Delaware News

Winter Fire Safety

State Fire Marshal | Date Posted: Wednesday, January 24, 2024


State Fire Marshal Logo

January 24, 2024

The Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office would like to remind Delawareans that home fires occur more in the winter months than any other season throughout the year. In fact, half of all home heating fires occur in December, January, & February. Nationwide, heating equipment is involved in 1 out of every 6 home fires and 1 in every 5 fire deaths. Please follow these winter fire safety tips to keep you and your family safe this winter season.

Heating
• Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from any heat source like fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators, or space heaters.
• Plug only 1 heat-producing appliance (ex. space heater) into an electrical outlet at a time.
• Store cooled ashes in a tightly covered metal container. Keep it outside at least 10 ft from your home and any nearby buildings.
• Never use your oven to heat your home.

Carbon Monoxide
• Often called the invisible killer, carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas created when fuels (such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane) burn incompletely.
• In the home, heating and cooking equipment that burn fuel can be sources of carbon monoxide.
• CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home.
• Test CO alarms at least once a month; replace them according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• If the CO alarm sounds, immediately move to a fresh air location outdoors or by an open window or door.
• Make sure everyone inside the home is accounted for.
• Call for help from a fresh air location and stay there until emergency personnel declare that it is safe to re-enter the home.
• Only use gas or charcoal grills outside, as they can produce CO.

Portable Generators
• It’s important to know that portable generators emit carbon monoxide (CO), a poisonous, deadly gas.
• Use portable generators outdoors in well-ventilated areas at least 20 ft from all doors, windows, and vent openings.
• Never use a generator in an attached garage, even with the door open.
• Place generators so that exhaust fumes are directed away from the building.
• Turn off generators and let them cool down before refueling.
• Never refuel a generator while it is hot.

Other reminders
• Have a qualified professional clean and inspect your chimney and vents every year.
• During and after a snowstorm, make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow build-up.
• If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Do not run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor indoors, even if garage doors are open. Make sure the exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not covered with snow.

 

Winter Fire Safety Fact Sheet

 

 

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Winter Fire Safety

State Fire Marshal | Date Posted: Wednesday, January 24, 2024


State Fire Marshal Logo

January 24, 2024

The Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office would like to remind Delawareans that home fires occur more in the winter months than any other season throughout the year. In fact, half of all home heating fires occur in December, January, & February. Nationwide, heating equipment is involved in 1 out of every 6 home fires and 1 in every 5 fire deaths. Please follow these winter fire safety tips to keep you and your family safe this winter season.

Heating
• Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from any heat source like fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators, or space heaters.
• Plug only 1 heat-producing appliance (ex. space heater) into an electrical outlet at a time.
• Store cooled ashes in a tightly covered metal container. Keep it outside at least 10 ft from your home and any nearby buildings.
• Never use your oven to heat your home.

Carbon Monoxide
• Often called the invisible killer, carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas created when fuels (such as gasoline, wood, coal, natural gas, propane, oil, and methane) burn incompletely.
• In the home, heating and cooking equipment that burn fuel can be sources of carbon monoxide.
• CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home.
• Test CO alarms at least once a month; replace them according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• If the CO alarm sounds, immediately move to a fresh air location outdoors or by an open window or door.
• Make sure everyone inside the home is accounted for.
• Call for help from a fresh air location and stay there until emergency personnel declare that it is safe to re-enter the home.
• Only use gas or charcoal grills outside, as they can produce CO.

Portable Generators
• It’s important to know that portable generators emit carbon monoxide (CO), a poisonous, deadly gas.
• Use portable generators outdoors in well-ventilated areas at least 20 ft from all doors, windows, and vent openings.
• Never use a generator in an attached garage, even with the door open.
• Place generators so that exhaust fumes are directed away from the building.
• Turn off generators and let them cool down before refueling.
• Never refuel a generator while it is hot.

Other reminders
• Have a qualified professional clean and inspect your chimney and vents every year.
• During and after a snowstorm, make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove, and fireplace are clear of snow build-up.
• If you need to warm a vehicle, remove it from the garage immediately after starting it. Do not run a vehicle or other fueled engine or motor indoors, even if garage doors are open. Make sure the exhaust pipe of a running vehicle is not covered with snow.

 

Winter Fire Safety Fact Sheet

 

 

image_printPrint

Related Topics:  , , , ,


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.