Tips for a Safe Holiday Season from the Scarsdale Fire Department
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Scarsdale Fire Chief Thomas Cain sent us the following fire prevention tips prepared by the Scarsdale Fire Department and the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs. These safety tips have been prepared by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to help you avoid the devastation that a fire during the holidays can bring.
Christmas Trees
- Many artificial trees are fire resistant. If you buy one, look for a statement specifying this protection.
- A fresh tree will stay green longer and be less of a fire hazard than a dry tree. To check for freshness, remember:
- A fresh tree is green.
- Fresh needles are hard to pull from branches.
- When bent between your fingers, fresh needles do not break.
- The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin.
- When the trunk of a tree is bounced on the ground, a shower of falling needles shows that tree is too dry.
- Place tree away from fireplaces, radiators and other heat sources. Heated rooms dry trees out rapidly, creating fire hazards.
- Cut off about two inches of the trunk to expose fresh wood for better water absorption.
- Trim away branches as necessary to set tree trunk in the base of a sturdy, water-holding stand with wide spread feet.
- Keep the stand filled with water while the tree is indoors.
- Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways. Use thin guy-wires to secure a large tree to walls or ceiling.
Artificial Snow:
Artificial snow sprays can irritate lungs if inhaled. To avoid injury, read container labels and follow directions carefully.
Lights:
- Use only lights that have been tested for safety. Identify these by the label from an independent testing laboratory.
- Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Discard damaged sets or repair them before using.
- Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house, walls or other firm support to protect from wind damage.
- Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord.
- Turn off all lights on trees and other decorations when you go to bed or leave the house. Lights could short and start a fire.
- Never use electric lights on a metallic tree.
- Keep "bubbling" lights away from children. These lights with their bright colors and bubbling movement can tempt curious children to break candle-shaped glass (which can cut) and attempt to drink liquid (which contains a hazardous chemical).
Candles:
- Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use non-flammable holders.
- Keep candles away from other decorations and wrapping paper. Place candles where they cannot be knocked down or blown over.
Trimmings:
- Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials.
- Wear gloves while decorating with spun glass "angel hair" to avoid irritation to eyes and skin.
- Choose tinsel or artificial icicles or plastic or non-leaded metals. Leaded materials are hazardous if ingested by children.
- In homes with small children, take special care to:
- Avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable.
- Keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children. Pieces could be swallowed or inhaled.
- Avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food. A child could eat them!
Fireplace:
- Before lighting any fire, remove all greens, boughs, papers, and other decorations from fireplace area. Check to see that flue is open.
- Keep a screen in front of the fireplace all the time a fire is burning.
- Use care with "fire salts" which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals which can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation or vomiting if eaten. Keep away from children.
Paper and Wrappings:
- When making paper decorations, look for materials labeled non-combustible or flame- resistant.
- Never place trimming near open flames or electrical connections.
- Remove all wrapping papers from tree and fireplace areas immediately after presents are opened.
- Do not burn papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.
General Rules for Holiday Safety:
- Have working smoke detectors installed on every level of your home. Test them monthly and keep them clean and equipped with fresh batteries at all times.
- Keep matches, lighters, and candles out of the reach of children. Avoid smoking near flammable decorations.
- Make an emergency plan to use if a fire breaks out anywhere in the home. See that each family member knows what to do.
Practice the Plan:
- Avoid wearing loose flowing clothes - particularly long, open sleeves - near open flames - such as those of a fireplace, stove, or candlelit table.
- Never burn candles near evergreens. Burning evergreens in the fireplace can also be hazardous. When dry, greens burn like tinder. Flames can flare out of control, and send sparks flying into a room, or up the chimney to ignite creosote deposits.
Plan for Safety:
Remember, there is no substitute for common sense. Look for and eliminate potential danger spots near candles, fireplaces, trees, and/or electrical connection.
For more information about fire safety, call Fire Inspector Albert Mignone at 722-1215x3.
Holiday Music Festival at Hoff-Barthelson
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The Friends of Hoff-Barthelson Music School will host their annual fundraiser for the Music School, the Holiday Music Festival, at the School's location at 25 School Lane, Scarsdale, on Saturday and Sunday, December 1 and 2 from 10 am – 4 pm. And back by popular demand – the Jazz Preview Night, Friday, November 30 at 7:00 pm, which this year will feature the Music School's outstanding jazz ensembles in a performance evening, accompanied by dinner and dessert treats and the opportunity for advance shopping at a dozen holiday boutiques and bidding on the Silent Auction and Raffle.
