• Class A extinguishers are for ordinary combustible materials such as paper, wood, cardboard, and most plastics. The numerical rating on these types of extinguishers indicates the amount of water it holds and the amount of fire it can extinguish. Geometric symbol (green triangle)
• Class B fires involve flammable or combustible liquids such as gasoline, kerosene, grease and oil. The numerical rating for class B extinguishers indicates the approximate number of square feet of fire it can extinguish. Geometric symbol (red square)
• Class C fires involve electrical equipment, such as appliances, wiring, circuit breakers and outlets. Never use water to extinguish class C fires - the risk of electrical shock is far too great! Class C extinguishers do not have a numerical rating. The C classification means the extinguishing agent is non-conductive. Geometric symbol (blue circle)
• Class D fire extinguishers are commonly found in a chemical laboratory. They are for fires that involve combustible metals, such as magnesium, titanium, potassium and sodium. These types of extinguishers also have no numerical rating, nor are they given a multi-purpose rating - they are designed for class D fires only. Geometric symbol (Yellow Decagon)
• Class K fire extinguishers are for fires that involve cooking oils, trans-fats, or fats in cooking appliances and are typically found in restaurant and cafeteria kitchens. Geometric symbol (black hexagon)

• Water extinguishers or APW extinguishers (air-pressurized water) are suitable for class A fires only. Never use a water extinguisher on grease fires, electrical fires or class D fires - the flames will spread and make the fire bigger! Water extinguishers are filled with water and are typically pressurized with air. Again - water extinguishers can be very dangerous in the wrong type of situation. Only fight the fire if you're certain it contains ordinary combustible materials only.
• Dry chemical extinguishers come in a variety of types and are suitable for a combination of class A, B and C fires. These are filled with foam or powder and pressurized with nitrogen.
  • BC - This is the regular type of dry chemical extinguisher. It is filled with sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate. The BC variety leaves a mildly corrosive residue which must be cleaned immediately to prevent any damage to materials.
  • ABC - This is the multipurpose dry chemical extinguisher. The ABC type is filled with monoammonium phosphate, a yellow powder that leaves a sticky residue that may be damaging to electrical appliances such as a computer

Pull the Pin at the top of the extinguisher. The pin releases a locking mechanism and will allow you to discharge the extinguisher.

Aim at the base of the fire, not the flames. This is important - in order to put out the fire, you must extinguish the fuel.

Squeeze the lever slowly. This will release the extinguishing agent in the extinguisher. If the handle is released, the discharge will stop.

Sweep from side to side. Using a sweeping motion, move the fire extinguisher back and forth until the fire is completely out. Operate the extinguisher from a safe distance, several feet away, and then move towards the fire once it starts to diminish. Be sure to read the instructions on your fire extinguisher - different fire extinguishers recommend operating them from different distances. Remember: Aim at the base of the fire, not at the flames!!!!

I am blessed and cursed to find out about the causes of fatal fires in our country. Any person can do this, but it is my job to study them and report the lessons back to the citizens in an effort to better protect them. Most of them are needless deaths that could easily have been prevented; about 3,000 U.S. citizens die each year in fires. They usually die in small numbers, which doesn't tend to raise too much public interest. Unless you happen to be me.

Recently, a 57-year-old man died when he was overcome with smoke in his home. Investigators determined that the fire began when he fell asleep while smoking. His body was found at the end of a sofa, next to his slippers, a blanket, an ashtray and plenty of cigarettes. There was also evidence of alcohol consumption, possibly affecting his behavior.

In 2008, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 114,800 smoking-material fires similar to this one. These fires resulted in an estimated 680 civilian fire deaths, more than 1,500 injuries and $737 million in direct property damage. Not surprisingly, mattresses and bedding and upholstered furniture are the items most commonly ignited in these fires. If you smoke in the home, use a large ashtray that will hold the cigarette even if you light it and forget about it. Never smoke in bed or when you are taking medications that will make you sleepy.

In Massachusetts, a 71-year-old woman and her 72-year-old husband died of smoke inhalation due to a fire in their oven. The oven was used for storage, and it was inadvertently turned on before the items were removed. The woman died at the scene, and her husband died later after being admitted to the hospital.

There are many things that enter homes, and many different places they can be put. They definitely should not be placed in heat sources, or within three feet of potential ignition sources such as oven, stoves, furnaces, portable space heaters and fireplaces.

In Washington, a 59-year-old man died as a result of injuries he sustained escaping from a fire in his home. The fire started in the living room, where an extension cord was run under a carpet. The cord lost its insulating cover after years of the friction of walking over it in a high-traffic area. The heat from the cord ignited the rug and flooring before spreading from there.

Extension cords are meant for a temporary use, powering an item that should be used for a limited time. They should never be used as permanent wiring, run under carpets or rugs and hung over nails or hooks. If you need more outlets, contact an electrician.

Most people are complacent about fire hazards in their home. They get caught up in the daily routines they have established and take little time to consider fire safety. Learn the lessons of these folks, and practice fire safety in your home.

Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia Fire Department.

By Tom Kiurski

Guest Columnist

Recently, researchers from the National Standards and Technology have been testing fire safety in college dormitories. Their research indicates that the correct combination of automatic fire sprinkler systems, smoke alarms and closed doors provide enough time and conditions that are safe enough for firefighters to perform their job effectively without undue hazard.

The experiments were conducted in a university dormitory scheduled to be demolished at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark. The building will be replaced with a high-rise building on the campus.

Fires create many potentially fatal hazards, including high heat, lack of visibility and the accumulation of toxic gases. Those gases may be visible or invisible, and are hard to detect when the students might be asleep. In addition to monitoring thermal conditions and visibility, the researchers also measured the oxygen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide levels to determine the chances of survival on the fire floor.

The rooms used in the experiment were furnished as typical dorm rooms are, including clothing, books and furniture. Smoke alarms were installed in the rooms and the hallways. The smoke alarms activated within 30 seconds of ignition of a trash container in a dorm room, which was the cause of the test fires.

The first two experiments were conducted with the dorm room door and windows closed. In both test fires, the hallway remained tenable, which would allow other students to exit safely past the room of origin. Other fire experiment rooms had automatic fire sprinklers installed. The automatic fire sprinklers activated within two minutes after ignition. In these experiments, tenability was maintained in the dorm room and in the hallway.

Other experiments were conducted with the door of the dorm room left open and no fire sprinkler suppression system. In these fires, the tenability limits were exceeded in the dorm room and the hallway quickly.

These experiments show the value of having numerous fire protection features in a building working together. While I know that not all college dormitories are sprinkler-protected, I am hopeful that the colleges of today are certainly making efforts to get there.

One piece of the puzzle that all college dorm rooms do have is the ability to compartment the fire. This includes sleeping with bedroom doors closed, and keeping doors to the hallway closed at all times. This helps to block the spread of fire into the hallway, making it untenable early on in the fire.

Your children have a lot on their minds when they go away to college. Their life experiences may not have included surviving a fire situation. They may still feel the invincibility that many teenagers feel. Make sure you are there to help give your children the best chances of success and survival in their futures.

Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia Fire Department.

