Fire Prevention News: Weekly Roundup – March 22, 2011

Selected Fire Prevention related articles appearing in the past week from scores of e-sources in the news media. Updated each Monday morning.

Links to Fire Prevention-related news articles – Updated 03/21/2011

Campaigns/ Fire Prevention Efforts

Annual Smoke Detector Day Helps Eureka Fire Protection District More Eureka area homes now have better fire prevention practices in place, thanks to Saturday’s 23rd annual Smoke Detector effort. “We had a great day on Saturday,” said Eureka Deputy Chief and Fire Marshal Scott Mullins …
New rules about vacant buildings Ordinance takes effect but enforcement is slow The most expensive requirement calls for installation of fire-suppression sprinkler systems in commercial buildings vacant for more than three years. “The city wanted to make sure the building next to you is safe and that they’re not storing hazardous …
“Operation Save a Life” Aims to Equip All Homes with Smoke Detectors – NewOrleans.Com In the US, roughly 80% of fire deaths happen in homes without working smoke alarms. In fact, half of residential fire deaths happen in the 6% of homes without any smoke alarm at all. Survival in homes with working smoke alarms is increased by nearly …
Habla Español? Firefighter teaches minorities fire safety David Wallace, 46, taught children about fire safety for years, but he didn’t realize how many in the Hispanic community weren’t getting the message until he encountered a young girl who listened to his presentation with a puzzled look. …

Campus Fire Safety

Fire at UTM But according to Paris, UTM holds regular fire drills and has over 80 fire wardens trained to execute fire safety procedures on campus. To prevent any future accidents, he said that the university is implementing more safety measures. …
Fire safety important in campus residence halls – Le’Kesha Glover, assistant director of housing and residence life, said there have been reports of some residents ignoring the fire alarm completely and just going about their business. “You never know,” Glover said. “That is why it’s so important that …
Majority of Campus Fire Alarms Set Off by Burned Food Fire safety equipment has often been abused by students committing pranks, she said. “We’ve had a number of cases where people either pull a fire alarm when there’s no fire, use fire safety equipment when there’s no need to use them or fail to exit …
Lautenberg, Pascrell Introduce Legislation Promoting Fire Safety Education For … Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-8) introduced a bill on Thursday that would provide colleges students with fire safety education and training. Both legislative efforts were inspired by the tragic fire at a Seton Hall University dormitory more than 10 years …

CO Detectors

Lauren Project to receive $7500 for carbon monoxide detectors – To that end, board members agreed during last Monday night‘s regular session to donate $7500 to The Lauren Project for the purchase of 300 carbon monoxide detectors. “One of our goals is to have at least one working detector in all homes in the …
Smoke, carbon monoxide detectors vital for homes – Now that the clocks have sprung forward in that annual ritual known as Daylight Saving Time, it may be time to spring for new batteries for the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. In 2009, the latest year statistics are available, 2565 people died in …
Conn. weighs carbon monoxide detectors in schools – Two Connecticut legislative committees are endorsing a proposal that would require at least one carbon monoxide detector in every public and private school building. The bill comes after recent incidents, including one in Waterbury, …

Inspections / Code enforcement

NFPA Revises Standards Development Process There are significant changes taking effect for standards reporting in the Fall 2013 revision cycle that will be relevant to many safety professionals because NFPA is the source of most core fire safety standards and codes used nationwide and beyond. …
Call for doing away with State Fire Marshal’s office heats up The state fire marshal said “no” dozens of times since last September and wrote fire code violations for more than thirty districts. At issue is a type of window on or above classroom doors that would allow smoke to travel from room to room in the …
Cedar Falls looks to update fire, building codes – Revised building codes are set to improve fire prevention and protection in Cedar Falls. On Monday, the City Council’s Administration Committee voted 6-0 in favor of adopting several updated fire and building codes, some of which …
Fatal fire at Arlington foster home forces changes to state policy One of those changes may include more in-depth fire safety training for caregivers overseeing children under state supervision. A work group also may be assigned to study issues at homes serving children with special needs, according to a report …
Update building, fire codes Long-awaited results of a federal investigation into the tragic 2007 Sofa Super Store fire offer the latest reason South Carolina should update its building and fire safety codes. The National Institute of Standards and Technology suggested that the …
Fire chief builds on safe neighborhoods Loreno said it’s important to educate businesses regarding the fire codes for their buildings and help them make any changes because the goal is to prevent fires and to make sure if a fire occurs, the firefighters can get there quickly and minimize …
U.S. agencies alter drywall stand Based on that, officials revised the guidelines to recommend replacing the following items that tend to corrode faster: Fire-safety alarm devices, including smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Electrical-distribution components such as receptacles, …

