~The duty crew had stayed up to see the New Year in by watching TV and setting off the roof siren at mid-night as is done each year. Getting up half asleep to the ringing fire bell, the Battalion Chief said, "I'll bet it is a fataility". He was right but we did not know it yet.~

~There was not a car or person moving on the streets, but the driving had to be slow and careful, the streets were slick with ice and the memory was still fresh in our minds about the fatal car accident a few weeks ago when a car ran a red light.~

~The house was in the "red", flames were coming out the windows of the kitchen, dinning and living rooms. Several people were bending over a man laying on the grass in the front yard. The man was unconscious and burnt about the head, shoulders and back. His pajamas were still smoldering. He was treated and transported, with oxygen being administered, in the aid car.~

~John slipped on the icy sidewalk running a hose line uo to the house, he complained of a back injury and headache. It was a good thing he had a helmet on or it could have been worse. He did not want to go to the hospital, but later went home and was off work for a week. There were several more injured firefighters before the fire was extinguished. George required six stiches to close the cut on his wrist, Darrell and Mike had burns on their faces and necks. Jack had bits of plaster removed from his eyes, and Gordy was treated for smoke inhalation and neck burns. If they gave Purple Hearts to firefighters, a lot would have earned them that morning.~

~A ladder was raised to the roof to ventilate(cut hole in roof) so the smoke, gasses and heat could be released from the house so the firefighters could gain entry. Les slipped on the ice on the roof, started sliding down and dropped the chainsaw which landed next to Jack and Frank who were holding the ladder. Dave who was at the top of the ladder caught Les as he was sliding over the roof edge. That was just too close.~

~The fire was knocked down from outside the house thru the windows and front door openings, then firefighters wearing airmasks advanced into the still smoking house to look for spot fires and victims. They found the lady laying in the bathtub with the shower running. She was carried outside and a amblance was called for while oxygen, blankets and the first-aid kit was brought over from the fire trucks.~

~The woman was unconcious and in shock, she was burnt about the face, neck, chest, back and feet. Her nylon nightgown was melted into her burns. (see clothing fires) It appeared that she had tried to get thru the fire, got burned and got into the shower to ease her pain and keep the flames from her, where she was overcome by fire gasses and shock. She died before she reached the hospital.~

~My investigation found the "point of origin" to be in a large pile of ashes and empty alcohol bottles on the kitchen floor next to the lower cupboards. Under the debris I found the remains of a melted green plastic garbage container. Now I had to find out how and why the fire had started there.~

~I went to the hospital and got permission from the emergency room doctor to interview the husband. The doctor told me the man had been told of his wife's death and had been sadated but could understand my questions and answer coherently. This would be a hard thing to do for me, but it had to be done and I had done it many times before.~

~The man said they had a New Years Eve party in the house, it broke up at about 3:30 AM and his wife started cleaning up the mess and he told her to wait untill they got up and he would help her. "No she said, I don't want to spend New Years day cleaning up the house". He said she started dumping the ashtrays into the garbage container in the kitchen as he went to bed. It was a plastic garbage container, lined with a plastic bag and had a large brown paper grocery sack full of paper plates and garbage on the floor next to it.~

~"It did not seem very long later that I woke up hearing glass breaking in the kitchen, I had too much to drink and must have fallen back to sleep, when I woke up again the room was full of smoke and flames were coming in the room across the doorway top and the ceiling. I shook my wife awake and told her the house was on fire and I ran out the living room. After I got outside I could hear my wife screaming in there and tried to go back in but the heat and smoke were too bad and the next thing I knew I woke up in the hospital".~

~When will people learn not to empty astrays in the garbage and that a self closing metal garbage container will also contain a fire? A battery in a smoke detector could have also prevented this loss of life. We live and learn, it will take a lifetime for him to forget, how about you?~

~It is my hope as well as all those in the Fire Service, that the New Year will begin and end without a loss of life or the suffering that fire brings. As New Years Eve is one of the most critical times for fires and fire deaths due to the late parties and alcohol, I would like to give you these fire safty hints to remember:

~Have plenty of SAFE ashtrays, where the smoldering cigarette will not burn down, lose it's ballance and fall off the ashtray and start a fire. With a SAFE ashtray it sits in the center and falls IN the ashtray.~

~Do NOT allow ashtrays to be placed on the arms of your couch or overstuffed chairs where the cigarette can fall on the carpet, couch, chair, or between or on the cushions.~

~After the party is over, check to see if a cigarette has fallen on the carpet,couch,chair, or between or on the cushions.~

~Do NOT empty ashtrays in the garbage or trash, empty them in the fireplace or flush down the toilet.~

~Do NOT have that last cigarette in bed, it may be your last and your families. Have a fire safe New Year~

1. ~Call your next of kin and notify them where you wish the remains sent as it is a matter of record that a high percentage of home fires are caused by this careless practice.~

2. ~Notify the remainder of your family and your neighbors of your intention to endanger their lives, so they may take the necessary precautions to protect themselves.~

3. ~See which is the nearest way out of your home, so that if you are fortunate enough to escape your room you may reach safty.~

