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Fire safety emphasized during October

HANNAH KITTLE The Marietta Times Kyle Talbott, firefighter at the Marietta Fire Department, picks up his turn-out gear at work on Tuesday.

Tis the season for house fires and October is highlighted as Fire Safety Month. Many local fire departments have been encouraging residents all year to learn more about fire safety and are happy to bring awareness to it this month.

“We do fire prevention all year round and this week, we spent time with the kids at Putnam (Elementary School); Marietta helped us as well and brought out their smoke house,” said Devola Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Jim Wark. “Hopefully the kids take ideas home and talk with their parents.”

A common theme among many of the fire departments in the area in regards to safety is that people should check all of their smoke alarms to make sure they are working and that their batteries are up to date. They should also be cautious of using cords and outlets by not overwhelming them.

“If (the smoke alarms) are 10 years or older, they should be replaced,” said Reno Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ritchey. “And be very careful of alternative heat resources, kerosene heaters, and if they use them, make sure that they have ample space around them — five or six feet at least.”

Wark suggested that families keep an ABC fire extinguisher in the home as well.

“I would suggest that everyone have an ABC fire extinguisher and have practice fire drills and where you are going to meet outside, especially if you have children,” he said.

Dan Kilmer, Devola Volunteer Fire Department chief, also said that people should be cautious in the kitchen as well and to not leave anything unattended.

“Be very cautious when cooking with grease and don’t leave the area unattended,” he said, adding that people should also check their furnaces and fireplaces to make sure they are vented properly. “The No. 1 thing is to have an action plan to escape, heaven forbid, if there is a fire.”

Marietta Fire Chief C.W. Durham said the upcoming winter season has a lot more house fires because of the heating required in the upcoming months.

“Winter seems to have more because of the appliances to keep them warm,” he explained. “A lot of what we see is heating related.”

As the colder weather approaches, Ritchey said people should be aware of their items that are more flammable than others.

“Keep blankets away from the alternative heat sources,” he said. “If the kids are laying on the floor, make sure they are back far enough so their blanket won’t catch on fire.”

Ultimately, they agreed that fire safety should be discussed at home and should be an ongoing discussion.

“(Parents) ought to sit down and educate their kids on fire safety,” said Ritchey. “They just need to educate them.”

 

Winter fire

safety tips

¯Before starting a fire in the fireplace, remove all decorations and be sure the flue is open.

¯Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace.

¯Always use a screen in front of the fireplace.

¯Keep all combustible materials, including wrapping paper at least three feet away from any heater.

¯When plugging in electric heaters, make sure that the outlet was designed to handle the load.

¯When using kerosene heaters, make sure you only use the correct fuel.

Source: Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness.

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