Socks for Seniors Drive Sets New Donations Record
The Saco Police Department announced on Friday, December 21, 2018, that the Socks for Seniors drive has set a new record. More than 1,000 pairs of socks donated by the community were delivered to senior citizens and veterans. Last year, approximately 500 pairs of socks were collected.
“The annual sock drive is an important Police Department tradition. Not only do the seniors really appreciate the donations, our officers and city staff also enjoy spreading holiday cheer. We see this event as a chance for people to show support for the older residents in our community. It’s about far more than just socks. The seniors light up with a big smile when they see our officers coming. These donations remind the seniors that there are friendly people in Saco who care about them,” said Lori Angis, Administrative Secretary for the Saco Police Department. Angis has organized the collection and deliveries for the past four years.
On Friday, Officers Garrison and Condon made deliveries to the Maine Veteran’s Home in Scarborough, Saint Andres in Biddeford, and several locations in Saco, including: Huot Veteran Housing, the Paul Hazleton House, Evergreen Manor, and Lord Pepperrell Apartments.
Thank you to Mrs. MacKenzie's second graders at Fairfield School, Saco City Hall,
Saco Parks & Recreation Departmen
t, and
Lighthouse Foot and Ankle Center in Scarborough for your help collecting donations!
Pictured here: Officer Steve Garrison, Donna Demers of the Maine Veterans' Home, Officer Amanda Condon, and Paul Marks, World War II Veteran. Photo taken by Emily Roy, Marketing & Communications.
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Building Codes are a Crucial Element of Disaster Recovery
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In the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, civic leaders on the national and state levels recognize the importance of strong building codes for pre- and post-disaster mitigation
Washington, D.C.
– Modern, regularly updated building codes are the key to preparing for and recovering quickly from a disaster. Studies consistently show that the adoption and implementation of current building codes is one of the nation’s strongest defenses against natural disasters and is a cost-effective way of protecting what for many is their most important investment – their home or business.
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Carbon Monoxide - the "Silent Killer"
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With winter upon us, cold temperatures and severe weather can hit at anytime. It is especially important to be vigilant of potential exposure to Carbon Monoxide poisoning. There are many circumstances that are more prevalent during the winter months that offer an opportunity for carbon monoxide to be present. Here are some safety tips to avoid this deadly gas.
- Portable Generators: Never operate a portable generator inside your home, basement, garage or any other enclosed or semi-enclosed space. Carbon monoxide from generators can quickly build up and kill you and your family in a matter of minutes. Only use generators outside of buildings and at least 20 feet away from any window, door or vent opening.
- Vehicles: Never leave your vehicle running inside of your garage, even if the garage door is open. If you are trying to warm up your car, move it outside away from any opening and close the garage door.
- Heating systems: Have your heating system inspected and serviced every year by a licensed professional technician.
- Fireplaces: Make sure your fire place damper is open when using your fireplace and keep it open until all the ashes are cool to the touch.
Install carbon monoxide alarms on each level of your home and in the immediate vicinity outside of sleeping areas
If you experience a headache, fatigue, dizziness, nausea or vomiting and you suspect it may be from carbon monoxide poisoning, get outside immediately to the fresh air and then call 911. Likewise, if your carbon monoxide alarm sounds, move to the outside and call 911. First responders will come to check the building with their own equipment to make sure the space is safe to reenter.
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Construction Spending Reaches All Time High
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Construction spending has reached an all-time high according to data compiled by Saco’s Code Enforcement Department for the 2018 calendar year. At the time this article was written there was still one more week in the calendar year to report however spending for the 11 months prior has topped $52 million with over $28 million of that in the commercial construction sector.
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Winter Reminders from Public Works
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Saco Public Works would like to share some information about winter storm operations with residents as we head into the new year. The Department of Public Works is ready for the winter storm season, in which we care for more than 160 road miles, and more than 35 miles of sidewalks, during and after winter storms.
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Fire Safety Tips from the Saco Fire Department
Delivering Fire and Life Safety Education is the primary mission of the Saco Fire Department and is conducted with the desire to prevent future home fires. As you will see, the central message of the video is to always sleep with your bedroom door closed. This simple act may well save your life or the lives of your loved ones.
