Holiday and Christmas Tree Safety

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Holiday and Christmas Tree Safety

Decorating homes and businesses is a long-standing tradition around the holiday season. Unfortunately, these same decorations may increase your chances of fire. Based on data from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), an estimated 240 home fires involving Christmas trees and another 150 home fires involving holiday lights and other decorative lighting occur each year. Together, these fires result in 21 deaths and $25.2 million in direct property damage.

Following a few simple fire safety tips can keep electric lights, candles, and the ever popular Christmas tree from creating a tragedy. Learn how to prevent a fire and what to do in case a fire starts in your home. Make sure all exits are accessible and not blocked by decorations or trees. Help ensure that you have a fire safe holiday season.

Christmas Trees

What’s a traditional Christmas morning scene without a beautifully decorated tree? If your household includes a natural tree in its festivities, take to heart the sales person’s suggestion – “Keep the tree watered.”
Christmas trees account for hundreds of fires annually. Typically, shorts in electrical lights or open flames from candles, lighters or matches start tree fires. Well-watered trees are not a problem. A dry and neglected tree can be.

Selecting a Tree for the Holidays

Needles on fresh trees should be green and hard to pull back from the branches, and the needles should not break if the tree has been freshly cut. The trunk should be sticky to the touch. Old trees can be identified by bouncing the tree trunk on the ground. If many needles fall off, the tree has been cut too long and, has probably dried out, and is a fire hazard.

Caring for Your Tree

Do not place your tree close to a heat source, including a fireplace or heat vent. The heat will dry out the tree, causing it to be more easily ignited by heat, flame or sparks. Be careful not to drop or flick cigarette ashes near a tree. Do not put your live tree up too early or leave it up for longer than two weeks. Keep the tree stand filled with water at all times.

Disposing of Your Tree

Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood-burning stove. When the tree becomes dry, discard it promptly. The best way to dispose of your tree is by taking it to a recycling center or having it hauled away by a community pick-up service.

Holiday Lights

Maintain Your Holiday Lights

Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Use only lighting listed by an approved testing laboratory.

Do Not Overload Electrical Outlets

Do not link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. Make sure to periodically check the wires – they should not be warm to the touch.

Do not leave holiday lights on unattended!

Holiday Decorations

Use Only Nonflammable Decorations

All decorations should be nonflammable or flame-retardant and placed away from heat vents. If you are using a metallic or artificial tree, make sure it is flame retardant.

Don't Block Exits

Ensure that trees and other holiday decorations do not block an exit way. In the event of a fire, time is of the essence. A blocked entry/exit way puts you and your family at risk.

Never Put Wrapping Paper in the Fireplace

Wrapping paper in the fireplace can result in a very large fire, throwing off dangerous sparks and embers that may result in a chimney fire.

Candle Care

Never Leave a Burning Candle Unattended

Consider using battery-operated flameless candles, which can look, smell and feel like real candles.

If You Do Use Lit Candles

Make sure candles are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down. Keep candles at least 12 inches from anything that can burn. Avoid using candles in bedrooms and sleeping areas.

Never Put Lit Candles on a Tree

Do not go near a Christmas tree with an open flame – candles, lighters or matches.

As in every season, have working smoke alarms installed on every level of your home, test them monthly and keep them clean and equipped with fresh batteries at all times. Know when and how to call for help. And remember to practice your home escape plan!

- source: US Fire Administration

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Emergency Drying Procedures for Water Damaged Collections

Article By: http://www.loc.gov/preservation/care/dry.html

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Emergency Drying Procedures for Water Damaged Collections

Safety Precautions:

• Wear protective, latex gloves and long sleeves.

If mold is present, wear a respirator. Some mold species are toxic; if any health effects are observed, contact a doctor and/or mycologist. When cleaning items with dry mold, make sure the mold spores are drawn way from you, i.e. by the use of a vacuum cleaner. Wash your hands after handling materials with mold.

Air-drying:

• Use fans to provide maximum air circulation but do not aim fans directly at the drying materials.

Absorb excess moisture using a clean sponge, paper or bath towels, etc. Do not blot on hand-written ink or fragile surfaces. Do not use printed newsprint for blotting; ink can transfer.

Air-drying Paper Documents, Maps, Posters, etc:

• Paper is very fragile when wet and must be handled with care, provide adequate support.
• Blot excess water off the documents.
• Do not attempt to separate individual items while very wet. You may leave them in stacks no higher than 1/4” to dry.

