Belmont Fire: Don’t Get Burned on Thanksgiving

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Several times in the past month, Belmont Fire Department crews have been sent to homes to put out smokey fires that started from a homeowner who took their eyes off the stovetop or oven as they prepared a meal. Nationwide, cooking caused 43 percent of reported home fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

On Thanksgiving, a cooking fire is three times more likely to occur than on any other day of the year

“Most fires on Thanksgiving occur between noon and 4 p.m.; the peak cooking hours,” says Belmont Fire Chief David Frizzell.

“A lot of those fires can be easily avoided by staying alert and in the kitchen while cooking,” he said.

Here are some common sense take aways about Thanksgiving Day fires:

  • Many home cooking fires are caused by unattended equipment, abandoned material, a heat source left too close to flammable materials, product misuse and cooking equipment that is not properly turned off.
  • The use of turkey fryers – which use a large amount of cooking oil at high temperatures – also poses a significant danger and can lead to devastating burns, other injuries and the destruction of property.
  • If you have a cooking fire, go outside and call 9-1-1 for help. Do not try to fight the fire yourself.
  • Thanksgiving is also a high time for cooking related burns. To prevent scalds and burns, cook on back burners and make sure all pot handles are turned inward so children don’t come into contact with them. Appliances that get hot, such as toaster ovens, should also be well out of a child’s reach. Have a “kid-free zone” of at least three feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drinks are prepared or carried.

Belmont Fire Log: A Pair of Incidents Where You Could Have Used Too Many Cooks

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Not on the menu
Nov. 10 – A few minutes past 5 p.m., workers at a restaurant on Belmont Street called the Fire Department for a little bit of assistance; the water pump in the establishment’s basement shut down causing sewage to back up in the eatery. The owner told fire personnel he had a similar issue with the pumps in the past. Lucky for everyone, there was no water “or other associated issues” in the basement as the town’s Highway Division of the DPW was called to respond.
Up in smoke
Nov. 12 – A few minutes after 11 a.m., Engine 1 and Ladder 1 took off towards Lexington and Trapelo for a reported motor vehicle fire. Once they arrived, fire crews found a hot and smoldering vehicle owned by the company doing the paving work along Trapelo. Luckily, the driver and passengers go out of the vehicle on their own and a member of the police force extinguished the fire prior to the BFD’s arrival. Engine 1 personnel used a water extinguisher to cool off the remaining hot spots in the engine compartment and under the dashboard.

No burning around the house

Nov. 14 – A bit past 8 a.m., Engine 1 was sent to a Moraine Street house for a reported fire against the building. The crew discovered a contractor burning wood in a barrel. He was told to put it out.

Very, very, very well done

Nov. 15 – A quarter past 6 p.m., the entire Belmont Fire company was sent to an apartment building at the corner of Trapelo and Mill Street for a reported smoke and possible fire. There was, in fact, a fire but it was restricted to a tenant’s failed attempt to cook dinner.

A neighborly gesture

Nov. 15 – At half past 7 p.m., a fire crew was sent to a house on Walnut Street after the homeowner locked themselves out. Happily, a neighbor had a second set of keys so there was no need to climb ladders or break a window.

Almost famous last words: “Let’s go out to eat instead”

Nov. 15 – At a quarter ’til 9 p.m., all companies were dispatched to a two-family on Lewis Road after a call came in of smoke in the structure. Sure enough, the Engine 1 crew found heavy smoke on the first floor with several alarms sounding. Knocking in the front door, they quickly located the smokey source; the remanent of a dinner on the stovetop. Apparently, someone forgot the first rule of cooking; remember that you’re cooking something. The stovetop was shut down, the burnt pots removed from the building and Ladder 1 and Rescue 1 ventilated the place with two big exhaust fans. Then guess who showed up? Our forgetful tenant! Tom was told to notify the landlord about that broken front door.

Belmont Fire Log: Ambulance Crew Losing Patience With Runaway Patient

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Just a bit of deadly gas; nothing to worry about

Oct. 19 – Just before 8 p.m., Engine 2 took off to a Stone Road house to investigate why the carbon monoxide detector was blaring. The owner said his gas stove burners and oven would “periodically” malfunction releasing gas into the house. “This is the first time the alarm went off,” he said. The firefighters quickly shut off the stove and the heating system. The gas company shut off the main gas supply to the house as well as the air handling unit. Heating unit and stove were red tagged for service, and the homeowner was informed of the process.

