Oregon Garden Exhibit will show how to protect Home from Wildfire

Satesman Journal

The first full-scale fire-prevention safety house in the nation is blooming at The Oregon Garden.

By July 2011, homeowners living in Oregon's wildland-urban interface, fire officials and home improvement retailers will have a life-sized teaching tool to demonstrate how to make homes less vulnerable to wildfires.

Individuals who are unable to visit the garden in person still will be able to tour the house. "This exhibit will be available nationwide," said Oregon Department of Forestry's Craig Pettinger, project manager. "One of the pieces of the grant is to provide an online virtual tour so people can view it from anywhere."

The project will be funded by a $600,000 Assistance to Firefighters grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The grant will pay for interpretive fire education displays and the production of a video chronicling the project to serve as an instructional tool for homeowners.

An existing 1970s-era home, currently used as the garden's business office, is being developed into the exhibit.

The cost of remodeling the home and landscaping the property will be funded through other grants and donations, said Denny Stoll, Oregon Garden Foundation chairman.

The Oregon Garden Fire Safety House will feature fire-resistant landscaping and building materials on the outside and fire prevention and safety displays on the inside.

Visitors will learn about the top causes of home fires in Oregon, smoke alarms and residential sprinklers.

In 2009, there were more than 2,300 home fires, resulting in an estimated $60 million in property loss, according to Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal's 2009 report.

Nine Oregonians died and 172 were injured in the house fires.

"Safety starts with one home at a time," said State Fire Marshal Randy Simpson, adding that the ultimate goal is to have no fire fatalities in Oregon.

The project is a partnership between The Oregon Garden Foundation, the Oregon Department of Forestry, Oregon State University, Moonstone Garden Management and the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal.

Representatives from the different entities gathered Friday at the garden to talk about the house.

Coincidentally, the ceremony fell at the end of National Fire Prevention Week.

According to Dan Postrel, ODF's agency affairs director, it's estimated that as many as 500,000 to 700,000 lots may be located in Oregon's wildland-urban interface, although not all of the lots are developed.

"Oregon is a beautiful place, and the appeal of living in the woods is strong," Postrel said. "That's why a project like this is so important, so people can come and touch and feel and learn how to make their own surroundings survivable and dependable."

Stoll said he expects the new exhibit to attract regional and national attention.

"The end result of this collaboration will be the fact that working with other entities not related to the garden has opened various avenues for us to reach out to people who we didn't have the ability to reach before," he said.

Wisconsin Fire Dept: New Building Materials Accelerate Fire Damage

Wisconsin State Journal

A Saturday fire that destroyed a $337,000 home on Madison's Far East Side burned rapidly because of lightweight construction that is now the industry standard but increases the risk to occupants and firefighters in a fire, according to the Madison Fire Department.

The fire at 6913 Stockbridge Drive underscores concerns firefighters have with roofs and floors made from lightweight, prefabricated materials, said Madison Fire Lt. Dave Peterson.

"They're good products that cost less, but when fire is touching them, they fail at a much-faster rate than older lumber," he said.

Home builders say the products meet or surpass state building codes and that houses built today are safer than ever before.

When fire crews arrived Saturday, the first floor already was collapsing. Firefighters deemed the house structurally unsafe and fought the fire from the outside.

"When a first floor collapses, we could fall right into the fire with no way to get out," Peterson said.

The home, built in 2004, was a total loss, according to the fire department.

Two occupants who were home escaped unharmed. Smoke alarms had sounded, according to the fire department.

The cause of the fire was under investigation Wednesday. The fire department received the call at 2:53 p.m. and arrived nine minutes later, said Bernadette Galvez, a fire department spokeswoman.

Ideally, crews try to get to fires within four to six minutes, she said. She did not know why it took longer but noted the home is in a newer subdivision on the city's edge.

Almost all new homes in Dane County in the last 15 years have been built using lightweight construction, Peterson said. Floors today generally are made of pieces of wood that are of a smaller dimension than decades ago, with the webbing in between made of glued-together particle board, he said.

The materials can hold the same weight but burn quicker because they are less dense, Peterson said. "We're not looking to get rid of these things or attack the building industry," he said. "We just want to do some things to protect occupants and firefighters."

Firefighters would like to see the state building code changed to require sprinkler systems in single-family homes, said Ed Ruckriegel, city fire marshal. The cost would be about $2,500 for a 2,000-square-foot home, he said.

Barring that change, another option would be to require a drywall enclosure around flooring systems to slow a fire's spread. "Drywall is a huge insulator for fire, and it's a cheap and easy fix," he said.

Ken Bowers, owner of Bowers Construction in Madison, which built the Stockbridge Drive house, said those are "good ideas, but it comes down to affordability and what people are willing to pay." The house was built to code and passed a city of Madison inspection, he said.

Abe Degnan, president of Degnan Design Builders in DeForest and president of the Madison Area Builders Association, said manufactured materials are stronger than solid wood and meet standards for "green" construction. They are constructed out of fast-growing trees planted specifically for that purpose, as opposed to harvesting old-growth forests, he said.

With smoke detectors and products such as fire-rated doors, "there is rarely any loss of life in homes built under modern building codes," Degnan said.

Enjoy The Holidays, But Remember Fire And Carbon Monoxide Safety

Woodlands Online

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas -- Not having a working smoke detector can lead to a holiday tragedy, with increased numbers of fires due to cold weather and seasonal celebrations. On Monday, Dec. 7, at 1:15 PM, Firefighters from the New Caney, Splendora and Porter Fire Departments responded to a fire in a mobile home at The White Oaks Estates Community. Firefighters were able to quickly contain the fire, but not before smoke and heat damaged much of the home and it’s contents.

