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WINDHAM FIRE RESCUE
"Electrical Safety"
On average there are 38,400 home fires per year associated with wiring, switches, outlets, cords and plugs, fuse and circuit breaker boxes, and other equipment involved in distributing electricity around the home. These electrical service equipment fires annually kill 352 people and injure 1,343 annually
Fixed wiring causes 1/3 of home electrical distribution fires.
Cords and plugs cause 1/6 of home electrical distribution fires and 1/3 of related deaths. In many cases, people can easily check and fix them, if necessary, without a licensed electrician.
Each year, electrical shock (not resulting in a fire) causes hundreds of burn deaths and thousands of burn injuries.
Nearly 2/3 of electrical burn injuries among children ages 12 and under are associated with household electrical cords and extension cords.
. Electrical Safety Advice
- Replace or repair any electrical device with a loose or frayed cord
- Avoid running extension cords across doorways or under carpets
- In homes with small children, electrical outlets should have plastic safety covers
- Avoid the use of "cube taps" and other devices that allow the connection of multiple appliances into a single receptacle.
- Place lamps on level surfaces, away from things that can burn
IF YOUR POWER GOES OUT, STAY AWAY FROM DOWNED POWER LINES!
Assume all downed wires are "live" and keep children away from puddles or fences that are near the downed wires.
Persons dependent on electrically powered life support systems should have a prearranged plan with their doctor and local hospital concerning outage situations. Family members should have a list of emergency phone numbers readily available to implement the emergency plan.
Check your own fuses or circuit breakers.
If possible, look out your window to see if other homes in your area are also without power. Report that information, along with other pertinent information such as downed trees, limbs or wires in your neighborhood, when you report your outage to your electric company.
Turn off major appliances during the outage to prevent overloading the circuits in your home when the power comes back on. Leave one light switched on as a signal for when the power is restored.
Surge protectors, which are available at local electronics stores, can protect solid state equipment during an outage
Proper insulation will keep your home warm for several hours during an outage. Keep extra wood on hand if you have a fireplace or a wood burning stove. NEVER BURN CHARCOAL INDOORS.
Power restoration begins with electrical generating plants, sub stations and electric lines which serve the greatest number of customers.
EMERGENCY SUPPLIES TO KEEP HANDY:
Don't wait for a storm to hit before you stock up on emergency supplies and regularly check the status of your supplies to ensure their usability.
Emergency food: Be aware of the expiration dates on canned and dried foods and replace as required. Flashlights: Have several and place them throughout the house. Portable radio and fresh batteries: make sure that you have the correct size on hand. Water for drinking and cooking. Blankets. Wood or coal for heat (if appropriate). Pet Food (if appropriate). Emergency supplies should be stored in an easy to reach area which is high enough to avoid water damage.
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