Winter Storms

Dealing with Power outages, high winds and the cold temperatures that often accompany winter storms can become a challenge.

Here are some links with valuable information:

FIRE SAFETY DURING WINTER STORMS

WINTER HOLIDAY SAFETY

HEATER SAFETY

GENERATOR SAFETY

Get Ahead of the Winter Freeze!

  • Have your furnace inspected and serviced by a qualified professional at least once a year.
  • Have your chimneys and vents cleaned and inspected by a qualified professional and checked for creosote built-up. Not cleaning your chimney is the leading cause of chimney fires from built up creosote. This service needs to be done at least once a year.
  • Use dry seasoned wood in your fireplace or woodstove.
  • Use a fireplace screen that is metal or heat-tempered glass, that is in good condition, and is secure in its position in front of the fireplace.
  • Have a covered metal container ready to use to dispose cooled ashes. This ash container should be kept at least ten feet from the home and any nearby buildings.
  • Keep children at least three feet away from the fireplace, wood/pellet stove, oil stove or other space heaters.
  • Make sure your portable space heaters have an automatic shut-off and they are plugged directly into an outlet (not an extension cord). Keep portable heaters at least three feet from anything that can burn; like bedding, paper, walls, and even people.
  • Remember to test your smoke alarms and make sure they are working. You need smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside each sleeping room and outside each separate sleeping area. For best protection, the smoke alarms should be interconnected so when they sound, they all sound.
  • Test your carbon monoxide alarms and make sure they are working. Carbon monoxide alarms should be located outside each sleeping area and on every level of your home.

*Information taken from www.nfpa.org/education