Question: Could you explain the dangers of creosote toxicity and the effects it has on our bodies? 

Dr. Hume: Hello, my name is Lineth Fontela Hume and I am a family nurse practitioner at the Miami Jewish Health Systems and creosote toxicity can range from mild to severe. In the mildest cases, in direct contact with your skin, creosote can be very irritating. If it comes into contact with your eyes, it can mirror a chemical burn. If your respiratory system is exposed to creosote it can cause issues in the future, in the most severe form causing cancer as its a carcinogenic agent (L. Hume, personal communication, March 30, 2021). 

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Question: How many chimney fires occur in the United States annually? What kind of damage do these fires result in? 

Captain Shaw: My name is Captain Shaw, from the Coral Gables fire department and we're here to talk about chimney fires today. There's an estimated over 25,000 chimney- fires a year caused by chimney fires. And over a hundred million dollars in property damage every year from chimney fires so it's very import to clean and maintain your chimney (B. Shaw, personal communication, April 8, 2021).