Tag Archive for: #winterheatingsafetytips

TownTalk: Be Safe When Using Space Heaters

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The recent fires in Philadelphia and in New York that killed dozens of residents in the past week serve as tragic reminders about home fire safety during the winter months, when about half of all home heating fires occur.

With temperatures dipping into the 20s at night, it may be tempting to keep a space heater turned on to keep the chill off, but any supplemental heat unit should be turned off overnight – or even when you leave the room, according to a checklist from the National Fire Protection Association.

There are numerous items to double-check to make sure your home is as safe as possible, from testing smoke detectors and installing carbon monoxide alarms to knowing the proper use of space heaters and portable generators.

When dealing with winter storms that knock out power and create icy conditions, it is important to use care and caution inside and outside the home. Make sure that the street address is clearly visible from the road so emergency personnel can quickly identify your location. It’s also important to keep drives and sidewalks as clean of ice and snow as possible, for your own safety and in case emergency personnel need to get up to your home.

Be ready with flashlights – not candles – in case the power goes out.

And never use generators indoors. They should be kept away from structures when in use.

Supplemental space heaters should never be plugged into a power strip or used with an extension cord. Anything that can catch fire should be kept at least three feet away from space heaters.

All these precautions should be taken during and after a winter storm or extended cold snap, but having properly functioning smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in your home is something that can be done at any time of the year.

Test these devices monthly and replace batteries or the entire detector when that annoying chirping sound begins.

The Henderson Fire Department has smoke detectors and Lee Edmonds said city residents can call the department at 252.430.1877 and fire officials will come and install them in their homes.

The Office of State Fire Marshal Mike Causey has posted the following reminders on its webpage. Visit www.ncosfm.gov to learn more.

  • Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, such as the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
  • Have a three-foot, kid-free zone around open fires and space heaters.
  • Never use your oven to heat your home.
  • Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
  • Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
  • Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel burning space heaters.
  • When refueling kerosene heaters, be sure to move them outside to refill.
  • Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home.

Henderson Fire Dept

Edmonds Discusses Annual Smoke Detector Campaign, Shares Heating Safety Tips

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Captain Lee Edmonds was on Thursday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss the Henderson Fire Department’s annual smoke detector and battery inspection program along with winter heating safety tips.

The annual campaign kicked off at the beginning of this month and is expected to continue through early spring.

Started in 2009 after a Vance County family lost several of their children to a house fire, Edmonds said the door-to-door home inspection program is “a good opportunity to check houses and check smoke detectors to make sure everything is working properly.”

The inspection, which begins anew each November following Fire Prevention Month in October, is free of charge to City of Henderson residents. “We put new batteries in smoke detectors, replace old smoke detectors and install smoke detectors in places that did not previously have them,” said Edmonds.

For the month of November, Edmonds estimated that the department has visited approximately 950 homes and has been successful in inspecting just shy of 200. In a previous interview with WIZS, Edmonds stated that the fire department’s goal is to visit 6,000 homes per annual campaign.

“We aren’t able to get into all of the homes we visit because either people aren’t home or they say they regularly check their batteries and smoke detectors,” said Edmonds. “If they aren’t home, we leave a note on their door asking them to call us so we can come back out.”

In addition to homes, the department inspects downtown businesses annually and most other businesses on a three-year basis.

With the number of fire-related deaths in 2018 topping previous years, the Henderson Fire Department urges residents to check their detectors regularly and to allow fire department personnel inside their home during the annual door-to-door campaign.

Additional Safety Tips Courtesy of Captain Edmonds:

  • Carbon monoxide detectors like the GasAlert Quattro are inexpensive and should always be used in homes that heat with a fuel source such as propane, kerosene or natural gas.
  • Leave three feet of clearance around any type of heater – fireplace, electric heater or gas heater.
  • Unplug electric heater when not in use and always plug directly into wall outlet. Never plug a heater into an extension cord. Extension cords are not rated for a heater and may overheat and cause a fire.
  • Have heaters and furnaces serviced at least once, preferably twice, a year by a certified technician to ensure everything is in working order and to minimize safety hazards.
  • During the holidays, make sure real Christmas trees are watered properly. Christmas lights will catch a dry tree on fire very quickly. Inspect light cords on all types of Christmas decorations and plug directly into wall outlet. Christmas lights should always be unplugged when you aren’t at home.
  • Never attempt to leave the stove open as a means of heating your home.
  • Families should have at least two escape routes mapped out in their home that everyone knows. An outside meeting place should also be discussed in case members of the family escape the home different ways. Make sure windows can be opened and aren’t painted or nailed shut.

With questions regarding your smoke detector, fire safety or to schedule a time for a free home inspection, please call the Henderson Fire Department at (252) 430-1877.

To listen to the interview in its entirety, please click here.