Losing patience with runaway patient

Oct. 19 – At 20 minutes past 6 p.m, the Advance Life Savings ambulance was sent to Park Road for a medical emergency. But once there, they couldn’t find the patient! The person who called 911 said her boyfriend did not feel well, but did not want her to call 911. Apparently the “possible patient” fled the scene when his friend called 911. Belmont Police and the Engine 1 crew searched the surrounding neighborhoods for said patient. When the reluctant patient was not found, the department told the woman to call back if the patient contacts her or is located.

Killing a mosquito with a cannon 

Oct. 20 – Two minutes ’til 7 p.m., crews arrived at a Marlboro Street home after a resident called 911: she burned a plastic spoon on the stove.

 

If a tree falls in Belmont …
Oct. 23 – At 25 minutes past 8 p.m., Engine 1, Ladder 1 speed through town heading for Davis Road after a tree fell onto the house. Sure enough, the tree was resting on one side of the house but with no visible inside damage. All occupants were escorted out of the building to a safe area as the Belmont Highway Department, and the town’s tree service was on-scene upon the fire department’s arrival. The town’s building inspector came out also. As the crews were about to leave, a large tree limb fell onto the same electrical wires. Command requested the Light Department come back to the scene.

Open (Fire) House to Celebration National Fire Prevention Week

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The Belmont Fire Department is holding an open house at the Fire Department Headquarters on Wednesday, Oct. 8 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. as part of National Fire Prevention Week.

Demonstrations of fire prevention and safety by members of the fire department will be performed. Pizza will also be provided by Papa Ginos. 

The HQ is located at 299 Trapelo Rd.

Belmont Fire Log: Fall’s First Flue Flub Up, Barrel Blaze at Winn Brook

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Barrel blaze

Sept. 28 – At a quarter ’til 8 p.m., fire teams were sent to the field adjacent the Winn Brook Elementary School where they found a white plastic trash barrel on fire. Fire personnel made quick work of the blaze and the Highway Department was asked to remove and clean up the debris.

Belmont Light in charge
Sept 29 – A little after 8 a.m., Engine 2 was sent to Pleasant Street near Cityside Subaru for reports of arching electrical wires. Belmont Light was also on the scene, cutting power to the line and putting out a small fire on the line with an extinguisher.

Gas issues in the basement
Sept. 29 – A minute before 5 p.m., Engine 2 took off to a School Street address to investigate a carbon monoxide alarm going off. The homeowner said the basement CO detector displayed readings of 25 parts per million, a bit too high to hang around. While the homeowner’s detector was outdated (the model was last manufactured in  1995), there was some gas in the basement, about 10 ppm; there was normal readings on the first and second floors. Personnel decided to shut down the burner and the separate heating unit and red tagged them for service. After the building was ventilated, a second set of readings were conducted and it turned out normal.

The first of many flue calls this season
Oct. 2 – At just about 2:20 p.m., the department went hurrying to a York Road house after a report the house was full of smoke. The Engine 1 crew entered the house and discovered that someone hadn’t open the chimney flue before starting a fire in the fireplace. The result: heavy smoke throughout building. Personnel from Engine 1 and Ladder 1 extinguished the fire and ventilated the building.

Caught in time
Oct. 2 – At 5:35 p.m., fire crews set off to the Baptist Church on Lexington Street after a building fire alarm rang. On arrival, the crew from Engine 1 discovered the cause: an overheated light ballast behind the stage. The light was shut off, just in time.

Too many cooks
Oct. 3 – A quarter ’til 9 a.m., all fire companies headed to a two family on Waverley Street in which smoke was coming out of a second-floor window. They arrived to find the resident of the second floor resident waiting on the street. The Engine 1 crew went inside to investigated while personnel from Rescue 1 evacuated the first-floor occupant. Turned out the blaze was a cooking fire. Ladder 1 assisted Engine 1 in venting the second floor and shutting down the stove. Fire officials told the tenant not to use the stove until her appliance was serviced by a licensed professional.

Coal fired, not today

Oct. 3 – At a quarter past 11 a.m., Ladder 1 arrived at Mark & Toni’s Pizza on Trapelo Road in Cushing Square. Not to pick up that day’s lunch special but to investigate a natural gas odor. Since it did smell a little gassy, as a precaution the employees were asked to step outside. While the department and the gas company could not find abnormally high readings using their CO detection equipment, the business’ heating unit was red tagged, just in case. Fire officials spoke further with the business owner and both parties agreed to close the business for the day.

Slow cooking shut down
Oct. 3 – Just after noon, yet another call concerning a possible gas leak, this time in a two-family on Falmouth Street.  Turned out the odor was coming from the gas stove on the first floor. Firefighters soon discovered that the oven was on at a low temperature and food was cooking inside. Crews shut off the stove and the gas main before venting the apartment by opening the windows and doors. The department notified National Grid and red tagged the stove for good measure.

