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Fired Up for Safety
By Jordan Cohen
WARREN
Donna Cox does NOT own a home fire extinguisher and has never tried to use one. That changed Sunday as the Warren resident underwent her own baptism of fire as she squeezed an extinguisher handle to put out some roaring flames.
Fortunately, the blaze that Cox was able to snuff was confined to an area behind the Central Fire Station. City firefighters set the flames to conduct demonstrations of safe extinguisher operations. Cox was a willing volunteer.
“It’s heavy, and it was hard the first time, but it really does the job,” said Cox. “I don’t have a fire extinguisher, but now I’m thinking of getting one.”
During the demonstrations, firefighters encouraged onlookers to remember the acronym PASS (Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the top handle or lever and Sweep from side to side) to use an extinguisher properly.
“So many people have extinguishers but don’t know how to use, them,” said Lt. Paul Lamosek, a 23-year fire department veteran.
The demonstration was one of several activities marking the annual observance of Fire Prevention Week at the central station. Several hundred people, many of them young children, turned out to watch displays including the use of the Jaws of Life to extricate victims of car accidents and a rapid acceleration of fire in a small box-like structure that contained a couch, chair, clothing and a television.
“With all those polymers in clothing and furniture, the fire can double in size every 30 seconds, said Ken Horm, a city firefighter for 18 years.
Several of the young people seemed to absorb the message.
“I know if it’s a big fire, you have to get out of the house,” said Gavin Coleman, 11, a Warren sixth-grader. “This is the second time I’ve been to one of these things, and I learn more and more each time.”
“It’s harder to use those [extinguishers] than it looks, said his 11-year old friend, Andrzej Labedz, also of Warren. “I thought the whole thing was cool.”
One less visual activity but no less important is the SALSA program run by Firefighters Local 204 to provide free smoke detectors for Warren residents. Funded by a $26,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, SALSA [Save A Life Smoke Alarm] is available for any resident “in need” according to fire Lt. Chuck Eggleston.
“We set priorities for low- income families and seniors over the age of 60, but we don’t exclude any Warren resident who doesn’t have a smoke detector,” Eggleston said as he displayed some applications submitted by several residents during the event.
Among the souvenirs for children were little plastic red fire helmets, which came in rather handy during one of the afternoon highlights—the landing of a Cleveland Metro Life helicopter in the parking lot. As parents sheltered their children and turned their backs when debris from the copter blades swept over them during the landing, Kent Moody used the plastic helmet to cover the face of his 5-year old grandson Kenny. “That was fun,” the child said.