FYI -- Tidbit found on the WEB

Denise Crosby: Beware of hot trends that could burn down your house

After followed the instructions carefully: After washing the spud, she wrapped it in a paper towel and placed it inside the blue and orange cloth glove. Less than three minutes later, the inside of her microwave was on fire.

From BEACON NEWS

Turns out the word is out ... sort of. There are lots of kudos to be found online about these trendy potato bags. But mixed with the accolades are plenty of cautionary tales: About the mitts and microwaves — even vent hoods — catching on fire .

MicrowavePotatoBags

And don't forget, a microwave potato bag makes a great gift for any occasion: housewarming, birthday, Christmas, welcome, going away, whatever.

How To Make Potato Baker Bags : TipNut.com Perfectly baked potatoes using a microwave and a fabric bag? Great! Here’s the idea: Sew a bagmade with cotton fabric that is padded with cotton batting (both ... tipnut.com/make-your-own-potato-baker-bags

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire Remembered

99 years ago TODAY (March 25 1911) a NYC factory fire resulted in the deaths of 146 workers at Triangle Shirtwaist Company. Presently the building is still occupied by New York University and each year the deceased are remembered in a ceremony at the site. Cornell University has done an outstanding job in documenting the fire.

T R I A N G L E F A C T O R Y F I R E www.ilr.cornell.edu

Online Exhibit from Cornell University's Kheel Center on the Triangle Fire disaster of 1911 - a terrible and unnecessary tragedy involving the death of 146 young people in a New York City sweatshop and the resulting investigations and reforms. ...

A look back – Station Night Club Fire

The Station nightclub fire occurred beginning at 11:07 PM on Thursday, February 20, 2003, at The Station, a nightclub located in West Warwick, RI , it is considered to be the fourth deadliest nightclub fire in American history, killing 100 people, four of whom died after being admitted to local hospitals. The fire was caused when pyrotechnic sparks, set off by the tour manager of the evening's headlining band, ignited flammable sound insulation foam in the walls and ceilings around the stage, creating a flash fire that engulfed the club in 5½ minutes. Some 230 people were injured and another 132 escaped uninjured. Video footage of the fire depicts the astonishing rapidity of its initial growth, the quickness with which stampeding patrons blocked the front entrance, and the ensuing pandemonium as several people tried desperately to help, by whatever means possible, those attempting to escape the building, which, by that time, was already gushing black smoke.

NIST Final Report - June 29, 2005

• Final NIST Rhode Island Nightclub Fire Report Urges Strict Adherence to and Strengthening of Current Model Safety Codes (News Release)

• Final Report of the Technical Investigation of The Station Nightclub Fire (pdf)
  http://www.ntis.gov
• Final Report—Appendices (pdf)

Methanol Hazards

Here is another source for some info:

 

The Emergency Management and Response--Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) examined the Methanol Safe Handling Manual (PDF, 918.7 Kb) published by the Methanol Institute. According to the Methanol Institute, the manual was designed to be a resource for current information on methanol's properties, potential environmental and health and safety hazards, safe handling practices, emergency response procedures, fire safety, and risk communication. 
Known as "wood alcohol," methanol is a clear, flammable liquid with a faintly sweet pungent odor. Methanol occurs naturally and is produced synthetically. It is used in multiple products including plastics, paint, construction materials, as well as fuel in some race cars, monster trucks, go-carts, and model planes, boats, and cars. In addition, methanol is utilized for denitrification (i.e., nitrogen removal) in municipal wastewater treatment plants and can also be used as turbine fuel for electric power generation. 
Ingestion can cause irreversible injury to the nervous system, blindness or death. Methanol causes eye, respiratory system, and skin irritation. The manual explains that methanol fires generate less heat, have nearly invisible flames in daylight, and produce very little smoke. Considering the risks, first responders may find the Methanol Material Safety Data Sheet (PDF, 33.4 Kb) a quick reference and companion to the Methanol Safe Handling Manual. 
The EMR-ISAC confirmed that the Methanol Institute is offering a free DVD that can be another resource for training. The DVD discusses basic physical components, key risks of handling methanol, ways to minimize exposure, fire and release into the environment, and event response. For general operating procedures, first responders can also refer to the Emergency Response Guidebook, guide #131.

CBS Early Show to Air Home Fire Sprinkler Segment

The Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC) has been working with the CBS Early Show and Danny Lipford to prepare a fire safety/fire sprinkler segment that will air this Wednesday, December 23rd, 7 to 9 a.m. This will be a live segment in a home in LaGrange Park, IL, with fire sprinklers protecting the living room. Two weeks ago, the HFSC taped a house fire without sprinklers in Brentwood, TN. That tape will be shown first, then CBS will go live to demonstrate how sprinklers would have made a difference.

Danny Lipford

Host Of "Today's Homeowner"

By Rome Neal

 

(CBS) Danny Lipford, the host of "Today's Homeowner," is a regular contributor to The Early Show. His down-to-earth approach and extensive experience in all aspects of remodeling makes him one of the most sought-after voices in home improvement.
Lipford's interest in home improvement began when he was just 9 years old. While in third grade, he bought his first electric jigsaw from a mail-order catalog with allowance money he had saved. He put his natural curiosity into building shelves for his room, a tree house and an endless list of projects around his parent’s home. As he grew older, Lipford even remodeled a log cabin that his father had built for him and his brothers as a playhouse when they were younger. The former playhouse soon became Danny Lipford’s first workshop.
He started his remodeling business when he was just 21 years old. His company, Lipford Construction, soon became one of the most respected remodeling companies in the southeast. In the beginning days of his business, Lipford and one helper did all of the work on his jobsites, from digging footings and pouring slabs to general plumbing and electrical installations. After years of experience and a proven track record, Danny became a Certified Graduate Remodelor, as designated by the National Association of Home Builders Remodelors Council. He has received numerous awards including, “Builder of the Year,” “National Remodeler of the Month,” and has been voted into the “Big 50” of the remodeling industry.

ISO is not dead

It always seemed that depending on who you talked to in the insurance area that they may of may not use the ISO rating system, and that it seems that they were not following the ISO rating. The ISO, or Insurance Services Office as it’s commonly called, has started to give some thought to a new era of connection to the fire and emergency services and the communities it serves. They are in the process of completing a much-needed upgrade of its Fire Suppression Rating Schedule. Has it been too many years since the rating system had been revised? Having been though and involved in the testing I say it has, you had to attend a seminar and ask questions just to understand the basic rating schedule.

The new rating system recognizes accredited departments and will include recognition of a science-based standard of cover measuring a department’s operational performance in time-based fractile percentages, where sufficient data exists, or use of the traditional distance-based method of coverage. The system provides points of credit for fire prevention, an updated technology section and many other improvements.

It seems that there may a new level of cooperation with today’s fire and emergency service management. ISO has invited key players to review and provide feedback on the draft of the new rating schedule, they will conduct beta testing to ensure the changes can be practically implemented and are committed to improving and updating the rating system regularly. ISO has also be investigating easy access to fire chiefs’ to the immense ISO database to help the chiefs do their jobs in planning and response.

Seems that the change is finally coming to this sometime underrated system. Hopefully it will not again be fulltime department oriented, and give the consideration to small struggling departments too. Go to their  revisions web page to see Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS) updates proposals. There is a list of potential modifications and additions to the current FSRS. Good or bad you be the judge? You will be the one dealing with them.