Smoke Alarms

Goodyear firefighters provide smoke alarms to residents The Goodyear Fire Department is doing a smoke-alarm walk later this month to provide residents with detectors. The department is working with the Foundation for Burns and Trauma and a Farmers Insurance agent to install dual-sensor …
Endicott fire department installs 2100 smoke detectors in area homes – The Endicott Fire Department’s project to install smoke detectors obtained with a $28000 federal grant, in hundreds of village homes came to a close Wednesday morning when the final eight were installed at Andrew Eaton’s house by Chase and members of …
Smoke detectors to be installed in homes across the state – A statewide program is aiming to get two working smoke detectors in the homes of Iowa school children by the end of the year. According to State Fire Marshal Ray Reynolds 146 people in Iowa were saved by a smoke detector …
MFD applies for grant toward Smoke Alarm Program It’s no secret that if a fire breaks out in your home, working smoke detectors are invaluable when seconds count. Having founded the Smoke Alarm Program three years ago, the Marshalltown Fire Department is hoping to keep that project going, …

Sprinklers

State sprinkler law ends Chandler’s debate on them A few months ago, Chandler was considering a building code revision that would have required fire sprinklers in new homes. House Bill 2153, signed by Gov. Jan Brewer last week, killed that possibility. The new law forbids cities from …
The International Association of Fire Chiefs “A Call to Arms: Anti-Sprinkler Legislation Threatens Home Sprinkler Requirements“
Maintaining Pa. home-sprinkler requirement is important – The facts are clear that sprinklers save lives and reduce property damage. How do I know this? I’ve experienced firsthand the remarkable difference residential sprinklers can make. I served as the chief of the Prince George’s County (Md.) Fire …
Sprinklers could become standard – Fire chiefs and code inspectors in New Castle County think sprinkler systems should be required in new houses and town homes because they save lives. But homebuilders think the added expense would hurt their …

Wildland Fire Safety

Only You (and Eva Porter) Can Prevent Forest Fires “These seven students have done themselves and their schools proud and have not only won wildfire prevention prizes for themselves but will bring back materials for their school and classmates to use and enjoy. We thank all the schools and their …
Commissioner Martens Reminds Small Communities of High Fire Risk Season Wild-land firefighting can be very dangerous and when a regulation reduces the number of response it directly impacts Firefighter safety in a positive way.” “Every year in Onondaga County, a large number of brush fires occur during early Spring before …
Firewise tips to reduce homes’ risk from wildfire Those planning to update homes should consider Firewise construction materials for decks, porches and fences. “Class-A” materials include asphalt shingles and metal, cement and concrete products. Double-paned or tempered glass windows also make a home …

