 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Think fire safety now before the dry season
By CARRIE JOHNSON, Times Staff Writer LECANTO -- By the time the first embers spark a brush fire, it may be too late to save a home. If the earth is baked by drought and there's plenty of dry vegetation to act as fuel, there's little even the most determined of firefighters can do to control the blaze. "There's not enough firetrucks to protect every home," said Chuck Schneider, an operations administrator for the Florida Division of Forestry. "Right now, the paradigm is: "We're the victim. Call the fire department. It's their job to put it out.' We're trying to shift that, and let people know they can start planning to defend their own homes," he said. That's why the Division of Forestry, along with the Citrus County Fire Services Department, offered a workshop Thursday designed to teach local homeowners, architects, engineers and city planners how to start safeguarding property long before the drought season starts. Dubbed "Fire Wise," the program was launched in 1985 by the federal government after a spate of devastating wildfires in California and Florida. The program provides guidance that may not otherwise occur to planners and homeowners. For example, for landscapers the program gives tips on which types of vegetation are most flame resistant. Builders can learn which materials will stand up best to fires. When planning a community, it's essential to have wide roads that will allow firefighters and emergency workers plenty of access, said fire services director Mike Schlaudraff. "People don't know you need at least an 18-foot road for a thousand-gallon truck," he said. "Those things don't turn on a dime." There were plenty of tips for homeowners, too. Schlaudraff said it's vital people remember basic fire safety tips, including keeping gutters clean and free of leaves, maintaining an adequate water source outside and clearing at least 30 feet of space behind the house. About 40 people attended the workshop, which was at the Lecanto Government Building. Participants included insurance agents, engineers, local firefighters and city officials. Schlaudraff said his goal is to spread the Fire Wise message throughout the county and plans to send representatives to homeowners associations and civic groups. "If you get 40 people together, it's going to get out to at least another 10 or 15 people, and from there it just builds," he said. -- Crime reporter Carrie Johnson can be reached at 860-7309 or cjohnson@sptimes.com.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
Citrus Times |
