“There is no greater tragedy than one that could have been prevented.” I cannot take credit for this statement—however, I could not agree more and the tragedy of home fires and the devastation they inflict is a perfect example. And when the prevention is as easy as installing and maintaining smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors it becomes more ironic. This year daylight savings time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5. (Remember “Spring ahead – Fall back”).
Darien Fire Department assisted New Canaan Fire Department in battling a barn fire on Sunday night, October 22, 2017.
The cause of a fire that consumed a South Avenue barn late Sunday, drawing multiple rescue personnel to New Canaan near the Darien line, remains under investigation, officials say. Nothing of value had been stored in the 1,472-square-foot barn at 986 South Ave., according to New Canaan Fire Marshal Fred Baker. “There is no assumption of foul play,” Baker told NewCanaanite.com in an email. The barn did have power running to it from the main house, he said. The house and a small cottage, both 1790-built structures, suffered no damage during the fire, though the barn appears to be a total loss, according to Fire Chief Jack Hennessey.
Each year, more than 2,500 people die in fires, most of them in residential occupancies. National Fire Prevention Week is October 8-14 this year and the theme is “Every Second Counts – Plan Two Ways Out!” and the Fire Service throughout the country will be working to emphasize fire safety awareness as will the New Canaan Fire Department. Firefighters will be visiting schools throughout town giving demonstrations on how to stay fire safe. Also, school groups will be touring the fire house to learn about how the fire fighters live, train and work. The kitchen is the most common room in the home for a fire to start—usually related to cooking however, unsafe ash disposal is also a reoccurring problem.
The motto of Rotary is “Service above Self.” This year’s Rotary Lobsterfest certainly lived up to that mantra. On behalf of the entire Rotary Club of New Canaan, we wish to express our appreciation for the many individuals who helped to make this year’s Rotary Lobsterfest the best yet. Thousands of volunteer hours were expended to plan, set up, execute and clean up, and 1400 crustaceans selflessly gave of themselves to further our cause. The proceeds will be distributed to assist agencies locally, regionally and world wide to help make this world a little warmer, safer and more secure for those less fortunate. We wish to thank the following sponsors, without whom we could not have been as successful:
Walter Stewarts Market, Karl Chevrolet, Hobbs Inc., HTG Investment Advisors Inc., Benchmark IT, NewCanaanite.com, Reynolds and Rowella, Rucci Law Group, LLC, J. Hilburn, Team Engle, Westport Mortgage, New Canaan Advertiser, Santella Electric, The Glass House, Kenneth Gammill Jr., Esq., New England Academy of Dance, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, CAIM, Bankwell, Berkshire Hathaway, Cars.com, Charter Oak Beer, Halstead Properties, Melissa Engel, Hoyt Funeral Home, Lambert, Toohey & Rucci, Moffly Media, Netology, Rhone, and Round Rock Advisors.
At the first signs of warm weather many folks head directly to their barbecue grill to start that greatest of summertime traditions: grilling! (Or, if you are like me it never stops). To ensure everyone can enjoy their back yard bistros unencumbered by unfortunate mishaps, following is a list of steps you can take to avoid being “well done”:
Make sure that your grill is serviced and cleaned annually, following manufacturers instructions for care and use. Leak check all hoses and fittings on gas grill with a dish detergent and water solution. If any “bubbling” appears, have the grill serviced by a certified technician.
