Bismarck Fire Winter Safety Tips

BISMARCK, N.D. – With winter’s cold temperatures and blowing snow, the Bismarck fire Department would like to remind residents of a few simple safety tips to stay safe.
• Clear ice and snow from around all the vents outside of your home. This includes vents on the ground and on the roof. Be sure dryer, sewer and furnace vents are clear so fumes and gases can be released outside of the home and can help prevent the build-up of CO and other toxic gases in the home.
• Check unused drains, including floor drains, to make sure they have water in them to keep sewer gases from entering your home.
• Never use a kerosene heater as an auxiliary heater in your home. Not only is it a safety hazard but also a source for deadly carbon monoxide in the home.
• Keep a minimum of three feet clearance from combustibles around all electric space heaters.
• Thaw frozen pipes using electric heat tape or a hand held dryer. Never use an open flame device such as a torch that could ignite the wood structure supporting the pipes.
• Do not pile snow in front of your exits. Make sure that exits are usable in the event of an emergency. This would include egress windows in your home. Be sure they are not frozen shut and can be used should the need arise.
• Make sure you have good batteries in your Carbon Monoxide detectors. Houses are closed up more tightly in the winter. Windows aren’t open and doors are closed quickly. Carbon Monoxide can build up in the home more quickly due to the lack of fresh air entering the structure. Carbon Monoxide is colorless and odorless… the only way you will know it is there is by using a CO detector.
• Check your smoke detectors monthly. You should have a working smoke detector in each bedroom and on each level of your home. If they do not work, change the batteries or replace the unit if it is older than 10 years.
• If you have a fireplace, never close the damper with hot ashes in the fire place. A closed damper will help the fire to heat up again and force toxic carbon monoxide into the house.
• When disposing of the ashes from a fire place, place them in a metal container outside and away from your home. While the ashes may seem cool, they can retain heat for several days. Do not place the ashes in the trash until you are absolutely certain they are completely cold.
• Continue to clean snow from around the hydrants in your neighborhood.

For more information please contact the Bismarck Fire Department at 355-1400 or visit www.bismarck.org