If pages can be separated safely they can be interleaved using absorbent or separating materials, such as waxed paper. Change interleaving materials until item is dry.

Clean, unrusted window-screens stacked with bricks or wood blocks between them will provide a drying surface with maximum air circulation. If drying items on a hard surface, cover area with absorbent materials and change when wet. When items are almost dry, place them between protective sheets such as unprinted newsprint and put a light weight on them to flatten.

Note: If the item is too wet when placed under weights, you may create a micro-environment for mold.

Air-drying Framed Items:

• Place the frame glass-side down and remove the backing materials.
• Carefully remove object and air-dry.

If the object is stuck to the glass, do not remove; instead dry frame with object inside, glass side down on a flat surface.

Air-drying Books:

• Fan books open and stand on top or bottom edge; never stand them on the front edge.
• Stand books on driest edge first to provide support. As the book dries turn it upside-down to the opposite edge every few hours.

Place a sheet of waxed paper larger than the pages between the front and back cover and adjacent page before standing on edges. Replace the interleaving as it becomes saturated.

When the book is no longer wet, but still cool to the touch, close and place on a solid surface with a slight weight to keep distortion to a minimum. Check frequently to ensure that no mold is growing.

Air-drying Photographic Materials:

• Some historical photographs are very sensitive to water damage and may not be recoverable.
• Most prints, negatives and color slides can be air-dried. The emulsion (picture or image) side should be face up.
• Avoid touching the front surface of wet or damp photographic prints or negatives.

Note: The emulsion side often appears less glossy on negatives and color slides. To speed drying time, dry items on a clothesline using wooden or non-abrasive plastic clothespins. If the photographs or negatives are stuck together or the emulsion is damaged, contact a photographic conservator or your local historical society or museum for advice.

If photographic materials are covered with mud or dirt and are still wet, they may be gently rinsed in a bucket of cold, clean water, or a light stream of cold water, and then dried. Contact a photographic conservator. Do not freeze them unless advised to do so by a conservator.

Recovery of Water-damaged Collections with Mold:

• Active mold looks either fuzzy or slimy.
• Do not attempt to remove active mold.
• Dormant mold is dry and powdery. See safety precautions above for handling mold.

Stop mold outbreaks by improving environmental conditions. Humidity levels should be as low as possible below 50%. Use a dehumidifier. Low temperatures -- below 68° F -- are recommended.

Short exposure to sunlight and circulating air outdoors may help to dry moldy items more rapidly.

Note:There may be light damage (fading or discoloration); use this treatment only with materials where some light damage is acceptable.

When the mold has become dormant through drying it can be removed, using a vacuum cleaner and/or a soft brush. After vacuuming, dispose of bag. Clean brushes to prevent spreading the mold spores. Safety precautions are particularly important in this stage.

Water damage to materials may be irreversible. The treatment of items of high monetary, historic or sentimental value should be referred to a conservator.

To select the professional best qualified to treat your object, contact the referral service maintained by The Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation (FAIC). They will provide you with a list of conservators in your area that can help you find appropriate conservation treatment:

The Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation (FAIC)
1156 15th Street, NW, Suite 320
Washington, D.C. 20005-1714
Telephone (202) 452-9545
FAX (202) 452-9328
E-mail: info@aic-faic.org
WWW: http://aic.stanford.edu/ 

The preservation procedures described here have been used by the Library of Congress in the care of its collections and are considered suitable by the Library as described; however, the Library will not be responsible for damage to your collection should damage result from the use of these procedures.

Mold Toxins

By: http://www.epa.gov/mold/append_b.html

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Mold Toxins (Mycotoxins)

Toxic Molds

Some molds, such as Aspergillus versicolor andStachybotrys atra (chartarum), are known to produce potent toxins under certain circumstances. Although some mycotoxins are well known to affect humans and have been shown to be responsible for human health effects, for many mycotoxins, little information is available, and in some cases research is ongoing. For example, some strains of Stachybotrys atra can produce one or more potent toxins. In addition, preliminary reports from an investigation of an outbreak of pulmonary hemorrhage in infants suggested an association between pulmonary hemorrhage and exposure to Stachybotrys chartarum. Review of the evidence of this association at CDC resulted in an a published clarification stating that such an association was not established. Research on the possible causes of pulmonary hemorrhage in infants continues. Consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for more information on pulmonary hemorrhage in infants. (See Resources list for CDC contact and other information.)