An annual event for nearly 40 years, the Holiday Music Festival features boutique shopping, fabulous international cuisine home-cooked by the School's international parent body, a Raffle, Silent Auction, and of course, days and evening filled with music by the School's laudable ensembles. All your Holiday shopping is made simple at the Festival, as vendors offer gift items ranging from vintage items to contemporary jewelry. Suzanne Saltzman proffers stunning scarves and one-of-a-kind evening bags; perennial local jewelry favorite Lillian Ruth presents her sparkling array of custom-designed gold, sterling silver and semi-precious stone jewelry; Jean Forte Gifts provides vintage and new accessories for home and table; The Chintz Giraffe has serving pieces, unique gifts and more for the home; Misshapen Bowl features 
handcrafted hardwood bowls and serving pieces; Shaneen Huxham offers hand-sewn gloves, hats, bags and scarves for men and women; Yarnest makes hand-knitted clothing and accessories; Lila Turjanski-Villard offers sculptures in rhythmic movement, space and communication; Janet Sikirica Millinery & Fabric Arts creates one-of-a-kind scarves and evening bags; AC Designs has hand designed pillows, placemats, runners, and decorative items; From Farm to Market creates sustainable and eco-friendly gifts for home and garden; AE Wooden Toys is a perennial favorite with children; and The HB Boutique, with an array of items for the well-appointed HB family, will once again be assembled by the dedicated Friends members who host the Holiday Music Festival.
As always, the Silent Auction, with items ranging from sought-after tickets for sporting events and concerts; Nights on the Town; dinner with Executive Director Joan Behrens Bergman and a mystery music guest, will be open for bidding throughout the Festival.
Take a chance on the Raffle, featuring a Grand Prize of an iPhone5!
Children's entertainment will be provided in the Children's Craft Room on Saturday and Sunday.
The international foods party room on Saturday and Sunday will provide tables laden with luscious homemade desserts and Indian, Japanese, Korean, Around-The-World and Chinese delicacies, as well as potato latkes, all prepared by Music School parents who assist with the fundraising efforts of the Friends.
Music will be provided by the Hoff-Barthelson Flute Club Orchestra, Chamber Choir, Chamber Orchestra, Symphonette, Wind Ensemble, Suzuki Strings and Jazz and Chamber Ensembles.
The Festival, open to the public at no charge, kicks off the annual holiday season with three days of international foods, music and holiday shopping; fun for the entire family! Information: 914-723-1169, www.hbms.org
Education and Parenting Expert Alfie Kohn To Speak at Scarsdale Middle School
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Alfie Kohn will be the speaker at the Scarsdale PT Council’s Fall Meeting and Lecture Series on Tuesday, November 13 at 7:30pm. This event will take place at Scarsdale Middle School auditorium, 134 Mamaroneck Avenue in Scarsdale. Kohn will be speaking about “Unconditional Parenting: Beyond Bribes and Threats”. This talk is co-sponsored by the seven Scarsdale School PTA's. All members of the community are invited to attend this important evening.
Mr. Kohn is the author of 12 books and countless articles on human behavior, education, and parenting. His most recent publications include Feel Bad Education…and Other Contrarian Essays on Children and Schooling (2011), The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing (2006), and Unconditional Parenting: Moving from Rewards and Punishment to Love and Reason (2005). Time magazine called Mr. Kohn "perhaps the country's most outspoken critic of education's fixation on grades [and] test scores." In addition, his criticisms of competition and rewards are credited with shaping the thinking of educators, parents, and managers across the country and abroad.
Mr. Kohn argues that one basic need all children have is to be loved unconditionally. Yet conventional approaches to parenting such as punishments and rewards teach children that they are loved only when they please us or impress us. Kohn will share his ideas for working with our children rather than doing things to them, and for making sure that they know our care for them is unconditional.
A brief PT Council business meeting will precede Mr. Kohn’s talk at 7:30pm.
Kick Back vs. Kick-Out: How to Welcome Your Guests or Send Them Packing
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Hurricane Sandy arrived two weeks ago, first washing out power and then people from their comfy homes. Certainly Scarsdalians are known for prevailing in the face of any challenge, always generous, even when the going gets rough. “Powerful” friends - those with active electrical currents - became saviors, providing outlets for charging various i-things, TVs for temporary escapes, cold freezers, warm showers and washing machines. But those truly powerful friends provided the almighty Guest Room for a more long-term stay.
Ahh, there’s the rub! That guest room. So little used, but so crucial. We’ve heard all about them: the convention centers of unwanted furniture, the space of secret hoarders, the home gyms with a stray mattress smashed up against the wall, looking like the set of a cheap adult film. Maybe you think, “Well, our friends are desperate, they won’t judge me.” Think again. Pump all the Chardonnay you can into your overnight guests - it won’t make their night any better when faced with sleeping on your old college futon or the 25-year-old leather couch your spouse refuses to lose, crowded by piles and bins and an old bench-press. A guest room should welcome your guests with yum, not yuck!
To do that, know that the most important aspect of any guest room is its comfort. Think “refuge” and “peace” when readying your 
space. First, clear the clutter. To make your guests feel welcome, give them space to put everything they bring.
