With the danger of electrical fires ever present, taking precautions is fundamental to using electricity wisely. Plug in only as many appliances as an outlet can support directly. Do not use un-fused, multi-plug adapters or power strips as the electrical circuit may not be able to support the demand for that amount of current.

Use extension cords only for temporary portable equipment, not in place of your home¹s permanent wiring. Equipment supplied with electricity by an extension cord must have a lower amperage rating than that of the extension cord. Using an extension cord for a portable heater, which requires a lot of amperage, could cause the extension cord to overheat at the cord end and outlet and start a fire.

Replace or have repaired by an electrician any frayed, split, cracked or otherwise damaged cords. Damaged cords can cause a short in the circuit, heat up, and start a fire. Wrapping electrical tape around a damaged cord may not repair it.

When removing an electrical cord from an outlet, grasp on the plug portion instead of the cord. Do not lay cords under rugs, over nails or hooks, or through doorways or windows where they may get smashed, cut or split and cause a fire or shock hazard.

If you have small children in your home, cover unused electrical outlets with plastic safety caps.

Use bulbs that match the recommended wattage for that appliance or light fixture. Bulbs with wattages in excess of what is recommended may give off enough heat to start a fire.

If outlets or switch boxes are cracked or discolored, turn the circuit off and have them checked by an electrician. They may need to be replaced.

Keep heat-generating appliances and light bulbs away from anything flammable. Allow sufficient space around stereos, televisions and computers to prevent over-heating.

Purchase appliances and cords with the UL (Underwriters Laboratories) or FM (Factory Mutual) label indicating they have been tested for safety.

Consider having additional circuits and outlets added to your home by an electrician, especially if you are using extension cords and power strips.

The price tag will not be near what an electrical fire would cost in money and lives.

Article Credits: Fire Marshal Alan Perkins, CFPS, is a 32-year veteran of the fire service. A Certified Fire Protection Specialist through the National Fire Protection Association and a member of several similar safety organizations. Perkins is the Fire Marshal for the Washington Township Fire Department, Dublin, Ohio. For more information, contact: Leslie Dybiec, Public Information Officer Phone: (614) 652-3928 Fax: (614) 766-2507 or ldybiec@wtwp.com.

Live Safe Foundation is an Ohio based non-profit organization (501c3), and leading grassroots movement, devoted to making and fire and life safety education, awareness initiatives and life saving tools available on a broad basis to communities, campuses, and institutions in an effort to reduce national fire fatalities and fire losses. Live Safe aims to help finance fire safety education where means are otherwise unavailable. Live Safe is developing and sponsoring programs to help groups find the resources needed to advance individual and community fire safety.

This doesn’t seem possible, does it? After all, if there is a fresh battery in your detector and you have tested it to ensure that it is in working order, you and your family members should be safe, right? Maybe not! There is compelling research-based evidence that demonstrates that ionization-type detectors are ineffective in smoldering type fires, the most common cause of fatalities in home fires. In fact, tests have shown that ionization type smoke alarms don’t sound, even after the level of carbon monoxide and smoke reaches deadly concentrations. An alarming amount of documented residential fire deaths have occurred with only the installed ionization type detectors. Had there been a properly installed photoelectric detector in these situations, an alarm would have sounded to warn occupants of the life-threatening situation.

A 1994 study at Texas A&M concluded that the probability of a photoelectric detector failing to detect a smoldering fire is four percent, while the ionization detector provided close to 56% probability of failure in the same fire condition.

One of the reasons for the differences in the performance of these two detector types is in the way they are activated. Ionization smoke alarms contain a small amount of radioactive material and establish a small electric current between two metal plates. When the current is disrupted by smoke, the alarm sounds. This older type of technology is typically more responsive to a flaming fire, such as a kitchen pan fire, but it’s also more susceptible to nuisance alarms from bathroom humidity or cooking vapors when placed within 20 feet of a kitchen.

