LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
Local firefighters and first responders have remained vigilant in the New Year. In less than four weeks, the Paris Fire Department has already responded to six different structure fires.
The most recent incident occurred Saturday, Jan. 20. Dispatchers received a call at 11:47 a.m. notifying them a trailer home located at 1244 N. Main St., Lot 20 had caught fire. When firefighters arrived on the scene, flames were spewing out of the trailer’s north end.
The occupants of the trailer were not home during the incident, but not everyone escaped the blaze unscathed. Five pets, three cats and two dogs, perished in the fire.
Firefighters pinpointed the cause of the incident shortly after.
“They were trying to unfreeze frozen pipes with a salamander (heater),” said Paris Fire Department Fire Chief Chad Crampton. “We don’t want people using open-flame devices to thaw frozen pipes.”
Crampton noted the last structure fire his department responded to started in a similar fashion – improper use of an open-flame heater. According to Crampton, these accidents are far too common during the bitter cold winter months.
“Especially when it (the temperature) dips to be single digits or negative, we have incidents like this,” Crampton explained. “These are unintentional fires – most of them can be avoided.”
Crampton hopes residents in Paris and throughout Edgar County will see the troubling trend and start paying attention to their heating equipment and how they use it.
In a pinch, hair dryers or heat guns, devices that do not use an open flame, are a better alternative for heating frozen pipes. For any type of heater, Crampton recommends exercising caution and ensuring there is at least three feet of space between heating elements and any surrounding objects.
Keeping a home and a community safe from a fire can be as simple as following appropriate safety measures, but for those who want to take a more active role in protecting their neighbors, Crampton also noted there are volunteer opportunities available.
The Paris Fire Department, where Crampton serves, is composed of full-time, professional firefighters and is fully staffed, but the Paris Community Fire Protection District (PCFPD) is composed almost entirely of volunteers outside of its chief, Rick Eastham.
“If there’s anybody who wants to become a volunteer firefighter for the Paris Community Fire Protection District, we’re always looking for people… they’re actively looking for volunteers,” Crampton explained.
The PCFPD covers the villages of Grandview, Redmon, Oliver and Vermilion. For anyone who may be interested in serving, but feels uncomfortable responding to emergencies, other openings are available.
“There are other things that can be done,” Crampton noted.
Crampton hopes more volunteers will join the PCFPD, which is thriving under new leadership, per Crampton.
“He (Eastham) is making a lot of good changes out there,” said Crampton. “He’s doing a really good job.”
To apply for a volunteer position or for more information, contact Fire Chief Rick Eastham at the ECFPD (217-712-0117). For more tips on fire safety and how to properly use heaters or address frozen pipes, contact either the ECFPD or the Paris Fire Department (217-466-5670).