Molds can produce toxic substances called mycotoxins. Some mycotoxins cling to the surface of mold spores; others may be found within spores. More than 200 mycotoxins have been identified from common molds, and many more remain to be identified. Some of the molds that are known to produce mycotoxins are commonly found in moisture-damaged buildings. Exposure pathways for mycotoxins can include inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. Although some mycotoxins are well known to affect humans and have been shown to be responsible for human health effects, for many mycotoxins, little information is available.

Aflatoxin B₁ is perhaps the most well known and studied mycotoxin. It can be produced by the molds Aspergillus flavusand Aspergillus parasiticus and is one of the most potent carcinogens known. Ingestion of aflatoxin B₁ can cause liver cancer. There is also some evidence that inhalation of aflatoxin B₁ can cause lung cancer. Aflatoxin B₁ has been found on contaminated grains, peanuts, and other human and animal foodstuffs. However, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus are not commonly found on building materials or in indoor environments.

Much of the information on the human health effects of inhalation exposure to mycotoxins comes from studies done in the workplace and some case studies or case reports.

* Many symptoms and human health effects attributed to inhalation of mycotoxins have been reported including: mucous membrane irritation, skin rash, nausea, immune system suppression, acute or chronic liver damage, acute or chronic central nervous system damage, endocrine effects, and cancer. More studies are needed to get a clear picture of the health effects related to most mycotoxins. However, it is clearly prudent to avoid exposure to molds and mycotoxins.

Some molds can produce several toxins, and some molds produce mycotoxins only under certain environmental conditions. The presence of mold in a building does not necessarily mean that mycotoxins are present or that they are present in large quantities.

Note: Information on ingestion exposure, for both humans and animals, is more abundant — wide range of health effects has been reported following ingestion of moldy foods including liver damage, nervous system damage, and immunological effects.

Mold are Fungi

By: www.osha.gov/SLTC/molds/index.html
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Mold

Molds are fungi that are found everywhere – both indoors and outdoors all year round. The terms fungi and mold are often used interchangeably, but mold is actually a type of fungi. Concern about indoor exposure to mold has increased along with public awareness that exposure to mold can cause a variety of adverse health effects. There are many thousands of species of mold and most if not all of the mold found indoors comes from outdoor sources. It seems likely to grow and become a problem only when there is water damage, high humidity, or dampness.

Molds produce and release millions of spores small enough to be air-, water-, or insect-borne. They can also produce toxic agents known as mycotoxins. Spores and mycotoxins can have negative effects on human health. Tor those people who are affected by mold exposures there can be a wide variation in how they react. People at greatest risk of health effects are individuals with allergies, asthma, sinusitis, or other respiratory conditions, as well as infants and children, elderly people, and pregnant women. In addition, individuals with a weakened immune system are at risk.

Mold is addressed in specific standards for the general industry, shipyard employment, and the construction industry.

Emergency Salvage of Flood Damaged Family Papers

By: www.archives.gov/preservation/conservation/flood-damage.html
water damage cleanup, water damage removal, basement water removal
Article by: Pillyburds
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MOLD

Many people are sensitive to mold. Also, some mold species are toxic. If any health effects are observed when treating mold consult a doctor or mycologist (the local extension service may be able to help) before proceeding.

The best way to prevent or stop an outbreak of mold is to remove items from environmental conditions that encourage mold growth: high temperature, high relative humidity, stagnant air, and darkness. The first priority is to dry moldy items (see instructions for drying below). If wet and moldy materials cannot be dried immediately they may be stabilized by freezing. Placing damaged items in a personal or commercial freezer will not kill mold. It will, however, put the mold in a dormant state until time and an appropriate treatment environment are available. Manageable quantities of frozen items may then be defrosted and treated at leisure.

Active mold looks fuzzy or slimy. Dormant mold is dry and powdery. Do not attempt to remove active mold; it may only spread or smear. Mold which remains active after freezing or after the host material appears dry may be treated with brief (1-2 hours) exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Extreme caution must be exercised when treating materials outdoors: too much radiation will accelerate deterioration and may cause fading; wind may cause physical damage if items are blown about; and high relative humidity or condensation caused by quick temperature changes may actually exacerbate mold growth.

