October is Fire Prevention Month but it’s important your family is prepared and stays safe all year long! The Keeping Michigan S.A.F.E.™ Installation Program has created a list of area smoke alarm and/or carbon monoxide alarm installation programs across West Michigan. Check it out below!
Allegan County:
- Dorr Township Fire Department – 616-681-9874
- Fennville Area Fire Department – 269-561-2148
- Ganges Township Fire Department – 269-227-3806
- Graafschap Fire and Rescue – 616-396-4060
- Salem Township Fire – 616-292-7789
- Saugatuck Township Fire District – 269-857-3000
- Wayland Fire Department – 269-779-2999
Barry County:
- Yankee Springs Fire Department – 269-779-299
Branch County
- Bronson Fire Department – 517-369-6475 – [email protected]
- Coldwater Fire Department – 517-278-4177
Calhoun County:
- Battle Creek Fire Department – 269-966-3519
- Marengo Township Fire Department – 269-781-8422
Eaton County:
- Bellevue Community Fire Department – 517-719-0861 – [email protected]
- Charlotte Fire Department – 517-543-0241 – [email protected]
- Olivet Fire Department – 517-588-9440 – [email protected]
Kalamazoo County:
- American Red Cross – 269-353-6180
- Kalamazoo Township Fire Department – 269-888-2171 – [email protected]
- Portage Department of Public Safety – Fire Division – 269-329-4487
Kent County:
- American Red Cross – 616-456-8661
- Byron Township Fire Department – 616-878-9174 – [email protected]
- Cutlerville Fire Department – 616-455-7670
- Dutton Fire Department – 616-541-0119
- Grand Rapids Fire Department – 616-456-3966
- Kent City Fire Department – 616-678-4330 – [email protected]
- Kentwood Fire Department – 616-554-0800
- Lowell Area Fire Department – 616-897-7354 – [email protected]
- Walker Fire Department – 616-791-6840
- Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan (must live in Grand Rapids, Kentwood, or Wyoming and have a resident child 14 years of age or younger. Both tenants and owners are eligible) – 616-241-3300 or email [email protected].
Montcalm County:
- Home Township Fire Department (Edmore) – 989-427-3211
Muskegon County:
- Blue Lake Township Fire Department – 231-288-9220
- Casnovia Township Fire Department – 231-834-7066
- Dalton Township Fire Department – 231-766-3277
- Egelston Fire Department – 231-788-2254
- Fruitport Township Fire Department – 231-773-9312
- Holton Township Fire Department – 231-343-6861
- Montague Fire District Authority – 231-893-3311
- Moorland Township Fire Department – 231-769-9402
- Muskegon Charter Township Fire Department – 231-773-4316
- Muskegon Heights Fire Department – 231-733-8893
- Muskegon City Fire Department – 231-724-6795
- North Muskegon Fire Department – 231-744-1766
- Norton Shores Fire Department – 231-799-6809 – [email protected]
- Ravenna Fire Department – 231-638-1142
- White Lake Fire Authority – 231-893-6503
Newaygo County:
- Newaygo Fire Department – 231-519-0494 – [email protected]
Oceana County:
- Walkerville Area Fire & Rescue – 231-742-1656 – [email protected]
Ottawa County:
- Allendale Fire Department – 616-895-6295, ext. 30
- Coopersville/Polkton Fire Rescue – 231-638-1444 – [email protected]
- Crockery Township Fire Department – 616-837-6700 (fire station) or 616-837-6868 (township hall)
- Grand Haven Department of Public Safety – 616-842-3460 [email protected]
- Spring Lake Fire Department – 616-215-1590
St. Joseph County:
- White Pigeon Township Fire Department – 269-483-9414
Van Buren County:
- Bangor Community Fire Department – 269-427-8980 – [email protected]
For more information on fire safety or to find a smoke alarm installation program near your community, call toll free 1-844-978-4400 or email [email protected].
E.S.C.A.P.E. Inc., an award-winning fire safety organization is teaming up with AARP Michigan, WOTV 4 Women, the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®), First Alert®, the National Volunteer Fire Council and the Michigan fire service for Fire Prevention Week 2020. This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme is Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen!™ The campaign runs from October 4-10 and works to educate everyone about simple but important actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe.
