In Wake of Fatal Stamford Fire, Stratford Firefighters Urge Fire Safety

The Stratford firefighters would like to offer our most sincere condolences to the family and friends dealing with the .  

The initial findings indicate that it was an accidental fire and that early warning systems may not have been in working order. There was also a fire in Torrington where it was determined that there were no batteries in the smoke detector and one man died in that fire.

The devastating loss of the family in Stamford and the individual in Torrington is felt by all and we would like to remind the residents of Stratford of the importance of an early warning system, specifically operating smoke detectors.  

The town of Stratford, in recent years, has also shared unfortunate loss of lives from fires whereby the findings indicated smoke alarms were not present or they were disabled and/or not maintained. This system failure resulted in a loss of time to the resident as well as the ability of the resident to report the fire to the fire department.  

The would like to remind Stratford residents to have and maintain adequate fire protection systems. Adequate fire protection would be, at a minimum, smoke detection on every level of the living unit, including the basement and outside every sleeping area.  

Furthermore, common practice would be to check your smoke detectors and change the batteries every six months, regardless of whether the battery still displays life.  

Carbon Monoxide: 'The Silent Killer'

In addition to smoke detection devices, it is also important to have at least one carbon monoxide (CO) detector in your home, best located in the vicinity of the sleeping area. Carbon monoxide is called the silent killer because it has no odor and is not visible. The only warning of the presence of carbon monoxide is a carbon monoxide detector(s).

The presence of carbon monoxide is possible in any home and can cause mild illness, unconsciousness or even death. The effects can be much more drastic and occur in a shorter time period with children.

Carbon monoxide detectors also assist with the detection of fire, due to the production of carbon monoxide when materials burn and/or smolder. There are quite a few manufacturers that offer combination smoke/carbon monoxide detectors.

Create a Fire Escape Plan

While on the subject of home fire safety, it is also recommended that you create a fire escape plan with your family and conduct fire drills in your home from time to time. It is important to practice all possible escape routes and create a centralized meeting place for the entire family should you become separated while leaving your home.

Lastly never hesitate to call 911. Your firefighters are here to protect the health and safety of the residents of Stratford and at no time should you feel you are inconveniencing your firefighters by calling 911. Every second counts and any delay in contacting 911 can allow fire and smoke conditions to worsen causing more damage, increasing the risk of injury, and worst of all lessening the chance of survival.

If you have any questions regarding any fire safety topics, to include proper placement of smoke detectors and/or carbon monoxide detectors, please feel free to contact your fire marshal's office at 203.385.4073, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

You can find more information, on fire safety along with fire safety activities and resources for children, on our website at http://www.IAFFLocal998.org under the Public Education section.

Robert McGrath

Chief, Stratford Fire Department

Brian Lampart

Deputy Chief of Fire Prevention

Bill Hansen

President, IAFF Local 998