STYLE TIP: Stowe your stuff in the bottom drawer of a chest, keeping the rest for your guests things. Then put a pretty tray on top for your guests’ jewelry, watches, wallets and whatnot.
Provide the basics: set out clean towels and extra blankets for them to use. Make sure there are working lightbulbs in the lights, working batteries in the remote, a water bottle or two, extra TP within reach, tissues, and maybe some nice toiletries for the poor folks who have forgotten their own.
STYLE TIP: Provide sets of towels in different colors so that multiple guests can keep track of which are theirs.
Then freshen up your guest room’s look. One easy formula for instant chic is to use simple, white furniture plus accessories in one accent color. Or even easier: revitalize plain walls with a great color.
Headboards add instant style to a bed, and there are endless DIY ideas available online. For instance, fashion a headboard out of undrilled closet doors from the lumber store, stained or painted, and mounted on the wall behind the bed and create a sleek, modern focal point.
Create elegance over a guest bed with cheap wall art finds at a discount home store. Two panels hung together look even better.
Another way to add style to your guest room is to raid your storage closets for lamps, wall art, forgotten furniture pieces - properly edited and put together, the result is “artfully collected.”
STYLE TIP: Hang a collection of inexpensive framed prints or mirrors as a group for a big impact.
If your guest room leads a double life as a home office or studio, a daybed upholstered in a sophisticated furniture fabric and piled with pillows is a good option.
Or if you don’t have a separate space for guests, appoint a corner to be the guest “nook” with a platform daybed, upholstered wall panels, and a wall-mounted light.
Then give thought to the particulars of your guest room. What makes YOU comfortable? Is it fluffy flooring? Good reading lights, a selection of interesting books, and a large pillow for propping? Cozy bedding with both heavy and light blankets? Provide what you would like to have during an overnight. Chances are you guests will want the same.
And remember that no one is demanding perfection. My guest room sports a wall AC and circa 1960 linoleum floors, though partially covered with a hand-me-down oriental rug. But according to both my best friend and my parents, the utter quiet of the room’s location, a TV with fully-loaded cable, mystery books and sumptuous bedding, it’s hard to get them to leave. Even without the Chardonnay.
Jessica Jacobson and Lisa Bradlow are the owners of Jacobson/Bradlow Interior Design, based in Scarsdale, New York. Let them help you redesign your guest room before the next storm. 917-373-3219 or email: [email protected] or [email protected].
Sunday in Scarsdale - Free Taxi Service and the Gas Shortage
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(Updated Sunday afternoon at 2 PM) We’ve received good news from a few residents on Greenacres Avenue and Penn Boulevard to say that their power has been restored! Apparently power has been restored to about 1,100 customers in Scarsdale. There are now five Con Edison crews in town and the power outage map shows that more residents will have power back by 11 pm tonight. You can check the status of your house by clicking here – all you need is your phone number: https://apps1.coned.com/csol/reportoutage.asp
For those who need help, we received the following notice about how to get from the Village Manager’s office on Sunday morning:
For those residents without power and heat, the American Red Cross has established a regional emergency shelter for our area at the Albert Leonard Middle School, 25 Gerard Lane in New Rochelle. The shelter is equipped with cots for sleeping. The Red Cross can be contacted at 914 682-2299.
In addition, the Scarsdale Public Library on Olmstead Road is available as a comfort center with power, heat, free coffee and other amenities, including movies in the Scott Room. Residents may also charge their cell phones and other electronic devices. The Village has extended the Library hours from 9AM-9PM Monday-Friday and 11AM-9PM on Sunday.
Central Taxi is available to transport people to the market or doctor. The Village provides this service free of charge for Scarsdale seniors, others must pay the normal rate. The Senior Program is run through the Recreation Department. More information can be provided by Jason Marra, Deputy Superintendent of Recreation.
Gas: As all of you already know, gas is in short supply. Stations have run out - or have no power to pump. Now residents with home generators
Instructions from Scarsdale Village: The police sent us this notice about how to sign up for the Village notification system:
Scarsdale residents can sign up for the Village's notification system that provides phone, text and email updates of important information. During the recovery from Hurricane Sandy it is being used to provide informational updates to Scarsdale residents. The following link can be used to sign-up:
https://portal.blackboardconnectcty.com/welcome.aspx?eiid=1207B6088C3778A7687A
Since the Village's website and email systems are both down due to power and communications line failures, we have been unable to provide information on our website as we normally would. We are asking for the assistance of the media to post the information that is forwarded to you on your websites to keep residents informed on the recovery status. We would also request that you post the link above for the Village's notification system, and encourage people to sign up to receive information. The notification system messages can be long, and are best received by a voice call or email, as the size of some text messages can be limited.
If your power comes back on, please email [email protected] and we will let others know.
