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Fire and other emergency officials are rightly concerned about the rash of fires in this region during the first two months of 2022, some of which claimed lives in addition to inflicting extensive property damage. Every other right-thinking resident of Blair and surrounding counties should be concerned also.
The second paragraph of a March 1 Mirror front-page article began this way:
"Within the first eight weeks of the year, the region has recorded four fatal house fires, a dairy barn fire that killed dozens of cattle and a fire that destroyed a business's local facility.''
However, the sentence in question told only part of what the region experienced on the fire front.
The Altoona Fire Department and volunteer units in some outlying communities, including some in neighboring counties, were kept busy battling numerous smaller fires that, fortunately, were able to be brought under control more quickly than those mentioned.
Since the blazes, fire officials have responded commendably and predictably. They have issued reminders that one of the most effective and easiest forms of fire safety is a properly functioning smoke detector -- a smoke detector powered by a good battery or batteries and installed where it can be most beneficial and effective.
Justin Smithmyer, Altoona Fire Department fire inspector, stressed that "a properly functioning smoke detector will give you plenty of notice and plenty of time to safely exit the building."
That observation is unquestionably correct.
It is troubling to read news accounts about a blaze -- especially a fatal one -- in which a functioning smoke detector was not found when the blaze started.
There is an option available that, if pursued, could help cut the fire death and damage tolls markedly. The word "help" is key because making the option effective would require the assistance of many people, not only people in the respective emergency services.
What will be proposed here will be based on National Fire Prevention Week but be much "closer to home" in terms of how it is carried out.
National Fire Prevention Week originated a century ago from the desire to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire, Oct. 8-10, 1871, by reminding the public about the importance of fire prevention. The observance takes place each year during the week in which Oct. 9 falls.
If there is a problem with that observance, it is that it is held in early October, rather than during months of the year when this region and other areas seem most susceptible to deadly blazes due to people's dangerous efforts to deal with bitter weather conditions, deteriorated holiday decorations and heating equipment not properly maintained -- as well as other dangerous electrical issues not addressed.
With all that in mind, it would seem helpful if a day in late November or early December was set aside for a Blair County (or Southern Alleghenies Regional) Extinguish Fires Before They Start initiative --emphasizing the fire dangers that occur in this climate during this time of the year and providing reminders about how fires can be averted.
"Rash of fires concerns emergency officials" was the March 1 headline. Having that special day set aside could be one way to put that concern to work effectively when the issue might be closer to people's minds.