Fire this week prompts reminders from fire chief

GAINESVILLE - A fire a few days ago has prompted Hall County Fire Chief David Kimbrell to issue a couple of reminders about fire safety.

The first has to do with trying to put a fire out yourself.

In the case in question, a man had to be led to safety through his smoke-filled home early Wednesday by firefighters who arrived to find him in a bathroom trying to put out a fire around a vanity.

Kimbrell said there are two obvious reasons for getting out of the house and calling the fire department as quickly as possible. One, for your own safety, and, two, every second you delay in calling the fire department gives the flames that much more of a head start, meaning it will likely cause additional damage and could be harder to put out.

The other reminder has to do with smoke detectors.

Kimbrell says the couple whose home caught fire early Wednesday had no working detectors in their home at the time. The fire occurred just after midnight while they were asleep. But, he said, luckily, they woke up and were not injured. Kimbrell said there is no excuse for not having a smoke detector in your home and that his department will even provide you with one free of charge and install it at no charge.