Posts tagged fire
CU Boulder KAT house burns over break, resources available
Dec 20th
KAPPA ALPHA THETA FIRE
The University of Colorado Boulder is assisting the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority in the aftermath of a fire late Monday night that severely damaged the sorority’s house at 1333 University Ave., adjacent to the CU-Boulder campus.
No sorority members were in the house at the time of the fire, as the university is on winter break. Sixty-two chapter members were scheduled to live in the house for the upcoming spring semester.
The house mother for Kappa Alpha Theta was safely evacuated from the house, which was severely damaged and is currently uninhabitable. Boulder police and fire officials are investigating the cause of the blaze.
CU officials from the offices of Student Affairs, Greek Life, Victim Assistance and Counseling and Psychological Services are prepared to work with sorority officials to reach out to chapter members to provide resources and services that include housing, counseling services, and course materials and equipment for classes.
Members of Kappa Alpha Theta or their families needing university assistance should contact the Office of Student Affairs at 303-492-8476 or CU-Boulder’s Office for Greek Life at 303-492-6359.
Other resources are available through the Office of Victim Assistance at 303-492-8855, the Office of Counseling and Psychological Services at 303-492-6766 and the Office of Psychological Health and Psychiatry at Wardenburg Health Center at 303-492-5654.
Boulder firefighters, Parks and Rec, are really Santa Clauses
Dec 5th
Boulder firefighters and Parks and Recreation team up for fifth consecutive year to brighten local children’s holidays
The City of Boulder Parks and Recreation Department’s Youth Services Initiative (YSI) program is working to brighten children’s holidays this season with help from the community and the Boulder Fire Department’s IAFF Local 900 union.
YSI provides youth from low-income families with opportunities and resources necessary to make positive recreational, educational, and lifestyle choices through after-school programs and community involvement activities.
This year, YSI will host holiday parties for program youth and their families on Thursday, Dec. 8, and Thursday, Dec. 15. Last year’s holiday parties served more than 150 families and delivered nearly 500 gifts to the children.
IAFF Local 900 support of YSI
The Boulder Fire Department’s IAFF Local 900 union will donate money for the fifth consecutive year. Their donations will help purchase gifts for children served by the YSI program who are living at Boulder’s low-income housing sites (managed by Boulder Housing Partners). The firefighters say this is a way to give back to kids in their very own community..
“We are honored to be able to support YSI youth during the holiday season,” said Lt. John Nunez, who has been involved with the department’s toy drive efforts for 19 years. “Sometimes, this will be the only gift a child receives. It is humbling for us to serve families who need a little extra help over the holidays.”
“When we show up in our fire trucks to these holiday parties, the looks on the children’s faces are priceless,” he added.
Community asked to help with donations
If you would like to make a donation to the YSI Program Toy Drive, visit www.BoulderParks-Rec.org, click on the “Youth Services toy drive – Donate today!” link and follow the instructions. A secure PayPal connection is provided and personal information will not be shared. Donations can be made using a major credit card or PayPal account. A small processing fee is deducted by PayPal from all donations. All donors will receive a receipt from PayPal and a Thank You from YSI. Checks can also be made payable to “YSI” and submitted to YSI, Attn: Alex Zinga, 3198 Broadway Ave., Boulder, CO 80304. Toy donation boxes are also located at the three City of Boulder recreation centers.
Additional funding over the amount needed for the toy drive will be placed in the YSI Scholarship Fund, which helps fund year-round recreation programs for low-income youth.
For more information, call Shelly Ruspakka, Parks and Recreation, at 303-413-7214
Yes, GM will loan you a Corvette if you’re scared your Chevy Volt will catch fire
Nov 29th
By Ray Wert
Yes, GM will loan you a Corvette if you’re scared your Chevy Volt will catch fire
With news of more Chevy Volt battery packs catching fire after NHTSA crash testing, General Motors yesterday made an unprecedented damage-controlling offer: Any Volt owner concerned about safety can request a free GM vehicle loan until the issue’s resolved. Yes, any car. Even a Corvette.
Earlier today, we received the official letter Mark Reuss, President of General Motors North America, is sending to all current Volt owners (they’ll also receive a follow-up phone call from their Volt Advisor — a dedicated GM employee on standby for the duration of their ownership to help them with any problems with the car). The full text of the letter’s below.
The letter includes news that GM will offer a GM loaner to any Volt owner worried about driving their car can drive a loaner car from GM until the situation’s resolved. But the verbiage in the letter — “we will provide you a GM vehicle” — piqued my curiosity.
