Watertown Fire Department's blog

By now, the tragic news of the Saturday morning fatal fire in Lexington that took the life of 48 year old Gena Brown has spread.  Ms. Brown, the mother of two young daughters, was trapped in her family home as fire rapidly spread through it.  Prior to succumbing, Ms. Brown was able to alert her daughters who crawled to safety through a 2nd story window and alerted neighbors who summoned the Lexington Fire Department.  The early morning fire that raced through the family’s single family home is believed to have resulted from a build up of lint in the exhaust vent of an electric clothes dryer.      According to the Massachusetts State Fire Marshal, during 2007 in Massachusetts alone, there were 117 clothes dryer fires that caused two civilian injuries, two firefighter injuries, and an estimated dollar loss of $641,032. More than 60% occurred in 1 & 2 family homes.  National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) statistics for the year 2005 indicate that nationally, there were 14,500 reported non-confined home structure fires involving clothes dryers or washing machines.  In these fires, the leading cause was failure to properly clean the appliance.  Please take the following steps offered by the NFPA to help prevent theses types of fires: 

• Never operate a dryer without a lint trap and always clean the filter and remove accumulated lint from around the drum before or after each use.
• Make sure the dryer is plugged into an outlet suitable for its electrical needs; overloaded electrical outlets can result in fire.
• Turn the dryer off if you leave your home, never allow a dryer to operate unattended.
• Keep the dryer area clear of combustibles, i.e. boxes, paper or clothing.
• Dryers should always be installed and serviced by a professional.
• Have gas connections regularly inspected by a professional to ensure gas lines are intact.

                              Thank you for helping spread the word on fire safety.

This is a letter that can save lives in Watertown.

The simple yet powerful acts of changing the batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors when you change the clock back on Sunday, November 4 can double a family’s chances of getting out of a home fire alive.

As a nineteen year veteran of the fire service, I have witnessed first hand the tragedy and devastation of home fires. It is even more heartbreaking when a young life is lost. On average, nearly three children die each day in home fires. Overall, roughly 80 percent of home fire deaths in this country occur in homes without working smoke alarms.

Considering that residential fire deaths peak in winter months, it makes sense to change your smoke alarm batteries every fall.

We at the Watertown Fire Department hope you’ll join the International Association of Fire Chiefs and Energizer-20 year partners in the successful Change Your Clock Change Your Battery program-in spreading this life saving message.

Thank you,
Chief Mario Orangio

The Watertown Fire Department and the State Fire Marshal's Office ask you to "Be Smart...Leave the Fireworks to the Professionals."

In the past ten years there have been 615 major fire and explosion incidents reported in Massachusetts that resulted in 15 civilian injuries, 8 fire service injuries and an estimated dollar loss of $1,478,026. The posession and use of all fireworks by private citizens is illegal in Massachusetts. This includes Class "C" fireworks such as sparklers, party poppers, snappers, firecrackers, spinners and cherry bombs to name a few. Do not purchase fireworks through mail-order or on-line catalogues.

Set a good example for your children, they often imitate what they see adults do, if you use illegal fireworks you could be encouraging this behavior in your children. To enjoy fireworks safely, attend one of the many professionally supervised displays held throughout the state. For a list of these displays, stop by our Fire Prevention Bureau at 99 Main Street, check the Department's page on the Town's web site or click on the following link:

http://www.mass.gov/Eeops/docs//dfs/news/events/june_14_list.pdf

Have a happy and safe holiday.

In the aftermath of the stunning line of duty loss of nine firefighters from the Charleston, South Carolina Fire Department, the City of Charleston is holding a memorial service at 10:00 a.m. on Friday June 22, 2007. In honor of the memory of the tragic loss of these heroic firefighters, the State Fire Marshal, the Fire Chief’s Association of Massachusetts and the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts have asked that all fire departments in the state conduct a ceremony at the same time the SC memorial begins. The Watertown Fire Department will be conducting a ceremony beginning at 09:45 a.m. to honor these brave firefighters. Please feel free to attend the service, a book of condolences will be available for anyone wishing to send a note, the book will be sent directly to the Charleston Fire Department. The International Association of Fire Chiefs has also provided the following information:
For those who wish to send a card or flowers:

City of Charleston Fire Department
"In Memory of the CFD 9 Firefighters"
46-1/2 Wentworth Street
Charleston, SC 29401

For those that wish to send donations, please send them to:
The City of Charleston Firemen's Fund
P.O. Box 304
Charleston, SC, 29402
Donations may also be made at any BankAmerica branch throughout the U.S.

Please honor the passing of these brave firefighters by keeping them, their families, the City of Charleston and the Charleston Fire Departments in your thoughts and prayers.