The Scoop - October 10, 2016
Posted by Heather Rutz on Oct 13, 2016
Fire damage and fatalities can be reduced with prevention and practice.
Practice and prepare now, Bath Township Fire Chief Joe Kitchen said Monday, so you’re ready in the unfortunate event a fire happens in your home or workplace.
Kitchen, speaking during National Fire Prevention Week, said the annual awareness time has a long history that began in 1911, the 40th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire. Since then, prevention measures – from checking smoke detectors to school children holding fire drills – have helped save thousands of lives.
While the public generally thinks of firefighters in emergency situations, much of their day-to-day jobs focus on fire prevention, especially in fire safety code enforcement, Kitchen said.
Fire safety code, and its enforcement, exists because of “bad things happening in the past,” Kitchen said, pointing to things such as occupancy limits, sprinkler systems, clear exits, and exit signs.
But Kitchen’s aim is safety, he said, not burdening business. While he and his officers have found many violations during his time as chief, he has not sent a single violation to the state Fire Marshall. Instead, he works with business owners to correct the situation, he said.
With the many improvements made over time in the United States, about 3,000 civilians die every year in fires, Kitchen said. That number has remained steady for 40 to 50 years.
“It upsets me that people seem to accept that,” Kitchen said.
Kitchen also tested the group’s knowledge of fire prevention with a quiz on best practices, such as when to replace smoke alarms and practicing home escape routes.
In other business Monday:
• Drew Fields presented a $900 check from Rottery proceeds to Beth Seibert, representing the Ottawa River Coalition.
• Tracie Sanchez continues to need volunteers for the Blood Clinic Nov. 5. This year, applied health care students at Apollo Career Center will be training with professionals from Lima Memorial Health System that day.
• President David Frost will be attending the second annual Lake Erie watershed conference Oct. 28 in Toledo.
Kitchen, speaking during National Fire Prevention Week, said the annual awareness time has a long history that began in 1911, the 40th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire. Since then, prevention measures – from checking smoke detectors to school children holding fire drills – have helped save thousands of lives.
While the public generally thinks of firefighters in emergency situations, much of their day-to-day jobs focus on fire prevention, especially in fire safety code enforcement, Kitchen said.
Fire safety code, and its enforcement, exists because of “bad things happening in the past,” Kitchen said, pointing to things such as occupancy limits, sprinkler systems, clear exits, and exit signs.
But Kitchen’s aim is safety, he said, not burdening business. While he and his officers have found many violations during his time as chief, he has not sent a single violation to the state Fire Marshall. Instead, he works with business owners to correct the situation, he said.
With the many improvements made over time in the United States, about 3,000 civilians die every year in fires, Kitchen said. That number has remained steady for 40 to 50 years.
“It upsets me that people seem to accept that,” Kitchen said.
Kitchen also tested the group’s knowledge of fire prevention with a quiz on best practices, such as when to replace smoke alarms and practicing home escape routes.
In other business Monday:
• Drew Fields presented a $900 check from Rottery proceeds to Beth Seibert, representing the Ottawa River Coalition.
• Tracie Sanchez continues to need volunteers for the Blood Clinic Nov. 5. This year, applied health care students at Apollo Career Center will be training with professionals from Lima Memorial Health System that day.
• President David Frost will be attending the second annual Lake Erie watershed conference Oct. 28 in Toledo.