I have been stressing fire and life safety through this column for quite some time now. With apologies to the caveman commercials, I titled this column “Fire safety - It's so simple a child can do it!” I do not mean to imply that a comprehensive safety plan is an easy thing to do. What I have found is three great examples of three very young children who acted appropriately in a stressful situation and are heroes - at least in my book!

My first hero is a 12-year-old boy named Kenneth, who was at home in his bedroom one afternoon. His baby sister was napping in her bedroom and his mother left some food cooking on the stove and stepped out of the house. (The mother is NOT a hero of mine.) Kenneth heard the smoke alarm sound, as smoke was filling his house. He turned off the burner to the stove, grabbed his younger sister and ran to their neighbor's house. He was outside the home, tears filling his eyes, as fire units arrived at the smoke-filled house. He had to be thinking he lost his mother, but she showed up a bit later and the family was reunited.

My second hero is a 9-year-old boy named Tristin, who was at his grandmother's house with his 2-year-old sister. When he couldn't find her, he checked outside in the pool. After seeing his sister in the pool, he pulled her out and began performing CPR to try to save his sister's life. After a few minutes, she began to breathe on her own. Young Tristin told responding firefighter/paramedics that he learned the CPR techniques from a television show.

My final hero is from New Hampshire, and this incident just happened in July. Ten-year-old Dylan was playing at home when he noticed his younger brother's lips start to turn blue and he appeared to be in great distress. He couldn't breathe because he had put a marble in his mouth, which blocked his airway. Dylan's father is a firefighter, and he taught Dylan how to perform the Heimlich maneuver. Without delay, he jumped into action and the marble came shooting out of his brother's mouth.

I am quite sure there are many youngsters out there who would also make my hero list should the opportunity arise. We need to take the time to go over emergency actions with our families when the opportunity arises. It may be after a television show or movie that shows an emergency situation, a real- life family emergency or an emergency that strikes a family member or friend. It may not even be related to a real emergency; it can be practiced because it is important. Plan ahead what numbers need to be called to initiate the emergency services here in Livonia, how to contact family and neighbors to get immediate needs taken care of, and where you can sign up for a first aid and/or CPR class.

Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia Fire Department.

The feeling of being safe and secure is something we all want. If we go back to our college coursework, this very basic desire is one we must feel comfortable in before we can turn our attention to other facets of life. Some people take that too seriously and can create some unseen risks in the process.

Let me relay the story I was told by a “big-city” firefighter. An elderly homeowner witnessed a man steal her neighbor's purse. Fearing for her own safety, she installed numerous locks, grates and security devices in her home so that she could again feel safe and secure at home.

Months later, a neighbor called the fire department for a smell of smoke in the neighborhood.

Fire units responded to find smoke coming from a chimney in the middle of summer. Feeling this was odd, more fire units were summoned, while the firefighters on scene began their investigation. Knocking and screaming didn't arouse anyone inside to open the door so they could search for an unwanted fire. Faced with roll-down security shutters, grates and locks, the task of making entry began. Some worked on the front door, while others went around the house, looking for an easier way to make entry into the home.

This very time-consuming task now complete, firefighters entered the house and quickly extinguished a small, smoldering fire. They also found the body of the elderly occupant of the home, barricaded behind the security systems designed to ensure her safety.

While we enjoy one of the safest cities in the country - one of the reasons I choose to live here - we all have a concern about crime.

In coming up with the correct level of security, don't follow the example of the person whose story I just told. Did she even understand about escaping in a fire emergency or was she so worried about keeping people out that she didn't even think about it? Did someone not consider this when installing the system in her home?

There are plenty of products out there that can add a level of security to your home, but consider emergency escape before you make your purchase.

Case in point are door locks that need a key to open and close from both sides. In an emergency, you don't want to have to go back toward a fire to get a key to leave the building.

Another example is security grates that cover windows. How will you escape in an emergency? They make them with panic buttons located inside the house that can be activated to release the locking mechanism.

A safe and secure home is something we all want. Just remember safety “from the inside” as well as safety “from the outside.”

Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia Fire Department.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) did a study called “Youth Fire-setter Prevention and Intervention,” published in 2011. This study states there are four common factors that influence fire-setting behavior among children and adolescents. The thought is that parental intervention can be a key to avoiding this behavior, and this report gives us the information we need to keep our children away from some of these factors. Keep in mind, most people are curious about fire at a young age. It becomes a problem when people intentionally set fires that cause damage.

The first factor identified is easy access to ignition materials. When a child can easily discover the ignition source and how to obtain it, that can prove deadly. This is usually matches and lighters, but can also include pilot lights, space heaters and other less obvious sources. I remember asking my son (when he was in the third grade) how easy it would be for him to get matches at school. He quickly responded back that it wouldn't be a problem. Many kids he knew could easily get them from home because they knew where they were stored.

The second factor that can influence fire-setting behavior is a lack of adequate supervision. I know that we can't watch over our children every second of every day, but we need to know what they are doing and where they are at all times with adult supervision nearby. I recently read of a woman who lost her two children, ages 6 and 2, in a fire that happened when she left the children unattended as she left to work an eight-hour shift.

Third, a failure to practice fire safety can lead to problems. Young children often lack an understanding of the dangers associated with fires. In many cases, funneling the curiosity with fire into a healthy respect for fire, armed with knowledge about the dangers associated with it, can move a child into becoming a fire-safety advocate.

Finally, children today have easy access to information on the Internet, which can glamorize the use of fire. There is information on designing explosives, how to do tricks with fire and other such stunts. Technology has made media available to youth on many dangerous and often illegal activities.

Knowing these factors, you can now arm yourself on how best to prevent fire-setting by children and adolescents. Be sure to include them in any and all fire-safety behaviors in your home, such as designing or updating your family escape plan, picking an outside family meeting place and the monthly testing of smoke alarms in your home. They may also be able to help you change out/install new smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms and blow out candles after dinner. There are plenty of family friendly fire-safety video pieces on the fire department page of the city website so please check it out.

By Tom Kiurski

GUEST COLUMNIST

Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia Fire Department.

As the title suggests, they're still dying. Each year, approximately 3,000 U.S. citizens die as a result of fire. As you probably know by now, most of these deaths are preventable with some common sense and advanced planning. The deaths I present to you are designed to show you how to avoid some of the situations that these folks found themselves in.

First, we head to Iowa, where a man on home oxygen died in his home, along with his wife, from a fire caused by careless disposal of smoking materials. Investigators determined that the fire started in the living room recliner chair where the man often sat during the day. They believe the man fell asleep while smoking. When he woke, he made his way to the kitchen and investigators believe he may have tried to fight the fire himself since water was flowing from the kitchen sink where he was found. There was only one smoke alarm in the home and it was not installed. It was found in a pile of materials under a table on the floor.

Obviously, you should not smoke while on home oxygen. Besides the health risks, oxygen increases the combustion process, spreading fire faster than normal in the oxygen-rich atmosphere. Upon awakening, you should leave the building and call the fire department from outside the home. While the kitchen was a little distance from the living room, the smoke was built up to a high level, which overcame the man. The smoke alarm should have been installed on a ceiling or high on a wall to give early warning of fire where smoke collects at high levels in the home.

