NEWS ABOUT SAN JUAN COUNTY FIRE DISTRICT NO. 3
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Lock box program started on San Juan Island
posted 11/18/00
Increases in residential burglar and fire alarm activations has prompted San Juan Island Fire Department to start a Lock Box program. This program, which is in place in cities and towns across the country provides access by fire and law enforcement personnel to locked structures without forced entry damage.
Property owners purchase lock boxes to secure keys and alarm codes for their buildings. The boxes, which are essentially small safes, mount on the buildings, and can only be opened by the fire department. Access to the vault keys is restricted to the fire department's chief officers.
In the event of a fire or alarm activation, the fire department can access the building without breaking windows or forcing doors. In addition to reducing damage, the system speeds entry for fire and emergency personnel. Firefighters are often forced to choose between breaking into a locked building or waiting for caretakers or building owners to arrive.
For most building owners, the system will pay for itself the first time that the fire department doesn't have to break a window to get in. For more information on the program, please call the San Juan Island Fire Department at 360.378.5334.
Fire Prevention Week
Clean that chimney
posted 09/00
As the weather turns cooler, the risk of major wildfires will diminish. With the cooler temperatures comes the start of the winter heating season. The fire departments of San Juan County want to remind residents to have their chimney cleaned regularly.
"As a minimum, we recommend having your chimney cleaned at least every six months," said Fire Chief Bill McLaughlin. "If you burn wet wood or green wood, you will need to clean it more often. If you have smoke coming out of your chimney, cresote is being deposited on the walls."
Each year hundreds of homes are lost to chimney fires in the United States. Already two homes have been severely damaged this year by chimney fires on San Juan Island alone.
