Departments pump up cold-weather fire safety
As winter and colder temperatures approach the area, so does an increased concern for fire safety.
A statement from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross said that the Greater Pennsylvania Region responds to 30% more home fires in November through March than in warmer months.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, cooler months see more home fires, especially from cooking and heating equipment, because people spend more time inside.
“It's critical to take action now to be as safe as possible this winter,” Patricia Waldinger, CEO of American Red Cross Greater Pennsylvania Region, said in a statement.
“Since October 2020, Red Cross volunteers from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter have responded to more than 300 home fires throughout the Western Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh area,” she said. “We don't want to see that number continue to climb, so we are encouraging everyone to take these steps to help protect your loved ones and your home.”
Winter woes
Tyler Cuadrado, captain with Adams Area Fire District, said that the department definitely sees more fires in the winter than other times during the year.
Homeowners hoping to enjoy a warm fire in the fireplace as temperatures drop outside should be especially careful that they are maintaining their chimneys, he said.
“You'll get the people who use wood furnaces and fireplaces, and they couldn't tell you the last time that they had their chimneys cleaned,” Cuadrado said. “We'll see a handful of chimney fires throughout the winter, just because they didn't take care of it. It's a good idea to have a company come out and clean (your chimneys) and make sure that they are still in good working order.”
Cuadrado also said that winter is a time in which carbon monoxide incidents increase.
“Changing out filters on the furnaces and making sure your furnace is tuned up and in good working condition can save you from having an electrical fire, but also a big thing with that is carbon monoxide,” he said. “Everybody turns their furnaces on and they have clogged filters, and we get carbon monoxide building up in people's houses.”
He recommended using the end of daylight saving time on Nov. 7 as a point to make sure that carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are working, adding that winter in general is a time to be aware.
“I encourage people that when temperatures start to drop and you're going to be using these sources of heat, it's always a good idea to check carbon monoxide and smoke detectors,” he said.
Holiday dangers
Cranberry Fire Safety Education Coordinator Jack Carney said that the onset of the winter holiday season can bring unique fire dangers.
“Fireplaces in the wintertime are a hazard,” he said. “People put decorations a little too close (to the fireplace), and it can become a hazard.”
Carney said that many people also may plug in multiple power strips at once to light up holiday decorations, and run the risk of overextending their electrical capacity.
“Those power strips or those extension cords are only good for so many circuits,” he said. “If you get them too close to the space heater that will also get you in trouble.”
Carney and other Cranberry Township volunteer firefighters conducted a safety training with kids at Seneca Valley Haine Elementary School on Friday, and will hold another session on Monday.
The educators taught kids about what can cause a fire and what to do if there is a fire in your family's home.
