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| Volunteers from the West Chazy Fire Department work on extinguishing a house fire. |
The holiday rush is over and we are settling into
the New Year, full of resolutions and ambitions. Along with my health related
resolutions (come on, we all have them…don’t we?), I am adding a few home
safety improvements to my list. After hearing of multiple home fires over the
past few weeks I decided to reach out to our local fire departments to answer
some of my burning questions (see what I did there?) and get expert advice to
share with you.
I found out that residential fires tend to peak in
January according to the U.S.
Fire Administration. When asked what causes most of these fires
in the North Country our local fire departments overwhelmingly responded with
improperly maintained heating systems.
Jason Goodspeed, Volunteer Firefighter with the West Chazy Volunteer
Fire Department explains “The chimney and flue’s function is to carry dangerous gasses from your
fireplace, woodstove or furnace safely out of your home. When the gases exit
the fireplace or wood stove creosote can stick to and build up in your
chimney. If the chimney doesn’t get inspected and cleaned each year a buildup
of creosote will cause fire combustion inside the chimney which can spread into
your home.” Ryan Sponable, Firefighter and Paramedic at the City
of Plattsburgh Fire Department says that furnaces
should be treated like chimneys – regularly maintained and inspected.
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| Creosote build up. |
I have a woodstove at home, to extinguish my fears (sorry, I can't help myself) of a chimney fire, I make sure to schedule a yearly inspection and cleaning with a certified chimney sweep professional.
I also have a small space heater that I use occasionally but have heard some
scary stories about those so I asked the professionals their thoughts on firing
up space heaters. Dereck Fleming, Lieutenant of Cumberland
Head Volunteer Fire Department,
says that “Space heaters can be useful,
but make sure the heater is at least 3 feet away from anything flammable, like
curtains or bedding. Make sure they are shut off when leaving the room and that
they cannot be easily tipped over. Roughly
two thirds of all heating related fires are caused by space heaters.” One
big problem that the City of Plattsburgh Fire Department sees is people
overloading power strips. Both Ryan and Dan Dumas, Fire Chief at the Mooers
Volunteer Fire Department, echo that if you are using a
space heater it should be plugged directly into a properly sized outlet,
without the use of extension cords or power strips.
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| Overloaded power strip resulting in an electrical fire. |
Just like we focus on prevention here at the Health
Department, our local fire departments want you to
practice fire prevention at home. The number one way to do this is to have a fire
escape plan and practice it! Fire Chief Dumas
reminds us that smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are proven life savers and
should be tested each and every month. Batteries should be replaced 1-2 times
each year, or as needed. When I asked where these life saving devices should be
installed Firefighter Goodspeed responded “According
to the National
Fire Protection Association,
smoke alarms need to be installed inside each bedroom, outside each sleeping
area and on every level of the home, including the basement. Carbon monoxide
detectors should be installed in a central location outside each sleeping area
and on every level of the home. Remember, seconds count.”
Another topic of discussion was fire extinguishers.
It turns out the most common type of fire extinguisher in homes is a
multipurpose extinguisher labeled as ABC but Firefighter Goodspeed reminds us
to take into account the type of materials in the immediate area and select the
appropriate
extinguisher for your needs. Firefighter/Paramedic
Sponable said it is recommended to have at least 2 fire extinguishers on the
first floor and at least 1 on the second floor. He adds that the kitchen, laundry
room and garage tend to be where fire extinguishers are needed the most and
that there is a push to start having them located in bedrooms and patios as
well. Fire Chief Dumas says “Remember,
fires spread very quickly and a call to 911 should always be placed so the fire
department can be sure the fire is extinguished and has not spread. When in
doubt, get out and call 911!”
The Clinton County Health Department’s Healthy
Neighborhoods Program can help keep your home and family fire
safe by providing education and safety products. The best news – it’s FREE for
anyone in Clinton County. Give us a call to set up a visit: 518-565-4870.
Let’s recap, that was a lot of (awesome) information
to digest. Here’s the cliff notes version:
- Have a fire escape plan and practice it!
- Properly maintain your heating system and schedule regular cleanings and inspections with certified companies.
- Keep space heaters at least 3 feet from flammable materials, do not leave them unattended and plug them directly into an outlet. Do not use with extension cords or power strips.
- Make sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are installed in appropriate locations, test them each month and replace batteries at least 1-2 times a year.
- Taking into account the type of materials in the immediate area, purchase and install appropriate fire extinguishers on every level of your home. Generally, the first floor should have at least 2 extinguishers.
Some other safety tips generously provided by The
City of Plattsburgh Fire Department:
- NEVER run a generator inside.
- It is recommended to sleep with your bedroom door shut. This allows extra time to escape and prevents harmful gases and heat from entering your bedroom.
- Never open a door if the knob is hot to touch. If you are unable to escape put clothing or towels at the bottom of the door to prevent gases and heat from entering. Call 911 and open windos to alert first responders of your location.
- Always clean lint from your dryer.
Special thanks to:
- Dan Dumas, Fire Chief, Mooers Volunteer Fire Department
- Dereck Fleming, Lieutenant of Cumberland Head Volunteer Fire Department
- Ryan Sponable, Firefighter/Paramedic, City of Plattsburgh Fire Department
- Jason Goodspeed, Firefighter, West Chazy Volunteer Fire Department
Here’s to a happy and safe New Year!
KayLeigh Raville
Public Health Nutritionist
Health Planning and Promotion Division
