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Warming the Home Front
Use Red Cross Safety Tips to Stay Protected from Winter Chill
 
Date: February 15, 2007
Contact: Diane Concannon, Public Relations Director 609.951.2116; (cell) 609.206.4043
concannond@njredcross.org

Thursday, February 15, 2007 — Plunging temperatures have descended upon the East Coast following a substantial Valentine’s Day Nor’easter. This creates the potential for multiple safety issues. “An icy freeze like this can challenge us as we try to stay warm and deal with any potential power outages,” said American Red Cross of Central New Jersey Emergency Services Director Kurt Weirich. ”There are major preventive measures that we can put into practice, though, to help keep ourselves safe over the next few days.”

Cold Weather Home Safety Tips:

  • Be Cautious With Portable Space Heaters – To prevent fire, place space heaters at least three feet away from anything combustible, including wallpaper, bedding, clothing, pets, and people. Never leave space heaters operating when you are not in the room or when you go to bed. Don't leave children or pets unattended near space heaters, and be sure everyone knows that drying wet mittens or other clothing over space heaters is a fire hazard.
  • Use Generators Correctly – If you have a portable generator and the power goes out, always plan to keep the generator outdoors. Never operate it inside, including the basement or garage. Do not hook up a generator directly to your home's wiring. The safest thing to do is to connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator. Connecting a cord from the generator to a point on the permanent wiring system and back-feeding power to your home is an unsafe method to supply a building with power.
  • Check Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors – Make sure alarms are working properly and replace batteries as necessary.
  • Use Candles Carefully – Do not use candles for lighting if the power goes out. Use flashlights only.
  • Inspect Fireplaces and Wood Stoves – Use a sturdy screen when burning fires. Burn only wood – don’t burn paper.

Additional Winter Weather Safety information can be found at www.njredcross.org.

The American Red Cross of Central New Jersey is a non-governmental agency that serves the people of Mercer, Middlesex, Hunterdon, and parts of Somerset counties. Led by volunteers, the Red Cross offers a broad array of vital services to our community in need. You can help too – Volunteer your time, make a monetary donation, donate blood, and/or take a CPR course. For more information on the programs and services of the Red Cross and to learn how you can get involved, visit www.njredcross.org or call 609-951-8550.

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Hunterdon Branch: 349 Route 31 South, Suite 501, Flemington, NJ 08822 . 908-782-4121 . Fax: 908-782-2864
www.njredcross.org

 

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