, December 7, 2007 – Each
year, there are more than 10,000 residential fires that started
as a result of portable or fixed space heaters, and another 15,000
fires associated with fireplaces and chimneys, that result in the
loss of about 300 lives each year.
A safety expert at Kimball Medical Center in Lakewood and Community
Medical Center in Toms River warns residents of the dangers associated
with heaters and fireplaces and urges everyone to use caution with
these heating devices.
“Because this is the season when deaths and injuries occur
from heaters and fireplaces, every home must have working smoke
and carbon monoxide alarms,” says Neil Bryant, regional safety
director for Kimball and Community. “Heaters that are placed
too close to flammable materials such as curtains, furniture or
bedding can cause fires. Fireplaces with cracked, blocked or dirty
chimneys are also a fire hazard, as are embers that escape and reach
flammable materials.”
Bryant said in addition to portable space heaters and fireplaces,
residents should be careful when using ovens/ranges and water heaters
too, as these can also produce fires and emit carbon monoxide.
“Any fuel-burning appliance emits carbon monoxide, and if
these devices are improperly installed, poorly maintained, damaged
or are not properly vented, they can cause serious health issues
or dangerous fires,” he says.
Bryant offers the following safety tips for using portable heating
devices this winter:
- Only use new space heaters that have been tested by a nationally
recognized testing laboratory and shown to have met the latest
safety standards and features. Older electric, kerosene and vented
and un-vented gas space heaters may not be safe or have such features
as automatic shut off mechanisms if the unit were to tip over.
- Always place heaters on a level, hard, non-flammable surface.
Never place these units on carpeting, rugs, bedding or similar
materials. Keep the heater a safe distance from flammable materials
(at least three feet) such as drapes, furniture or even the Christmas
tree.
- Never leave a space heater on when you go to sleep or near a
sleeping person.
- Keep all children and pets away from space heaters at all times.
Never leave a space heater on when you leave the house.
- Do no use an appliance such as a kitchen oven to heat the house
as it could overheat and generate excessive carbon monoxide.
When using fireplaces, Bryant offers these safety tips:
- Inspect chimneys, flues and the interior box of fireplaces before
each season. Clean and remove all blockage, creosote or debris.
- Keep the damper open before lighting a fire and keep it open
until the fire and embers are completely out. Closing the damper
before the fire is completely out can cause dangerous gases to
build up and release in to the home.
- Do not use accelerants such as gasoline or lighter fluid to
start or restart a fire as it can explode.
- Keep a screen or glass enclosure around a fireplace to prevent
sparks or embers from escaping and igniting nearby flammable materials.
“I cannot overstate the importance of having working smoke
alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in the home,” he says.
“There should be smoke and carbon monoxide detectors on each
floor of the home and in each bedroom or sleeping area.”
For more information, consumers can receive a free booklet called
“What You Should Know About Space Heaters” from the Consumer
Products Safety Commission by sending a postcard to “Space Heater
Booklet,” CPSC, Washington, DC 20207.
CONTACT: Kathleen Horan
Public Relations and Marketing
732-557-3909
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