Harrison Fire Department Burns, Learns

By DIANNE ALWARD-BIERY

Cleaver Senior Staff Writer

HARRISON – The emergencies that fire departments face can be varied and hazardous, and nearly always heart palpitatingly urgent. The circumstances of every fire are a bit different, so the more extensive firefighters’ experiences, the more prepared they can be to protect lives and property.

The Harrison Community Fire Department had another such training opportunity Oct. 25 with a planned structure burndown on Niemi Street in Ash Acres. Previously, this property had been deemed a blighted property by Hayes Township which presented a variety of conditions and exhibited a few unusual problems over the years, one of which being a property fence comprised of mattresses. The structure was a single-wide mobile home that had been in place for decades, and over those many years accumulated an abundance of waste materials, including items stowed underneath that should have made their way to the curb many times over.

Neighbors onsite at the burndown also spoke of the site’s stench that arose from dog waste and other fumerific organic substances; all of whom said they were looking forward to opening their windows to truly fresh air.

The property had been sold at this year’s county tax sale as an “occupied mobile home”, with the winning bid going to a downstater who had bid without viewing the property. Once they won and came by for a look, they withdrew their bid and the property went to the next highest bidder. That was Tracy Loy, HCFD lieutenant, who along with her husband John Loy, former HCFD assistant fire chief, knew the training burndown was an opportunity not to be wasted. And so, after a metal scrapper had skinned the trailer of its siding and window frames, other materials that littered the property were hauled into place next to the shell. Then it was time to begin.

That happened Saturday, beginning at just a couple ignition sites. With a vigilant crew at the ready, it took very little time for the trailer to be fully engulfed, and maybe a couple hours-plus for the burndown to be complete. With most of the surrounding trees’ leaves already fallen, only the expected slight damage to adjacent trees occurred.

Some photos can be seen here of the burning structure and the fire fighters’ efforts to open the grounded roof to complete the burn. In all, it was another successful instructional outing: one resulting in a cleaner, safer neighborhood.

© Clare County Cleaver