OHIOANS URGED TO USE CAUTION WHEN HEATING
THEIR HOMES THIS WINTER

 

In the wake of the recent tragic deaths of an 18-month-old toddler in Marysville due to a kerosene heater and that of a 93-year-old man in Bainbridge due to a wood-burning stove, State Fire Marshal Robert R. Rielage urges all Ohioans to properly assess and address their own fire safety as temperatures drop across our state.  Similarly, neither home had operating smoke detectors, an inexpensive yet highly effective means of early warning.  Since the beginning of 2001, there have been more than 110 residential fire deaths in Ohio.

"Fire does not discriminate based on race, sex, age or economic status," said Rielage.  "For example, by March of this year, someone born in every decade of the 20^th Century had died in a fire in Ohio; from a 94-year-old man to a three-month-old baby boy, families and communities have lost connections to their past and future generations."

In 2000, there were 15,350 residential fires killing 125 people, injuring 1,048 more and causing more than $170 million in property damage.  Nearly 2,000 of these fires home heating, 75% of which were attributed to wood burning stoves and portable heaters.

“Most heartbreaking is that tragedies like these can be averted through simple fire prevention and fire escape planning,” said State Fire Marshal Rielage.  He offered these safety tips for the winter heating season:

WOOD BURNING STOVES

·        Follow all manufacturer instructions when installing the stove, stovepipe and chimney.  Or, better yet, have it professionally installed.

 ·        Clean and inspect all components, including the chimney at the beginning of the heating season.  If the stove is used frequently, it may also require additional cleaning during the heating season.

 ·        Avoid creosote (soot) buildup by burning only dry, seasoned wood.

 ·        Remember these NEVERS

·        Never use flammable liquids to light a fire

·        Never store flammable liquids in an area where a stove is being used

·        Never burn trash, large amounts of paper or small twigs

·        Never leave the doors open or screen off except to fuel the fire

·        Never dry clothing closer than three feet to the stove and keep all furniture away as well.

·        Never leave small children in a room where a wood stove is in use

 ·        Dispose of ashes in metal containers with tight-fitting lids and set the container only on a
       noncombustible surface. Never dispose of ashes in a trash container.

PORTABLE HEATERS

 ·        Never place a heater where it may block the exit from a room.

 ·        Read and follow all manufacturer directions and safety warnings.

 ·        Prior to use, clean and adjust the wick of kerosene heaters according to the manufacturer's 
      specifications. 

 ·        Use only 1-K or "water clear" kerosene as fuel.  Never use gasoline as it will cause an explosion.

 ·        While lacking a flame, electric heaters can ignite combustibles.  Keep all heaters a safe distance
       from furniture, draperies or bedding.

 ·        Keep floors clean and free of loose combustible materials such as papers, blankets and pillows.

"If a fire does occur, nothing will increase a family's chance for survival more than a working smoke detector and an escape plan," said Rielage.  “By providing early warning of a fire, smoke detectors add additional seconds that can make the difference between life and death.”

Marshal Rielage also offered the following tips to increase Ohioans personal safety at home:

 ·        Install a smoke detector on each level of your home and inside each sleeping area.

 ·        Test detectors at least once a month to ensure that they are working properly.  Batteries in
       battery-operated detectors should be changed at least once yearly or whenever a detector “chirps”
       to signal low battery power.

 ·        Never “borrow” a smoke detector’s battery for another use.  A disabled detector cannot save a life!

 ·        Consider giving a detector as a gift or installing one in the house of an elderly neighbor or a 
      family in need.

 

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