Center Fire Chief Speaks During Toledo Bend Retired Teachers Meeting

November 12, 2019 - Center Fire Chief Keith Byndom spoke at the Toledo Bend Retired Teachers meeting held Monday, October 28, 2019 at Pizzeria in Center.

With the promise of cooler temperatures approaching, Chief Byndom spoke with the group about fire safety and another one of his responsibilities for the city of Center as Emergency Management coordinator.

Chief Byndom advised everyone to have their heaters checked and their air conditioning units serviced. He stated one of the leading causes of house fires are heating sources.

"Be it electrical, gas heaters or what have you, make sure you have those tested," said Chief Byndom.

He advised anyone using space heaters to in fact provide ample space around them of at least three feet.

"As we get older, our blood gets a little thin, or if we're taking blood thinners to boot, we stay cold," said Byndom.

He described some older individuals will have these heaters turned up to such a degree, flames emanate over the top of them.

"They think, the more fire they see the better off they are, but if you'll just turn that thing on about medium it'll heat that room," said Byndom.

Byndom explained a lot of circumstances where an individual will sit extremely close to a heater and how that can be highly dangerous.

"You don't realize just how hot your clothes are getting, and your clothes will catch on fire," said Chief Byndom.

He said not to get too close to the heater and don't leave a lot of things sitting near the heater.

Chief Byndom advised individuals with electric heat pump systems to have their units serviced. A lot of times when starting those units for the winter season, dust and lint that has collected in the systems will burn off and can generate a smell that is normal.

"When you see smoke, you've got a problem, but don't wait till you see smoke," said Chief Byndom.

Emergency Management coordinators are responsible for insuring a plan is in place should a natural disaster or some sort of major catastrophe occur. These plans assist in preparedness and outline how emergency responders and other personnel should react to different scenarios.

"It's not if it comes through, it's when it comes through, because we're going to experience a disaster," said Chief Byndom. 

An advanced plan is in place, and Byndom said the current one was just updated as this has to be accomplished every five years. 

The plan has multiple annexes and Byndom described what they are: transportation, communication, public works, fire fighting, emergency management, mass care, logistics, public health, search and rescue, oil and hazardous material response, agriculture, energy, public safety, recovery, public information, hurricane, drought, wild fire, radiological, and terrorism.

According to Chief Byndom, Shelby County is categorized as a drive through county. This means Shelby County isn'd a destination for those evacuating from hurricane challenged areas. 

Chief Byndom recollected a lot of the challenges emergency personnel and citizens faced in 2005 when hurricane refugees came to the Shelby County area.

He also enlightened everyone on the potential use of the civic center in Center if the emergency fits the right criteria.

"That civic center is not a hurricane shelter, we really don't have a hurricane shelter, that is a [short-term] tornado shelter," said Chief Byndom.

According to Chief Byndom. the Center Police Department has the ability to unlock the doors at the civic center from their department if a tornado impact is imminent.

Chief Byndom said if someone were traveling down Hurst Street when they receive a tornado warning on their phone or radio, they could potentially drive up to the civic center to take immediate shelter.

Chief Byndom described a scenario of receiving a tornado warning and not being in the direct vicinity of the civic center. He said that would be a time to shelter in place, and not to make an attempt to reach the civic center, because that would be more dangerous than sheltering in place.

After hearing from Chief Byndom, the group thanked him for attending their meeting.