Area Briefing, Dec. 10-16

INFANT AND CHILD CPR CLASSES AVAILABLE AT UMC

University Medical Center is set to offer an infant and child cardiopulmonary resuscitation class at 9 a.m. Dec. 14, 2 p.m. Jan. 23 and 9 a.m. Feb. 1 at the Family Resource Center, 1120 Shadow Lane.

The class requires a $10 deposit that is refunded during the session.

For more information or to register, call 702-383-2229.

CHRISTMAS TREE CUTTING ILLEGAL IN SPRING MOUNTAINS

The U.S. Forest Service recently reminded residents that cutting Christmas trees is not allowed in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, including Mount Charleston.

Law enforcement personnel patrol Mount Charleston to prevent illegal tree cutting. Violators can face misdemeanor charges of up to $250 and pay a $500 fine per tree.

The closest locations for Las Vegas residents to purchase permits and cut Christmas trees are in St. George and Pine Valley, Utah, and in Caliente, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

For more information, visit www.nv.blm.gov.

SAFETY GROUPS TO DISTRIBUTE SMOKE DETECTORS, BATTERIES

Public safety officials plan to distribute smoke detectors, batteries and information about installing the devices during an outreach initiative set to start Dec. 14.

Las Vegas Firefighters Local 1285 and the American Red Cross of Southern Nevada plan to kick off the effort in the surrounding neighborhood of Las Vegas Fire & Rescue Station 4 at 421 S. 15th St. Firefighters and Red Cross volunteers are set to go door-to-door to distribute the materials.

Areas will be targeted based on their potential for fatal fires, organizers said. The goal of the initiative is to hand out 1,500 smoke detectors to homes in the Las Vegas area through Jan. 20, when the event is set to target the neighborhood surrounding Fire Station 1, 500 N. Casino Center Blvd.

For more information, visit redcross.org/nv/las-vegas or iafflocal1285.org.

COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT PLANS OPEN HOUSE

The Clark County Fire Department plans an open house from noon to 3 p.m. Dec. 14 at Fire Station 65, 3825 Starr Ave.

Participants are set to include the Helping Kids Clinic, which is providing free flu shots, the American Red Cross of Southern Nevada, Safe Kids Clark County, Nevada Child Seekers, the Trauma Intervention Program of Southern Nevada, the Nevada Division of Emergency Management — Homeland Security, United Healthcare and the Metropolitan Police Department’s McGruff the Crime Dog. The county fire department’s safety house and Captain-B-Safe inflatable firefighter character also are scheduled to be on hand.

The department hosts open houses every other month. The next one is set for noon to 3 p.m. Feb. 8 at Fire Station 29, 7530 Paradise Road.

For more information, visit clarkcountynv.gov.

HENDERSON MAKES TOP 10 LIST FOR SAFEST CITIES IN US

Henderson ranks sixth in the Top 10 Safest Cities in America rankings released by Law Street Media, a web site covering law and policy, city officials announced.

Law Street noted the city’s low murder rate of 0.15 per 100,000 people. The rankings are based on 2012 FBI violent crime data collected from police departments across the country.

Henderson was recognized as one of America’s Best Places to Live by Money magazine in 2006, 2008 and 2012 and was named the Second Safest City in America by Forbes.

The Law Street Media rankings are available at lawstreetmedia.com.

TOY DRIVE PLANNED AT COUNTY FIRE STATIONS

The Clark County Fire Department is teaming up with the Southern Nevada Firefighter Burn Foundation for the 12th annual Fill the Fire Truck holiday toy drive.

Residents can donate new, unwrapped toys or gift cards for disadvantaged children at any Clark County fire station from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Dec. 22. Station locations can be accessed at clarkcountynv.gov.

Toys also can be dropped off from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 14-15 and 21-22 at five Walmart locations: 7200 Arroyo Crossing Parkway, 8060 W. Tropical Parkway, 6464 N. Decatur Blvd., 4350 N. Nellis Blvd. and 540 Marks St., Henderson.

The final drop-off day is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Dec. 23 at the Southern Nevada Firefighter Burn Foundation office, 3111 S. Valley View Blvd., Suite B-111.

The toys will be distributed to several valley organizations, including the Boys & Girls Clubs, Family to Family Resource Centers, The Salvation Army of Southern Nevada and schools and churches.

Donations were distributed to 43 organizations last year, providing 18,722 children with Christmas gifts.

For more information, call 702-485-6820 or visit theburnfoundation.org.

COLD WEATHER CAN BE HARSH ON HOMES

The Nevada State Contractors Board advises homeowners to take care of home maintenance and minor repairs during winter.

Cold, wind, snow, ice and holiday entertaining place extra burdens on heating, electrical, plumbing, roof and other home systems, the board said.

State law requires that heating, air conditioning, plumbing, refrigeration or electrical service be performed by licensed contractors. A license is also required for any project requiring a building permit and for projects totaling $1,000 or more, including labor and materials.

The board offered several tips for winter:

— Protect exposed pipes with foam sleeves or insulated tape and occasionally run water from all taps to prevent freezing.

— Ensure heating systems are in good working order to avoid unnecessary breakdowns, increased costs and potentially life-threatening gas leaks.

