As the temperatures have gotten colder outside, we are depending on multiple types of heating sources to stay warm inside our homes. The Fallston Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Company and State Fire Marshal William E. Barnard offer residents the following life safety and home heating safety tips.
“Elements of home heating continue to be a significant factor in home fires in Maryland,” according to the Fire Marshal. “Following these guidelines, we can work together to reduce the number of residential fires.”
You should:
---Ensure chimneys are cleaned annually or more frequently if used as the primary heating equipment.
---Use properly sized fireplace screens or enclosures. Never use a flammable liquid to start a fire.
---When disposing of cooled ashes, do not use paper or plastic containers.
To remove them, use a metal container. Ashes will insulate hot embers long after the fire is considered out.
---Make sure fuel burning stoves are installed according to local fire codes and the manufacturer’s instructions.
---Have your furnace inspected and serviced annually.
---Check portable electric heaters for frayed or damaged wires. Ensure
that they are clean and placed on a flat level surface. Use only heaters that are “listed” by an approved testing laboratory for this type of equipment and follow all manufacturers’ instructions.
---Do not use extension cords or strip outlets with portable electric space heaters. The extension cord or strip outlet can overheat and cause a fire.
---If you use kerosene fuel fired heaters, use only “K-1” kerosene fuel. Never fill the unit inside. Always remove it to the exterior of the building after it has cooled before refueling. Open a window enough to provide proper ventilation.
---Keep combustibles (furniture, curtains, clothing, paper goods, etc.), at least three feet from all heat sources.
---Fuel burning appliances can produce the deadly, tasteless and odorless gas known as carbon monoxide. Install and maintain carbon monoxide (CO) alarms inside your home to provide an early warning of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere.
---Always turn off portable heating equipment when leaving the room for extended periods. Portable heaters should never be operated while unattended.
Along with these heating tips, check to make sure your smoke alarms are in good working order. “Routine maintenance and safe operation of heating equipment, combined with properly installed and operating smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, are a life-saving combination for all Marylanders,” stated Fire Marshal Barnard.
The FVFAC has smoke alarms available for area residents that need them. Smoke alarms do have a "shelf life" of approximately ten years and should be replaced prior to reaching that age.
If you would like further information on home fire safety please contact the Fallston Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Co.
