>>> A SPACE HEATER PLUGGED INTO AN EXTENSION CORD THAT
WAS RUN UNDER A BED.
THAT SCENARIO, WHICH FIRE SAFETY EXPERTS SAY IS AN
ABSOLUTE NO-NO, RECENTLY CAUSED A FIRE IN HOLYOKE THAT
DISPLACED 12 PEOPLE.
AND THE MAJORITY OF FIVE OTHER ELECTRICAL FIRES AROUND
NEW YEAR'S IN PITTSFIELD, MIGHT HAVE BEEN PREVENTED.
PITTSFIELD FIRE CHIEF THOMAS SAMMONS SPOKE WITH ME ABOUT
SOME FIRE PREVENTION TIPS IN THE STUDIO.
>> HEATING EQUIPMENT IN GENERAL ARE THE NUMBER ONE
REASON FOR FUHRS THIS TIME OF YEAR.
AND IN PITTSFIELD WE HAD A RASH OF THEM, FIVE FIRES IN
NINE DAYS AS WE DID A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH AND CAME TO
THE CONCLUSION WERE ALL ELECTRICAL IN NATURE.
THERE WERE FIRES THAT REQUIRED TO US PULL HOSE LINES, AND GO
TO WORK.
WE GO TO A LOT OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ON A DAILY BASIS, A
LOT OF THOSE ARE OVERLOADED OUTLETS, POWER STRIPS, THAT
KIND OF THING.
IT WAS ALARMING.
SO WE THOUGHT WE NEEDED TO GET A MESSAGE OUT.
>> THANKFULLY THOSE FIRES, NO CIVILIANS OR FIRE OFFICIALS
WERE HURT, CORRECT?
>> CORRECT.
>> GREAT.
BUT SINCE THEN, YOU'VE KIND OF EXTEND OUT AND SAID, LOOK,
THERE'S SOME TIPS PEOPLE COULD REALLY BE SERVED BY
REMEMBERING OR BEING REMINDED OF.
I'LL TAKE YOU THERE R THROUGH A FEW OF THOSE, YOU MENTIONED
THE POWER STRIPS AND NEVER OVERLOAD A POWER STRIP.
OVERLOADING THEM CAN HAVE SERIOUS PROBLEMS AS YOU'VE
SEEN RECENTLY IN PITTSFIELD.
HOW ARE THOSE PROBLEMS -- >> SO THE PEOPLE HAVE THE
POWER STRIP, AND DEVICES THAT SHOULD BE PLUGGED INTO A WALL,
THEY'RE USING A POWER STRIP FOR.
ANYTHING THAT HEATS OR COOLS, AIR CONDITIONERS,
REFRIGERATORS.
>> HEATING LAMPS OR PLUG-IN HEATERS.
>> SPACE HEATERS.
>> SHOULD ALWAYS BE PLUGGED DIRECT EVENTUALLY A WALL, AND
NEVER IN -- ON AN EXTENSION CORD OR INTO A POWER STRIP.
>> BECAUSE THAT -- HOW DOES THAT END UP LEADING TO A
FEWER?
>> BECAUSE IT'S NOT AS HEAVY A GAUGE WIRING, NOT DESIGNED FOR
THAT KIND OF A LOAD, AND THOSE DEVICES REQUIRE A LOT OF
ELECTRICITY, AND ALL THAT ELECTRICITY WILL HEAT UP THOSE
WIRES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT DESIGNED FOR IT.
OVER TIME, COULD LEAD TO A FEWER.
>> AND THEN PLUGGING AN EXTENSION CORD INTO A POWER
STRIP ALSO NO-NO, RIGHT.
>>> ALWAYS.
NEVER DO THAT.
THE SAME IDEA, KNOCKING DOWN THE AMOUNT OF REQUIRED WIRING
FOR THE -- WHAT YOU'RE RUNNING.
>> BECAUSE AN EXTENSION CORD, REALLY, WHILE IT MIGHT MAKE
YOU PLUG THE GAP FROM A TO B, IT SHOULD BE TEMPORARY IN
NATURE, RIGHT?
>> YEAH, IT'S TEMPORARY WIRING.
