A message from the EMFD on heating

As the cooler temperatures migrate across our region, as does the concern for home heating safety.

Already this year, your East Meadow Volunteer Fire Department has responded to heating system emergencies that resulted in oil burner emergencies and the ensuing carbon monoxide exposure.

The chiefs, officers, and members of the East Meadow Fire Department urge our residents to take steps each year to ensure the safety of your loved ones.

Heating equipment is a leading cause of home fire deaths in the USA with half of all home heating equipment fires reported during the months of December, January, and February.

Some simple steps can prevent most heating-related fires from happening.

•Keep anything that can burn at least five feet away from heating equipment. Such as the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.

•Never leave a space heater on unattended.

•Have a five-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.

•Finish any exposed wood ceiling above your heating system with sheet rock of at least a 10' x 10' area, if your boiler room is unfinished.

•Never use your oven to heat your home.

•Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.

•Check all wiring and cords for damage, and/or loose connections.

•Whether you have a gas fired or oil fired system, have your heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.

•Never store flammables (paints, aerosols, gasoline, etc.) in any room that has your heating system.

•Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.

•Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel burning space heaters.

•If you have a fireplace, make sure the a sturdy screen is in place to stop sparks from reaching the carpet or other combustibles.

•Ensure fireplace ashes are completely cool before disposal in a metal container, AND keep that container away from your home, porch, or any other combustible structure.

•Know the capacity of your electrical outlets... Many heaters or today's electric fireplaces may draw more energy than the standard outlet. This could cause a fire particularly if the breaker fails.

•Often referred by firefighters to as a Puff Back" this common malfunction of a heating system can emit a familiar odor, or even, a haze of smoke. Such an event cannot be ignored. Residents are reminded to turn of their heating system at the emergency shutoff switch, contact the East Meadow Fire Department, and evacuation the immediate area at the very least. In these cases, there is a possibility that this malfunction may have allowed dangerous carbon monoxide gas into the area. Your East Meadow volunteers will respond, verify that your burner is off, and that the fire in the chamber is out. They will also check for the presence of carbon monoxide, and safely ventilate your home or business of all contaminants.

•Although achieving a similar result in heating a home, gas fired heating systems are not exempt from issues that require periodic maintenance to prevent mishaps. As you may know, gas is a safe and efficient means to heat your home. Its combustion allows for a cleaner environment, however, residents with gas fired heating systems must follow the same guidelines herein to ensure the safety of your loved ones. Those of us who heat our homes with gas should be familiar with its characteristics, and its odor (best described as a rotten egg smell). If detected, evacuate the home, and notify your East Meadow Fire Department. EMFD volunteers are well trained to detect combustible gas, can shut down the source and ventilate your home if it a safe to do, and gain control of the environment within your home, as the utility company responds.

•Whether you have gas or oil heat, have a working smoke and carbon monoxide detector on each level of your home and test each at least once a month. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on installation and locations.

In the event of a heating system emergency, turn off your emergency switch, all occupants must exit the home, call the East Meadow Fire Department hotline at 542-0576, and prepare to inform first arriving units, of the fire's location if known.

The safety list above represents the many warnings of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), as well as the many experiences of your volunteers here in East Meadow.

In closing, we remind you that many of these warnings will also protect our East Meadow volunteers since your actions will likely turn what could have been a large fire, into a smaller fire handled with less risk.

Below grade fires are the undisputed most dangerous home fire your firefighters will respond to.

Responding to these emergencies for 41 years, it no longer amazes me at what we see: flammables stored within inches of a burner, oil burners so dirty that carbon deposits sit on every surface in the room, and yes, just last year, a 20lb propane tank in the basement of a home during an oil burner fire.

Help make your home safe this year, not just for your family, but also for the men and women who will respond to your home in a moment’s notice.

John J. O'Brien is an active Ex Chief of the East Meadow Fire Department. He is the District Supervisor of the Jericho Fire District and has over 30 years of Dispatch and Supervisory experience.