My task with this column is to educate our readers about ways to live safe and fruitful lives. Every once in a while, I witness something that prompts me to talk about it, though there may be more important things to write about. In an attempt to maintain my focus, I will tell this story, and then make a sharp turn. It is a snowy Monday morning, and I am headed to the church. I get to the rail crossing on Curtis Street, with the gates down. I am the closest vehicle to the tracks and crossing on the Richmond Street. side. The freight train is coming around the curve, and it is close enough for the lights on the engine to be flashing and the train horn to be blowing. A car approached from behind me and went around me. It is normal for a car to go around and take Railroad Street, back to Richmond Street, and bypass the rail crossing, especially when a train is coming. This person decided to do the unthinkable. This person went around the gates, crossing right in front of the train. This person endangered himself or herself, the train crew, and those of us on both sides of the crossing. Interestingly enough, this train was predominantly tank cars, and it could have had an impact on our entire community, if any of these cars had derailed. I was mind-boggled by the senseless act that had just occurred.
Now, for the sharp turn. In the last few weeks, a number of residential fires have occurred all around Chesterfield County. As we speak, units are still on scene, performing extensive overhaul after an early morning basement fire in a large single-family dwelling. Thankfully, everyone had gotten out prior to fire units arriving. Investigators are on the scene attempting to determine the cause of this fire that has displaced six people. Although I have not heard it yet, chances are great that smoke alarms, hooked in series, notified the family of the fire, allowing them to escape safely. On the flip side, an apartment fire in the north end of the county sent one adult and one child to the hospital, the adult suffering life-threatening injuries. I do not know if the cause of that fire has been determined, but news reports stated that fire officials were unsure if smoke alarms were activating. This apartment building had a common attic, which allowed the fire to spread to the entire building, affecting all of the apartments and displacing a much larger number of residents. Another house fire, in our area, killed 11 of a family’s 12 pets, and displaced the rest of the family. I am able to learn a few details about these fires through the department’s Daily Business Plan, but most of my information comes from the news media, and my 34 years of riding fire apparatus. In another case, an apartment fire that started in the kitchen was handled with the building’s sprinkler system. Damage to two apartments caused those residents to be displaced, but think about the difference. Although there was some water damage, the fire was quickly extinguished.
First and foremost, a lot of fires are occurring all around the area. Fires are bad all of the time, but they are even worse at Christmas. Live candles, extra electrical equipment, fires in the fireplace or the woodstove, a higher number of combustibles, live/dead Christmas trees, and more cooking than usual are all contributing factors to a fire occurring. Each of us must realize the potential of fire soccurring in our homes. Some of us own our homes, while others rent their place of living, but all of them need to be protected by a proper number of properly placed and properly operating smoke alarms. In a rental, the landlord or property management is responsible for installing and maintaining smoke alarms in the property, but to be honest, each of us needs to take this bull by the horns. Smoke alarms save lives. We all need to ensure that there are operating smoke alarms in our homes, apartments, mobile homes, campers, and motel rooms. Preventing fires, and most importantly, protecting lives, is every person’s responsibility. Have a safe and wonderful holiday!
I invite each of you to come out for Christmas on the Green, at Chester Village Green, Saturday, Dec. 19 at 6 p.m. Bring a lawn chair and blanket. This is an outdoor worship service. There will be hot chocolate and coffee. You can sit on the green (socially distanced, with a mask;) you can sit in your car with the windows down, or you can sit in your car and listen on your FM radio. Hope to see you there.
