- Health officials urge people to stay indoors the next few days to avoid health problems caused by frigid temperatures.But staying inside your home can be dangerous if you don't heat it properly. The most common cold weather emergencies Rhinelander firefighters respond to are fires caused by portable heaters. But it's not just the heaters that cause fires.
It's the extension cords used to power them."People overuse them. They join them together. In fact, we recommend if you need an extension cord to buy a power strip. That's got the circuit breaker built in to it so if the appliance were to overheat, the circuit breaker would trip," said Rhinelander Fire Department Deputy Chief Craig Metz.People using portable heaters should place them in the middle of a room to avoid a fire hazard. They shouldn't run extension cords through doorways.The cords can bend, causing them to wear down.Firefighters don't respond to as many chimney or oven fires as they did a few years ago. New furnaces and the ability for more people to have heat through heating assistance programs have helped reduce the use of ovens and fires. But a furnace can still pose a danger."You want to make sure the intake and the exhaust on your furnace is kept clean. We see that quite a bit where the snow banks will block off the exhaust of the furnace," explained Metz.Exhaust can build up, creating deadly carbon monoxide levels if the snow isn't cleared. Firefighters say now is a perfect time to check your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors to be sure they're working.
Written By: Lauren Stephenson