Safety Encouraged as First Frost Approaches
Temperatures have reached chilly lows over the past few nights, prompting area fire officials to issue this word of advice…keep fire safety high on your list. Officials said home fires happen more often in the fall and winter due to an increase in cooking and heating fires. Statistics show improper use of heating equipment is the leading cause of home fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. Officials said the best means of prevention is educating yourself on the dangers of using heaters and stoves improperly. “You really want to make sure that anything burning anything other than electricity,” said Fire Marshal Wayne Arnold of the Jackson Fire Department. “Wood, kerosene, natural gas propane you have a good working carbon monoxide detector just in case its not doing complete combustion and putting carbon monoxide in the air.” Officials also said keep all flammable material at least three feet away from heating equipment, never use your oven to heat your home, turn off portable heaters when you leave a room of or go to sleep and make sure you have chimneys or heaters in your home cleaned before using them.
