Neal Hedgpeth

As many of my readers already know, I am a an obsessive compulsive safety buff particularly with fire proofing homes, buildings and any other place that may be prone to this preventable disaster. This as the title already says, is strategic placement of fire fighting equipment. Now I would like to make a few disclaimers in writing this. First, that I am not a fire safety expert nor am I claiming to be one – in fact the number one recommendation I always give to my clients and friends is to consult the local fire station and fire safety equipment dealers on this matter. I am however, speaking from years of experience as a commercial property manager. Second, that these are general rules – specifics still come from actually purchasing, installing and maintaining the equipment. The main purpose of this post still, is to show the importance of fire safety equipment.

The first thing here is to make sure that the health and safety signs are placed in the right areas of the vicinity. In the corridors of buildings, make sure that the signs are highly visible even for running and panicking people. This means that for example, a fire exit sign the end of a corridor placed about five and a half feet high would be good since it follows the normal human vision. Also make sure that the signs are clear and give specific yet easy to understand instructions for the fire fighting equipment. C02 fire extinguishers are used for burning electronics and the signs have to say just that. First aid kit signs should show how a person should locate and apply it given the current situation.

The second thing here aside from the health and safety signs being clear is to make sure that the equipment itself as well, will easily be located. Usually the striking red color of fire extinguishers draw a lot of attention and everyday people working would know by routine where they are located. If you are using a chrome colored fire extinguisher, make sure it is still in a bright red fire extinguisher cabinet for easy location. An additional point here is to make sure that the locks used on the extinguishers would be secure when untouched, but easily opened in the case of an emergency. The same goes for the activatable fire alarms, fire hose reels and perhaps any other emergency safety equipment you may have in the area.

Placement of fire fighting equipment is not a matter to be taken lightly. For instance, placing health and safety signs correctly doesn’t take a lot of effort, but it can potentially save a lot of lives. Aside from proper placement of the equipment, also make sure that the employees in the case of commercial areas, are properly trained and made aware of what to do in the case of an emergency. Again, I would like to repeat that I am not an expert and I don’t claim to be. Thus, for further information consult with your local fire station and a reputable fire safety equipment dealer.

Visit : 609 Everything Put Together The Hit List Mika Who is the Inventor Deborah Neumann

My father Mike was an avid gardener who loved to grow vegetables that he shared with friends, neighbors and family. I still have his tomato seeds which I have planted, since his passing, which bore fruit of the biggest, sweetest tomatoes. When I moved into my house several years ago I embraced gardening for the want of having curb appeal not knowing that this would become an ongoing passion and love.

I originally started planting herbs as eatable plants were my main objective and over the years have added flowers. I must be careful of what I plant due to deer and ground hogs but most of what was planted has survived. It has taken me 4 years for the Echinacea plant to make it to maturity (deer) this year finally I have the start of 5 flower heads. While gardening has become my bailiwick Lavender has become my bane.

I grow nearly 21 herbs in my small plot of land or containers along with other flowers and grasses. Having diversity attracts good and bad insects which keeps infestation in check. I am in zone 6 and more exacting 6A, which my growing season is mid-May until end of Sept. I practice only organic gardening not because of being “green” as much as it makes more sense to the soil and the plants. I make my own hot compost in a 5-gallon tub which I use in potting soil, my garden and brew compost tea for fertilizing. I buy organic granular fertilizer for general all-purpose growth and love fish emulsion. I fertilize as I see a need, the last time I did it and my gut instincts.

But I digress let’s get to the Lavender. This plant has been the one I wanted the most and could never seem to grow. I live in the mountains which is cooler, slightly more humid, sometimes less sunny and rainier than other parts of the state. My soil, has been amended, is a gardener’s dream but Lavender requires sandy soil with fewer minerals save for lime. I tried every type of Lavender from English to Munstead with no success year after year. I tried in the ground on a mound and in containers, plastic to terra cotta, overwintering inside-all died. Every year all types of my flowers grew from plants bought or from seeds that I cultivated but Lavender nothing. I had almost resolved myself to the fact I just wasn’t going to be able to grow it here but I’m not a quitter and rarely give up. So I dug in-no pun intended.

Last year again I saw Lavender at Wal-Mart a new cultivar I never tried, Provence and decided once again to give it a try. This time I mixed a special potting soil full of river rocks, Perlite and sand. I added white stones around the base and put this little Lavender plant in this big ceramic pot. I had very little growth last year with no flowers but I decided to overwinter on my porch, covered in plastic, out of the elements except cold. In the past I didn’t fertilize but re-read my books and low and behold it said to add fertilizer to container plants, so I added lime, an organic mix of blood meal, bone meal, etc. and a little of my compost. Since it can rain here often planting in a container affords me the option of moving the plant to the porch so I can monitor how much water it gets.

It survived the winter and for a while some of the leaves yellowed, once again I added amends and despite the yellowing has grown but will I finally get flowers with this Lavender? It hasn’t rained much this season as it had last year which ruined crops for everyone in the area. Also it has been sunnier and hotter early on. The plant has doubled in height and width but will it flower? Not sure but each branch has formed bracts where flowers should bloom and then the next step is will it keep blooming and survive?

So here’s hoping that the prized Lavender I have so wanted to grow for years will finally be a flower in my garden. Will I be defeated if it doesn’t? And is it defeat when much is learned? Won’t know for months how and if the plant will thrive but as they say, “it’s the trip not the destination.” For those of us with little patience this is hardly any solace. I mean get to the point already.

See Also : American Beauty Aesthetics and A Review of Black Arm Band Tattoos Hottest http://juneapodaca.bluzzaworld.com/