City Services
Public Safety: Fire
Bangor Fire Department
~ Preserving life and property
Don’t get burned by your woodstove
BANGOR -- It’s early January in Maine which usually means the colder weather has come and by now most folks with woodstoves have been burning in them for four or five months. Unfortunately, this is the time of year when many fire departments begin to see a number of chimney fires and fires caused by woodstoves. The Bangor Fire Department says woodstoves can be used to safely heat your home this winter by following these safety tips:
* Install your woodstove correctly. Pay attention to the manufacturer’s installation instructions, following their requirements for clearance distances to walls and other combustible items such as furniture, stacked wood, etc. as well as any specific floor protection requirements. It may be tempting to preserve as much living space as possible by shoving the woodstove closer to the wall, but this is not a wise move. Unlisted stoves are required to have a 3 foot clearance, but newer stoves often can reduce this clearance distance to only a few inches.
* Your chimney is just as important as your woodstove. Make sure your chimney pipe is secured together with a minimum of three screws for each joint. When the stove pipe passes through the wall or ceiling there should be a proper pass-through device. The chimney must also be tall enough so it drafts correctly and it should be inspected for damage and cleaned on a regular basis (usually if there is quarter inch or more of creosote).
* Know how your woodstove works. Run your woodstove too cool and it can lead to an excessive amount of creosote. Run your woodstove too hot and it can damage your woodstove. Thermometers placed on the stove and chimney pipe can help you regulate temperatures. Whenever possible use seasoned wood that has been cut, split and stacked for 9-12 months . . . unseasoned wood can cause excessive creosote build up. Never use flammable fuels to start a fire.
* Treat all ash as if there was a hot coal hidden inside. Many fires are started when wood ash is dumped into a cardboard box, plastic bucket or bag and left on the hearth, front deck, back porch or in the garage. If there is a hot coal hidden in the ash it can smolder for hours, sometimes days, before igniting the combustible container. Instead, dispose of the ash in a covered metal pail and place it outside on a non-combustible surface before disposing it.
* Finally, make sure your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detector work, check your fire extinguisher to be sure it is charged and discuss your home escape plan with everyone in the family so they know what to do if they hear the smoke detectors sounding late at night.
Fire Deaths in Maine fall to 14 in 2009
By The Associated Press
PORTLAND, Maine — Maine had low numbers of fire deaths in 2009, while the number of homicides was near average.
For the year, there were 14 fire deaths, down from 15 in 2008 and just two more than the record low of 12, in 2007 and 1995.
Maine had 40 to 50 fire deaths a year a decade ago. The number has dropped with improved building codes, widespread use of fire detectors and stepped-up fire prevention programs by local fire departments, Department of Public Safety spokesman Stephen McCausland said.
“It’s been an exceptionally safe year on Maine’s highways and an exceptionally safe year in people’s homes,” McCausland said.
In 2009 there were 158 traffic fatalities, three more than in 2008, which had the lowest total since 1959.
The state saw 25 homicides in 2009, down from 31 the previous year and near the average of about 24. Ten of the homicides have been classified as domestic.
There were three double homicides during the year, and two victims were killed after being set on fire.
Kimberly Spaminato is charged with murder for allegedly setting her husband on fire last January as he slept in their home in Wells.
In August, 12-year-old Michael Devine was killed when his mother set their vehicle on fire in a gravel pit in Gorham in what has been ruled a murder-suicide, officials said.
PREVENTING CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING
• Service all heating systems and all gas-, oil- or coal-burning appliances by a technician annually.
• Install a battery-operated and electric-powered carbon monoxide detector in your home and check or replace the battery when you change the time on your clocks each spring and fall. If the detector sounds, leave your home immediately and call 911.
• Contact a doctor if you believe you have carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Do not use gas-powered devices such as a generator, grill or stove inside your home, basement or near a near a window or door. Generators should be operated more than 15 feet from the home.
• Do not run any gas-powered motor inside a closed structure, such as a garage.
• Do not heat a home with a gas oven.
