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Most fires preventable
Published: 11/08/2012 19:00:00

VIDEO: Southeast Spotlight Report: Most fires preventable (Image: Mikko Wilson / KATH-TV)

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"If it's predictable it's preventable. And if it's preventable, it's not an accident. You know, a lot of people chuckle about it, but if you think about it, there's a lot of sense to that" says Capitol City Fire/Rescue Fire Marshal Dan Jager.

He adds "If you can predict something from happening, then you can prevent it. And if you can prevent something from becoming a disaster, then it's not really an accident. And we find, at least in the fire service, most accidents that we respond to; they were preventable and predictable."

The recent fires around town serve as a dramatic reminder to check some simple things to help keep your home safe from fire.

"The thing we see a lot is that with wood stove fires, we find that the owners haven't really done the proper maintenance for their chimneys; the annual cleaning. Some places you know people burn wood all year round, so they need to clean more frequently. So simple things like cleaning the chimney, making sure that's operational" says Jager.

Boilers pose a similar potential risk according to Jager: "If you have a boiler unit in your house; have it serviced every year just to make sure that everything's burning properly with the fuel oil. Plus, not only that, but it makes it more efficient so there might be some cost savings in doing an annual maintenance like that."

He told use that it's important to keep portable heaters away from flammable materials, and like candles, be sure they are off when you leave the room. Limit the use of extension cables which are designed for temporary use only, and make sure circuits aren't overloaded.
CCFR recommends that smoke detectors should be tested at least twice a year when you adjust your clocks for daylight savings.

It's also a good idea buy and regularly inspect a fire extinguisher as it can go a long way to stopping a disaster in it's tracks according to Jager: "There's been server fires the last couple of years were home owners or a neighbor had an extinguisher nearby and they were able to knock down or extinguish the fire completely before it got out of control."

The fire department prefers to spend their time helping prevent fires to fighting them, and they offer free chimney cleaning supplies and more information on fire safety including free home fire assessments. Just give them a call at 586-5322 or contact them online at their website linked below.

http://ccfr.net/

By: Mikko Wilson - mikko@kath.tv

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