create confidence in the application of some basic self defense techniques."

Interested women, high school age and above, may contact Chief McDaniel at the Windsor Heights Police Department during normal business hours at (515) 277-4453 or e-mail him at dmcdaniel@windsorheights.org with questions. Registration for the course will begin Tuesday, September 6th at City Hall, 1133 66th Street.

It's Fire Prevention Week. Protect your Family from Fire!
Windsor Heights Fire Department Reinforces Newer Smoke Alarm Recommendations during Fire Prevention Week, October 9-15, 2011

What's the best way to protect your family from fire? Be ahead of the game, of course. With more than 360,000 home fires reported in the United States in 2009, according to the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), your best defense is a good offense. That's why the Windsor Heights Fire Department is teaming up with NFPA during the October 9-15, 2011, to let our community know: "It's Fire Prevention Week. Protect your Family from Fire!" This year's campaign focuses on preventing the leading causes of home fires -- cooking, heating and electrical equipment, as well as candles and smoking materials. Additionally, it urges people to protect their homes and families with life-saving technology and planning.

"In 2009, 2,565 people died in home fires. Nearly all of these deaths could have been prevented by taking a few simple precautions like having working smoke alarms and a home fire escape plan, keeping things that can burn away from the stove and always turning off space heaters before going to bed," says Firefighter/Engineer Rob Mateer of the Windsor Heights Fire Department. "Fire is a dangerous opponent, but by anticipating the hazards, you are much less likely to be one of the nearly 13,000 people injured in home fires each year."

The Windsor Heights Fire Department offers the following tips for protecting your home and family from fire: 

• Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
• Have a three-foot "kid-free zone" around open fires and space heaters.
• Replace or repair damaged or loose electrical cords.
• If you smoke, smoke outside.
• Use deep, wide ashtrays on a sturdy table.
• Blow out all candles when you leave the room or go to bed. Avoid the use of candles in the bedroom and other areas where people may fall asleep.

"While preventing home fires in Windsor Heights is always a top priority, it is not possible to prevent them all," Fire Marshal Jason Cutsforth continued. "Windsor Heights' residents need to provide the best protection to keep their homes and families safe in the event of a fire. This can be achieved by developing an escape plan which you practice regularly and equipping homes with life-saving technologies like smoke alarms and home fire sprinklers."

The following tips will help keep your family safe if there is a fire in your home:

• Install smoke alarms inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home (including the basement).
• Interconnect all smoke alarms in the home so when one sounds, they all sound.
• Test smoke alarms at least monthly and replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or sooner if they do not respond when tested.
• Make sure everyone in your home knows how to respond if the smoke alarm sounds.
• Pull together everyone in your household and make a plan. Walk through your home and inspect all possible ways out.  Households with children should consider drawing a floor plan of your home, marking two ways out of each room, including windows and doors.
• If you are building or remodeling your home, consider installing home fire sprinklers.

The Windsor Heights Fire Department will be speaking to children in local schools during Fire Prevention Week to promote "It's Fire Prevention Week. Protect your Family from Fire!" Through these educational, family-oriented activities, students will learn and share with family about the power of prevention and available technologies to protect their own families from fire.

To find out more about Fire Prevention Week programs and activities in Windsor Heights, please contact the Windsor Heights Fire Department at 515-279-9450. To learn more about "It's Fire Prevention Week. Protect your Family from Fire!" visit NFPA's website at www.firepreventionweek.org.