Continue reading »]]> Cooking fires continue to be the most common type of fires experienced by U.S. households. This is even more apparent during the holidays. There is an increased incidence of cooking fires on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve Day, and Christmas Day. Cooking fires are also the leading cause of civilian fire injuries in residences. These fires are preventable by simply being more attentive to the use of cooking materials and equipment.

Don’t become a cooking fire casualty. Learn the facts about cooking fire safety today!

For more information, click on the image below.

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For many people, autumn events like Halloween and Harvest Day are fun times to dress up in costumes, go trick-or-treating, attend parties, and eat yummy treats. These events are also opportunities to provide nutritious snacks, get physical activity, and focus on safety. Below are tips to help make the festivities fun and safe for trick-or-treaters and party guests.
Going trick-or-treating?

Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.
Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.
Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.
Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.

Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you. Always WALK and don’t run from house to house.
Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent possible skin and eye irritation.
Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.
Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.
Only walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.
Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.
Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers.
Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult.
Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

Expecting trick-or-treaters or party guests?
• Provide healthier treats for trick-or-treaters such as low-calorie treats and drinks. For party guests, offer a variety of fruits, vegetables, and cheeses.
• Use party games and trick-or-treat time as an opportunity for kids to get their daily dose of 60 minutes of physical activity.
• Be sure walking areas and stairs are well-lit and free of obstacles that could result in falls.
• Keep candle-lit jack-o’lanterns and luminaries away from doorsteps, walkways, landings, and curtains. Place them on sturdy tables, keep them out of the reach of pets and small children, and never leave them unattended.
• Remind drivers to watch out for trick-or-treaters and to drive safely.
From all of us at the Glasco Fire Company to all of you, HAVE A SAFE AND FUN HALLOWEEN!

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More than one-third of Americans use fireplaces, wood stoves and other fuel-fired appliances as primary heat sources in their homes. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the fire risks when heating with wood and solid fuels.

Heating fires account for 36% of residential home fires in rural areas every year. Often these fires are due to creosote buildup in chimneys and stovepipes. All home heating systems require regular maintenance to function safely and efficiently.

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages you to practice the following fire safety steps to keep those home fires safely burning. Remember, fire safety is your personal responsibility …Fire Stops With You!

Keep Fireplaces and Wood Stoves Clean

• Have your chimney or wood stove inspected and cleaned annually by a certified chimney specialist.
• Clear the area around the hearth of debris, decorations and flammable materials.
• Leave glass doors open while burning a fire. Leaving the doors open ensures that the fire receives enough air to ensure complete combustion and keeps creosote from building up in the chimney.
• Close glass doors when the fire is out to keep air from the chimney opening from getting into the room. Most glass fireplace doors have a metal mesh screen which should be closed when the glass doors are open. This mesh screen helps keep embers from getting out of the fireplace area.
• Always use a metal mesh screen with fireplaces that do not have a glass fireplace door.
• Install stovepipe thermometers to help monitor flue temperatures.
• Keep air inlets on wood stoves open, and never restrict air supply to fireplaces. Otherwise you may cause creosote buildup that could lead to a chimney fire.
• Use fire-resistant materials on walls around wood stoves.

Safely Burn Fuels

• Never use flammable liquids to start a fire.
• Use only seasoned hardwood. Soft, moist wood accelerates creosote buildup.
• Build small fires that burn completely and produce less smoke.
• Never burn cardboard boxes, trash or debris in your fireplace or wood stove.
• When building a fire, place logs at the rear of the fireplace on an adequate supporting grate.
• Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended. Extinguish the fire before going to bed or leaving the house.
• Soak hot ashes in water and place them in a metal container outside your home.

Protect the Outside of Your Home

• Stack firewood outdoors at least 30 feet away from your home.
• Keep the roof clear of leaves, pine needles and other debris.
• Cover the chimney with a mesh screen spark arrester.
• Remove branches hanging above the chimney, flues or vents.

Protect the Inside of Your Home

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and inside and outside of sleeping areas. Test them monthly and change the batteries at least once a year. Consider installing the new long life smoke alarms.
• Provide proper venting systems for all heating equipment.
• Extend all vent pipes at least three feet above the roof.

Continue reading »]]> Stop a winter fire, before it starts:

• Make sure wood stoves are properly installed away from combustible surfaces, have good floor supports, and have proper ventilation so that the smoke can exit the home safely. Never use flammable liquids (such as gasoline) to start a fire or keep one going.
• Make sure your space heaters have an emergency shut off in case they tip over. ONLY use the fuel recommended by the manufacturer. Never refill a space heater while it is on or still hot. Refuel heaters outside, away from the house.
• Kerosene heaters are not allowed in many areas – check before you use one.
• Have your furnace and chimney professionally inspected every year and cleaned, if necessary. Chimney tar build-up is a common cause of chimney fires.
• Use a glass or metal screen in front of your fireplace to stop sparks from setting nearby carpets or furniture on fire.
• Never thaw frozen pipes with a blow torch or other open flame. Use hot water or a laboratory tested device, such as a hair dryer.
• Dispose of hot ashes in covered metal containers and place the containers away from the house.
• Never use the stove or oven to heat your home.

Be prepared for a fire:

• One of the best ways to protect yourself and your family is to have a working smoke alarm that can sound fast for both a fire that has flames, and a smoky fire that has fumes without flames. It is called a “Dual Sensor Smoke Alarm.” A smoke alarm greatly reduces your chances of dying in a fire.
• Make and practice a home fire escape plan and set a meeting place outside. Make sure everyone in your family knows at least two (2) escape routes from their bedrooms.

Continue reading »]]> n most areas of New York, it is citizen volunteers who respond to emergency situations. Due to a variety of factors, New York’s volunteer fire departments are currently experiencing a critical need to recruit and retain members.

To address this vital need for volunteers, The Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY) has developed the Higher Education Learning Plan (FASNY HELP) as an incentive for people to serve in New York’s volunteer fire service. This program will provide tuition reimbursement to student-volunteers allowing them to attain up to eighty (80) credit hours from their closest New York State chartered community college or one located within 50 miles of their primary residence.

Under the FASNY HELP tuition reimbursement program, student-volunteers will be eligible to have up to 100% of their tuition reimbursed in exchange for maintaining defined grades and fulfilling defined service requirements as a member in good standing in one of New York’s volunteer fire companies. There is no restriction on the type of academic course(s) the FASNY HELP student-volunteer can pursue.

The FASNY HELP program is made possible through a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant awarded by the US Department of Homeland Security.

Read the press release here.

Continue reading »]]> When you marry a fireman you say I do to the man, you also say ‘I do’ to the job. You accept the long nights, schedule, the fact that when you kiss them goodbye they may not return home. To the 343 firemen who died that day I remember you, to the 343 women who lost their husbands I honor you, to the countless children who lost a father I pray for you and to the thousands of fireman who are on the job today I salute you.