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1. Please check your smoke detectors and change the battery once per year.
2. On a YEARLY basis, have your furnace inspected by a qualified service company. This is especially important for oil-fired heating units. If you have a service contract, for a nominal charge, a yearly cleaning would be included, with the cost of gas and oil rising to record high the service would enable you to have the furnace operating at peak efficiency.
3. We recommed that if you do not have a carbon monoxide detector, get one. A recommended type would be one that operates on house current and has battery back up. Proper placement is important outside the bedroom area is the ideal location. Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES is it to be in the furnace area. Read the installation instructions prior to placement.
4. Remember carbon monoxide detectors, like smoke detectors, depend on new batteries once a year.

Important Fire Safety Bulletin

In recent months installers of fire and burglar alarms have been advertising in the media with special rates. It is important to know that a permit must be secured from the building department for the installation of any fire or burglar alarm. As per the New Jersey Uniform Fire Safety Code and the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code.

The lives of you and your loved ones rely on a properly installed fire alarm system. Fires caused by Burning Candles on the Increase Go to any supermarket, gift shop, specialty or department store, and most likely you'll find a large selection of every type of candle imaginable traditional candlesticks, votives, thick ones, thin ones, of almost every scent found in nature, and some others as well. The popularity of candles has increased enormously recently, but unfortunately, so has the number of fires associated with the burning of candles.

Safe Practices for Using Candles

According to the National Fire Protection Association, candles caused 9,930 fires, 126 civilian deaths and $170.6 million in property damage across the nation in 1996, the most recent year for which candle-caused fire data is available. A the represents an 82% increase over the same categories from the year 1990. Most of these candle-caused fires started when burning candles were left unattended. The New Jersey Division of Fire Safety offers the following advice for using candles safely:

• Position candles well away from flammable objects and materials, and well away from any possible contact by pets or children.
• Place candles on heat-resistant surfaces which will not transmit heat to the furniture or which they are placed. Ceramics work well for this purpose. Candles should also be placed in heat resistant bowls that will catch dripping wax, and secured in an appropriate holder so there's not the slightest possibility of the candle falling over, or being blown or knocked over.
• Never leave a burning candle unattended
• Never light a candle in a situation in which you might fall asleep before blowing it out.
• When blowing out a candle, hold your index finger in front of the flame and blow at it. Air will flow around your finger, extinguish the candle from both sides, and prevent hot wax from splattering.
• Install a smoke detector in every room where candles are burned.

Candles are enjoyable, calming, and fragrant, but don't ever forget that when you burn them, you are dealing with fire. Always take proper precautions to prevent your enjoyable experience from turning into a disaster.

For more information about candles or fire safety, contact your local fire department.

Tips To Help Prevent Leaf Fires

The Fall season is upon us. The Glen Rock Fire Prevention Bureau and the Glen Rock Volunteer Fire Department would like to remind you to take a few precautions this season.

• Never park any vehicle on top of leaves. Doing so can cause your vehicle to ignite the leaves and in turn, ignite your vehicle.
• When you place your leaves at the curb, use your garden hose to wet them down. This will do two things: First it will reduce the amount of leaves blowing back onto your property. Second, it will reduce the chance of your leaf pile igniting.
• Please take an extra five minutes or so to drench the leaves with water in the latter part of the day, so that the chance of them being ignited would be greatly reduced.

Any way that we could work together, as a town, to keep fire call to a minimum would be helpful to both the Fire Prevention Bureau and the Fire Department. A decrease in fire calls mean a decrease in injury or even death of a fire fighter. Thank you for your cooperation!

Fire Safety Tips For Choosing a College

Fire prevention does not stop once you step outside of your home. The tragic fire at Seton Hall should serve as a somber reminder to us all of just how important a factor fire safety is when choosing a college. The Fire Prevention Bureau recommends the following when considering a college:

• Make sure the entire dormitory is protected through out with both a fire sprinkler system as well as a smoke detection system.
• Request a copy of the annual fire inspection done by a local government agency.
• Request a list of current fires and the cause.
• View a list of fire drills.

Taking these few, relatively simple precautions in the beginning of your college search can help prevent a lot of pain and heart ache down the road and help to make your or your son or daughter's college experience as safe as possible.

Additional Tips for Fire Prevention:

• Change Smoke Alarm Batteries.
• Practice Family Fire Drills at Home.
• Clean the Lint Trap in Your Clothes Dryer.