Over to North Carolina we head, to look at the cause of death of a woman in a wheelchair. It was determined that the fire began when an electrical cord was run under a carpet and a loveseat. The wear on the cord went undetected until it finally gave off enough heat to ignite the carpet and start the fire. When firefighters arrived, there was so much heat, smoke and fire that the victim could not be reached until the fire was knocked down.

The lessons here are not to run electrical cords of any kind under rugs. The friction from normal walking breaks away at the insulated covering, leaving exposed wires to heat up the rugs placed over the cord. If the cord were exposed, any wearing would be easier to notice.

In Kentucky, a man died from an electrical fire. Piles of clothes were left on a power strip. Over time, the heat produced was able to start the clothing on fire. There were smoke alarms in the living room, hallway and bedroom, but none of them had batteries.

In this case, the heat from electricity was not given enough air space to dissipate the heat, as it is designed to. The heat was transferred to the piles of clothing when it then reached a high enough temperature to break out in flames. The smoke alarms need power to run, and the batteries in every one of the alarms were missing.

There are very few new and exciting ways to die from fire. They are the same ones, repeated about 3,000 times per year. Learn from them and live a safer life.

Tom Kiurski

GUEST COLUMNIST

Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia Fire Department.

With plenty of fresh air, warm temperatures and free time, summer should be a great time to be a child in Livonia. Injuries can happen so let's take a few minutes to reduce our risks of unwelcome mishaps during the summer months.

Bike riding, skateboarding and in-line skating are all ways kids can spend time during the summer. Make it a rule to wear protective gear when involved in these activities. Studies indicate that approximately 80 percent of all head injuries to bike riders could have been prevented with a helmet. Bike riders should ride on the right side of the road and avoid riding at night.

Always take advantage of restraint systems when traveling in the car. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths for children, killing 33,000 and injuring another 2 million each year in the United States. They are easy to use and just take a second to click in place. Children under the age of 12 should ride properly restrained in the back seat of the vehicle.

Gasoline is used in our lawn care equipment, but has the ability to spread a fire very quickly once ignited. Store gasoline outside the home if possible, and high on a shelf in a properly labeled container. Before fueling, take your lawn equipment into an open area. Before refueling, turn the equipment off and let it cool down completely.

Fireworks cause thousands of injuries serious enough to require emergency room treatment every year. As you might have guessed, those injuries occur mainly in the summer months. The best way to enjoy fireworks safely is to attend an outdoor public display such as the one at Livonia Spree.

Never leave children unattended while they enjoy the vast amounts of water we have available for recreation here in Michigan. Children have drowned in just a few inches of water so always be aware of children and water. Home pools should also have gates, a handy telephone, a few items to reach for or throw to someone in trouble and at least one set of adult eyes. On the lakes, a properly-fitted life jacket should be required. We have all heard too many stories of people drowning where life jackets were available but not used.

If you will be doing any camping this summer, start with a flame-retardant tent and keep it well away from the campfire. Keep someone in charge of watching the campfire and cooling it down at the end of the night. Keep a bucket of water and a shovel near the campfire pit to control any possible problems. Inside the tent, use only battery-powered lanterns and flashlights.

Your Livonia firefighters hope you have a safe and healthy summer. Please feel free to contact us about any of your summer safety concerns. By following a few basic rules of safety, your summer activities should bring your family a season full of enjoyment.

Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia Fire Department.

Nothing says summertime in Livonia like the smell of a family barbecue in the air. After the long, cold winter we just experienced, Livonia residents are ready to get together and have a good time, but there are some precautions you must take before lighting up the grill.

U.S. fire departments respond to an average of 7,700 home fires involving grills, hibachis or barbecues per year. These fires start an average of 3,200 structure fires and 4,500 outside fires. These 7,700 fires caused an average of 13 civilian fire deaths, 120 reported injuries and more than $70 million in direct property loss — all of this from that innocent-looking barbecue in your yard!

As you might have guessed, we are in the prime season for grill fires. Two-thirds of all grill fires occur between May and September. The majority of grill fires that subsequently set fires to homes are predominantly (81 percent) gas grills. The main problems with gas grills are leaks or breaks in the gas lines that spread fire to unwanted items. Remember to keep the top of the grill open until you are sure that it has been lit. Those who enjoy the use of charcoal grills usually set fire to homes when the grill was placed too close to something that could burn.

The leading area of origin for outdoor fires that spread to structures is in a courtyard, terrace or patio. This is where most of us like to do our grilling so it comes as no surprise. A problem can occur if it starts raining. Many will move the grill to a covered area, and this is likely to become a recipe for disaster. Moving the grill too close to the house to take advantage of the eaves or inside the garage should be avoided. Since we are grilling in the nicer weather, keep a garden hose handy.

From the time the grill gets fired up until it has completely cooled down, the grill should be watched by an adult. Children will play and have fun, and may not pay much attention to the grill. Pets can also get involved with the children so keep a watchful eye on them as well. Gas grills should be inspected periodically for any cracks or leaks in the gas lines, and be aware of the gas smell that may indicate a leak. A simple solution of dish soap and water can be sprayed on the lines to help visualize any leaks. Charcoal grills should be soaked with charcoal lighter fluid only, and it should never be reapplied once the fire has been lit. Wait until the coals have completely cooled down before disposing of them.

The outdoor grill should be enjoyed as a summertime staple. With a little bit of prevention and common sense, you can make your outdoor feasts more enjoyable.

Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia Fire Department.

Like so many of my neighbors, my basement flooded last week. We landed in Atlanta for vacation, got the flooding message as we landed, got return tickets and came home early the next morning. Water came in. We pumped out. We carried out wet things. The water stopped coming in. We continued carrying wet things out. We dried things, pitched things and had many questions.

We went to the meeting on the flood and found out how it all came about. We listened, understood and learned a lot about the system, and went home. Many people had it far worse than we did. I feel bad for the many things people lost. We lost many things as well. In the process, we realized how much “extra” stuff we had accumulated.

While I certainly wouldn't put us in the category of “hoarders” or “pack rats,” we just had accumulated many things over 27 years of marriage, 24 years in our Livonia home and 21 years with our son and 19 years with our daughter.

In trying to put a positive spin on our situation, I told our family that this can be looked at as a “rebirth of our fire- safe basement.” I often preach about fire safety in our home, and the accumulation of combustibles in our basement was not quite as fire safe as I would have liked.

I have been in some homes that had so much accumulated “stuff” that we found it difficult to navigate around. Sometimes this was with our medical equipment and stretcher, and sometimes it was in smoky, hot fires. Accumulations are an easy place for fires to start, and they spread the fire faster.

Our basement now is much “lighter.” I am sad about some of the things that we have lost, but am also relieved that we got rid of so much accumulation is a short period of time. It has also spurred us on to do more cleaning out. We are in the middle of our “rebirth.”