Source: Maine Center for Disease Control and Maine State Fire Marshal
Honorary Lieutenant for the day
Station 5’s C-Crew with Lt. A. Fournier takes Fruit St. School Kindergarten Student Faith Ashton to school on Monday, November 9th. Faith was picked up at home and brought to school via Engine 5. As the honorary Lt. for the day Faith sat up front while Lt. Fournier drove.
Firehouse fun teaches safety, prevention
By Jessica BlochBDN Staff
BANGOR, Maine — Once the Jaws of Life got to it, the gray Chevrolet Lumina had no chance. Two Bangor firefighters operated the hydraulic rescue tool, tearing off the windshield and propping up the dashboard. Shattered glass and car parts were scattered around the demolished vehicle.
It was all much to the delight of five first-grade boys in Den Leader Dalton Reed’s Tiger Cub Scout group, who stood with wide eyes as firefighter and EMT Bill Wentworth explained what was going on.
“Now we have access to the whole inside of the car,” Wentworth said. “Anybody that’s trapped, we can get them out. Pretty amazing, huh?”
Hundreds of children and adults had a chance to see a demonstration of rescue and firefighting equipment as well as pick up safety information Saturday during the Bangor Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Month open house, held at the Central Fire Station on Main Street.
Oh, and there was plenty of Halloween candy and a costume contest, too.
Firefighters gave tours of the station’s big, shiny, red trucks and ambulances, slid down the station’s poles, and pried apart cars in Jaws of Life demonstrations. The Jaws of Life is a tool used by rescue workers to free people trapped in small spaces, such as cars.
There were also displays about heating safety and railroad awareness, along with plenty of information about fire prevention.
“Part of this is for education, and part of this is for fun,” said Jake Johnson, the department’s public education officer.
In addition to spreading information about fire prevention, Wentworth said, the annual open house also serves to humanize the firefighters, many of whom towered over the youngsters.
“It takes a lot of the fear out for the kids,” said Wentworth, who lives in Garland. “They see us here joking around, not in a serious way we are when we’re focused on our job.”
Reed brought his Tiger Cubs of Bangor-based Den No. 6 to the open house to fulfill a go-see requirement, but it didn’t seem like an obligation for the five boys in the pack. After watching the Jaws of Life demonstration behind the firehouse, they followed Wentworth to the front of the station so he could show them different nozzles used to fight car fires.
“This is the perfect opportunity for them to fulfill their requirements,” Reed said. “They asked tons of great questions, too.”
No power? Generators work great . . . but only if used safely. Now is the time to learn how to safely use a generator
Bangor Fire Department Mission Statement
The Mission of the Bangor Fire Department is dedicated to the protection of life, property and the environment for those who live, work, visit, or invest in our community.
Through well educated, dedicated personnel and with proper equipment: we pledge to deliver the highest quality fire suppression, public fire education, advanced emergency medical services, code enforcement, and emergency response to all natural and man-made disasters.
This professional commitment to service is also put forth by promoting personal development within the department, while utilizing effective principles and practices of modern fire and life safety technology in an accountable manner.
The Bangor Fire Department is also affiliated with the Hose 5 Fire Museum -- a former fire station built in 1897 at 247 State Street. Used as a firehouse for almost 100 years this station is now used as fire museum. Admission is free. Call (207) 945-3229 or 992-4700 to schedule a tour.
E-mail Chief Cammack at: jeff.cammack@bangormaine.gov
CALL 911 for emergencies
(Business) Call us at: (207) 992-4700
(Business) Fax us at: (207) 942-8213
Write us at:
Bangor Fire Department
289 Main Street
Bangor, Maine 04401
Other Contact Information:
Central Station (Main Street): 992-4700
Station 6 (Griffin Road): 992-4690
Station 5 (Hogan Road): 992-4680
Fire Prevention Bureau: 992-4714 or jason.johnson@bangormaine.gov
Fire Inspections: 992-4264 or 992-4180
Hose 5 Museum: 945-3229 or 992-4700
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