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Show SOUTHERN UTAH NEWS - Thursday, February 25, 1982 - Page Four Area Firefighters Go To See The Dragon Firefighters throughout the with Jim Sanford, an Engine Companv Captain from Phoenix as the instructor. Sanford discussed fire behavior in a residential fire and offered some hints and guidelines for fighting that kind of fire. Because we have a large number of basement bedrooms in this area, Capt. Sanford had been asked for some ideas tn fighting basement fires, the most difficult and dangerous task firefighters can face in residential firefighting. His reply was discouraging, to say the least. world talk about "going to see the dragon. About 35 firefighters from Colorado City, Fredonia and Kanab went to see the dragon last Saturday, and cash one of them spat in his eve. Nearlv half of them were meeting the dragon for the first time in a fire sehool and hot drill held in Fredonia. Those who had met the dragon before came away with renewed respect for his powers and those who were introduced to him for the first time came away with a new feeling of confidence in themselves. The school began in the classroom on Fridav evening Sanford explained how basement fires, burning in a confined space, ventilate themselves up the stairwells. The stairwells are usually the only means of entrance for firefighters. If the fire is of any size bigger, say. than a sofa on fire - the task will likely be almost impossible. Firefighters w'ould have to - -- tendencies toward claustrophobia that crawling through there to help me. But you. .you're it! You do it aggressively. You have only one chance to do it right. And you do it all alone. He finished the evening by answering questions dense smoke produces. More experienced men and women renewed their acquaintance with heat and smoke and fear and by noon everyone was ready for the real thing. Piles of scrap wood were built in several places inside the building. Sanford doused a pile with JP-- and set it alight. He led groups of firefighters wearing breathing gear into and slides of fires to illustrate points in residential tures up to 1400. If the firefighting. He also showed several slides of victims for victims trapped in the basement are still alive, they would whom fire prevention had failed and rescue came a few likely be scalded to death by steam produced when water seconds too late. At nine Saturday morning, the house to observe the hits the superheated air. "Flash-over- . But, on the chance that the the firefighters reassembled phenomen called old from as the house at watched across the They victim may have been sleeping the Conoco bulk plant in fire grew, spreading thick with the bedroom door propDrills started with a smoke across the ceiling. The erly closed and on the slim Fredonia. chance that they may still be fire in a barrel in the living smoke and heat built and alive, the firefighters have to room. JP-- jet fuel donated by began banking down toward the men and women crouched on the floor. Then, in an instant, the combustible gases and carbon particles in the smoke ignited with a flash that spread fire across the room, over the heads of the firefighters and down the opposite wall. The fire grew rapidly in Carl Taylor, Fredonia firefighter, is treated for burns intensity as the firefighters watched in awe. Finally, when steam when a sudden burst of yourselves and the people who the heat had built to what flame blew from the front live in your towns should be Sanford called a respectable (door. proud of you, too. Youre good level," they opened up with Carl Taylor of Fredonia - darned good. Now keep on hoses and drove the dragon became the day's only casualpracticing and become even back. ty when heat from a flashover better." The intense heat experienThe afternoon ended with became so intense it melted ced in a situation like that is the nylon straps of his Sanford evaluating the perunbelievable. People watching apparatus harness. formances of each departoutside found it hard to breathing He was treated at the scene ment. He pointed out strong believe that four firefighters for large second degree burns points and made suggestions could still be alive inside that on the shoulders and knees for beefing up the weakplace, much less kill the fire (the floors hot, too) and nesses. The chiefs all listened and emerge sweaty but returned to the action. carefully, recognizing that the smiling a few moments later. Then the drills ended and a advice was coming from a man Time and again, firefighters bunch of very tired but well who sees more fire in a month and other watchers expressed experienced firefighters let than most of them will see in a admiration and even awe for the house burn completely to lifetime. Jim Sanford who moved the Then, when finally all the ground. Chief officers of through the holocaust with an the three participating departhoses had been washed and air of nonchalance that comes ments agree that it had been hung to dry, when all the tools from his thirteen years of the best fire school ever." andequipment had been firefighting. Firefighters can and thats what Saturdays fire school Captain Sanford congratulated cleaned, and when the trucks There were some tense everyone who had was all about. taken part. were ready for service A again, try. And when they do, they of alarm too. moments, gasp bone-tirePointing out that not one had can expect to take casualties firefighters Energy Fuels Nuclear pro- went up from the crowd at one cut and run from the breath of 35 headed for home and an early themselves. It's that simple. duced a dense black smoke point after an attack team had the he said, You can bedtime. Sanford stressed the importhat filled the entire four-rooentered a particularly hot fire. all dragon, be justifiably proud of tance of smoke detectors in house. The smoke was turning to When the smoke was thick basement sleeping areas, of home fire plans, and of enough, Sanford led the frequent home fire drills. firefighters in groups of four is into the building. They pracPrevention," he said, about the only hope you have ticed searching for a victim. of getting any children out of Mr. T. Bear, a rather frazzled old teddy bear was in there basement bedrooms alive. 