You may also be wondering why we did more "damage" to your home as we fought the fire. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions:
Why did you cut a hole in my roof?
I saw firefighters breaking my windows. Why was this done?
Why are some of my belongings out on the front lawn?
Why are there holes in my ceilings and walls?
Can I get a copy of the fire report for the insurance company?
As fire burns, hot gases, smoke, and heat rise. As they hit the ceiling of the room, they move outward and down. We cut a hole in your roof to release these super-heated gases and smoke -- to let them keep rising -- which keeps them from causing further damage. This process is known as ventilation. While it caused some damage to the roof, it allowed the firefighters to enter the structure and fight the fire more efficiently. In the long run, this process results in less damage to the structure and your contents.
We performed another form of ventilation. We released heated gases and smoke and allowed cooler air from outside the structure to enter the room. Again, this allowed quicker entry by firefighters.
Conserving your property is a high priority for us. We removed as much as possible to protect your things from intense heat, smoke, and water. You may have also noticed some of your belongings are underneath large blue sheets of plastic, or salvage covers. We did that for the same reason. We call this process "salvage."
We make holes in walls to ensure that all of the fire is out, and no fire is hiding in a wall or ceiling. This process is known as overhaul.
You can get a copy of past fire incident reports by filling out a request form and giving it to the administrative assistant at Station 3. The cost of copying each report is $2.00.