By Assistant Fire Chief Rob Ugaste Greetings from the Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire Protection District.

At a recent Village Board Meeting, the question was asked whether the fire department offers home fire inspections. The answer is yes! We are willing and ready to provide our citizens with this service but we must first be invited. Unless there is a real or potential emergency, the fire department does not have the right to enter your home without an invitation.

Home fire inspections are available on an appointment basis and can be scheduled on weekends as well as weekdays. The inspection will consist of a Fire Engine or Ambulance stopping by and spending as much time as is needed to walk through your home and identify any fire or general safety concerns. The same crew is available for emergencies while performing this service so please understand if they are delayed or if they have to leave and return.

The inspection will focus on obvious fire hazards such as storage practices, flammable liquids storage, electrical hazards, and testing smoke detectors. The general safety aspect of the inspections focuses on items such as trip hazards, choking hazards for children, a check of carbon monoxide readings in the house, and the location of carbon monoxide detectors. It is important to clarify that your firefighters are not experts at electricity, appliances, or furnaces. Any questions regarding these areas of expertise must be referred to a trained service person.

Lifeline Program
In addition to the home inspection this would be a great opportunity to take advantage of the Lifeline Program. Filling out the forms and attaching a storage pouch to your refrigerator doesn't take a lot of time and it could make a big difference in an emergency when the victim cannot communicate. While this program obviously lends itself to the elderly population it can also be invaluable for children under the care of baby sitters and even for healthy adults who experience unexpected situations. To make an appointment for a home fire inspection, a Lifeline, or both, please call 847-634-2512.

Oven Fire Alert
Over the past two years your fire department has dealt with three separate significant incidents involving ovens. The unique aspect of these fires was that in each instance the homeowner or occupant was using the oven for storage of food or paper stock. The fire was started when a visitor (grandchild or just someone unfamiliar with the home) turned the oven on to preheat it without checking to see if it was empty first. While ovens are designed to contain heat and should be left closed if a fire occurs, the smoke was so significant in each instance that the occupants evacuated and insurance claims were made. We want you to be aware of this trend and we ask that you not use your oven for storage.