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Can you feel it? Fall is right around the corner. With cooler nights, higher humidity and seasonal temperatures near normal, all of us are getting the urge to start our Fall cleanup activities.
Many of us like the thought of having a fire to get rid of yard waste and everything else that comes from a fall cleanup. Cutting firewood also gets us in the mood for a fire. Pend Oreille County Fire District 3 would like to remind all of you that we are still in high fire danger for the season. That means NO FIRES.
When the fire danger does get lowered to moderate or low, we would like to remind you to think of safety first. Be prepared with water, a shovel and a clear space to have your fire. Now would also be a good time to get your chimney cleaned. When colder temperatures arrive we will be using our wood burning appliances more often. A clean flue is one of the best ways to prevent chimney fires and now is the best time to get that done!
Check out our website and the Home Safety Inspection Workshop for more safety tips.
Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3 regularly responds to wood-burning
appliance emergencies throughout the winter months. When the we are
called to respond to a chimney fire at a residence, flames are often
seen shooting out the top of the chimney and there is heavy smoke
associated with the fire. One of our first concerns with chimney fires
is to assure that everyone in the house is safe and that the fire has
not affected any structural part of the house, With these concerns
addressed firefighters then look at the best way to extinguish the
chimney fire.
Often a large amount of creosote has built up in the chimney making it difficult for firefighters to extinguish the fire. Since people use their wood-burning appliance for a couple of months or more at a time, the build up of creosote becomes an issue of concern. Property owners who use wood burning appliances are reminded of the need to periodically have their chimney inspected and cleaned to prevent excess buildup of creosote in the flue.
There are a few signs of a chimney fire. First, the chimney will be making a roaring sound. This is from the large amount of air being drawn into the flue. You may have flames or embers shooting from the top of the chimney and flue pipe may be red hot. If you have a chimney fire, first call 911 for the fire department to respond. Any delay in notification can lead to greater damage or injury.
Second, get all members of the family out of the house if the area is unsafe. The smoke and toxic gases may come back into the house and if the fire extends to the home, it can be deadly.
Third, close any air supply to the flue. This may choke the fire from any oxygen and stop the burning process. If time permits, put out the fire in the fire box and discharge a dry chemical extinguisher into the flue or fire box. If there is adequate draft, it will draw the extinguisher material up into the fire area.
The fire department will then check the home for extension and potential damage to the chimney. After the fire has been extinguished, the owner should have the chimney cleaned and inspected prior to using the firebox again. The excess heat generated in the flue can damage the liner and lead to further damage if not properly repaired.
» Create a Safer Home by Reducing the Clutter!
u Tips for Clearing Your Clutter
Often times when the volunteers of Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3 respond to an emergency in our community, we find many homes that seem to have a great deal of clutter. Some of us like to keep things for when “we’ll use that again”.
Clutter in and around your home could have a negative effect on both your emotional and your physical well-being. Not only can clutter create a mess, but to a person trying to escape a burning home, navigating through a maze of clothes piles, magazines, newspapers, or old electronics can be downright hazardous. Clearing your clutter is a good safety investment.
Boxes stacked to the ceiling packed full of stuff not only add to a feeling of claustrophobia, but it adds fuel to any fire. Clutter may impede your escape and it creates hazardous conditions for firefighters who are trying to get into the home and fight the fire at its source. The volunteers at Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3 firefighters strongly encourage residents to clear your clutter before it becomes a health hazard.
We understand that clearing clutter can be an overwhelming chore. What to keep, what to throw, what to give away or recycle? The county has great recycling centers. Much of what we decide not to keep can be recycled for free! Once you have decided to clean, it is natural to begin to ponder whether the item you are about to toss might come in handy at some future date. Just remember, a clutter free home is less likely to become a place where fires occur.
u Clearing Clutter Tips
Select the room you are going to start clearing of clutter and designate three piles with the following labels: Garbage/ Recycle, Give Away, Keep
Garbage/ recycle - This includes any item you do not need, want, or that is damaged and broken. If you save newspapers and magazines, now is the time to haul them to the recycling. The trash is not the place for items that could be recycled, sold or given to charity.
Give Away/Sell - Remember, your clutter may be a treasure to others. Be ruthless with yourself and remember that if you haven't worn or used an item in the past year, donate it to charity or sell it. Prom dresses, baby clothes, dishes, lawn equipment and other valuable items may be worth selling at a garage sale or on a free Internet site that sells new and used items.
Keep - These are items you need on a regular basis. Check yourself by deciding if you have a place for each item. If the "keep" box contains more than will fit in your home without cluttering an area, take time to determine if you really need the items. If you do need these "essentials", come up with a storage solution that fits into your home.
