Montgomery County Fire and Rescue offers the following tips
as more cold weather arrives in the area. With gusty winds and temps with wind
chills predicted to drop well below zero, it’s important to be prepared,
monitor the weather, be safe and take a minute to check on elderly or home bound
neighbors and friends.
At Home
Give
space heaters space and ensure at least 3
feet clearance from combustibles (anything that can burn). Dedicate an outlet
for the space heater and do not overload the electrical circuit. Always stay in
the room while a space heater is operating, turn it off when leaving the area
or room and follow manufacturer recommendations when using space heaters.
Firing up the
fireplace? Never discard ashes inside or near the home. Let them completely
cool down and place them in a metal container outside and well away from the
house, garage or decks or other combustibles. NEVER dispose of ashes in a paper
or plastic bag, cardboard box, trash can, recycling bin or bucket. Ashes can
remain hot enough to rekindle several days after a fire.
Remember: no ash in the trash.
Never use a range or an oven as a
supplemental heating device. Not only is it a safety hazard, it can be a source
of potentially toxic fumes.
Make sure your smoke alarms and carbon
monoxide detectors are working. Protect yourself from carbon monoxide
poisoning by installing a CO detector in your home and be sure to test your
smoke alarm monthly to ensure it’s working. Remember, never warm-up your car in
an attached garage or carport.
Winter Driving
Keep a cold weather kit in your car. Include important safety items such as a
fully charged cell phone, a blanket, flashlight, ice scraper, gloves, hat,
scarf and a first-aid kit.
- Fill up a gallon size baggie with kitty litter to keep in the car during the
winter in case you get stuck in the ice.
- Be sure to have the proper amount of antifreeze in your vehicle. Antifreeze
works to prevent your engine block from freezing.
- Check your wipers and ensure you have plenty of windshield
wiper fluid. Want your wipers to last longer? Don’t turn them on until after
they’re cleared of ice and snow.
Pedestrian Safety
Slippery driveways and sidewalks can be particularly hazardous in the
winter. Keep them well-shoveled and apply materials such as rock salt or sand
to improve traction.
Icy Dangers
It is a good time to talk to your kids about cold weather
safety. Extra care is needed, especially with younger children, to ensure they
are prepared for the bitter cold weather in the forecast.
- Ice dangers: Despite the cold temps, there is no such thing as 100 percent safe ice in our region. Remind
children to stay away from ponds, lakes and other bodies of water that may appear
to be frozen or have a thin coating of ice.
- If you witness someone falling through the ice, the best way to help them is
to immediately call 9-1-1 so rescue personnel can quickly be dispatched. Resist
the urge to go out on the ice after them or else you could fall through too. Would-be
rescuers frequently become victims when they fall through the ice as well.
- Keep an eye on the location where the victim is so you can direct rescuers to
that location.
- While waiting for rescue personnel to arrive on the scene, extend or throw a long
object to the victim such as rope, pole, tree limb or even a scarf to help pull
them to shore. If using a rope, have the victim tie the rope around them in case
they become weakened by the cold and are unable to hold onto the rope. Reassure
them that help is on the way and if they are able to self-rescue out of the
water take immediate measures to keep them warm to help prevent hypothermia
while waiting for rescue personnel to arrive.
- Keep dogs on leashes around frozen
bodies of waters. Many dogs are seriously injured or killed after falling
through ice.
Sledding Safety
The high incidence of
sledding injuries is related to a combination of speed, steep hills, bumpy terrain
and often icy conditions. Make sure that sledding areas do not cross any
traffic areas and are clear of hazards such as trees, rocks, fences, telephone
poles, ponds and other dangers. The majority of sledding injuries are caused by
collisions. Remember the safest sledding position is feet first. Sledding
headfirst increases the risk of head injury and should be avoided. Fire officials in Montgomery County recommend
that children wear a helmet when sledding.
