Practicing good fire safety habits

    We’re about two thirds of the way through an “old-fashioned” winter here in the Star City, so this is a good time for us all to remember some good fire safety habits. With our chimneys burning, in what would appear to be overtime, this would be a good time to clean the soot and creosote out before it becomes a problem.     Chimney fires can occur rapidly if this material builds up, or it can actually plug the chimney flue and back the smoke back into your house. And of course, chimney fires can quickly progress into a full-blown structure fire. We should inspect the chimneys to determine if there are any openings for fire to escape and catch our homes on fire. We have pamphlets available at the station that reference chimney safety and proper wood stove installations. Be sure to check your smoke detectors monthly as well; make sure they have a charged battery. We still have some detectors we received from a grant to Presque Isle residents. Just stop by the station and fill out a Home Fire Safety Inspection form.
    Having a carbon monoxide (CO) detector is also a great idea, in case your furnace or heating appliance were to emit that odorless and silent killer, we know as carbon monoxide. We have testers to check your environment, should you suspect a leak. If you or your family experiences slight headaches, frontal headaches, nausea, or dizziness, you may be exposed to CO. Get out to fresh air and call the fire department to come and check it out. Having a CO detector will detect the presence of CO before you start to show symptoms.
    Oh, what to do when you see emergency vehicles on the roadways? The best thing to do, and according to the law, is to pull over to the right, and stop, and allow the vehicle to go by. Remember that more than 1 fire truck, ambulance, or police car could be responding to an emergency, so be sure to look back before pulling back out onto the roadway.
    Don’t forget that with spring on the way, you must have a permit for all outdoors fire in Presque Isle. The permit can be obtained at the Presque Isle Fire Dept. on 43 North Street for a 1 time fee of $10. for the calendar year. And if you’re going to burn a large area of grass and brush, make sure you have adequate manpower and hand-tools, with preferably a water source available. Be safe with all outdoor fires; not only can you save yours or someone else’s life or property, but you can save yourself a huge fire suppression bill as well.
    We have recently upgraded our fire education and safety material with new videos & DVDs. If your group or organization is in need of a presentation on a related topic, give us a call and together, we will set up a time. Also, the Scotty Safety Trailer will be out of storage next month, so if your group or organization would like to book it early, give us a call and we will be happy to set a date for it to come to your area. If it travels outside the City, there is a $50 charge for fuel to cover transportation costs; still a value for the fire education opportunities that it presents to younger, impressionable people.
    That’s all for this month; if anyone has any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 769-0881 or stop by the PIFD on 43 North Street in Presque Isle. Be sure to check out our Web site for information about us and our equipment at www.pifd.org. Remember, think Fire Safety 24/7, 365 days a year!
    “Fireman Fred” Parsons is a member of the Presque Isle Fire Department.