2011 Town Report - Town of Ludlow

FIRE PREVENTION REPORT2011 was a transition year for the Fire Prevention Office. Jeffrey Lavoie was promoted to Captain and took over theoffice in February of 2011. Throughout the year, Fire Prevention Officer Lavoie attended training sessionsconcentrating on Conducting Fire Investigations, Inspections, Code Enforcement, Blasting, Report Writing,Fireworks, Oil Burners, Plans Review, Smoke Detector Inspections, and Building Code Classes. Captain Lavoieconducted fire drills at schools, businesses and institutions, performed fire and life safety inspections, reviewedbuilding and site plans, performed 21-E site assessments, investigated complaints of fire hazards, conducted fireorigin and cause investigations, and assisted local residents and businesses with fire code compliance issues.The Student Awareness of Fire Education (S.A.F.E.) program was delivered in all the Town schools to children inkindergarten through grade five. Firefighters Ryan Pease and Jan Thornton coordinated the program and delivered itwith assistance from many members of the fire department. Due to cooperative efforts by the Fire Department,School Department, Parent Teacher Organizations and the Ludlow Rotary Club, the S.A.F.E. program was againsuccessfully presented to the students. Since the inception of the program statewide in 1995, fire deaths of childrenunder the age of 18 has fallen 92%. In 1994, 25 children ages 18 and under died in fires in Massachusetts. In 2006that number dropped to 1. Also, there were 36 civilian fire deaths in Massachusetts in 2010 compared to a high of61 in 2007. Furthermore, unofficial numbers for the Commonwealth in 2011 again show a drop in fire deaths,including not one single fire death of a child under the age of 18. These numbers are indicators that education andprevention efforts have been working in Massachusetts.One of the most important measures you can take to keep your family safe at home is to install and maintainworking smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms - this cannot be stressed enough. Carbon Monoxide was amajor issue during the week without power that followed the October 29 snowstorm, as people were usingunconventional methods to heat their homes and were running generators too close to their dwellings.In addition to the S.A.F.E. program, additional public fire education efforts continued throughout the year. Fireextinguisher training and fire and life safety education programs were provided to various schools, businesses andcivic organizations.Captain Edwin Prokop and Private Walter Peacey continue to serve as the Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention officers.The following is a list of permits issued by the Fire Prevention Office:Smoke Detector ............................... 209Oil Burners & Tanks ........................ 108LP Gas Permits .................................. 36Flammables Permits ............................ 3Tank Truck Permits ............................. 6Black Powder Permits ......................... 0Blasting Permits ................................... 3Tank Removal Permits ...................... 21Sprinkler System Permits .................... 2Storage Tank Permits ........................... 8Fire Alarm Permits .............................. 1Cannon Permits ................................... 0Fire Suppression Permits ..................... 4Fireworks Permits ................................ 1Vent Free Gas Heater Permits ............. 3Miscellaneous Permits ......................... 0A total of 405 permits were issued. Permit fees collected totaled $10,830.0080