— Freeze-thaw cycles can exacerbate roof leaks, and clogged gutters can lead to water pouring over the eaves, settling next to home foundations and leaching into basements. Make sure there are no missing roof shingles to best prevent major home repair or damage.

— Make sure wood-burning fireplaces are free of creosote buildup, which is a fire hazard. For gas-burning appliances, a licensed contractor can check for leaks or buildup in the ventilation system.

— Checked electrical outlets to ensure that they can withstand the added strain of Christmas lights, space heaters and kitchen appliances, which may cause tripped breakers and blown fuses.

— Cracked glass or deteriorated weather stripping allow drafts and may increase heating bills.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES OFFERS ADDITIONAL SHELTER BEDS

Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada plans to provide an additional 180 inclement weather shelter beds at 1511 Las Vegas Blvd. North for homeless men on cold nights.

The inclement weather shelter is scheduled to be open from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily and provide beds, clothing, blankets, showers and case management. The services are in addition to the existing year-round shelter of 160 beds at Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, 924 S. Commerce St.

The extra beds are funded in part by a Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition grant. Visit catholiccharities.com or call 702-385-2662.

BUSINESS TO DONATE SLEEPING BAGS, PAJAMAS FOR HOMELESS YOUTHS

Desert Call Connection, 4330 S. Valley View Blvd., Suite 118, plans to donate sleeping bags, pajamas and other necessities on Dec. 11 for an organization that helps homeless youths.

The Pancakes and Pajamas Day event is aimed at benefiting StandUp For Kids, which provides services for homeless youths 21 or younger. Desert Call Connection plans to make one donation per employee who comes to work in pajamas Dec. 11.

For more information, visit desertcallconnection.com.

UNLV REPORT: CHILD FATALITIES DECLINE OVER FIVE YEARS

The number of child fatalities in Clark County has declined from 311 in 2008 to 222 in 2012, according to an annual report recently released from the Nevada Institute for Children’s Research and Policy at UNLV.

The report encompassed 222 child deaths in Clark County during 2012, with cases ranging in age from birth to 17 years. The cases included natural deaths, accidents, homicides, suicides and undetermined causes.

Analyzing the information helps focus injury prevention programs and decrease child deaths in Clark County, the institute said.

Among the report’s findings:

— Motor vehicle deaths increased from 10 cases in 2011 to 19 in 2012.

— Suffocation and strangulation deaths increased from 15 cases in 2011 to 23 in 2012.

— Poisoning and overdose cases increased from nine cases in 2011 to 16 in 2012.

— Suicides decreased from 16 cases in 2011 to five in 2012.

— Deaths caused by weapons decreased from 30 cases in 2011 to seven in 2012.

— Homicides decreased from 19 cases in 2011 to eight in 2012.

The report also includes recommendations to help decrease child deaths. The findings can be accessed at tinyurl.com/2012childfatalities.

COLLECTION SITE TO ACCEPT USED COOKING OIL FOR RECYCLING

The Clark County Water Reclamation District has announced the return of its holiday cooking oil recycling program.

The Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd., plans to collect the used cooking oil from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 26 through Jan. 15 in the south ticketing parking lot.

Residents should use a funnel to pour the used oil back into the original container before bringing it to the Springs Preserve. Funnels are set to be available from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Clark County Water Reclamation District, 5857 E. Flamingo Road.

Smaller amounts of used cooking oil should be put into a can and disposed of in the garbage. The website paininthedrain.com explains how to can used cooking oil.

Used cooking oil gets recycled into biofuel, used for fueling trucks, buses and other vehicles. More than 3,500 pounds of used oil were collected last year, officials said.

The program is a component of the Don’t be a Pain in the Drain outreach campaign, aimed at decreasing the amount of sewer blockages and overflows caused by fat, oil, grease and grit disposed of in drains by customers.

PHONE APP AVAILABLE FOR CPR-TRAINED RESIDENTS

Residents trained in compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation can use a smartphone app called Pulse Point to alert them when someone has suffered a cardiac arrest within 200 yards of them.

Members of Las Vegas Firefighters Local 1285 and the Southern Nevada American Red Cross have been volunteering to teach hundreds of Las Vegans how to perform compression-only CPR. About 1,000 people will have received the training by the end of year, said Scott Johnson, president of Las Vegas Firefighters Local 1285.

Most cardiac arrest victims who survive are given CPR by a bystander before paramedics arrive, according to the American Red Cross. The national average for surviving cardiac arrest hovers at roughly 5 percent, fire officials said. However, nearly 30 percent of cardiac arrest victims treated by Las Vegas firefighters survive due to the public CPR training, officials said.

For more information, visit iafflocal1285.org.

CITY OF LAS VEGAS EXPANDS HOURS AT PARKING SERVICES OFFICE

The city of Las Vegas parking services office inside Las Vegas City Hall’s parking garage at 500 S. Main St. has expanded its hours to include Fridays and Saturdays.

The office, which handles parking citations, appeals and permitting, is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

For more information, visit lasvegasnevada.gov/parking or call 702-229-4700.

INFANT AND CHILD CPR CLASSES PLANNED AT UMC

University Medical Center plans an infant and child cardiopulmonary resuscitation class at 9 a.m. Dec. 14 at the Family Resource Center, 1120 Shadow Lane.

The class requires a refundable $10 deposit.

For more information or to register, call 702-383-2229.