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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 2017)
vernonia rural fire protection district december21 2017 19 Vernonia Rural Fire Protection District Chimney Fires It’s that time of year again where everyone with a fireplace or wood burn- ing stove is heating their homes during our colder winter months. While there are few things more enjoyable than sit- ting near a nice crackling fire in your fireplace, or sitting near that nice warm wood burning stove, there is a hidden danger slowly building up in your chim- ney called, “creosote.” Over time the smoke created by your fire builds up a sticky tar-like substance. Creosote builds up faster in chimneys that are used with wood stoves designed to get the most heat out of the wood that you are burning. Damping down the air supply, causing the wood to burn more slowly, causes more smoke and unburnt particulates to flow up through your chimney. Most chimney fires occur when you first get your wood burning stove going with a hot fire. The increase in temperature ignites the buildup of creo- sote on the lining of your chimney. But they can occur with little to no warning. It’s important to always monitor your heating system for any signs that might indicate that you have a problem. Creosote burns at an extremely high temperature, and your chimney, which was designed to carry the smoke out of your home, is now on fire, spew- ing smoke, ash, and in most cases, sparks and even flames out of the top of your chimney. These sparks and burning em- bers can fall on your rooftop and ignite your roofing material. It’s important to clean your chimney on a regular basis. If you are unsure how or unable to clean your chimney, there are reputable companies that you can call for assistance. For more information on how to clean your chim- ney, you can find information on the in- ternet. (See end of article.) Well-designed chimneys have been built with this possibility in mind. Even so, chimney fires can burn at ex- treme temperatures which can cause se- vere damage to your chimney system. If your chimney system fails, the extreme heat can cause combustible materi- als near it to ignite. Some signs of chimney fires in- clude: • Loud cracking popping noise • A lot of dense smoke that can puff in and out of the air inlets on your wood stove • An intense hot smell • A loud rumbling noise coming from the area of your chimney In the event that you suspect that you might have a chimney fire, have someone call 911 right away. Next, us- ing a chimney fire extinguisher, which can be purchased at most home improve- ment stores, will help to extinguish the fire. Follow the directions provided with the chimney fire extinguisher. Whether you use a chimney fire extinguisher or not, the next step you should take is to close the air vents and damper on your stovepipe leading to your chimney. Alert everyone in your home that it might be necessary to evac- uate and wait for fire personnel to arrive. Safe Driving VRFPD Seeks Recently we had a couple of New Public trees come down, taking powerlines with them, on Nehalem High- Information Officer down way south of Vernonia. VRFPD’s Fire VRFPD is seeking a replacement for their current Public Information Officer. If you are looking for a way to volunteer some time to the fire department without having to go through a lot of training, this just might be the opportunity you’ve been looking for. For details about the position please contact Chief Smith at (503) 429-8252. Personal Generator Usage This time of year we all worry about unexpected power outages that can be caused by high winds, heavy snowfall or ice storms, or accidents that knock down power poles and lines. Those of us who have personal generators to supply our homes with electricity need to follow some important safety guidelines for everyone in your neighborhood, and the linemen who work for West Oregon Electric. Remember that when you connect your generator to power your home, you need to disconnect the main circuit breaker in your breaker box. This prevents the power that you are supplying to your home from back Chief responded to assess the situa- tion, and found that the southbound lanes of 47 were obstructed by the downed trees. In the process of assessing the situation, and warning traffic in both directions concerning the obstruction that blocked the southbound lanes, an impatient driver traveling south, drove around the Fire Department’s feeding down the power lines that lead away from your home. When the electrical current back feeds down the lines away from your home, unsuspecting linemen are at risk of being electrocuted from your generator. Remember that when you power up, “DISCONNECT” from the grid to protect those around you. If you have questions on the proper way to do this, please contact someone from West Oregon Electric for more information, or a qualified electrician. Now keep those Christmas lights blinking and have a Merry Christmas! emergency vehicle into oncoming traf- fic, nearly causing a head on collision. Please, anytime you approach an emergency vehicle with its emer- gency lights flashing in either lane, ODOT vehicles with yellow warning lights, or any other construction type vehicle stopped with flashing lights, slow down or stop until you are direct- ed to pass or can reasonably ascertain that it is safe to do so. Being impatient and inconsiderate of other drivers on our roadways will eventually result in In the event that you have a chimney fire, you should have the chim- ney inspected by a qualified chimney ex- pert before using your chimney again. There are numerous websites on the internet where you can learn more about the causes of chimney fires and steps that you can take to minimize your chances of having one. Here is just one website where you can go for more in- formation. http://www.csia.org/home- owner-resources/the_facts_about_chim- ney_fires.aspx. a serious if not fatal traffic accident. Failure to obey lane closures and traffic control devices or traffic control personnel could, in addition to causing an accident, result in a Mov- ing Violation Citation from Law En- forcement. Lane closures are neces- sary from time to time, and they will be kept to a minimum as conditions allow. Please be patient and cooper- ate with personnel who are working to open the lanes of traffic as quickly as they can. VOLUNTEERS WANTED VERNONIA RURAL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT VRFPD is currently accepting applications for Volunteer Fire Fighters. • You must have a High School Diploma or G.E.D., a valid Oregon Driver’s License, and be at least 18 years of age. • Currently, you must be able to attend weekly training on Monday nights Calls responded to November 1-30 Fire Emergency Medical Service Hazardous Condition Service Call Good Intent Severe Weather & Natural Disaster Special Incident No Emergency Found False Alarm Total 1 29 2 6 1 0 0 0 2 41 Here’s What We Do! • Willing to attend the Fire Academy VRFPD • Live or work (employer willing to let you respond to calls) within VRFPD’s District 555 E. Bridge St. Vernonia, OR 97064 503-429-8252 • Applications can be picked up at the Fire Station. VRFPD FIRE CHIEF Earl Dean Smith dc4502@yahoo.com 503-709-8821 (cell) 503-429-8252 (office) VRFPD P.I.O. Robert Schattschneider pio.vrfpd@gmail.com 971-225-8332 (cell) 503-429-8252 (office)
