INC NEWS - Durham Fire Dept. Stresses Fire Safety During Drought

[Blalock, Amy]

CITY OF DURHAM

Office of Public Affairs

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701

 

 

News Release

 

 

  
 

 

 


For Details, Contact:

Angelica Stroud

Community Relations Coordinator/

Public Information Officer

(919) 560-4233 x 242

(919) 451-7560 (cell)

Angelica.Stroud at durhamnc.gov <mailto:Angelica.Stroud at durhamnc.gov> 

 

Durham Fire Department

 

 

 

For Immediate Release:  March 5, 2008

 

Durham Fire Department Emphasizes Fire Safety Precautions Due To Area's
Extreme Dryness 

 

Durham, N.C. - Before Durham residents toss that next cigarette or throw
out hot charcoal, the City of Durham Fire Department (DFD) wants them to
use common sense and exercise the proper precautions, especially in
light of Durham's extreme dryness thanks to one of North Carolina's
longest-running droughts.

 

DFD officials are warning citizens to use extra caution and not discard
lit cigarettes into any dry areas.  Residents should also be careful not
to discard ashes, charcoal or any heated materials where dry straw, pine
cones, and pine needles are located. 

 

According to DFD Fire Marshal Kenneth Crews, improperly disposing of
heated materials has caused major fire damage before in Durham and the
department doesn't want a repeat performance, especially now when the
entire area is extremely dry due to the drought.  

 

"In April of 1992, the Beech Lake Apartments on University Drive
suffered major fire damage caused by sparklers.  A major contributing
factor was the straw and pine needles around the apartments," Crews
said.  "Therefore, in order to raise awareness of this important safety
issue, we are aggressively stressing precautionary measures in multiple
ways to our citizens.  We need our residents to understand the dangers
of lit cigarettes or other heated materials being thrown down any where
right now, but especially near pine straw, pine cones, and other
combustibles located around homes and buildings.  This type of fire, and
the resulting damage it can cause in deaths, injuries and destruction,
can be so easily avoided with just a few simple precautions."

 

DFD officials will be out in the Durham community providing these safety
reminders at community events and other speaking engagements.  For
additional information or to schedule a presentation, contact Kenneth
Crews, fire marshal for the DFD, at (919) 560-4233, extension 234 or by
e-mail at kenneth.crews at durhamnc.gov.  Residents may also contact Capt.
Angelica Stroud, community relations coordinator and public information
officer with the DFD, at (919) 560-4233, extension 242 or via e-mail at 
angelica.stroud at durhamnc.gov.

 

About the City of Durham Fire Department

The City of Durham Fire Department (DFD) strives to provide a
cost-effective level of service designed to protect and prevent the loss
of life and property to the citizens of Durham from the adverse effects
of fires, medical emergencies and exposure to dangerous conditions
created by either man or nature.  The department offers fire education
and suppression programs; enforces state and city fire codes;
investigates arson and the causes of fires; provides basic training
skills to recruits and in-service personnel and conducts a preventive
fire maintenance program to ensure equipment is dependable and
efficient.  To learn more about the DFD, visit the City's Web site at 
www.durhamnc.gov/departments/fire
<http://www.durhamnc.gov/departments/fire/> .  

 

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