It happens to us all 
Oct. 3 – At just about 9:20 p.m., fire crews were sent to McLean Hospital due to a fire alarm. The cause: burned popcorn in the microwave.

Road Closures, No Parking Areas For Sunday’s Scharfman Run

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While it’s nothing to the extent of what Newton residents deal with on Marathon Monday, this coming Sunday morning, Oct. 5 beginning at 9:30 a.m., several Belmont roads will be briefly closed while runners take over the streets for the second annual Dan Scharfman Memorial Run.

The Memorial Run takes a scenic route from the Belmont High School track at Harris Field past the town’s schools, Payson Park Reservoir and Clay Pond.

Screen Shot 2014-09-29 at 1.39.40 PM

The following road closings will occur on October 5 to ensure the safety of participants:

  • 6 a.m. – 12 p.m.: No Parking on east/west side of Concord Avenue between Cottage and Bright avenues;
  • 6 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: No Parking on Goden Street between School Street and Concord Avenue;
  • 9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.: School Street closed between Orchard and Philip Road;
  • 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: No exit onto Oakley from Selwyn and Hurd;
  • 10:45 a.m. – 11 a.m.: Concord Ave West Bound closed between Underwood and Goden – two-way traffic on Concord Ave East Bound;
  • Between 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.: Drivers should be aware of runners on the 5K course (Concord Ave / Orchard Road / Stone Road / School Street / Philip / Elisabeth Road / Jacob / Payson / Oakley / Goden / Concord / Underwood); and
  • Between 10:45 a.m. and 11 a.m.: Concord Ave East bound will have two-way traffic between Underwood and Goden. Concord Ave West bound is shut for the 1-mile race.

The Foundation for Belmont Education thanks the residents of Belmont and the Belmont Police Department for their support of the Scharfman Memorial Run and appreciates the community’s understanding of the disruption in normal traffic patterns.

Online registration is available at the FBE website, www.fbe-belmont.org/race through Sunday. Interested participants can also register the day of the race.

In 2013, the Memorial Run raised $20,000. Those proceeds allowed the FBE to fund new programs across all six schools in the Belmont Public School system to give educators and students the best tools, technology and training that foster innovation and love of learning.

Belmont Fire Log: With This Ring, OUCH! Be Watchful of Your Burner

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With this ring … ouch!

Sept. 21 – About half-past 9 p.m., Engine 1 and Rescue 1 were sent to a Trapel0 Road residence. There they discovered that a resident’s ring had become a bit too snug around the finger. It was carefully removed.

Not the first or last time this fall

Sept. 22 – Half past 10 p.m., a call came in that a Belmont Street residential structure was filling with smoke. When the entire company arrived at the site, they discovered the building’s oil burner was running smoky as it started-up, most likely for the first time this season. The aforementioned burner was shut down, and the landlord was advised to have it serviced before placing it back in operation. Homeowners and landlords need to watchful with burners that have not been running since spring.

Grilled grill

Sept. 23 – At a quarter to 7 p.m., a Philip Road resident was cooking outside one last time when his gas grill suddenly caught fire. Luckily, the fire was contained to the grill.

What a fine mess you’ve got yourself

Sept. 25 – Just before 7 p.m., Engine 2 and Ladder 1 were dispatched to a Slate Road two-family to investigate a reported odor of smoke inside the house. Turns out that the likely culprit was an overheated light bulb in the first-floor bathroom. But firefighters also found a potential fire hazard from the large amount of storage in the basement. Firefighters assisted the storage maven to relocate some of his belonging as to create a five foot perimeter away from the burner.

Outside fire is the pits

Sept. 27 – Just after 7 p.m., Engine 1 set off for Cushing Avenue after some people reported a fire and heavy smoke coming from the back yard. Turns out a resident was using a fire pit. The homeowner agreed to extinguish the blaze and told of the town’s bylaw prohibiting such outdoor displays.

Fed Grant Allows Belmont Fire to be Fully Staffed Since 2010

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Just before the start of summer next year, the Belmont Fire Department will return to a position it hadn’t been in since 2010: being fully staffed.

Thanks to a federal grant aimed at increasing the number of “front line” firefighters to meet national staffing and response standards, “[the BFD] will be budgeted for four shifts of 13 personnel for fiscal year 2016 and 2017,” said Belmont Fire Chief David Frizzell told the Belmont Board of Selectmen on Monday, Sept. 29.

“This is good news for the department,” said Fizzell, who came with BFD Assistant Chief Angus Davison who wrote the grant.

