FIREWISE:
Time to Clean The Flue
During these mild summer days is a good time to clean that flue for your cabin, camp, home, or second home. Flue fires are a major source of home fires, and the fact of the matter is, they don't have to occur.
While you are at it, take time to look your flue, the flue pipe, and the liner over good with a flash light and make sure they appear to be serviceable for the next heating system. Look for pinhole leaks, rusted portions, and any other damage. Make sure rodents and birds haven't taken up residency.
It's a simple task, and it offers assurance that you'll be able to enjoy many more trips to the mountains. Make sure you have a cap on your flue to prevent sparks from starting a forest fire.
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Black Forest Fire Company Received State Grant Money
This time around the State Fire Commissioner's Office awarded grant money for two years, 2007 and 2008. For Black Forest Fire Company this amounted to a total of $19,500.00.
In order to be eligible for this money, the fire company needs to express in writing a need. Station 36 explained that the money would be used towards the purchase of a new Rescue Trailer. Fire Commissioner Ed Mann approved the request, and the funds have been received.
This grant has been a real boost to the smaller rural fire companies across the Commonwealth, because they have been struggling along with very little subsidence from the sparsely populated communities. The State's Firemen's Relief Fund is based upon the amount of fire insurance sold to the population in the community, and for the rural settings this is, again, a small amount. Many of the rural communities, such as Brown Township, have no fire tax. So this Fire Commissioner's Grant has really aided Black Forest Fire Company. It has allowed us to make purchases we could have previously only dreamed about, and it has added a much higher level of fire protection to the community.
In the past we have been able to upgrade our radios, and we have purchased portable pumps and generators with the grant funds.
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