Fire At Pennsylvania Junior Highschool: Fire Extinguisher Puts It Out!

Extinguished in Ford City! Sounds like a 1950's western, but the hero in this case was the school maintanance workers. They got the fire out before it could spread; the fire started in the shop from a petro-chemical spray, it could have been much worse if the fire extinguisher was not ready and charged. Monitoring fire extinguishers is a good idea for schools.

The smoldering sawdust was discovered in the ductwork of a sawdust collector for the woodshop classroom where no students were at the time.

As a precaution, the school was evacuated briefly. Students were allowed to return after the building was declared safe by firefighters.

A school maintenance worker used a fire extinguisher to put out the smoldering fire and removed the material from the vent before firefighters arrived.

Ford City and Manor fire departments responded to the school building at 1100 Fourth Ave. shortly after 11 a.m.

Using thermo-imaging cameras, firefighters determined that the materials were no longer smoldering.

"We wanted to make sure nothing was left burning in the system," said Ford City Fire Department Assistant Chief Scott Gaiser.

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Dorm fires at San Jose State

A number of fires at San Jose State in California leave students worrying.

Fire crews responded to two small fires Thursday morning at Joe West Hall, a high-rise building where about 500 students live.

One was reported in a garbage can on the seventh floor, and the second was reported on the fifth floor. One student suffered cuts to his arm when he broke into a fire extinguisher box.

Joint Commission: en-Gauge equivalent means to monthly physical inspections

A 2009 survey by the Joint Commission an independent, non-profit organization that accredits health care organizations found that the number one challenge indicated in maintaining the environment of care was fire safety equipment maintenance.

Among the Joint Commission's requirements is the monthly physical maintenance and inspection of fire equipment. Monthly physical inspections can be costly, especially in time and labor required.

The good news is that like the NFPA and the ICC, the Joint Commission now recognizes en-Gauge's technology as an equivalent to the manual 30-day fire extinguisher inspections. Health care facilities that adopt en-Gauge can reduce risk, stay code compliant and potentially reduce the cost of extinguisher ownership by some 60% over 12 years.

Read the full release for details.

School fire extinguishers hit by vandals, 30 day fire extinguisher inspections can't stop this problem,

How sad is this? Just days before school is supposed to start vandals strike the same school twice in two days. This follows vandalism at another school in the district that resulted in $50,000 in damage.

Of course, fire extinguishers were used in each case. The school is now installing cameras. Another good option would be en-Gauge electronically monitored fire extinguishers. When done, security and law enforcement officials could be immediately notified when an extinguisher was removed -- perhaps allowing for the vandals to be caught in the act.

Electronic monitoring of fire extinguishers and annual safety inspections make schools safer.

Extinguishers stolen from High School -- AGAIN, monthly fire extinguisher inspections can not solve this problem

This latest incident of extinguisher theft brings the total to 20 stolen/missing fire extinguishers in the Town of Dickinson, ND.

A couple have been found discharged and strewn about town, but those that need to be replaced -- will cost $100 each.

The vandals in this case have yet to be caught.

There is an option to help prevent further vandalism -- electronic monitoring of fire extinguishers deters vandalism because the instant notification of removal means that authorities can respond quickly -- perhaps catching the bad guys in the act.

Electronic monitoring of fire extinguishers and annual inspections make schools safer.