Opinion

Don't let winter cold
turn into burning heat

Now that cold weather is upon us, more and more people will be turning to their wood stoves, fireplaces and other heating equipment to keep warm. But before lighting the first bundle of kindling, state and local fire safety professionals urge you to take the necessary precautions to ensure a fire does not occur.

Already this year, firefighters in the region have responded to fires caused by furniture placed too close to baseboard heaters, sparks from chimneys igniting roof materials, and malfunctioning furnaces.

Here are some ways that homeowners can protect themselves: q Have your chimney or wood stove inspected for cracks and creosote, and have it cleaned if necessary.

After using your fireplace or stove, allow the ashes to cool completely for two or three days before cleaning it. If you cannot wait, dispose of ashes safely by placing them outside, in a metal container, away from structures or anything that could burn.

Use only dry, seasoned wood. This reduces creosote build-up. q If you have a furnace, have it inspected once a year.

Keep anything that burns - paper, furniture and wood - at least three feet away from all portable and baseboard heaters, fireplaces, and wood stoves.

Never use kerosene, propane or other outdoor heaters indoors. They can cause carbon monoxide poisoning if used in a home or shop.

Never leave a fire burning unattended.

Flue fires are one of the most frequent - and preventable dangers when heating season arrives. The most important step is to clean the stovepipe or chimney before lighting your first fire of the winter.

You can do it yourself, but fire officials recommend having a professional chimney sweep do it for you.

The cleaning process involves special tools of the trade, such as a wire brush to clear away creosote, the sooty buildup that can ignite, causing the stovepipe or chimney to heat up to more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, starting a flue fire.

Chimney maintenance is vital to safe wood stove and fireplace operation, and fire marshals recommend that you have your chimney inspected annually to cut back on the chances of a chimney fire. These intense fires can cause much damage, igniting the house inside and out and creating enough smoke to be deadly to occupants.

If you do not clean your flue at all, a chimney fire will occur. It will begin when the creosote, which is made up of tiny unburned particles of wood fuel, heats up until it turns bright red. As air rushes in to oxygenate the fire, a loud roaring sound will be heard inside the stovepipe. It may shake loose sections of pipe, throwing burning particles and flames into the house. Should you experience a flue fire, shut off the air supply to the wood stove, get everyone out of the house and call 911.

There are other precautions to take this time of year besides making sure your chimney is creosote-free:

Using a fireplace screen can help prevent sparks and ashes from leaping out of the fire and landing on surrounding furniture and carpet.
As always, vacuum and test smoke alarms to be certain they are working properly. It is recommended you change the batteries twice a year and replace smoke alarms that are more than 10 years old.

In Oregon, thousands of homes rely on outdated wood stoves or fireplace inserts installed during the energy crisis of the late 1970s, and many of these may not have been installed or maintained properly. In addition to improper installation, these old stoves produce far more smoke and burn less efficiently than the modern certified wood stoves, pellet stoves or non-woodburning systems like natural gas.

You may want to check to see if your wood stove is a certified model by checking on the back of the stove for a certification sticker from the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

If there is no tag, you may have an uncertified, high-polluting stove.

Oregon law allows the use of wood stoves, uncertified or not. However, resale or reinstallation of an uncertified stove is prohibited. Homeowners who upgrade their wood stove should request that the installer recycle their old stove.

For information about chimney sweeping and a list of professional chimney sweeps, check out www.ocsa.org.

For more information on wood stoves and other fireplace products, call the Oregon Hearth Products Association at 503-585-8254, or check out the web site: www.ohpa.org. For information on wood smoke pollution, contact the Oregon DEQ at 503-229-5359, or www.deq.state.or.us.

Information also is available from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue.

Call 503-649-8577 or visit the web site at www.tvfr.com.

Letters to the editor

Rotary Club gives
Graham's speech
standing ovation

I spoke at a Rotary meeting in Oregon City on Nov. 8. I was a bit reluctant to do so, it being an organization of business and professional leaders who represent a cross-section of the community. However, as it turned out, it was very rewarding.

In my 80-plus years on this earth, I had never before attended one of these meetings, even though Rotary is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, service organization in the country.

So, it was with uncertainty that I stood before this highly successful group to unveil to them my story as a prisoner of war in those dark days of World War II. I had been a member of the permanent party of the U.S. Army stationed in the Philippines prior to the beginning of that war.

This talk would cover the days from the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, to the drop of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan on Aug. 9, 1945, the unrecorded part of U.S. history.

It would cover the battle of Bataan, the battle of Corregidor and my 3 1/2 years as a prisoner of war in the hands of the enemy, doing slave labor under the cruel, tortuous and murderous ways of the Japanese Emperor's army.

In speaking to school children I had always avoided telling any of the gruesome parts, but now this group was going to hear the rest of the story.

As I spoke, I watched their expressions to see if I should pull back and soften the impact a bit. Every eye seemed to be on me. It became so quiet I could hear the sound of my own heart beating.

These were people much younger and more successful than me, but they had not heard of the horror of that period in that far-off land.

When I closed they gave me a standing ovation. What an honor that was! It was not to honor me alone, but to pay honor to all those who fought, and especially to those who paid the ultimate price and would never return.

We who returned are the survivors. They who did not are the true heroes. Bless them all.

My hope is that in speaking to groups those who hear will have a greater appreciation for this great form of government we have in this country, a land where the voice of the people can be heard.

But, a warning to all. That voice should be right before spoken. This freedom came at a great price.
Cal Graham
Oregon City

Ninety-One Elementary's
can drive a success

I would like to thank the Ninety-One School community and Roth's in Woodburn for the terrific support of the recent pop can drive held to raise funds for the Ninety-One School sixth-grade Outdoor School program.

Everyone was so generous with their time and contributions. Please continue to save your cans and bottles until we come around again in January. Thank you.
Ann Smith
Canby

Vita family finds
strength in support
of community

Sherri, Chelsea, Rick Jr. and myself would like to thank the community for their support and caring efforts during this challenging time in our lives.

The benefit committee organized an excellent evening with food, auction items and entertainment.

The outpouring of warm thoughts and the generosity of so many individuals made the evening and benefit a great success.

To our friends and family who have been there from the beginning, we love you and thank you so much for your support.

Although Sherri is still in a coma, she continues to make outstanding progress on her way towards recovery, with physical, occupational and speech therapies.

It is a very warm and comforting feeling to see such support. Once again, thank you.
Rick Vita
Canby