Red Cross partners with firefighters to prevent deadly house fires
Teams will provide smoke alarms and education to neighbors

Posted: May 01, 2017 12:02 AM EDT

Updated: May 01, 2017 12:02 AM EDT

News Article

FAYETTEVILLE (WSYR-TV) – Some local fire departments are joining forces with the American Red Cross to reduce the number of deadly house fires.

Crews in Fayetteville, Kirkville, Manlius and Minoa have joined the program that offers home visits for families.

The partnership is the first of its kind in Central New York, providing both smoke alarms and education to neighbors.

“You reduce your risk of death by 50 percent in a fire if you have a working smoke detector. So, right there, it’s a small investment, that makes a huge impact if there was a fire,” says Fayetteville firefighter Jeffrey Jones.

For more information about Home Fire Campaign visits call 315-234-2299.

Catie O’Toole | cotoole@syracuse.com By Catie O’Toole | cotoole@syracuse.com
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on April 24, 2016 at 8:05 PM, updated April 25, 2016 at 7:22 AM

POMPEY, N.Y. — Dozens of firefighters carried portable three-gallon tanks of water up a hill and through “terrible terrain” in a 2 1/2-hour effort to put out a brush fire Sunday afternoon in the town of Pompey, Manlius Assistant Fire Chief Robert Bennett said.

No fire vehicle could reach the fire behind 4966 Indian Hill Road, so firefighters carried the water, rakes and shovels needed to fight the fire, Bennett said.

A resident called 911 to report the brush fire shortly after 2 p.m. Sunday after his son spotted smoke while riding an ATV outside, and then the father saw fire, the assistant chief said. Pompey Hill, LaFayette, Delphi Falls and Fayetteville responded to the scene. Cazenovia remained on stand-by. The resident who called 911 also let firefighters use an ATV to get to the fire.

“The firefighters carried water on their backs, up and down the hill,” Bennett said. “The terrain was terrible. We couldn’t get hose lines up there.”

As winds shifted, the fire spread over an estimated 4 acres and over a 40-foot ravine, he said. More than 50 firefighters battled the brush fire on both sides of the ravine, eventually extinguishing the flames some 2 1/2 hours later, Bennett said.

While firefighters don’t think anyone started this fire — “combustion happens a lot,” Bennett said — he reminded everyone that

residential brush burning is prohibited

The DEC reminds New Yorkers that residential brush burning is prohibited through May 14.
statewide through May 14.

Bennett said the firefighters’ training helped them battle Sunday’s fire, but it was no easy task.

“It’s very tiring for those guys carrying the water,” he said.

Livestock Dies in Manlius Building Fire

 Updated 02/05/2016 06:02 PM

MANLIUS, N.Y. — A litter of puppies was killed late Monday morning after a Manlius kitchen caught fire, firefighters said.

No residents were home at 7948 Broadfield Road when the fire started, Manlius Fire Chief John Buskey said. A passerby reported the fire around 11 a.m. after seeing flames coming from the residence, Buskey said.

When firefighters arrived, smoke was billowing from the building’s eaves, Assistant Chief Brad Pinsky said. Firefighters found between seven to 10 dogs inside, Pinsky said. Most were puppies.

Because the home’s windows were closed, the oxygen-deprived fire didn’t move past the kitchen, Pinsky said. But sweltering temperatures and carbon monoxide proved fatal to most of the dogs.

“It was too hot,” Pinsky said.

Pinsky said firefighters carried each of the dogs out of the house. All of the puppies, including one found hiding under a couch, died. Two adult dogs survived.

“It was definitely disturbing,” Pinsky said.

One of the adult dogs was in bad shape when firefighters carried him outside, Pinsky said. After coaxing the dog to drink water and giving him oxygen, firefighters placed the dog in the chief’s truck and rushed him to a local veterinarian.

No firefighters were injured, Pinsky said.

Although the kitchen was severely burned, Pinsky said the rest of the home sustained little fire or water damage. The house, Pinsky said, was saved.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.