Metal Township Fire & Ambulance Company 21

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA

Dec. 17, 2007 PEMA – Joint Information Center

Commonwealth News Bureau

Room 308, Main Capitol Building

Harrisburg, PA 17120

CONTACT: Maria A. Finn

(717) 651-2731

PEMA ADVISES RESIDENTS TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS DURING POWER OUTAGES

HARRISBURG - In the wake of the weekend’s ice storms, many Pennsylvanians are still without power and intermittent power outages are still occurring. The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency is reminding residents of the necessary precautions they should take to protect their health and safety whenever they are without electricity for any length of time.

PEMA is recommending that anyone without power should consider going to a local shelter for food, water and relief from the cold. If you are planning to leave home and go to a local shelter, there are steps to take to protect yourself and your home:

Close and lock doors and windows.

Unplug appliances.

If a hard freeze is likely during your absence, you can prevent damage to water pipes by:

Turning off the water main

Draining faucets

Turning off inside valves for external faucets and opening the outside faucets to drain.

Let others know where you are going.

Put blankets, bottled water, non-perishable foods in your car in case you become stranded or in case the shelter loses power for a time.

Stay away from downed power lines as you walk or drive.

Staying in Your Home

If you do not have heat, close unneeded rooms, stuff towels or rags in cracks under doors, and cover the windows at night.

Eat and drink. Food provides the body with energy for producing its own heat. Keep the body replenished with fluids to prevent dehydration. Do not consume alcoholic beverages, as this can dehydrate the body and cause it to lose heat.

Wear layers of loose fitting, lightweight, warm clothing.

Remove layers to avoid overheating, perspiration, and subsequent chill.

Use flashlights or other battery-powered lights instead of candles, if possible. If you must use candles, place them in candleholders and away from anything that could catch fire. Never leave a burning candle unattended or sleep with candles burning.

When using a fireplace, wood stove or space heater for heat or if you are using a generator for electricity, practice fire safety and observe the precautions against carbon monoxide poisoning given below.

Protecting Against Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning

Fireplaces, wood stoves and portable heaters and generators are often used when power outages occur. These and other appliances produce carbon monoxide, which can be fatal if people are exposed to high levels even for a brief time. CO cannot be seen or smelled and can kill in minutes. Tips to avoid CO poisoning include:

Never run a generator or any petroleum-fueled (kerosene, propane, gasoline) engine or appliance inside a basement, garage or other enclosed structure, even if the doors or windows are open, unless the equipment is professionally installed and vented.

Keep vents and flues free of debris, especially if winds are high. Flying debris can block ventilation lines.

Never run a motor vehicle, generator or any gasoline-powered engine outside an open window, door or vent where exhaust can vent into an enclosed area.

Regularly check and properly maintain fuel-burning appliances, especially when in use.

Carefully monitor household members for signs of CO poisoning.

Exposure to CO can cause loss of consciousness and death. The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain and confusion. People who are sleeping or who have been drinking alcohol can die from CO poisoning before ever having symptoms.

Anyone who suspects symptoms of CO poisoning should go outside and seek fresh air immediately. If a person has collapsed or is not breathing, call 9-1-1 for emergency medical assistance immediately from a safe location.

Food Safety Practices

Winter storms and power outages mean that food safety issues require special attention:

Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible.

Refrigerated foods should be kept at 40F or below.

Check the temperature when the power comes back on. If the appliance thermometer reads 40F or below, the food is safe and may be kept refrigerated. It is safe to refreeze the food, but the quality and flavor of the food may be affected.

If a thermometer has not been kept in the unit, check each package of food after power is restored. If the food still contains ice crystals or is 40F or below, it is safe to refreeze or cook and use. Do not rely on appearance or odor to determine if food is safe.

Refrigerated food should be safe as long as the power was out for no more than 4-6 hours and the refrigerator door was kept closed.

Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs or leftovers) that has been above 40F for two hours or more.

