ASHLAND — The city’s newest fire station staged its first-ever live burn demonstration Tuesday night to educate the public on the dangers of a residential fire.
The event meant burning a wooden trailer, which was divided into identical two rooms typically found in a home. The difference between the two, however, was the presence of a sprinkler system in one of them.
“We’re trying to demonstrate to people how quickly fires can grown out of control,” said Ashland fire Captain Mark Miller.
The fire drew a crowd of around 50 people, all eager to witness a controlled fire. Many of those in attendance were children, who were given a chance to ask questions at the end.
“What number do you call when there’s a fire?” one girl asked.
Ken Klouda, the Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Fire Prevention Bureau Chief, gave the little one a hint.
“It starts with a nine,” he said, smiling. The girl, and many other children, responded with a resounding “911.”
Klouda said the state of Ohio averages around 125 fire-related deaths every year.
“It’s sad,” he said. “That shouldn’t happen. Especially in the place we feel most comfortable, the home.”
He said the wooden trailer was donated by the National Fire Sprinkler Association in March 2020, just before the pandemic forced shutdowns and led the fire marshal to put these types of educational burns on hold.
So far this year, his bureau has done five such burns around the state in order to show the public the benefits of having a sprinkler system throughout the house. The sprinkler system, he said, is activated at 155 degrees, before turning on at a pace of 1,300 gallons a minute. Time is of the essence in a residential fire, he said.
By the time Ashland firefighters arrive, usually between five and seven minutes, Miller said, the hose pumps out water at 170 gallons a minute.
“You can see the difference,” he said, pointing to the two rooms. One room, not equipped with a sprinkler, was charred beyond recognition. The other saw minimal damage to the wall and a curtain.
Tuesday’s event came on the heels of National Fire Prevention Week and represented the Ashland Fire Department’s fifth annual controlled burn — but the first at the new digs located at the intersection of U.S. Route 42 and Mifflin Avenue.
Ohio State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon, who was at Tuesday’s burn, urged the crowd to remember to check their smoke alarm batteries, to discuss an exit strategy in case of a fire and to even talk to the family about where to meet outside in the event of a fire.
Ashland Fire Station #2 became operational July 3. The $2.85 million project had been in the works for decades.
It is a 12,000 square-foot facility featuring a two-and-a-half bay garage, a mezzanine and equipment platform, administrative spaces and living quarters. City officials have said four people will staff the facility, which is serving the city’s southern portion, along with Milton and Montgomery townships.
