Cold Weather Safety

Stay Safe This Winter - Cold Weather Safety Tips

BE FIRE SMART

Cold weather means many residents will start warming their homes for the first time this year. Be Fire Smart - Be Prepared. Have working smoke alarms on every level of your home. Install carbon monoxide detectors and know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning (vomiting, confusion, weakness, dizziness). Test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms monthly.

SPACE HEATER SAFETY

• Combustible materials such as blankets, curtains, and newspapers can easily catch on fire. Be sure to keep these types of materials at least three feet away from space heaters.
• Do not leave space heaters unattended.
• Only use equipment that has the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) mark which shows that the product has been safety tested.
• Turn off the space heater if the cord becomes hot.
• Plug space heaters directly into the socket instead of into an extension cord.
• Place the heater on the floor and never on a countertop or on furniture.

FIREPLACE SAFETY

• Be sure that all fireplaces’ openings are covered by a heavy, metal screen or covered by glass door.
• Be sure to keep furniture, fabrics and newspapers far away from all fireplaces in your home.
• If the fireplace is being used, be sure to keep the flu open all the way.for adequate ventilation. 
• Only burn wood that has not been painted, shellacked, varnished or pressure-treated.
• ALWAYS make sure that the fire been extinguished before you leave your home or go to sleep