Dormant mold spores will reactivate as soon as conditions are favorable. They should, therefore, be removed from items and may be brushed or vacuumed away. This treatment should be performed outdoors where other materials and spaces will not be "infected." When brushing mold use a soft, clean, light-colored brush and a gentle pushing motion. Change soiled brushes often to prevent spreading mold from one object to another. When vacuuming, screening material placed over the nozzle of a low suction vacuum will capture loose bits of the item which may inadvertently dislodge.

CLEANING AND DRYING

Paper is very fragile when it is wet. Handle it carefully. In some cases it may be desirable to remove caked on mud and dirt. Dirt left by receding flood waters may be contaminated. Precautions such as the use of rubber gloves should be taken. If items are still wet, agitating them in a bath of clear water will remove excess dirt. This treatment should never be attempted for images which are blurred, feathered, or faded as a result of flood damage.

AIR DRYING

Wet books, documents, or photographs which cannot be air dried within two days should be frozen to inhibit mold growth. Circulating air will effectively dry most items. Physical distortions may result, but document information will be saved. To provide optimal air drying conditions, fans should be positioned for maximum air circulation (do not aim air flow directly at drying materials). Blotting material for air drying should be clean and absorbent. Options include: blotter paper, unprinted newsprint paper, paper towels, rags, mattress pads, etc. Screening material (such as window screens) well supported and stacked with space between them provide an excellent compact drying surface. The porous surface assists air circulation and promotes drying.

Without intervention glossy materials such as paperback book covers, magazines, art books, etc. are likely to stick together. If they are highly valued, these items should be the first priority for salvage. Loose glossy materials should be spread out in one layer for air drying. Bound glossy materials must be interleaved between every page to prevent sticking. Wax paper should be used as interleaving material. Volumes of glossy paper dried in this way may suffer considerable physical distortion.

MOLD BASICS

Article by:phillyBurbs
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Why is mold growing in my home?

Mold growing outdoors on firewood.

Molds come in many colors; both white and black molds are shown here. Click on the image for larger version.

Molds are part of the natural environment.  Outdoors, molds play a part in nature by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees, but indoors, mold growth should be avoided.  Molds reproduce by means of tiny spores; the spores are invisible to the naked eye and float through outdoor and indoor air.  Mold may begin growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces that are wet.  There are many types of mold, and none of them will grow without water or moisture.

Can mold cause health problems?

Molds are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing.  Molds have the potential to cause health problems. Molds produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions), irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances (mycotoxins).  Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.  Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash (dermatitis). Allergic reactions to mold are common.  They can be immediate or delayed.  Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold. In addition, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs of both mold-allergic and non-allergic people.  Symptoms other than the allergic and irritant types are not commonly reported as a result of inhaling mold.  Research on mold and health effects is ongoing.  This brochure provides a brief overview; it does not describe all potential health effects related to mold exposure. For more detailed information consult a health professional.  You may also wish to consult your state or local health department.

How do I get rid of mold?

Magnified mold spores

Molds gradually destroy the things they grow on. You can prevent damage to your home and furnishings, save money, and avoid potential health problems by controlling moisture and eliminating mold growth

It is impossible to get rid of all mold and mold spores indoors; some mold spores will be found floating through the air and in house dust.  The mold spores will not grow if moisture is not present.  Indoor mold growth can and should be prevented or controlled by controlling moisture indoors.  If there is mold growth in your home, you must clean up the mold and fix the water problem.  If you clean up the mold, but don't fix the water problem, then, most likely, the mold problem will come back.

Article by:The Daily Review 

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DUSHORE - Workers were cleaning up debris Wednesday following Tuesday night's flash flood in Dushore, which damaged many businesses and homes, destroyed cars, and damaged the Sullivan County Public Library.

"There was extensive damage to 20 to 25 homes," said Dushore Fire Chief Scott Hope. "Some were in Cherry Township, but primarily they were in the downtown of Dushore, which got hit the worst."

There were numerous businesses in Dushore that were damaged, many of which did not open for business on Wednesday, he said.

"They all had one issue or another," due to the flooding, such as furnaces and hot water heaters damaged, Hope said.

