Edgewood VFD Holds Safety Day at Kmart Saturday

In observance of Fire Prevention Week, Edgewood Volunteer Fire Department will hold a Safety Day from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, at the Edgewood Towne Centre Kmart.

For those who cannot attend, fire Chief Dave Andrews offers some advice of fire safety for the home.

"Fall is the time of year when we all migrate to the inside due to the falling temperatures, making it the most dangerous time of the year for fire and related accidents," Andrews said.

Seeing that the furnace has been idle all summer, Andrews recommends having it checked by a certified heating contractor to make sure that it is properly functioning. He said the heat exchanger can go bad without any warning and send carbon monoxide throught the house.

"Carbon monoxide is a tasteless and odorless gas that is fatal when inhaled," Andrews warns. "Nausea, headaches and dizziness are signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. It is highly recomended that CO detectors are placed outside sleeping areas of your house, as well as each level of your house."

He suggests the same placement for smoke detectors as well.

"In addition, smoke detectors are required to be inside each sleeping area," he said. "The reasoning for inside the sleeping area is that tests were conducted by the NFPA (National Fire Prevention Association) and it was found that a smoke detector outside of the sleeping area can be activated and people will sleep though it."

Andrews also has a pet peeve.

"My favorite sore subject is candles," he said. "We have had more house fires due to carelessness of candles than anything else. Never leave a lit candle unattended. In one case, a cat knocked it over and set a bedroom ablaze. Be sure not to have a candle too close to combustable materials and always keep them out of the reach of small children."

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