Pend Oreille Fire District No. 3 volunteers suggest you reduce clutter to increase your home safety. RETURN TO TOP
» Is Your Property Accessible?
Pend
Oreille Fire District No. 3 is in need of your help. How can you help
us? Well, now that we have passed a large portion of the snow
accumulation, we all seem to be shoveling out. I know part of my regular
routine at home includes moving snow from the driveway, mailbox and exit
paths at my home. I would like to encourage you to look at your property
and with the vision of an emergency, ask yourself-- Could one of those
Big Red Fire Trucks make it into my property in case I had an emergency?
If you are not sure, here are a few things that you might look at when
assessing how accessible your property is. Our large Fire engines are 8
feet wide, 10 feet tall and almost 35 feet long. These trucks have a
limited turning radius and require a pretty big area to maneuver into
proper position for your emergency.
Keep that in mind as
you look at your driveway and the clearances around it.
I know that some
of our small neighborhoods have nice, cozy access drives that are just
right for our cars and pickup trucks. The firefighters sometimes come
upon driveways that are hard to negotiate, even in good weather, because
of overhanging limbs, trees close to the driveway and sharp turns in the
driveway. We would like you to consider clearing some of these obstacles
so we have better access and minimize the chance of damaging one of your
fire trucks or getting stuck in a snow bank. Ideally we like to see a
driveway that is at least 12 feet wide and has an overhead clearance of
13 feet.
Does your property or home have a good size area for the fire truck to maneuver? Frequently, we need to back up the large water tender trucks to deliver water for fire attack. Creating a space for a large vehicle to maneuver will increase our ability to be effective at an emergency in your neighborhood.
For our communities
that have fire hydrants, is the hydrant clear of debris for easy access
and is it visible? Our public water companies work hard all year long
to ensure that the fire hydrants work well for fire suppression. It
would be unfortunate if all of their hard work would go unnoticed if we
can’t locate a usable hydrant.
We have additional
concerns of snow banks accumulating in the access areas to your home and
around the fire hydrants.
Not only do our large fire apparatus have an
increased difficulty, EMS crews also need to be able to access your home
with their equipment and the gurney. Maintaining nice, clear and wide
paths to the entries of your home makes it easier on you and on the
emergency crews. This winter try to ensure that you are able to maintain
wide clear driveways and clear paths to the entry of your home. Plan
ahead when you do your snow removal, push or blow the piles well clear
of the 12-foot wide driveway space.
Now I know that you are saying, I won’t have a fire or a medical emergency! I am sorry to say that everyone in our community may someday use our services. It may be your neighbor on that nice cozy driveway that needs our help.
Finally, is your home
recognizable?
Many of our community members have taken advantage of the
address signs that the firefighters have been selling as a fundraiser.
Well over a hundred of these highly reflective blue and white address
signs have been installed all over our community. Frequently our
response to an emergency is delayed because of inadequate signage at the
home we are responding to. These reflective signs are really making a
difference in address location. The firefighters only charge $15.00 for
the sign and are custom made for your home.
RETURN TO TOP
As we progress through the wonderful summer
we are coming up on the Annual 4th of July celebration. In past years
this celebration seems to extend itself over a period of days and
creates some cause for concern in our area with the use of fireworks to
show our excitement of the holiday.
The members of Fire District No. 3 would like to take a couple of moments to discuss some fireworks safety with you, our residents.
There are three key elements concerning Fireworks safety-
Be Prepared, Be Safe, and Be Responsible.
Be Prepared
♦ If possible celebrate with others by attending a public display. I understand that locally we are limited in offerings of public fireworks but this is the Safest way to observe and be a part of a fireworks celebration.
♦ Before Lighting Fireworks, but only Legal fireworks from licensed stands. Many times we see illegal fireworks being used. They are ILLEGAL! The use of legal fireworks limits the potential of injury and damage to property by using safe controlled fireworks.
♦ Follow our local laws and use common sense.
♦ Be careful with animals. Pets should be in a safe comfortable area. Many pets have extreme stress as a result of all of the noise associated with fireworks. Be considerate of your neighbors and their pets.
Be Safe
♦ Lighting of Fireworks should only be done by responsible adults. Too many times we see the inappropriate use of fireworks. Sometimes this is done by unsupervised young people and unfortunately being done by adults. Remember to light your fireworks with safety in mind.
♦ Do not throw fireworks or hole them in your hand. Many traumatic injuries have occurred in the past by people using fireworks in unsafe ways.