>> WHEN YOU'VE BEEN WITH THE PITTSFIELD FIRE DEPARTMENT
MORE THAN 20 YEARS, YOU'VE BEEN A CHIEF SINCE SEPTEMBER
OF 2019, WHEN YOU'VE RESPONDED TO SCENES THROUGHOUT YOUR
CAREER, AND YOU'VE SEEN THOSE EXTENSION CORD USED NOT AS
TEMPORARY WIRING BUT MORE PERMANENT, WHAT ARE SOME OF
THE PROBLEMS YOU'VE RUN INTO.
YOU'VE SEEN PEOPLE TACKING UP EXTENSION CORDS, PUTTING RUGS
OVER THEM?
>> THAT'S A BIG THING, WHEN THEY COVER UP AN EXTENSION
CORD.
BECAUSE NOW IT'S -- NOW THEY'RE USING IT AS PERMANENT
WIRING, AND IT'S BEING INSULATED, WHERE THE WIRING IN
YOUR WALLS IS NOT.
SO THIS IS -- HAS A RUG OVER IT OR HAS A BUNCH OF
COMBUSTIBLE ITEMS OVER IT, AND IT DOESN'T GIVE OFF THE HEAT
AND STAYS COOL.
IT GAINS, OVER TIME, IT HEATS UP TO THE POINT WHERE IT COULD
CAUSE A FEWER.
>> ALSO, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SPACE HEATERS, THE TIME OF
YEAR, IT'S REALLY COLD OUT, MIGHT HAVE A SPACE THE HEAT
DOESN'T PUMP IN THAT ROOM THE WAY THE REST OF THE HOUSE DOES
AND WANT TO WARM IT UP, SPACE HEATER, GREAT WAY TO DO THAT.
SOMETHING YOU'VE POINTED OUT, YOU NEED 3 FEET OF CLEARANCE
AROUND THAT HEATER.
WHY?
>> BECAUSE THAT -- IT WILL -- THE HEAT WILL BE FAR ENOUGH
AWAY WHERE IT WON'T CAUSE A FEWER.
ANYTHING WITHIN 3 FEET IS WHAT THE MANUFACTURER'S
RECOMMENDATION IS, THAT -- SO NO COMBUSTIBLES WILL START ON
FIRE.
>> PEOPLE MIGHT THINK IF I TIP OVER MY HEAT DISH, IT MAKES
THAT ANNOYING BUZZING NOISE, I'LL KNOW, I'LL BE OKAY.
>> DON'T COUNT ON DEVICES.
ALWAYS CAN'T KEEP -- KEEP 3 FEET OF CLEARANCE AND KEEP
IT ON A LEVEL SURFACE.
>> BE HOME WHEN YOU'RE USING IT?
>> YOU KNOW WHAT?
WHEN YOU LEAVE THE ROOM, IT'S GOT TO BE TURNED OFF FOR YOUR
SAFETY AND YOUR FAMILY'S.
>> YEAH.
AND THEN HOW ABOUT USING A HEAT -- USING A STOVE AS A
HEATER SOURCE, WHAT'S THE CHALLENGE WITH THAT?
>> SO IF YOU HAVE A GAS STOVE, THE GAS OVEN AND YOU SET UP
THE DOOR TO HEAT UP, YOU'RE INTRODUCING CAR BAN MONOXIDE
INTO THAT ROOM, AND EVENTUALLY YOU COULD BE OVERCOME OR THERE
YOU HAVE LIVE FIRE, YOU KNOW, COMING OUT OF YOUR OVEN,
BECAUSE YOU'RE HEATING UP THE SPACE.
THERE'S -- >> MIGHT SEEM LIKE A GOOD
IDEA.
IT'S POSSIBLY MORE AND MORE PROBLEMS, RIGHT?
>> YEAH.
>> YOU MENTIONED CARBON MONOXIDE, THAT MAKES ME THINK
OF CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS BECAUSE IT'S AN ODORLESS GAS,
NOT ONLY CARBON MONOXIDE, DETECTORS, BUT SMOKE
DETECTORS, HOW COMMON IS IT THAT YOU ARRIVE AT A SCENE AND
DON'T SEE ENOUGH OF EITHER OF THOSE TWO THINGS?
>> A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE THERE, BUT THE BATTERIES
ARE -- YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE HOLDER IS ON THE CEILING.
