East Herkimer Fire Dept.

Reminder to all Town of Herkimer residents that the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation has banned all burning of brush and similar materials from March 16 – May 14. Permits for burning will not be issued during this period for the Town of Herkimer. Anyone that plans on burning brush within the NYS DEC guidelines after May 14 must apply for a permit at the Town of Herkimer Offices located at 114 N. Prospect Street, Herkimer. A Town of Herkimer Fire Warden will visit the proposed burn location and review it for safety prior to the issuance of a permit.

Thank you for preventing unnecessary fire department responses this spring!

http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/58519.html

WHAT IS CARBON MONOXIDE?
Carbon monoxide, also known as CO, is called the “Invisible Killer” because it’s a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas. More than 150 people in the Unites States die every year from accidental nonfire-related CO poisoning associated with consumer products, including generators. Other products include faulty, improperly-used or incorrectly-vented fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, stoves, water heaters and fireplaces.

Know the symptoms of CO poisoning.  Because CO is odorless, colorless, and otherwise undetectable to the human senses, people may not know that they are being exposed. The initial symptoms of low to moderate CO poisoning are similar to the flu (but without the fever). They include:

Headache
Fatigue
Shortness of breath
Nausea
Dizziness

High level CO poisoning results in progressively more severe symptoms, including:

Mental confusion
Vomiting
Loss of muscular coordination
Loss of consciousness
Ultimately death

Source: Consumer Product Safety Commission

• From 2010-2012, an average of 45,200 home heating fires occurred in the United States each year and resulted in an annual average of approximately 155 deaths, 625 injuries and $351 million in property loss.
• Heating was the second leading cause of home fires following cooking.
• Home heating fires peaked in the early evening hours between 5 and 9 p.m. with the highest peak between 6 and 8 p.m. This four-hour period accounted for 30 percent of all home heating fires.
• Home heating fires peaked in January (21 percent) and declined to the lowest point during the summer months from June to August.
• Confined fires, those fires confined to chimneys, flues or fuel burners, accounted for 84 percent of home heating fires.
• Twenty-nine percent of the non-confined home heating fires occurred because the heat source was too close to things that can burn.

Watch this short video to learn how you can prevent portable heater fires in your home this winter.

Source: U.S. Fire Administration

If you’re like many Americans, you’re starting off the New Year with a resolution to improve your health. As you work towards your resolution, consider one additional step to maintain your health: fire prevention. Most people say they feel safest at home but data shows 83% of all fire deaths in the U.S. happen in homes.  Follow these tips to ring in fire safety this New Year:

• Make sure your home is protected by working smoke alarms. Half of all home fire deaths happen at night, when people are sleeping.
• Test your smoke alarms once a month, and replace your smoke alarms when they’re 10 years old.
• Cooking is the main cause of home fires and home fire injuries. Make safety your first ingredient; stay in the kitchen when you are cooking at high temperatures. Fires start when the heat gets too high. If you see any smoke or grease starts to boil, turn the burner off.
• If you have children living in your home or visiting look for fire and burn dangers from their point of view. Never leave lighters or matches where children can reach them.

Source: U.S. Fire Administration

• One of every three home Christmas tree fires are caused by electrical problems.
• Although Christmas tree fires are not common, when they do occur, they are more likely to be serious. On average, one of every 31 reported home structure Christmas tree fires results in a death compared to an average of one death per 144 total reported home structure fires.
• A heat source too close to the tree causes roughly one in every four of Christmas tree fires.
• More than half (56 percent) of home candle fires occur when something that can catch on fire is too close to the candle.
• December is the peak time of year for home candle fires.

Source: National Fire Protection Association

Links from the U.S. Fire Administration:

Watch this short video to learn how you can prevent fires in your home this holiday season.

Watch what happens when fire touches a dry tree & a well-watered tree.