Bend Fire gives free ‘live fire’ training on fire extinguishers to Sundance residents
(Update: Adding video, comments from Deschutes Rural Fire Protection District #2)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Bend Fire & Rescue offered a free, live-fire training on the use of fire extinguishers for residents of the Sundance neighborhood southeast of Bend on Saturday.
The event was part of Sundance’s ongoing commitment to fire prevention as a recognized Firewise community.
Last Nov. 24, Sundance resident Barbara Murphy went to baste her family’s Thanksgiving turkey when she realized grease had caught fire at the bottom of the oven.
Unable to find her own fire extinguisher, she went to three neighboring homes before she found a working fire extinguisher she could borrow.
“I think people need to be vigilant about knowing where their fire extinguishers are, and ensuring they remain in good order,” Murphy said. “Things can get out of control really quickly.”
"The fire department had to come out and get it under control," Oliver Tatom, a member of Deschutes Rural Fire Protection District 2's crew, told NewsChannel 21 at Saturday's event.
By then, the smoke had set off her security alarm, summoning a response from Bend Fire. Fortunately, the fire was contained to the oven and there was no damage to the home.
"But when we heard about that, and started thinking about what we want to do for our next educational event, we thought we should raise awareness around fire extinguishers" Tatom said, "Because we've been so focused on the risk of wildfire, and that's not the only source of ignition. It can come from within the house."
Sundance is no stranger to fire. In 1996, lightning ignited the Skeleton Fire, which destroyed 19 homes in the neighborhood. Twenty-five years later, residents organized to reduce flammable fuels and earn recognition as a Firewise community. They were the first neighborhood to do so in Deschutes County without the benefit of a homeowners association.
According to the National Fire Protection Association’s website: “The national Firewise USA recognition program provides a collaborative framework to help neighbors in a geographic area to get organized, find direction, and take action to increase the ignition resistance of their homes and community and to reduce wildfire risks at the local level.”
The Sundance Fire event featured a free chili and cornbread lunch. Members of the Firewise committee are also promoting Deschutes County’s free yard debris recycling event, Fire Free, scheduled to take place May 6 – 21 at Knott Landfill, and providing recommendations on the removal of flammable fuels to create defensible space around homes.
For more information, contact Oliver Tatom at olivertatom@gmail.com or (310) 562-6637
