Published: July 18, 2008 09:14 pm            

SUMMERTIME: Tips on playing it safe

Firefighters and police have tips for staying out of trouble in warm weather

The summer season means more than just the arrival of tourists to the Falls.

It’s also the time when local residents look to get outdoors and enjoy the warm weather themselves. That means backyard grilling, swimming and riding bikes and motorcycles are front and center in most folks plans.

So both Falls firefighters and police are reminding residents of the dangers they need to be aware so they can have a safe and healthy summer.

“Obviously people are outside and enjoying the nice weather,” Falls Fire Chief William MacKay said. “And they may not always be as careful as they should when dealing with fire.”

In the winter, firefighters are concerned with the potential for problems from indoor heat sources, like auxiliary heaters and the like. In the summer it’s outdoor fires and the potential for those fires to spread to things that burn.

“The big difference is using (open) fire in close proximity to houses, sheds, garages, even underbrush,” MacKay said. “In some cases (people are grilling over fires) in areas no more than a car’s width from another home.”

Both state law and county codes cover what you can and can’t do with outdoor fires. For example, bonfires, campfires and firepits are closely regulated activities.

“You can’t have a (bonfire, campfire) without a permit,” MacKay said. “We do occasionally issue permits, but when we do there is fire apparatus standing by.”

Those fires must also be at least 50 feet away from any structure. That regulation would also apply to the use of a firepit.

While firepits are not illegal in New York, they can not create “objectionable smoke.”

“Most of the time when we order people to extinguish firepits, it’s because someone complained,” the chief said.

The good news is the Niagara County Sanity Code permits “fires in outdoor grills and fireplaces for the purpose of preparing food.” That means you can grill to your heart’s content all summer long.

Still, MacKay says backyard chefs need to pay attention to fire safety.

Summer also brings an increase in traffic from both tourists and locals and Falls police Traffic Captain Salvatore Pino says driving can be as tricky now as it is in the winter.

“Even though driving conditions improve in the summer, accidents can be more severe because people are driving faster,” Pino said. “In fact, our motorcycle accidents, including a fatal crash last Friday, are up a bit from last year.”

Pino’s advice to motorcyclists is get a good quality helmet, take a motorcycle operation class and drive defensively.

The high cost of gas has also lead to more people riding bikes for the summer. Pino said car-bike accidents are also up slightly this summer.

“Bike riders need to stay to the side of the road and always wear a helmet,” Pino said. “In some ways they have to be more careful than motorcyclists because they are harder to see.”

Both MacKay and Pino warned about children playing in the street.

“It’s a roadway, not a park. You have to remember that,” MacKay said.

The fire chief also raised a warning about swimming pool safety.

“Put it in bold letters, children need adult supervision at all times,” he said. “It takes literally seconds for a kid to wander out of sight and get into a pool.”

The chief said everyone should learn to swim and if you have a pool, keep it fenced and don’t leave ladders in it.

“Keep kids under observation at all times,” MacKay said. “Going in to get a glass of ice tea is long enough for something bad to happen.”



GRILLING SAFETY

• Never use gasoline to start a charcoal fire.

• Use charcoal lighter fluid safely and prudently. Adding more fluid on hot coals may ignite the stream of fuel and burn back into the can, causing it to explode.

• Consider using an electrical starter in place of lighter fluid

• Place grills away from structures and combustibles (minimum 15 feet) so they will not tip over or ignite objects above them. One of the biggest dangers with grills is trying to use them on apartment or condominium balconies.

• Never bring a grill into the home. The carbon monoxide produced by burning charcoal is dangerous, and deadly.

• Keep a garden hose or a portable fire extinguisher handy in case of fire in the grill gets out of control

• Keep children and pets away from fires and grills

• Though coals may appear to be cool, always soak them with water. Coals retain enough heat to reignite for days after a fire.

• If your bag of charcoal gets wet, leave it in a well-ventilated area away from the house. During the drying process spontaneous ignition can occur in confined areas.

        

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