Woodmere chametz burning on Monday

As the cleaning, buying and cooking for Pesach intensifies and gradually abates on the morning before the seder, the Woodmere Fire Department comes to the rescue again, providing a safe, supervised chametz burning by the firehouse for the community.

Now in its eleventh year, the chametz (foods prohibited on Passover, such as bread, pasta, cereals) burning will be held on Monday March 25th between 7 AM and 11:50 AM at the Woodmere Fire Department, 20 Irving Place, between Central Avenue and Broadway.

“We do it as a community service and for fire safety reasons,” said Lenny Cherson, Chief of the Woodmere Fire Department. “People who are traveling need to burn their chametz. They can drop it off before hand and know that it will be burnt in the proper way. This also insures that people don’t injure themselves or do damage to their property.”

The website states “our highly trained firefighters will be on hand to assist you with burning your bread. Please do not take the chance and burn it at home. Please make sure you remove all plastic before placing your items in the fire.” Visitors are instructed to park in the lot next to the fire department.

Last year almost 2,000 people came to burn their chametz. The fire in a 40-foot dumpster and six trash cans consumed a few tons of food, said Lt. Marc Deutsch at the time.

If someone does decide to burn their own chametz, said Cherson, they should not use flammable liquids and should avoid getting the smoke and flames on their clothes by not standing downwind of the fire. They should stand a distance from the container and have a garden hose or fire extinguisher if the flames get out of hand, he noted. The fire should also be safely extinguished.

Sanitary District Number 1 has also offered special pre-Passover trash collection locations for the last ten years. These are also available on Monday, March 25th from 8 AM to 1 PM at the Cedarhurst and Lawrence Long Island Rail Road Stations, the Young Israel of Woodmere and Temple Hillel in Valley Stream. “Cedarhurst Mayor Andy Parise, former Lawrence Mayor Jack Levenbrown and recently deceased former Superintendent of Sanitary District #1 Phil Mistero started the service to make it possible for Sanitary District #1 to service our community,” said George Pappas, SSD #1’s current Superintendent.