Twin States Weather Blog

Fire Concerns

* What a rash of house fires over the last 24 to 36 hours. We generally see this with the first really cold blast of the year, and it's unfortunate. We don't want you or your family to be at risk; here is a checklist of fire prevention and safety tips:

- Develop a fire escape plan for your family that identifies two exits out of every room and an established meeting place outside. Practice makes perfect – hold a family fire drill at least twice each year.

- Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and test them monthly. The Home Safety Council recommends installing additional smoke alarms inside bedrooms.

- Know how to extinguish a small pan fire by sliding a lid over the flames.

- Teach every family member to “Stop, Drop and Roll” if clothes catch fire.

- Consider having a home fire sprinkler system installed in your new home, or when you remodel.

- Learn how and when to use a fire extinguisher.

- Always use stable, candle holders made of material that won’t catch fire, such as metal, glass, etc.

- Schedule an appointment with professionals to have chimneys, fireplaces, wood and coal stoves, central furnaces and space heaters inspected once a year and cleaned as often as necessary.

- Keep space heaters at least three feet away from things that can burn, such as curtains or stacks of newspaper, and always turn off heaters when leaving the room or going to bed.

- Be careful not to overload electrical outlets, extension cords and power strips.

- Check all wires and cords for damage and cover all unused electrical outlets.

- Protect bedrooms by having arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) installed. Contact a professional electrician to handle this job.

* These tips are courtesy of www.homesafetycouncil.org

* BIG changes to our forecast...Computer model guidance now suggesting the possibility of some rain as early as late Sunday. The best chance of rain seemingly comes Monday, as a deep upper low moves across the deep South.

* Heading to Auburn, Alabama tonight after the 10pm newscast...I hope your favorite team is successful this weekend!

posted by WTOK Weather Staff @ 10:12 PM