safety tips

Gloucester Fire Department Offers Cooking Fire Safety Tips

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Gloucester Fire Department
Eric Smith, Fire Chief
8 School St.
Gloucester, MA 01930

 

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019

Contact: Kelsey Bode
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Gloucester Fire Department Offers Cooking Fire Safety Tips

GLOUCESTER — With Thanksgiving on the horizon, Chief Eric Smith and the Gloucester Fire Department wish to offer cooking fire safety tips to residents.

The Gloucester Fire Department is joining the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services in its cooking fire safety campaign this fall, which is promoting the messages “Stand by your pan” to encourage the public to remain vigilant while cooking and “Put a lid on it” to remind those cooking that placing a lid on stove-top fire is the recommended response.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, Thanksgiving is the leading day for home fires, which are most frequently caused by cooking. 

“We wish everyone a happy, fun-filled Thanksgiving holiday this year, and are urging residents to never leave cooking food unattended,” Chief Smith said. “It’s incredibly dangerous to leave anything cooking without supervision, and far too often, it can lead to a fire.”

According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire departments in the United States are dispatched to approximately 166,100 fires annually involving cooking equipment, such as a stove or microwave. 

The Gloucester Fire Department wishes to offer the following safety tips, courtesy of the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services:

  • In the event of a grease fire, smother flames with a lid and then turn off the heat. Baking soda will also work.
  • Do not move a burning pan, which can spread the fire.
  • Do not throw water or use a fire extinguisher on a grease fire, as water will spread the fire and the extinguisher could splash flaming grease. 
  • Never leave food, grease or oils cooking on the stove top without supervision.
  • Do not wear loose or long sleeves when cooking, as it can catch fire.
  • Strop, drop and roll if your clothing catches fire, run burns under cool water and call 9-1-1 for help.
  • Keep children and pets three feet away from the stove.
  • Do not store or use flammable objects, such as pot holders, towels, paper or plastic bags, near heating elements.
  • If a fire starts in an oven or microwave, close the door, turn the appliance off and call the fire department.
  • Do not put metal inside a microwave.
  • Unplug appliances such as toasters and coffee makers when you are not using them.
  • Do not store items in an oven.

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For more information, visit www.nfpa.org/cooking. (Courtesy Image National Fire Prevention Association)

Stoneham Police Warn Residents of Area Home Improvement Scams

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Stoneham Police Department
Chief James McIntyre
47 Central Street
Stoneham, MA 02180-2044

For Immediate Release

Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019

Media Contact: Jordan Mayblum
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Stoneham Police Warn Residents of Area Home Improvement Scams

STONEHAM — Chief James McIntyre and the Stoneham Police Department wish to warn residents of an area home improvement scam.

Victims of the home improvement scam have reported to several area police departments that the suspects request payment for their services upfront, and perform a small portion of the work before claiming that additional work to the home needs to be done, such as repointing a chimney or replacing shingles. The individuals continue to raise the price of their services as they claim additional projects need to be done, and when the homeowner eventually refuses to pay any more money, the suspects leave the property and do not return.

The suspects pose as legitimate contractors and reportedly have an Irish accent, but are allegedly not licensed and do not obtain permits to conduct the work.

Four Burlington residents reported being victimized by home improvement scams, and suspects allegedly did damage to the chimney of a Melrose resident’s home that will cost more than $1,200 to repair.

Most victims of the scams are elderly.

“While we haven’t had any reports of these suspects approaching Stoneham residents, we want to be proactive and warn our community of this scam that has targeted individuals in several nearby towns,” Chief McIntyre said. “We’re urging residents to be wary of anyone approaching you at home to perform unsolicited home improvement services. Always verify a business is legitimate, especially before paying for a service, and call the Stoneham Police Department if you think you may be dealing with a scam.”

The Stoneham Police Department wishes to share the following tips regarding home improvement contractor scams from the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation:

  • Scammers often approach potential victims for home improvement scams by phone, email or by traveling door-to-door, and may claim they’ve been performing work locally and have surplus material.
  • Scammers frequently offer their services at a very low price.
  • Check to make sure the contractor is registered with the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation by using their home improvement contractor registration look up service. Request a business card or website address for the contractor’s business.
  • Be wary if the individual is driving an unmarked motor vehicle.
  • Request a copy of the company’s standard contract.
  • Learn where the company is based out of, whether they are a local business and verify a minimum of three references.
  • Inquire about whether the company will provide a warranty and how long that warranty will last.
  • Remain wary if a severe weather event has just occurred. Scammers often take severe weather storms as an opportunity to target potential victims for home improvement scams.
  • Never pay more than one-third the total cost of a service upfront, in cash, and only do so once you have verified that this person is a registered home improvement contractor and you have a contract.
  • The Better Business Bureau (BBB) can verify whether the company is a member, and the BBB, as well as the Office of the Attorney General, can also tell you if there have been complaints filed against the company.

Anyone who believes these suspects are in their neighborhood is encouraged to contact the Stoneham Police Department at 781-438-1215.

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Massachusetts Call Volunteer Firefighters Association Encourages Families to Practice Home Fire Drills

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Massachusetts Call Volunteer Firefighters Association
Kevin Connolly, President

For Immediate Release

Friday, Oct. 11, 2019

Media Contact: Jordan Mayblum
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Massachusetts Call Volunteer Firefighters Association Encourages Families to Practice Home Fire Drills

HADLEY — The Massachusetts Call Volunteer Firefighters Association (MCVFA) would like to remind residents to plan and practice a home escape plan and ensure everyone in their household knows the appropriate actions to take in the event of a fire.

As part of National Fire Prevention Week, homeowners are encouraged to not only prepare a home escape plan, but to practice the plan as if it were a real-life fire emergency.

