Things for Grown-Ups to Remember about Fire Prevention

Fire Prevention Week ended on Oct. 15, but I want to continue with more fire safety items over the entire month. Over the last week the Fire Department visited the 4K classes. The 5K classes visited the Fire Department and we went to the Stateline Area Survive Alive House with the second grade. The Fire Department visited the local library, and also attended a fundraiser at Pizza Hut for the Stateline Area Survive Alive House. It was a busy week, but we have many more events over the rest of the month. Hopefully your children, grandchildren or neighborhood kids talked to you about fire safety, because we told them to go home and share what they have learned. Please listen to them. They have some good advice to share and will be willing to help you with changing batteries, putting up smoke alarms or cleaning out clutter that may be blocking exits. You may consider your home fire-safe; but dangers lurk around your workbench, behind your walls, and right on your kitchen counter. Most of us know not to leave burning candles unattended or overload our outlets; but firefighters still respond to about 370,000 home blazes every year, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). People don’t think of wiring as a danger, because it’s out of sight behind walls. But electrical fires have accounted for more than 50,000 home blazes a year; plus $1.5 billion in property damage. A seemingly unintentional act, like driving screws into a wall to hang a mirror, can easily pierce wiring. A good fix is to replace circuit breakers with ground-fault circuit interrupters. These safeguards detect dangerous electrical arcs and stop them before they start a fire.

Look around the kitchen and see if there are paper towels, pot holders, and recipe cards in a safe place. Are they sitting near your stovetop, ready to ignite? Is it any wonder 41 percent of home fires start in the kitchen? Keep a 3-foot zone between combustible materials and the burners. And, of course, never leave cooking unattended. Even if you regularly empty your lint trap; every time you dry clothes, the material still builds up inside the dryer and exhaust piping. If enough lint accumulates a blaze can start. To minimize the risks, you should clean the dryer and exhaust piping every year. We all have a “man fort,” the place we work on our big or small projects. These workshops have all sorts of possible hazards; and if they are attached to the house the risk to your family goes up. One problem is with the build-up of sawdust. It doesn’t look very dangerous yet it burns quickly, much faster than other kinds of dust. If you don’t have a good dust collection system, sawdust will accumulate on surfaces, where it can combust. A good rule of thumb is to clean up after every project. Even an ultra-thin layer of sawdust is a recipe for disaster and you’re asking for trouble. Regularly use a vacuum designed specifically for combustible dust. And don’t use compressed air as it can propel the dust into the air where it can more easily ignite. Whether it is in the shop or home the blades inside electrical outlets loosen over time, something you may notice when you plug in an appliance and the cord falls out easily. This may seem like little more than a nuisance, but loose blades can generate intense heat that can lead to fires.

Your best bet is to replace outlets as soon as you notice that plugs don’t fit snugly. With today’s craze for antiques and flea market buys make sure to update their electrical systems before using. That 1930s fan you found in your parents’ attic, the industrial light you snapped up for $10 at a yard sale or the vintage chrome coffeemaker may look nice, but they could be hiding an electrical fire. Old-fashioned plug-ins look great and may still run, but they were made according to antiquated safety codes and may include frayed or damaged wires. Have them rewired and to be absolutely safe, stick with modern equipment that comes with a UL mark, signifying that Underwriters Laboratories has vouched for the item’s safety in actual use.

When the weather turns cold most people spend more time inside their homes using fireplaces, furnaces and heaters to keep warm. There’s nothing quite as cozy as a fire, but it presents some safety hazards. Keep these tips in mind before their first use. Service your furnace before the cold autumn and winter weather sets in. Be sure to call your heating and cooling company to service your furnace. A specialist should inspect the furnace to make sure everything is in working order and that there are no leaks. Make sure you take extra time for fireplace safety, by cleaning the chimney before using and periodically throughout the year. Also keep that fire in its proper place by using a fireplace screen to keep sparks from flying out of the fireplace. Never leave a burning fire unattended, and make sure a fire in a fireplace is completely out before going to bed. If you need to use a supplemental electrical heater do not use an extension cord. A space heater can be an effective way to warm up a chilly room, but it’s essential that you read the instructions on the unit before you use it. If your space heater requires venting, make sure you have vented it to the outdoors. Never use your stove or oven to heat your home; only use space heaters that are approved for this purpose. Always allow at least three feet of empty area around space heaters.

Although the smell of leaves burning in the fall reminds us of the changing seasons and our youth, please reconsider leaf burning. There are numerous reports that burning leaves produce dangerous and cancer-causing chemicals; and these reports urge homeowners to avoid disposing of leaves this way. If you decide to burn leaves, wear a protective mask and do not burn when smoke will be blowing towards your neighbors. Burning leaves should only be attempted far away from a house or other structures and only burn on your own property. Always check the weather forecast before starting to burn leaves. This activity should not be attempted in windy conditions. You are responsible for any and all damages you may cause from burning yard debris. Inside the house candles are a great way to give a room that warm glow, but they can also cause fires.

CLINTON FIRE DEPT. PHOTO – The Clinton Topper.
Clinton kindergarteners tried on firefighter gear during their visit to the Clinton Fire Station during Fire Prevention Week last week.

According to the National Candle Association, almost 10,000 home fires start with improper candle use. Never leave candles burning if you go out or go to sleep; and keep your candles away from pets and kids. If there is only one item you take away from this article it should be to test all your smoke alarms and change their batteries.

A good reminder to change the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors is when you turn back your clocks for Daylight Saving Time. Make sure to check the alarms with the new batteries installed. Check and replace any home fire extinguishers that have expired.

Until next week, stay safe

Chief Rindfleisch