XN000022-1975-11-17 — Page 2

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1975

TAKE CARE WHEN USING ROOM HEATERS

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WITH THE ARRIVAL OF COOLER, DRIER WEATHER, THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT TODAY URGED THE PUBLIC TO BE CAUTIOUS WHEN USING PONNACLE HEATERS IN THEIR HOMES AND PLACES OF WORK.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THIS WAS THE TIME OF YEAR WHEN KEROSENE AND ELECTRIC ROOM HEATERS CAME INTO WIDE USE AND VIIEN FIRES WERE LIKELY TO OCCUR BECAUSE A FEW SIMPLE SAFETY RULES WERE OVERLOOKED.

+A COMMON CAUSE OF FIRES ARISING FROM THE USE OF ROOM HEATERS IS THROUGH PLACING THEM IN UNSUITABLE LOCATIONS,+ THE SPOKESMAN STATED. THESE INCLUDES AREAS CLOSE TO INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS OR MATERIALS, OR WHERE CHILDREN PLAY.

+BEFORE TURNING ON ANY TYPE OF HEATER,+ HE SAID, IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT THOUGHT BE GIVEN TO WHICH IS THE SAFEST SPOT TO PUT IT. KEEP IT WELL AWAY FROM CURTAINS OR BEDDING MATERIALS AND ALSO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS NOT TOO CLOSE TO

UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE.

SATISFY YOURSELF FULLY THAT IT CANNOT BE KNOCKED OVER BY PLAYING CHILDREN OR ELDERLY PEOPLE.+

HE SAID A NUMBER OF KEROSENE HEATER FIRES WERE CAUSED BY FILLING OR MOVING THEM WHILE STILL BURNING CR OVERF ILLING THEM. +THIS CAN BE HIGHLY DANGEROUS AND HAS RESULTED IN DEATHS AND INJURIES, HE STATED.

HE RECOMMENDED THAT IF POSSIBLE, ALL HEATERS SHOULD BE SCREWED TO THE FLOOR.

AS REGARDS ELECTRIC HEATERS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THESE WERE SOMETIMES TURNED ON BLINDLY WITHOUT FIRST MAKING SURE THEY WERE WELL AWAY FROM COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS C. PRODUCTS. ALSO, WIRES WERE OFTEN PLUGGED INTO ADAPTORS OPERATING OTHER ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES, RESULTING IN THE WIRING DECOMING OVERHEATED.

THE SPOKESMAN ALSO ADVISED THAT DEFORE TURNING ON A ROOM HEATER FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS WINTER, IT SHOULD BE GIVEN A THOROUGH INSPECTION TO ENSURE THAT IT IS CLEAN AND THAT ANY PLUGS, LEADS OR WICKS ARE IN GOOD CONDITION3. TIE REMINDED THE PUBLIC THAT DURING THE CURRENT DRY WEATHER, THERE IS A TWO TO FIVE-FOLD INCREASE IN THE CHANCES OF FIRE..

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