JOHN BISSET/Stuff

Sonya Lane of Waimate, and has started a chimney sweep business, and aims to donate 10% of her profit to firefighters.

Sonya Lane is hoping her new chimney-sweeping business has a thank-you element will reduce fire call-outs and also raise money for the fire service.

More than five years after firefighters used the jaws of life to get Lane out of a crashed car, the Waimate woman has launched Sootless Chimney Sweep to try to reduce fire call-outs, and as a way to raise money for the fire service.

The idea of ​​donating 10% of the profits from her businesses to the firefighters through the New Zealand Firefighters Welfare Society was to give back to the organization of people that “saved my life”.

“I can’t stop fires but what I can do is stop some from happening.

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“Prevention is better than cure.

“I don’t want anyone suffering from something that can be preventable.”

Lane launched the business two months ago but is not the one climbing the ladder because of ongoing health issues, instead employing someone “who knows what they are doing”.

JOHN BISSET/Stuff

Sonya Lane said the reason behind the Sootless Chimney Sweep slogan, get it swept, is that prevention is better than cure.

“I have hired a staff member who is great, he learned how to clean chimneys from his father who learned to clean chimneys from his father,” Lane said.

Although she does not get up to do the sweeping, she has been able to see “some interesting things,” on job sites.

JOHN BISSET/Stuff

Sonya Lane has a goal of having Sootless Chimney Sweep all over New Zealand.

“I have seen many charcoaled birds,” she said.

“That’s why it is really important to get bird netting, as birds easily get into the chimney, in summer and winter, so we include bird netting in our chimney sweeping.”

Lane said the businesses had an amazing two months with word of mouth taking them all over South Canterbury, and she hopes one day, Sootless Chimney Sweep will be all over New Zealand.

JOHN BISSET/Stuff

Ten per cent of Sonya Lane’s profits are being donated to firefighters through the New Zealand Fire Fighters Welfare Society.

“I am also in the beginning of working with Work and Income to become a provider, so people will be able to get help to afford it if they need it,” she said

“People should be able to have the help to prevent chimney fires, and I think being able to do this will make it more accessible to more people.”

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