220 Years Gone In 30 Minutes

[BoylermanCT]

Yeah, I was wondering that. I would expect hand hewn and wood pinned.

The barn was post and beam with wooden pegs, but not hand hewn so apparently no one wants the wood. I was surprised.

 

[4570Man]

National Trust would have slapped a preservation order on it here and made YOU pay for the restoration.

It would be a shame if it burnt.

 

[BoylermanCT]

It would be a shame if it burnt.

I was thinking the same thing! I'm a firefighter, and I asked my chief if we could burn it down. Unfortunately the garage is 15 feet from the barn and we probably would have lost the garage in the process. Plus they frown on burning asphalt shingles so we would have had to strip off the shingles, and the decking would not support a person on the roof. Would have saved me money on the demo permit. No permit needed for fire dept burns.

 

[fried1765]

I was thinking the same thing! I'm a firefighter, and I asked my chief if we could burn it down. Unfortunately the garage is 15 feet from the barn and we probably would have lost the garage in the process. Plus they frown on burning asphalt shingles so we would have had to strip off the shingles, and the decking would not support a person on the roof. Would have saved me money on the demo permit. No permit needed for fire dept burns.

Apparently your chief has never heard of "Barricade".
It is a GEL product that was invented/developed some years ago by a Hobe Sound, Fl. firefighter to provide relatively short term fire protection to the exterior of threatened buildings.
It is a very unique product (sprayed on with a garden hose), and relatively inexpensive as well.
I suspect that had you known about it, you could have safely burned your barn, while not endangering your garage.

Check it out at: Barricade Fire Gel
Folks living in a likely forest fire area should keep some on hand.
A four gallon home kit is $550, and will cover about 2800 sq.ft.

I have no personal/financial interest in the company.
I just consider the product to be a great idea.
I recently sold my home in thick pine forest.

 

[clemsonfor]

I have no idea about how rural parts of CT are but it could be like our area. Our FD that I am a volunteer with operates on a $5,000 budget for all year. The county pays insurance, fuel and major repairs to the building. Untill several years ago there was not a single paid fire fighter in the whole county even to cover areas in town.

 

[ovrszd]

The barn was post and beam with wooden pegs, but not hand hewn so apparently no one wants the wood. I was surprised.

Me too. Thanks for the added pics. I look at them and try to imagine the crew working there that day.

 

[BoylermanCT]

I have no idea about how rural parts of CT are but it could be like our area. Our FD that I am a volunteer with operates on a $5,000 budget for all year. The county pays insurance, fuel and major repairs to the building. Untill several years ago there was not a single paid fire fighter in the whole county even to cover areas in town.

There are 45 towns in Litchfield county CT with over 180k people total. Only 1 town has paid fire fighters. The other 44 are all volunteer. We are funded for equipment and training etc, but not for salaries. There is a special bond between people who go into burning buildings for free! Our town also has no police dept, so we respond to all car accidents and medical emergencies. Still trying to figure out why my taxes are so high!

 

[BoylermanCT]

Apparently your chief has never heard of "Barricade".
It is a GEL product that was invented/developed some years ago by a Hobe Sound, Fl. firefighter to provide relatively short term fire protection to the exterior of threatened buildings.
It is a very unique product (sprayed on with a garden hose), and relatively inexpensive as well.
I suspect that had you known about it, you could have safely burned your barn, while not endangering your garage.

Check it out at: Barricade Fire Gel
Folks living in a likely forest fire area should keep some on hand.
A four gallon home kit is $550, and will cover about 2800 sq.ft.

I have no personal/financial interest in the company.
I just consider the product to be a great idea.
I recently sold my home in thick pine forest.

Interesting sounding product. How safe is it for the environment? Following the B-17 crash at Bradley Airport in CT a few months ago, the State has banned use of the firefighting foam the airport and all fire depts in CT use because it contains PFAS which they have deemed a grave hazard. We have to incinerate our foam supply and buy all new foam which they say is safer, for now!

 

[BoylermanCT]

Me too. Thanks for the added pics. I look at them and try to imagine the crew working there that day.

It is amazing to think this barn was in use during the War of 1812, Civil War etc. If it could talk, the stories it would tell.

 

[ovrszd]

There are 45 towns in Litchfield county CT with over 180k people total. Only 1 town has paid fire fighters. The other 44 are all volunteer. We are funded for equipment and training etc, but not for salaries. There is a special bond between people who go into burning buildings for free! Our town also has no police dept, so we respond to all car accidents and medical emergencies. Still trying to figure out why my taxes are so high!

Our County is similarly funded. One town big enough to have it's own fire district with one paid fire marshal, the rest volunteers. Three rural districts. The rural districts are all volunteer.

There are 9 towns in my County with 8,500 people total. 726 square miles.