40 to Speaking someplace and the firefighters firefighters, Sanford congratulated them had to find him before it was on their decision to become toojate. Observers outside the house volunteers. He recited the as the student firewatched of the volunteer proud history fire service and went on to fighters crawled into the express his feeling that the job smoke and disappeared only a of the volunteer is even more foot or so inside the door. The difficult than that of the paid only sounds they could hear were the whjstling of air into professional firefighter. When I go out on a call, facemasks and the scuffing of he said, I have all the help in heavy pants as the rescuers the world as close as my radio. crawled across the floor. Within a few minutes I can Mr. Bear was located have engine companies, ladquickly in every case but one, when he hid behind a door. der companies, rescue trucks, utility trucks and more chiefs Hiding from the dragon is than you could put in a basket typical behavior of a child trapped in a fire. Some humbled firefighters will never search carelessly again. The smoke drills were repeated until everyone had been through three or four times, giving new firefighters a chance to get the feel of the A Kanab firefighter prepares to enter the burning house on his stomach during breathing equipment and learn to handle the natural fight their way down the stairwell through tempera- showing 4 4 L, Do you T-- think you could walk through the front door? by his firefighting wife. And there are three towns around here in which residents can sleep a little easier these nights because some of their neighbors went to see the dragon and spat in his eye. Spec. Interest Plans Dinner At Nedras Djnner at Nedras m Fredonia on Saturday, Feb. 27, is the big plan of the Special Interest Group. They will meet at the Stake Center at 6:30 p.m. and have dinner at 7. It will be Dutch and you can order anything you like. See you at 6:30 Saturday night at the Stake Center parking lot. d SHERWOOD Custom Fireplace Inserts We fit any fireplace Suggested retail $1095 00 Sale discount 200 00 895 00 Installed pnee Free Delivery $200 off Suggested Retail Prices held back to last year's rate - Dont wait until the Fall rush AND SAVE! Buy now Sherwood Stove Mfg. 1200 W. 400 So. - Hurricane, UT 6 0 or 635-266- 635-285- f 1 Utah Has Stake in Canyon Popularity Amsco Storm windows Storm Doors 35 Glasine Storm windows $1 .25 ' Insulated windows 30off -- Free Estimates STORt FRONTS - MIRRORS - AWNINGS AUTO MASS STORM WINDOWS DOORS Kcutah Its really in Arizona, but the Grand Canyon is vitally important to Utah and the booming tourist industry. Vickie Siler, on duty at the Utah Travel Council Visitors Center south of Bloomington, was asked recently whether travelers stopping off Interstate 15 inquired about the Grand Canyon and her answer was quick. By the tons, she said. Interest in the canyon, listed as one of the seven wonders of the world, is higher now than it has ever been because of the increasing number of foreign visitors, many of whom report that the Grand Canyon is a major reason for their trip to the United States, she said. The Grand Canyon is a matter of serious concern for us here in Utah in spite of its fame, Ms. Siler said. People come to Las Vegas and to Dixie without realizing the north rim (of the canyon) is closed during the winter months. What do they do? she said. They drive to Lake Powell then to the South Rim and go east from there instead of spending any time in Utah. In my opinion this costs Utah many hundreds of thousands of dollars in travel business each season. Since its discovery and inclusion into the National Park System, Grand Canyon has been recognized for its beauty and its vast panoramas of light and shadow which bring unbelievable variety. Now, more than ever, people are realizing it is beautiful from the air, from the mighty Colorado winding through its depths, or from the many viewpoints along both the north and south rims as well as from the desert vastness which makes up much of the western Navajo Reservation. With the latest controversy about Grand Canyon being the possibility of not opening the road till June and possibly till July 1, Ms. Silers comments only point up more positive reasons for opening the road earlier, not later. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH KANAI 644-775- 2 UTAH 14741 Sunday School Morning Worship Evening Service - What You Do Finish-It-Yourse- lf By doing the finishing work on your new dream home, you can save thousands compared to having an ordinary builder construct the same house on your lot. 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