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Section Two The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville. October 3, 1979 il1 Courtice Fire Station Open and Ready for Action The Officiai Opening of Fire Station No. 4 at Courtice took place on Friday afternoon, June 8th, with a large crowd on hand for the special ceremonies. Chairman of the event was Councillor Maurice Prout of t e Community Services Committee. The Rev. R.C. Chapman dedicated the building, followed at the podium by Regional Chairman Walter Beath and representatives of the several firms involved in the designing and construction. Mayor Garnet Rickard mentioned the cost, about $325,420, including the fire truck, Councillors Ann Cowman and Jasper Holliday unveiled the special plaque. Mayor Rickard and Fire Chief Jim Hayman cut the symbolic ribbon to end the formai ceremony. Courtice fire fighters include, front row, left to right, Stan Watt, Gab Merkao, Randy Cole, Marion Hlockney, Tom Simpson, Robert Wilson, John Pittens, back row, Bob Hockney, Bob Marsh, Bey Heath, Wilson Reid, Jirn McIntyre, Del Rudman; absent Pat Drumm and Darell McMahon. Apartments If you live in an apartment, you should plan to follow the Survival Points listed in the discussion on Survival wbenever possible, but there are some variations. Plan your escape with EDITH, making sure to locate the nearest alarm box during the planning stages. The alarm will warn the other tenants in the building of the fire. If there is no alarm box, warn your neighbors by pounding on other apartment doors as you leave. Close ail doors behind you. Let the fire department evacuate îe rest of the residents. Never use an elevator. It could <open on the floor of the fire where b eat and smoke could kill you. If fire blocks your exits, close your apartment door. Cover aIl thle cracks .where smoke may enter thie room. Phone the fire depart- m ent, even if'they're on the scene, ead tell them where you are trap- ped. Open a window at the top Sad bottom; fresh air enters from the bottom, smoke will flow out the top. wave a length of sheet or towel. The fire fighters will sec your signal and will get you out. Mobile homes If you live in a mobile home, follow the sarne procedures that apply to conventional dwellings. In addition, you should be especially careful of gas-fired ap- pliances. Be sure that gas heaters are vented to the outside, and that the LP gas tanks are neyer stored inside your home. Keep ail exits clear and easily accessible. Pets If you own pets, you have un- doubtedly noted that there was no mnention of household pets in the discussion on escape planning. This was a deliberate omission. The dangers of a serious fire are so overwhelmning that the primnary concern is saving human lives. You simply do not have time to consider anything else. In any case, your larger pets dogs and cats - are as terrified of the fire as you are. Often, they will escape on their own, even before you do. If ail the people in your home escape and gather at your prear- ranged meeting place, it is.likely that your pet will join you, If the pet remains trapped inside, tell the fire fighters where they might find it. Fire fighters will often try to save pets from fire. You should neyer try it. Don't even waste time bringing a pet along with you as you escape. Make sure your children understand the irnportance of flot going back into the bouse under any circumstarnces -- and keep an eye on your children to be sure they don't. The necessity of leaving the family pet inside a burning building is difficult to explain to a child. But the alternative is worse. Be firm and explain your decisions as fully as the child can unders tand. Always De Cautious A smoke detector, an escape plan, provisions for special situa- tions - none are fail-safe guarantees. The only real safety from fire is keeping fire from happening in the first place. You. and your family must always be cautious. As discussed previously, fire needs oxygen, fuel and heat in order to burn. Uniderstanding the rnajor causes of home fires may help you to keep thest elements apart. 1. Carelessness with cigaretes, cigars and pipes. This is the single largest cause of home fire. Always use an ashtray when smuoking and don't permit ashtrays to become too full; bot ashes may fall over the edge. Use large, heavy ashtrays that won't tip over. when you empty an ashtray, make sure nothing is burning. Never smoke in bed. A smolder- ing mattress can kill you with smoke and poison gases long before flames appear. You may neyer wake up. Before going to bed after par- ties, check under cushions and behind 'furniture for smoldering cigarettes. A chair with a burning cigarette under its cushion might smolder for hours before burstinB into flames. 