According to Ready, the national emergency preparedness campaign by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, a small flame can turn into a major fire in less than 30 seconds, and it only takes minutes for thick black smoke to fill a house or for it to be engulfed in flames, which makes being able to get out as fast as possible even more important.

Ready recommends practicing your home fire escape plan at least twice per year. To hold a home fire drill, push the smoke alarm button and have everyone use their escape routes to get quickly to your family’s agreed upon meeting place.

“The goal of holding a home fire drill is to make sure everyone knows how to get out of the house and can do so quickly,” MCVFA President Kevin Connolly said. “While kids do fire drills in school, many families don’t practice getting out of their house. Practicing an exit plan enough for it to become second nature can very well save a life if a fire occurs.”

MCVFA recommends the following tips from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) to put your home escape plan to the test:

  • Teach children what smoke alarms sound like and what to do when they hear one.
  • Hold one family fire drill during the day when everyone is awake and a second drill at night when children are asleep to see how they will respond. It’s important to determine during the drill whether children and others will be woken up by the sound of the smoke alarm. If they fail to wake up, make sure someone is assigned to wake them up as part of the drill and in a real emergency situation.
  • Always choose the escape route that is safest – the one with the least amount of smoke and heat – but be prepared to escape under smoke if necessary. Everyone in the family should practice getting low and going under the smoke to your exit.
  • Make sure everyone in your household can open all doors and windows. Everyone should know to check the door for heat with the back of their hand. If the door feels cool, open it slowly. Do not open a hot door.
  • Close doors on the way out. Closing doors slows the spread of fire, giving you more time to safely escape.
  • Make sure everyone goes to your meeting place during the fire drill.
  • In some cases, smoke or fire may prevent you from exiting your home. To prepare for an emergency like this, practice “sealing yourself in for safety” as part of your home fire escape plan. Close all doors between you and the fire. Use duct tape or towels to seal the door cracks and cover air vents to keep smoke from coming in. Call the fire department to report your exact location. Wave a flashlight or light-colored cloth at the window to let firefighters know where you are located.

After a drill, make any necessary adjustments to your plan. Make sure your family knows that in a real fire they should call 911 from outside and once they get out, they need to stay out.

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Massachusetts Call Volunteer Firefighters Association Offers Chimney Safety Tips in Conjunction With Fire Prevention Week

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Massachusetts Call Volunteer Firefighters Association
Kevin Connolly, President

For Immediate Release

Monday, Oct. 7, 2019

Media Contact: Jordan Mayblum
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Massachusetts Call Volunteer Firefighters Association Offers Chimney Safety Tips in Conjunction With Fire Prevention Week

HADLEY — The Massachusetts Call Volunteer Firefighters Association (MCFVA) would like to offer residents safety tips for maintaining chimneys and preventing chimney fires in conjunction with Fire Prevention Week.

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) declared Sunday, Sept. 29 through Saturday, Oct. 5 National Chimney Safety Week 2019. Occurring the week before National Fire Prevention Week, Chimney Safety Week is an opportunity to remind homeowners of the dangers of chimney fires and the importance of annual chimney inspections.

According to the most recent data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there was an estimated average of 22,300 fireplace or chimney fires between 2012 and 2014.

“Some chimney fires go undetected which can lead to a damaging outcome and can negatively impact the safe operation of your chimney,” MCVFA President Kevin Connolly said. “With cold weather coming, now is a good time for residents to ensure they are following proper maintenance recommendations and having their chimneys cleaned annually.”

Homeowners are encouraged to use resources provided by the Chimney Safety Institute of America and the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services to educate themselves about chimney safety.

How To Prevent a Chimney Fire:

  • Have your chimney cleaned annually by a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep. Dirty chimneys can cause chimney fires.
  • Have your chimney inspected annually even if you don’t use your chimney often.  A chimney inspection can help prevent carbon monoxide and chimney fires and can identify potential system issues to address them before they become dangerous or costly.
  • Ensure there are no prior damages to your chimney that may impact its ability to work safely.
  • Be sure to properly dispose of ashes from chimneys and stoves.
  • Be sure that the damper of the chimney is open before lighting a fire.
  • Use a fireplace screen to prevent flying sparks and embers from falling out onto the floor.
  • Install and maintain smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

Signs of a Chimney Damaged by a Chimney Fire:

  • “Puffy” or “honey combed” creosote
  • Warped metal of the damper, metal smoke chamber connector pipe or factory-built metal chimney
  • Cracked or collapsed flue tiles, or tiles with large chunks missing
  • Discolored and/or distorted rain cap
  • Heat-damaged TV antenna attached to the chimney
  • Creosote flakes and pieces found on the roof or ground
  • Roofing material damaged from hot creosote
  • Cracks in exterior masonry
  • Evidence of smoke escaping through mortar joints of masonry or tile liners

Operating a chimney that has previously experienced a fire is a safety risk. If you have suspect that your chimney has been impacted by fire, call a certified sweep to assess damages and make recommendations for repairs make sure your chimney is safe.

Chimney fires can burn intensely and can spread to other parts of a house.​ Many chimney fires are slow-burning and may not get enough air or fuel to be visible. However, slow-burning fires can reach very high temperatures and can cause extensive damage to a chimney’s structure or other parts of the house.

If you or a family member hear loud cracking or popping noises, see dense smoke or notice an intense, hot smell coming from your chimney, call 911 immediately.

About MCVFA: 

The MCVFA promotes the welfare of Massachusetts Call and Volunteer Fire/EMS companies and their members. Established in 1990 we have grown from 14 departments to more than 130 fire and emergency services organizations representing over 3,400 members. For more, visit the MCVFA website at mcvfa.org.

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