According to firefighters the cause of the fire was the family's natural Christmas tree. Investigator Roland Morgan determined that the fire started at the tree, which had only been in place a few days.There were no working smoke detectors in the home.

Although these types of fires are not common, they can be deadly under the right conditions. Between 2003-2007, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 250 home fires that started with Christmas trees per year. These fires caused an average of 14 deaths, 26 injuries, and $13.8 million in direct property damage annually. On average, one of every 18 reported fires that began with a Christmas tree resulted in death.

Issaquah Press

As temperatures cool down, homeowners turn their thermostats up and ovens on. Consequently, the risk of carbon monoxide exposure also increases. In fact, from Thanksgiving until just after Christmas, carbon monoxide kills more people than any other time of year.You can’t smell it like natural gas, or see it like smoke. Carbon monoxide is an invisible gas that builds up in your house and can cause dizziness, nausea and even death. Still, nearly one-half of Americans report not having carbon monoxide alarms in their homes, according to a recent survey conducted by BRK brands, maker of First Alert-branded products.

For as little as $25, a carbon monoxide alarm can protect a home and family from potential tragedy. For maximum protection, the Home Safety Council recommends installing carbon monoxide alarms on every level of the home and near each sleeping area.

The following safety products are available:

-Plug-in alarms that use electricity from any standard electrical outlet and have battery back-up start

-Battery-powered devices that provide basic protection

-Combo smoke/carbon monoxide detectors that help to protect from two dangers in the home

-Multi-gas alarms that provide protection from carbon monoxide as well as three explosive gases — natural, propane and methane

The kitchen stove is among the most common sources of carbon monoxide poisoning in the home. Industry experts recommend running kitchen vents or exhaust fans anytime the stove is in use, but especially during the holidays when stoves often are left on for long periods of time. It also is a good idea to open a nearby window periodically when cooking to allow fresh air to circulate.

Homeowners also should arrange for a professional inspection of all fuel-burning appliances (such as furnaces, stoves, fireplaces, clothes dryers, water heaters and space heaters) annually to detect any carbon monoxide leaks.

Tips On Fire Prevention, Mediation

Hudson Hub Times

Hudson Fire Chief Bob Carter recently issued an apology on behalf of firefighters everywhere for the iconic image of a rescue worker pulling a victim from a burning building.

"We've done you a disservice if we've made you think we'll always be there to save you," Carter said at a Woman's Club of Hudson presentation during Fire Prevention Week in October.

"More than half of the people [who die in house fires] die before the fire department is notified."

The ownership is on you, Carter said, to prevent house fires and know how to escape if you ever face one.

Most fires are caused by carelessness or neglect, and therefore can be prevented by being more careful. "Predictable is preventable," Carter said.

Some of the more obvious ways to prevent and prepare for fires is to survey a home for fire hazards and to install and maintain smoke detectors.

Carelessly discarded smoking materials account for many fires, so smokers are advised to be careful when throwing out their cigarettes, cigars and matches.

SOME FIRE departments offer free home services where a firefighter will act as a home inspector and educate residents about fire hazards and how to correct them. Call your local department to see if they offer that service.

While getting educated about predictable fires was appreciated, what about seemingly unpredicable house fires?

I recently experienced an electrical house fire that I didn't see coming. The ceiling fan in my bathroom caught fire, ruining the bathroom and keeping my family out of the house and in a hotel for two months while repairs were being made.

The fire didn't spread very far. But that kind of experience makes you wonder, "How can I stop this from happening again?"

There are some ways to help prevent electrical fires, Carter said.

Make sure all home and kitchen appliances have UL (Underwriters' Laboratories Inc.) labels, or some other label from a testing agency that indicates the product has been tested for safety.

Homeowners also can check the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Web site (CPSC.gov) to check to see if any of their appliances have been recalled.

It is easy to overlook simple everyday kitchen appliances, so be sure to check all of them, including:

• Blenders
• Can Openers
• Coffee Filters & Carafes
• Coffee Grinders
• Coffee/Tea Makers
• Cookware & Gadgets
• Electric Kettles
• Fifth Burners
• Food Choppers
• Griddles
• Hand Blenders
• Hand Mixers
• Hot Pot
• Indoor Grills
• Juicers
• Knives
• Rice Cookers
• Roaster Ovens
• Sandwich Makers
• Skillets
• Slow Cookers
• Toaster Ovens
• Toasters
• Waffle Bakers

It is important to send back registration forms so you can receive recall announcements, Carter told members of the Woman's Club.

Members of the Hudson Fire Department frequently find recalled dehumidifiers or dishwashers when conducting home inspections, he added.

Some home fires are simply accidents that no one could predict. It is important to properly prepare for such emergencies by stocking the home with strategically located fire extinguishers and smoke detectors.

THE GOOD news about my house fire was that everybody got out safely. We called 9-1-1 before the smoke detectors went off and left before any amount of smoke filled the house.

We were waiting on the curb when the fire department arrived, which would have made Chief Carter happy.

However, he would not be happy to know that we had never practiced our escape route.

Residents should rehearse their escape plans, Carter said, and establish a meeting place outside. They should crawl to avoid smoke and make sure they have planned two escape routes from every room.

Some members of the Woman's Club were concerned about establishing a second escape route from a second floor room.

Carter suggested porch roofs could offer an escape path, and shrubs planted under a window could offer a softer spot to jump into. It also is important for residents to understand how to open the windows and possibly use professional fall protection equipment such as safety harnesses.

Chain and rope ladders are other possibilities, but they're not really easy to use, Carter said.

Whatever you pick as your secondary escape plan, make sure to rehearse, he said. The first time a fire forces you to use your escape route shouldn't be the first time you've ever tried it.