"It was a perfect storm," with the ground saturated from the rains over the past week and a half, Hope continued. So when it rained heavily Tuesday night, the water had nowhere to go and the creeks that pass through Dushore "rose unbelievably fast," the fire chief said.

Logs, trees and other debris became stuck under the bridge that carries U.S. Route 220 over the Little Loyalsock Creek in Dushore, causing the water to rise and flow over Route 220, he said.

Christine Weaver, who owns the Whistle Stop Restaurant on Main Street in Dushore, said she saw a tree become lodged under the bridge, which she said caused water to flow over the roadway and into other areas of the borough. "That's what diverted the water" into the areas of the town located away from the creek, she said.

Hope said the heavy rain started around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday night, and 911 calls due to flooding started coming in around 15 minutes later.

Dushore Borough, Cherry Township and Sullivan County will all be declared disaster areas due to the damage from the flash flooding, said Naomi English, chief county clerk for Sullivan County.

Chief Hope said he believed it will be FEMA or PEMA that will declare those locations disaster areas.

Lew Hope, second assistant captain of the Dushore Fire Company's ambulance service, said there were no injuries that he knew of due to the flooding.

Lew Hope said there were two cars that floated down Center Street in Dushore during the storm.

Mike Lonsdale and his fiancee, Justine Stewart, both of 212 Center St. in Dushore, said they owned the Saturn cars that floated down Center Street.

Lonsdale said he was woken up by neighbors who told them they needed to move their cars.

"When I woke up, the water was already 1 1/2 feet high," he said.

Lonsdale said he was able to move a Jeep he owns to higher ground but said he and Stewart were not able to save the Saturns, as the water had already reached the level of the hoods of the vehicles.

They said they watched from their front porch as the vehicles floated down Center Street.

"It was the worst feeling I think I've ever had," said Stewart. "I felt helpless."

One of the vehicles became lodged against a stop sign at the corner of Center and Julia streets, they said.

Richard Sevenski, 59, of Dushore said the Little Loyalsock Creek was higher than it had been during any point in his lifetime.

He said a snowmobile that was in a garage behind the Dushore Hotel, which he owns, floated out of the garage and became lodged in the branches of a tree about 50 feet away on the bank of the Little Loyalsock Creek.

Fire Chief Scott Hope said the water rose two feet inside the Dushore fire hall.

The fire company was able to move all of the company's trucks and ambulances to higher ground, so that they were not damaged, he said.

However, some of the equipment inside the fire hall was destroyed, including oxygen tanks, three pumps used to pump out basements, as well as a number of unused spill kits that would be used to clean up spills of hazardous materials, he said.

Wayne Miller, whose mother owns Miller's Hardware on German Street in Dushore, said the water level reached 10 inches in the front of the store and was at a higher level in the rear of the store.

The business' warehouse and storage building for lumber were also flooded, he said.

He said that roughly one-third of the business' inventory was damaged or destroyed. He said the business does not have insurance on the inventory.

At the Sullivan County Public Library, which is located on Center Street, wet carpet had to be removed on Wednesday, said Carol Roinick, director of the library.

The library's circulation computers were also damaged, as their towers were located on the floor of the library, she said. There was also some wall damage in the interior of the building, she said.

Books in the stacks were not damaged, although there were books on the floor of her office that were damaged, she said. The public access computers in the library were not damaged, she said.

The library is closed until further notice.

She said she hoped it would reopen soon, but said it would probably be over a week before it could reopen.

People who have borrowed materials from the library should keep them at home "until the library dries out," which could take seven to 10 days, she said. The return slot for books became wet during the flood, she said. No fines will be issued to patrons who keep the books at home while they wait for the library to start accepting books again.

Weaver said she was going to install sandbags on the inside of the Whistle Stop Restaurant to protect the eatery from the rain that was forecast for Wednesday night.

Boil Water Advisory

Due to a water main break, a boil water advisory is in effect for the customers of the Dushore Water Authority, the secretary/treasurer of Dushore Borough said Wednesday afternoon.

The advisory will be in effect until further notice, said Ellen Chase, secretary/treasurer of Dushore Borough.

Residents should boil their water "before drinking it, before cooking, or (using it for) anything," Chase said.

Those affected by the boil water advisory include "most everyone" in Dushore Borough as well as a small number of residents in Cherry Township, she said.

The water main break caused residents in the Thompson Avenue area to be without water, she said; the main is currently being repaired.