♦
Never re-light a “Dud.” Dud should be disposed of after wetting in
water. Do not dispose of these in a fire or in the trash until there are
completely dead.
♦
Light one firework at a time and move away quickly.
♦ Have a safe area free from burnable materials and have a safe escape area free from hazards.
Be Responsible
♦ After you finish, clean up the debris leftover, soak used fireworks in a bucket of water.
♦ Be aware of the fire danger level. Many years, in the early part of July, we see some of our hottest and driest weather. These conditions lead to many fires as a result of the use of fireworks. These fires not only involve our wooded and grassy areas but can also involve structures in the area.
♦ Be aware of windy weather as well. Winds have a tendency to blow fireworks where we don’t want them.
♦ Thoroughly inspect all areas after fireworks are used to ensure that there are no smoldering fires in the area.
Some other good resources for fireworks safety are on the internet;
♦
www.fireworks.com/safety/tips.asp
♦ legal information- The State of Washington Revised code RCW 70.77 http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx, specifics can be found here.
♦
Check with local law enforcement for additional rules and regulations.
We hope that this year we all have a safe and common sense use of
fireworks!
About 75 percent of wildland fires in Pend Oreille County are caused by
people.
Homeowners
should take steps to prevent fires from starting and spreading.
Good intentions for fuel reduction can go bad when burning isn’t
conducted safely. Debris burning is the leading cause of wildfires
caused by people. According to Pat McCabe, DNR Fire Protection
Forester, “The primary reasons for fire escapement are lack of
attendance, poor location near flammable materials, and failure to
properly extinguish.” Following is a check list for safe and
legal outdoor burning in Pend Oreille County and the State of
Washington.
► Outdoor Burn Check List
Things you should know before you conduct outdoor burning
Burn pile should be less than 4 x 4 x 3 ft
No residential fires are allowed within 50 feet of forest slash
Consider composting and chipping
Only unprocessed natural vegetation mat be burned
Burn barrels are illegal
Your smoke must not impact neighbors and you must put out your fire
if it does
Do not leave your fire unattended
No fires within 50 feet of structures
The fire should not include materials form other properties
No burning after sunset unless you have a permit for that
Always check with the fire department for safety requirements before you light any outdoor fire.
► Residential Burning
Residential Burning means outdoor burning of leaves, clippings, pruning and other yard and gardening refuse from around your house. Residential burning is banned in some areas.
Courtesy of the Washington State Department of Ecology
This year Governor Christine Gregoire declared May 6-12 as Wildfire Awareness Week in Washington State. Wildfire Awareness Week is not only being recognized in Washington, but in several western states and Canadian provinces as well since fire does not respect political boundaries. Even when burning is authorized, you need to be aware of changing weather and dry fuels conditions when deciding whether or not to burn and where on your property the burn pile should be located. RETURN TO TOP
» Remember to Be Safe while Burning Outdoors
Here are some tips to have safe outdoor fires:
♦ Check local regulations on open burning. Right now with the well-deserved rain, there are no open burning limitations. As the weather gets hotter and drier, there will be an increase in potential for forest fires. If you have any questions whether you are allowed to have an outdoor fire, call first.
♦ Don’t burn trash. Not only is the smoke and gases harmful to people and the environment, these fires are blown around much more easily and can lead to fire extension beyond control. Never burn aerosol cans. Heated cans can explode. Recycling is free in Pend Oreille County and in Bonner County. Trash disposal is a reasonable expense in place of burning. Burning agriculture residue and forest litter is sometimes a necessity.
♦ Be sure to be fully prepared before starting a fire. You will need a source of water, a bucket and a shovel for tossing dirt on the fire. A fire containment line should be scratched in the dirt before lighting the fire. With large fires, contact the Department of Natural Resources for a permit before burning.
♦ Campfires should be built away from overhanging branches, steep slopes, logs and dry grass. Pile extra wood away from the fire. Start the fire small and add to it. Keep plenty of water available and have a shovel available to toss dirt on the fire to control it. Keep your fire small. A good bed of coals surrounded by rocks gives plenty of heat. Scrape away a 10-foot circle around the fire to keep it from spreading. Never leave a campfire unattended. When you are done with the fire, put it out with water, stir with a shovel, and add some more water. The fire area should be cool to your bare hand. Do not bury your coals. They can smolder and break out.
About 75 percent of wildland fires in Pend Oreille County are caused by people. A little extra care only takes a few minutes of your time, and it could prevent an enjoyable time from turning into a disaster. RETURN TO TOP
June has arrived and the summer weather will give us many opportunities to enjoy the lakes and rivers. Fire District 3 would like each of our community members to be safe during the water activities.
