Battlefield Fire Protection District

05/28/2026

Drownings happen quickly and often they are silent. They are 100% preventable, but to prevent these tragedies, community members must follow simple water safety steps. Fire departments can play a key role in getting pool and swimming safety messages out to their communities. Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death among children ages 1-4.

*Adults need to stay with children when they are in or around water. DO NOT read, use a cell phone or leave children to go someplace else.

*For preschoolers, an adult should be close enough to touch the child.

*Install 4-sided fencing that separates the pool area from the home and yard. The fence should be at least 4-feet high. Use self-closing and self-latching gates that open outward.

*Keep the pool and deck clear of floats, balls and toys after you get out of the pool.

*Never swim near a boat, marina or boat launch.

*When boating, always use U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets.




U.S. Fire Administration

05/25/2026

Memorial Day, a federal holiday held the last Monday in May, is the nation's foremost annual day to mourn and honor its deceased service men and women. Originally called Decoration Day, it was formalized by a "Memorial Day Order" issued by Commander-in-Chief John A. Logan in 1868 from the veteran's advocacy group known as the Grand Army of the Republic.

The modern proclamation calls on Americans "to observe Memorial Day by praying, according to their individual religious faith, for permanent peace." We at the Battlefield Fire Protection District hope that you have had a relaxing and peaceful weekend. We also hope that you are able to take a few minutes today to remember those men and women who died in service to our great nation.

"The legacy of brave men and women who have fought and died for their country is the freedom we enjoy as Americans." Lucian Adams (U.S. Army, Staff Sergeant and
awarded the Medal of Honor in WWII.)

05/22/2026

The Battlefield Fire Protection District administrative office will be closed on Monday, May 25, 2026 in observance of Memorial Day. The office will reopen on Tuesday, May 26th at 8 AM. Rest assured that our emergency crews will be on-duty and ready to respond if needed. We hope you have a safe and peaceful holiday weekend as you remember those who sacrificed all for our freedoms.

05/20/2026

This practice your family's wildfire safety and evacuation plans. Wildfires can happen anywhere in any season. Practice together!





U.S. Fire Administration

05/12/2026

With the school year coming to the end and summer fast approaching here are some tips to stay safe in hotels and short-term rental properties. Each year, there are an estimated 3,900 hotel and motel fires that cause 15 deaths, 100 injuries and $100 million in property losses. Cooking is the leading cause of hotel and motel fires.

Hotels & Motels

*Fire safety is important, even when you are away from home.

*Find the 2 closest exits from your room.

*Stay in hotels and motels that have hard-wired smoke alarms and an automatic fire sprinkler system in each guest room.

*Read the evacuation plan carefully.

*Count the number of doors between your room and the exits. This will help if you need to get out in the dark.

*Find the fire alarms on your floor.

Short term rentals

*Everyone knows 2 ways out of every room and out of the rental if there is an emergency.

*Everyone knows the address of the rental.

*There are working smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the rental.

*There are working carbon monoxide alarms on every level of the rental.

*You can open all doors and windows that lead outside.

*Everyone knows the location of fire extinguishers.

*You choose an outside meeting place a safe distance from the rental.





U.S. Fire Administration

05/08/2026

City of Springfield is doing a controlled burn on the southwest side of the city if you see smoke.

The City of Springfield will conduct a planned, controlled burn of a large brush pile at the Yardwaste Recycling Center, collected during last year’s spring storm cleanup.

The burn is planned to begin the morning of Friday, May 8. It is expected to last several hours up to a few days, depending on weather conditions.

⚠️ What you should know:
• Stay clear of the burn site for your safety
• Smoke will be visible and may be noticeable in nearby neighborhoods
• Temporary traffic impacts and road closures are expected
• The Yardwaste Recycling Center will be CLOSED May 8-9, with a planned reopening on Tuesday, May 12 (conditions permitting).

🚧 Road & Closures:
• Inman Rd (FR 164) & Hutchinson Ave (FR 119) – east of Haseltine Rd (FR 115)
• Rountree Rd – west of West Bypass
• FR 123 – closed to non-local traffic between Rountree Rd & Republic Rd
• Wilson’s Creek Greenway Trail – closed between Tal’s Trailhead & FR 123/Rountree Rd

This is a coordinated, multi-agency operation led by the Springfield Fire Department to ensure safety and efficiency. This method was selected after evaluating alternatives to ensure safe, efficient and environmentally compliant disposal of storm debris.

Updates will be shared as available. Follow official City channels, including the SGF Environmental Services page, for the latest information.

Read the full release: https://www.springfieldmo.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/13148

05/07/2026

Arson Awareness Week is May 3–11

Arson robs communities of lives, property, and valuable assets. It destroys more than buildings—arson can devastate neighborhoods, increase insurance costs, reduce business revenue, and lower property values.

This week, help raise awareness about the dangers of arson. Learn and share prevention strategies, and encourage your community to report suspicious activity. Together, we can protect our homes and neighborhoods.

Here are some ways below to help:

Housing

*Install lights on all sides of the house.

*Consider installing security and fire alarm devices that can transmit an alarm to the police or fire department when the home alarm sounds.

*Clean around your house and garage, removing unused and unneeded paper, trash, cleaning supplies, partial cans of paint and other materials that could become kindling and fuel a fire for an arsonist.

Construction Sites

*Remove trash and debris from the job site.

*Store solvents, fuels and tools in a locked storage container or remove them from the job site when you are not using them.

Houses of Worship

*Illuminate building exterior and entrances. Place motion-activated lighting near entrances. Install lights to cover all sides of the building. Put interior lights on timers.

*Keep doors locked. Equip external doors with code-compliant hardware and secure them when the facility isn't occupied. Limit and track which members of the congregation have keys and alarm codes.

Youth

*Teach children that fire is dangerous. Only adults should use matches and lighters.

*Teach children that fire is dangerous. Fire is a tool, not a toy, and must only be used by adults.




U.S. Fire Administration

05/06/2026

Truman Day is on this Friday, May 8th, to honor the 142nd birthday of Harry S. Truman, the 33rd U.S. President born in Missouri. The District's Administration Office will be closed on this day for observance of Truman Day. District offices will open back up on Monday, May 11th at 8am.

05/05/2026

Each year from 2020 to 2022, an estimated average of 1,300 fires in places of worship were reported to fire departments in the U.S. These fires resulted in an estimated annual average of $74.6 million in property loss. The leading cause of fires in places of worship was cooking (33%), but intentional actions accounted for an additional 15%.

A simple locked door could be the deterrent that saves a congregation from experiencing arson. Below is a few things to consider.

*Illuminate building exterior and entrances. Place motion-activated lighting near entrances. Install lights to cover all sides of the building. Put interior lights on timers.

*Clear obstructions and excess vegetation. Trim or remove shrubbery that blocks the view of the building from the street. Remove excess vegetation and piles of leaves from around the outside of the building.

*Install smoke alarms and a fire sprinkler system. The most effective fire loss prevention and reduction measure for both life and property is the installation and maintenance of fire sprinklers.

*Keep doors locked. Equip external doors with code-compliant hardware and secure them when the facility isn't occupied. Limit and track which members of the congregation have keys and alarm codes.

*Keep windows locked. Use window hardware with spring-loaded bolts that insert through the window frame into the wall frame.

*Clean inside to remove unneeded paper, trash, cleaning supplies, paint cans and other materials that could fuel a fire for an arsonist.






U.S. Fire Administration