4. ~Now, sit down and think how foolish it is for you to take this risk--you may enjoy your smoke while thinking it over.~

~Everyday we read in the newspapers, where people have lost their lives or property, or have been burned severly by fire. And we all think "that will not happen to me". It is bad enough to have a fire, but why ask for it. ?~

~"Safe and Sane" fireworks are approved for sale and use by many states. Illegal fireworks such as firecrackers, and exploding rockets are sold by the Indians for use ONLY on the reservations, Illegal because they are dangerous to your fingers, hands, ears and eyes, and they cause fires. I have seen these rockets go thru an eye and explode in the face and hand as the person tried to pull them out, the reason, the plastic fins setting on the ground melted from the rocket, causing them to tip going up at face level instead of straight up.~

~We in the Fire Service call the "Safe and Sane" fireworks, "Unsafe and Insane", for that is what they are. They cause fires,and burn injuries, especially when used by unsupervised children.~
~We teach our children in school, not to play with matches or fire, but when this time of year comes around, you the parents, put matches in your childs hands to lite these fireworks that emit sparks and flame. (a sparkler is over 1000 degrees when ignited) Picture your child with his or her clothes on fire running to you for help that is too late, it could have been prevented. Picture also that red hot sparkler wire thrown to the ground and a tiny barefoot stepping on it, or later the lawnmower picking it up and tossing it like a spear into a eye or body!~

~The main point I want to get across is that there is no conceivable excuse for giving fire an open invatation to harm your children or property. Is this "Safe and SANE' or "Unsafe and Insane"???~

~Live and learn, but learn not to burn. As Halloween approaches, so does the danger of fire , burn injuries and fire deaths.~

~Picture your child standing on a porch, knocking on the door for "Trick of Treats", on the porch deck or railing sits a "jack-o-lantern" with a candle burning inside, your childs costume or clothes touch it and ignite. Or, you place one in the front window, the curtains or drapes touch the flame or ignite from the heat of the candle.~

~These types of fires and resulting burn injuries can be avoided by using a flashlight in place of the burning candle, buy only flame proof costumes for your children, teach them to stay away from fire sources, and to "stop, drop and roll" if ever their clothes catch fire, never run.~

~Remember, DON'T give fire a place to start and have a fire safe Halloween.~

~Getting ready to put that nice big turkey in the oven for Thanksgiving dinner? There are a few things to keep in mind to make it fire safe in the kitchen:~

~If the grease around the turkey in the oven catches fire, DON'T open the oven and give it the needed oxygen to burn, it may flare up into your face or set your clothes on fire. Turn off the oven and call the fire department.~

~If the grease in the frying pan catches fire, DON'T try to carry it outside, you may drop it and spread the burning grease across the floor or worse yet, you may run into your child who is comming in the door. Turn off the burner, place a cover over the pan to cut off the needed oxygen for fire to burn, use your fire extinguisher, that should be located near the kitchen, or throw baking SODA in the air over the pan and don't forget to call 911.~

~DON'T leave food cooking on the stove unattended while you are talking on the phone or doing some other chore in another room. Fires caused by this was the # 1 cause of house fires in the United States. (when this book was written)~

~DON'T use a towel for a pot holder, it may touch a hot burner and catch fire.~

~DON'T wear clothes with long drooping sleeves when cooking for the same reason.~

~And DON'T let pot handles hang out over the stove where your child could reach up and tip the hot liquids and food over them selves. ~Have a fire safe Thanksgiving.~

~Christmas tree lights and other decorations set the theme for the Christmas Holidays and here are some very important points to remember when using them:~

~Use only lights that have been tested for safty by the U/L lable of the Underwriters Laboratories. Check each set of lights for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires and loose connections.~

~Use no more than three sets of lights per single extention.(large bulbs) Do not use inside lights outside.~

~Always turn off the lights and decorations on the tree when you go to bed or leave the house. A short circuit in any of these could cause a fire.~

~Never use light on metallic trees. Damaged insulation in lighting could cause the entire tree to be charged with electricity. To aviod this danger use colored spotlights.~

~The opening of Christmas gifts is always a special time during the holidays. Always dispose of wrappings immediately after opening. Place trash in a metal container, DON'T burn wrappings and boxes in the fireplace, they may cause a chimney or roof fire.~

~A smoke detector is an ideal gift for your loved ones, it will detect unseen products of combustion and smoke before they can take a life in a fire, truly a "Gift of Life" but be sure to read the instructions on placement and use. Have a fire safe Christmas.~

~It is estimated that there are 3,000 to 5,000 deaths and 150,000 to 250,000 injuries annually in the Unites States that are associated with clothing and other flammable fabrics. Burn injuries associated with the ignition of clothing and other fabrics are, in most cases, more severe, more costly, and more often fatal than other caused injuries.~

~Older readers may recall the infamous "torch sweaters" which brought about the Flammable Fabrics Act of 1953 by the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, those sweaters were so flammable a person one did not stand a chance aginst fire. Since that date they have been working hard to prevent burn injuries from other flammable fabrics such as children's sleepware (I worked on this committee with former Washinhton State Senator, Warren G. Magnuson), plastics, carpets, and stardards for mattresses and overstuffed furniture.~

