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OVERNIGHT PARKING
No vehicle,
trailer, or other object shall remain parked for
more than
forty-eight (48) hours
upon any street or alley, and any vehicle which is moved less than one
(1) block shall be deemed to have remained stationary. It is unlawful
to remove any mark made by a police officer to determine the length of
time a vehicle, trailer or other object remained parked.
SEWER GAS
What is sewer gas?
Sewer gas is a
complex mixture of toxic and non-toxic gases that can be present at varying levels
depending upon the source. It is formed during the decay of
household and
industrial waste. Highly toxic components of sewer gas include
hydrogen sulfide
and ammonia.
Sewer gas also
contains methane, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrous
oxides. In
addition, chlorine bleaches, industrial solvents, and gasoline are
frequently
present in municipal and privately owned-sewage treatment systems.
How are people
exposed to sewer gas?
Sewer gas can
enter a home through a floor drain, from a leaking or blocked
plumbing roof
vent, or (if the gases are in soil adjacent to the house) through
cracks in
foundations. Sanitary and farm workers can be exposed to sewer gas
during the
cleaning and maintenance of municipal sewers, manure storage tanks,
and home septic
tanks.
What are the
effects of exposure to sewer gas?
The principal
risks and effects associated with exposure are:
Hydrogen sulfide poisoning.
Exposure to low levels of hydrogen
sulfide
causes
irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract. Other symptoms include
nervousness,
dizziness, nausea, headache, and drowsiness. This gas smells
like rotten
eggs, even at extremely low concentrations. Exposure to high
concentrations
can interfere with the sense of smell, making this warning
signal
unreliable. At extremely high levels, hydrogen sulfide can cause
immediate loss
of consciousness and death.
Asphyxiation.
High concentrations of methane in enclosed
areas can lead to
suffocation as
large amounts of methane will decrease the amount of oxygen in
the air. The
effects of oxygen deficiency include headache, nausea, dizziness
and
unconsciousness. At very low oxygen concentrations (<12%),
unconsciousness
and death may occur very quickly and without warning.
Sewer gas
diffuses and mixes with indoor air, and will be most
concentrated
where it is entering the home. It can accumulate in basements.
Explosion and fire.
Methane and hydrogen sulfide are flammable
and highly
explosive.
How can I avoid
being exposed to sewer gas?
Flush floor and sink drains with water to
prevent the traps in pipes to the
sewer from
drying out.
Occasionally check the roof plumbing vent for
blockage from debris such as
leaves or bird
nests.
Never enter a municipal sewer line,
manure-storage tank or any other large
storage tank
without proper training and equipment.
What should I do
if I suspect a problem?
First, following
the odor, try to locate the point of entry, such as a basement floor
drain. Check for
a blocked rooftop plumbing gas vent. By adding water to the
floor drain or
removing debris from a roof plumbing stack vent you may be able
to prevent sewer
gas from entering your home. In the unlikely event that a leak in
gas vent
plumbing is behind walls, a plumber may be needed to find and fix it.
Some local
public health departments may be able to offer home inspections.
Symptoms of
headache, nausea, dizziness, or drowsiness may indicate exposure to
an odorless gas
like methane or carbon monoxide, or to hydrogen sulfide, which
smells of rotten
eggs. Persons experiencing severe symptoms should seek
immediate
medical care.
If you suspect
that high concentrations of sewer gas have accumulated in an
enclosed space,
you should evacuate the area and contact the fire department for
assistance.
Avoid creating an ignition source such a spark from an electrical
appliance,
match, or cigarette lighter.
Community Services
POLICE - Stearns County operates under the Enhanced 911 system. The Albany
Police Department has three full time police officers with the cooperation
of the
Stearns County Sheriffs Department to provide 24 hour hour protection
for the community. The Albany Police Department is also very active in
community services.
FIRE/RESCUE DEPARTMENT - The Albany Fire Department has 25 trained
volunteer firefighters. The Department has eight units including: one Brush
truck, three Tankers and two Pump trucks with a total pumping capacity of
2,750 GPM. The Insurance Service Office (ISO) rate for the Albany Fire
Department is 6. Mutual aid agreements exist with surrounding communities
and townships ensuring cooperative fire suppression backup support, if
needed. The Melrose Ambulance Service of Melrose, MN, and Gold Cross
Ambulance Service of St. Cloud, MN, provide emergency transportation via
ground vehicle with Life Link II providing helicopter transportation for the
Albany Area Hospital.
POST OFFICE - Albany has a first-class Post Office. The Albany Post Office
has all mail services available, with Express mail overnight delivery.
LIBRARY -
The
Albany Public Library, located at 400 Railroad Ave in the new
City Hall, is in a newly constructed 3,000 sq. ft. spacious building, and is
one of thirty-one libraries that make up the Great River regional Library.
With your free library card, you can check out books, videos, cassettes,
DVD's, compact disks, books-on-tape, and popular magazines. Using the varied
reference resources, your questions will be answered, plus a public Internet
station is available for your use. Daily deliveries bring requested items to
patrons within several days, and children's programs are presented several
times a year.
CHURCHES - Albany has several churches available including:
| Immanuel Lutheran Church (LCMS) |
(320) 845-2620 |
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| Our Savior's Lutheran Church |
(320) 845-2405 |
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| Seven Dolors Catholic Church |
(320) 845-2705 |
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| Grace Alive! Evangelical Free Church |
(320) 845-7676 |
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HOUSING - Albany has 623 occupied households and a variety of apartment
buildings. This diversity provides housing for varied incomes and family
sizes. Many housing sites are available in the Sterling Heights Addition and
the Highlands Addition. Call City
Hall for more details on each residential development.
NEWSPAPERS - The Stearns Morrison Enterprise
is Albany's
"official" weekly
newspaper. Additionally, the city has daily
delivery of the St. Cloud Times,
Minneapolis Tribune,
USA
Today, and St. Paul Pioneer Press.
RADIO - KASM (1150 AM) Oldies and KDDG (105.5 FM) are Albany's radio
stations.
TELEVISION - Bresnan Communication (800-892-0310) is the cable service
that services Albany and the surrounding area with a total of 30 channels.
Premium channels are also available, such as HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, Stars,
Encore, and Disney.
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