IN Peters Township February/March 2017 | Page 14

Fireplace Safety in the Home
Answering the Next Alarm

Fireplace Safety in the Home

More than 30 percent of Americans utilize fireplaces as alternative heating sources during the winter months . Heating / fireplace fires account for 22 percent of fires during the winter in the United States . Many of these fires are caused by a creosote buildup in the chimney liners . Creosote is a byproduct of combustion . Fireplaces need annual maintenance to remain safe for your home . The Peters Township Fire Department encourages you to seek a qualified fireplace specialist to inspect your chimney flue annually .

eters Township

PETERS TOWNSHIP NEWS
Answering the Next Alarm
The Peters Township Fire Department ( PTFD ) is comprised of a combination of career and volunteer firefighters , enabling the department to provide fire , rescue and emergency medical services to Peters Township residents 24 / 7 . In recent decades , many volunteer departments across the Commonwealth have faced a steady decline in the number of volunteers .
In an effort to combat this trend , PTFD embarked on a new recruiting campaign in the fall of 2015 , aimed at township residents looking to give back to their community under the slogan : “ Step Up and Answer the Next Alarm !”
Since the campaign began , PTFD has been fortunate to have recruited a total of nine volunteers . These men and women have completed hundreds of hours of training on topics including firefighting , hazardous materials , vehicle extrication and emergency medicine . Much of the training has benefits that extend further than the fire service . “ Fire training has opened my eyes to a different way of problem solving in high stress situations ,” says Nick Nye , one of PTFD ’ s new recruits .
The firefighters come from a variety of backgrounds including law , insurance and technology . Their responsibilities include duty shifts , call response and training . Rick Normand , recipient of PTFD ’ s 2016 Firefighter of the Year Award says he “ wanted to help our community and belong to a team with that same goal .” PTFD was the place for him .
PTFD maintains a roster of approximately 15 career and 30 volunteer firefighters that operate out of two stations located in McMurray and Venetia . It is through the dedication of these individuals that we are able to provide exceptional emergency response to the residents of Peters Township .
Are You Ready to Answer the Next Alarm ? Contact us at 724.941.4176 or ptfd64 . org for more information .
12 Peters Township
Rick Normand
Fireplace Safety Tips from The Peters Township Fire Department
• Have areas adjacent to the hearth free of furniture and decorations .
• Have the mantle area of your fireplace free of decorations ( remember hot air rises ).
• Never leave a running fireplace unattended .
• While in use , leave glass doors open for proper combustion .
• Close glass doors after fire is out or unattended .
• Utilize metal buckets to remove ashes from the fireplace .
• Place ashes outside in a metal container . Never use cardboard boxes or paper bags for ash disposal .
• Ashes can continue to generate heat for up to 36 hours .
• Free standing wood stoves should have a minimum of double wall pipe and be at least 18 inches from combustibles .
• Never use any accelerant to start your fires .
• Do not burn cardboard , wrapping paper or debris in your fireplace .
• Always use a metal grating to stack your log on . Without a grate proper combustion will not be achieved .
• Chimneys should have a cover or grate to arrest the sparks and protect your roofing material .
• Use seasoned hardwoods . Burning soft wood such as pine will create large amount of creosote .
Owners should also have a charged dry powder fire extinguisher in their homes . Chimney fires happen without warning . No matter how small the fire is within your firebox , the creosote buildup , which is highly flammable within your chimney liner , will accelerate the fire . Fire safety within your home is your personal responsibility .
To learn more about proper fireplace safety contact the Fire Department at 724.941.4176 .