~Some cloth will burn more readily than others, some will melt and cling to the skin and others will not burn at all:~

~Tighly woven, heavy fabrics (such as denim used in jeans) will ignite and burn more slowly than sheer, lightweight and loosely woven fabrics (such as cotton broadcloth used in shirts).~

~Napped fabrics (such as cotton flannel) with air spaces between the loose fibers will ignite much faster than smooth surfaced material (such as denim).~

~A fluffy high pile fabric (such as some sweaters) will ignite and burn faster than close knit, low pile fabrics (such as most pants).~

~Close fitting garments are less lickly to ignite than loose fitting garments (such as robes, housecoats, blouses, shifts, and nightgowns with bell-type sleeves, ruffles, and trims) Didn't think I knew all these names did you ladies? :-) ~

~Typically, fabrics made from untreated cotton and rayon ignite and spread fire rapidly. This may result in large area burns on the victim. Fabrics made from synthetics, such as nylon and polyester, do not burn or spread the flames rapidly. However, they tend to melt and stick to the skin, often causing deep localized burns.~

~IN THE KITCHEN~

~Keep young children from climbing on top of the stove and igniting their clothing from lit burners. Take the "goodies" such as cookies and candy, out of the cupboards above the stove where you put them so they could not reach them, and put them under the kitchen sink, and teach them not to go in there, at the same time take the poisons (deturgents, waxes, lye and polishes) from under the kitchen sink, and place them in the cupboards in a high place.~

~Don't try to keep warm by leaning against the stove because your clothing may ignite. Even an electric stove that has been turned off can ignite clothing if the burners are hot enought.~

~Don't cook wearing loose fitting or fluffy sleves that could ignite as you reach across lit burners to operate control knobs or reach for pans.~

~Don't use a towel or sleeve as a hot pan holder, as they could touch a burner and ignite.~

~More males are reported burned than females. Male victims outnumber females in age groups 1 thru 4 years old and 10 thru 64 years old. Among persons burned 65 years and older and infants below one year of age, female victims are encountered more often. Among the various age groups, 5 to 9 year olds account for the largest number of victims.~

~PHYSICAL HANDICAPS~

~In burn injuries in the age group over 55 years old, 25% to 50% of the victims have physical handicaps. The presents of these handicaps have made common, everyday tasks, such as lighting a cigarette or using a cooking stove, sufficiently more difficult as to increase the probility of fabric ignition. A second effect of physical handicaps would be in limiting the victims ability to respond promply and effectively once fabric ignition has occured. This may range from total limitation of a bed-ridden invalid to the few additional seconds a partially handicaped person requires to remove a bathrobe or to combat the flames of burning bedclothes. In either case, the risk of serious injury is increased among the handicaped.~

~Be aware that elderly and handicaped people often drop matches, and lighters on themselves while lighting a cigarette, or the lighted cigarette and ignite their clothing.~

~The third effect of a physical handicap is the tendency toward a more adverse consequence to the victim once a burn injury has been suffered. Deaths from their burn injuries are four times as great for the physicaly handicaped. Part of this is due to the effect of age and the lack of abilty of older people to tolerate the acute and long term effects of burn injuries.~

~Two important variables with respect to victim activity are the victim's age and sex. It can be seen, for example, that cooking accidents involve females nearly four times as often as males and that females outnumber males in every age group. Playing with matches and playing near open fire are seen as problems primarily involving children under the age of 10, with boys accounting for three fifths of the playing with matches accidents and young girls involved slightly more often than boys in accidents classified as playing near open flames.~

~Activities of burning leaves or trash, tending other open fires, and cleaning with flammable liquids appear as problems in which approximately 80% of the victims are males. Immaturity and lack of experience appear to contribute to the fact that in all three of these activities categories, males under age 20 account for 30% to just over 40% of the cases.~

~Activities associated with smoking materials occur more generally through out the adult age group, with males involved slightly more often than females. Persons over 65 account for more than 25% of the reported accidents in this category, with females showing greater involvement for smoking and falling asleep while smoking.~

~It can be seen that playing with matches accounts for nearly 40% of the fabric ignition accidents involving children in age group 0-9 years old, with boys involved more often than girls.~

~More than 85% of cooking accidents and more than 90% of playing with matches accidents occur in the morning and afternoon hours. Accidents related to the use of smoking materials are rather uniformly distributed by time.~

~TYPE OF FABRICS INVOLVED~

~Among children ages 0 to 9 years old, sleepwear is reported to be involved more often than any other type of garmet, although sleepwear accounts for fewer that half of the accidents in this age group. Shirts and blouses are the most frequently implicated fabric items in all other age groups, with the exception of females over 75 years old, where housecoats and robes are most often reported as the fabric item involved. Shirts worn by males account for most of their injuries.~

~It can be seen that clothing fires do happen and there are many victims, most often the very young and elderly. We must help them help themselves by watching their activities. Children will continue to "play with matches", not only the "bad" child like so many parents think, but all children, boys as well as girls.~