The Union County Fire Marshal’s Office provides education programs throughout the county to help enlighten the citizens of Union County on safety awareness of fires. These programs can be as short as 30 minutes or as long as all day depending on the size of the group. More information on the two most common types of education programs can be found below.
Portable Fire Extinguishers
One education program for businesses is portable fire extinguisher education. This program begins with a brief classroom setting where people can learn what the basic components, types, and how to use the fire extinguisher. The classroom setting covers requirements set forth by NFPA 10 and the North Carolina Fire Prevention Code.
Once the classroom portion of the program is completed then there is an opportunity for the class to use portable fire extinguishers in a practical exercise. This exercise includes picking the correct type of extinguisher, direction of approach, and the application of using the extinguisher.
To schedule a portable fire extinguisher training class please call 704-283-3524. Please call as soon as possible so that your request can be filled. Appointments are on a first come first serve basis and a two week notice is appreciated.
Fire Safety House
Another education program offered by the county is the Fire Safety House. The Fire Safety house is designed for school age children from age 5 to 8. The Safety House provides hands on real life fire safety situation for children to learn from. This 34 foot two story mobile teaching unit features realistic home settings which allow the children to learn from.
Features:
- The trailer has a living room with a mock fireplace and electrical outlets which allow us to teach about the dangers of open fire and overloading electrical circuits.
- A working kitchen area provides education on cooking and kitchen related hazards found in dwellings.
- Upstairs is a bedroom area where instruction is provided in the importance of smoke detectors and knowing two ways out of your house, including how to properly descend stairs in a fire situation.
- The fire safety trailer is equipped with a smoke generation machine and working smoke detectors which allows instructors to create real life effects of a fire without the dangers associated with live fire.
- A working internal telephone system allows for instruction in calling for assistance including dialing 911 and talking with an emergency dispatcher(simulated).
To Schedule Fire Safety House:
- The fire safety trailer is available to any organized group in Union County,and can be scheduled by calling the fire service office at 283-3524.
- Appointments are on a first come first serve basis, and the trailer stays booked about a month in advance.
- Please call as soon as possible,so that your request can be filled.
Smoke Detector Program
Union County’s Smoke Detector program allows the less fortunate households to obtain a smoke detector at no cost. This program targets those individuals who do not have a smoke detector or their smoke detector is not functioning properly. The fire marshal’s office will take this request and arrange a time where someone can be home to allow a smoke detector to be installed.
If you or someone that you know of needs a smoke detector please feel free to contact us. We place a high priority on these devices since they are a life saving device. Anyone interested in find more out about this program or someone interested in obtaining a smoke detector can call our office at 704-283-3524.