2022 Mississippi Fire Chiefs Association conference underway in Hub City

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By Marissa McCardell
Published: Dec. 7, 2022 at 6:16 PM CST

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) -Firefighters from across the Magnolia State gathered at the Lake Terrace Convention Center to discuss topics on fire safety at the Fire Chiefs Association’s Mid-Winter Conference .

With 25 vendors, Lamar County Fire Coordinator Kyle Hill said the conference is a way to share and discuss topics to help further fire education.

“It’s just a good time for a couple of days networking with each other across the state and learning how to better serve our communities,” said Hill.

Hill said one way to keep communities safe is to ensure your house is free from any fire hazards, especially in fireplaces and chimneys during the winter months.

“You should have a regular maintenance schedule on those, especially down here in southeast Mississippi with birds and nests and things that may be built up in those,” Hill said. “You can have chimney companies to come and clean those for you and prevent from getting birds’ nests.

But just be careful this time of year as you start to fire that up for the first time.:

Although new, fire-extinguishing products were displayed at the conference, Hill says people can prevent their own fires by keeping candles away from flammable items.

“Candles are real popular all year but you want to use something that has a contained flame,” Hill said. “A candle that is like an open stick candle we wouldn’t recommend. But if you do use those, just make sure they are extinguished good when you are done.”

The Mississippi Fire Chiefs Association’s conference runs through Thursday.

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