Like we always say when teaching safety to students... First Rule: Stay Cool! Staying calm in any emergency is always your first, best step. But a little preparedness never hurts, either.

Congrats to this year’s winners of $1,000 Public Service Scholarships funded by our FirstIn Pfoundation! Hendrickson HS graduate Ashley Prado and Pflugerville HS graduate Amy Spalik both plan to earn their Bachelor’s degrees in Education. Please SHARE this post with 2018 graduating PfISD seniors/parents to alert them to this scholarship opportunity! Applications are welcome from our entire TCESD2 service area for students who will pursue 2- or 4-year degrees in fire science, education, law enforcement, criminal justice, criminal psychology, public administration, EMS, public health administration, and emergency management. For more information, visit www.firstinpfoundation.org

Bring the family to Public Safety Day this Saturday, August 19, from 12 to 2:30 pm at Sage Apartments (formerly 1825 Place) on Foothill Farms Loop! We will have a fire truck there, joined by Pflugerville Police and lots of family-friendly fun.

Watching a solar eclipse is a memorable experience, but looking directly at the sun even for a few moments can seriously damage your eyes and even cause blindness. There is only one safe way to look directly at the sun--through special-purpose solar filters! Solar filters are used in “eclipse glasses." But they must meet a very specific worldwide standard known as ISO 12312-2. Check out this article from Popular Science for a list of reputable sellers of approved "eclipse glasses." And remember: Ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones, or homemade filters are never safe for looking at the sun! #BecauseWeCare

The Travis County Commissioners Court has voted to put the Burn Ban back into effect through at least Sept. 20. NO OPEN BURNING! Per the Fire Marshal, “Our drought index is quickly climbing back to where we were before receiving the most recent rainfall. Experts are predicting steady winds coupled with low humidity levels later this week during the afternoon to evening hours, which creates conditions conducive for grass fires to occur.” Thank you for caring about safety!

Thank you to our partners at Firehouse Subs! Today we picked up 28 cases of water that their generous customers donated for us. This water will help us cool down during a fire fight or when we visit older homes needing smoke alarms. Firehouse Subs makes great food and cares about public safety!

What a wonderful opportunity August 18 for parents of little ones and expectant parents to help keep children safer on the road! SHARE if you know any families who would appreciate this resource. #carseatsafety

The Travis County Burn Ban is still in effect. No open burning! More info from the Fire Marshal is available here: http://bit.ly/2tk4t3m #FireSafetyFriday

There are about 5,000 lightning fires in the U.S. every year, with many of those here in the South. Just last week, lightning caused fires at nearly 10 homes in Travis and Williamson counties. Lightning is in our forecast most of the next several days. Push the test button on all your smoke alarms, review your family's home escape plan, and never overload your electrical outlets. #LightningSafety

Who's grilling this weekend? Have fun and stay safe y'all! Here's your Five for Fire Safety. #FireSafetyFriday 1. Have a water source or extinguisher ready in the grill area. 2. Position the grill on a flat, non-flammable surface at least 10-15 feet away from any covered patios/balconies, house eaves, trees/brush, wood fences, deck rails, and anything else that can catch fire. 3. Keep kids and pets 5+ feet away from the grill, which requires constant supervision of the grill area. 4. Before you light, clean your grill by removing grease or fat buildup from the grills and in trays below. 5. If the flame goes out, turn the grill off (and the gas if a propane grill), then wait at least 5 minutes before re-lighting.

Did you know we update the Fire Danger Rating every morning at www.pflugervillefire.org and on the signs in front of each fire station? Learn more at http://bit.ly/2uHZCOa #FireSafetyFriday

Travis County is conducting a prescribed burn today at Pace Bend Park in the Spicewood area. Smoke may be visible for a few hours this afternoon. Carefully planned prescribed burns support the health and diversity of native plants, reduce potential fuels for wildfires, and enhance firefighters’ knowledge of wildland fire behavior.