As the weather continues to get colder, Lawrence County residents could find themselves in a bit of danger if they don’t remember the rules about electricity, heat and fire.

Thursday, January 06, 2000

As the weather continues to get colder, Lawrence County residents could find themselves in a bit of danger if they don’t remember the rules about electricity, heat and fire.

Last year, during the winter months, several county families lost their homes because of overloaded electrical circuits, tipped kerosene heaters and candles that were left unattended.

Fire is a vicious predator. If you don’t have a working smoke alarm, the smoke could kill you or someone you love before the flames even become a danger.

And, sometimes, a house is engulfed so quickly, that firefighters are unable to save any of the family’s belongings – or their lives.

Some homeowners do a lot of reckless things when they are facing falling temperatures. They might leave a kerosene heater on all night or station it too close to curtains or a piece of furniture. They might open their oven door to heat their kitchen – another dangerous risk.

Caution is the only way to prevent an accident that could turn into a tragedy during the winter months. If you are going to use additional heat sources, you must make sure they are safe and used properly.

Check the batteries in your smoke detector and don’t take unnecessary risks. Check your furnace.

That extra work could save your life.