8th PDAC spreads
the message

By William Kenny
Times Staff Writer

Philadelphia residents have a lot going on in the summer.
Many vacation at the South Jersey shore; others spend time in the Pocono Mountains. There are block parties and ball games at seemingly every turn.
But residents shouldn’t forget about maintaining their homes and neighborhoods during this active time of the year, according to a series of public officials who put on something of a who’s who night on June 6 at the general meeting of the 8th Police District Advisory Council.
The 8th PDAC’s monthly meetings will cease until September, so the Wednesday night gathering was the last chance for representatives from several city offices to get their messages out to neighbors.
Residents heard about fire safety from a member of the Fire Department, neighborhood cleanup opportunities from the Police Department’s neighborhood services unit and the Managing Director’s Office, as well as pest abatement from the Department of Health.
Despite the summer comings and goings, safety should remain the No. 1 priority, according to Fire Lt. Frank Squillace, of the fire prevention unit.
Philadelphia has seen a dramatic decrease in its fire death rate over the last two decades.
"Twenty years ago, one-hundred people were dying in fires (annually). For the last five years, the average is forty to fifty," Squillace said. "The bad news is people are still needlessly dying."
That includes 31 so far in 2007.
"We always hear about the murder rate, but when you talk per capita, Philadelphia is among the highest (cities) in the country for fire death rate," Squillace said.
Most fire fatalities result from one of several primary causes, including smoking in the house, electrical fires, open flames and arson. But they don’t have to occur.
"There is a common thread in all of the stories, that there were not proper, working smoke alarms," Squillace said.
To counter that, the Fire Department offers a variety of educational outreach programs for civic groups, senior groups, youth groups, schools and other organizations. It has instituted several smoke alarm education and donation programs by which city residents can get proper smoke alarm coverage for their homes.
The Philadelphia Fire Department fire prevention division may be reached at 215-686-1382.
Officer Tanya Richardson of the Police Department’s neighborhood services unit said that her office works closely with other police units and other city agencies, such as the Community Life Improvement Program, to address citizens complaints and, if need be, cite those who cause quality-of-life issues.
Police can issue citations to people who let their yards grow too high, have trash in their yards, fail to control their pets or play music loudly. CLIP receives many of the complaints through its hot line, 215-683-CLIP.
Another police quality-of-life initiative is removing abandoned autos from the streets.
Vehicles in disrepair can be towed immediately, while warnings can be issued for cars that are not properly registered. Eventually, they can be towed, too.
To report an abandoned auto, call 215-683-CARS.
With more youths out and about in the warm weather, graffiti tends to increase in the summer, too.
Cathy Harris, of the city managing director’s community service program, told meeting-goers that they can help the city clean up graffiti and keep their blocks looking good.
The MD’s office has been trying to increase the rolls of its block captains. Any resident is eligible to be one with the consent of other residents of the block, as long as the block doesn’t already have a captain.
Block captains are a liaison between neighbors and the city, which can provide them with the supplies for block cleanup projects.
Also, residents are eligible to sign up for a paint voucher program, which allows them to get painting supplies to cover up graffiti in their neighborhood.
To report graffiti or to get involved in the paint voucher program, call 215-685-9556.
Finally, pests can also be a big problem for local folks throughout the year and particularly in the summer. Rosalie Neris of the Health Department explained that the city’s Vector Control Services can help with a lot of animal and insect problems.
Everything from rats to mosquitoes are potential carriers of disease. To contact the unit, call 215-685-9000.
In other 8th PDAC business, three members of the district received their Officer of the Month awards during the meeting. Officer Bruce Kobler earned the March honor, while James Balmer and James Boccalopo shared the award for April.
The 8th PDAC will next meet on Wednesday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m., at Academy and Red Lion roads. ••
Reporter William Kenny can be reached at 215-354-3031 or bkenny@phillynews.com