Hi everyone, and Merry Christmas.  Well it looks like the housing slow down has come to Marblehead too.  We only had ten new houses this year and we had sixteen last year.  House additions were the same at eight.  The biggest drop though was in accessory buildings like garages and things.  We only had four for 2008 down from fourteen in 2007.  I guess that is understandable.  People are not building the extra things they normally would when times are more stable.

I am writing this article in hope that all remembered to turn all clocks back one hour and change all of the batteries in all of your smoke detectors.
Fire safety is a very serious concern among us at The Marblehead Fire Department and I hope that it is a serious concern among the general public also. You all work to acquire all of the necessities of life including some of the fun items that we also cherish. Why wouldn’t we want to protect these items plus ourselves and our loved ones by simply installing a new battery and testing smoke detectors as recommended.

Election Day is just around the corner!  Thank goodness, because come November 5th we will no longer be subjected to endless political ads, solicitous telephone calls, and arguments over pigs and lipstick.  I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait.
Regardless of your political position, I urge you to exercise your right to vote on November 4th.  Voting is one of the most important duties that we, as American citizens, have.  “If you don’t vote, you have no right to complain!”  “Every vote counts!”  “Hanging chads!”  All clichés, I know (well, maybe not that last one), but they’re true, nonetheless.

Young drivers, ages 15 to 20-years old, are especially vulnerable to death and injury on our roadways. Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in America. Mile for mile, teenagers are involved in three times as many fatal crashes as all other drivers. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) reports showing leading cause of death for teens is 35% motor vehicle, 12% suicide, 16% homicide, and 37% all others. Research shows contributing factors to teen related crashes.