What car would the General be handing out to owners of the automaker’s green machine? Any car GM makes? So… could you get a Corvette?
We’re not the only ones asking that question. So are several members of some of GM’s online fan forums. One forumite at GM-Volt.com said:
“I would temporally take a Corvette during the investigation. Other than that….. They aint takin my Volt!!!!”
So we called up a couple of folks at GM to find out — can you get a Corvette loaner if you’re scared your Chevy Volt will explode into a fireball after sitting in a wet parking lot for three weeks after a car accident?
It turns out the answer is yes. GM will absolutely put you in a Corvette if that’s what you so desire.
“Theoretically if you wanted to get into a Corvette, the customer’s Volt Advisor will work to get them into one,” said GM spokesperson and part-time genie in a bottle, Greg Martin.
“Obviously the intent of this program is not to provide a long-term Corvette test drive, but our priority is to make sure the customer is satisfied.”
But Martin says that they’re not concerned about a rush of owners running to grab a Corvette ZR1 or a Camaro SS for a multi-month green reprieve. Mostly because the type of person who buys a Volt presumably isn’t interested in high horsepower for the type of drives they’re taking in a Volt.
Pity. Because although I’m a fan of the Volt as a daily driver in semi-urban areas with adequate electric infrastructure, I also know I’d be even more satisfied with a multi-month “Volt vacation” in a Corvette if I were an owner.
But I do have to admit that this is a very shrewd PR move by GM and the Volt team. It’s nice to see a company once known for “turtling up” in their shell-like Detroit bunker at the first sign of a problem finally being proactive and standing by their product.
Here’s the full text of the letter from Reuss:
Dear Volt Owner,
You may have seen the recent news articles regarding the NHTSA’s (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) safety investigation of the Chevrolet Volt. I’m writing you today with more details that, I think, will put things in perspective and make you feel better about your Volt.
First and foremost, I want to assure you of one very important thing: the Volt is a safe car. The Volt continues to have a 5 star overall vehicle score for safety in NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. It was also given a Top Safety Pick Award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
There are good reasons the Volt is safe. Our team has put more than one million miles into making the Chevrolet Volt as safe as it is remarkable. After all, our families, neighbors, co-workers and friends are among those who own the cars we’re tasked with designing, engineering and manufacturing.
Here are the facts behind the most recent news articles. In May, the NHTSA ran one of its most severe crash tests at a test facility in Wisconsin. The Volt battery was damaged and the coolant line was ruptured. Three weeks later, an electrical fire involving the test vehicle occurred.
NHSTA, working with GM engineers, has been running a program of severe impact and intrusion tests on Volt battery assemblies as part of its effort to understand and replicate the May 2011 incident. Thanksgiving night, NHTSA told us that one of the batteries tested was involved in an electrical fire similar to the one that took place in Wisconsin. As a result NHTSA has begun a preliminary investigation of Chevrolet Volt battery assemblies.
We are aware of no real world consumer incidents that have produced a similar result. These recent tests show a very rare set of circumstances: A severe impact resulting in the battery and coolant lines being compromised. And then the passing of a significant amount of time before an electrical fire may take place.
The Volt is as safe as conventional vehicles for its occupants – before, during and immediately after a crash. When electrical energy is left in a battery after a severe crash it can be similar to leaving gasoline in a leaking fuel tank after severe damage. It’s important to drain the energy from the battery after a crash that compromises the battery’s integrity. GM and NHTSA’s focus and research continue to be on battery performance, handling, storage and disposal after a crash.
Even though there have been no customer incidents, we’re taking steps to ensure your peace of mind. If you are in any way uncomfortable driving your Volt as a result of this information, we want to make it right. We will provide you a GM vehicle to drive until this issue is resolved. Contact your Volt Advisor to make arrangements or to answer your questions. If you are not aware of your specific Volt Advisor, the contact information is: phone: 877-4-VOLT-INFO (877-486-5846) email: Voltda101@gmexpert.com.
We take enormous pride in Volt and what it represents-a new era of electric vehicles that can reduce dependence on gas, reduce air pollution, and more. On-going collaboration between the government, manufacturers and other stakeholders will enhance post crash protocols and accelerate acceptance of electric vehicles.
There is nothing more important to us at General Motors than the safety of our customers. We will continue to aid the NHTSA investigation in every way possible.
We stand 100% behind the quality and safety of the Chevrolet Volt – now and always.
Thank you for being a Volt owner. By the way I am also a Volt owner, my daughter drives it every day and she will continue to do so.
Mark Reuss
President GM North America and Volt Owner (#1457)