I have dried out many things that I didn't want to throw out. So far, every article I saved from fire magazines I searched and found online. I now have a file on my computer that holds most of those articles. I had some textbooks that I had saved from some of my college classes that I took in the 1980s. I still chose to save my “Fire Related Human Behavior” textbook, which I still refer to. I dried it out and it will continue to be in my basement as a reference. I believe that you will be able to find many of your articles, recipes and books online, too.

I sympathize with my fellow neighbors who lost things in the flood of 2011.

As we put our basements back together, keep fire safety in mind. Do we really need every masterpiece that each child has created over the years?

Avoid excess accumulations, store valuable things on a higher shelf and check your basement smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms.

Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia Fire Department.

You see fewer smokers today than you did a decade ago. Bars and restaurants are now non-smoking as well. This means fewer fire deaths and injuries due to smoking materials. That is good news. But smoking is still a leading cause of fire death, injuries and causes of fire so we still need to be careful.

There are other reasons why smoking fires are declining. The effect of standards and regulations that have made mattresses and upholstered furniture more resistant to cigarette ignition is one of them. Another reason is the fire-safe cigarettes that are being regulated in many states and should be in all states by late 2012. Fire-safe cigarettes are intended to snuff themselves out if not puffed on as the burning reaches one of several “speed bumps” in the cigarette paper. Smoking fires still are responsible for 115,000 fires each year in the United States, and result in about 650 civilian fire deaths, 1,500 civilian injuries and $737 million in direct property damage.

The risk of dying in a home structure fire caused by smoking materials rises with age. Approximately 40 percent of victims of fatal fires caused by home smoking materials were 65 or older, while this age group is less likely to smoke than younger adults.

If you smoke in the house, have plenty of large, sturdy ashtrays. The ashtrays should be heavy enough to avoid tipping over easily, and should be large enough to hold an entire cigarette in it if it is lit and forgotten. If the ashtray is too light, it will tip over easily and allow the hot embers to fall in upholstered furniture, and if it is too small, the cigarette will burn down and fall off the ashtray and onto the surface if forgotten. Many take to the garage to smoke, but you still need to use an ashtray in the garage and empty it the next day when the ashes are completely cooled down. We have responded to many fires caused by peopleemptying hot embers into the garbage, which later bursts into flames.

Avoid smoking in bed or when you are taking medicine that makes you sleepy. It is all too common of a scenario when a person is smoking in bed, falls asleep and the cigarette hits the bedding materials and starts a fire.

As always, it is very important to have plenty of working smoke alarms in the home to warn residents if a fire does break out in the home. Make sure they are tested monthly and fresh batteries are installed each and every year. Pick an easy date to remember to test the smoke alarms, like the first of the month when you change the calendar. Bring the family along so they are familiar with the location of the smoke alarms and get to know the sound they make when they are alarming. Then discuss the appropriate actions that every family member should do in case of fire in the home.

A little vigilance can help change habits, which make us all safer in the end.

Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia Fire Department.

Winter holidays bring Livonia families and friends together to celebrate with each other. This also means a greater risk for fire. Twenty-five percent of home decoration fires happen in December. Following a few simple tips will help to ensure a happy and fire-safe holiday season.

When choosing holiday decorations, look for those that are flame-resistant or flame-retardant. This may mean a bit of looking at the fine print, but it is time well-spent when holiday dangers are lurking in your home. Some decorative lighting is meant for indoor use, and some for outdoor use. Make sure you use them the way they were meant to be used. Replace any string of lights with worn, cracked or broken cords. Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so that the cords do not get damaged during the season. Consider the traffic flow in your home and don't block exits with holiday decorations.

Candles are often used in decorating and to give the home a warm feeling. More than half of the December home decoration fires are started by candles. If you use candles, make sure they are lit and watched by adults, and are placed only in rooms where adults can easily keep track of them while entertaining. Keep candles away from any combustible materials so check for blowing drapes and other drafts before placing your candles. Keep the candles away from the main travel paths so children and pets will not accidentally bump into them. Place candles on large, sturdy holders and never allow candles in bedrooms, where they often start fires when occupants fall asleep. After lighting the candles, put the matches and/or lighters high up and out of the sight and reach of children.

Ask smokers to smoke outside. Most fire deaths are due to smoking materials, as these products tend to smolder for long periods of time before they break out into flames. This is often after family members have gone to sleep. Today, most smokers don't mind stepping outside to smoke. If you do allow smokers to smoke inside, have large, sturdy ashtrays for them to use and make sure you check carefully for dropped cigarettes before going to bed.

Give your home a quick check before going out and again when going to bed at night. While this is a good habit all year long, it is especially important during the holiday season. Check to make sure the stove and oven are turned off, all candles are out and turn off the decorative lights for the night.

Regardless of whether you use a real or artificial tree in your decorating, make sure it doesn't block the exits in your home, keep it well away from heating sources, turn the lights off when you leave for the evening or when going to bed and keep your real tree well-watered. For a demonstration on Christmas tree fire safety, go to the “Fire Department” section of the city website (www.ci.livonia.mi.us/) and find the “Christmas Tree Fire Safety” video piece under the “Educational Videos” heading.

When doing holiday cooking and baking, make sure you know where the fire extinguisher is and how to use it. Remember there are several ways to put out unwanted kitchen fires besides fire extinguishers. That can mean putting the cover or lid on a burning pot or pan; baking soda will also extinguish small kitchen fires.

Many of us look forward to the holiday season all year long. Let's make all the memories good ones by putting fire safety on the front burner.

Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia Fire Department.

  I just finished reading a report of a Louisiana man who died when a fire broke out in his home, killing him while he slept. This preliminary report shows that the home did not have smoke alarms anywhere in it. While we may never know whether a working smoke alarm would have made a difference in this particular case, it certainly raises the question. Statistically speaking, smoke alarms save lives!

With temperatures dropping down further each and every night, many Livonia residents may be pulling out the space heater, turning the furnace up high and lighting a fire in the fireplace. This is also a great time to talk about safety during the heating season.

Some of the biggest problems we see during the heating season have to do with space heaters and extension cords. If you are going to use a portable space heater, check to see if it is compatible with the extension cord you plan on using, and don't put too many heaters into one extension cord. Remember to check the cord for any signs of fraying or cracks in the cover over the wires before using it.

There should be three feet of clearance between space heaters and anything flammable, like blankets, drapes or clothing. Use space heaters only in the room that an adult is in so they can supervise them. Many of the newer models have a “tip over” switch that turns the unit off in case it is accidentally bumped and knocked over. This is a nice feature.

I have seen fires break out when people put blankets and clothing too close to the space heaters with the intention of leaving them there for just a minute or two to heat them up a bit. All it takes is something to divert our attention, and the items are forgotten until a fire breaks out.

Chimneys should be cleaned and inspected every year, and keep combustibles three feet away from the fireplace when it is in use. Keep the screen closed to keep in any sparks or embers that may pop when burning, and don't burn anything other than wood in the fireplace. Burning wrapping paper and garbage can lead to a premature buildup of creosote inside the chimney walls, which can lead to a fire. You must also maintain the three-foot clearance from the front of the fireplace as well, as the heat coming out of the fireplace can cause a fire in combustibles placed too close.

