HOME HEATING FIRES orth Strabane NORTH STRABANE TOWNSHIP NEWS
According to the NFPA fire departments throughout the country respond to nearly 50,000 residential structure fires that were caused by heating equipment , resulting in more than 500 fatalities , 1,350 civilian casualties , and an estimated $ 1.1 billion in property damage ( Campbell , 2021 ). As the leading cause of fires in homes throughout the United States , 1 in 7 fires that occurred from 2014 – 2018 were caused by home heating equipment accounting for 19 % of home fire fatalities ( Campbell , 2021 ). Space heaters were found to be responsible for two out of five fires , accounting for nearly 81 % of the deaths associated with residential fires caused by home heating equipment ( Campbell , 2021 ).
Residential fires involving home heating equipment can be avoided with a few simple steps . These steps include :
• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment
• Maintain a three-foot kid-free zone around home fireplaces and space heaters
• Never use your oven to heat your home
• Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment , water heaters , and central heating equipment in accordance with local codes and manufacturer recommendations
• Have heating equipment and chimney ’ s inspected and cleaned every year by a qualified professional
• Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving a room or going to bed
• Always use the appropriate type of fuel , as specified by the manufacturer , for fuel-burning space heaters
• Ensure that the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop embers from flying into the room . Make sure that ashes are cool before placing them in a bin for removal . For additional information about home heating fires please visit nfpa . org . If you need assistance with the installation of smoke alarms within your home , please feel free to contact the North Strabane Township Fire Department at 724.745.1010 and we will be happy to assist you
40 NORTH STRABANE
Dangers of Carbon Monoxide
It is important to ensure that appliances such as furnaces , stoves , water heaters , and fireplaces are properly working . These appliances , when not working properly , are associated with carbon monoxide ( CO ) which is also known as the “ Invisible Killer ” because it ’ s a colorless and odorless poisonous gas . Each year more than 150 people die in the United States from accidental non-fire related carbon monoxide poisoning ( U . S . Fire Administration , 2022 ). Due to the odorless , colorless , and otherwise undetectable to the human senses , people may not know they are being exposed , which is why having working CO detectors on each level of your home is important . Symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to the flu and include headaches , fatigue , shortness of breath , nausea , and dizziness . High levels of CO poisoning result in progressively more severe symptoms including mental confusion , vomiting , loss of muscular coordination , loss of consciousness , and ultimately death . To avoid the possibility of CO poisoning , please maintain appliances associated with CO in accordance with manufacturer recommendations and install / maintain carbon monoxide detectors on each level of your home .