Remember: When in doubt, throw it out!

PennDOT crews have been treating Pennsylvania’s roads since the beginning of the storm and will continue to work as conditions warrant. If travel is necessary, motorists are advised to drive with extreme caution and be aware of black ice, as well as downed trees and power lines.

For roadway conditions, visit www.dot.state.pa.us. Motorists within Pennsylvania may also call PennDOT’s 24-hour, toll-free road condition hotline at 1-888-783-6783 for interstate conditions. Out-of-state motorists can call 717-783-5186.

PEMA urges individuals to keep extra drinking water, a first-aid kit, canned/non-perishable food, a non-electric can opener, battery-powered radio, flashlight and spare batteries in an easily-accessible place. In addition, individuals are encouraged to check on elderly family members and neighbors to ensure their needs are met.

For additional emergency preparedness and winter safety information, as well as current weather advisories, visit www.pema.state.pa.us.

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Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

If you use gas, wood, kerosene or fuel oil as a heat source, you are producing carbon monoxide. Any fuel-burning appliance such as a fireplace, water heater, space heater, clothes dryer, or a gas stove is a potential source of CO poisoning if not properly vented and maintained. Idling your vehicle or running a gas-powered generator in an attached garage can also cause CO; the fumes seep into your home through doors and floorboards.

Symptoms of CO poisoning mimic the flu and include dizziness, severe headaches, nausea, sleepiness, fatigue/weakness, and disorientation. At high concentration levels, CO can be fatal. Known as the "Silent Killer," carbon monoxide is invisible, tasteless and odorless.

   Protecting Your Family:

1. Do an annual inspection of heating system and gas-burning appliances. A qualified technician should come equipped with a digital CO analyzer such as the Bacharach Monoxor II, which can be used to check the furnace, water heater, range, oven and other gas-burning appliances while they are in operation.

2. Install working Carbon Monoxide alarms. CO detectors have a useful life of around five years. Older units should be replaced. Newer models (meeting the current UL standards) will alarm only when there is a sustained level of 70 ppm (parts per million) of carbon monoxide in the air. Lower CO levels, especially if prolonged, may be harmful to babies, youngsters, pregnant women and older people. Choose an alarm with a digital readout and memory that will record the highest CO level that occurred since the last re-set.

3. What to do if alarm goes off: Evacuate the house. Call the 911. If CO levels are not high, ask that your family be tested with a CO breath analyzer (the CO in the house may have dissipated by the time the fire department arrives).

Other tips:

a. Avoid warming up automobile in the garage.

b. Never use charcoal to cook inside.

c. Do not use generators in garages, basements or indoors.

4. Backdrafting: Exhaust gases from furnaces, fireplaces, water heaters and other appliances can be pulled back inside a tightly sealed house when exhaust fans, clothes dryers and other appliances are operated. This can happen when:

a. The house is tightly sealed (weather-stripping, energy efficient windows).

b. The furnace and other fuel-burning appliances are old or have been poorly maintained.

c. Exhaust fans have been added in kitchens and bathrooms.

d. Wood-burning fireplaces do not have glass doors.

e. Basements have been remodeled reducing the supply of comb

Now would be a good time to check your furnaces or other fossil fuel burning equipment to make sure your systems work as intended by the manufacturer and are venting properly, Installing CO detectors in buildings and homes that use fossil fuels is essential.   Look for one that is battery operated or includes battery backup for protection during power outages. Beginning November 1, all residences in New York City will be required to have a CO detector installed.

When the CO alarm sounds, don't ignore it. Get out of the building immediately. Call emergency personnel once you are out of the building and don't re-enter until you have been notified that it is safe to do so.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in America, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Most poisonings happen in the colder months, when homeowners use fuel-burning furnaces and appliances. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports more than 10,000 people die or seek medical attention each year due to CO poisoning from a house-related product. More than half of those fatalities and injuries are due to CO poisoning from heating systems.

Check OSHA Safety web…for more info