The hard-working furnace also needs some maintenance to keep functioning properly during the long hard winter. Replace and/or clean filters as recommended, and have an annual inspection done. Since our natural gas-fueled furnaces can have problems over time, a carbon monoxide alarm makes great sense as well. Make sure you follow manufacturers' recommendations on the placement of these items, but test them monthly just as you should with your smoke alarms. Remember to replace the batteries annually, and practice a home fire escape plan with your family at least twice a year to keep the plan fresh in your minds.

Livonia can be a beautiful place in the winter months. When the fun is over, the snowmen are finished and the last snowball for the night has been tossed, you will want to head in to a nice warm home to enjoy the rest of the evening ... safely.

Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia

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This month (November), way back in 1872, there was a fire in Boston, often referred to as the Great Boston Fire of 1872, not to be confused with the Great Chicago fire of 1871. This fire killed at least 20 people and destroyed 776 buildings.

“Boston's building regulations were not enforced. There was no authority to stop faulty construction practices.” While our building codes today are much stronger, we have to look at the number of building alterations that affect our buildings that are not built to code. This usually results when handy people take on projects and do not pull building permits. Narrow stairways, partitioned off bedrooms in basements have all had me hoping there isn't a fire in those buildings.

“Buildings were often insured at full value or above value. Over-insurance meant owners had no incentive to build fire-safe buildings. Insurance-related arson was common.” In today's economy, we still respond to many building fires that are set to relieve the owner of a large mortgage or to sell property that isn't moving at the desired speed. The fire in Detroit that killed Detroit firefighter Walter Harrison was intentionally set by an arsonist and he was paid $20 for doing so by the homeowner.

“Fire alarm boxes in Boston were locked to prevent false alarms, therefore delaying the Boston Fire Department by 20 minutes.” We all know that fire alarm boxes are a thing of the past, and false pulls is the main reason. Way before phones were as common as they are today, we needed a way to notify the fire department of a fire, but we were stuck in a bad situation.

“A horse flu epidemic that spread across North America that year had immobilized Boston's fire department horses.” Here is one issue that we have gotten past. Motorized apparatus has allowed us to make significant advances with our firefighting techniques and equipment.

“The number of fire hydrants and cisterns was insufficient for a commercial district.” Here we have yet another item that we have pretty much gotten down for the better. Today, we make sure adequate water is available for firefighting purposes before the construction on the building begins. While there can be water main breaks or the isolated service breakdown like the one that happened a few years ago, those incidents are rare.

Much has changed from 1872. So much of it is for the better, but some of the items that were a problem back in 1872 are still a problem today.

Do what you can to limit your fire hazards in your home and your place of business. Have a fire escape plan and practice it with your family at least twice a year. Those timeless tips will help your family escape if they face an unwanted fire incident.

Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia Fire Department.

It is nearly that time of year when Livonia residents are thinking about relaxing to the sights and sounds of a fire in the fireplace. But before nestling in on a cold evening with your family and a nice fire, you should have your chimney checked out.

Every year, chimney fires cause millions of dollars in direct property damages across the United States. Fireplaces, chimneys and chimney connectors were responsible for 36 percent of home heating fires in the years 2003 to 2007, according to the National Fire Protection Association. In 2007 alone, fire departments in the United States responded to 66,400 home structure fires that involved heating equipment. The best way to keep from becoming part of this statistic is to have your chimney inspected and cleaned each year.

Cleaning your chimney reduces the amount of creosote within the walls of the chimney. Creosote is a black oily residue produced from burning wood that happens when a fire is lit in the fireplace. Left unchecked, creosote can build up to a thickness of several inches and can ignite and cause the lining of your chimney to catch fire. Compare that to grease that can build up around your stove. It makes it easier to ignite and start a fire, a condition you certainly want to avoid.

A fire in a chimney can burn for long periods of time before being detected. This high heat buildup may radiate to the attic in your home and start a fire there. Since most homes do not have smoke alarms in the attic, the fire can get a head start before being noticed by occupants or neighbors. This can be dangerous as time is your enemy when a fire breaks out.

The type of wood you burn in the fireplace plays a role in the buildup of creosote in the chimney as well. It is recommended that you burn hard woods, not woods that have high levels of sap in them, such as fruit trees. The wood should also be dry before placing it in your fireplace.

When lighting your fireplace fire, make sure you have an area around the fireplace that is clear of combustibles for three feet. This includes newspapers, seasonal decorations and anything else that can burn. Keep the wire mesh screen closed when burning, which will keep in any flying embers and sparks. In addition to this, keep the glass doors open if you have them. Always have adult supervision nearby when using the fireplace, and completely extinguish the fire before going to bed or leaving the home.

Do not use flammable liquids or accelerants of any kind when starting your fire, and avoid burning any trash in the fireplace. This can also lead to premature buildup of creosote inside the chimney walls.

Home heating fires peak between the hours of 6 and 8 p.m., but associated deaths do not peak until 2 to 4 a.m. This brings out the importance of having working smoke alarms and a fire escape plan that was prepared and practiced by everyone in the home.

Winters in Livonia can be beautiful. A relaxing evening at home with a fire in the fireplace is a treat. Take a few minutes now to avoid a possible chimney fire later.

Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia

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There was a house fire in Tucson, Ariz., recently, caused by jack o'lanterns. Now most of us do not believe that those mischievous faces that we carve on pumpkins can come to life and set a home on fire. However, this is what two adult children told fire investigators.

Carving pumpkins into jack o'lanterns is a tradition that goes way back. The story goes that turnips were first used, and a glowing coal provided illumination to the carved image on the turnip. This glowing coal was changed to candles at some point in time. I would like to change the candles to a variety of other illuminations that provide for a great effect.

I carve pumpkins every year, real and artificial. Some are simple, while some are quite elaborate. I have used candles in my creations when they go outside and well away from the walkway up to the house. They have served me well over the years, but candles must be taken very seriously. If you are going to use a candle in a pumpkin inside your home, make sure there is an adult in charge of the operation. They are responsible for lighting it, keeping an eye on it, and blowing it out when the celebration is over. Never assume that someone else has blown out the candle. If you are not sure, check it out yourself.

Next time you are pumpkin shopping, visit a Halloween store and check out the many ways to illuminate your creations. Glow sticks are great, in that they are available in so many colors, they store well and you simply snap them and they are good for the entire evening.

If you like the flickering effect, there are battery-operated flameless candles available. You simply turn the switch on and you have a very realistic flame, complete with flickering action.

There are also battery-operated lights that can go inside the jack o'lantern. Some lights simply light up, and that is a great way to start. Others have strobe effects that really draw attention to your pumpkin. Others have multi-color fade-in technology that goes through an array of colors by shading in and out. This provides a great effect and they are available at a minimal cost.

If you are carving with children, there are some tools that are not sharp. This gives young children the fun of carving without the large risk of using your sharp kitchen knives. Whichever tool you use, adult supervision is the key.

Hopefully, some of these ideas will appeal to you either because they are new and exciting or because they are a safer way to light up your jack o'lantern. Either way, enjoy the carving and Halloween season — safely.

Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia

Fire Department

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In Stuyvesant, N.Y., the Demarest family lived in their 110-year-old house, which they loved and enjoyed. Knowing the age of the home and that it was built without some of the modern safety equipment required in today's homes, they took it upon themselves to plan ahead in case of fire.

The house had plenty of working smoke alarms, and they regularly practiced fire drills with family members. One night last month, Kelly Demarest awoke to a smoke alarm going off. She put her plan into action by waking everyone else up, and they went outside and met at the family meeting place. Their home burned to the ground, and they were outside with nothing more than the clothes on their backs, but they are all alive because of the smoke alarms and escape plans.

When a fire breaks out, time is your enemy. Every second counts, and the fire builds and grows rapidly. Fires kill more than 3,500 Americans each year and injure more than 20,000 more. Just like the Demarest family, you must act quickly and leave the home. Don't waste time trying to save property. Things can be replaced - you can't.

Practice two ways out of every room in the home with every family member present. One way out is the door you used to enter the room, and the second way out needs to be planned. It is often times a window, but can everyone open the window and where does the window lead? Basement windows are often times too small to exit, and upper-floor windows might require an emergency escape ladder in the room to allow for a safe exit.

The family meeting place is an important landmark. With everyone going to the same place, it is easy to make sure that all family members are out and safe. This keeps family members from re-entering a burning building to look for someone who may already be outside. Tell the firefighters if someone is missing, as our protective gear is better suited to that environment than standard clothing. Rest assured, we will risk our lives to save those of your loved ones.

Never open doors that are hot. Use the back of your hand and feel the door as high as you can reach. If it is hot, use the second way out. If it is not hot, then carefully feel the doorknob, as metal tends to conduct heat faster than wood. If the door and knob are not hot, carefully and slowly open the door with your body pressed against the door. Look up from behind the door. If you see smoke pouring in, or the orange glow of fire, then push the door with your body until it closes. If there are still no problems seen in the The house had plenty of working smoke alarms, and they regularly practiced fire drills with family members. One night last month, Kelly Demarest awoke to a smoke alarm going off. She put her plan into action by waking everyone else up, and they went outside and met at the family meeting place. Their home burned to the ground, and they were outside with nothing more than the clothes on their backs, but they are all alive because of the smoke alarms and escape plans.

When a fire breaks out, time is your enemy. Every second counts, and the fire builds and grows rapidly. Fires kill more than 3,500 Americans each year and injure more than 20,000 more. Just like the Demarest family, you must act quickly and leave the home. Don't waste time trying to save property. Things can be replaced - you can't.

Practice two ways out of every room in the home with every family member present. One way out is the door you used to enter the room, and the second way out needs to be planned. It is often times a window, but can everyone open the window and where does the window lead? Basement windows are often times too small to exit, and upper-floor windows might require an emergency escape ladder in the room to allow for a safe exit.

The family meeting place is an important landmark. With everyone going to the same place, it is easy to make sure that all family members are out and safe. This keeps family members from re-entering a burning building to look for someone who may already be outside. Tell the firefighters if someone is missing, as our protective gear is better suited to that environment than standard clothing. Rest assured, we will risk our lives to save those of your loved ones.

The house had plenty of working smoke alarms, and they regularly practiced fire drills with family members. One night last month, Kelly Demarest awoke to a smoke alarm going off. She put her plan into action by waking everyone else up, and they went outside and met at the family meeting place. Their home burned to the ground, and they were outside with nothing more than the clothes on their backs, but they are all alive because of the smoke alarms and escape plans.

When a fire breaks out, time is your enemy. Every second counts, and the fire builds and grows rapidly. Fires kill more than 3,500 Americans each year and injure more than 20,000 more. Just like the Demarest family, you must act quickly and leave the home. Don't waste time trying to save property. Things can be replaced - you can't.

Practice two ways out of every room in the home with every family member present. One way out is the door you used to enter the room, and the second way out needs to be planned. It is often times a window, but can everyone open the window and where does the window lead? Basement windows are often times too small to exit, and upper-floor windows might require an emergency escape ladder in the room to allow for a safe exit.

The family meeting place is an important landmark. With everyone going to the same place, it is easy to make sure that all family members are out and safe. This keeps family members from re-entering a burning building to look for someone who may already be outside. Tell the firefighters if someone is missing, as our protective gear is better suited to that environment than standard clothing. Rest assured, we will risk our lives to save those of your loved ones.

Never open doors that are hot. Use the back of your hand and feel the door as high as you can reach. If it is hot, use the second way out. If it is not hot, then carefully feel the doorknob, as metal tends to conduct heat faster than wood. If the door and knob are not hot, carefully and slowly open the door with your body pressed against the door. Look up from behind the door. If you see smoke pouring in, or the orange glow of fire, then push the door with your body until it closes. If there are still no problems seen in the hallway, then you can peek around the door frame to see if the way out is clear.

Once you are out of the house, stay out. Never go back into a burning building for any reason. Call 911 from outside the home, and report to arriving firefighters that everyone is accounted for or not and any information you may have as to where the fire was.

We can all learn from the Demarest family about preparedness. We hope you never need your escape plan, but it is always best to prepare for the worst.

Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia

Fire Department

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    High-rise buildings have been a part of America's landscape for quite some time. While we don't have a lot of them in Livonia, many of you visit them on vacation, for work and to see friends and family. While newer high-rise buildings have many fire safety features built into them, sometimes things can go wrong.

      A study was done on high-rise buildings and how people behave in them. The study found that 15 percent remain calm and act quickly and efficiently during fire alarm situations. They found that about 15 percent descend into hysteria and act in nonproductive ways. Where do the vast majority of the people who were studied fall? Most of them did nothing. They were in a state of bewilderment, or possibly a state of “let's wait and see before I do anything.” Maybe they were the typical “deer in the headlights” or maybe they lived through too many alarms that turned out to be insignificant to react quickly.

    Being in a large building that is unfamiliar to someone can be a bit overwhelming, especially when alarms are ringing and lights are flashing. Even people somewhat familiar with the building may have trouble coming up with a proper reaction. The study also interviewed survivors of the World Trade Center attack, and found that only 45 percent of them knew the building had three stairwells. Most of them were very familiar with the elevators, and knew of one stairwell. Only 50 percent of those studied knew that the rooftop doors would be locked if they proceeded up.

    Codes allow for locking doors to the roof from the inside to keep occupants and visitors from walking on the roof, which can lead to problems.

    The next time you find yourself in a high-rise building, look for safety features that you will need in an emergency situation. Once you do this a few times, it becomes second nature, trust me. Look for exit signs that are at an exit or point to an exit. Realize that elevators will drop to the lobby and stay there during any type of alarm situation. Do you think you make your best decisions on escape plans when you are wakened by an alarm in the middle of the night in a strange building? Make your plan before going to bed.

    We are used to seeing buildings that have the traditional exit signs high on the wall. This is so that you have a good chance of seeing them in a crowd. In addition to that, many newer buildings are installing additional exit signs lower to the ground. The purpose for that is so they can be seen even when smoke fills the higher levels and you may be forced to crawl to an exit.

Automatic sprinkler systems have been around for quite some time as well.

