York Town News
Winter safety tips from the York Beach Fire Department
YORK BEACH - After the recent loss of two Maine citizens due to the misuse of a portable generator, The York Beach Fire Department felt compelled to remind local residents of the dangers winter can bring.The following are a few of the safety tips we ask you to follow this winter:
- Always use a portable generator in an open area with proper ventilation. Never use it inside a building like your garage or basement.
- Have a qualified professional connect your generator properly to your house system.
- Have your wood stove and chimney checked by a qualified professional.
- Burn seasoned wood to eliminate creosote buildup in your chimney.
- Keep all combustible material at least three feet away from your wood stove.
- Have your furnace or boiler cleaned yearly. This not only will assure you safe burning, but will also save you money in your heating fuel consumption.
- Check all your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure you have fresh batteries installed.
- If you use electric space heaters, make sure it has a safety switch to turn it off should it get tipped over. Make sure all combustible material such as curtains and bedspreads, are at least three feet away from the heater.
- Make sure candles are extinguished if you are not going to be in the room while they are burning. Never leave a candle unattended.
- Clean off all the windows in your car before you start driving. Windows covered with frost or snow can create blind spots, especially at intersections.
