As youre turning the clocks back and changing the batteries in your smoke detectors this weekend, Id like to suggest that you check the status of your fire extinguishers, power strips and surge protectors. I dont usually offer unsolicited advice on Facebook, but.... On Thursday morning I woke up to Craig yelling Cindi get out of the house, theres a fire in the house. The fire started in a surge protector in an upstairs bedroom and was about the size of of a fireplace fire and growing. Luckily, Craig grabbed the fire extinguisher and put the fire out, as far as we could tell. He called 911, and the YPD and YFD were on their way before I was even out the door. Its surreal hearing and watching fire trucks pull up to your own house, and watching firefighters going in, while smoke billows out of your windows. They cleared the smoke, checked the walls for further risk, and made sure it was safe to go back inside the house. We are very grateful for the speedy response of the Yarmouth Fire Department, and so I feel obligated to share the advice given to us about the use of surge protectors and power cords. 1. Most of them are made overseas. 2. They have a shelf life. 3. Some of them are glorified extension cords. 4. They always draw power. 5. If you need more outlets, add more outlets, not more power cords. We were very lucky on Thursday, but are not eager to rely on luck in the future. We have electricians checking the wiring, and now we begin the cleanup process to get the smoke and burnt plastic smell out of the house. This morning I saw a friend from Washington post about a family losing their home to fire while they were out. They lost everything. We lost nothing that cant be replaced by insurance. With the shortened days and holidays coming, we all increase our energy usage and plug in extra lights, appliances, new electronics, decorations.... So now is a good time to check your smoke detectors, Carbon Monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers and surge protectors. If you need to buy new ones, buy them. Be cautious of old electronics and overloading outlets. Go through your home and check your extension cords, power strips etc... and replace old ones. Have an emergency plan, especially if you have kids and pets. I hope my friends and family will heed and share this advice, so your families can be safe and your homes protected.
Posted on: Sun, 03 Nov 2013 19:22:07 +0000
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