2. Faulty electrical wfrrmg. Faulty and misused electrical wiring is the second leadmng cause of home fires. Check with an electrician to be sure that electrical circuits aren't overloaded. Make certain that your home has enough electrical circuits to avuid overloading. Sec that special appliances, such as air con- ditioners and large space heaters, have their own heavy duty elec- trical circuit. An overloaded extension cord presents a fire hazard. Too many appliances plugged into an exten- sion cord can ignite the cord's in- sulation. Consider this investment for firesafety: have additional wall outiets installed. This way, you won't have to rely on extension cords for electrical appliances. Don't run electrical or exten- sion cords under rugs or carpets and don't hang cords on nails-. Eventually, the cord insulation may deteriorate, exgosing a live wire. The sparks and h3eat of a short circuit could be the ignition source of a fire in your home. Take steps not to let that happen. 3. Faulty Iighting equipment-. Check electrical cords for cracks, broken plugs and poor connec- tions. Lamps that fall over easily are potential hazards, as are lamp- shades that touch or are close to bulbs. And that marvelous old larnp you found at the neighborbood garage sale should be taken apart and rewired before use. Use the proper size light bulb with lanmps and lighting fixtures. Be sure that ail electrical ap- phiances are in good condition at 4. Crelessness with cooking and heating appliances. If you have a coal or wood heating stove, check with the fire department to make sure that the stove is mnstalled pro- perly at a safe distance from com- bustibles. Cover the fireplace with a metal screen to keep hot sparks from dropping into the room. Have your heating system pro- fessionally inspected once each year. As a day-in day-out precau- tion, be alert to cooking habits. Keep pot handles turned in frorn the stove's edge. Don't leave food cooking unattended on the stove. Preventon Week in the Town of Newcast le Donl't store food above the stove where a child, or grown-up, may be burned while reaching over the bot stove. Always wear short or tight-fitting sleeves while cooking; loose clothing could catch fire. In case ot a grease or pan tire, smother the flames with a pot lid, a larger pan, or use a portable fire extinguisher. Neyer throw water on a grease tire. 5. Children playing with matches. There are two things you must do. First, make sure your children understand the danger of playing with matches, lighters and other ignition sources. Youl may be sur- prised to find how much a young child can be made to understand, Second, keep matches and other ignition sources out of the "strike zone" --- that area from the floor to the shoulders where small children can reach. Teach older children how to use matches safe- ly. 6. Open flames or sparks. If you use candles or oilburning lamps, make sure they and their holders are in good conidition before each use and that they stand securely. Never leave candles burning when you leave a room for more than a few moments. Buy flashlights for use in emergencies - don't use candles. Never use an outdoor barbecue indoors, flot only because of the fire hazard, but because of the toxic gases and vapors produced by smoldering charcoal. When you use the barbecue outdoors, be sur-e to keep it a good distance from the bouse and neyer leave the fire unattended for more than a few moments. Be sure tbat the coals.are cool before you leave tbe barbecue. 7. Carelessness with flammable li- quids. The flammable liquids you may use around the bouse are dangerous. Even at temperatures below zero, a single spark can ig- nite gasoline vapors. Fingernail polisb remover is also flammable. Neyer smoke when you are working with flammable liquids, and neyer use them near an open flame or spark source. Neyer use flammable liquids to rekindle a fire. They may blow up in your face. Finally, store flammable liquids in a cool spot in airtight metal containers or approved v.ented safety cans for gasoline. Look for the label of a testing laboratory when buying a container. Neyer store these liquids in glass jugs, old plastic bottles or other used containers. Make sure that the cap seals the container tightly so that no flammable vapors can escape. Kee fhamable liquids out of And remember that many spray can products, such as paints and hair spray, are combustible liquids held under pressure. Use tbese carefully and follow the directions on the label. 