Columbia Standard

The National Weather Service in Columbia is calling for a significantly colder airmass to arrive in the Midlands beginning early Friday morning, December 23. This is expected to cause wind gusts of up to 40 mph and wind chills below freezing at times through Saturday morning December 24.

With area residents expected to fire up home heating sources over the next few days, the fire department wants to once again stress these IMPORTANT reminders:

FOR SPACE HEATERS

• Keep anything that can burn (including carpet) at least 3 feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater. Only use space heaters on hard surfaces e.g.: hardwood, tile, etc.
• Have a 3-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space
• Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed. Also consider purchasing space heaters with a ‘kill switch’ that will turn the unit off if it tips over.
• Power your space heater by plugging the device DIRECTLY into a wall outlet! DO NOT use extension cords or power strips to power the space heater!
• Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel burning space heaters.

FOR FIREPLACES

• Make sure your fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home.

OTHER HEATING REMINDERS

• Never use your oven to heat your
• Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified Also, make sure your home heating equipment is UL listed.
• Test smoke alarms at least once a
• Never use a portable generator inside your Place it outside and at least 10 feet away from the building.
• Install and maintain CO alarms to avoid the risk of CO poisoning. If you smell gas in your gas heater, do not light the appliance. Leave the home immediately and call your local fire department or gas Make sure that CO alarms are on each level of your home.

The colder weather and high winds could also bring an INCREASED risk for icy roadway conditions, downed trees, downed power lines and the chance of power outages.

• DO NOT TRAVEL if roadways ice over!
• If a power lines falls KEEP CLEAR OF IT and call 9-1-1 !
• If a tree falls on your home and causes significant damages, exit the structure and call 9-1-1.
• If you lose power, report it your power company ASAP! Also be sure to have an emergency kit on hand that includes water, flashlights and plenty of spare batteries.

The fire department encourages everyone to stay updated on this winter weather event and stay safe as it moves through the Midlands this weekend.

 

QUESTIONS: Contact PIO Mike DeSumma at (803)413-8555 or michael.desumma@columbiasc.gov

Original source can be found here.