Water activities can bring many hazards. Here are some reminders of how to reduce your risk during water activities.
-
Learn to swim. The best thing you can do to stay safe in and around the water is to learn to swim. This includes anyone participating in any water sport or boating activity.
-
Children or inexperienced swimmers should take precautions, such as wearing a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal floatation device (PFD) when around the water.
-
Watch out for the dangerous “too’s” – too tired, too cold, too far from safety, too much sun, too much strenuous activity. Be knowledgeable of the water environment you are in and its potential hazards, such as deep and shallow areas, currents, depth changes, obstructions and where the entry and exit points are located. The more informed you are, the more aware you will be of hazards and safe practices.
-
Pay attention to local weather conditions and forecasts. Stop swimming at the first sign of bad weather.
-
Enter the water feet first. Enter headfirst only when the area is clearly marked for diving and has no obstructions.
-
Do not mix alcohol with swimming, diving or boating. Alcohol impairs your judgment, balance, and coordination, affects your swimming and diving skills, and reduces your body's ability to stay warm.
-
Know how to prevent, recognize, and respond to emergencies. Be able to activate emergency services.
For persons operating a boat, PWC or skiing here are some additional tips.
· Know your local laws and regulations. Washington State and Pend Oreille County have special laws governing the use of personal water craft (PWC) which address operations, registration and licensing requirements, education, required safety equipment and minimum ages.
· Operate your PWC with common sense. Follow the traffic pattern of the waterway. Obey no-wake and speed zones.
· Use extreme caution around swimmers and surfers. Run your PWC at a slow speed until the craft is away from shore, swimming areas, and docks. Avoid passing close to other boats and jumping wakes. This behavior is dangerous and often illegal.
· Coast Guard-approved life jackets should be worn by the operator of the PWC as well as any riders.
· Ride with a friend. PWCs should always travel in groups. You never know when an emergency might occur.
· Alcohol and operating a water craft doesn’t mix. Alcohol impairs your judgment, balance, and coordination. For the same reasons it is dangerous to operate an automobile, people should not operate a boat or PWC while drinking alcohol.
· Wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
· Be sure the boat and ski equipment are in good shape.
· Always turn the boat motor completely off when you approach a fallen skier.
· Watch the water ahead of you at all times.
· Have an extra person aboard to watch and assist the skier.
· Run parallel to shore and come in slowly when landing. Sit down if coming in too fast.
· Use proper hand signals to signal boat operator.
· Do not ski at night or in restricted areas.
Hopefully some of these tips can aid in having a safer summer around the water. Many of our tips are common sense. Please take an extra moment this summer to be safe.
A trend that has been noticed in past years in Pend Oreille County is that 75 percent of the wild land fires have been caused by people. The other 25 percent are mostly natural causes, The goal of fire districts is to reduce the threat of wildland fires by eliminating those that are caused by humans.
As the area progress through the warmer and drier months, the threat of wildland fires increases. Light, flashy fuels dry out quickly and larger fuels become drier to the point that they add to the fuel loading in our natural areas. Currently the Fire Rating Danger is at moderate. Residents can assist the firefighters and protect homes by having a “fire wise” landscape and home. There are many things that a property owner can do to lessen the threat of wild land fire and provide for better suppression activities.
A survey that you can complete will identify areas where you can improve your homes survivability.
These survey items include:
• Means of access: Is there more than one way off of your property? Is the road wide enough for fire apparatus to safely get to your property and turn around? Is the road in good condition for larger fire trucks? Do you have your address easily identified from the road?
• What types of fuels are around the home and property? Can those fuel loads be reduced? Do you have an adequate defensible space of 100 feet?
• Home construction: Is the home located on a slope? This would increase the distance of the defensible space. What is the roofing material? Is it non-combustible? Is the home built with limited or non-combustible materials?
• What fire protection do you have available – fire Hydrants, cistern for water supply for fire trucks? Is there a year-round water source that can be improved?
• What other hazards can be eliminated from around the home? Firewood should be stacked away from the home. Propane and other flammable gasses and liquids should be stored away from the home. Excess vegetation near the home creates a fire hazard.
The current fire danger can be found by clicking on the "Fire Danger" button on our home page or by calling the Burn Hotline at 1-800-323-BURN. With this in mind, be smart, safe and responsible when it comes to summer time fires. RETURN TO TOP
Pend Oreille County Fire District No. 3
325272 Hwy. 2
Newport, WA 99156
CHIEF'S SAFETY MESSAGE TOPIC INDEX
©2005-2008 Pend Oreille County Fire District No. 3