Photoelectric smoke alarms contain a light source and a light-sensitive electric cell. Smoke entering the detector deflects light onto the light-sensitive electric cell, triggering the alarm. These alarms are more sensitive to large particles given off during smoldering fires, such as an electrical fire-the kind of fires that usually occur at night when people are asleep.

For many years, authorities have urged homeowners to install smoke alarms without consideration to the type of potential fire ignition or the quality of smoke detection. This was based on the urgency to equip all homes with smoke detection with what was readily available on the market.

It is no surprise, then, that more than 90% of homes in the United States have only the ionization detection technology, leaving those occupants vulnerable to the most common and deadly type of fire.

To ensure your family gets the early warning they need to survive the toxic gases of a smoldering fire, install photoelectric smoke alarms immediately in and outside sleeping areas. They cost a bit more than the ionization type, but are now readily available at local hardware and home improvement stores. Use this past weekend’s time change to Daylight Savings Time, as your goal for making these important changes in your home.

Along with properly installing and maintaining new and existing smoke alarms, develop and practice an escape plan that includes two ways out of every room, so that everyone in the home knows what to do if the smoke alarms sounds. Home occupants who practice an escape plan reduce their time to escape in every type of fire.

If you have questions concerning the installation of photoelectric smoke alarms, contact the Washington Township Fire Department at (614) 652-3920.

If you would like more information about this important issue, watch the Stop the Children Burning series on youtube.com. A very informative news report from Indiana’s Channel 13 called UL-approved smoke alarms may give false sense of security is also on youtube.com. It details the studies done at Texas A&M. Take a few minutes to review these videos. Then get photoelectric smoke alarms for your home!

Fire Marshal Alan Perkins, CFPS, is a 32-year veteran of the fire service. A Certified Fire Protection Specialist through the National Fire Protection Association and a member of several similar safety organizations. Perkins is working with the Ohio Fire Officials Association for state law mandating photoelectric or equivalent smoke detection technology in new residential construction. Perkins is the Fire Marshal for the Washington Township Fire Department, Dublin, Ohio. For more information, contact: Leslie Dybiec, Public Information Officer Phone: (614) 652-3928 Fax: (614) 766-2507 or ldybiec@wtwp.com.

LiveSafe Foundation is an Ohio based non-profit organization (501c3), and leading grassroots movement, devoted to making fire safety education, awareness initiatives and life saving tools available on a broad basis to communities, campuses, and institutions in an effort to reduce national fire fatalities and fire losses. LiveSafe aims to help finance fire safety education where means are otherwise unavailable. LiveSafe is developing and sponsoring programs to help groups find the resources needed to advance individual and community fire safety.

• Plug in only as many appliances as an outlet can support directly. Do not use un-fused, multi-plug adapters or power strips as the electrical circuit may not be able to support the demand for that amount of current.
• Use extension cords only for temporary portable equipment, not in place of your home’s permanent wiring. Equipment supplied with electricity by an extension cord must have a lower amperage rating than that of the extension cord. Using an extension cord for a portable heater, which requires a lot of amperage, could cause the extension cord to overheat at the cord end and outlet and start a fire.
• Replace or have repaired by an electrician any frayed, split, cracked or otherwise damaged cords. Damaged cords can cause a short in the circuit, heat up, and start a fire. Wrapping electrical tape around a damaged cord may not repair it.
• When removing an electrical cord from an outlet, grasp on the plug portion instead of the cord.
• Do not lay cords under rugs, over nails or hooks, or through doorways or windows where they may get smashed, cut or split and cause a fire or shock hazard.
• If you have small children in your home, cover unused electrical outlets with plastic safety caps.
• Use bulbs that match the recommended wattage for that appliance or light fixture. Bulbs with wattages in excess of what is recommended may give off enough heat to start a fire.
• If outlets or switch boxes are cracked or discolored, turn the circuit off and have them checked by an electrician. They may need to be replaced.
• Keep heat-generating appliances and light bulbs away from anything flammable. Allow sufficient space around stereos, televisions and computers to prevent over-heating.
• Purchase appliances and cords with the UL (Underwriters Laboratories) or FM (Factory Mutual) label indicating they have been tested for safety.
• Consider having additional circuits and outlets added to your home by an electrician, especially if you are using extension cords and power strips. The price tag will not be near what an electrical fire would cost in money and lives.

