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Wakefield
Firemen
Host Chimney Fire Seminar |
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| WAKEFIELD - September 10, 2008 |
The Wakefield Fire Hall was the
scene of the latest training session presented
by members of the Gogebic County
Firefighter's Council. The topic for the evening
was "Chimney Fire Prevention"
The topic was certainly appropriate for both the
season and the nation's economical downturn.
With the sharp rise in oil prices it is expected
that more people will be burning wood this
winter. |
 |
The
evening's
seminar
was
opened
to
firefighters
and
the
general
public
alike.
The
class
was
presented
by
Fred
Chamberlain
from
Ontonagon.
Fred
has
taught
this
class
for
over
twenty-five
plus
years
and
it
has
been
very
well
received.
Those
taking
Fred's
class
leave
his
presentation
very
well
pleased
at
what
they
had
learned. |
Fred began the class
discussing the history of fighting chimney fires
which go back 200 years. When gas and oil were
cheap homeowners abandoned burning wood and coal
for the more convenient and cleaner gas and oil
furnaces. Then during the early seventies when
the price of petroleum rose sharply, homeowners
once again began burning wood. The number of
chimney fires rose as the techniques for fire
prevention and suppression had been lost and/or
abandoned during the previous seventy years. |
| Thirty Eight people
attended the class, many of whom were
homeowners. Fred delved into everything
imaginable that was necessary for the
firefighter's training. However, for the
homeowners the lesson was much simple:
Burn hardwood, and burn it hot. Chimney
temps must be 300 degrees. Burn small fires with
the damper wide open. Chimneys should be cleaned
every year. Special attention should paid to the
top part of the flue where temperatures cool and
harmful creosote builds up. Use paper and
kindling for starting a fire, DO NOT use liquids
such as charcoal lighter or kerosene. Fred went
over some of the old "wives tales" regarding
wood stoves. While salt will not prevent chimney
fires, burning dried potato peelings and an
aluminum can will. Potato peels and aluminum
cans will raise the fire temperature.
|
| If installing a wood
burning appliance. Follow the manufacturer's
instructions. Pay close attention to clearances
and materials. |
 |
| If your home does
experience a chimney fire, close the door and
damper on the wood burning appliance,
gather the family, including your pets, close
the interior doors (to slow the spread of the
fire) and leave the house immediately. Go
to a neighbor's house and call the fire
department. Stay calm and give the fire
department all the pertinent information
necessary to locate your house. |
 |
|
During the intermission
door prizes were given away. |
 |
| Once again audience members have left Fred's
class not only well pleased, but well prepared
as well. |
|
A quick correction from I.V.F.D.
Chief Ken Jacobson:
Potato peels and aluminum cans
themselves don't raise the temp.
The reason they supposedly "work" is
because one has to burn the fire at
a higher temperature to consume the
potato peels or aluminum cans. Ergo
the same high temp fire with or
without the cans and peelings would
do the same.
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