For Immediate Release
Monday, September 26, 2011

Firefighters from St. Tammany Parish Fire Protection District No. 12 responded to two fire alarms today in the Covington area.

At 11:11 a.m., employees at Rooms To Go on Hwy. 190 near I-12 called 911 to report a fire. Responding units discovered a ceiling light fixture had caught fire for unknown reasons. The plastic surrounding the fixture melted and dripped onto a piece of furniture in the showroom. Employees used a fire extinguisher to stifle the blaze, and firefighters called the scene under control only nine minutes after the call.

At 2:01 p.m., a caller to 911 reported a fire on the back porch of a neighbor’s home on Wild Azalea Drive. Responding units discovered the fire climbing the exterior wall of the home and began a coordinated assault to prevent further damage to the home. The fire was under control at 2:30 p.m. In addition to the porch, the second story of the structure sustained heat and smoke damage. The homeowner was not home and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. Firefighters did not immediately deem it suspicious.

“Although both of these events were relatively minor, they could have been much worse,” said FD12 chief Darrell Guilott. “Rapid response by civilians who called 911 prevented further damage and potential injury. Citizens should never hesitate to call 911, and we’re always here to respond.”

For more information about FD12, visit www.FD12.org.

For Immediate Release
Monday, August 15, 2011

A Covington-area home sustained significant damage during a fire Saturday night.

At 9:38 p.m., a neighbor called 911 UniFire to report smoke billowing from 20110 Fifth Street in the Tammany Hills subdivision off Helenberg Road. Fire District 12 units were on the scene in four-and-a-half minutes, discovering the roof of the home already 80-90 percent in flames. Firefighters immediately began defending the structure from the blaze. Within 20 minutes of firefighters’ arrival, the roof began to collapse.

At 9:44 p.m., FD12 requested additional water from Fire District 4 (Mandeville). About an hour after arrival, firefighters on the scene exhausted their mobile water supply; there is no pressurized water system in that area, where most residents rely on well pumps to provide water to their homes. At 10:53 p.m., UniFire dispatchers requested aid from Fire District 8 (Abita Springs), which also responded with a supplementary water supply, and from Fire District 2 (Madisonville), which provided additional personnel.

At 11:32, firefighters declared the blaze under control.

The homeowner, Patrick Chevis, was not home at the time, but returned during the incident. There were no injuries to civilians or firefighters.

The cause of the blaze, which generated enough smoke to be seen from Hwy. 190, is unknown and remains under investigation. The home is unsafe for habitation or civilian entry.

For more information about Fire District 12, visit www.FD12.org.

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, August 3, 2011

With schools opening on Monday, firefighters at St. Tammany Fire Protection District No. 12 are urging drivers to be particularly vigilant.

More than 37,000 public school students will return to classrooms on Aug. 8, changing traffic patterns throughout the parish.  With school buses back on the roads, many parents taking young children to school and older students driving themselves, morning and mid-afternoon traffic patterns shift significantly.  Drivers engaging in the new patterns and those simply adapting to them should adjust accordingly.

“We respond to a great many motor-vehicle accidents each month, and many of them involve either teen-aged drivers or young passengers,” said FD 12 Chief Darrell Guilott.  “To minimize the number of accidents, all drivers need to be aware of changing traffic patterns as the school year officially begins.  Drivers whose habits are not directly affected by schools reopening should anticipate changes in traffic patterns and flow, and adjust their travel times accordingly.”

“We take the safety of our students very seriously, and not just on school grounds,” said Superintendent of Schools W.L. “Trey” Folse III.  “Students who drive need to obey traffic laws, make sure they and their passengers are wearing seatbelts, and follow school rules for parking.  Students who ride school buses need to follow the guidelines and instructions of the driver. We would like everyone to remember that as school starts there will be additional traffic on the roads and we ask drivers to use extra caution and be on the lookout for students walking to and from bus stops.”

Firefighters at all of FD12′s five stations and operators at the UniFire dispatch center are prepared should an emergency arise, and no one should hesitate to call 911 to report an accident or emergency.

“Public safety is what we’re here for, and part of that responsibility is trying to prevent accidents and injuries from occurring,” Guilott said.  “If everyone works together, we can keep this an injury- and accident-free school year.  But when we’re needed, like our motto says, we’re here for life.”

For more information about Fire District 12, or to schedule a visit or safety inspection, see www.FD12.org or call 985.892.5161.

For Immediate Release
Friday, July 8, 2011

St. Tammany Parish Fire District 12 personnel responded to 215 calls for service in June, an increase of nearly 20 percent from the 181 calls in June 2010.

While medical calls fell slightly, from 144 to 139, fire calls more than doubled, from 37 to 76.  Emergency medical calls, including motor vehicle crashes, accounted for 65 percent of the District’s calls in June, down from 80 in the corresponding month of 2010.  Fire calls, however, jumped from 37 to 76, more than doubling, and represent 35 percent of the District’s calls in June, up from 20 percent in June 2010.

“We’ve been very fortunate that no one has been seriously injured in any of these fire calls,” said FD12 Chief Darrell Guilott.  “These statistics only underscore the need for fire prevention.  We will happily install a smoke detector in any home or business in our District that doesn’t currently have one, and will also send our personnel to conduct safety inspections and make recommendations to better protect your life and property.”

FD12 has an active fire prevention bureau, and staff are available to provide safety training and demonstrations, both at the District’s five stations or wherever a willing audience can be found.  Homeowners associations, scouting groups, churches, and individual families are encouraged to participate.

To request a fire house visit, inspection or presentation, call 985.892.5161 or email Fire Safety Officer Kristopher Hines at khines@fd12.org.

“We’re always here to respond in an emergency, but our job is also to prevent problems,” Guilott said.  “Like our motto says, ‘We’re Here for Life.’”

FD12 serves an area north, east and south of Covington, including the busy Hwy. 190 corridor north of I-12.  For a map of the district or more information about FD12, visit www.FD12.org.

For Immediate Release
Thursday, July 7, 2011

St. Tammany Fire District 12 personnel responded this morning to a fatal accident on Highway 190 south of Covington.

At 11:21 a.m. a passerby called 911 and advised dispatchers of the crash, which occurred on Highway 190 southbound at its intersection with Interstate 12. Responding units were on the scene in six minutes and quickly ascertained that extrication of the driver would be necessary. The driver, an adult male, was removed from the vehicle by FD12 personnel at 11:40 a.m., but expired at the scene.

Louisiana State Police – Troop L is investigating the crash, and all other details will be released by that agency at appropriate times.

FD12 responded with two chiefs, three engines, a rescue unit, and a paramedic unit. Also responding were personnel from Acadian Ambulance and the St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office.