As people check and reset their alarm clocks today, interim Pittsburg Fire Chief Scott Crain encourages them to take a few minutes to check out their smoke detectors.
As the temperatures decrease heading into winter, Crain said the chances of a fire begins to increase.
From in-home heaters to space heaters, and fireplaces to increased time spent cooking hot meals, Crain said the late fall and winter typically meant a busier time for the Pittsburg Fire Department.
“People that haven’t checked their flues might find that they have a bird’s nest in there,” Crain said. “Or, they might have something in their chimneys, fireplaces or their heaters that could cause a fire.
“It’s especially (disconcerting) because the temperatures have dropped off so quickly,” Crain said. “People haven’t really had a chance to think about that sort of thing. So I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if we had an increase in calls over the next week or so.”
Crain especially warned about using space heaters.
“In a lot of older homes, people use them because they don’t have electrical service,” Crain said. “But they tend to overheat if you leave them on, and they can short out or cause problems. Sometimes, the wiring just isn’t adequate.”
Crain said he expected more people to use their fireplaces as well, due largely to the increase in available firewood from last year’s ice storms and early spring wind storms.
“People will be burning fireplaces more than ever,” Crain said.
Crain said those reasons all made it more important to look at smoke detectors. He said the leading causes of fire-related deaths to children ages 14 and under are heating equipment, playing with items that can ignite fire and cooking equipment.
Most fire-related fatalities are caused by smoke inhalation, Crain said, with a working smoke alarm cutting someone’s chances of dying in a fire by about 50 percent.
He recommended putting a smoke alarm on every level of a home and outside every sleeping area. The alarms should then be tested every month, he said. Smoke alarms are now available with 10-year lithium batteries, meaning that smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years, Crain said.
“Everybody just needs to be safe about it,” Crain said.
Here are some tips from Crain about cold-weather fire safety:
• Keep matches, candles, gasoline, lighters and all other flammable materials out of the reach of children, and teach them never to touch those items.
• Never leave a burning candle unattended. Place candles in a safe location away from combustible materials and where children or pets cannot tip them over.
• Keep children away from cooking and heating appliances. Never leave the kitchen while you are cooking.
• Place space materials at least three feet from curtains, papers, furniture and other flammable materials. Always turn space heaters to the off position when going to bed.
• Plug an electric space heater into an outlet with enough capacity. Never plug it into an extension cord.
Kevin Flaherty can be reached at kevin.flaherty@morningsun.net or by calling 231-2600 Ext. 134
PITTSBURG —
