The National Fire Protection Association
urges us all to take extra fire precautions during the winter and offers the
following advice. Allow plenty of room around space heaters - at least
three feet from anything that can burn. Be sure to set them on a hard
surface floor, and keep them off carpets and rugs. Turn them off when you leave
the room, and never leave the heaters on when you go to sleep. Stay in
the kitchen while cooking, and turn off the stove when leaving. Never use
gas or electric stoves to heat your home. They can cause fires and carbon
monoxide poisoning.
Smoke outside and have sturdy, deep ashtrays for
smokers. Keep matches and lighters up high, out of the reach of
children. Inspect electric cords and replace those that are damaged or
cracked, or have broken plugs or loose connections. Avoid using candles, but if
you do, keep them at least a foot from anything that can
burn. Blow them out when leaving the room or going to sleep. Develop
a home fire escape plan and practice it with your family. Install smoke
alarms, test them once a month and replace batteries yearly or when the alarm
chirps to indicate that it’s low. Replace any alarm that is over ten
years old.
Install carbon monoxide alarms in a central location
outside each sleeping area on every level of the home and test them monthly.
Interconnect all the carbon monoxide alarms throughout the house for the best
protection. If you are building or remodeling your house, install fire
sprinklers. They can contain or extinguish a fire in less time than it
takes the fire department to arrive.
Schedule yearly inspections of your furnace, chimney
and fireplace. Creosote or debris buildup can cause a fire. Open the fireplace
damper before lighting a fire and keep it open until the ashes are cool.
Never operate a portable gas-powered generator in an
enclosed space such as a garage, shed or inside the house. Keep
generators as far away from the house as possible - away from open doors,
windows or vents that could carry carbon monoxide into the house.
Turkey Fryer Safety
The Wadsworth Fire Department encourages citizens to take fire safety precautions when cooking fried turkeys during the holiday season.
Underwriters Laboratories, a non-profit safety certifying organization has issued an alert calling the fryers "extremely dangerous." Citing concerns over stability, oil spillover, overheating and uninsulated pot handles and lids, UL said it would not certify any of the products. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is investigating the products; it has received 30 complaints over three years, including fires.
A joint safety task group had been requested to prepare a proposal for changes to the standard before the Consumer Product Safety Commission committee's meeting in April 2003. The task group included representatives from UL; the Canadian Standards Association (CSA); the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association (HPBA); various turkey fryer manufacturers; and a consumer advocate.
Until official standards and procedures are instituted here are some safety guidelines to follow:
§Use turkey fryers outdoors only, well away from combustible decks and buildings and any other material that can burn. Never use turkey fryers on wooden decks or in garages.
§Make sure the fryers are used on a flat surface to reduce accidental tipping.
§Never leave the fryer unattended. Most units do not have thermostat controls. If you don't watch the fryer carefully, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire.
§Never let children or pets near the fryer when in use. Even after use, never allow children or pets near the turkey fryer. The oil inside the cooking pot can remain dangerously hot, hours after use.
§To avoid oil spillover, do not overfill the fryer.
§Use well-insulated potholders or oven mitts when touching pot or lid handles. If possible, wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from oil splatter.
§Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and be careful with marinades. Oil and water don't mix, and water causes oil to spill over, causing a fire or even an explosion hazard.
§The National Turkey Federation recommends refrigerator thawing and to allow approximately 24 hours for every five pounds of bird thawed in the refrigerator.
§Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water to extinguish a grease fire. If the fire gets out of control immediately call 9-1-1 for help.
Additional Information
§View MPEG video of turkey fryer malfunctions - Download Here (13 Mb)
Plantings around Fire Hydrants Ordinance
54.03 OBSTRUCTION OF FIRE HYDRANTS
No person shall place or maintain any planting, mail box or other obstruction of any type within ten feet of any fire hydrant. In addition to any other remedy, the Director of Public Safety may remove any such obstruction and recover the cost of removal from the owner of said obstruction in a civil action in any court having jurisdiction of such an action.
(Ord. 99-055, passed 7-6-99)
Fire Safety Facts
If a smoke alarm went off in the middle of the night, only 39% said they would leave the house immediately. 56% would investigate to find the source of the alarm.
In 1999, children playing with fire started 41,900 fires that were reported to U.S. fire departments, causing an estimated 165 civilian deaths, 1,901 civilian injuries,and $272 million in direct property damage.
In 2002, fire departments responded to approximately 389,000 fires in homes (one and two family dwellings, manufactured housing and apartments). That's one fire every 81 seconds!
Although children five and under make up only 7% of the country's population, they account for 14% of home fire deaths, a risk twice the national average, during 1995-1999.
Cooking equipment and unsafe cooking practices caused the largest number of home fires and home injuries. However, fires started by smoking materials caused 26% of the home fire deaths in 1999. Smoking has consistently been the leading cause of home fire deaths in the U.S.
60% of Americans have an escape plan and of those 42% have practiced it. This means that only a small number of families (25%) have actually developed and practiced a home fire escape plan to ensure they could escape quickly and safely.
79% of all fire deaths occur in the home, where most people feel the safest.
Home fires started by candles increased to their highest level in 1999. An estimated 15,040 home candle fires caused 102 civilian deaths, 1,473 injuries and $278 million in damages. During 1999, 40% of home candle fires started in the bedroom.
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