This weekend on In Focus, we’re taking a closer look at emergency preparedness. 

JoDee Kenney sits down with John D'Alessandro from the Firefighters Association of the State of New York (FASNY) to talk about fire safety. The state is under a burn ban until May 14. 

D'Alessandro says most people think that coming off the winter, the ground is wet, but the opposite is true. The undergrowth is very dry and there are a lot of tree limbs on the ground. It's very easy for a single spark caused by either a spark from a person or a lightning strike to create a fire that spreads rapidly. That spark can spread not just next door, but a half a mile away depending on the wind. There are precautions you can take including making sure the fire is contained in some kind of a pit and having water or a fire extinguisher nearby. D'Alessandro says once you are done with the legal burn, make sure you extinguish it, then extinguish it again and don't leave it unattended.

When getting out the grill, really clean it out, make sure there are no animals in it, no cobwebs, no leftover grease and keep it away from flammable materials, and away from the house and vinyl siding. It doesn't take a lot of wind to move a fire along rapidly and can easily go from non event to a major event.

You can watch the full interview above. And be sure to tune in for a look inside the biggest issues impacting upstate New York on In Focus with JoDee Kenney — every Sunday on Spectrum News 1.