Other Fire Safety News

Delaware’s deadliest home blaze was a fire safety wakeup call Additionally, fire departments have spent more time visiting schools to preach the virtues of fire safety. The state also created the “Delaware Fire Detection Fund,” which pays for the installation of hardwired smoke alarms, which run on the home’s …
Fire Marshal: Safeguard your children The Division of State Fire Marshal urges parents and guardians to take precautionary measures to avoid unnecessary fire fatalities, particularly related to children age five and under. Last year in Ohio, 20 of the 26 children …
Detectors, plan critical to safety The response is, yes, if basic domestic fire safety measures are ignored, especially the role of home smoke detectors. When unchecked, fires double in size every minute. Our chances for survival may depend upon properly installed and maintained smoke …
Fire Marshal’s Office faces heat at the Statehouse “There’s just been, I think, a lack of direction and leadership at the Fire Marshal’s Office that has sort of preceded this issue,” says Acting State Fire Marshal Doug Jorgensen. Kansas is one of only eight states where the Fire Marshal’s Office is a …
Fire report urges sprinklers, building code for furniture stores – The study also recommended adopting codes that cover buildings with high fuel loads such as furniture, ensuring proper fire inspections , and encouraging more research on how ventilating building can affect the spread of fire on furniture.
Kasich picks Flowers to be new state fire marshal John Kasich to be Ohio’s newest state fire marshal. Flowers will start his new position April 4, and his last day as township administrator will be March 25. “Larry brings to the office of state fire marshal a passion for serving citizens and the Ohio …
Fire training recommended for WA foster parents One of those changes may include more in-depth fire safety training for caregivers overseeing children under state supervision. A work group also may be assigned to study issues at homes serving children with special needs, according to a report …
Officials: More fire fatalities last year State Fire Marshal Ed Paulk said the number of fire-related deaths in the state increased more than 43 percent in 2010. He said 122 people died last year as a result of fire. That number was an increase from 85 fire deaths in 2009. …
Extinguishing a kitchen fire According to the National Fire Protection Association, four out of five fire-related deaths among civilians occur in the home. It makes sense to be prepared. Smoke alarms can alert you to a fire, and sprinklers can extinguish a blaze. …
Avoid burns when using the microwave oven by Rita Smith, Fire Prevention Safety Specialist Properly used, the microwave oven is safe and convenient for heating a variety of foods in a short time, but the microwave can cause scald burns if it is used improperly or unsafely.

Saves

Family escapes apartment fire Fire officials estimated the damage at $80000. The home’s occupant, Bridgette Evans, told fire crews she was home with three of her children — ages 8, 10 and 14 — when the fire started. She heard the smoke alarm and then saw smoke, …
Man breaks through RV window to escape fire The fire cut off his means of escape through the door, so he had to break a window out in the bedroom to get out safely. A functioning smoke detector may have saved his life, fire officials said. “The occupant was awakened by his smoke detector as the …
Sisters flee fire in Lynnwood home after smoke alarms sound The girls were unaware of the fire until smoke alarm sounded, Hynes said. “It gave them the warning they needed to get out safely,” Hynes said. “Smoke alarms can save lives, but only if they’re working and have fresh batteries.”
Firefighters Credit Automatic Sprinklers In Battling Three Fires
Couple safely escapes house fire – A Norfolk couple is fortunate they checked the batteries in their smoke detector when it was time to push those clocks forward Sunday. Their house caught fire early Thursday morning and their smoke detector alerted their alarm company of the …

Fire Prevention News: International

Firefighters from Cornwall are talking to children as young as five about the … David Carlisle, a fire prevention officer in Cornwall, said: “We’re talking to youngsters from five to 18 years old. We’ve got a project we do with the police called the blitz project. “This month we’re visiting more than 20 schools when we talk to …
Safety first bid to protect residents firefighters are teaching housing staff about fire safety in residents’ property. FIREFIGHTERS are to put housing staff …
Fire safety more critical for modern skyscrapers: US architect – CHICAGO – It is becoming even more critical for new construction of high-rise buildings to conform to the fire codes and safety standards as conditions of high-rise construction changes, says a Chicago architect on …
House fires burn hotter, faster and more deadly than in the past ?”That’s why it’s so important to have smoke alarms,” he says. Not just on every floor and outside sleeping areas, as required by law five years ago, but in every bedroom as well. It’s a message the Toth family is taking to heart as Sandra pledges to do …
Building refit likely saved lives Refitting the two-storey building with a fire-resistant barrier between the stores on the ground level and the apartments above was key, said Steve Armstrong, division chief for fire prevention. That happened in 2006, during a drive to improve fire …