Maitland City Talk

According to the calendar, we are in the “winter” season. While the weather here in Florida is much different than other regions of the country, we do have some bouts of cooler, if not downright cold, temperatures on occasion.

With the cold weather come some issues that we don’t normally deal with the rest of the year: use of heating appliances, use of fire places, and the death of vegetation from freezes, to name a few. According to statistics from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), about 3,500 Americans die each year in fires and about 20,000 are injured. With some simple precautions we can all reduce our risk of injury or death from fires.

Heating appliances

During the winter months, there are more home fires than any other time of year. Heating appliances of all kinds make homes comfortable, but should be used with extra caution. Space heaters of any kind need space to function correctly, keeping combustible materials at least three (3) feet away is essential to reducing risks. Purchase only models that are tested and approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, look for a tag or stamp on the appliance indicating testing. Read the manufacturer’s information on the package and purchase a unit that has a tip over shut off feature. Before turning on any permanently installed heating units in the house, it is recommended having them checked for proper working order by a licensed heating or air conditioning contractor. Routine maintenance prevents mishaps.

If you have a fireplace or wood-burning stove, have it checked and cleaned by a competent chimney sweep at least annually. When cleaning a fireplace or wood stove, be sure to wait until the ashes are cold, use a metal container for the ashes, and set them away from the home, not in the garage or under the eaves of the house. If a fuel-fired heating appliance is not properly used, it may result in the production of carbon monoxide, an invisible killer.

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Carbon monoxide is an odorless and toxic gas. Because it is impossible to see, taste or smell, the toxic fumes of CO can kill you before you are aware it is in your home. At lower levels, CO causes mild effects that are often mistaken for flu. Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea and fatigue; these effects can vary greatly from person to person depending upon age, overall health, the concentration of CO and length of exposure.

CO gas can come from a number of sources, fuel burning heating appliances, charcoal grills and motor vehicles. Grills used in an attached garage on cooler days or vehicles left running in an attached garage can create a dangerous buildup of CO even if the garage doors are left open.

Newer homes have CO detectors by the Building Code, if they have fuel fired appliances or an attached garage. For older homes, it would be a good idea to invest in a CO detector and install the unit or units in accordance with the manufacturer’s directions. Be sure to purchase a unit that has been tested by a nationally listed laboratory, UL, ETL, FM, etc.

If the CO detector in your home does go off, what you should do is leave the building and dial 911, especially if a person feels ill; do not re-enter.

For further details or information, you may contact your local Fire Rescue Department.

—Dennis Marshall

Maitland Fire Marshal