Citizens of Georgia need to understand how fire safety affects their lives in what could be life or death by contacting companies like Cliff’s Fire.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), in 2023, Georgia ranked second in the number of fire deaths in the United States, with 29 fatalities. In 2022, 69 deaths were reported in home fire incidents in Georgia, saying that in the United States, at least one child dies every day from a home fire.
Fire safety is always essential, but when the season changes to spring and the weather gets dry and very unpredictable, it’s even more crucial that it’s taken seriously. Alerts will be sent to citizens when the air is too dry or windy to have any fires.
According to The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, a burn ban is issued yearly from May 1st to September 30th. This makes it illegal to burn tree limbs, leaves, and forest land or use air curtain destructors for land clearing. While this is the case, anytime one has a fire, there should be a fire extinguisher close by.
Tony Taylor, senior service tech at Cliff’s Fire for 25 years, echoed this sentiment, as he is passionate about the fire industry and keeping his home stocked with fire extinguishers.
“I take such pride in working in the fire protection industry because I know I’m making a difference in people’s businesses and livelihoods,” said Taylor. “It also provides me with the knowledge to protect my own family.”
Fire safety goes beyond ensuring that a fire extinguisher is present in homes; it includes protecting businesses, providing warnings with alarms, and maintaining the requirements for everything to do its job of protecting lives.
Cliff Bennett, President of the company he opened in 1982, cares deeply about the company and its work, which truly plays a crucial role in protecting lives.
“Not having the proper fire equipment and not having it properly serviced and maintained could lead to loss of property and, much more importantly, loss of someone’s life,” said Bennet. “Homeowners should be sure that they follow fire codes as well. Without doing so, this could have the same results.”
David Mulkey, General Manager of Cliff’s Fire, is passionate about what he and his fellow employees do. He enjoys being a part of a family business, having staff that do superior work in their professional areas, taking great pride in doing the work correctly, and being a staple throughout the community.
“I understand how crucial the operation of fire protection is when it’s needed," said Mulkey. “Ultimately, the end user is counting on their fire protection to work during an emergency situation, so it’s imperative that it functions properly, so lives and property are protected.”
Cliffs donate their services to several churches, ensuring that they have the proper fire protection, are involved in the state association board to improve regulations in the industry, train technicians as well as fire marshals and inspectors and also donate to the state burn foundation.
“There really is no other way than to have a team working together. We are blessed to have extremely good people in our company that are knowledgeable in their own areas of the fire protection industry,” said Bennett. “Good people that know fire alarms to notify of a fire, sprinkler experts to help protect buildings and kitchen specialists. Also, we are part of a larger team, the fire department, and the fire marshals, as the training we provide makes these important officials more aware of what our industry provides and their need to enforce the requirements of the products and services that we provide.”
Cliff’s is a well-rounded company that provides a broad range of fire protection services, including:
- Inspections
- Testing
- Maintenance
- Service
- Repairs
- Installation
“The fire protection industry, even though extremely important, is so very often overlooked. Good people who desire to work in it are really hard to find; there is a big need,” said Bennett. “We are thankful for the great folks that work for us and are continuing to strive toward making our industry a more professional, desirable field to have a career.”