Popular fire pits pose health, safety risks

[highhertel]

I am so glad our beloved government is looking out for my well being, what would I do without them? (lol) Isn't is common sense that if you have asthma, maybe you should stay away from smoke? I guess they might as well ban fire pits so the government can save us form ourselves again.

Don't they have more important things to worry about?

HH





APPLETON — A gathering of family and friends sometimes just isn't complete without the orange glow of flames dancing in a backyard pit.

It's a common practice and usually safe, but one that brings with it health and safety risks that shouldn't be ignored.

"If you have underlying respiratory conditions such as asthma ... it can trigger an attack," said Dr. Henry Anderson, a state health officer with the Wisconsin Division of Health Services.

Anderson said the severity of the health risk depends on how long and how frequently you breathe in the smoke. Inhaling outdoor smoke usually isn't as bad as puffing a cigarette, he said, but if you're a firefighter or smoke jumper who's inhaling smoke on a prolonged basis, your risk of lung cancer is higher.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warns that children, the elderly and those with diabetes, heart diseases or lung diseases are most vulnerable when it comes to breathing in wood smoke.

Wood smoke can irritate people's eyes and respiratory systems. Small particles within the smoke can also can lead to more serious illnesses such as bronchitis.

Anderson suggests for fire pits, people should stay upwind of the flames — away from the blowing smoke — to help minimize health risks.

— Kyle Daly writes for The Post-Crescent of Appleton.

 

[russholio]

I am so glad our beloved government is looking out for my well being, what would I do without them? (lol) Isn't is common sense that if you have asthma, maybe you should stay away from smoke? I guess they might as well ban fire pits so the government can save us form ourselves again.

Don't they have more important things to worry about?

Yes, but common sense isn't so common anymore (as evidenced by my neighbors, who recently had their fire in a spot on their driveway less than 5 feet from the location on their wood deck where their propane grill sits -- and it was a fairly breezy day). Common sense is overrated anyhow -- we don't need no stinking common sense when we've got the government to take care of us!

 

[dcsnomo]

Yes, but common sense isn't so common anymore (as evidenced by my neighbors, who recently had their fire in a spot on their driveway less than 5 feet from the location on their wood deck where their propane grill sits -- and it was a fairly breezy day). Common sense is overrated anyhow -- we don't need no stinking common sense when we've got the government to take care of us!

Leave them alone...cull the herd!

 

[Grant Hoar]

Dr. Henry Anderson, a state health officer with the Wisconsin Division of Health Services. "Anderson suggests for fire pits, people should stay upwind of the flames — away from the blowing smoke — to help minimize health risks."

And for this kind of statement you need a doctorate? Jeez, when my daughter was two she had enough sense to do this.

 

[rv245]

The problem is now a days some people would rather have common dollars then common sense (cents).

 

[mezz]

Wood smoke can irritate people's eyes and respiratory systems. Small particles within the smoke can also can lead to more serious illnesses such as bronchitis.

Anderson suggests for fire pits, people should stay upwind of the flames — away from the blowing smoke — to help minimize health risks. [/QUOTE]

This is absolute brilliance!-Mezz

 

[gary_in_neenah]

Here's another example of the government regulation, management, and control. This appeared in the Appleton Post Crescent concerning animal control in my fair city of Neenah, Wisconsin....

The Neenah Common Council approved an animal-control ordinance Wednesday that limits households to keeping a maximum of three dogs and three cats.

Under the new ordinance, households can keep a maximum of 16 animals — three licensed dogs, three licensed cats and 10 other domestic animals like hamsters or ferrets.

However, they may keep only four chickens, three rabbits and one pot-bellied pig.

The ordinance does not apply to fish in aquariums or birds in cages.

City Atty. Jim Godlewski introduced the ordinance to clarify and strengthen the city’s control of animals.

The new ordinance bans wild animals like bears, cheetahs, ostriches and wolves and farm animals like cows, donkeys, goats and horses.

It also creates a special license for dogs that are declared dangerous or vicious for an unprovoked attack. The license requires that the owner implant a microchip in the dog, obtain at least $1 million in liability insurance and post a notice at the entrances to the premises where the dog is kept.

Well there goes my plan to raise bears and cheetah's here in town! Just as well, as they'd probably eat the goats and cows anyway.

 

[russholio]

Leave them alone...cull the herd!

You know, I actually like them and would have thought they'd have had more sense than that. Maybe the beer was thinking for them, I don't know. At any rate, far be it for me to really care what they do there -- even though the way they did it was against ordinances, I'm not the kind of dude to call about stuff like that. If they're cool with possibly burning their house down, I'm cool with it, too -- as long as it doesn't spread to mine!

 

[MZEMS2]

Aw man, next the government is gonna tell me that I can't stick my head in my grill and shut the lid....how am I supposed to check the burgers?
It's sad to say, but nowadays stuff like this actually has to be printed. People will sue over getting smoke in their eyes these days....."you didn't tell me that the fire was gonna create smoke"
At my job, I often say that we're training the common sense right out of people. Perhaps this all has to do with all of the electronics available these days. When kids are growing up, they have too many toys to play with that don't teach any common sense or cause and effect. Growing up, all I had to do as a kid was "go outside and don't come in 'til supper time" as Ma used to say...LOL...so we did. We learned a lot of stuff the hard way, especially to stand upwind of the fire, LOL.....ah the good ole days.

 

[mjkaliszak]

Aw man, next the government is gonna tell me that I can't stick my head in my grill and shut the lid....how am I supposed to check the burgers?
It's sad to say, but nowadays stuff like this actually has to be printed. People will sue over getting smoke in their eyes these days....."you didn't tell me that the fire was gonna create smoke"
At my job, I often say that we're training the common sense right out of people. Perhaps this all has to do with all of the electronics available these days. When kids are growing up, they have too many toys to play with that don't teach any common sense or cause and effect. Growing up, all I had to do as a kid was "go outside and don't come in 'til supper time" as Ma used to say...LOL...so we did. We learned a lot of stuff the hard way, especially to stand upwind of the fire, LOL.....ah the good ole days.

That's a Good 1. To me ... getting " smoke in the eyes " is a right of passage, and usually means that I better leave the lid down on my smoker and quit looking at the meat and keep the heat in.... I don't know why but I can't help myself from looking.
Maybe big brother can come out with a warning for those...

 

[roundhouse]

I thought we solved this years ago:

"I hate rabbits, I hate rabbits, I hate rabbits..."