Maryland State Fire Marshal

News Release
Martin OMalley Governor

Brain S. Geraci State Fire Marshal

STATE FIRE MARSHAL PROVIDES WINTER HEATING SAFETY TIPS

STATEWIDE (January 6, 2014) As the temperatures drop to extreme lows, we depend on multiple types of heating sour es to stay warm inside our homes! "tate #ire $arshal %rian "! &era i is pro'iding $arylanders life and home sa'ing heating safety tips! Elements of heating resources continue to be a significant factor in home fires in Maryland, a ording to the #ire $arshal! Following these guidelines, we can work together to reduce the number of residential fires. (nsure himneys are leaned annually or more fre)uently if used as the primary heating e)uipment! *se properly si+ed firepla e s reens or en losures! ,e'er use a flamma-le li)uid to start a fire! .hen disposing of ooled ashes, do not use paper or plasti ontainers to remo'e them, instead use a metal ontainer! Ashes will insulate hot em-ers long after the fire is onsidered out! $a/e sure fuel -urning sto'es are installed a ording to lo al fire odes and manufa turer0s instru tions! 1a'e your furna e inspe ted and ser'i ed annually! 2he / porta-le ele tri heaters for frayed3damaged wires and ensure they are lean and pla ed on a flat le'el surfa e! *se only 4listed5 applian es -y an appro'ed testing la-oratory and follow manufa turer0s instru tions! 6o not use extension ords with porta-le spa e heaters! 7he extension ord an
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o'erheat and ause a fire! 9f you use /erosene fuel fired heaters, use only 4:;15 /erosene fuel! ,e'er fill the unit inside, remo'e it to the exterior after it has ooled -efore refueling! Note: 8orta-le /erosene heaters are banned for use in Balt !o"e # t$! <pen a window enough to pro'ide proper 'entilation! :eep om-usti-les (furniture, urtains, lothing, paper goods, et !), at least (=) three feet from all heat sour es! #uel -urning applian es an produ e the deadly, tasteless and odorless gas /nown as ar-on monoxide! 9nstall and maintain ar-on monoxide alarms inside your home to pro'ide an early warning of ar-on monoxide le'els! Always turn off porta-le heating e)uipment when lea'ing the room for extended periods! 8orta-le heaters should ne'er -e operated unattended!

Along with these heating tips, he / to ma/e sure your smo/e alarms are in good wor/ing order! Routine maintenance and safe operation of heating equipment, combined with properly installed and operating smoke alarms and carbon mono ide detectors, are a life!sa"ing combination for all Marylanders, stated &era i!

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7he <ffi e of the "tate #ire $arshal is an agen y of the 6epartment of "tate 8oli e dedi ated to helping prote t iti+ens from fire and explosion through a omprehensi'e program of edu ation, inspe tion, in'estigation and fire prote tion engineering! #or more information on fire safety all 1;>00;?2?;=124, log onto our we-site at@ www!mdsp!org3firemarshal and3or http@33fa e-oo/! om3$aryland"tate#ire$arshal!

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