Side-by-side burn demonstration proves equipment’s effectiveness
State Farm along with the Caribou Fire and Ambulance Service will promote fire safety through the use of home sprinkler systems during a special demonstration on Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at the Caribou Wellness Center.
The event will include a side-by-side burn demonstration where two living rooms will be set up, one with a sprinkler and one without. The fire department will set both rooms on fire and demonstrate how effective sprinkler systems are at controlling a fire.
The insurance company provided an $11,000 grant to Cary Medical Center earlier this year to support fire safety awareness efforts and the distribution of fire escape ladders.
Bill Flagg, Cary’s director of community relations and development, said that the response to the fire escape ladders has exceeded his expectation.
“We have been very impressed with the response to this project,” said Flagg, who is coordinating the hospital’s fire awareness campaign. “We have now held programs in Caribou and Limestone with strong attendance and we are getting ladders out into private, two-story homes. We are very grateful to State Farm for their generous support of this project. Having access to these escape ladders can really make a difference when a fire happens, providing another exit for people who may be trapped on the second floor.”
The idea of the side-by-side burn was initiated by State Farm. Representatives of the company will travel to Caribou for the burn demonstration and for a ceremonial presentation of the fire safety grant. The grant funds are used to conduct fire safety seminars and to purchase 100 fire escape ladders.
Local State Farm Agents have offered to volunteer to help in the distribution of the escape ladders. The general public is invited to view the burn demonstration which will begin at noon on Tuesday, July 12 outside of the Caribou Wellness Center. State Fire Marshall Joe Thomas will be present during the event and will be joined by representatives of area fire departments.
Fire Marshall Thomas spoke of the value of residential sprinklers.
“Based on recent fire loss analysis by the State Fire Marshal’s Office,” said Thomas, “it can be assumed that many fire departments are now mostly able to protect exposures at fire scenes. Departments are arriving on scene to fully involved structures. Due to the products household furnishings are made with, flash over is now taking place in the three to five minute point. If any difference is going to be made in improving this loss rate and the saving of lives, the installation of residential fire sprinkler systems is the only answer.”
The fire safety seminars and escape ladder project is a followup to the recent effort to install free smoke detectors provided by the American Red Cross. More than 1,000 units were installed in this year’s effort.