    They have a fantastic record of confining fires to a smaller size until fire department arrival, and have saved countless numbers of lives over the years.

    In a study of high-rise building fires in buildings equipped with automatic sprinklers, in 95 percent of the cases, one or two sprinkler heads controlled the fire until fire department arrival. I like those odds.

    Think about the high-rise buildings you frequent. Take a few minutes to plan at least two ways out, not including the elevators. It may save your life.

Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia Fire Department.

My daughter recently moved out of the house and into her college dorm. She also was accepted into a sorority. Having never lived on a college campus in my college years, this opens up another new chapter in my life. Like all parents, we take the safety of our children as the highest priority. Let's take a look at college Greek housing (sororities and fraternities) as it relates to fire safety.

On Aug. 29, a fire broke out in a sorority occupied by 95 women at Purdue University. The morning fire was called in as fire was coming from the back of the building. By the time firefighters arrived, the fire was coming out two windows and there was thick, black smoke coming from every other opening into the building. Firefighters put out the blaze quickly, and we are all thankful that no one died. But they could have.

The fire started in a common area of the building. Fortunately, a smoke alarm sounded and woke up several of the women, who then woke those in their rooms who did not wake up to the sound of the alarm. The fire was the result of an electrical appliance that fell behind furniture. Damage to the building was about $50,000 and many women lost all of their belongings, and they all had to relocate.

Some students live on campus, others live in Greek housing, and others may live elsewhere. The majority of fire deaths on college campuses happen in Greek housing, as these buildings may not have to abide by the stringent code requirements of the college and community. They also have young adults who are experiencing more freedom than they may be used to and engage in risky behaviors. Add the youthful feeling of invincibility to the mix, and it can turn deadly.

Most young adults are quite computer savvy so ask them to visit one of my favorite college fire safety websites. It can be found at www.igot2kno.org and recently was upgraded. It was made possible thanks to a grant from the Department of Homeland Security's Fire Prevention and Safety program. This program focuses on fire safety, alcohol awareness and egress, which are all problem areas for college students around the country. The program is entirely web-based and free, providing games, videos and other media to help drive home the lessons.

Our college children are preparing themselves for the futures ahead of them. It is our job to make sure they do it safely.

Many people are unaware that their homes may be “hot-wired” for a fire. This is more common in older homes, as many of them were built before stronger codes were in effect, or many have been worked on numerous times by homeowners throughout the life of the home.

One of the leading causes of house fires in the United States involves electrical issues. The United States Fire Administration (USFA) reports that in a normal year, around 68,000 fires are started by problems with electricity. Just last month, we had two fires break out in the same week in Livonia, and both were electrical in nature. There are some small things you can do and look out for to help avoid this problem in your home.

One of the biggest problems in homes is overloading the electrical circuit. This can happen when you plug too many appliances into the same circuit. This can heat the wires and start a fire. While the fire can start on the floor or at the appliance, it can also start behind the electrical outlet on the wall and burn undetected for a period of time. If you have problems with blown fuses or tripped circuit breakers, you should contact an electrician to help you distribute the electrical load in your home better.

Other problems that may point to an electrical issue are discolored or warm wall outlets, which can indicate that arcing is going on behind it. Flickering or dimming lights may point to a short in the wire, which needs immediate attention.

Inspect the electrical cords and extension cords in your home for cracks in the protective outer coating or any fraying. Avoid running electrical cords across doorways or under carpets, where they can have their coatings cracked or rubbed off easily. If you use extension cords on a permanent basis, you should have an electrician come out and add additional outlets and/or circuits to help you with that problem.

Newer homes that have ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) in them have a system that is designed to shut off the circuit before a fire breaks out. This is a nice added safety feature that can be added to older homes when you have an electrician come out to update your home.

While the thought of any fire in your home is scary, some preventive maintenance of your home's electrical systems may be just what you need to help you sleep better at night. If a fire should break out while you are sleeping, make sure you have plenty of working smoke alarms in your home. They are always there and ready to operate when smoke is in the air. If they do go off, put your family escape plan into action.

Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia Fire Department.

It happened again. In July, a 4-year-old boy heard a smoke alarm going off in his home, and he roused his sleeping parents in time to escape from a fire in their Indianapolis home. Fortunately, the sound of the smoke alarm woke the boy, who then ran screaming into his parents' bedroom. The boy, his parents and their three dogs safely fled the home as smoke and flames came up from the basement. The cause was electrical wiring in the basement, which was under renovation.

Philadelphia firefighters responded to a house fire in July as well. At that fire, smoke alarms went off, waking up the husband and wife. The husband followed the family escape plan and made it out of the home safely. The wife did not get out and ended up trapped by the fire in an upstairs bedroom. The husband did all he could do. He told his wife to stay at the window and to keep her head outside to get fresh air. Firefighters arrived, knocked down the flames and made their way upstairs for the rescue.

Stories like this happen on a regular basis. The single best piece of equipment you can have in your home from a safety point of view is the smoke alarm. Having a minimum of one per floor and outside sleeping areas makes sure they will detect smoke early and give warning to family members. Since most fires happen during the night when most people are sleeping, consider them an essential item in your home.

They may be hard-wired into your home's electrical system. They may be single-station, battery-operated units. They may be powered by a 10-year lithium battery. They may also serve other functions, such as being a carbon monoxide alarm, lighting up a lamp pointing the way out, or having a vocal message that allows users to record their own messages to family members. No matter how they are powered, or what options you choose, the smoke alarm is a life saver.

Make sure that your family knows what to do if the smoke alarm sounds in the middle of the night. This is where your home escape plan comes into play. You should have two ways out of every room in the home, and an outside meeting place everyone goes to for accountability reasons. Once outside the home, you can call 911 and when the first arriving fire trucks show up, have one person let them know that everyone made it out safely, or if someone is missing and where they were last known to be.

Safety is something we all want. Will you take the few minutes necessary to make your home a safer one?

I am far beyond the age limit of actually becoming a player in childhood sports. What I mean by the headline of this column is for you to become actively involved in keeping your children safe during the sports seasons. There are approximately 30 million children participating in sports each year in the United States. As parents, we make commitments to teams, practices and scheduled games. Let's take this seriously and do our best to see that our children get through the season injury-free.

Whether or not your league requires it, having a physical evaluation every year is a great idea. These exams can help with the prevention and treatment of any underlying conditions the young athletes may have. If you regularly see a pediatrician, he or she may be able to fill out the forms for you. Your league may also have a physician who they use for their players so check into that as well.

Warming up and stretching before strenuous activity is essential. This helps the child avoid injuries such as muscle tears or sprains by stretching and releasing any muscle tension prior to game time. This can include a light run, jogging in place or almost anything that gradually brings the heart rate up.

Hydration is something that must be planned well before game time. It just makes good sense to keep children well hydrated by having them drink plenty of water before it comes time to work up a sweat. The fluid loss through perspiration has to come from somewhere.

Make sure you have the appropriate and properly fitted sports equipment recommended for that sport. This can help avoid minor and serious injuries by protecting those areas of the body most often injured in that sport. Check with your league if you are not certain what is recommended, and don't forget the sunscreen.