IT'S WAY TOO COMMON.
PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE WORKING
SMOKE DETECTORS AND CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS, A LOT OF
THEM HAVE SEALED BATTERIES NOW, BUT A LOT OF THEM STILL
ARE OUT THERE THAT DON'T. YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THE
BATTERIES, MAKE SURE THEY DON'T.
>> ESPECIALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR, YOU MIGHT THINK I NEED
IT REAL QUICK FOR THOUSAND TOY OR REMOTE.
I'LL PUT IT BACK AND DON'T. >> NEVER.
>> HOW MANY AND WHERE SHOULD SMOKE DETECTORS BE IN A HOME
OR RENTAL UNIT.
>> IT DEPENDS, A GOOD RULE OF THUMB IS ON EVERY HABITABLE
FLOOR.
IF YOU HAVE STUFF IN YOUR BASEMENT, IF YOU HAVE A
BASEMENT WHERE YOU HAVE HEATING, A FURNACE OR HOT
WATER HEATER, YOU NEED A CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR AND A
SMOKE DETECTOR ON THE FIRST FLOOR, SAME THING.
AT THE BASE OF THE STAIRS, ON THE SECOND FLOOR AT THE TOP OF
THE STAIRS.
>> SO IF YOU'RE A HOMEOWNER, OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE GOING TO
CHECK THAT FOR YOURSELF, IF YOU'RE IN A RENTAL, YOU MIGHT
LOOK AROUND AND THINK YOU'RE SHORT OF THOSE.
IF YOU CONTACT YOUR LANDLORD, THEY'D BE RESPONSIVE.
IF THEY'RE NOT, WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP, CALLING YOUR
DEPARTMENT, ANOTHER FIRE DEPARTMENT.
>> IF YOU CALL THE INSPECTION BUREAU OF THAT CITY OR TOWN,
THEY CAN MAKE SURE THAT GETS TAKEN CARE OF THROUGH THE
LANDLORD.
THE LANDLORD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HAVING THEM THERE, UNLESS
IT'S WRITTEN IN THEIR CONTRACT.
AND THEN IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP
BATTERIES IN THEM.
BUT THEY SHOULD BE THERE WHEN YOU START RENTING.
>> ANOTHER TIP YOU HAD SAID IS THAT IF BREAKERS ARE
CONTINUOUSLY TRIPPING, THAT'S SOMETHING YOU NEED TO PAY
ATTENTION TO.
WHAT'S THAT A SIGN OF.
SOMETIMES YOU'RE BLOW DRYING YOUR HAIR, SOMETIMES IT JUST
TRIPPED.
IF IT'S CONSTANTLY HAPPENING?
>> THAT MEANS THAT WIRING IS BEING OVERLOADED ALL THE
TIME.
IT'S CONSTANTLY TRIPPING THAT MECHANICAL DEVICE THAT COULD
ULTIMATELY FAIL SOMEBODY.
WE GO TO FIRES ALL THE TIME WHERE THE FUSE BOX, BREAKER
PANEL IS -- HAS CAUGHT ON FIRE.
>> RENTAL INSURANCE IS SOMETHING THAT I KNOW THAT YOU
HAVE ALSO SPOKEN ABOUT.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT.
A LOT OF LEASES REQUIRE IT, SOMETIMES TENANTS DON'T HAVE
IT.
>> SO I WAS A FEWER INSPECTOR, AND IT -- IT WAS SO HARD TO
SEE SOMEBODY LOSE EVERYTHING, EVEN ON THE FIRE GROUND, YOU'D
SEE SOMEBODY LOSE EVERYTHING, FOR $25 A MONTH, THEY COULD
HAVE HAD EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, REPLENISHED.
IT'S REALLY -- IT'S -- IT'S NOT JUST THE FIRE, COULD BE A
WATER HAZARD OR -- IT'S CHEAP INSURANCE, IT REALLY IS.
>> BECAUSE THE PROPERTY OWNER WILL HAVE INSURANCE BY LAW FOR
THEIR PROPERTY, BUT YOU AS THE TENANT, IF YOU HAVE MET RENTAL
INSURANCE, IT COVERS THE ITEMS WITHIN THE HOME.
>> ALL YOUR CONTENTS.