The $285,020 SAFER grant award to BFD from the Department of Homeland Security will allow the department to cover the salary and benefits of a pair of “fire suppression” personnel for two years, said Frizzell.

While budgeted for 50 employees, the department currently has 48 firefighters on staff after a recent retirement and the departure of another.

The additional staff comes just in time as the department prepares for a “significant turnover” among its ranks in the coming years, Frizzell told the selectmen. While he can’t specifically say how many personnel will be departing as they only need to provide two weeks notice before retiring or leaving, Frizzell said several department members will become eligible for retirement.

“Because there is a lag of sometimes four to six months between the time we have an opening and when [new employees] complete the hiring and training process, it will be important [the department has] these two new members staffed when we go through our staff reductions,” said Frizzell.

Belmont Police Collecting Unwanted Prescription Drugs Saturday, Sept. 27

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The Belmont Auxiliary Police and the US Drug Enforcement Agency will host a prescription drug Take-Back Initiative to prevent the abuse and theft of old, unused and expired prescription drugs.

The Auxiliary Police will have a collection point set up at the town’s DPW yard, 37 C St., on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Old or unused prescription drugs (no liquids) may be dropped off for free with no questions asked. You won’t even have to get out of your car. Please take some time to check your medicine cabinet and visit us on the 26th. Unfortunately, these drugs are highly susceptible to misuse by family and friends. In addition they can be improperly disposed of and end up in our environment, posing a potential health hazard.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified prescription drug abuse as an epidemic, according to the White House. While there has been a marked decrease in the use of some illegal drugs like cocaine, data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health show that nearly one-third of people aged 12 and over who used drugs for the first time in 2009 began by using a prescription drug non-medically.

For more information on the Rx Drug Take Back Initiative or a list of additional collection sites visit www.dea.gov . You may also contact Lt. Kristen Daley at kdaley@belmontpd.org  The Belmont Police also has a permanent Rx drug collection kiosk located in the lobby of Belmont Police Headquarters that is accessible at any time, day or night.

 

Belmont Fire Log: Angry Bees Have Grandma On the Run

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Late night entry

Sept. 14: Just before 11 p.m., Engine 2 was sent to a Stewart Terrace (that’s near Belmont Acres Farm) house. Seems like someone forgot their keys and needed assistance getting inside.

Too hot for modern technology

Sept. 15: If anyone was wondering why the entire Belmont Fire Department was outside the Butler School just before 10 a.m., not to worry. It was due to a faulty heat sensor in the gym.

What’s the order? Child, keys, door, lock? D’uh!

Sept. 15: It was a quarter to 3 p.m. and a parent had just picked up their child from Belmont Nursery School on Belmont Street. The fire log doesn’t exactly say how what was about to occurred happened, but the parent apparently got their child in the car, flipped on the lock, closed the door and … remember that their keys where in the now locked car … with the kid. Engine 1 came by straight away to liberate the child.

Bee-ware: Not-so-friendly bees require a fire rescue

Sept. 16: Firefighters in the Belmont Center station on Leonard Avenue were surprised by a distraught grandmother who rushed into the firehouse just after 10 a.m. She and her granddaughter had just driven to the Center when, unknown to granny, she some how disturbed a bee hive as she was parking the car on nearby Alexander Avenue. As she alighted to take the child out, grandma was suddenly attacked by several now not-so-friendly bees. After slamming the door shut, the grandmother ran over to the fire station. Could they help? In a few seconds, one of the ladder truck crew got inside the car and drove the vehicle to a safer and bee free area.

Outside, looking in

Sept 16: Just after 2 p.m., yet another resident – this one on Gilbert Road – required the fire department’s help getting them back inside their house.

Where did I leave my keys? 

Sept. 18: At a quarter past 2 p.m., a motorist left the keys in their car in Belmont Center. At least Engine 2 firefighters didn’t have to travel far to open it; it was parked less than a block away outside the old Macy’s location on Leonard Avenue.

Collecting too much

Sept. 19: When Belmont firefighters and police arrived to conduct a well-being check on a Common Street resident just after noon, they couldn’t locate the homeowner but they did find his junk, and a whole lot of it. Apparently the person is a hoarder and the home’s condition has been reported in the past to the police and the town’s Health Department.

Keep your cooking INSIDE the Weber

Sept. 19: About 20 minutes past 8 p.m., fire crews arrived to a Thomas Street house for an emergency in the back. It was barbecue smoke. That’s OK. However, the crews came back shortly after 9 p.m. when the BBQ turning into an old-time campfire. That’s not OK. In fact, it’s a code violation in these parts.

The angry bee used in this article can be found on the website of children’s writer Chris (as in Christine) Cander. Check out her site at http://chriscander.com