According to NFPA, cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries in the United States. Almost half (44%) of reported home fires started in the kitchen. Two-thirds (66%) of home cooking fires start with the ignition of food or other cooking materials. “Cooking fires are preventable,” said Firefighter Michael McLeieer, president and founder of the non-profit charity E.S.C.A.P.E. “It’s important that people stay in the kitchen when they are cooking, use a timer as a reminder when the food is done and avoid distractions such as electronics or televisions. These are some of the important steps everyone can take to keep families safe in their homes,” according to McLeieer.
A cooking fire can grow quickly. Each year many homes are damaged and people are injured by fires that could easily have been prevented.
E.S.C.A.P.E. Inc. and AARP Michigan offer this recipe for Fire-Safe Cooking.
- Keep an eye on what you fry. Never leave cooking food unattended. Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling or broiling. If you have to leave, even for a short time, turn off the stove.
- Stand by your pan. If you are simmering, baking, roasting or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking and use a timer to remind you that you’re cooking.
- You have to be alert and awake when cooking. Alcohol and some drugs can make you sleepy.
- Always keep an oven mitt and pan lid nearby when you’re cooking. If a small grease fire starts, slide the lid over the pan to smother the flames. Turn off the burner and leave the pan covered until it is completely cool.
- Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove so no one can bump them or pull them over.
- Have a “kid-free and pet-free zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.
To learn more about Fire Prevention Week programs and activities Where You Live, please contact your local fire department. For more information about cooking fire prevention, visit www.nfpa.org/fpw or www.escapeinc.org.
Interview with E.S.C.A.P.E. Inc. president Lt. Michael McLeieer Monday September 29, 2020 at 8:50 a.m. on WKZO AM 590 or FM 106.9.
As the temperatures cool down outside, you may want to start a fire in the fireplace or turn on the furnace to stay warm, but is your chimney ready to handle the heat?
National Chimney Safety Week 2020 is September 27 – October 3 and is designed to educate homeowners on the inherent dangers of fireplaces and provide them with tips to reduce their risk of suffering a chimney fire or carbon monoxide-related health emergency.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC), an average of 17,600 chimney fires occurred annually in the United States between 2015 and 2017, and although this represents a significant drop from previous years, the Chimney Safety Institute of America believes there’s still much room for improvement. CSIA’s vision is that every family enjoys a safe, warm home.
The Facts About Chimney Fires
Your chimney–and the flue that lines it–adds architectural interest to your home, but its’ real function is to carry dangerous flue gases from your fireplace, wood stove or furnace safely out of your home. As you relax in front of your fireplace or bask in the warmth of your wood stove, the last thing you are likely to be thinking about is the condition of your chimney. However, if you don’t give some thought to it before you light those winter fires, your enjoyment may be very short-lived.
Why?
Dirty chimneys can cause chimney fires, which damage structures, destroy homes and injure or kill people. Indications of a chimney fire have been described as creating: loud cracking and popping noise a lot of dense smoke, and an intense, hot smell Chimney fires can burn explosively – noisy and dramatic enough to be detected by neighbors or people passing by. Flames or dense smoke may shoot from the top of the chimney. Homeowners report being startled by a low rumbling sound that reminds them of a freight train or a low flying airplane. However, those are only the chimney fires you know about.
Chimney fires are preventable. When burning wood, only use dry, seasoned wood.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends chimneys be inspected annually and cleaned as-needed. Having your chimney inspected by a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep before lighting your first fire of the season, is the number one way to prevent potential damage to your home or even the loss of life that may result from a damaged or blocked chimney.
E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety reminds you with more than 1,800 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps located across the United States, it has never been easier to find one near you. To locate your nearest CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep, visit www.csia.org/search and enter your zip code into the locator search tool.
Now that the end of summer is near, here are some tips for safely storing your charcoal.
As summertime is coming to an end, what do you do with your leftover charcoal? If charcoal is not properly stored, it may not light the next time you want to use it.
What is charcoal?
