DETROIT TRIP: George Bove of Bradford tells us
that there was one year – and one year only, apparently – that
Bradford High took a senior trip not to Washington, D.C., but to
Detroit, Mich. And they went by boat! George said it was right
after World War II and after the year-long hiatus it was back to
the nation’s capital.
[neWLine]
[neWLine]
TIMELY NOTE: Already this spring, we’ve been
hit by an unusual number of wildfires – and it seems certain to
continue.
[neWLine]
The good people at Elk State Forest have sent along some
information on how to protect your home from wildfires and we
thought it might be useful to our readers.
[neWLine]
The first step is, well, take a step or two. Take a walk around
your home or property and look for potential problem areas that
could be rectified:[neWLine]
“”Is there at least a 30-foot wide fuelbreak around each
structure? The fuelbreak may contain an ornamental tree or shrub.
These plants should be at least 15 feet apart with all the dead
limbs removed.[neWLine]
“”Also, all overhanging vegetation should be at least 15 feet
from any chimney. Small plants next to the foundation are fine. All
dead material should be removed from these plants.[neWLine]
“”Resinous plants such as mountain laurel, rhododendron and
highly flammable evergreen plants such as junipers and cedars
should not be planted close to buildings due to their ease of
ignition.[neWLine]
“”Is the area around your home or building free of flammable
material?[neWLine]
“”Store firewood at least 50 feet away from your home.
Don’t forget to clean the gutters, removing all the leaves and
debris. Also, don’t forget to clean the chimney at least once a
year and put the spark arrester back on. In addition, if your
building and roofing materials are not fire resistant, you should
consider treating them with a UL-approved fire retardant
chemical.
[neWLine]
“”Is your building identifiable? Place identifying numbers in a
location that is highly visible. Also, make sure your driveway is
accessible to emergency vehicles by clearing the roadway to a width
of at least 16 feet.””[neWLine]
Finally for today an essential suggestion: Use extreme caution
with fire because our lives depend on it. In other words, use
common sense … and pray for rain.