8. Faulty chimneys and vents. Have the chimney inspected every year and cleaned when needed. A blocked chimney will do more than send smoke pourmng into your home. The material that causes the blockage might ignite, starting a fire. A partially blocked chimney flue may let enouglh smoke escape tor fool you into 'thinking tbat no blockage exists. Tbe blockage may retain dangerously high concentrations of toxic gases that will poison the air in your home and can still start a fire in the chimney. Also check gas vents for corro- sion and obstructions that could present fire hazards. 9, Arson. Arson is a serious cause of residential fires. If someone really wants to set fire to your home, there is little you can do to prevent it. But you can make it more difficult. Most fires are set from the outside of the home. A pile of trash or a can of gasoline left in plaini sight outdoors not on- ly rnakes the arsonist's job easier, but migbt even attract him. Fire - an invading enerny. If you approach the problem as a defending General, your job becomes clear. To exist, fire needs oxygen, fuel and a heat source. Oxygen cannot be removed from the home, so we must attack the problems .presented by fuel and heat. Most anytliing can becorne fuel for a fire. But some materials burn more easily than others. Wherever possible, you should be sure that your home is finished with and furnished with fire resis- tant or fire retardant nraterials. This includes the roofing, as well as the interior surfaces and fur- nishings of your bouse. If you are building or rermodell- ing your bouse, keep firesafety in mnid when buying building materials. Your choice of pro- ducts can contribute to the safety of your family. Walls -Buy gypsum or other noncumbustible wall boards. These offer consider-able fire resistance. Dry wall (gypsum) or plaster are the mnost commonly us- ed for firesafety reasons. Paneling -- Wall paneling may contribute to fire spread, unless you buy paneling labeled as fire retardant. Look for a label that gives thse flame spread rating of the panehing. In new construc- tions, bave a layer of 112 ' gyp- sum board put between paneling and insulation. Ceiling - Most ceiling tiles made today have reduced flame 'spread characteristics. Read labels carefully and buy only ceiling tiles that have the label of a testing laboratory. Insulation - Insulation can really pay off in reduced heatinig and coohing costs. Before installing it, check your home's electrical system for any problems. When purchasing the insulation, check for the seal of a testing laboratory and for flarne spread ratings. Be sure not to pile insulation around recessed lighting fixtures; maintain a minimum 3-inch clearance to avoid heat build-up. Special care should be taken with plastics, keeping them away from heat. Most household plastics do not ignite- easily. But some plastics enit large volumes of extremely toxic gases when they burn or smolder. mation. Pay attention to the laun- dry instructions on fire retardant clothes, otherwise you lose the protection. Make a scheduled fire preven- tion inspection tour of your home at least twice a year. Correct any hazards you find immediately. It lessens the chance of fire and helps to slow the process of a fire if one does break out. Remember - fire prevention is your best defense agaist it. Garnet B. Rickard Mayor, Town of Newcastle PROCLMATION Ut is hereby proclaimed that the WEEK OF OCTOBER7-13 WiI be Observed as Fre TOWN 0F NEWCASTLE FIRE DEPARTMENT Hall Number 1 alNme Bowmanville NecslViag Friday, Fia October1l2thOcbe2 66300-99:00p.m. Saturday, Otbrlt October13th1040p 12:30 - 4:00 p.m. Pral ieetnuse eosrto t20 HalallNNumber4 Village of OronoRodNrh Friday, Ot lhlt October 12thSaudy 6:309:OO.m.October123t [_______________________ 1:00- 4:0 p.m. FreFreDp rten ireetsera mntret20 wiII bavaiabletice halls Fabrics offer special concern that you should consider. Most will burn with relative ease- And when clothing burns, you burn. Fuzzy, lightweight, loosely woven or loose fitting fabrics ignite and burn 'easily Look for sturdy fabrics with a smooth, tight weave. Denim and wool are less likely to burn quickly. Sleepwear for children up to 12 years must be labelled with fire retardant infor-