The Po-Mar-Lin Fire Company has several major farms in it's first run fire district including large horse farms and dairy/cattle farms. The loss of any animal can be devastating as we have witnessed in the past let alone the high property value at stake. Property owners with barns, and/or stables should always be cognoscente of fire and life safety. This is due to the fact that barns and stable normally have a high concentration of flammable contents such as but not limited to hay, straw, bedding, dust, and most of the time the wooden structure itself. Below is information from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) which will give property owners, farm managers, and farm employees, some tips to look for to keep your barns hopefully fire safe.

NFPA Information Starts here:

Several devastating barn fires have occurred in Canada during the past two weeks, resulting in a massive loss of animal life and millions of dollars’ worth of property damage. Two separate fires claimed the lives of 56 horses, another killed around 500 goats and 30 cattle, while yet another killed approximately 2,000 pigs.

In response, NFPA is introducing a new barn fire safety checklist as a resource to prevent more tragedies.

Here are some tips included in the checklist:
•Make sure electrical equipment is kept clean and free of damage
•Secure heaters to prevent them from falling over
•Store oily rags in a closed, metal container away from the heat
•Ensure that everyone who uses barns participates in barn fire drills

In addition, NFPA offers a collection of rural fire safety tips and NFPA 150,Standard on Fire and Life Safety in Animal Housing Facilities.