Preventing Fires, Burns Through Education

It's been more than a year since there's been a house fire in Millburn-Short Hills, but Millburn firefighters are still working hard to make sure people prevent fires and burns.

Oct. 4-10 is national Fire Prevention Week, and the Millburn Fire Department is marking the week (and the month) by visiting with the township's school children and holding an open house on Saturday at noon. It's part of their efforts to educate people about fire and burn prevention.

Capt. Thomas Pizzano III, the town's fire marshal, said one of the focuses for this year's fire prevention week is preventing burns, which is kitchen safety like keeping pots turned in on the stove. "There should be a three-foot kid-free zone around the stove," he said.

Parents should also make sure not to hold hot beverages while holding a child and to make sure the water heater is not set above 120 degrees so the bath water isn't too hot.

The Millburn Fire Department has a relationship with the St. Barnabas Burn Center, which is New Jersey's only accredited burn center, and raises money for them each year through different fund-raisers, including Hats Off to Heroes and the aluminum can collection.

Firefighters also bring a donation of stuffed animals from Macy's during the holiday season to the burn unit. One firefighter dresses as Santa Claus for the visit.

If burned, Pizzano said the most important thing to do is run water over it for at least three to five minutes. If the burned area is blistered, charred or bigger than the size of a fist, they should seek medical attention. The St. Barnabas Burn Center is the best place suited to handle burns, he said.

Battalion Chief Ed Wade said the biggest culprits of fire problems in Millburn-Short Hills are unattended cooking and the misuse of electronic devices.

People should never leave a stove unattended, he said. It's important to watch a pot and make sure it doesn't burn or the water boils to the point where it's empty, he said.

Fire officials suspect last fire in Millburn-Short Hills on Hartshorn Drive was caused by a light fixture that caught fire, Wade said. It's important to not leave the lights on when not home, he said, most especially ceiling fixtures.

Pizzano and Wade said people need to make sure they are using the right extension cords for electronic devices and not to overload an outlet. Every electrical cord is rated for a specific use, they said.

It's important for smoke detectors to be in every home, but often they are not working properly, Pizzano said. The batteries should be changed every six months and people should check to make sure they work properly once a week.

The future for residences, though, is sprinklers, which will become a requirement in 2012 for all new home construction, Pizzano said. They are not required for home alterations or renovations yet. "It's an insignificant cost in the grand scheme of the value of your home and family," he said.

If a smoke detector is not working properly, the sprinklers will go off regardless, he said.

Home are also required to have a fire extinguisher per state law, but Pizzano said fire officials prefer people to dial 911 when they have a fire in their home. If not everyone is out of a home when firefighters arrive, it shifts their focus, he said.

Wade said firefighters need to focus on life safety first. If they know everyone is out of the home, it is helpful. If someone is reported missing, firefighters need to focus on finding them, he said. It splits their resources and can be difficult for them, he said.

While its required for all homes to have a fire extinguisher, not everyone is properly trained to use one, he said. Trying to put out the fire with an extinguisher rather than calling 911 first also means the fire could intensify and delays firefighter action, he said.

Pizzano said there was one emergency call for a fire in a stove. The woman tried to extinguish the fire by throwing the extinguisher in the oven. The extinguisher did not blow up, but it made for a dicey affair for the firefighters because they had to deal with a possible explosion, he said.