The Huron Expositor, 1996-10-09, Page 9•
TN' HURON EXPOSITOR, Octoborr f, 1111111-11
llrthrm ae
*Check these Safety Tips as a reminder
eneral Fire
Prevention
Il, Have a practical
escape plan ready in
case of fire: make
sure every member
of the household is
familiar with this
plan.
2, Place stickers,
provided free by the
fire department, in
windows where
children (or others
41, Avoid throwing
live cigarette butts
in with ignitable
trash, leave ashtrays
to empty in the
morning.
Don't throw
cigarette butts out
your car windows,
as it could cause
bush fires and forest
fires.
Child -Related
Fires
needing help getting IL Keep matches
out) sleep to let fire- and cigarette
fighters know where lighters away from
to look first. children.
3. Have at least $, If children show
one smoke detector fascination with fire,
on every floor of the professional coun-
house; check once a selling may be nec-
month to make sure essary to overcome
the battery is work- the problems which
motivate firesetting.
ing.
H1f 'e at least
one fire extinguisher
in the house; make
sure everyone
knows where it is
and how to use it. .
Smoking
IL Don't smoke in
bed, especially after
drinking alcoholic
beverages.
2, Make it a habit
to check for ciga-
rettes under chair
cushions before
going to bed or any-
time people have
been smoking near
upholstered furni-
ture.
3, Use safety ash-
trays - the type that
cause a lit cigarette
to fall into the ash-
tray, not out of it.
Cooking
Il, Stay close by
and pay attention
when cooking.
Unattended cooking
is one of the most
common causes of
fires.
Clean grease
from the stove and
flue.
3, Keep com-'
bustibles - such as
curtains or drapes,
clothing, packaged
foods and trash -
away from stoves.
Heating
IL Have your fur-
nace or heating sys-
tem checked by a
competent service
company at least
once a year.
2, Take special
care with fireplaces.
Use a spark screen
to prevent sparks
Fire reventiQn e�
October 6 ..
from.
flying, and be
sure the chimney is
unblocked and free
of excessive cre-
osote accumulation.
Fireplace fires are
very common.
L, Keep com-
bustible items away
from all heating
units.
Electrical
Distribution
IL If there is any
sign of electrical
trouble, shut off
power to the circuit
and have it checked
by a good electri-
cian.
2. Check cords
and plugs frequently
for signs of broken
or frayed wires.
DONATION TO MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY - Richard
'Verberne, president of the Seaforth Firefighters Association
and Jim Sills, secretary, recently presented Tracy Simpson
of the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada with a
cheque for $3,811.60 raised at a Labour Day weekend toll
bridge in Seaforth for MD. Since 1988, the Seaforth Fire
Department has raised a total of $34,000 for the annual
charity. Not counting this year, Huron County fire depart-
ments have raised $109,000 since 1988. Seaforth has
raised a significant percentage of that amount. Donations
go to research, education and equipment programs.
Appliances
iLo Don't overload
dryers, and be sure
to remove lint regu-
larly.
2, Check your
appliances at least
once a year to see
that they are clean
functioning proper-
ly, and that insula-
tion has not broken
or cracked.
3, Buy appliances
having Underwriters
Laboratories or
other nationally rec-
ognized testing lab-
oratory approval.
Seaforth Fire
Board supports
coordinator
proposal
The Seaforth Fire Area
Board supports the Huron
County Fire Chiefs
Association's co-ordinator
proposal.
This proposal calls for an
annual budget of $9,100,
with 26 municipalities con-
tributing on an assessment
basis. The co-ordinator
would be paid $5,000 a year,
an alternate would he paid
$1,000, and training and
':xpenses would be budgeted
it $3,100.
Based on their 1996 assess-
ment, Seaforth Fire Area
municipalities would be
required to chip in: Seaforth,
$239.4$; McKillop, $262.42;
Tuckcrsmith, $373.72; and,
Hullett, $277.39.
