Fire Safety, Fire Hazard Rating returns to - HIGH - June 6, 2016

Our local fire hazard rating is at  HIGH.  As we move deeper into another fire season  please exercise an elevated level of alertness and preparedness.  Some food for thought.  Are there any combustibles (grass, duff, oily dirt, other debris, etc.) within say 10 ft. of your water pump or generator exhaust? Is there a fire extinguisher of some sort and a hand tool or two within plain view of your pump or generator?  Keep in mind that someone other than yourself may be the first to see or smell smoke from around these engines so the tools to fight fire need to be placed in an obvious location in the immediate area.  Early detection provides us with our best chance to successfully deal with fire however if your initial attack isn't immediate, that is within seconds a minor fire may increase beyond the individuals ability to successfully extinguish.  Further to this keep in mind that the fire hazard rating is a measurement to inform us what the difficulty in managing a fire may be.  High means Highly difficult to manage and Extreme means Extremely difficult to manage. This doesn't mean we just have to work harder it means all resources need to be increased.   I know that most Lasquetians recognize our vulnerability and as a result are fire aware.    If you detect a fire alert the fire department even if you think you have successfully put it out.  When you report a fire that you think is out just start by saying that you think the fire is out when the department contacts you for details. 

Ross