Charcoal is a source of fuel used to cook or grill food. The most common type many use for outdoor cooking is the charcoal briquette. Wood-by-products such as sawdust are compressed to form charcoal. The charcoal contains additives used during the making process. These additives help to ignite the charcoal and make it burn easier.
Does charcoal go bad?
It is not easy for charcoal to go bad unless you fail to store it properly. For example, charcoal briquettes and water do not go together. Leaving charcoal out in the rain or even outside and exposed to fog, high humidity or dew means the briquettes will not light efficiently if at all. To avoid this, always store your briquettes in a cool, dry place. Just grab that bag and bring it back into the garage with you, or roll the top of the bag shut and place it in an empty metal trash can with the lid on it to protect the contents from the elements. A metal container with a lid is fireproof and a safer choice than a plastic container which is more porous and can tend to attract moisture much more easily.
Seal the bag
According to Kingsford®, a leading brand of charcoal briquettes, some are treated with lighter fluid to help them get started faster. However, if the bag is torn or left open for long periods of time, the solvent will evaporate. This prevents the briquettes from lighting properly. So to keep them fresh and easy to light the next time you are ready to ready to use them, roll the top of the bag to seal it tightly and store it in a well-ventilated, cool and dry place away from heat sources and open flames.
Shelf life
The shelf life of charcoal is usually listed on the bag (an average or 1 – 2 years if stored properly, the bag is unopened, free of tears or tightly sealed). Store the charcoal container out of direct sunlight and in an area that is cool but not wet. If you store charcoal in the basement, make sure you use a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture from the air.
Disposal of hot coals
Never place hot coals in a plastic garbage can or a can full of trash inside your garage or next to your home. Charcoal burns at approximately 500 degrees Fahrenheit and the ashes can retain their heat for up to 48 hours. Always let your ashes cool for a full 48 hours before handling them. When the ashes have completely cooled, go ahead and wrap them in aluminum foil and throw them in the garbage can. Wrapping the ashes in aluminum foil is necessary because it prevents the ashes from potentially melting your plastic trash can or mixing with other trash that might cause a fire or explosion.
Safety first
Unattended cooking is the number one cause of home fires, so equip your kitchen and grilling area with a fire extinguisher or the EZ Fire Spray from First Alert® to be prepared! The EZ Fire Spray’s small size is ideal to use and is smaller than a traditional fire extinguisher. It discharges four times longer than a regular fire extinguisher, making it effective against common household fires including grilling and grease fires. The portable size and aerosol spray nozzle makes using it fast and simple for use on incipient-stage fires at home, on boats, RVs, near the grill, and while traveling. The biodegradable formula is easy to clean up by simply wiping with a damp cloth so you don’t have to worry about making a mess. In case of a fire, always make sure occupants evacuate the building and have someone call 911 before using a fire extinguisher. For more tips on how and when to use a fire extinguisher, visit the United States Fire Administration’s website.
September 2, 2020
E.S.C.A.P.E. Inc.(SM), an award-winning non-profit fire safety organization headquartered in Kalamazoo has formed an exclusive partnership with First Alert® with the goal of eliminating home fire deaths across Michigan through the new campaign called “Keeping Michigan S.A.F.E.” (Smoke Alarms For Everyone).
First Alert is the most trusted and recognized fire safety brand in America. For more than 60 years, First Alert has designed and developed innovative safety solutions including a comprehensive line of smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers and escape ladders to protect what matters most.
“For over a decade, Michigan continues to lead the country in civilian fire deaths. This exclusive partnership will allow us to provide the resources and education that firefighters throughout Michigan are able to utilize in their local communities and reverse this deadly trend,” according to firefighter Michael McLeieer, president and founder of E.S.C.A.P.E. Inc. and immediate past president of the Michigan State Firemen’s Association.
We are proud to partner with these leading fire service organization as we work together “Keeping Michigan S.A.F.E.tm” – The Michigan Association of Fire Chiefs, Michigan Mutual Aid Box Alarm System and Michigan State Firemen’s Association.
We are excited to receive additional support for this project from the following partners:
- AARP-Michigan
- Biggby Coffee
- Liberty Mutual Insurance
- Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse
- National Fire Protection Association
- National Volunteer Fire Council
- United States Fire Administration
- Vision 20/20