How to prevent spontaneous combustion in hay
Lives have been Inst and
hay crops destroyed because
of fires caused by sponta-
neous combustion. When the
weather doesn't cooperate
many farmers try to store hay
before it is properly cured. If
the hay crop is put into the
mow above 20-25 per cent
moisture content, sponta-
neous combustion may occur.
A hay crop that is placed
too wet into a mow will
rapidly heat. If the mow is so
large that heat loss is restrict-
ed. the internal temperature
will rise. As the temperature
rises above 130 degrees F (55
degrees Celsius), a chemical
reaction occurs and may sus-
tain itself. This reaction docs
not require oxygen, but the
flammable gases produced
arc at a temperature above
FORTH
IMBING
EATING
-0505
their ignition point. These
gases will ignite when they
come in contact with oxygen.
Check your hay regularly. If
you detect a slight caramel
odour or a distinct musty
smell, chances are your hay
is heating.
What do you do? First of
all, make yourself a simple
probe that can be inserted
into the hay mass to check
the temperature. A probe can
be made from a 10 -foot piece
of electrical tubing. Rivet a
hardwood pointed dowel to
one end and drill six half-
inch diameter holes in thc
tube just above the dowel.
Drive the probe into the hay
mass and lower a candy ther-
mometer on a long string into
the probe. The thermometer
should be Icft for 10 minutes
KIDZ
KLOZES
527-2320
to ensure an accurate reading.
Watch for the following
temperatures:
I50°F (65°C) *Entering
the Danger Zone. Check
temperature daily.
I60°F (71 'C) *Danger!
Measure temperature every
four hours and inspect mow.
l75°F (80°C) *Call the
Fire Department! Wet hay
down and remove from barn.
185°F (85°C) *Hot spots
and pockets may be expect-
ed. Flames will likely devel-
op when heating hay comes
in contact with oxygen.
212°F (100°C) *Critical!
Temperature rise is rapid
above this point. Hay will
almost certainly ignite.
CAUTION: Before enter-
ing the mow, place long
planks on top of the hay. Do
SEAFORTH
INSURANCE
BROKERS LTD.
527-1610
not attempt to walk on thc
hay mass itself. Pockets may
have already burned out
under the hay surface.
Always tic a rope around
your waist and have a second
person on thc other end in a
safe location to pull you out
should the surface of the hay
collapse into a fire pocket.
Take Caution
Extreme caution should he
taken when fighting a hay
fire if hay has been treated
with chemical preservatives.
Hay treated with preserva-
tives containing ethoxyquin
and BHT (hutylated hydroxy -
toluene) will produce hydro-
gen cyanide gas at around
240°F (1 15°C). This gas is
very deadly. Additives con-
taining primarily propionic
acid do not produce hydrogen
WHITNEY RIBEY
FUNERAL HOME
527-1390
cyanide during a tire.
Many farmers sprinkle salt
on hay as it is store, in an
effort to prevent hay fires
However, tests have shown
that salt has no effect on con-
trolling spontaneous combus-
tion. Dry ice, liquid nitrogen
or carbon dioxide gas
pumped into the hay will
help prevent combustion by
eliminating the oxygen from
the hay mass.
Spontaneous combustion is
not an accident. By following
good storage practices, not
only will spontaneous com-
bustion be avoided,but a
higher quality of hay will be
obtained.
* information front Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture, Food
and Rural Affairs.
THE HURON
EXPOSITOR
527-0240
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AUTOMOTIVE
527-0880
CANADIAN
TIRE
527-1350
BOX
FURNITURE
52�T0680
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MERCURY
527-1010
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POOLS &
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EXPOSITOR
527-0240
STEDMANS
V&S
527-1950
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REAL
ESTATE
527-1577
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527-2291
THE TOWN
OF
SEAFORTH
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P.U.C.
Public Utilities
Commisssion
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