[Archived] Tips to Identify Heating Hazards

City Press Release


	City of Alexandria, Virginia Office of the City Manager Alexandria City Hall 301 King Street, Suite 3500 Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3211 www.alexandriava.gov Telephone: 703.838.4300 Fax : 703.838.6343

Dec. 22, 2003
PIO 214-03

The Alexandria Fire Department Offers Tips to Identify Heating Hazards

Alexandria Fire Department encourages residents to be safe while using supplemental heating appliances this winter. According to the National Fire Protection Association, portable or fixed heating sources are responsible for two of every three home heating fires. These fires are also responsible for three of every four related deaths. Supplemental heating equipment is the leading cause of home fires during the months of December, January, and February.

Supplemental equipment includes portable electrical equipment, room gas heaters, portable kerosene equipment, wood stoves, and fireplaces without inserts. Central home heaters are not a significant cause of home heating fires.

Here is a safety checklist to assist you in identifying heating hazards.

• Are space heaters located at least three feet away from anything else that can burn, including people, furniture, and pets?
• Are portable space heaters always turned off when adults leave the room or go to sleep?
• Does each fireplace have a fire screen?
• Is the chimney kept clean of combustible buildup of creosote? Chimneys should be cleaned by a professional after the winter heating season and checked again prior to use in the fall.
• Have all heating appliances been approved by industry standards and labeled accordingly?
• Do space heaters have safety features incase they are overturned?
• Are all heating appliances well ventilated?
• Do you allow all heating appliances to cool off before refueling?
• Are your filters changed regularly?

This safety checklist is intended to provide safety related examples and does not include all possible hazards associated with heating appliances. The Alexandria Fire Department provides home fire safety tours. For more information or to schedule a visit, contact the Public Education Office at 703.838.5594.

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