Rainwater Catchment

Precautions to Take for Summer Fire Season

Image of an ember storm from the Washington State Wildfires this year from the Washington Times Website 2015
Image of an ember storm from the Washington State Wildfires this year from the Washington Times Website 2015

Summer fire season is not far away. The past two summers have been devastating for homeowners, businesses and their communities. Over 1,600 square miles were scorched from June to September. For the first time in history, Washington State officials asked residents to volunteer in fighting the fires. Measures can be taken to protect your home from wildfires before fire season is upon us.  Some precautions homeowners can take include:

  • Create a break in vegetation with a rock path or non-flammable material around your yard to slow the spread of wildfire.
  • Create at least a 30 ft “defensible space” around your home
  • Keep your lawn and roofs free of needles and leafs.
  • Keep conifers around your home pruned well above ground level.

Many homes are not protected with public water supplies, leaving them vulnerable to fire, making these and other precautions necessary.  Homeowners, businesses and communities can be proactive by having their own source of water in case of fire. According to the Tallahassee Community Wildfire Protection Plan, “Water for fire suppression is in short supply throughout the service area. Communities should investigate and install cisterns at suitable locations to improve the capabilities of fire suppression efforts”. An on site water source can provide the homeowner and fire fighters a water source that may not be available otherwise.

ENGINEERED NFPA 22 FIRE PROTECTION WATER STORAGE TANKS

Fire Suppression Water TankRainBank Rainwater Systems is the Northwest region Contain Water Tank Inc. master dealer.  We offer several options for systems that are designed and built to handle fire suppression.  Tanks can come with a 20 year warranty; contact us below to learn more.

Ken Blair
A rainwater collection systems designer and consultant, Ken has designed and installed residential and commercial systems, primarily in the northwest United States for more than 10 years and, in 2014, began consulting and managing builds in other states. Ken is an accredited ARCSA Professional Designer / Installer and Life Member, the Northwest Regional ARCSA representative and advisor to its education committee and is available to speak about Rainwater Collection Systems design and builds.

Ken is a United States Navy veteran, having served on active duty during the Vietnam War era.

A career entrepreneur, Ken created a new business focus with a commercial dive company in Hawaii in the mid 1980′s to respond to and clean up oil spills, oil spill equipment training, service and maintenance for the oil co-op service industry. Ken is passionate about having a positive impact on the environment and is also a founding director of BANK-ON-RAIN (2011-2014), whose mission is to create grassroots solutions for rainwater collection for consumption and agriculture in developing areas of the planet.