Line of Duty” Author: Fire Marshal Alan Perkins, CFPS, is a 32-year veteran of the fire service. A Certified Fire Protection Specialist through the National Fire Protection Association and a member of several similar safety organizations. Perkins is working with the Ohio Fire Officials Association for state law mandating photoelectric or equivalent smoke detection technology in new residential construction. Perkins is the Fire Marshal for the Washington Township Fire Department, Dublin, Ohio. For more information, contact: Leslie Dybiec, Public Information Officer Phone: (614) 652-3928 Fax: (614) 766-2507 or ldybiec@wtwp.com.

LiveSafe Foundation is an Ohio based non-profit organization (501c3), and leading grassroots movement, devoted to making fire safety education, awareness initiatives and life saving tools available on a broad basis to communities, campuses, and institutions in an effort to reduce national fire fatalities and fire losses. LiveSafe aims to help finance fire safety education where means are otherwise unavailable. LiveSafe is developing and sponsoring programs to help groups find the resources needed to advance individual and community fire safety.

Before you buy a natural, cut tree, check it for freshness. Shedding needles are a sign of a dry tree which can be a serious hazard in your home.  Dry trees can burn like a torch and spread a fire in your home. Test a tree’s freshness by bending a sampling of needles in half. Fresh needles won’t break when bent and won’t be easy to pull off the branch.

Once your tree is home, keep it outside until you are ready to decorate it. Just before bringing it in, cut off the base of the trunk, one to two inches, and place it in a stable base with an ample-sized water reservoir. Making a fresh cut on the trunk enhances water uptake so your tree will stay fresher longer.

Heavy needle drop is an indication that your tree is getting dry. If you observe heavy needle drop before you want to remove your tree, limit the time it is lit to reduce the risk of fire.

Position your tree away from heat vents, space heaters, and out of exit ways. Check all lighting before you put it on the tree. Electric arcing of frayed or broken areas on lights, cords, and plugs causes half of Christmas tree fires. Throw damaged lights away. Do not chance repairing. No more than three sets of lights should be connected to a single extension cord. Overloaded cords can start a fire. Keep all lights and electrical cords away from the water in the tree stand, and away from curtains and other flammable materials. Keep children and pets away from light strings and electrical decorations. Make sure you unplug all lights before leaving the house or going to sleep.

Decorate Safely with Trees and Lights

Use weatherproof lights and electrical cords to decorate outside. Remove them at the end of the season, as they are not designed to withstand prolonged exposure to weather and sunlight. If you purchase new lights or electrical cords, make sure they bear the initials of the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) to insure they conform to safety standards.

Candles are especially popular this time of year. Don’t use them on your tree or in window sills. Use electric candles with the UL label instead. If you burn candles, use fire proof holders and remove decorations or floral arrangements that are in or around the container. Always extinguish candles before you leave the room, house, or go to sleep.

Do not burn trees, decorations, or wrapping paper in your fireplace. A flash fire may result as they can ignite suddenly and may exceed the capacity of your fireplace.

Have a safe and merry holiday season.

Author: Fire Marshal Alan Perkins, CFPS, Washington Township Fire Department, Dublin, Ohio. For more information, contact: Leslie Dybiec, Public Information Officer Phone: (614) 652-3928 Fax: (614) 766-2507 or ldybiec@wtwp.com.

Images provided by Google.

Live Safe Foundation is an Ohio based non-profit organization (501c3), and leading grassroots movement, devoted to making fire safety education, awareness initiatives and life saving tools available on a broad basis to communities, campuses, and institutions in an effort to reduce national fire fatalities and fire losses. Live Safe aims to help finance fire safety education where means are otherwise unavailable.  Live Safe is developing and sponsoring programs to help groups find the resources needed to advance individual and community fire safety.