The video mentions the minimal amount of time we have to escape a home fire, about 3 minutes. Working smoke alarms throughout the home may take one to two minutes to activate after a fire starts, so you can see how little time we have to get outside.
Unfortunately, studies show that not all children and some adults, do not awake to the sound of an operating smoke alarm. With open bedroom doors, smoke and deadly gasses can spread from other spaces like the kitchen or living room, into our bedroom(s). The smoke and gasses can begin to negatively affect our bodies before we awake to a smoke alarm or some other stimulus. Human nature will likely cause most of us to sit up on the bed from our prone position and automatically take a deep breath, potentially a breath full of harmful materials, when startled by the smoke alarm. Closed bedroom doors keep the smoke and gasses out and allow us to awaken in a cleaner environment and have time to orientate ourselves to enable our brains to process our plan of escape (without coughing, choking, being in the darkness of smoke, and perhaps being able to turn the lights on).
Remember that there should be a working smoke alarm on each level of your home including the basement, a smoke alarm outside the area adjacent to any bedroom and a smoke alarm in each bedroom. Make sure you also have a carbon monoxide detector in your home. For any of you considering building a new home or conducting renovations, please research home fire sprinkler systems. Home fire sprinklers provide the highest level of safety to you and your family.
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Route One Sewer Extension
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In November 2017, voters in Saco approved Bond Question 3 which provided $2.5 million in improvements to Route One infrastructure. These improvements were to include an extension of the sewer on Route One from approximately Cascade Road to the Scarborough line.
A Request for Proposal (RFP) was submitted on July 25th with a closing date of August 15th for the design and survey services for this extension. The scope of work encompasses approximately 5600’ of sewer and survey work broken into three separate zones.
The City of Saco WRRD received bids from seven different engineering firms. These firms were graded on design approach and implementation schedule, relevant experience and fee. Based on this criteria, the bid was awarded to Atlantic Resource Consultants of Freeport, Maine. The scope of work is expected to be completed by the end of January 2019 with construction to begin in Late Spring/Early Summer 2019.
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Water Resource Recovery Billing FAQ
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Who handles the sewer billing for the residents of Saco? Who should I contact with a questions? Where can I purchase a submeter? Click the button below to view the WRRD Billing FAQs that will answer these questions and more!
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Upcoming Meetings & Events
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Boards, committees, and commissions are designed to give citizens a voice in their government and provide a means of influencing decisions that shape the quality of life for residents. Participation on a board or commission is one of the most effective steps citizens can take in having an active voice in their government.
These meetings are open to the public. Visit the community calendar on our website to see meeting dates, times, and locations.
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Holiday Hours & Trash Collection
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Name:
James Ferguson
Title:
WRRD Operator
Being an operator at a wastewater treatment facility is an on-going learning experience throughout one’s career. Sessions are scheduled during the year by various organizations that operators attend to gain knowledge in their field while also maintaining their operator’s license in the state of Maine. One such organization is the Joint Environmental Training Coordinating Committee (JETCC) location in South Portland.
Since 2009, JETCC has been hosting a Management Candidate School (MCS). With an aging workforce in Maine, there is a need to train the next generation of wastewater managers. The school is an 11-month program designed to teach the skills needed for future managers to succeed. The topics include such things as: budgeting, blueprint reading, asset management and communication. At the MeWEA Fall Convention in September, graduates receive their diploma upon successful completion.
James Ferguson (pictured here), an operator with the City of Saco WRRD, is the most recent MCS graduate from the City of Saco. Past graduates of MCS include Andrew Whitaker (WRRD Mechanic) and Stacy Thompson (WRRD Deputy Director).
James has been employed at the WRRD since September 2011 and since has been a great asset for the City. The WRRD would like to congratulate him on his recent completion and graduation of MCS. The City of Saco and State of Maine has gained a very knowledge young man in the field of wastewater operations.
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City of Saco |(207)282-4191 | ERoy@sacomaine.org | www.sacomaine.org
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