Bargersville Fire Deputy Chief Mike Pruitt poses with common winter heating devices at Bargersville Fire Station 201.
Submitted photo
As temperatures drop, a local firefighter is reminding people to be prepared for cold weather.
Full winter preparedness means getting ready for the weather both at home and on the go.
With furnaces at full blast during cold weather, people should be sure to keep it clean. When people forget to clean their furnace or replace their filters, that can lead to a burning smell or even a fire, said Mike Pruitt, Bargersville fire deputy chief.
“All of a sudden, they smell something burning,” Pruitt said. “And a lot of times we can narrow it down to a furnace issue.”
Because of this, firefighters recommend people make sure their furnace is clean or to have a professional service it, especially if’s a gas-burning furnace. An inefficient furnace could release carbon dioxide into the home, Pruitt said.
Checking chimneys to make sure they are clear is also important. If there are still remnants from last season, it may not have good airflow and this could lead to a fire, he said.
“The next thing you know, you end up with a flue fire in your in your chimney, which can potentially spread into the rest of your house, especially in your attic space, if you haven’t had that inspected,” Pruitt said. “So people need to make sure that their flues are clean, that their fireplaces are operable in good condition before they use those.”
Another common item people use to stay warm during winter is space heaters. Every year, there are reports of fires and fatalities after someone used space heaters improperly by leaving it too close to something that caught on fire, leaving it unattended or using an extension cord, Pruitt said.
Using an extension cord is not recommended because space heaters can overpower the cord, he said.
Firefighters know people will use space heaters, so they encourage the public to keep them three feet away from anything combustible, keep them out of high-traffic areas, and inspect them to make sure they are clean before use, Pruitt said.
“Most of your modern space heaters have an emergency switch on them,” he said. “So if they get knocked over for any reason, they automatically shut off. Make sure that works.”
People should not use an oven to heat their home, particularly not while leaving the oven door open for a long period of time.
This is dangerous, Pruitt said.
“What they don’t realize is they run the potential for gas building up in the home, or again, carbon monoxide from a flame that’s burning inefficiently and that can be poisonous; that can have very tragic consequences also,” he said.
People should also make sure to have working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in their home. These can save lives, Pruitt said.
There are also things that drivers should keep in mind as winter arrives and the chance of snowfall increases. First, people should make sure their vehicles are in proper working condition for when the first snowfall or ice arrives for the season, and for the rest of winter, Pruitt said.
People should also make sure their tires have enough tread and make sure they have supplies in their car if they were to become stranded. This includes keeping the car fueled, the cell phone charged, and keeping a phone charger, snacks and water in the car, he said.
“We haven’t seen a lot of major snows where we had lots of people getting stranded, but we’re due anytime to get something like that, where you could find yourself stranded on the interstate, a state highway out in the country,” Pruitt said. “You need some of those basic essentials with you if you become stranded.”
Those going out to work or working outside their homes should wear proper clothing. For example, if going out in business attire, wear proper footwear so you don’t slip or fall, he said.
Paying attention to where you’re walking and dressing warmly in layers are also important, Pruitt said. Dressing in layers can prevent people from suffering severe cold-related injuries like hypothermia or frostbite, he said.
