Summer Fire Safety Tips From The Marlboro Fire Prevention Bureau

Marlboro and Morganville volunteer firefighters, EMS and police are busy enough as it is. Busting people for illegal fireworks displays and responding to open burning in backyards are not things they want to add to their lists.

So John Borden of Marlboro Township Fire Prevention has a few tips for residents, to keep them safe and keep the emergencies to a minimum

• Be Aware of the weather. The state of New Jersey often issues bans on any burning in the state, due to dry foliage and drought. Before burning anything, including in legal venues, check the state website and make sure the day isn't a Class 5 day, which prohibits burning of any kind.
• Possessing, buying and using fireworks in New Jersey is illegal. According to the Nation Fire Protections Association, fireworks have been the leading cause of injuries serious enough to require hospital emergency room treatment.
  Borden said people don't consider airplanes or helicopters flying above their homes, or the fact that local residents really are amateurs when it comes to lighting displays.
  "Every year we bust people for it, every year it keeps us too busy," Borden said.
• Using Propane. Keep propane grills, and all grills, away from the house before lighting the grill. In Marlboro Township, no grilling is allowed at condos or townhouses.
• Bonfires. Open burning is prohibited in New Jersey. Manufactured fire pits with screens are not considered open burning, but residents should keep the pits off of the deck and away from open woods, remaining aware of embers escaping from the pit.
• Chiminea. Borden said chimineas are not tested by the manufacturer, so residents need to be careful when burning them. Some of the ovens have hairline fractures, and can crumble after heating to a certain temperature. The area under a chiminea should be clear, never place it near a house or on a deck, and be aware when backyards are surrounded by brush and wooded areas.

For more information about Marlboro fire prevention and local fire code, visit the township website fire prevention page or call 732-536-0200 x1802.