WESTWOOD, N.J.—Three serious car fires punctuated the Westwood Fire Department’s log of 28 emergency calls in November.
No one was hurt at any of these incidents, but one car, whose hot exhaust ignited a pile of leaves Nov. 23, with the flames then consuming the car, was destroyed.
The other two other car fires were caused by mechanical problems. All three were quickly extinguished.
According to the department, led by Fire Chief Kevin Woods, these 28 alarms and one training and maintenance session required approximately 420 hours of volunteer time.
The department responded out of town twice—to assist Emerson and Hillsdale firefighters—and received mutual aid twice from the Emerson Fire Department.
Automatic fire alarms signalled 16 times in November. There were no fires at any of these incidents, but a full fire department response was required. Firefighters checked the entire building to determine if an actual fire exists.
Alarm findings: No cause was found at four alarms; cooking smoke activated four alarms; workmen activated three alarms; and malfunctions and a power outage set off three other alarms.
Firefighters responded to three natural gas emergencies. Again, each of the three calls required a full fire department response. Fire crews checked the entire building with meters and found low gas readings inside one building, shut the gas to stop the leak and turned the scene over to PSE&G gas technicians.
At another gas call a truck struck a gas pipe inside a commercial building. Fire crews shut the gas off to the building, vented the gas, and turned the scene over to PSE&G. No gas readings were found at the third call.
The department fielded four carbon monoxide incidents in November. Carbon monoxide, or CO, is an odorless and colorless gas that can be given off by improperly burning heating or cooking equipment. It can be fatal at high levels. Each of these calls requires a full fire department response.
A malfunctioning detector caused the fourth incident.
The Westwood Fire Department and Westwood Fire Prevention Bureau remind readers that in order to have a fire-safe and happy holiday season the following precautions must be taken:
• Live Christmas trees dry out quickly. They must be watered every day to reduce fire hazards.
• Before stringing lights, make sure they are still in safe condition with no exposed wiring or loose sockets.
• Be sure all extension cords are in in good condition, and never run them underneath a rug or carpet.
• Electrical devices should be approved by UL (Underwriters Laboratories).
• Never leave holiday candles burning unless they can be constantly watched.
• Never remove the battery from a smoke detector to use it in a new toy or battery-operated appliance.
Submitted by the Westwood Fire Department. Send Fire Department-related questions to firechief@westwoodnj.gov or call (201) 664-0526. Reach the Fire Prevention Bureau at wfpb191@usa.net or (201) 664-7100 ext. 308.