Posted by Catherine Filarski on Sun, Aug 08, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Catherine Filarski
Phone: 630-444-7340
Email: Catherine@FirefighterKnowledge.com
WHAT FIREFIGHTERS DON’T KNOW CAN HARM THE PUBLIC
August 9, 2010 - Saint Charles, Illinois. Firefighters are not trained on the subject of solid fuel and gas combustion appliance emergencies and prevention. Firefighters both on and off-duty, are approached by the general public with questions regarding fire safety issues with their fireplace, woodstove, chimney and clothes dryer vent. Often the answers firefighters provide are not based on formal education, but on myths and misconceptions that can lead to property loss and death.
Chimney Safe Productions Inc.™ has produced Firefighter Knowledge™, a two (2)-DVD public education training series for the firefighter. The training in the series is taught by 30-year veteran career firefighter and Certified Chimney Sweep®, Dieter Bové.
This is relevant and practical information that firefighters need to know.
1.) To be better at their jobs and to;
2.) Accurately communicate and educate the public.
The subject of the 2-DVD set covers fireplace types, types of chimney fires and creosote, dryer vent fires, masonry verses prefabricated fireplaces, safe operating guidelines, NFPA codes verses local codes, installation errors that lead to fires, ignition temperature, common myths, carbon monoxide issues, blast furnace effect, combustible materials, wildlife in chimneys and vents, proper maintenance, types of firewood, recommended and dangerous hearth products, fire suppression for the chimney and fireplace emergencies, PPV (positive pressure ventilation) and differences between North American and European chimney systems.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, dryer vent fires have exceeded chimney fires since 2005 and occur most frequently during the month of January.
Vice President and 30-year veteran career Firefighter, Dieter Bové, “I’ve been providing this training as a presentation to fire departments for 25 years. Since fire service personnel deal with fires, it is assumed that firefighters know the answers to the public’s questions on this subject when asked. In my experience as a career firefighter and certified chimney sweep, this isn’t the case. We produced this DVD training series so the information would be easily accessible to all firefighters. This is not chimney sweep school for the firefighter, this is information that should be a part of every firefighter’s basic training.”
The DVDs are 90 minutes in length and can be viewed either on a high-definition TV monitor or a computer screen. There are nineteen chapters in Video 1 and six chapters in Video 2. Each chapter is not more than 5-minutes in length and is re-capped for easy, user-friendly viewing when the firefighter goes on a call.
The DVD training series is priced at $129.95 and can be purchased on the company’s website at www.firefighterknowledge.com. Shipping is free to anywhere is the US and Canada.
For more information contact Catherine Filarski at 630-444-7340 or via email at catherine@firefighterknowledge.com.
Posted by Dieter Bove on Tue, Nov 17, 2009
Last week I did a Level I inspection in Batavia for an elderly
couple that were experiencing an unusual amount of "warming of the
walls surrounding the brick (masonry) fireplace. My inspection revealed
that a serious fire hazard did exist since the firebox needed
tuckpointing, and the lintle had become separated from the fireplace
face allowing excessive heat transfer into the surrounding combustible
walls. The firebox was repaired by grinding out all the mortar joints,
preparing the surface, and tuckpointed with a non water soluble
refractory cement from Copperfield Chimney Supply. The lintle bar was
sealed with Copperfields "ceramic wool" that will effectively block
heat transfer as well as act as an expansion joint at this critical
area.
Today I received a call from the homeowner stating that the repair
was effective because they had a fire in the fireplace all evening long
with no noticeable heating up of the surrounding walls.
Posted by Dieter Bove on Wed, Oct 14, 2009
Myself and Certified Chimney Sweep, Bill McClintock, relined a masonry chimney in Sleepy Hollow, Illinois that experienced a damaging chimney fire last fall. A level II closed circuit internal video inspection revealed there were several cracked tiles and a damaged smoke chamber. This inspection told us that the fireplace posed a future structure fire hazard if it were to be used prior our repairs. We installed a UL Listed insulated stainless steel chimney liner, and rebuilt the smoke chamber using the Smoktite chamber restoration system certified to 3000 degrees. Those two repairs combined, restored the fireplace to "better than" its' original condition. Customer was more than satisfied with the new liner.
Posted by Dieter Bove on Sat, Oct 10, 2009
A customer called this week asking if he can apply CrownCoat (he was doing his homework) by himself, and if he could purchase this product from us, here at the Chimney Department. The answer is no, CrownCoat is a product that repairs damaged chimney crowns and it needs to be applied by a contractor...preferably by a masonry contractor, or...a Certified Chimney Professional (hint, hint...our chimney pros) such as we have here at the Chimney Department, Ltd.
What is a chimney crown? A chimney crown is a masonry roof that covers the top of your chimney. It prevents water from seeping into the masonry below. Water damaged or cracked chimney crowns can lead to costly chimney repairs...that can be easily avoided.
CrownCoat is a flexible waterproof sealant that is applied over the entire chimney crown. A professional installed CrownCoat application stops further water intrusion through the crown.
When CrownCoat is followed up with the SaverSystems chimney saver water repellent it is an excellent combination of masonry protectors that will greatly extend the life of the chimney.
CrownCoat is a terrific product, I've been using it for about 10 years and I can't think of a customer that has not been satisfied with this product, and when applied properly, it carries a 15 year manufacturer's warranty.
Prior to the invention of CrownCoat, the only option we had was to replace the entire chimney crown. I'm happy to talk with you about. it.
Posted by Dieter Bove on Wed, Oct 07, 2009
On September 24th, customer Miriam Becker, Yorkville, IL comments how happy she was to find the Chimney Department available. She had called her current chimney sweep since April of 2009 without a returned phone call. When she called the Chimney Department, not only was she thrilled to get someone to answer the phone, she commented on how helpful Debbie Romano, the Chimney Department's Office Manager was. Another happy customer!
Posted by Catherine Filarski on Wed, Oct 07, 2009
The Chimney Department's service technicians John Kowalski and Bill McClintock not only work with the Chimney Department during their off-duty time, they are also full-time, professional firefighters with the Bloomingdale Fire Protection District in Bloomingdale, IL.
John Kowaski has been with the Bloomingdale Fire Protection District since 1994 and also working with the Chimney Department since 2005. Prior to that, he ran his own chimney service business, "Chimney Rescue". John is also an Arson Investigator and Master Scuba Diver, serving on the BFPD's Water Resue Team. John's experience and knowledge of the chimney business is extensive and customer's often comment on the great work he does.
Bill McClintock has been a professional firefighter with Bloomingdale Fire Protection District since 2002 and working with us at the Chimmney Department since 2008. Bill has quickly become quite the expert and has done some of our more complex jobs such and chimney re-lines (chimney liners). Bill is also a Certified Chimney Sweep and Certified Dryer Duct Exhaust Technician through the Chimney Safety Institute of America.
Both John and Bill have seen chimney and dryer vent fires first hand....Blomingdale Fire Protection District is one of the busiest fire departments in DuPage county.