The Fire Chiefs of the Fire Department of New York hosted a meeting with representatives of Jewish communities throughout the City to discuss fire safety with the approach of Pesach.
FDNY, working with Hatzalah and community saftey patrols, has arranged several locations in Brooklyn where fires for burning Chametz will be permitted outdoors.
The Hatzalah coordinator described how burn injuries that used to be so common until recently have been almost eliminated because of these efforts.
The central location for burning the Chametz in Crown Heights is in front of 770 Eastern Parkway, where the 71st Precinct of the NY Police Department, the Shul and the Community Council have coordinated the provision of a special container for the fire, from early Friday morning until the end of the time for burning Chametz.
Officials discussed:
* Making sure that homes have working fire and carbon monoxide detectors, at least one within 10-15 feet of the bedroom area in the home, and make sure that every floor of the home has one.
* Testing the detectors to make sure that they work and replacing any that are over 10 years old.
* Teaching children about fire safety so that they know how to get out of the house in case of fire and not to try to hide from the fire in a closet or other place.
* Having baking soda or fire extinguisher available to put out small stovetop fires.
* Making sure that fire safety materials are distributed to the entire community, with all the information about safe observance of Yom Tov.
The fire officials stressed that having been present at tragic fires in Brooklyn over the past few years, they wanted to help ensure that this would be a safe and happy Pesach for all.
