Division of Fire and Life Safety

The Midway Fire Rescue Department utilizes its Division of Fire and Life Safety to identify and correct potential fire problems within the Pawleys Island/Litchfield Beach communities. This division is responsible for coordinating our annual inspection program, public education, company inspections, pre-planning, new construction plan reviews, and maintaining all applicable paperwork. The Midway Fire Rescue Department inspects all commercial and multi-family buildings on an annual basis and reviews all commercial and multi-family new construction documents within the fire district. By virtue of having such an effective code enforcement and public education program, the potential fire hazards within the district are identified and possible fire problems are greatly reduced.

Education 4 “Kids” Fire Engine	Fire Safety for Senior Citizens
Fire Safety for Young Adults	Fire Safety for Business/Industry
Trading Card Program	School Visitations
Summer Safety for Kids	Handout Information
Fire and Life Safety Expo	Free Smoke Detector Program
Safe Babysitting Classes	Juvenile Firesetter Intervention
HS101 (Fire Prevention)	Fire Extinguisher Classes
First Aid - CPR	Fire Wise Communities
Community Events	Birthday Parties
School Fire Drills	Institution Fire Drills
Fire Safety House	Home Safety Inspections
Free Handouts/Pamphlets	Parades

Asbestos was a common building material in the home prior to 1978. It was popular because it was resistant to heat and fire, and it has a noise deadening effect. Once the long term health problems that asbestos exposure can cause became widely known, its use in building materials came to an end. In the older home it is common to find asbestos is ceiling and floor tiles, the HVAC system, insulated electrical wiring and the insulation that surrounds heating pipes.

The asbestos containing building materials are only a health hazard when damaged. While it can be difficult to assess the condition of electrical wiring or your heating and cooling system, peeling floor tiles or drooping ceiling tiles are a sure sign that repair or replacement is needed.

If you are concerned that your home contains asbestos building materials you can have an experienced contractor or home inspector visit. They may be able to tell by visual inspection whether a building product contains asbestos. This, however, is not a foolproof method. The only way to tell definitely if asbestos is contained in the home is to have a professional come out and take samples of the building materials. These samples are then sent to a laboratory where testing will determine if they contain asbestos.

As mentioned, asbestos is only a health hazard when damaged. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral. It is made up of fine, silky fibers that can break down to microscopic size. When these microscopic fibers become airborne they are easily inhaled, where the sharp edges of the asbestos become permanently lodged in the body, typically deep in the lungs.

Asbestos exposure causes mesothelioma, an aggressive form of cancer and asbestosis, a chronic inflammation of the lungs that leads to shortness of breath. In addition, asbestos exposure has been linked to increased incidence of a variety of other cancers, including lung, esophagus, stomach and gall bladder.

To prevent health problems due to asbestos exposure you should determine the location of any areas of asbestos containing building materials in the home and regularly inspect them. If the asbestos products become damaged or worn, or if they become friable, or easily crumbled, with age, they should be repaired or replaced. For more resources on asbestos cancer please visit asbestos.com.

The standard procedure for dealing with asbestos in the home is to leave it alone as long as it is in good repair. Only when it is damaged does it present a health problem. Because removing or repairing the asbestos materials often causes asbestos to be released into the air, it is generally considered safer to leave it in place as long as possible.

If the materials that are in your home are damaged, you must decide how to deal with the problem. There are four methods for dealing with asbestos building materials: enclosure, encapsulation, repair and removal. The method that you choose is in a large part determined by the location of the asbestos and the extent of the damage. Enclosure and encapsulation are both methods of covering the asbestos while leaving it in place. This traps the asbestos fibers beneath the covering. Enclosing involves building a physical barrier while encapsulation is covering the area with an acrylic liquid. Repair and removal are more hazardous ways of dealing with asbestos, as they both require directly disturbing the materials.

While each state has laws regulating asbestos, if you are working in your private home, you can generally remediate the asbestos problem on your own. If you decide to remove the asbestos containing materials on your own, it is important to take proper safety precautions, for the long term health of you and your family. Make sure that you wear protective clothing, including a respirator, and leave that clothing behind at the end of the work day. Do not bring the clothing or your shoes into the rest of the house. Create an airlock with plastic sheeting to keep asbestos fibers from entering the rest of the house, and always wet the area that you are removing thoroughly to prevent asbestos fibers from becoming airborne.

For many people, the risk of contaminating their living area with asbestos, the expense of disposing the asbestos building materials (which are a hazardous waste and cannot go out with your normal garbage) and the need to purchase specific safety materials, such as disposable coveralls and respirators, mean that it makes sense to turn this job over to a professional contractor.

Professional contractors have experience working with asbestos containing materials, can perform air quality tests throughout the house during the remodeling and are insured and bonded. Working with a professional contract through the asbestos abatement process may end up costing less money in the long run.