• Keep the stovetop clear of combustibles that can burn such as potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, towels or curtains.
• Don’t leave food cooking overnight or while you are away in another room. Keep an eye on the stovetop. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires. If you must leave even for a short time, turn off the stove. Use a timer to remind you that you’re cooking.
• If a small fire occurs on the stovetop, cover it with a lid or a larger pan and turn the burner off. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled. Water should never be used on a grease fire as it often spreads the fire and causes serious injuries.
• If you attempt to use a fire extinguisher on a grease fire make sure the extinguisher is properly maintained and you are trained to use it. When in doubt, get out. Close any doors behind you, evacuate the house and call 9-1-1. Over half of home cooking injuries occur when victims try to fight the fire themselves.
• If a fire occurs in your oven, keep the oven door closed and turn it off. By keeping the door closed, you will keep oxygen from fueling the fire and burning you and your clothing.
• Keep the number of people in your kitchen to a minimum, especially children. Crowded kitchens can cause confusion and result in burns. Have a “kid-free zone” of at least three feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.
• Turn pot handles on the stovetop toward the center of the stove so they are not easily bumped.
• Make sure electrical appliance cords aren’t hanging over the counter.
• Always use cooking equipment that has been tested and approved by a recognized testing facility such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Turkey fryers are not certified by UL due to the high risk of tip over, spill over, or over heating which can lead to hot oil exposure, severe burns and a fire. Cooking bags and approved roasters can be excellent alternatives.

Most importantly, November and December is a time to offer help to those in need, generally when it is most critical.  What a perfect way to show your holiday spirit than by helping those less fortunate than you. Consider donating canned goods to help provide a warm holiday dinner to your local food bank. Food banks throughout the country are seeing more and more working people needing assistance providing food for their families.  They attribute this due to the rising costs of food, housing, utilities, health care, and gasoline.  Food manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers are finding that they have less surplus food to donate to the food banks.  Additionally the government help has decreased over the years. It’s easy, just search your hearts and pantries and donate some of the much needed items. May your Thanksgiving and Holiday season be FIRE SAFE and blessed with the bounty of the season, love of family, friends and a harvest of smiles! Pumpkin Cookie Recipe – Enjoy! 1 ½ cups brown sugar (packed)                        1 tbsp. baking powder              1 cup chopped pecans ½ cup shortening                                                      1 tsp. cinnamon 2 eggs                                                                             ½ tsp. nutmeg 1 ¾ cups canned pumpkin                                    ¼ tsp. salt 2 ¾ cups Gold Medal Flour                                   1 cup raisins Heat oven to 400 degrees (mod. Hot). Mix sugar, shortening, eggs, and pumpkin thoroughly.  Measure flour by sifting. Blend dry ingredients; add to pumpkin mixture, stirring until well blended.  Add raisins and pecans.  Drop batter by teaspoonfuls on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake 12 to 15 min., or until lightly browned .  Cookies may be iced when cool with a thin butter icing.  Makes about 6 doz. Cookies.  Note; if you use Gold Medal Self Rising Flour, omit baking powder and salt.

Article Source: Fire Marshal Alan Perkins, CFPS, Washington Township Fire Department, Dublin, Ohio. For more information, contact: Leslie Dybiec, Public Information Officer Phone: (614) 652-3928 Fax: (614) 766-2507 or ldybiec@wtwp.com.

Live Safe Foundation is an Ohio based non-profit organization (501c3), and leading grassroots movement, devoted to making fire safety education, awareness initiatives and life saving tools available on a broad basis to communities, campuses, and institutions in an effort to reduce national fire fatalities and fire losses. Live Safe aims to help finance fire safety education where means are otherwise unavailable.  Live Safe is developing and sponsoring programs to help groups find the resources needed to advance individual and community fire safety.