Police, fire chiefs urge safety ahead of St. Patrick’s Day; fire department reports 36 February incidents

Bethel Park’s police and fire leadership delivered public-safety updates at the March 10 council meeting, offering seasonal safety advice and monthly incident counts.

Police: Chief Hornell reviewed safety precautions for St. Patrick’s Day and urged residents to plan safe rides home, use backups for designated drivers, avoid getting into vehicles with impaired drivers and report suspected impaired driving. He noted that, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, St. Patrick’s Day is a high-risk day for impaired-driving accidents and reminded residents that even a single drink can impair driving ability. Hornell also said the cost of a DUI can be “upwards of $10,000 in legal fees” and that rideshare options are generally cheaper than the consequences. He announced a Crime Watch meeting on Monday, April 7 at 7 p.m. at the community center.

Fire: Assistant Fire Chief Rob Uselman reported 36 total incidents in February. He listed the month’s calls: two structure fires; two motor-vehicle accidents; five natural-gas leaks; five electrical conditions/power-line incidents; one tree on a house; one water-line break inside a structure; three smoke investigations; two good-intent calls; 11 fire alarms; and four carbon-monoxide alarms. Uselman urged residents to comply with local ordinances when burning yard materials, and reminded citizens that clock changes are a good prompt to replace batteries in smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors.

Both chiefs framed their remarks as safety guidance for residents rather than items requiring council action.