In the event of power outages, safety is important people need to consider safety when using a generator or fireplace.
Generators have been vital for some businesses during the recent power outages, affecting thousands of area residents.
It is important to test generators annually to make sure they work properly. Self-running generators are set to turn on as soon as the power turns off. Local electricians say to test a selfrunning generator, turn the switches in the breaker box off to see if the generator will turn on.
It also is important not to place a portable generator inside a house or building, because of the fumes and carbon monoxide poisoning the generator could create. The safest place for a portable generator is outside away from people, according to information released by Public Service Co. of Oklahoma.
While the power is out, a fireplace could be used to keep a house warm.
“The biggest thing is disposing the ashes in a safe place, I’ve heard of people putting them in a paper bag and setting them on a porch, or they put them in the trash can. This can result in a fire, because there could be embers in the ashes. The safest way to dispose your ashes is to put them in a metal pail and let it sit for two to three days then dump the ashes,” Weatherford Fire Department fire marshal Jay Moore said.
It also is safe to inform children of fire safety and to let them know the dangers of a fireplace.
“If it’s been a couple years since you’ve turned your fireplace on, children might not know about the dangers of a fireplace. It’s always a good idea to let your children know fire safety,” Moore said.
Electric garage doors will not work while the power is out. It is good to know most motorized garage doors have a manual release in order to open the door manually. A string hangs from the trolley of the garage door. The steps to manually open a garage door include pulling the string while the door is down and then pulling the door up.