Offer to help your coach with coaching if you know the sport. If you are well qualified, you may be able to help with warm-ups, hydration stations or first aid if you have any expertise in these areas.

No one knows your children as well as you. Watch them for signs of fatigue, changes in mental status if they have been hit in the head, or anything else that may seem out of the ordinary. Your commitment to your child's health has to be the overall decision maker in any sport.

Sports can be a great way to teach children about team play and commitment, and can expose them to sports in a way they may not be able to experience otherwise. If you choose to take part in any of the sports offered in Livonia, make sure you take the time to be fully prepared and safe while playing.

Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia Fire Department.

With our youngest child, Beth, heading off to college this fall, there are some safety items I will try to emphasize with her before she leaves. While I can try to teach her safety tips in the best way I know how, I sometimes worry that I may not catch her at a moment when she is receptive to the messages. She has a lot on her mind, with roommates, life away from home, friends and the whole college experience. Some of the items I will tell my college-bound child are listed below. I hope you will share them with your college-bound students as well.

Close your eyes, stand up and spin around twice. Imagine you were awakened from a sound sleep by the blaring sound of your smoke alarms. What do you imagine would happen next?

If you are like many Livonia residents, you'll probably picture yourself walking through a cloud of light, white smoke, taking the time to gather valuables with you on the way out. You would probably only see a few flames flickering in the background, not blocking your way out. If any part of that is what you imagined, it's time to open your eyes.

I've been in the fire service since 1981, and I can tell you from my own personal experience that fire is nothing like what you may have just imagined. Here's the truth from someone who has been there:

A real fire is hot, hotter than any heat you've ever experienced. Sure, it starts small, but it grows quickly. The gases that are released from the flames are poisonous, and they're also hot enough to burn your respiratory tract. The smoke is black and hot, and spreads quickly through the building. It builds up at the ceiling level and banks down from there.

A real fire isn't the Hollywood-type you may have seen on television or in the movies. The scene of a fire is no time to realize that you have no idea how to escape from it.

Every home, including mine, needs a well-thought-out, well-rehearsed fire escape plan, made and practiced before an actual fire breaks out. My family has a plan, and I hope every Livonia family has a plan or will after reading this article.

National statistics show that most citizens haven't planned ahead. According to the National Fire Protection Association, only a quarter of the homes out there have planned and practiced a home fire escape plan.

Not having a plan can be a deadly mistake. Of the nearly 4,000 people who die each year in fires in the United States, about 80 percent of them die in home fires. If a fire strikes your home, will you be able to get out alive?

Take out your home escape plan, or make one. Include a sketch of the home from a birds-eye view, and draw in the walls and label the rooms. Discuss two ways out of every room in the home, and make sure the people in those rooms know them and how to use them. If you have any family members with special needs, such as newborns, discuss how to get them out safely and whose responsibility it is to do so. Make an outside meeting place where everyone goes to meet other family members to check in. Have one person tell arriving fire companies if everyone is out or not.

I've seen a lot of tragedy in my career and nothing could be more heartbreaking than to see losses that could have been prevented. Take it from someone who knows. Make and practice your home escape plan.

Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia Fire Department.

     If you have been reading this column for any length of time, you probably have read about the importance of having working smoke alarms in your home. The statistics all point to safer citizens in homes with working smoke alarms, as opposed to no alarms or alarms that are not working. They are inexpensive and simple to install. If you still are not sold on installing and testing them, let's take a look at some recent fires in the news.

On July 14, a fire broke out in Clearfield, Utah, home of an 18 year-old man, who was watching his niece and nephew. The smoke alarms went off in the morning, awakening the man. He woke up and got both children out of the house. Besides the life-saving success story, the early warning provided gave firefighters the opportunity to attack the fire when it was still small. Damages to the home were an estimated $20,000-$25,000.

On July 16, a Ledgeview, Wisconsin, couple was sleeping in their home when the smoke alarm alerted them to a fire in an upstairs bedroom. This fire was also caught in its early stages, thanks to the smoke alarm. Fire damage was limited to one bedroom in the large, two-story home. Other parts of the home did suffer some smoke damage, but no injuries occurred in this fire.

Another fire broke out in the early morning hours at a Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania, home. A husband, wife and their two children, ages 9 and 12, escaped the blaze that destroyed their single-family home. The family was asleep when they were awakened by the smoke alarm sounding. They got themselves out of the home quickly and called the fire department from outside the home. The husband was quoted as saying ‘We're thankful for working smoke alarms.'

Smoke alarms should be installed, as an absolute minimum, on each and every level of the home. They should also be placed outside of sleeping areas, but placing more alarms inside bedrooms makes good sense. They should be installed on the ceiling, where smoke collects during the early phases of a fire. The vast majority of smoke alarms are independent units that rely on a battery for power. The battery, in most cases, should be replaced annually and the unit should be tested each and every month.

Get the whole family involved on your monthly trek through the home, testing smoke alarms along the way. Discuss your family fire escape plan while you are doing this, and follow that up with a fire drill, starting with each family member in their specific bedroom. This makes sense as most fires start at night, when most people are sleeping. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact any Livonia firefighter for help.

Besides working full-time for Livonia Fire Rescue, I love teaching and learning about other fire departments, the various fire causes and ways to keep our citizens safer from the ravages of fire. Every once in a while, I have to stop and scratch my head.

The United States has many more fires per capita than almost every other country out there. We also rate poorly on the fire death and injury rate as well, falling far behind most other comparable countries. So, why do we have so many fires?

One reason may be our national attitude on fires. In the United States, we call so many of them “accidental.” That merely means they were not deemed intentional. These fires could, in most cases, have been prevented with some common sense and fire safety practices put into place. If we have someone lose their home by fire, we do the neighborly thing and help them get through the tough times with outpourings of gifts and money. In Japan and other countries, severe penalties are imposed regardless of how unintentional the fire was. The crime is called “grave negligence” and can lead to sentences of imprisonment.

In Germany, you are personally liable for the damage done to anyone else's property if you were found to have caused the fire. If someone dies in the fire, it is a manslaughter charge. In France, insurance companies design their policies so that you will suffer a loss after any fire, even if it is not your fault. In Switzerland, insurance proceeds are used only to rebuild exactly the same structure on the same lot. No cash is given or offered, which keeps their arson rate much lower than ours.

Love it or hate it, the system we have is what we have. It's probably not going to change much in the near future. Let's take a look at how we can keep our homes safer from fire. First and foremost, have plenty of working smoke alarms in the home. Go around the home and test them with the family there, so that they can begin to recognize the sound it makes when it is activating. Take a look at your insurance coverage to make sure any loss you may take is an acceptable risk for your family. Many insurance companies offer a “home security” discount, giving you a reduction in premiums if you have deadbolts on your doors, smoke alarms and a fire extinguisher. Check into it.

Now head outside and make sure any fire you or your neighbor may have will not be able to easily spread to your home. Keep the grass and shrubs watered, eliminate long overhanging foliage, and clean up any stored materials between houses and garages. Install motion sensor lighting as a deterrent to people who don't belong in your yard. These simple steps can go a long way when it comes to fire safety.